Lyndon Rife clinic February 9-10 2020

To address rideability, keep the horse in shoulder in position while being able to counter flex in the opposite direction of the bend.  An example exercise: ride right lead canter on the rail staying in shoulder in right position, half pass right onto the inside track then counter flex him left at the poll, then back to right flexion, all while staying in right shoulder in positioning.  Also you can check in on this on a circle, while circling right maintain right bend and see if you can counter flex left while keeping the right bend and right shoulder in positioning, so turning right but flexion left, then back to turning right and flexion right.  

An exercise to school flying changes: canter up the long side (let's say in right lead canter); from the corner half pass right toward the quarterline, then turn it in to leg yield with a slight flexion left to the centerline, then straight on the centerline with a straight flying change on the centerline then track left.  With Jazzy, ride his outside hind by vibrating your outside leg back and keep your inside leg almost off of him while really riding his outside in the canter.  

An exercise to school pirouettes: start on straight lines in canter, then half pass in toward the centerline, after a couple lines of half passing in, come onto a circle at the end of the arena and then as you bring the circle in add a feel of half pass while continuing to bring the shoulders around the circle and then canter back out on the circle, then bring the circle in with half pass around the circle again and then back out onto the larger circle.  

When half passing, have a feel of shoulder in to begin, then start the half pass with your weight aid so that Jazzy is not just falling into your inside leg but that you have the correct alignment to begin.  Positon Jazzy so that your outside knee is pointing toward the letter to which you are riding.  

In the medium (and extended) trot, think of first creating taller, rounder steps with Jazzy's knees stepping higher and rounder so that his shoulders stay up in front (rather than his shoulder getting a bit flat).  Then when you turn onto the diagonal line, be sure to maintain straightness (Jazzy can fall into your right leg so even think about the feel of leg yielding him away from your right leg).  Then put your lower leg on and grow the strides longer but keeping him higher and rounder, bringing the hindlegs with you.  Be sure to look up and ride from letter to letter on the long diagonal.