Trish C
Well-Known Member
Finally, after three aborted attempts (shoe hanging off, instructor being ill and then monsoon) we managed to have a lesson this evening, YAY! Unfortunately there're no videos as schooling buddy was only getting up for breakfast at 6pm, having serious jetlag arriving back from the states. But I'll hopefully get some next time 
I'm a happy ginger knobber owner, as he was actually quite well behaved... only having mild knobber moments when he decided that canter is the new trot (canter has just 'clicked' with him this week so now it's all he wants to do!) and one cheeky buck when he objected to being sent on in canter. I managed to understand the dutch instructor without problem. And she said there's nothing drastically wrong with my riding - I have a good seat and hands, and I'm just out of practise... mainly I need to put more weight through my heels and relax/concentrate on breathing instead of constantly overthinking what he's doing.
We started off working on getting him bending in walk - loads of circles and loops, all on quite a long rein. Then we worked up into a contact, which he did very nicely, and showed off his big poncey dressagey walk, which seriously impressed poncey dressage instructor
He was actually working well from behind and had some nice energy, instead of his usual 'hippo impersonating a sloth' evening schooling act.
Then we moved into trot and this was where he decided that canter was much cooler. So lots of small circles and bending/flexing again whenever he tried to run on, and lots of walk/trot/walk transitions. He did then develop a temporary aversion to the bottom end of the school - which he's never had before - and was constantly falling in and out of his corners and googling at the field (which was empty and the same field as he sees every day
), but then we did some sitting trot work in which she said he was 'too collected' and she wanted more of a working trot. But it helped settle him. And of all of the criticisms she could've aimed at us, I was happy enough that collection was one He naturally 'collects'/I naturally collect him more in sitting trot so she wants me to work more on just letting him really stride out and stretch when I'm sitting.
Then we moved onto canter work, which is our biggest obstacle as he just hadn't used his canter for a long time before I got him. But it's getting better and better... it's still a little unbalanced and he still falls in a bit on the left rein. She said I was riding him too much in canter, and suggested I stand up and go forwards for his canter for the next week or two just to free up his back and keep him moving on, and give him more rein rather than trying to keep him together.
Then we came back and did more work in walk on his flexion. We tried some shoulder-in (for shoulder-in read Monty looking confused and his useless rider losing the will to live) and after a few completely useless attempts he started to get the idea, so we worked then on small circle followed by a few strides of shoulder-in, into small circle again.
Then she had me work in the centre of the arena on a square: nice engaged walk along a straight side flexing to the inside, half halt and turn, almost on the forehand, then flex to the outside on the next side, same turn again, then flex to the inside again etc etc. This was a really interesting exercise and it did start to help his inside flexion.
So all in all, very happy. She was really helpful, gave us lots to work on and was the perfect mix of complimentary/supportive/critical of my riding and the big ginger thing. She was also surprised by how light he is on his feet and how elegantly he can move for such a big thug, plus she reckons we'll be well able for a few competitions this year, yay!
So, FINALLY, to my question for yous geniuses
Any more exercises for inside flexion? We do quite a lot of groundwork on it, and he's good to flex both ways on hacks, in the school he's a dream to flex outside but a nightmare inside!
Homemade chocolate mayonnaise cake (sounds disgusting but is AMAZING) and special imported Breton cider for all reads/replies
I'm a happy ginger knobber owner, as he was actually quite well behaved... only having mild knobber moments when he decided that canter is the new trot (canter has just 'clicked' with him this week so now it's all he wants to do!) and one cheeky buck when he objected to being sent on in canter. I managed to understand the dutch instructor without problem. And she said there's nothing drastically wrong with my riding - I have a good seat and hands, and I'm just out of practise... mainly I need to put more weight through my heels and relax/concentrate on breathing instead of constantly overthinking what he's doing.
We started off working on getting him bending in walk - loads of circles and loops, all on quite a long rein. Then we worked up into a contact, which he did very nicely, and showed off his big poncey dressagey walk, which seriously impressed poncey dressage instructor
He was actually working well from behind and had some nice energy, instead of his usual 'hippo impersonating a sloth' evening schooling act.Then we moved into trot and this was where he decided that canter was much cooler. So lots of small circles and bending/flexing again whenever he tried to run on, and lots of walk/trot/walk transitions. He did then develop a temporary aversion to the bottom end of the school - which he's never had before - and was constantly falling in and out of his corners and googling at the field (which was empty and the same field as he sees every day
), but then we did some sitting trot work in which she said he was 'too collected' and she wanted more of a working trot. But it helped settle him. And of all of the criticisms she could've aimed at us, I was happy enough that collection was one He naturally 'collects'/I naturally collect him more in sitting trot so she wants me to work more on just letting him really stride out and stretch when I'm sitting.Then we moved onto canter work, which is our biggest obstacle as he just hadn't used his canter for a long time before I got him. But it's getting better and better... it's still a little unbalanced and he still falls in a bit on the left rein. She said I was riding him too much in canter, and suggested I stand up and go forwards for his canter for the next week or two just to free up his back and keep him moving on, and give him more rein rather than trying to keep him together.
Then we came back and did more work in walk on his flexion. We tried some shoulder-in (for shoulder-in read Monty looking confused and his useless rider losing the will to live
) and after a few completely useless attempts he started to get the idea, so we worked then on small circle followed by a few strides of shoulder-in, into small circle again. Then she had me work in the centre of the arena on a square: nice engaged walk along a straight side flexing to the inside, half halt and turn, almost on the forehand, then flex to the outside on the next side, same turn again, then flex to the inside again etc etc. This was a really interesting exercise and it did start to help his inside flexion.
So all in all, very happy. She was really helpful, gave us lots to work on and was the perfect mix of complimentary/supportive/critical of my riding and the big ginger thing. She was also surprised by how light he is on his feet and how elegantly he can move for such a big thug, plus she reckons we'll be well able for a few competitions this year, yay!
So, FINALLY, to my question for yous geniuses
Any more exercises for inside flexion? We do quite a lot of groundwork on it, and he's good to flex both ways on hacks, in the school he's a dream to flex outside but a nightmare inside!Homemade chocolate mayonnaise cake (sounds disgusting but is AMAZING) and special imported Breton cider for all reads/replies
