Two Left Feet

One of the most frustrating things for me is lateral work. Any sort of lateral work. On a horse like Foo, who has a good deal of western training under her girth, it is easy. I just have to figure out what buttons to press, keep her shoulders or hips in alignment and ta-da!
With everyone else... I still have trouble.
Trish was working on me with it when I was riding under her regularly, able to ride the schoolmasters she had that were already proficient at it- Jackson, Noelle, Gaelyn, H.... I still could only get it sometimes.
I have put other things on my priority list before really learning, grasping, owning lateral work; like my seat, fitness, getting the horse to relax and use themselves, starting babies....
It is a huge gaping hole in my knowledge.
If I could critique the Olney Lesson Program, the only thing I can say is that lateral work needed to be addressed. I was never really asked to do anything, haunch- forehand turns, leg yeild, shoulder fore (super baby stuff) until I was at an IHSA show. IN COLLEGE. Perhaps it was because I never got to the place where you get/ lease your own horse and start taking more specialized lessons instead of group lessons. Remember, my first horse was Journey. I got her when I was in college.

Here is the video I have, if you want to watch it. 

The clinic with Jessica Wisdom was the kick in the pants I needed. It wasn't we are going to play around with some lateral work, it was you will do this now, both you and the horse are both capable of it. So do it.

So guess what? This is going to be the focus of my winter. Everyone, everyone, yes Journey too, will be doing this.

I know it isn't something I generally have time to teach to the babies I start. When you are only working 2 maybe 3 days a week, sometimes other things get seem to take priority. I did work on this with Akilha, but I had her straight for 90 days. Out of all the horses I have started I put the most consecutive work into her. Diesel has spent more time chilling in the pasture or out on trails than actual arena time. Well I mean, he almost died before he turned 3. An all nighter colic on an underweight, unhealthy, wormy, not even 3 year old....(a story for a later date) So he has been babied. He is 5 now. I have focused more on Quick and the others that I get paid to work. Time to start focusing on him.

So, this is my early New Years resolution- OWN LATERAL WORK.