MEET JAX....and what I am working on....

MEET JAX....and what I am working on....

Meet Jax! He is a 9 year old off the track thoroughbred. He is owned by my good friend Di and he is just the sweetest horse. Jax is not young, green or troubled....he has just been out of work for a while, lacks fitness, his natural asymmetry is evident on the way he travels and his balance, plus he has more whoa than go! BUT the same can be said for the rider - ME!! I have gone from being being riding fit to an interstate move, lots of travel and a global pandemic lockdown....so I am unfit, my natural asymmetry is impacting my balance in the saddle, my core strength has declined....and until I improve all these aspects of MYSELF my ability to help Jax is going to be limited.

Therefore, what am I doing here....the arena was too wet to ride in, but it didn’t matter as I am clocking up kilometres in what I find the best gait to get fit and to focus on my weaknesses - trot. I am focusing on:

1) breathing, focusing on engaging my core

2) rising evenly from both hips and lowering myself with control

3) keeping my elbows and hands soft

4) keeping myself still and in rhythm with Jax.....and leaving him the hell alone when we have it together!

The only thing I am asking from Jax is to maintain his forward energy. I did this by asking for upwards transitions into canter every time he came behind my leg. For now Jax is helping me, so that I can then help him to get strong again!

But please notice one thing....by just focusing on forward AND keeping as still and soft in my hands as I can, Jax is being able to find a suitable posture himself as we being our work together!

Big thanks to Di for the filming