Getting tougher

[scattymare]

Sorry if I'm boring you all with a synopsis of every lesson. I'm just loving them so much and am really starting to get bitten by the dressage bug (wasn't I the one saying a few weeks ago I don't want to 'do' dressage ;D)
Well yesterday J was happy that my seat and legs have improved considerably. She caught me out on Saturday and drove past me whilst I was troting up the road - thankfully she said I looked good and we were moving nicely.
So yesterdays lesson focused a bit more on getting a bit firmer with my riding and putting me back together in the right places. We were working in a square getting me to work from my inside leg to outside hand and using my shoulders to turn Eddie without using the inside rein. Wow did we work hard! I nearly ran J over a fair few times by not taking a strong enough contact on the outside rein. When she demonstrated the 'feel' I should get I was surprised how strong it was - I've always been a bit wishy washy worrying I'm pulling too much so give away the contact - but working this way demonstrated it's not about 'pulling' and Eddie will soften to the contact when it's the right pressure.
I have to be careful not to lower my hands (a bad habit I am fully aware of constantly) and also tilting my thumbs forward thus creating a rigid strong constant pull on poor Eddies mouth - again having someone hold the end of the reins and do it back to you shows just how much difference in pressure it creates. I need to put more weight back in my shoulders and elbows.
When I got it right Eddie was once again a joy to work with and my highlight was being told 'now you're really riding' and it felt like it too.
We worked on a few of Eddies evasion tactics like she has a bad habit of taking the bit and pulling me forward - even if I have washing line reins. She does it once she's had enough, so it was time to get a bit firmer and ride her into the contact when she tried to do this or get her listening with a 5m circle.
And I need to get firmer when doing an upwards transition - she has a tendancy to run off the first few strides of trot. I have been working on slowing my rising which works great sometimes but other times she will combat this by going into an extended 'driving' trot which then throws me right off balance. So I need to give a very firm half halt the moment she attempts to shoot off, then relax my hand again then the same again if she's not listening.
So again we've come away with loads of homework to practice. It's so odd that after 25 years of riding I almost feel like I'm learning to ride all over again! But loving it and love J's method of teaching. She's taken a lot from the Spanish principles of riding and really focusues on your seat and body weight.
Unfortunately I don't think I'll be having another lesson this month as finances are tight, so lots of practice at home for me.

[solomon]

Sounds brilliant, Eddie does things that Pete does, I also thought I was holding the reins quite firmly until I found out how to achieve an outline[occasionally] Pete also does that snatching of the reins, very naughty. Onwards and upwards you and me both.

[dannyboy]

Scatty its a real joy to hear your lesson highs. I'd love to eventually one day try dressage.

Your RI sounds great and very encouraging.

[fleabitten]

Thats sounds brilliant scatty! I totally know what you mean though about the rein contact. We were trying to get kieran into an outline once with Helen and it was such a strong contact as she said he had been taught with a strong contact and right enough he did start to soften but i hardly noticed it and it only lasted for a few seconds as i either softened or he gave up or something.

What a great RI though. You can still learn loads with less of good lessons rather than regular less good quality lessons.

[rainbow]

I want your instructor! It is great to hear how your improving and having fun!

I really want to get cracking in with lessons now but with no school and my mate who i was goin to borrow her lorry with her isnt goin to have lessons for another couple of months yet

[racaille]

It's not at all boring Scatty - and that's the really fascinating thing about riding: there's always something else to learn/improve! ;D

[fimacg]

Agree with all of the above, its definately not boring and also good to know what other suggest for similar issues to your own.

I think my instructor would get one well with yours, she is also trying to sort out and stabilise my lower leg more with similar exercises as I tend to grip with my knee and I need to relax the hip and knee and hug him with my lower leg, but boy does it hurt.

in terms of rein contact it can be surprising strong, and the tip about not blocking through the rein that I got last week was to keep you elbows tucked in to your side for as soon as they come out and you take a pull on the rein it creates more of a backwards 'stop' feel to the horse rather than a come down and listen. My instructor calls it 'being tactful with the rein contact'.

[solomon]

Also another thing to think of is one two with the reins aka the feel on the rein. Otherwise it turns into a pull. Fun when I am cantering and my RI is saying 123, with your seat 1,2, with the reins!

[fleabitten]

Rainbow, do you have a field that you would be able to ride in? You could get a freelance out and the ground seems to be really good now - not too hard and not too soft or slippy.

[brigadier]

Sounds very much as if its going the right way scatty. as you start learning you realise just how much more there is to learn and it becomes such a continually rewading experience.