Post by scattymare on Mar 21, 2011 12:33:55 GMT
Had my first lesson in a while on Saturday. Was expecting us both to be a bit rusty – which we were to start with – but we had a brilliant time in the end. In my last lesson we had started on doing some lateral work – just leg yielding and some walk pirhouettes – struggled with these a bit but was hilarious trying!
So we picked up this week with the usual warm up of collection and release, transitions etc, we stepped up the collection in trot a notch to a point where Eddie was in hand nicely but virtually bouncing on the spot before moving forwards again. We did some work on getting Eddie to come very long and low to get her stretching through her back and supple her up a bit then came back to the dreaded pirouettes. She had me trot half a circle, come back to walk, really collect the walk so again Ed was almost on the spot but still moving forwards then ask for the turn about. I kept getting confused with my aids and which way I was turning, and some ended up as turns on the forehand instead due to us not going forwards enough. But we got it a few times – something for us to practice at home.
We then did an exercise, I’m not sure what you’d call it – kind of a quarters in but the bend was the other way (I think) Basically we would ride around the corner on the long side and ask Ed to slightly bend her head to the outside and move her quarters in so she was kind of walking sideways but on an angle if that makes sense. Apparently this is quite an easy movement for horses to perform and gets everything suppled up nicely without a lot of pressure on the joints or muscles – Eddie clearly enjoyed it as by the 3rd or 4th go she was performing it without me even asking!! We were wetting ourselves – I completely dropped the rein and took my leg of and there she is still going up the school sideways! Methinks she learns to anticipate too much!! By this point Neils arrived with his camera and Eddie was working nicely in an outline so we did some easy circle work to try and get some nice pictures - never trust a bloke with a camera - Neil said afterwards he was waiting for her to put her head up as he thought thats how she should be lol !! But we got a few nice ones -
Doing the 'sideways' movement
Spook at the camer man!
Working nicely
Cooling down
Phew we're pooped
Then we had a little photoshoot on the way home
Spooky man lying on the floor!
Home time
Look even OH got the bug!!
All finished
Look at that blue sky. Was a gorgeous day.
So we picked up this week with the usual warm up of collection and release, transitions etc, we stepped up the collection in trot a notch to a point where Eddie was in hand nicely but virtually bouncing on the spot before moving forwards again. We did some work on getting Eddie to come very long and low to get her stretching through her back and supple her up a bit then came back to the dreaded pirouettes. She had me trot half a circle, come back to walk, really collect the walk so again Ed was almost on the spot but still moving forwards then ask for the turn about. I kept getting confused with my aids and which way I was turning, and some ended up as turns on the forehand instead due to us not going forwards enough. But we got it a few times – something for us to practice at home.
We then did an exercise, I’m not sure what you’d call it – kind of a quarters in but the bend was the other way (I think) Basically we would ride around the corner on the long side and ask Ed to slightly bend her head to the outside and move her quarters in so she was kind of walking sideways but on an angle if that makes sense. Apparently this is quite an easy movement for horses to perform and gets everything suppled up nicely without a lot of pressure on the joints or muscles – Eddie clearly enjoyed it as by the 3rd or 4th go she was performing it without me even asking!! We were wetting ourselves – I completely dropped the rein and took my leg of and there she is still going up the school sideways! Methinks she learns to anticipate too much!! By this point Neils arrived with his camera and Eddie was working nicely in an outline so we did some easy circle work to try and get some nice pictures - never trust a bloke with a camera - Neil said afterwards he was waiting for her to put her head up as he thought thats how she should be lol !! But we got a few nice ones -
Doing the 'sideways' movement
Spook at the camer man!
Working nicely
Cooling down
Phew we're pooped
Then we had a little photoshoot on the way home
Spooky man lying on the floor!
Home time
Look even OH got the bug!!
All finished
Look at that blue sky. Was a gorgeous day.
. But bless her. She's looking really good Scatty, I love that last picture of your cuddles 
.
Mini hunter trials in three weeks - doing the 2 ft pairs class with a 12.2!!
for so much hard work we thank ye!!
