Sunday January 31

Hannah!

I hope this provides an easy way for you to reach and check on the feedback from our lessons. I will do my best to update this as soon after every ride, but in case I am late, the title of the post will be the day the lesson was given. Since this is between you and I, please ask if you have any questions regarding shorthand if you catch anything that is hard to understand. These are just the basics, and include any factors that I feel effected the ride, both positive and negative. This may or may not include rides in class, but definitely all tech lessons outside of class will be recorded.


Blue: Aiming to work in a consistent frame which remains supple and uphill in transitions both up and down through the gaits. Always carrying more forward with a quicker hind leg in order to achieve better gaits, transitions, and carrying power. Establishing an honest reaction to the aids: a messy reaction to the leg is still the correct answer if he went forward! Rider positioning needs to focus on sitting in the tack, letting the horse respect the seat and the appropriate suppleness through the bridle. Elbows up, inside rein indirect across the neck if necessary to keep flexion against a solid outside rein.

Dillon: think QUICK from the hind leg! Ride excited to get what you want! Bigger steps into the canter, looking for a more supple, swinging trot. Using haunches-in, shoulder-in on a circle in order to achieve balanced, correct canter lead. No mistakes today using these exercises, knowing Dillon is sticky to the right lead.

Good efforts in these two lessons! Rowland was incredibly crowded so it took some finesse to find circles and paths appropriate to the exercise. Know that sometimes you have to do an exercize right then even if it won't be pretty ; the idea will set in and will develop into what you are trying to achieve but this will rarely happen on the first try. Don't be afraid to make these mistakes - just don't make them twice. This is where the training of Blue and Dillon will help to establish what you'll need in the ring. If on your own, something particular isn't grooving the right way, save it for a lesson with me and we'll either work to correct it or find something else.