First lesson in 2016

We had our first lesson of the new year on Saturday.  The initial plan was to lesson both Saturday and Sunday, which would usually mean flat on Saturday and jumping on Sunday, but the weather was iffy on Sunday, so we started with jumping.

When I left on Wednesday, I said to the boy that Violet was about to lose her little pony brain a bit.  New Year's would mark the beginning of the rush of riders coming to Rocking Horse for the season.  By the time the season starts, all stalls will be full.  I think that's like 140 stalls or something.  That's a lot of horses.  A lot of commotion.  Our guys have had the property to themselves since the end of last season, so it will be an adjustment.

Violet teases Riley terribly

I got on Violet and we headed out to walk part of the cross country field before our lesson.  She was...scattered.  Looking looking looking.  There may have been a couple of spooks.  Or she may have simply tripped a bit because she was paying attention to everything other than her feet.  It's hard to tell on her sometimes.

Since I didn't know what we were doing lesson wise, I simply started schooling at the walk and a little at the trot between the jump ring and the dressage rings while I waited for Marcy to come back up.  The cows across the street were out, so that was a distraction.  There were unknown horses and riders doing things, so that was a distraction.  She felt a bit like she was going to jump out of her skin.

Marcy showed up and directed us to the jump ring.  We started on one end warming up with some flatwork, continuing with some of the same work we had been doing Wednesday.  Changes of direction and transitions that are random give the pony something to pay attention to other than everyone else.

Then someone came in the ring and asked if they could school over some fences while we were on the end. They were not in our way, so that wasn't an issue.  And amazingly enough, Violet didn't care at all.  By that time, she had put her training hat on and was working quite well.

When it came to the canter, we worked on it a bit differently.  We had done the circles and leg yielding into it in the past.  This time we walked to the fenceline and kind of half passed with Violet's head on the fenceline and haunches in the ring (red), then straightened, went to a light sitting trot (blue).  Once that was established, we cantered on the circle (purple).  Then came back down to the walk, went back to the fenceline and did it the other direction.  You can kind of see what I mean in the fantastic rendering below.

Craptastic drawing.  What?  I'm an accountant...

I had to concentrate on doing this quietly, as Violet always wants to anticipate the movements after we do it the first time.  We did this several times each direction until she was really listening.

After a short walk-break, we started doing our exercise above, but on the canter circle, we cantered over a raised pole.  My primary goal was to get the outside shoulder on the path to the center of the pole.  That way our distance was there.  This was no problem.  We did it both directions, then the pole was raised until it was a small vertical.  From there we circled to a big cross rail.  We did that both directions a few times, then put the two of them together, all working on that shoulder, and remaining quiet, and not bracing. Keeping the lines of communication open.  Violet was great.  At the end, we put together about 6 fences into a little twisty course, all the time working on that outside shoulder.  Violet was a superstar!

At the end of the lesson, Marcy had a big grin.  For the first time ever I made it through an entire jumping lesson without missing a distance on a single fence!  They were not all the same distance, but I was never once left behind, I never had to play catch up, and it was all the result of putting that shoulder where it needed to be.  And I was able to do that because I am finally able to feel what I need to do.  I am very excited to see if I can repeat this in future lessons.

Marcy says this is what I need to be able to replicate in the cross country field.  WHEN I am ready to do that again.  If things keep going the way they are, that isn't all that far away, I don't think.  (I may have put my safety vest in the truck, just in case).  In the meantime, I would LOVE to get to some dressage and jumper shows.  I don't think that is plausible, since I don't have a trailer and no one else has plans to go, but I really would love to see where I stand against other people.

Tired pony asks Marcy if she has apple now?

And then this morning I got a text from Marcy that says "Pony did drop bank into water like a pro this am." I'm thinking the move back to cross country might be coming sooner than I think.