Lesson 6/27/11

I normally would have written a post on my lesson on Monday, but I haven't had any time! I was gone all day yesterday, helping out at a camp (which I will also blog about later), and then I was gone in the evening, working at a concession stand with my friend. Anyway, I finally found some free time to blog about my lesson.

My instructor started off the lesson by doing this exercise to help me keep my legs heavy and relaxed. She puts a board under my foot, and just moves it up, down, and around. It sounds really strange, but it actually works. I can't even explain it that well, but when she's done it's like my leg feels ten miles longer, ten pounds heavier, and ten times more relaxed. It really is a great way to start off my lesson.

After that we worked on some figure eights at the walk and trot. The only different thing this time was that my instructor told me as soon as I asked Captain to walk faster or trot, I should ask, and then immediately loosen and relax my whole body. I often stay very tight when I ask him to trot, so this was a very helpful thing to think about. Just consciously thinking about relaxing really made it easier to ask Captain to do something and easier for him to listen.

Then we worked on cantering, using only half of the big ring at a time, again trying specifically to get him on a right lead canter, which he again had trouble with. It's not his fault, as every horse has a 'bad side', kind of like us being right or left handed. I also tried to work on keeping Captain on the rail, and not cutting corners. My instructor tried to teach me how I could ask for that with my inside leg while still keeping the bend in his body that is needed for a proper canter. It's not as easy as it sounded, because a lot of the time I would put pressure on my inside leg only and he would start trotting. I got it maybe once, with my instructor's help. I guess it's just something to work on later!

Once we were cooling down at the end of my lesson my instructor talked a little about camp this summer, and was wondering what camp I was going to. Since I'm going to the Advanced Camp, she said she should probably start preparing me a little for jumping by working on two-point more. Yay! I can't wait for camp! :)