Feeling the rhythm

I had an early lesson on Saturday.  Since Rocking Horse is two hours away from home, that means I had to leave home no later than 7.  Since the boy had to be up early for work, I got up, and was on my way a bit early.  After my normal stop at Dunkin Donuts (coffee and egg white flatbread, I am trying to at least hold steady in my weight), I was on the road.  I was there by 9, which was perfect.  One of the other students has a young daughter that I was watching while she takes her lesson.  E is starting up/down lessons and loves Violet, so she will get the opportunity to help cool Violet out after I take lessons.  While Es mom takes her lesson, E stayed behind to help get V ready.  She brushed legs, brushed her tail, helped pick hooves.  When she doesn't have an attitude, she's a big help.  And my pony is a saint.  She loves the little kids.  E is a bit much at times, but V just takes it.

Saintly pony tolerates much

So I headed off to my dressage lesson, hacking up to the ring.  We have worked really hard on getting impulsion at the walk from the first step.  We start off with no stirrups just for me to stretch down my short little legs.  It's a bit hard to do in a jump saddle with stirrups, although I've never been in a dressage saddle, so I don't know that first hand.  

Anyway, we worked on the walk, doing some yielding and bending.  Then worked into trot.  I am currently riding in draw reins, not because the pony really needs them, but because she refuses to accept when I am anything other than perfect in asking.  This way she doesn't fight me, she fights herself.  We worked on leg yields starting from quarter line, then moving to center line.  She was very good.  She tries to fake me out on the left rein, pretending to be on it when she isn't.  I can say this is the first time I've really felt the inside leg to outside rein on both sides evenly, and even in the yields.  We would yield to a circle to reestablish the outside rein.  Once we had that, we moved on to canter.

Canter is where the problems always lie for me.  Vi is always fine in the canter.  She is just a pony that wants you to be 100% correct at all times.  It's the red-headed girl in her.  She gives you one shot.  If I get off on the rhythm asking for the canter, or pull down (especially on the left rein) she does not take that well, then becomes a giraffe and we start to fight.  At the canter, that makes her get really really short strided and inverted.  We worked on getting into the outside rein, then half-halting and asking for the canter.  For the first time ever, by the end, I was not relying on my trainer telling me when to ask.  I was able to feel the timing myself.  It was a truly exciting feeling.

I know others really don't like dressage, viewing it as simply a means to an end.  Something to get through before you can get to the jumping.  I actually really like dressage.  I get a true feeling of accomplishment when I manage to improve on a movement.  And Vi needs it.  It really helps with adjustability in jumping.  It gives me a way to communicate with her where she doesn't think I'm being rude.  Because let me tell you, she will let you know if she thinks you are rude.  She's not bad, she just let's you know, usually by throwing her head in the air, getting short, and chipping. 

After a really good, productive lesson, we went for a nice walk out on the cross country field.  Then went to let E ride in the round pen.  By this time, Vi was very confused.  She thought for sure she should be done.  E is a very new beginner, and her legs don't go over the flaps of the saddle.  I figured it wouldn't be a problem, because V is so used to voice commands in the pen.  I didn't take into account the reins.  I left the bridle on, which is fine, but E is used to a dead to the world lesson pony.  When we tried to trot (with me leading), the first trot step is bigger than she is used to, she would fall back and pull on Vs mouth, which would make her stop.  So we did lots of walking over a couple of poles, practicing jumping position.  Next time we will use the halter with some reins on it.  The end game is that V will eventually be Es eventing pony if she keeps with it.  At this point, that would be maybe 5 years from now, so I have plenty of time with my girl.

We ended the day at the trainer's house, celebrating the trainer's husband's new car, and a new horse that went to one of the trainer's students.  It's so very nice to have a house we can stay at while there.  Tomorrow, I'll get to the fun part, jumping!  And more pictures.