Rode Gracie last night - when she goes through I have right rein and I am able to sit on the right instead of continually being thrown to the inside. A lot of arguments about giving in the left jaw and I never did get to canter.
Had a lesson today. We started with walk pirouettes. May I say they are much easier on Gracie than on Demi. But.... I have to sit to the inside, lead with my inside rein, lay my outside rein on her neck, stay flexible in my seat, use BOTH legs. Then I get very nice second level walk pirouettes though. :^) She likes to take large steps behind instead of tiny steps.
Moved to piaffe. It is great to have the mirrors. To the left piaffe was pretty good. I have to lift the left rein a little to keep her on her right shoulder, but it's not bad. To the right it was apparently really difficult to lift the left shoulder and stay balanced on her right shoulder. I held the left rein up quite high, which was very upsetting to Gracie, She wants to lean on it and she can't that way. I have to relax into piaffe and let her find the rhythm and support myself with my thighs, which is very difficult.
Then on to canter departs (because after piaffe Gracie's collected trot is fabulous and she is through on both reins. I am balanced and can both support myself and turn my shoulders to the inside. My.
Canter-piaffe-canter. Very challenging, but good. I have to lift into the canter and also lift into the piaffe. Left canter was better than it has been -- again with the lifted left rein, turn my shoulders inside, sit back. Stay loose, but supported for down transitions.
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