So for this lesson Deb taught me the trot. It consists of lowering your body, crouching almost and jogging forward while keeping the top part of your body straight and hands still.
It feels kind of weird in a silly way, but Maggie responded immediately to it. My particular problem seems to be in that I kind of straighten back up a bit as I move, meaning when it’s time to go back to a walk, I don’t have much place to go back up to.
I’m still having issues with stopping. I practiced such that I don’t take an extra large step when I’m stopping which caused Maggie to think I was continuing forward, but it seems to be an issue that my arm is too long. I can’t have my hand beside her jaw and stand at the right place at her neck unless I have my elbow beside me instead of in front like I was told to.
I was getting rather frustrated about it as I keep being too far back even if Maggie stops right when she’s supposed to. I started dropping my elbow back even though I’m not really supposed to so I can try and stay in the right spot better.
Then today Morgan came out with Money and did some horsemanship. I’m not sure if it was for my benefit or not, but it was nice to see it up close again now that I know what to look for. The way she stops is something I really would like to aim for. She kind of leans back just a bit as she steps into her final place. Money still overshot her a few times, which made me feel a little better about my own failures. She also did a perfect haunch turn that made me extremely jealous. I haven’t tried that in a few weeks but I still remember the disaster that was my trying it.
Dill behaved himself today, which is the first time I’ve seen him do so. I also got his story.
More terminology: Leg yields, half pass
