Lesson Talk

"he is a lovely dressage pony. i am starting to crave a lesson, so as to know more about we should be working on." jill was asking a friend to come video tape her riding. she remembered the days of working in a ring with mirrors, useful in leui of a teacher.

he did not bend as well to the left. she wanted to do some ground work with him as well as the mounted work to address the issue. she wasn't sold on the added value of lunging, in his case, esp. with their lack of side reins etc.

he was good on the roads and she was keen to get the shoes back on so they could go farther.

even tho she'd heard he was up to date on his shots and didn't need a new vet, he wasn't up to date and she couldn't go to the event? she better get the training plan and show dates presented asap.

they only jumped the vertical, not the pink planks, even tho somebody was home. maybe she just didn't like jumping anymore?

she wished they had an agreement about the blanketing. there was another frost warning coming their way in may!

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They started the day's lesson by discussing the top hat Jill had been given for her birthday. "You don't wear those things until you're competing Intermediate" the teacher said, pretty much choking on her bagel for lunch during summer camp.
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They worked on keeping him in the frame, through tranisitions. Jill needed to prevent him coming up off the bit and resisting before it happened. And, to keep the canter contained down the long side. She tried to think "flowing" and "forward" and thoughts like that throughtout the test.

There was a moment, in sitting trot, when everything was just right. The teacher said "yes, yes, Jill. He's moving perfectly, your position is good. I can SEE the top hat now." Jill could feel it, isn't that cool?
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Counter canter to correct his balance. not hind quarters out, but in.
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Jill thought it was awesome to ride in the snow. She and her pony agreed on everything for once! It was deep and soft so the old bones didn't creak too much and it was working him like up and down hills or like water and she didn't have to hold him back. It was the most comfortable canter she had ever felt on him. The views were beautiful and he was happy too and even the drive home was lovely!

Jill thought you could learn a lot more being one of the NOVICE riders at a barn than being one of the CELEBRITY riders at a barn...