FigJam
Well-Known Member
Had the best lesson last night.
It was with David Gatherer, who I did a few XC sessions with but only one SJ lesson ages ago. Will definitely be raiding the sofa cushions and trying to get another lesson fitted in before my first BE.
now_loves_mares very kindly offered to come along for company/blethering/videoing so a big thank you to her too!
Exercises for the evening were really suited to what we need to work on. First was two sets of canter poles- on one side they were set at 12ft (regular distance) and on the other 10ft. The idea was to canter through them both and adjust gradually on the two sides without poles. As per usual, I rode this much better on my stronger left rein!
I thought we might have a problem with the 12ft poles as Hopalong has a short stride, but she did it really nicely almost from the off. In fact, by the time we were doing it on the other rein (right, therefore my weaker one), she was struggling with the short distance poles and making the normal ones fine when I'd thought it would be the other way around!
We then moved on to going up a grid which was built up one fence at a time from poles on the ground to:
X-X-X----|----||----|
(this translates to three crosspoles on bounce distances and then upright-spread-upright on one stride each!)
Then down the other long side we had two spreads on a 5 stride distance. This was us near the start of the exercise, getting quite a nice 5 strides;
As we did it (each time the grid increasing by one fence!), we actually started finding the 5 strides short! Would never had thought that would be the case, and David was happy to point out that the range is there, I just need to remember to activate and use it!
So, although he'd originally said we would stick to concentrating on forwards all night, he decided we should attempt it on the 6 strides that another horse had been doing. Below is our attempt. Didn't quite get a nice, even 6 strides and worried that she might just fancy going on a long 5th one anyway, but did get the 6!
And then to finish up, we stuck the fences up a couple of holes and went again on 5. Actually felt like the nicest we'd done it all night.
So very pleased with my pingy pony last night. David was being very complimentary about her so he's earned a repeat customer for sure!
He asked if I had her on anything special as she was older (18, will be 19 this year) and when I said Cortaflex, he said that was what he used and said she looks fab as she is, don't worry about changing anything.
So still need to work on keeping my hands still, also my lower leg looks a bit manic on the videos, maybe my stirrups need to go up a hole?
Also need to work on getting and keeping a nice, constant rythymn around corners as that is what gets us to the fences on a nice stride- not panicking a stride or two out and taking a pull and then kicking!
Hopalong was very pleased at the end of the lesson to finally be able to mug now_loves_mares for the treats she'd smelled in her pocket from the outset and was also happy to get home for dinner looking very pleased with herself.
now_loves_mares very kindly offered to come along for company/blethering/videoing so a big thank you to her too!
Exercises for the evening were really suited to what we need to work on. First was two sets of canter poles- on one side they were set at 12ft (regular distance) and on the other 10ft. The idea was to canter through them both and adjust gradually on the two sides without poles. As per usual, I rode this much better on my stronger left rein!
I thought we might have a problem with the 12ft poles as Hopalong has a short stride, but she did it really nicely almost from the off. In fact, by the time we were doing it on the other rein (right, therefore my weaker one), she was struggling with the short distance poles and making the normal ones fine when I'd thought it would be the other way around!
We then moved on to going up a grid which was built up one fence at a time from poles on the ground to:
X-X-X----|----||----|
(this translates to three crosspoles on bounce distances and then upright-spread-upright on one stride each!)
Then down the other long side we had two spreads on a 5 stride distance. This was us near the start of the exercise, getting quite a nice 5 strides;
As we did it (each time the grid increasing by one fence!), we actually started finding the 5 strides short! Would never had thought that would be the case, and David was happy to point out that the range is there, I just need to remember to activate and use it!
So, although he'd originally said we would stick to concentrating on forwards all night, he decided we should attempt it on the 6 strides that another horse had been doing. Below is our attempt. Didn't quite get a nice, even 6 strides and worried that she might just fancy going on a long 5th one anyway, but did get the 6!
And then to finish up, we stuck the fences up a couple of holes and went again on 5. Actually felt like the nicest we'd done it all night.
So very pleased with my pingy pony last night. David was being very complimentary about her so he's earned a repeat customer for sure!
So still need to work on keeping my hands still, also my lower leg looks a bit manic on the videos, maybe my stirrups need to go up a hole?
Hopalong was very pleased at the end of the lesson to finally be able to mug now_loves_mares for the treats she'd smelled in her pocket from the outset and was also happy to get home for dinner looking very pleased with herself.
