vam
Well-Known Member
So I thought I would do a lesson report rather than a comp one as its going to be a while before I'm out competing. 
Mare and I have had a very quiet July for one reason or another, she picked up a cut in the field and combined with the heat and yard stuff we really didnt do much other than some hacking. I think I got in the school twice and one of those we didnt really do more than walk. With that in mind I thought I would try and get a couple of lessons in this month so we can work on our niggles. I tend to only do one lesson a month as I have to travel an hour each way but they are worth it.
My trainer was pleased with how she was looking and agreed that an easy month didnt do any harm as she is a big girl but I did warn her we have both lost some fitness.
After a bit of a trot round we started to ask for more power from behind. We did a nice exercise in trot using half halt to collect a bit down the long side then more push and extension on the short. Doing it this way means she had to hold herself up a bit more as there was less room to run flat down like she could do going down the long side with more room.
We then started to add in leg yield off the track, then straight, then back onto the track down the long side, pushing into the corner and then opening out again on the short side. Again I was really pleased with how well she did that. We have been working on the difference between sideways leg and forward leg and move away leg at home out hacking so it was good to see it work well in the lesson. Wish I had that on video as I wanted to see how it looked compared to how it felt, especially as we have mostly being working on the leg yield in walk. While she lacks power she really tried and gave me what she could.
Onto the canter, it became quite clear that my lower leg was loose. I felt like my stirrups were too long but when I did a proper check on what I was doing as I was cantering round I found that I have started to grip with my thigh. I had to take my stirrups away and in trot really open up through my hips, stretching my leg down and talking it away from her sides. I then had to take my stirrups back and in canter go 5 strides in two point and the 5 in the saddle and repeat. It really helped and got my wayward legs under more control.
Some of the flat work, https://youtu.be/_Vpp4-9gcFs
Moved on to some jumping, mainly working on the canter rhythm and turns. Making sure she moved away from the leg and didnt run forwards. As it turned out she wasnt sharp enough off my leg so we had to work on that. I had to make sure I didnt chase her all the way to the fence but also not sit and do nothing. My gelding had to be ridden to the last stride but with her its more a maintaining leg than a driving one.
We started to get tired near the end and I could just feel myself starting to collapse slightly and my legs get loose again plus she started to get her legs in a bit of a knot so we finished on a nice note.
Jumping vid, https://youtu.be/sDsigb3MPV4
Homework for me is to work on not griping with my thigh so no stirrup work for me
plus more work in 2 point. I can see in the vids that as I get tired my left leg especially gets loose and wayward. Lot of other things as well but going to start with these.
For her is to get her sharper off my leg, she is 10 times better but still got a bit to go. I also need to work on being firmer with what I ask, as she is 5 I have been a bit wishy washy when asking for something. I need to be more sure and ask for what I want rather than being a bit soft and tentative. Its hard to explain but I cant expect her to strengthen without me asking her to work correctly in the first place.
Overall I'm really pleased with her, she really is a joy to ride (except when she is either running away from cows or leaping 4 foot in the air because she put her foot in some mud!
). I dont feel like a complete dolt and she is teaching me loads without even realising.
I'm also pleased with myself for not collapsing in a big sweaty mess at the end of the lesson!
Oh dear that was long, really havent got to grips with doing short reports
Mare and I have had a very quiet July for one reason or another, she picked up a cut in the field and combined with the heat and yard stuff we really didnt do much other than some hacking. I think I got in the school twice and one of those we didnt really do more than walk. With that in mind I thought I would try and get a couple of lessons in this month so we can work on our niggles. I tend to only do one lesson a month as I have to travel an hour each way but they are worth it.
My trainer was pleased with how she was looking and agreed that an easy month didnt do any harm as she is a big girl but I did warn her we have both lost some fitness.
After a bit of a trot round we started to ask for more power from behind. We did a nice exercise in trot using half halt to collect a bit down the long side then more push and extension on the short. Doing it this way means she had to hold herself up a bit more as there was less room to run flat down like she could do going down the long side with more room.
We then started to add in leg yield off the track, then straight, then back onto the track down the long side, pushing into the corner and then opening out again on the short side. Again I was really pleased with how well she did that. We have been working on the difference between sideways leg and forward leg and move away leg at home out hacking so it was good to see it work well in the lesson. Wish I had that on video as I wanted to see how it looked compared to how it felt, especially as we have mostly being working on the leg yield in walk. While she lacks power she really tried and gave me what she could.
Onto the canter, it became quite clear that my lower leg was loose. I felt like my stirrups were too long but when I did a proper check on what I was doing as I was cantering round I found that I have started to grip with my thigh. I had to take my stirrups away and in trot really open up through my hips, stretching my leg down and talking it away from her sides. I then had to take my stirrups back and in canter go 5 strides in two point and the 5 in the saddle and repeat. It really helped and got my wayward legs under more control.
Some of the flat work, https://youtu.be/_Vpp4-9gcFs
Moved on to some jumping, mainly working on the canter rhythm and turns. Making sure she moved away from the leg and didnt run forwards. As it turned out she wasnt sharp enough off my leg so we had to work on that. I had to make sure I didnt chase her all the way to the fence but also not sit and do nothing. My gelding had to be ridden to the last stride but with her its more a maintaining leg than a driving one.
We started to get tired near the end and I could just feel myself starting to collapse slightly and my legs get loose again plus she started to get her legs in a bit of a knot so we finished on a nice note.
Jumping vid, https://youtu.be/sDsigb3MPV4
Homework for me is to work on not griping with my thigh so no stirrup work for me
plus more work in 2 point. I can see in the vids that as I get tired my left leg especially gets loose and wayward. Lot of other things as well but going to start with these. For her is to get her sharper off my leg, she is 10 times better but still got a bit to go. I also need to work on being firmer with what I ask, as she is 5 I have been a bit wishy washy when asking for something. I need to be more sure and ask for what I want rather than being a bit soft and tentative. Its hard to explain but I cant expect her to strengthen without me asking her to work correctly in the first place.
Overall I'm really pleased with her, she really is a joy to ride (except when she is either running away from cows or leaping 4 foot in the air because she put her foot in some mud!
). I dont feel like a complete dolt and she is teaching me loads without even realising. I'm also pleased with myself for not collapsing in a big sweaty mess at the end of the lesson!
Oh dear that was long, really havent got to grips with doing short reports
