Click, click, click. Elbows and armpits. Elbows and armpits. These are my new chants.

Rode Mario-the-tripod inside - pouring rain - has been for days now. I think it's time to build a large boat and start pairing up the horses.

Got the biggest compliment to date from my trainer. He told me that I had Mario going the nicest that he is capable of. Then after the lesson he commented what a pretty horse Mario was, and that he may after all, consider schooling the horse in Passage. If I can make a horse look THAT good, I'm definitely on my way. I realized that as a trainer, Chris doesn't get to see the horses go as well as they can unless they have a half decent rider on them (or unless they are loose in a paddock and fresh). When he schools them, he doesn't get that perspective.

My sitting trot was exceptionally better (almost as excellent as my posting trot) in terms of floating my hands and keeping my elbows and armpits open and away from my body, thus absorbing all the motion through my elbow and shoulders. I must continue to be aware of NOT using my wrists to absorb this motion, they must be locked at all times. The horse went beautifully forward and rounded.

I gave credit for this to the fact that I have been doing all the hamstring, hip flexor, and lower back yoga poses for an hour each day for the last 4 days. And in fact did a full hour of a complete yoga session just prior to my riding. I believe that a more supple torso and untightening my hamstrings is a must have.

One other terrific acheivement was that on a couple of occasions when Mario would lower his head in response to reaching for the bit, I was able to ask him to raise his head so that he didn't become unravelled. The trick was the very slightness of my asking, a heavier rein would have been like shouting at him. I was very pleased with that.

There is a large dressage show next week in Ottawa and I'm definitely going on the Sunday.