Troubles in the barn & trials on the bit

It was a radiant day today to finally get to see my Meeka again. She's not mine per say, but I ride her every week and treat her just like she was. She's a tall 16 hands mare, strong and a bit pigheaded, but as sweet as can be.

For the first time today, she ran away when I opened her box. Without a halter, or at least a bit in her mouth, she suddenly seemed twice as big and twice as strong. I had no control whatsoever, neither on her nor on the situation. It felt as awkward (and as scary) as if I was running behind a very tall zebra to try and catch it with my bare hands. I guess I just could sense the wilderness that still remains in her even if she is usually your basic calm (sometimes too calm) school horse. But with the help of a stable girl, we cornered her in an empty box, and putting on my most assertive face and attitude (a.k.a a front), I entered and finally put her on a lead chain. Pfew!

Today's lesson was mostly dressage. We worked on the circle to put her on the bit, which seems pretty easy but, as you may know, is an intense workout for both horse and rider. I now have calluses on my fingers from holding the reins so tight and vibrating like there's no tomorrow. That's why I will need to investigate riding gloves. I used to think "the classier the better" but it is becoming obvious that I'm wrong (and vain). My teacher recommended a variety that has padding on the inside of the fingers. I'll let you know if they look good too, but I doubt it. In the meantime, I'm sporting a bright yellow band-aid on my right hand ring finger, thanks to I'll-pull-those-reins-outta-your-hands-if-I-have-to-die-doing-it Meeka.

For those of you who don't know, the vibrating in the reins is supposed to relax the horse's jaw until it "gives-in". Not in terms of submission, but more in terms of accepting to work with you, obey you aids (hands and legs) and build impulsion. Most of the times I succeed at putting Meeka on the bit, but never for long. It's very demanding physically to have to always support your horse, even in the down transitions, so that it remains collected even at full stop. But one day, or so my teacher says, I'll be able to keep her collected throughout the lesson. Let's keep in touch, maybe in a year or two...

Then back to my favourite (read "dreaded") exercise: the leg yield. I guess there's something about this I just don't get. One time I'm the next dressage half-pass champion, the next, Meeka just about does anything she likes and I have no idea what I've done different. The thing is, this exercise does make you work on your independence of the aids - just like a piano player playing the melody with one hand and the accompaniment with the other. I guess I need to work on independence between hands and legs, and pay more attention to the how the horse "feels" underneath me while we merrily move sideways (or so we try).

I'd like to read your comments on this exercise, is it just me or is it really as difficult as I think it is?