I'm BACK!

Something like that, anyway.  It's been a while - a LONG while - since I have actually felt like getting on more than one horse in one day.  Now some of this, I'm sure, has to do with my work schedule, but really, I just haven't been feeling it.

Finally, last night, for the first time in a long time, I rode multiple horses.  In fact, I rode all three horses.  Granted, I didn't ride any of them for a super-long time, but all three of them are out of shape, so it wouldn't have been fair of me to do any more than I did.

First I hopped on Sparky.  I wanted to see what kind of horse I had under me before I committed to either flatwork or jumping; there are some days that trying to do flatwork with him is an exercise in futility.  By Sparky's way of going, I could tell that pressing for "serious" flatwork just wasn't happening, so we did some W-T-C (which was all actually fairly good), and then went back and forth over a crossrail a few times.  I really focused on using my aids and starting to the right and finishing to the left (see the Greg Best clinic entries) to prevent his shift right (which was *quite* marked during our "how high can we go" day).  I really need to make a conscious effort to make these corrections with him so we don't run into problems as the fences go up.  After a few (maybe 8-10?) good jumps,  we stopped and cooled out.

I got Star out next, despite her baleful look as I went out to the pasture to get her.  I put her in her standard "flatting bit," which as of right now is a double-jointed eggbutt.  Star really needs to build her topline and butt muscles back up; she looks so front-heavy right now, it's not even funny.  We warmed up with a bit of trot and canter (Star's walk is so pokey and lazy that I long ago abandoned trying to use it to warm up), and then went back to a decent walk on a circle, with a bit more bend and connection.  We then moved up into the trot, and continued our circle.  I really tried to keep her stretched down and over her back and correctly bent.  As we trotted a bit more, we added a little bit of spiraling and some trot-halt-trot transitions to get her engaging her hind end.  Finally, right near the end of our right, she nailed it - I felt the best engagement of her hind end that I have ever felt from Star.

As I put Kellie in the crossties after finishing with Star, I saw that she was missing a front shoe.  Since she hasn't been worked in a probably a few months, and I was therefore already planning on not doing too much with her, I rationalized that it was not going to do her any harm to ride.  We started out just walking, Kellie reaching down and forward pretty well.  (Good!  She hadn't forgotten that part!)  We then did some snake-like patterns at the walk, and then proceeded to "following the nose," using small-ish circles to unlock her neck and bending correctly.  Once we moved up into the trot, I definitely had a giraffe for a little bit, but as I worked at remembering to keep my elbows soft, I had a horse that was eventually reaching down and bending more correctly.  After some good trot work each direction, we came down to a walk through a pretty nice transition (all things considered), and called it quits.

I feel like I'm back.  I don't have any goals, but I am feeling a drive to actually do something with all the horses again.  My work schedule has changed, so I will now have more time at the barn in the evenings, which should make it easier to work with multiple horses.  I think I am also going to start incorporating more longeing/long-lining back into the horses' routines.  I think it will be especially beneficial to Star, as I can use it to still get her working even I days I don't have time to ride.

It's supposed to rain tonight, so no barn, but tomorrow might be okay.  The footing should be really nice in the arena tomorrow, so as long as the weather forecast is not lying to me and traffic doesn't completely suck, I'll do horsey stuff tomorrow night.

AHHHHHH! Playing catch-up!

Okay, so here's the short story of my life since I last posted.

Nicole's Life:

Mid-November: BF came to visit (we are currently in a long-distance relationship of 800 miles.  He is in NYC; I am not) and (finally!) proposed to me
Thanksgiving Time: My grandparents came to visit for a week
Early-ish December: House-sitting for a week
Mid-December: Very busy at work and various dental, etc appointments thrown in
Late December - Early January: Holiday Travel (home for Christmas, to NY through New Year's)
Early-Mid-January: Parents visiting to look at wedding venues

So it's only been mid-late last week that I have started to have my normal life back.  Of course, "having my normal life back" is somewhat open to interpretation, now that I have more things to do!

There have been some IEA shows (Star has been great, and I've had a lot of fun warming up some other people's horses) and I've had some great rides at home on my own horses.  Star only jumps at home now when the footing is really good - so only after it rains.  A couple Sundays ago the footing was great, so I had some fun just raising the jump with Star.  We finished at 3'7"... I don't think we've jumped that since we went to Oklahoma City in 2010.

Sparky is doing well, too, even if he looks like a burro right now.  He's jumping everything I ask of him with no problem.  Our dressage needs some work, but experience tells me this will improve once the burro loses some weight.  Playing the same game with him that I did with Star, he jumped a 3'1" vertical a few weeks ago.  This is the highest he's ever jumped over (he has jumped up a 3'0" bank).  I'm optimistic that maybe we're finally getting someplace.

My plan for this week (now that the week is half over!) is to ride at least two evenings, depending on the weather and traffic.  Next week, I'll ride Sunday and maybe Monday, and then Oren will be here Tuesday and Wednesday.  I'll have to squeeze in some time going to the gym (ick!), so I'm not sure what things will look like after that.

There's a couple more IEA shows upcoming, but the schedule is not yet definite.  Star will be going, and Sparky might also get to tag along (yay!).  I'm really excited by the idea of Sparky going - he's come a long way in the past year, I think.

As for the new year, I'm not setting any "goals" or show schedule (we see how well that worked out last year!).  It's going to be a year with a lot of other goings-on and changes, so I don't think I can reliably plan on anything.  I would like to at least get to some smaller, local jumper stuff (with both horses), and maybe a schooling horse trial with Sparky, but I'm not planning on anything big.  The Mid-A Morgan Horse Show is on hiatus this year, so I can't go to that one regardless.  We'll see about the Dixie Cup.  I would love to get to a Gigi Nutter clinic or two this year, and hopefully Greg Best will be coming back.  Not sure if it will be in the cards, but I'd love to do another clinic with him.  And I would really like to make some progress with Kellie this year.

Okay, so maybe I do have a list of "ideals" or "would like to's", if not really goals.  We'll see how the year goes.

Belatedly, Happy New Year!

Project Pony Swap - Mounted Finale, or I'm Glad My Horses Potty Under Saddle



The Finale was not any great, grand event.  In fact, it was actually quite dismal, so I asked for a re-ride (a little IEA humor, there).  The initial "Final Ride" was pretty terrible.  There were some okay moments, but I finally had to settle for "good enough."  I dismount, take Squeaks back to the barn, and the first thing he does once in the wash rack?  He pees, and he poops.  Fine.  I can't ride so well when I'm doing the pee-pee dance inside, either... but it did make me very glad that my horses have no compunctions about using the bathroom when under saddle.

On Saturday evening, we tried again.  Thankfully, this time Tiki did not have to pee, so the ride went much better.  The focus was pretty much the same as it had been in past rides - creating the same bend through the entire body,  asking him to carry himself, and minimize that damn head tilting.  While I never felt like we achieved that same great trot we had in our second ride, I *did* get to experience the newest thing Susan and Jen had worked on: a new phrase from Gigi about "cantering in a teacup," and this really cool thing where the horse collects when the rider closes the knee.  A redheaded Thoroughbred is the perfect horse for that sort of thing!  Sure enough, at the canter, I closed my knee, and Tiki sat down, really collecting himself.  It was very cool.

I didn't push for much more after the canter - just a little bit more trot and then cooling down.  Tiki's attendance was required the following day at an IEA show, so I didn't want to make him work *too* hard - just hard enough to be a good babysitter! =P

The last part of Project Pony Swap will be to give each other lessons on our own horses.  Not quite sure when we'll be able to work that one out.

And as a complete aside: getting up before 4AM absolutely sucks.   

Project Pony Swap: Day Three

I'm either brave or stupid - I haven't quite figured out which - but sometimes, you just gotta do what you gotta do.
Last night was my third ride on Tiki for Project Pony Swap.  I had just ridden Sparky - who was very good - in his Duo bit, so his "bad boy" copper-rolly-ball pacifier had just been removed from his bridle.  And Tiki's bridle was bitless.  And Honorary Big Sister Jen had mentioned that she sometime wanted to try Sparky's "bad boy" copper-rolly-ball pacifier on Tiki.  No time like the present!  And, well, I didn't really want to ride in the dressage saddle last night, either.  At least I'm somewhat honest about my motives.

So I rode Tiki in Honorary Big Sister Jen's jump saddle and Sparky's bit.  And it was the worst ride I've ever had on Tiki - not that I've really had that many.  As I was getting Tiki ready, he seemed fresh and a bit pissy.  Well, when it's suddenly 45 degrees and windy, I can understand the fresh part.  We went up to the arena, and again started with the usual W-T-C on a loose rein.  Immediately, I knew I was in for a tricky ride.  Even on a loose rein, Tiki usually bends relatively correctly around turns.  Not so last night.  I felt like I was riding a sluggish board.  He did seem to like the bit at least somewhat, however - I could hear him playing with  it and sucking on it.

I worked with Tiki for quite a while, trying to gain some semblance of "in front of the leg" and "correct bend."  It improved slightly, but he still just felt tight.  At one point, I got off him and lunged him each direction for a minute to see if he was off.  He seemed fine, but obviously I needed to change my game plan.  So I pulled off the saddle.

Now, like any rider, I have my weaknesses.  But the one thing I do know is that I have a good seat.  I was hoping to use this in two ways: #1) Maybe I could convince Tiki to loosen up by him only feeling a nice, following seat, rather than a saddle that may or may not be in the usual place (Jen typically sets her saddle further forward than I; I tried to get it in the same place, but maybe I didn't); #2) Maybe it would help me stay on!  (Because you know, riding a horse you don't ride that often bareback on a chilly, windy night is so often a good idea).

I remounted and after trotting for a little bit, finally felt like maybe we we getting somewhere.  We never found that same, really nice, swingy trot that we had last week, but at least I wasn't riding a board; we found some bend, but Tiki still didn't think being in front of my leg was a great idea.  Worked on that a bit, and once the trot was decent, I decided to move up into a canter, just to have some positive canter work.  The canter was decent, but certainly not to where I could try any "cantering in a teacup" or magical "closing my knee = collection."  But we did have bend, and we did have acceptance of the bit, so I called it good. 

I didn't want push for too much longer, because my primary goal once I went to bareback was to just finish with something remotely positive.  I had noticed, however, that I could not for the life of me sit up.  One of my favorite off-color expressions (warning: parental guidance suggested; language) is that riders need to have shoulders like a princess and hips like a whore.  There were definitely no princess shoulders goin'on.  More like Quasimodo.  I was completely collapsed in my abs, and though by this point Tiki was going relatively well, I knew I couldn't be very effective riding like that.  We came back to a walk, and I adjusted my seat, sliding back a little bit from where I'd been sitting.  Like magic, I could suddenly sit up.  Now, I'm really not sure how the mechanics of that work, but I'll take it.  We spent a few more minutes at the trot, Tiki going pretty well and me not looking like I belong hidden in a bell tower of Notre Dame.  Walked a few minutes, then dismounted.  I had wanted to also try the concept of "floating my hands" for the halt transition, but I knew better than to tempt fate.  We had managed to finish positively; I wasn't going to push my luck.

I will be interested to see how Honorary Big Sister Jen likes Sparky's "bad boy" bit for Tiki; I'm reserving judgement on everything for now, because our rough time last night could have been due to any number of factors.  I felt that there was significantly less "head tilt is the same as bend, right?" coming from Tiki last night; I don't think there is ever a less-than-stellar ride without some good attributes.  And if I had not ridden Tiki bareback, I don't think I would have become quite so aware of my own issue with collapsing through my core.  Part of the point of Project Pony Swap is to help improve us as riders, as well.  I know that I will now be hyper-vigilant regarding my core.      

The Difference Between A Good Clip and A Bad Clip? Two Weeks.

After much back-and-forth, I finally decided that yes, Sparky is getting clipped again this year.  So Sunday was the big day.  Armed with a clean horse,  quieter clippers, new clipper blades, Show Sheen, Kool Lube, Blade Wash, earplugs (for the horse), and a bunny suit (science nerd term for full-body protective suit), I set about my mission.
I have definitely improved; the first time I did a whole body clip, it took me 8 hours.  Yes, 8 hours.  This time I think it only took about 2 1/2, partly because I had to spend some time hunting down an extension cord, and I also had to let the clippers cool down a few times.  It's not a perfect job - there are definitely some track marks, and I forgot about the hot water/baby oil rinse - but the reason for clipping Sparky was not to make him show-ready.  For once, I had truly only a practical purpose in mind, and that was to prevent him from getting so hot and sweaty as we work through the colder weather.  Yaks sweat a lot when worked, you know.  As an added bonus, Sparky is now BLACK again!  Two weeks from now and he'll be gorgeous.

I also did a sort of mini-lesson with Susan, to get some outside input on asking Star to work off her back end.  Star did well, and Susan's feedback was pretty much what I had been working on: transitions, working over the back and lifting the abdomen, shoulder-in, spirals, transitions within the gait, etc.  It's a bit hard for me right now, because I feel like I don't know how much I should be asking of Star - I'm always worried whether she's actually comfortable, or just pushing through - and I'm lacking any sort of goal or direction.  Yes, I can perfectly well enjoy riding my horse with no set goal in mind, but it's much easier for me to have a constructive, purposeful ride if I feel I am working towards something.  While I still don't have any actual long-term goal, talking with Susan did give me reassurance that I just need to keep working with Star at a normal load (but be careful about the footing on which I jump her) and gave me the short-term goal of really improving Star's transitions, especially up into trot from walk, as that one, in particular, is pretty much crap right now.

Star is going to another IEA show on Sunday; she was absolutely wonderful at the last one.  She was nearly perfect, just trucking along and doing her job, while other horses in the ring were leaping and bucking.  I was concerned for a time when she had a loose, floppy rider and looked off in the deep footing, but that went away once she had a better rider.  At one point the steward thanked me for bringing her. =)  The one other moment that was less-than-perfect was Star's random stop at a crossrail; I really don't think her rider caused it, so I felt bad for the rider, because they'd had a good round up to that point...  but you know you have a pretty neat horse when the first thing out of that rider's mouth as they come out of the the ring is, "I LOVE this horse!"  

Figure-8s are Bad-Ass, and I now have a legitimate reason to use one, or XC Clinic Day

Through a various set of circumstances, I found myself able to finally participate in a XC clinic with Local Event Trainer Who's Pretty Damn Good.  Honorary Big Sister Jen was nearly pleading with me to go - she claimed it would make her feel better to have someone there who is brave.  I guess at some point I was assigned the role of "brave."
I decided, after much hard thought, to try a new bitting configuration for Sparky for this XC outing.  I read a lot about people changing the noseband, rather than increasing bit for their horses.  Now, this makes a lot of sense to me and seemed, perhaps, a most excellent solution with Sparky, because he gets so behind the bit in any metal mouthpiece, regardless of how "soft" that mouthpiece may be (JP double-jointed full cheek with copper-rolly-ball, anyone?).  I really like how Sparky goes in his Duo on the flat, but he sometimes gets a little strong in it while in company or over fences.  So I decided to try his Duo with a figure-8 noseband.  I reasoned that it would put an eensy-weensy bit of pressure on his nose, and well, I already had one, so it was rather convenient.  Jumping him around in it a couple days prior, it seemed to work pretty well.  Of course, for XC Clinic Day, the JP was on back-up. ;-)

XC Clinic Day was a beneficial day.  Though Sparky was there with this two best buddies (the three of them - AKA: The Three Stooges), Sparky, AKA Moe, wasn't pulling or racing around to try and catch up with them.  He seemed content to just listen to me and do as I asked.  After warming up on our own at a walk, trot, and canter, we started out by going over a crossrail in the stadium ring.  Sparky and I approached at a trot the first time.  He wanted to make a bit of a bid at the jump, but I held him and maintained the trot, and he jumped it very well.  The next time over we cantered, and then the jump was raised to a vertical.  I thought Sparky might try something funny with it - like a stop - so I rode very positively to the jump, keeping my leg on.  He jumped that one quite nicely, as well.  We then moved on to a few jumps strung together: vertical to oxer to barrels.  I knew the vertical and barrels would be fine, but I wasn't 100% sure on the oxer, so again I rode in a manner to convey, "We are not stopping."  The Sparkplug was perfect.  So perfect, in fact, that he got a pat from Local Event Trainer and was told "You're a good pony."  I told her to not jump to any conclusions, yet.

It was now time to head out to XC.  No baby steps, here - straight to the point, jumping the Lincoln Logs, a hanging log, and an oddly-shaped log on the ground.  I knew Sparky would nail the Lincoln Logs, and the last log, but we've only ever done the hanging log once, so I had some concerns.  Unfortunately, since I "knew" Sparky would be fine over the Lincoln Logs - they looked so small, now! - I rode rather poorly and we got a crappy spot, causing me to end up too forward with my upper body.  I wasn't too concerned, because I know that's not my standard MO.  Local Event Trainer, however, jumped all over me for it.  This bothered me, because I felt as though a sweeping assumption was being made because of one fence.  I guess you only get one shot to make a good first impression, but had we not just jumped several stadium jumps well?  Didn't that count for anything?  We approached the hanging log, and I asked Sparky to trot to it: I wanted to be sure he was where he needed to be (in terms of being on the aids, that is), and I wanted less forward momentum if he did decide to stop.  I kept my leg on, but held him where I wanted him, and he went over just fine.  And I got yelled at for not kicking and galloping forward.  We cantered to the oddly-shaped log, about which I had no concerns, but having learned my lesson from the Lincoln Logs, also didn't take for granted, and it went well.  I think I was told, "Much better," and then directed to go do the last two again, this time keeping my leg on and kicking to the hanging log.  Hmmmm....  (it went just fine, as, at this point, I knew it would).

On to the ditches.  Sparky was a bit of a pig starting out, and stopped.  And I again got yelled at to sit up.  Okay, this time I really should have known better and stayed back more, given our history with ditches.  I eventually coerced Sparky across (read: smacked him so that he knew I wasn't playing his way today), and we came back over like it was no big deal.  We were to then jump the small ditch, and continue on to a new jump - another set of logs like the Lincoln Logs.  The ditch was fine, but Sparky stopped at the logs, which didn't surprise me.  I'm pretty sure I got yelled at again about leg.  I gave Sparky a tap with my crop, and we re-approached.  I rode better, and Sparky went over.  We turned around and came back over, me keeping in mind a postitive ride with leg.  Sparky went right over, and we continued on to the ditch, which was again pretty much flawless.  It was then decided that Sparky needed to do the big ditch, as well.  Sparky again decided to slam on the brakes.  He got smacked, protested minimally, we re-approached, and over he went.  On our return trip, he stopped again, but I was more ready for it this time, and didn't get tossed up his neck until he bucked in protest at being smacked.  A very small (for Sparky) confrontation, and he went over again, with some hesitation.  We then strung it together with the new logs, and all was well.

We then moved on to the "middle" of the Calimar XC field.  We were now to string together the small bank up, the small bank down, to a kinda-rampy-hangy-log thing that I'd never done before and looked bigger than the previous hanging log, up the big bank, over the barrel-train, back over the barrel train, down the big bank (gulp) and an almost 90-degree turn to another new jump that distinctly reminded me of a firewood rack.  The small banks were fine - we'd done those before - but I was a bit nervous about the kinda-rampy-hangy log thing.  Remembering the new log jump, I kept my leg on, thought positive thoughts, and we went over - despite Sparky's misgivings about the jump and his desire to stop.  It had not been a very good approach, because Sparky was looking for a way out and was being wiggle-wormy, BUT he went over.  This was definitely something of a breakthrough.  Of course, Local Event Trainer didn't see it quite the same way I did, and wanted us to do it again, this time stay in the middle of the log thing.  So we did it again, and this time as we went over, I channeled our work with Greg Best, and used my right leg and an opening left rein to keep him straight, with a successful result and a much better jump.  Up the big bank with some hesitation, and over to the barrel train and either a rotten jump.  I suppose here I was again taking the jump for granted.  We went over a few times, but it was always sticky, even coming back over.  We then went to the big bank down.  I think this was the only jump I was truly nervous about.  Even if I stay back, Sparky is still pretty talented at tossing me forward... I really did not want to go over his shoulder and down another three feet beyond the usual.  Sparky did stop, and it took a little convincing to go down the bank, but eventually he did.  It was also always a bit sticky, so it's now on the list of "Things To Work On."  We then cantered up to the firewood rack, and for some reason, I felt really good about it.  And dammit, I was right.  Another jump we'd never seen before, and really, it felt pretty perfect.  Figures that the hardest jump is the one we'd do the best.  We took a break, and then did the last three jumps again.  The barrel-train and down-bank were still not great, the the last one was again pretty damn good.

We then progressed to the water complex.  Down the little bank into the water, up the little bank out, down the ramp into the water, and canter to a vertical right at the exit.  When I had my approach right, the canter in and vertical out went really well.  Of course, that was the minority of the time.  Once we did a reasonable job with that, we were to then go jump another rampy set of logs and then the small cabin right by the water wheel.  These were also jumps we'd done before, so I knew the only reason we might have problems would be if Sparky decided to again test me.  The two jumps rode fine, but now Local Event Trainer got on my case about my hands and catching my horse in the mouth.  At least she did seem to realize that it's a trust issue - I don't trust that Sparky is going to not stop/duck out, and hard - but she kept on harping that he will start stopping all the time if I'm not softer in the air.  So we did it again; of course, this time I knew we were okay, so of course, it was much easier to trust my horse.

As we were heading back to the trailer, Local Event Trainer again admonished me about my hands, and "he'll start stopping all the time."  Really?  *Sigh*  Please don't get me wrong - I think that going to this clinic was a great thing for Sparky and I, but I also think it illustrates some of the shortfalls of one-day clinics, and the fact that all clinicians are not created equal.  As a clinician, I realize that one has to make some relatively quick assessments of horses and riders, which I'm sure is no small task.  However, the drawback is that (I feel) sometimes the assessments made are not always 100% accurate.  No, you don't know me, my horse, and our history... but there is a reason I ride the way I do (for the most part!  See the section about the Lincoln Logs).  And I *do* know my horse.  He doesn't stop because I sometimes might have a rather strong feel on his mouth.  He stops because he's either worried, or an asshole.  I think I felt a bit like Honorary Big Sister Jen did when people kept suggesting she remove Tiki's hind leg wraps.

Honestly, I left feeling a little defeated.  Sparky was pretty much a rockstar, and I am actually feeling like maybe we might have a future in this eventing thing, but... 
I'm not used to being told that I'm going to hurt my horse's confidence, or that I'm going to cause him to start stopping.  No, I didn't ride perfectly.  I made some dumb mistakes, yes.  But it's not like I'm riding some made packer.  Really, my horse is not an easy horse to ride.  Someday he will be, but we're not there, yet.  But I really don't like leaving with the feeling that I didn't ride well.

I think that perhaps Local Event Trainer is not the right match for me.  It's not at all that she didn't help me, or that I don't like her as a person, or that I don't think she knows her stuff - because she did help, I do like her, and I do think she knows her stuff.  I just think that maybe it's not a good personality match for a teaching relationship.  That said, I do really appreciate that she pushed me a bit beyond my comfort zone in jumping Sparky over scary new fences.  Jumping the never-before-seen kinda-rampy-log-thing and the firewood rack on the first presentation is a BIG accomplishment for Sparky and I.

It's like I've said before: everyone has something to teach you.  You take what works now and use it, and you file away the rest for future reference.  So I'm taking the good stuff, filing away the not-so-good stuff, and remembering that I would still rather ride with Local Event Trainer than some other trainers out there.

And Sparky's figure-8 and Duo combination worked great!  I now have a legitimate reason to put him in a bad-ass-looking figure-8!   

 

Project Pony Swap, Part Deux: Under the Lights

I don't know why it's crooked, and I can't fix it.

Wednesday night I interrupted Tiki's normally scheduled programming to bring him Part Deux of Project Pony Swap.  I had ridden Sparky first, in hopes of having some daylight (no such luck), so it was about eight when I pulled Tiki out of his stall.
Honorary Big Sister Jen had used his dressage bit for the IEA show on Sunday, so I used that same bridle; to protect the preshus, speshul, sensitive red-head's ears, I did a very Morgan-y thing, and tucked Tiki's forelock under the browband and to the side.  Because I was feeling a bit lazy and a bit pressed for time, I also used my saddle on him.  Because my saddle is too wide for him, and partially due to a discussion on Sunday, I also used my sheepskin halfpad (with front shims) on him as the only pad.  Delicate, preshus flower and all that.

I would like to make an aside here, and point out that I really have the best barn owners ever.  Last year, they put some lights in the arena, largely because it was always dark by the time I was at the barn and working with Star in prep for Nationals.  Throughout summer I didn't need to use them, but for the first time this season, I turned on the arena lights.

Because I knew Honorary Big Sister Jen was planning on taking a dressage lesson with Susan the next day, I didn't plan on doing anything too terribly difficult with Tiki.  I figured dragging him out at 8:00 PM and riding him under the lights (something I'm not sure he's done before) was trying enough.

We warmed up much as we did last week - W-T-C on a loose rein.   An improvement over last week is that Tiki immediately settled in to a decent length of stride at both the walk and trot, rather than doing his best impression of a sewing machine.   After warming up, I picked up contact and was greeted with some pissy-fine-I'm-going-to-trot-ness.  Back to a walk - on contact - and proceeded to do some circles each direction.  We moved up into the trot, and trotted for a long time, with lots of serpentines, circles, and general changes of direction.  My primary focus was to acheive as little head tilt as possible and to maybe convince Tiki to soften, but keep contact. 

To this end, I actually asked Tiki for less bend than normal, riding him a little bit straighter.  This worked in two ways: #1) If I'm not asking for a BIG bend, then Tiki has no reason to give me his goofy head tilt.  Since I know he can bend, I wasn't worried about "loosing" his ability to do so - it's not always about putting together all the parts, sometimes it's just about the pieces; and #2) Tiki is your typical chestnut Thoroughbred mare, except for the mare part.  He is sensitive.  I mean, he swishes his tail and kicks out from his tail brushing him-type sensitive.  And what I've found is that sometimes he gets in such a hurry to move away from leg that he forgets to use himself properly.  The "riding straight" seemed to work pretty well (remember, "straight" is all relative).  By asking for a bit less bend, and focusing on inside-leg-to-outside-rein, I felt that we maintained a pretty good track, with his hind end following the track laid by his front end.

In terms of contact and softening and keeping shape and all that good stuff, other than focusing on the above, I kept a steady contact (still working to keep my elbows soft and following), setting the parameters Tiki was allowed to work within.  It started out with a bit more "telling" him where he needed to be, but once he was there and maintained the "acceptable" range, it was much more "asking" him to keep up the good work.  Over time, this, along with our changes of direction, circles, serpentines, etc, resulted in Tiki really lightening, carrying himself, and developing a little bit of schwung - swinging in the back.  And he felt great.  I could have ridden that trot for hours.

We cantered only a little bit after that really good trot work; I only wanted to improve our transitions.  A few up and down transitions, and I was content there.  We did just a little bit more trot (mainly because I'd been having so much fun with it), and then came back down to the walk and halted.  It was again a nice halt - not quite square - but with no head-flingy pissiness.

So overall, the really neat things were as follows:
- Minimal head tilting
- Really excellent trot work with softness, lightness, and swinging over the back
- Maintaining correct bend and outline on a circle when I "gave up" the inside rein
- Much improved canter transitions
- Nice stretchy-over-the-back work at the trot
- Pretty darn good halt
- Tiki didn't seem to give a rat's ass about the lights

One more thing:  Tiki is not quite as clean as I'd thought.  I have to wash my saddle pad now.