We are very fortunate to have a Mark Rashid Clinic within easy reach of home once again and to have people who are willing to take their horses and let us learn from the things that they are taught. I can't believe it is two years since Theoden and I went to one. Today I was in the spectators' seats.
The common issues of softness (above) and intent were re-visited this time and it's always really useful to have some revision as well as some new ideas. Each horse and rider combination is different and so the techniques he uses vary with each pairing.
This lady wanted to walk on her transitions into halt - asking the horse not to fall into the halt and just keep leaning on the bit. Amanda (below) wanted to look at downward transitions with this young horse and some fine tuning really changed everything around, allowing him to transfer his weight to his hindquarters in order to change down a gear very smoothly.
Monty the paint pony was falling in through the shoulder but turned out to really be falling out through the foot! The final pony reminded us all how much brace their can be in a pony even when he is seemingly happy on a loose rein.
Back on the subs' bench for Kitty's long reining session this evening. She was accompanied by Tracey - and some deer and ponies - and seemed very happy to work.
