Break through!!!

Another fabulous ride and a hard won break through yesterday. Blu has a predisposition for carrying himself very upright, hollowing his back and not using his hind end. For this reason it is important that every ride focuses on powering up his hind, encouraging the swing through his back and reaching for the bit. Easier said than done because he is such a wonderful poser. I have learned lots since I started long-lining Blu. Seeing his movement from the ground has helped me envision how it should be from the saddle. Blu learned very early in long lining that dropping his head to his fetlocks was a great stretch and he would do it without much prompting or warm up. Getting him to do that much of a stretch under saddle was unheard of until yesterday.... We had a lovely school taking the warm up slowly allowing Blu the time he needed to progress. I did not push for energy in his work I just focused on getting his right hind leg underneath him and I did it slowly... I progressively asked for more. I did this with shoulder-in, renvers and transitions. I got some of the best trot I have ever felt. At the end I asked for long and low on a loose rein and at first he responded with a  "not so much". It is just not in his nature to go there. I have figured out I can not just throw the rein at him instead I need to slowly give him as much as he will take. It is a very diplomatic negotiation between the two of us.  He needs the comfort of the connection and if I slowly give him more rein he takes it bit by bit and for the first time he dropped his nose to the ground. Yay Blu! Yay me!!! He has never done this for anybody else since I have owned him. What a break through. He even held it for an entire 20 meter circle. How fabulous!!! What a milestone for both of us.  We know he is very capable of dropping his nose to the ground :-)