Back in saddle... review on the last 4 lessons!

01.12.2007
It makes about one month I didn’t had a riding lesson and after a time of massive great horsey events my “riding energy” was about to burst!!!

The Saturday morning lesson was very pleasant although I didn’t do very well! Today the plan was working canter and canter transitions, but I had a hard time departing in to canter as the horse wasn’t much responsive to the leg. I only got it after a more noticeable aid… and that let me thinking that probably I am too soft on the aids and maybe that might be a reason why I also don’t create as much energy in the horse as it should! ??? Many times RI (Riding Instructor) has to “wake-up” the horse form the ground… and I really would like not to need that kind of help.

After we got some nice canter departs, I was asked to canter along the ¾ s school line to work on keeping the horse between my inside hand/outside leg by keeping the horse walking straight and off the school wall. After some attempts I got it OK, but not great! After this I was asked to do a 3 arches serpentine keeping the counter canter, and that went really bad! First attempts were promising but more I did, worse they got… and we ended giving up on the exercise and focus on the leg aids during canter.

We worked on ¼ of the school trying to do the corners and short turns, demanding lots of outside leg and half halts to make him turn were it was supposed, and using the inside leg to keep the impulsion as many time the horse would turn but moved in to trot. It was perceptible how our upper body and shoulders play an important role on this short turns at canter, especially in shortening the horse’s stride and keeping the balance so he doesn’t have to fall in to trot! And that a thing I really have to work on!

Lesson ended and I walked him around the yard, followed by an extensive shampoo bath that left him shining as a polar bear! This mouthy and biting horse revealed himself as a pleasure to wash… he loves it and just stands there smiling while I scratch him all over! What a cutie!

02.12.2007

The Sun was shining and I asked if we could ride in the outdoor school… so outside it was!
The horse was still very bright form the yesterday’s shampoo bath… and was glowing in the sunlight like a fairy’s horse with his long mane! We picked up where we left it today … and all went so much better. I much prefer riding outside and I feel that so does the horse! We are having hunting season so it was quite interesting riding with guns banging now and then… but the horse wasn’t a bit disturbed with it!
After this it was time for a new exercise (with this horse) trotting (sited) strait along the centre line than leg yield to ¾ s line, straitening the horse, change bending/lead and leg yield from the 3/4s line to the centre line, straitening the horse and finishing to the same lead I started the exercise.
This was very interesting because he really make us aware of the leg aids and half halts effect on the horse, just a shame I wasn’t able to create as much energy as I should to keep the horse in a livelier attitude. But it was not all bad!
During the lesson I had some hard time focusing… and missed some exercises, because I was enjoying it so much… riding outside, with the warm and the Sun… that may brain just shut in to “leisure” mode! At the end got some compliments on my riding position and hand stillness improvements and that made me happy!
And that’s was all for today… counting down the days till next weekend when I ride again!

08.12.2007

Arrived very early… earlier than it was supposed, but glad I did it that because I love to ride early in the morning… I’m still supple, the horse is happy and relaxed, place is still quiet and trainer is still sleepy (… I’m joking)!
Weather was good so we rode in the outside arena… another thing I really enjoy!
First a quick warm-up indoors and then we walked outside… and it was like we didn’t warm-up a thing, because as soon we stepped a foot in the arena the horse decided to test me in an “ares altos” performance! … Being totally unnecessary… I have to stay that I quite enjoyed it. I like to feel a joyful horse! This guy really jumps…
Once he settled we started working in “keeping the horse strait” even in the circles… how’s that? Controlling the horses shoulders… controlling the horses haunches… in 4 words: Outside rein and Inside Leg … and Half-halts and Outside leg when needed!
First we worked it at trot (rising trot)… for the first time I felt how much this horse can trot (and probably this wasn’t his full power)… he can have an extremely powerful and upwards strides… so I must ride him really bad because after a while he shifts to the sleepy trot… like if he was about to shut-down!
We trained strait lines… circles… opening and closing the circles without letting him fall in shoulders or slipping in haunches, for both leads, and in the end I think I really got the feel of doing it correctly!Same thing in canter... bad trot/canter transitions but not so bad in the end … finally we did some nice canter work... so said trainer!

Presently I’m becoming very much aware on the important role of the upper body in all this… and I think that finally I’m starting understand how to use it to improve my riding and helping the horse to move freely! Is like a light bulb switching on my brain! ... But really have to find away to improve the suppleness of my lower back… it is very very stifle!
Afterwards I stayed there sometime watching the other riders and lessons… really interesting watching my trainer and the other yard trainer schooling their own horses!! Very good and quiet riding there!

09.12.2007

Feeling miserable!
I rode extremely bad today and just feel like forgetting about horses and riding! Sometimes I just can’t believe how bad I can ride!
The good thing is… it can’t get any worse than this, so next one will be better! :)