I was totally off my game

Last night was a lesson night. Christina and I both decided no jumping, just flatwork. Oh, and since we've started doing shorter lessons (I'm doing a half hour twice a week instead of an hour once a week), she's turned up the intensity in how much effort she's asking out of us.

Which is okay, and something we need, but ugh, last night really sucked.

Before I got on, I hiked my stirrups up a hole to see if they'd help with my two point. Then we did a quick warmup of walking serpentines (in two point) and yes...it was easier to get up and find "my spot" where I need to be to stay up. Christina commented that my position was like...100x better.

That's the good news.

Then my right ankle started yelling at me (which is weird because it's the left I sprained).

I kept trying (she had me doing 20 meter circles in two point at the trot by this point) and I'd get three quarters of the way around the circle and just collapse because of the dang ankle.

So she had me drop my stirrups and do posting without stirrups part of the way around the ring, then sit, then "two point". That was hellacious too and not because of the ankle but because of my thighs (and that, at least, is simply a fitness issue).

So she wanted to do more two point stuff and we dropped my stirrups back to where they normally are. Except then I couldn't get my position to work and was wobbly and when I did it at the canter, my ankle felt like it was just about to give out (at least Kieran gave me some very nice trot to canter transitions!).

All in all, a very frustrating night but at least it brings home that I've got a couple things I really need to work on to improve my riding:

1. Figure out the ankle issue. Whether I just need to do strength/flexibility exercises for them or get better stirrups (though I'm already riding in jointed ones) or both. Or maybe try riding with some sort of brace on for a while, if I can, to provide support.

2. Work on stamina and general fitness. Even if I'm only doing half hour lessons, we should be doing longer rides when not lessoning. And I should make myself really work at it and push through.

Any other suggestions? I'm open to them!

Grah!

So, due to possible saddle fit issues (I've gotten, "no actually it looks okay and it's all in your head" to "OMG what you're describing means its too tight!" to "actually it looks a bit too wide, you need more padding"....*facedesk*. I'm in contact with a professional now, just to be on the safe side.) and a girth gall that popped up (I think I've been girthing him too tightly *is a bad horsey mom* and his girth needs cleaning), we didn't ride last night.

We did, however, do some ground driving and lunging, just to do something. He was, as usual, a very good boy. The lunging was cool because I could see how much more difficult it is for him to pick up a canter to the right (think I've mentioned it before)...now I just need to figure out what it is exactly that makes it more difficult for him (at least, since he did it on his own without being under saddle, I can assume it's not me, LOL). I imagine it's simply a "sidedness" fitness issue that will work itself out as he continues to get fit.

He's also got some skin ick near his hocks, mostly on his left hind. I've been cleaning it periodically and treating with MTG. Christine thinks he just laid in something gross and now has a bit of a bacterial infection thing going on. It's making his hair fall out in that spot though. *sigh*
He's also STILL shedding. I make furbabies every time I groom him. But I LOVE my slick 'n easy grooming block!

And here, have a pic!