rosiesowner
Well-Known Member
If you asked me the last time (before yesterday) I had had a lesson that wasn't at college, I would not be able to tell you the answer. Somehow, I've managed to go almost a year of having Chilli without a single lesson. Money is always a bit tight as I only work part time and she is an expensive horse to keep! High maintenance mare 
But After yesterday I want a lesson with Julie (Blanchard) every week, if only I could afford it!
She was lovely and made sure to find a little out about Chills and I before we started and to take a look at all three paces on both reins. I was a little gobsmacked when, for the first time ever, someone said that they liked her canter best out of all three paces. That is not something that I normally get to hear but she said it was lovely and uphill with an active inside hind. First victory against the anxiety monster who was telling me she would hate my horse and I and a nice surprise too.
We then moved on to making Chills work long and round, encouraging her to work over her back and stretch down into the contact. One of my preferences is to give a quick scratch on the neck with my inside hand when she gets something right or is getting there. This has been in the past curbed by instructors who have told me it's excessive. However I was pleased to find that Julie praised me for praising Chills which was great, because I think my lovely girl deserves all the pats just for putting up with me!
As the session progressed we did a few different exercises, with the main focus being getting her in front of my leg. I think that as I ride alone from now on I will have a voice in my ear saying trot. Trot! TROT! encouraging me to push her forwards and not just take my legs off because she gets a little spicy. "Hot horses especially should always be ridden with leg on" is something I've heard before but find it all too easy to forget when she lives up to her name, gets spicy and my nerves kick in. We used lateral work and flexing different ways to get her thinking and working as well as focusing on me a little. The main things to fix are my outside hand (gets a little absentminded and moves around of its own accord) and keeping my leg forward enough as at the moment it comes a little too far back.
Ultimately, by the end of the lesson Chilli felt truly engaged and was TAKING ME FORWARDS!! Something that I have found such a challenge was happening and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit proud of us. The walk was much improved and the canter, well. It felt so much better.
It's no understatement to say Julie kept us working squeezed as much out of those 45 minutes as she could. By the end of it I was very grateful for the superior ventilation my KEP offers, however much I look like a man in it
As the lesson went on my anxiety melted away and I felt able to just ride and realise that this person was helping me, not telling me just how terrible and rubbish I am. She said that Chilli is lovely (can't help but agree) and that if we crack on we'll be able to get some very decent marks at Nov. I know this for myself, but it was nice to have someone confirm this to me. I still kept my little goal of Ele by the end of the year to myself, as that's one I'm sitting on quite happily and will pull it out to dust off and work on more once we're truly established at Nov.
If you're a bit of a worrier like me and having a lesson seems like paying someone to tell you how rubbish you are I would say just do it! And make sure it's under the condition of no refunds, because that's probably part of the reason I didn't let the anxiety take over and tell me not to do it. Believe it or not I really enjoyed and will be first on the list when the clinic dates are announced next month.
Very long post, so I offer thanks to anyone who got this far! My trusty mum/camerawoman was sadly at work and couldn't come to film so I have a singular photo a friend snapped as she passed.
And just one or two of my girl being stunning after our lesson:
Okay, maybe three, just because I'm obsessed with her
Have a happy weekend people! We're due some lovely weather.
But After yesterday I want a lesson with Julie (Blanchard) every week, if only I could afford it!She was lovely and made sure to find a little out about Chills and I before we started and to take a look at all three paces on both reins. I was a little gobsmacked when, for the first time ever, someone said that they liked her canter best out of all three paces. That is not something that I normally get to hear but she said it was lovely and uphill with an active inside hind. First victory against the anxiety monster who was telling me she would hate my horse and I and a nice surprise too.
We then moved on to making Chills work long and round, encouraging her to work over her back and stretch down into the contact. One of my preferences is to give a quick scratch on the neck with my inside hand when she gets something right or is getting there. This has been in the past curbed by instructors who have told me it's excessive. However I was pleased to find that Julie praised me for praising Chills which was great, because I think my lovely girl deserves all the pats just for putting up with me!
As the session progressed we did a few different exercises, with the main focus being getting her in front of my leg. I think that as I ride alone from now on I will have a voice in my ear saying trot. Trot! TROT! encouraging me to push her forwards and not just take my legs off because she gets a little spicy. "Hot horses especially should always be ridden with leg on" is something I've heard before but find it all too easy to forget when she lives up to her name, gets spicy and my nerves kick in. We used lateral work and flexing different ways to get her thinking and working as well as focusing on me a little. The main things to fix are my outside hand (gets a little absentminded and moves around of its own accord) and keeping my leg forward enough as at the moment it comes a little too far back.
Ultimately, by the end of the lesson Chilli felt truly engaged and was TAKING ME FORWARDS!! Something that I have found such a challenge was happening and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit proud of us. The walk was much improved and the canter, well. It felt so much better.
It's no understatement to say Julie kept us working squeezed as much out of those 45 minutes as she could. By the end of it I was very grateful for the superior ventilation my KEP offers, however much I look like a man in it
As the lesson went on my anxiety melted away and I felt able to just ride and realise that this person was helping me, not telling me just how terrible and rubbish I am. She said that Chilli is lovely (can't help but agree) and that if we crack on we'll be able to get some very decent marks at Nov. I know this for myself, but it was nice to have someone confirm this to me. I still kept my little goal of Ele by the end of the year to myself, as that's one I'm sitting on quite happily and will pull it out to dust off and work on more once we're truly established at Nov.If you're a bit of a worrier like me and having a lesson seems like paying someone to tell you how rubbish you are I would say just do it! And make sure it's under the condition of no refunds, because that's probably part of the reason I didn't let the anxiety take over and tell me not to do it. Believe it or not I really enjoyed and will be first on the list when the clinic dates are announced next month.
Very long post, so I offer thanks to anyone who got this far! My trusty mum/camerawoman was sadly at work and couldn't come to film so I have a singular photo a friend snapped as she passed.
And just one or two of my girl being stunning after our lesson:
Okay, maybe three, just because I'm obsessed with her
Have a happy weekend people! We're due some lovely weather.
