Remy has been progressing well in his work, flying changes come easily to him, the lateral work is improving and he is much better off the leg. While all this is going well, mentally he seems to be struggling. Remy is a horse that internalizes a lot, and his troubles come out through spooking, mainly when other horses come too close. Now, Remy is not a spooky horse, and he also mastered Brandt's program with aplomb.
So, time to revisit the program and take it down a notch. Remy is sensitive and not a 'German Dressage machine' like some of the horses that just buckle down and accept the work without fuss (well, lets not go into all the health and behavioral issues some of them develop). I discussed it with Judy and she agreed. We will go back to the basics, still making sure that he his on the aids and in a correct frame, but with a lesser degree of collection and pressure. I have also arranged for some cavaletti lessons with Cindy, Judy's assistant.
The French saying "Il faut reculer pour mieux sauter" means you have to step back to jump ahead - and that's exactly what we are doing.
As for me, I'm also taking a step back (figuratively) - after a rather long hiatus I'm back at Yoga. The difference is already noticeable as I'm much more relaxed, and I'm trying my darndest to improve my flexibility. Some of these stretches though ... ouch!
But wait until you see both of us jump ahead in the Spring!
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