Leg yields and cross rails

A private lesson on Friday gave me opportunity to work on leg yielding. Some lesson ponies will cheat for you and leg yield to one direction with just the gentle tap tap of your opposite foot. This pony required diligence in terms of using the reins to keep his front half from turning in the direction of the yield. It took a surprising amount of concentration to ensure the back legs hit the rail first when leg yielding from the quarter line out to the rail. We did it at a sitting trot, then gradually added a canter over a cross rail on the opposite side, going both ways. And now I know that doing the leg yield properly means the pony is in position to get the correct lead when asking for the canter :)

I'm getting better about what I privately term "removing myself from the situation". In otherwords, feeling independent of the pony as he jumps over the cross rail, so I can get out of the saddle far enough and for long enough to not get in his way, while keeping leg on. Working on it. It's not perfect, but jumping cross rails doesn't make me nervous anymore, so it's allowing me to loosen up, which leads to so much more progress!

Noticed one of the horses had a blanket on when I drove up that morning. Guess it's that time of year! But honestly, I'm over sweating in my Charles Owen (no vents, ugh). So I'm happy about the cooler weather when it comes to riding!