sachak
Well-Known Member
Well, yesterday Chester and I ventured over to Ramsden Heath for a lesson with Shelley Brooks (BD Trainer). I was sooooo nervous - I am no dressage rider but seem to have fallen over to the dark side from showjumping given that I am without a jumping saddle at the moment!
It was an oppurtunity presented to me by Your Horse (look out for the feature shortly!) and I would have been silly not to turn it down given that I am on the hunt for a dressage trainer with the search not having started so well.
Essentially I wanted to work on straightness, submission and the canter but I would say that my biggest problem is that I don't trust Chester entirely but worst of all I don't trust myself!
So, Shelley had her work cut out but was fabulous. She taught via a microphone in a judges hut so she could see the whole picture and actually worked very well.
We worked alot on the centre line and 3/4 lines with LOTS of changes of direction.
One excersise in particular - concentrating on submission to the right particularly - was working on a 10m circle bringing my right hand out towards my right hip and with that pushing his shoulders round with my outside leg and his quarters with my inside leg (yes, I know very simple!) giving with my outside hand as he offered bend once offered he was rewarded by going off in a straight line and then repeating exersise! We did this in walk first of all and then at a trot.
We did lots of transitions but off of the track to get him stepping through from behind.
The whole lesson was fab and I took so much away from it. We worked solidly for an hour and I could not have asked more from Ches. He was a diamond.
I can't wait to see the article when it comes out and I will definately be going back to Shelley for more lessons. And definately recommend her.
Huuuuuge thanks to my friend Chris for taking me!!!!
And, the good news is I will have a trailer of my own from the end of the month so I can actually plan some competitions without having to also plan the logistics of transporting the ned too
wooooo
It was an oppurtunity presented to me by Your Horse (look out for the feature shortly!) and I would have been silly not to turn it down given that I am on the hunt for a dressage trainer with the search not having started so well.
Essentially I wanted to work on straightness, submission and the canter but I would say that my biggest problem is that I don't trust Chester entirely but worst of all I don't trust myself!
So, Shelley had her work cut out but was fabulous. She taught via a microphone in a judges hut so she could see the whole picture and actually worked very well.
We worked alot on the centre line and 3/4 lines with LOTS of changes of direction.
One excersise in particular - concentrating on submission to the right particularly - was working on a 10m circle bringing my right hand out towards my right hip and with that pushing his shoulders round with my outside leg and his quarters with my inside leg (yes, I know very simple!) giving with my outside hand as he offered bend once offered he was rewarded by going off in a straight line and then repeating exersise! We did this in walk first of all and then at a trot.
We did lots of transitions but off of the track to get him stepping through from behind.
The whole lesson was fab and I took so much away from it. We worked solidly for an hour and I could not have asked more from Ches. He was a diamond.
I can't wait to see the article when it comes out and I will definately be going back to Shelley for more lessons. And definately recommend her.
Huuuuuge thanks to my friend Chris for taking me!!!!
And, the good news is I will have a trailer of my own from the end of the month so I can actually plan some competitions without having to also plan the logistics of transporting the ned too
