Last lesson in 2015

So last Wednesday I headed down to Rocking Horse to have my last lesson in 2015.  Of course, it would be a flat lesson.  But, as I think I've said before, I like those.  We had so much trouble in the beginning that it is such a treat for me to do flat lessons on her now.  I think this dressage stuff is pretty cool.

The big dressage ring was being drug, and Marcy was afraid they would decide to drag the smaller rings next, so we were going to start off in the grass and then move to the big ring when they got done.  They did not get done, so my whole lesson was in the grass between the rings.  Not a problem, this is where we warm up for the schooling shows anyway, and I have to know how to ride her with or without footing, on uneven turf, with or without a fence.

We started as usual, with lots of transitions in the walk, walk up, collect, halt, all the time moving moving moving the bit.  Not see-sawing, moving.  Or even just thinking about moving.

We changed her bit so she goes in a boucher now.  She seems to react well in it, she still softens into the bit.  I am still able to push her into it, but she doesn't chew through it.  This does not mean that she does not continually grab it, but that is was the moving is for.

I've been working a lot on putting on more leg pressure so I can use more hand pressure.  The more I have to move, the more leg I have to use.  This has been an ongoing issue with me.  Violet for years told me that leg is bad and I actually listened to her.  Instead, the cheeky redhead needs MORE leg than others. Getting that through my head is an ongoing process.

We have bend!  And I need to work on getting shoulders up and back and left hand up.

She responded pretty well.  We got some beautiful walk work, then moved on to trot.  In the trot work, we did a lot of counter bending, especially to the right when tracking left, in order to get the right shoulder under her.  We also worked a lot on getting the back legs to step up under her.  I have been working on this with Marcy for a long time, but I can say that for the first time, I am really beginning to understand the feeling of it. Not only that, I am beginning to recognize when I need to use those skills.  To be a more thinking, independent rider.

Awkward up post shot. 

From that we worked on sitting trot to canter.  I got some really nice canter from her this time.  The right has always been more comfortable for me, but I'm finally getting some from the canter.

Actually getting the back legs under and getting some reach in the front.

I did hear a lot of "separate your core from your arms and legs".  Unfortunately, my core seems to have disappeared over the winter, but I will find it again.

So it was a fantastic lesson.  I really feel like I am continuing to progress as a rider, and we are continuing to progress as a team.  I was worried with her moving so far away and me only getting to ride weekly that my progress would stagnate, but I really don't think it has.  And I'm doubly impressed that I can feel that when I've only ridden twice since the end of October!

And we continue to work on the halt.  

On another note, the boy needs more instruction on taking pictures.  He took 5.  Total.  For my entire hour lesson.  And none of me cantering.  I have no idea what he was doing besides sitting in the golf cart, but he certainly wasn't doing his job.  We did have a discussion about why I want pictures.  Not because I need to look pretty, but because I have no concept of what I look like and would like to see it so I know what I need to work on.  Like, I still need to work on sitting up straight and not dropping my hands, as is obvious from the pictures he did take.