AM Dressage report

[oldie48]

Monday, lesson started with getting Rose soft, in front of the leg, on the bit and properly through. This used to take quite a lot of the lesson but yesterday she was there in a matter of minutes probably because she's stronger, more supple and I am riding better. Trot, flex to the inside, keep the outside rein and as soon as she gives, relax the hand and ask her to go forward. Quite small movements now but I still have to check she's stays round enough and adjust when required. Then move onto transitions within the trot using the whip to tap her up into a more collected trot which stays on the hind leg. Praise indeed from trainer when she said, now that's a 7.5! We continued in trot using lateral work to make her even more supple, she's more reactive to the leg now but I still need to touch her with the whip to get her using her backend better and for her legs to cross as well as they can.
Then into canter, fab right canter and I feel I am really starting to get the feel of holding her with my seat to collect we did some simple changes through trot which were much improved and some very nice counter canter, which felt balanced and easy. Unfortunately, cantering down the long side we saw the big lorry arriving back and Rose took the opportunity to put in a couple of naughty bucks, hitting the wall, nearly unseating me, instead of putting my leg on and keeping her moving forward, I stopped her and we then had an epic session of napping. Although I don't really want to have to deal with this, having this happen with this trainer is really helpful as she talks me through it, I trust her implicitly so do as I am told. Once dealt with she went back to work and although I was a little bit shaken up we took up canter again on both reins and were able to finish on a good note. Note to self, a naughty Rose is better going forward and I need to ride more positively if there's a problem so I don't let it escalate. Dithering and taking my leg off must not happen!
Today we repeated much of what we did on Monday but once I'd got a decent trot we went into the canter work, lots of trans within the gait and working on keeping her really round and soft and in the pace I wanted as she can take over a bit and that's when the trouble starts. Then onto the trot work with quite a lot of lateral work including trot half pass, still baby HP but it's more about me getting the balance of the aids right and keeping her soft in front than the actual going sideways bit! She didn't put a foot wrong although she felt a bit fresh for the first ten minutes!
So, a really good couple of lessons and a lot learned by me. Just to reassure anyone wondering, Rose's napping is not pain related of that I am pretty confident. She's a clever talented mare with a bit of attitude and not always the most generous She senses any hesitation on my part and will take advantage. I sometimes think she can read my mind but she's so sensitive she feels the slightest change in me and tbh when I saw the lorry my immediate thought was Oh shit they'll be unloading etc and there will be lots of noise and commotion, I think if I'd just ridden her forward positively we'd have been absolutely fine! It was an absolute joy to be riding indoors!

 

[ITPersonnage]

Lovely report, thank you

 

[j1ffy]

Great report, thank you!

I’m missing my Justine lessons but I think my loan horse may be ready for an overnight in April...

 

[Wheels]

Sounds like you get a lot out of these lessons

Its sometimes a good thing for bad behaviour to come out in a lesson and get the required help

 

[milliepops]

Sound like another good couple of days and yes they read our minds, don't they... she heard you having that doubt and exploited it!

 

[oldie48]

Great report, thank you!

I’m missing my Justine lessons but I think my loan horse may be ready for an overnight in April...

She's a great trainer. What I appreciated is that she was able to unpick the naughty behaviour and be completely fair about both Rose and my part in it so I came back on day 2 feeling ready to cope with it if it happened again, but it didn't. Building confidence in a rider to be able to cope when things go wrong, is a real skill and something that a great many trainers can't do. She's just so experienced I hope to see you at AM, let me know when you are going.

 

[oldie48]

Sound like another good couple of days and yes they read our minds, don't they... she heard you having that doubt and exploited it!

Absolutely, she's a clever madam but I am learning so much from her, I do have to keep my brave pants handy though! Thanks so much for trying her with me, tbh I didn't really know what I was looking at, still in so much shock from losing Bisto. She's so much more than I thought but when you said "yes" I knew she'd be fine. Justine calls her the Opportunist and in deed she is but goodness me she's not without talent! I just adore her (when she's behaving!)

 

[milliepops]

Absolutely, she's a clever madam but I am learning so much from her, I do have to keep my brave pants handy though! Thanks so much for trying her with me, tbh I didn't really know what I was looking at, still in so much shock from losing Bisto. She's so much more than I thought but when you said "yes" I knew she'd be fine. Justine calls her the Opportunist and in deed she is but goodness me she's not without talent! I just adore her (when she's behaving!)

I'm so pleased for you. She just seemed like a goodun honest enough to be enjoyable, clever enough to be interesting and kind on the ground to boot ?

 

[Charmer91]

Wonderful report! Should be very chuffed!
I think it's great when we get the 'messy' bits during lessons as you get so much more of it.

Looking forward to the next one!

 

[LEC]

They dont read your minds, but they can feel your heart rate through the saddle especially if they are very tuned into it as lack confidence and if yours elevated and spiked thinking, and you tensed slightly then that would have made a nappy horse more nervous. In my experience nappy horses is all related to confidence. Sometimes it can be a string of things which then tip them over the edge to nap, sometimes it can be that they have come out not feeling as confident so nap.

 

[milliepops]

well yeah, reading your mind is sort of shorthand for that I think I think it's not just being tense, it's also sometimes the momentary hesitation about giving a clear instruction right at the moment when the horse needs it,when rider maybe isn't confident or is doubting themselves, that allows the horse to go self employed and do its own thing.

 

[humblepie]

well yeah, reading your mind is sort of shorthand for that I think I think it's not just being tense, it's also sometimes the momentary hesitation about giving a clear instruction right at the moment when the horse needs it,when rider maybe isn't confident or is doubting themselves, that allows the horse to go self employed and do its own thing.

I tried to multi quote LEC and Milliepops but absolutely and that is me down to a T. I have to be much more positive and then the horse is. My instructor rides my horse occasionally as it is very good for him as she is the person who does the confidence thing and he most definitely isn't allowed to go self employed (love that phrase) whereas I can be the "oh pigeon alert" person but hopefully think I have got better and just laugh and "yeah pigeon bring it on" but it is difficult not to revert back to the nervious person approach. I did a weekend at AM dressage and loved all my lessons, Adam found the key to my horse's medium trot and Justine was brilliant at the confidence thing in the outdoor arena.

 

[oldie48]

well yeah, reading your mind is sort of shorthand for that I think I think it's not just being tense, it's also sometimes the momentary hesitation about giving a clear instruction right at the moment when the horse needs it,when rider maybe isn't confident or is doubting themselves, that allows the horse to go self employed and do its own thing.

That is exactly it, a moments hesitation is what she picks up on. She's not a nervous horse and I love the expression "goes self employed" because that is totally what she does and in her mind, "self employment" means doing things on her terms, which when she's worked hard is to stop and do nothing! Hence the napping!She's done a lot of new and different things this week and she's not napped once because, I think, she's been a bit unsure of herself so is more likely to rely on me more even if I am a bit unsure myself. She's an interesting one, she's not really nappy! I go back to Justine's description, which I think is spot on, she's a clever opportunist. Love her to bits!