Day 2 Dan Thompson December 2010

Watched part of Mary's lesson with Jake then Aimee with Sparkles--I appreciate the opportunity to watch.

Then 3:30-5 ish Try--mostly freestyle then a spot of figuring out when Try takes contact.

Warmup: We walked for Try to blow and it took longer than usual--

no doubt Try feeling/mirroring my not being as relaxed as usual--though it was a fun, joyous 2 days--still not as relaxed as when its just Try and I. Reminds me of dance rehearsal vs performance--the latter never being as free and glorious as the former as there is the knowledge of the audience.

Anyway, we broke up the walk with turns by my turning my whole body to look at Try's HQ. Then went to the trot and broke that up mentally for Try (to get her connection with me) by varying the speed of the trot from jog to medium to fast trot. (hmm ask BA about extended trot rather than fast).

Then falling leaf variation to lighten the shoulders etc:
1. walk then ask for HQ disengagement with my full body, lift rein hand elbow straight if necessary to keep Try's front end in place (turn on the forehand) and stick in opposite hand across our bodies to HQ as well.
2. After turning swing shoulders in same direction while wt is still back by using opposite rein/leading rein/?leg and if need be stick--holding downward to urge front end.
3. walk off in new direction with leading rein.
Practice bits til they become natural and join together into a dance.

Weave variations walk and trot swinging shoulders thru--so sidepass thru then proceed on a straight line.

Contact: Played with it at a stand still. We wait until Try takes the contact from me i.e. stretched down and then we walk off. Reins mean go.

Merlin/bullfighting
Linda Success Series lead change ladder.

Wonderful two days--glad I did not reschedule to January even though it was really cold both days. By watching other sessions it felt more like a clinic than private sessions only. Also interesting to consider would be the 6 day clinic in Hartsville SC.