I think we are all getting a bit sad already since this is our last week here. Time of course has flown by and we are desperately trying to learn as much as we can before Friday!
Oslo and I are truckin' along and are chipping away at those Grand Prix movements. Today was a very exciting day as we worked the piaffe and passage with transitions in between. At first I was asking Lientje, "how does one get the big lofty passage down into the short quick piaffe smoothly?" as I was struggling with the aids and rhythm. Lientje just helped us work the transition slowly and gradually, while keeping Oslo in front of the leg (THE KEY!!!) and boom - Passage to Piaffe!!!! And the crowd, being mom and dad, go wild! :) Love my biggest fans!
The passage we are really starting to build now with me focusing on "pretending we are transitioning out of the passage" because that is where the passage has the best cadence, power, forward, and balance. We have been pushing that and I have really had to develop the timing of when to support him with my leg and then half-halt it all like crazy to transfer all the forward energy into the cadence for the passage. Let's just say, Oslo has never been this in front of the leg before! He has been feeling incredible and I am hoping I can take all of this back home with us and keep building upon it all! The one tempis are coming as well. We keep working more on the straightness and true roundness over his back in order to get the quality of the changes better. Most of the time we can get quite a few in a row, so we are focusing on building the changes now. We often throw in a few one tempis across a short diagonal in the middle of the ride, just to test the reliability and to be able to maintain the canter quality through all the work.
Cashew had a really good go today and was more relaxed again. Her suppleness is really coming and she seems to be settling into the work. I am thinking she is really missing her green grass and large field though! They are both going to go crazy when they get home and are able to run as much and as fast as they want in their field!
As with the horses, I am also getting a bit home sick. As nice as it is here, it still isn't Canada and I miss the wide open spaces, friends, and Canadian drivers :)
A few more days to try and soak up as much information as possible. We will do our best!
Lindsay + Oslo + Cashew
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