Kat_Bath
Well-Known Member
Having been on holibobs last week, I overlooked typing up my lesson from last week so you've got 2 for the price of 1 today!
Lesson 2, I rode Ace again, took a camerawoman and some lucozade! I was indoors which was nice as although I was heating up, I wasn't also being heated up by the sun (hope that makes sense).
The first lesson was more an assessment, getting used to the horse, the instructor. Lesson 2 was building upon this, working on my transitions, getting Ace going better, answering me when I asked for something. I also did a lot of work without stirrups (which I love). I worked on opening my pelvis, opening my thighs. Ace, despite being lazy, is a responsive horse in terms of button pushing. When I opened up my seat bones in the trotting without stirrups, he immediately softened and lowered his head. When I took my stirrups back, it hurt and I found it very hard, despite lengthening them. I had to really work hard to do as Hayley said and keep weight in my little toes, creating a more fluid leg. I worked a little on canter transitions too. I felt good after this lesson, fitter than before, aided by lucozade and more confident that I was making progress.
Watching the videos (which, I might add, I don't think will make it on to here!), I noticed that my reins were too long and all paces lacked impulsion. I also looked typically Kat in that my legs are very much folded underneath me and not being used effectively. I have quite long legs (34" in trousers).
So today's lesson, swapped from 4pm to 10am, thankfully-a lot cooler!
I was riding Ace again and inside (yay!). I told Hayley what I found when watching the videos and so we concentrated on sorting those things out as well as working on bend and remaining relaxed through my body and soft in my hands.
In walk at the beginning, Hayley asked me to look in the mirror and asked me what my legs were doing. As normal they were clamped to the saddle and folded up underneath me. She told me to move my lower leg forward and open up my thigh and almost immediately, boom, Ace became softer and more flowing. Hayley took me through the 4 buttons on a horses side, the first being closest to the girth and used for extension, the second being the go button, the third being used for lateral work and the last being used for collection. I was trying to use 4 to get the go. When I moved my lower leg forward and opened my thigh, my pelvis opened up and I was using button 2 as I should be.
Moving into trot, I was getting 12 strides of trot along the long side, and then getting 11 and then trying to get 10. It did work and the trot became more forward.
Working without stirrups again and cantering without stirrups this time helped more with the softening of my body. I worked a lot in trot then, working on a circle, asking Ace to step under with his hind legs and also to bend round and move forward with his front. Hayley noticed I motorbiked more than the horse on corners (my bad) but once I levelled my shoulders and began looking round my circles even more, I got more of a bend. Then I worked, still in trot, supporting Ace through the outside rein so as to get just the right amount of bend instead of too much. Taking back my stirrups, I had to maintain the same and although it was hard, it felt better the more I did it.
At the end, Hayley asked me what I got from the lesson and I said that I'm really building on the foundation already established, which I'm very happy about. I wanted to have lessons to be a better rider and I really believe I'm doing that. I just need to remember all the things to put in practice. I'm also a lot less impatient now I know I'm making progress-unlike after the first lesson when I wanted to get straight back on and go again.
So things are good! And in celebration, I've eaten all but one of a 'share' bag of aero mint bubbles so that one is all I can offer if you got this far. I'm also off to buy a new hat as I've been saying I would for ages having had mine for 4 years!
Next week, I'm back on at 10am and not on Ace so that'll be interesting.
Lesson 2, I rode Ace again, took a camerawoman and some lucozade! I was indoors which was nice as although I was heating up, I wasn't also being heated up by the sun (hope that makes sense).
The first lesson was more an assessment, getting used to the horse, the instructor. Lesson 2 was building upon this, working on my transitions, getting Ace going better, answering me when I asked for something. I also did a lot of work without stirrups (which I love). I worked on opening my pelvis, opening my thighs. Ace, despite being lazy, is a responsive horse in terms of button pushing. When I opened up my seat bones in the trotting without stirrups, he immediately softened and lowered his head. When I took my stirrups back, it hurt and I found it very hard, despite lengthening them. I had to really work hard to do as Hayley said and keep weight in my little toes, creating a more fluid leg. I worked a little on canter transitions too. I felt good after this lesson, fitter than before, aided by lucozade and more confident that I was making progress.
Watching the videos (which, I might add, I don't think will make it on to here!), I noticed that my reins were too long and all paces lacked impulsion. I also looked typically Kat in that my legs are very much folded underneath me and not being used effectively. I have quite long legs (34" in trousers).
So today's lesson, swapped from 4pm to 10am, thankfully-a lot cooler!
I was riding Ace again and inside (yay!). I told Hayley what I found when watching the videos and so we concentrated on sorting those things out as well as working on bend and remaining relaxed through my body and soft in my hands.
In walk at the beginning, Hayley asked me to look in the mirror and asked me what my legs were doing. As normal they were clamped to the saddle and folded up underneath me. She told me to move my lower leg forward and open up my thigh and almost immediately, boom, Ace became softer and more flowing. Hayley took me through the 4 buttons on a horses side, the first being closest to the girth and used for extension, the second being the go button, the third being used for lateral work and the last being used for collection. I was trying to use 4 to get the go. When I moved my lower leg forward and opened my thigh, my pelvis opened up and I was using button 2 as I should be.
Moving into trot, I was getting 12 strides of trot along the long side, and then getting 11 and then trying to get 10. It did work and the trot became more forward.
Working without stirrups again and cantering without stirrups this time helped more with the softening of my body. I worked a lot in trot then, working on a circle, asking Ace to step under with his hind legs and also to bend round and move forward with his front. Hayley noticed I motorbiked more than the horse on corners (my bad) but once I levelled my shoulders and began looking round my circles even more, I got more of a bend. Then I worked, still in trot, supporting Ace through the outside rein so as to get just the right amount of bend instead of too much. Taking back my stirrups, I had to maintain the same and although it was hard, it felt better the more I did it.
At the end, Hayley asked me what I got from the lesson and I said that I'm really building on the foundation already established, which I'm very happy about. I wanted to have lessons to be a better rider and I really believe I'm doing that. I just need to remember all the things to put in practice. I'm also a lot less impatient now I know I'm making progress-unlike after the first lesson when I wanted to get straight back on and go again.
So things are good! And in celebration, I've eaten all but one of a 'share' bag of aero mint bubbles so that one is all I can offer if you got this far. I'm also off to buy a new hat as I've been saying I would for ages having had mine for 4 years!
Next week, I'm back on at 10am and not on Ace so that'll be interesting.
