Solene - march 27, 2015

Large indoor arena, empty. Focus of the day was cadence. Like many Iberian horses I believe, Solene can easily loose or miss cadence. It is necessary to mobilize him at the beginning of the session, building up impulsion and ensuring contact with the mouth.  We started the walk session with energetic strides, horizontal neck and dialog between fingers and mouth, with lateral neck flexions from time to time, then seeking neck extension. Shoulder-ins on the left, and very light and moderate on the right which is his 'painful side'. At the beginning, he shows that any movement involving bending on the right is aching by a little jerk of the shoulder. It is clearly not bad will or defense,  pain instead which soothes only after warm-up.
Then, 10' posting trot at rather brisk speed, with variations and change of leads. Progressively I try to let his neck stretch out and down, with light contact and nose far out, not in the dust. I keep an eye on his stability, regarding the risk of stumbling that he showed when we first met. This seems to improve clearly, and he keeps his balance on this type of attitude much better know.
Then some reining backs between sitting trot and walk sequence. Still not perfect: his first response is too often raising his head. I try to work this with asking reining back immediately after very slow walk, which seems to produce some effect.
Canter is as ever very good. Sequences of walk (4 strides) and canter (4 strides) around several rounds of the arena, with change of leads at each canter strike, works very well. Solene seems to enjoy this part as a recreation, and as a result, my aids become almost intangible, thanks to his willingness to play the game. For sure, a most enjoyable part of the hour.At the end, I asked him a flying change on the large length from counter canter to straight which was still a little fuzzy, but better than before. He has been used to flying lead changes on diagonals which invites the horse to change. But changing on the straight, long side of the arena requires more from his mind. The good thing with Solene is his straightness: even when changing lead not perfectly well, he will not carry himself sideways at once. I think it is me who need to work the flying change by a more precise, more delicate request.
Then a few spirals at canter, which prepares him to pirouette. He is quite willing to do it, but his hindquarters need some more strengthening before he can keep sufficient impulsion and bounce till the spirals reduces to the pirouette itself.
A few minutes at sitting trot after this session which has piled up impulsion, and a lovely passage over a few strides in lightness (mouth beginning to talk) as a delightful reward - cadence was there indeed!. We end with walk on looped rein, and square halt.