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All of your input on my last video was so helpful so I'm posting another, longer one. I'm going to start using this method to video- I propped my phone up on the arena wall. Next time I wont ride so far down that I keep going out of frame. This is also edited down to not be *as long*. There was lunging and lots of walk work before and after this clip.
I feel like this last week has been quite a bit more improvement. I've taken a couple lesson with her and I feel like we've started getting an element of relaxation back that we'd been looking for in the last few weeks. We're ending our rides with teaching her to stretch down more, and it's helped so much. For me, I'm trying to learn the line between letting her stretch down and take the reins while maintaining contact without throwing her away.
I'm not schooling transitions too much yet, except trying to keep them calm and as smooth as possible. Instead I'm mostly focusing on forwardness and relaxation- she occasionally still tries to break in the canter with me and she settles into her work better and comes more on the bit when she's left more alone. I do think the transitions seen in this video are some of the best I've gotten this month.

https://youtu.be/bD7HXoB6-Fc

Good job! You have yourself a nice young horse. What were you riding before Phoenix?
That indoor is lovely. How do they close that window that is overtop the short wall mirrors?

I'd be working towards teaching her how to stretch down, but I'd wait until you are able to connect to the outside rein.

She is coming along really nicely.

What a gorgeous space you have to ride in!

She is doing well
Love the arena too.

Nice improvements from just last week! Looks like you will have a lot of fun developing her.

musical comedy wrote:Good job! You have yourself a nice young horse. What were you riding before Phoenix?
That indoor is lovely. How do they close that window that is overtop the short wall mirrors?

I'd be working towards teaching her how to stretch down, but I'd wait until you are able to connect to the outside rein.

Thank you!
Before her my riding has been a bit hit and miss for the past several years. This month has been about getting me back in shape and on a horse too. Over the last 3 years I've ridden a big WB the barn owns and a draft cross they own. Both are fairly accomplished dressage horses that have taught me a lot. However especially this last year, with being in school, I've hardly ridden at all.
Before them- back in 2012 I was riding an Appendix QH and was starting young horses professionally- mainly ones meant for trail riding. When my separation and divorce happened, I lost myself a bit and sold everything- horses, tack, all of it. That was in 2013. Took an almost 2 year sabbatical before finding Phoenix as a weanling and knowing she was meant to be mine. That's how I decided what to name her too, as a reminder to myself of who I am.
Anyway, that's the long way of saying my riding hasn't been consistent in some time. This month working with phoenix is the most consistently I've gotten to ride in a long time, and I've been enjoying it immensely.

Over the mirrors isn't a window, its some sort of plastic that lets light through. The big garage doors are on garage door openers.

I am so, so lucky to get to keep her where she is. The indoor is wonderful, there's an outdoor should I ever get brave enough to use it, and the entire property is just gorgeous and well kept.

The reason I inquired about your past riding, is that I can tell you have experience with riding green/young horses. That's a compliment!

For fun, because the question of what I rode before got me feeling nostalgic- the 2 horses that I will FOREVER regret selling. The chestnut is Lucky, my first heart horse. The buckskin is Dixie. I’ve lost track of both since they were sold.

musical comedy wrote:The reason I inquired about your past riding, is that I can tell you have experience with riding green/young horses. That's a compliment!

Thank you! Yes it is!