My lesson

Firstly - clinic memory joggers:

* propeller in water
* medicine ball BACK - not banging from left shoulder to right, or down nose!
* on balance beam, knicker tendons on
* contact is part of your plug in
* aid for canter when inside front leg is in the air

Secondly, lesson today:

Didn't take Magic as have to go to Stow both Sat and Sun for the horses inside out conference and couldn't be bothered to tow him all the way down today as well!

It was a great session, we worked on the start of balance beam. Did squares with turning like a bus. Started in walk and then trot.

This is what I found:

* narrow base of front
*back corners down (this makes a HUGE difference and makes turn far easier by medicine ball being back)
* narrow boards
* narrow back - imagine a corset done up all the way from shoulder blades to tail bone
* ensure that narrow base of front = thighs and core engaged

* Its easier to stay engaged in sitting trot than rising.
* I am rubbish with left side board.
* So when doing 1/4 turn to left, I get turn ok and then lose shoulders LEFT as he goes too far through left shoulder.
* If I use leg to turn rather than boards, then my left thigh comes off and I lose shoulder (see a theme?).
* When I use boards, I need to ensure they are sheered so that inside is leading. Then I need to make sure left board doesn't escape!

I came home and practiced on Max and we were very good! Hurrah! Won't be as easy on the wigglemeister but we'll see!

Thirdly -

Blimmin grass must be growing, Dan was footy this am and Aero and Tig have pulses. Darn it. Bang goes the 8 acre theory. They are back on the bare paddocks and that will probably be that for the summer, so wish me happy poo picking! On the plus side I was expecting Max and Tig to be the first to succumb, so they obviously have healthier guts than poor old Dan. He's back on the restore, and probiotics, and am throwing everything at him, sigh.