Now that I have the trot better, I've been working on trying to get Nikita more through at the canter and to push into the bridle. Nikita has so much power (at least 3x that of Nic) that actually getting her to push correctly into the bridle is a difficult task. When she leans on the bit, the necessary reaction on the part of the rider is to push her more forward, but the resulting increase in energy has to be directed up, and not forward. It's in the act of causing the energy to produce more loft in the gait that causes the mare to push into the bridle, thereby causing her to become more light in the bridle.
Although this concept is easy to understand, actually doing it is another matter which requires herculean effort. It honestly takes a lot of good timing and quick reflexes to accomplish this, at least for me. It's not a result of using muscle per sey; I suppose the easiest way to explain it is that the rider has to use muscle not on the horse to produce a result, but instead muscle is required for the rider to maintain balance and to quickly give aids to the horse. I get closer every day to being more effective, but it takes a lot of energy to get there.
I've noticed an interesting difference between Nic and Nikita. When Nic is "given the rein", meaning that momentary release of the fingers to encourage softness, Nicole actually becomes more soft and relaxes into the contact, becoming more of a ball, which is the ultimate aim of dressage training - compacted energy. Nikita, on the other hand, uses that release as a way to avoid working - she flattens out and comes against the bridle. I find I have to hold her energy in my seat more and encourage her to go forward to ensure she doesn't flatten.
Until I realized this difference (which was only very recently), it caused a lot of issues with me and Nikita, namely, I'd release the reins similar as I do with Nic, thinking I was performing the correct action, and Nikita would flatten and use the opportunity to play. I'd lose the work I'd already done and have to start over again, only to have the cycle repeat itself.
