9/20/03
Dressage Lesson

What a nice lesson. He's so much more forward after
trail rides and roading (oh, and me getting more relaxed...).
We have 20 meter canter circles now, with a few really nice
upward transitions, and not horrible downward ones (when I'd
remember to rebalance myself).


 
My trainer came out and we worked on getting off the forehand. Not that big of a deal since we're just looking at Training Level and Beginner Novice.
 
I have to remember my position and not slouch just because we're walking (march, march).
I need a grounds person to go from this...
 
To this... 
The difference is letting him stretch into the bridle and not getting him behind the bit. He seems to want to go where I put him, but I tend to flex him more than I should.
Strange, but if I balance myself better on him (shoulders back), he lifts his front end more and reaches into the bridle(that's why we have trainers...).
He's actually got a nice canter (but I should let my hips follow and not lean forward).
 
I don't have too worry much about his front end.
As long as I stay upright, we don't get too heavy on the forehand.
 
My trainer says I have to learn to be still. I'm leaning, toes are out and I barely have my seat in the saddle. I watched the video, and I tend to pump with my shoulders.
Sometimes we get a bit strung out, but we're still getting used to each other at the canter. A nice thing is that he doesn't feel out of control, just strong on occassion.
 
I'm using my spurs right now to remind him to stay cantering until I tell him otherwise.
We can run and run, and then stop to talk and he just falls asleep.
We're still going out roading and working towards fox hunting. On the hunt trail ride he was great about standing at holds and not that concerned when we let the other horses gallop away while we just trailed along at a walk.