radio silence

*taps microphone

Hello? 

Yep. It's me! Hey how's it going? 

*chirp chirp

Oh right. See, I've been reading everyone's posts and commenting, but apparently I can't be bothered to update my own blog. Oh well, it's how I roll. 

Life's been great though! I got a lunging surcingle off ebay for $2.00 (and $13 shipping - but yes, $2.00 for neoprene lunging surcingle!), a nice 30' lunge line from Fabri-Tech.com (check them out for lots of webbed equestrian and doggie supplies) for $6.95 (and $9.00 shipping), and rigged up a lunging cavesson with a jumping hackamore I had and a $4.00 nylon headstall from my local tack shop (equusnow.com). Re-constructed my ghetto-Lauffer side reins so they fit Dassah mare better and now all I need to do is get rid of this sore-throat/cold and I can see how it all works! 

I also have been working on my tucked-ish seat thanks to GuinnessOnTap and have found the sweet spot in my saddle. A former trainer of mine kept trying to help me find it - that nice deep secure spot where you can communicate intentionally with the horse. I tried opening my hips like "a book", dropping my stirrups and swinging my legs, pretending my belly-button was leading the way, I tried sitting deeper (as if forcing oneself to sit deeper is actually helpful), I tried meditating in the saddle, sitting further back, sitting further forward, praying to the seat gods to please HELPMERIGHTNOW! Sometimes I would get that secure spot but it never ever lasted after a rising trot. I'd lose it in a heartbeat. I'd lose it as soon as I blinked. 

All this time, all I needed to do was think about tucking my seat. Thanks to GuinnessOnTap's post about this article I have found the sweet spot! I can actually communicate with Dassah using my seat! No longer am I perched but now I am sitting! I actually used my seat to move her into a halt. I actually sat the trot for a couple strides! I'm using my core! I'm more balanced! My center of gravity is lowered! And, I don't lose it quickly - when I do, I can find it again almost immediately. 

Praise be to the seat gods. Or, rather, equestrian bloggers who share what works for them! 

Here's my perched before. Look at that hollow back! See how it's any wonder I got anything done in the saddle?

And now for the after: 

(all coloring mine, original image here )

Check out that tucked seat! That lifted forehand! The energy coming from behind and recycled back through! What pair in unison!

:) 

and ending with gratuitous shot of Dassah-Mare. Because it would be a miracle if I ever get pictures of me on her!