Let's not get that close

Ride #2 on Silver, another success!


Decided to opt for a lesson this time bc the canter needs much work. We started in the Dressage ring working on getting him onto the bit. His owner commented that he tends to be behind the leg, but I haven't felt that personally. He's pretty responsive. He just doesn't always respond how we want him to. Forward is there, now time to get soft.

Lots of inside leg (mainly thigh) and inside rein, steady outside rein, sometimes outside seat bone, just depends on what's happening. He's a very, erm, opinionated gelding, but when he's good, he's good. Happy to have him in the Big Gray Gelding Squad, even if he's small horse sized. Trot and canter were generally fine, and we had our good moments. He's much harder going to the left than the right, so I might opt to add in some carrot stretches. Transitions also aren't as prompt or together as I'd like them to be, but that'll come with time.

Current jump setup; this diagram is only vaguely accurate
since our arena isn't a friendly polygon
Once we finished with that, trainer said "Let's go jump some things" which was shocking. I haven't jumped with her since Music, and while we were going up in height every lesson, we never made it past 12". I guess it's a reward for having been grilled on the flat the past year. Perhaps she thinks I'm starting to figure things out.

Anyways, we jumped everything that I jumped on Wednesday, except she mixed it up and added some things. We warmed up with trot poles and a cross rail, then added the far vertical afterwards. She then had me do the rolltop to the flower, a tight turn that would require me to, ya know, ride and not be a passenger. I completely scrubbed up the first time and had Silver take a spot that was waaay too close and with 0 support. Very angry pony rubbed the fence and thought passionately about dumping me before settling and being nice enough to offer me redemption. Second time was much nicer. Also, we have adjustability.


Current plan is to have one lesson on Silver a week then one lesson Roman. The baby horse is scheduled for Thursday.

Comments

  1. Two lessons a week on different horses sounds amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Awesome! You'll get loads more feedback twice a week on two different rides

    ReplyDelete

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