Happy lesson report :)

T

Thelwell_Girl

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Had a really nice lesson today :)

Was pleased to see I was on Albert today :D As unbelievably frustrating as he can be, I love him! He is SO comfy, and his weird little canter is so cute!

On I hopped, and I remembered another reason why I love him so much... THE comfiest saddle I have ever sat in!

We are starting to pretty much work in open order every lesson now, and am pleased to say I havent crashed yet ;) Warmed up nicely, and got my diagonals pretty much spot on, so was given permission to canter, while the others carried on in trot.

His canter is so weird! Its all 'Look at me! Im so beautiful! Look at my HAIR!' as he waves his head and bounces about like a loon :D (Please note: He is not in any pain etc he just has a weird canter!)

Then got a diagonal wrong, so away came my stirrups.

I think I may have 'got' sitting trot! I still find it a lot easier without stirrups, but tried a bit with stirrups and did ok :)

Even had a canter w/o stirrups! :eek: LOVED it :D It was the first time I felt controlled and happy to canter away without stirrups, as I knew I could sit to Albert's trot :)

I do have some things to work on. Number one, is keeping Albert (or whichever horse I'm riding) interested in open order! I do find myself going round in circles when im not TOLD to do something :o

Number two is working on my school movements! They werent great :o

Number three is working on not nagging with my feet, instead doing just a squeeze, then a harder squeeze, then a little tap.

Am pleased to say, though, that my stirrups pretty much stayed where they were supposed to (apart from a slightly hairy moment in canter :eek:), and I had slightly longer stirrups than Im used to.

As always, thank you for reading! Any tips on how to help fix some of the above?

Please have some home-made cupcakes, of the rainbow and pink variety! Fully endorsed by the RS owner :D

TG xx

P.S. Sorry for no pictures today! Forgot my camera :o

P.P.S. We have had a lovely new girl start working at the yard, a fellow scouser! :)
 
Yaaay! Sounds great! :D Well done!!
As for working in open order, why not try to come up with a few ideas before you start?? Then you have a bit of a 'plan', or try learning another dressage test and practicing it :D
 
Heeeeere's Shmalbert!

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Awesome! Don't forget your camera again though. We definitely need piccies!

I always end up going in circles too so I'll follow whatever advice you get. I've been trying for about 10 years to come up with something more interesting. I know lots of school movements but just seem to not use them!
 
I think my favourite schooling exercises at the moment are:

- go up the centre line, turn right at the end, straight onto a 10m half circle, but then go straight across to the opposite side of the arena, another half 10m circle to finish on the centre line. Then down the centre line again, turn left, 10m half circle....
You can then vary the pace, direction you turn, and do transitions on the CL which is really good for accuracy (you have to stay straight!)

- Ride a 10m circle at say, F, then change the rein across the diagonal (FXH), 10m circle at H, then go large to M, another 10m circle then change the rein again....
- Slightly more complicated version of this is to ride a 10m circle at F, then cross on the short diagonal to E, 10m circle at E, then change the rein E-M, another 10m circle (you end up making a sort of M-shape!!)

All these are great for either practicing transitions on the straight lines I find (brill for dan as he tends to ignore me if we go straight!) or practicing adding a few lengthened strides when you get to that stage :p

Might be worth you drawing out an arena shape if my explanations are too awful :o
 
Sounds fab!!! Well done - I always ended up going round in circles too :( try watching dressage tests on youtube and doing some of the simpler movements they do :) that's what I went off!!
K x
 
After years away from riding and taking on a horse i've just been hacking lately i've decided to get him back to some schooling but i'm having to think back to riding school/dressage days and dig out some books to remind myself of the exercises....reading this thread helped...thanks!

Keep up the good work and lessons thelwell_girl and have fun!
 
jesstickle said:
Awesome! Don't forget your camera again though. We definitely need piccies!

I always end up going in circles too so I'll follow whatever advice you get. I've been trying for about 10 years to come up with something more interesting. I know lots of school movements but just seem to not use them!
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I keep on forgetting the school movements! :o

Sol said:
I think my favourite schooling exercises at the moment are:

- go up the centre line, turn right at the end, straight onto a 10m half circle, but then go straight across to the opposite side of the arena, another half 10m circle to finish on the centre line. Then down the centre line again, turn left, 10m half circle....
You can then vary the pace, direction you turn, and do transitions on the CL which is really good for accuracy (you have to stay straight!)

- Ride a 10m circle at say, F, then change the rein across the diagonal (FXH), 10m circle at H, then go large to M, another 10m circle then change the rein again....
- Slightly more complicated version of this is to ride a 10m circle at F, then cross on the short diagonal to E, 10m circle at E, then change the rein E-M, another 10m circle (you end up making a sort of M-shape!!)

All these are great for either practicing transitions on the straight lines I find (brill for dan as he tends to ignore me if we go straight!) or practicing adding a few lengthened strides when you get to that stage :p

Might be worth you drawing out an arena shape if my explanations are too awful :o
Click to expand...

Thanks Solly :D x

KellysHeroes said:
Sounds fab!!! Well done - I always ended up going round in circles too :( try watching dressage tests on youtube and doing some of the simpler movements they do :) that's what I went off!!
K x
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Will do! x

starsnrunes said:
Whoop. Well done you.

However bad T_G for forgetting your camera.
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Ta :)

And I know :( BAD TG :(

Sarah_horsey said:
After years away from riding and taking on a horse i've just been hacking lately i've decided to get him back to some schooling but i'm having to think back to riding school/dressage days and dig out some books to remind myself of the exercises....reading this thread helped...thanks!

Keep up the good work and lessons thelwell_girl and have fun!
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Hehe, glad I could help?! :D

Good to hear you have come back to riding :)

Thank you :)
 
I think my daughter used to ride Albert ( him, Sprite or one of the small grey ponies ) in her lessons. She used to look tiny on top of him.
 
CalllyH said:
that beard would have to go if he was mine. will pm you (not about the beard lol)
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It does get in the way sometimes!!

lucemoose said:
why dont you buy the pack of prelim/novice dressage tests to read- and then you have a whole heap of exercises to do!
and this!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/101-Schooling-Exercises-Horse-Rider/dp/0715319507 :D:D:D
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Thanks :) Will do!

frazzled said:
I think my daughter used to ride Albert ( him, Sprite or one of the small grey ponies ) in her lessons. She used to look tiny on top of him.
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He's so stubborn, but quite lovely when you're used to him! (and if you have carrots :D)
 
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