callistotoni (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
callistotoni) wrote2004-01-06 10:00 pm
callistotoni) wrote2004-01-06 10:00 pm
Another boring lesson report
Well, this *is* supposed to be a lesson journal, so I'll write about tonight's lesson, despite its rather un-exciting nature. Bottom line of this lesson was I thought everything except canter was coming together, but cantering remains a problem.
Deb was running late, due to an unexpected, last-minute request for her to ride Michayla, the little endurance arab. When I got there Deb asked if I was in a hurry, and did she have time to ride Haylee (her TB mare). I said fine, I had no desire to leave early and sit in traffic. So my lesson started about 20 min. late, which was fine--especially since Deb was kind enough to have grabbed Shammy for me, thus keeping me out of the rain. (I don't know, but it seems like it can not rain all day and then come pouring down the minute I get to the barn. Not too bad tonight, so I can't really complain.)
When I went to mount up Deb was starting to put Haylee away. Someone was in the arena lunging a horse that wanted to buck and run and blow off some energy, which made me leery of mounting. That, and the worker-bees making banging noises in a stall behind the mounting block worried me, so Shammy got kinda spooky. After some consultation with the lunging-person and Deb, I got on anyway. Since Shammy was spooky for Falzalot last night, I wonder if something is up with him...
I had a long-ish warm up since it took Deb a while to cool off Haylee and put her away. I enjoyed it--it was kinda like a practice ride. Had to stay away from the lunging, but I in addition to the usual walking around and trotting in circles I worked in some halt practice. I did this specifically because my last lesson on Jokie my halts needed work. So when we began class we continued to work on halts. The lesson tonight was to get Shammy round (or round-er, this being Shammy) before asking for the halt. This was done by establishing a bend to the inside with the outside rein and the inside leg (sound familiar?) When he rounds, I need to release the tension, but to pick it up when he goes hollow again. I really thought I was starting to get the feeling for this, by the end. Focused on relaxing my shoulder-muscles, keeping my hands together, and remembering to keep my outside hand in line with my hip. Deb caught me releasing the inside rein by opening my grip, which I was doing unconsciously. Unfortunately, this meant I was not vibrating my inside rein, but was pulling on his mouth. But now I know, and I can watch out for this bad habit. Per the halt itself, I need to remember to "block" his shoulders by pressing with my *outside* thigh muscles. Note that it is much easier to feel and use these muscles when you are pulling your legs apart, rather than pushing them together (just try it sometime...)
I was cold by this time, having forgotten my thermal tights, so I asked to trot. This was really coming together, what with my relaxed shoulders, leading with my inside hip, and keeping my body aligned (or, for falzalot, Mary Wanless' boards concept). Did the usual broken lines and 3 and 4-loop serpentines. Tonight I was able to change my diagonals pretty automatically, and was able to change inside and outside reins and leading hips. Did some trot figure-8 with a brief walk transition in the center, which was harder but went well. Finally, in the trot, I did a new pattern: 10m circle at M, 10m circle at H, then change the diagonal and make a 15m circle in the opposite direction at the base of the two other circles, then change diagonals and do it again. I was able to really signal with my body and not my reins tonight, which is saying something with such small circles. Also held my outside rein and kept my inside rein loose. Yeah Me!
That was the good part of the lesson. Next came the lunge line and cantering, which started *really* badly, but that ended with 2 successful stints of cantering. We started Shammy on his left lead, which is his good side but my bad direction. I could not get into the canter, with the exception of one or two steps. Finally, in frustration, Deb had me get off and broke out a lunge whip to make sure it was me and not Shammy. Much to my embarressment, Shammy cantered. But Shammy does not, apparently, canter from a walk, which would be much nicer. After Deb gave me a mild "I just don't know what else to do" lecture, I got back on. By this time, Shammy didn't want to go in that direction anymore, and was pulling and being a butt-head on the line. So we changed to clockwise direction, which is my stronger side. This time we got canter right away. The first time he was on the long lead, so we only when about a quarter of a circle. Then we did it 2 more times, this time on the correct lead. I only did about 2 circuits total, but Deb was full of praise. She is so good at being encouraging. The last time felt fast, but better.
Shammy isn't clipped, so I had to give him a long cool-down walk. So no more cantering until next week. I wish I could work on cantering more; I know from past experiance that I really don't learn (much) when I do it only once a week.
Deb was running late, due to an unexpected, last-minute request for her to ride Michayla, the little endurance arab. When I got there Deb asked if I was in a hurry, and did she have time to ride Haylee (her TB mare). I said fine, I had no desire to leave early and sit in traffic. So my lesson started about 20 min. late, which was fine--especially since Deb was kind enough to have grabbed Shammy for me, thus keeping me out of the rain. (I don't know, but it seems like it can not rain all day and then come pouring down the minute I get to the barn. Not too bad tonight, so I can't really complain.)
When I went to mount up Deb was starting to put Haylee away. Someone was in the arena lunging a horse that wanted to buck and run and blow off some energy, which made me leery of mounting. That, and the worker-bees making banging noises in a stall behind the mounting block worried me, so Shammy got kinda spooky. After some consultation with the lunging-person and Deb, I got on anyway. Since Shammy was spooky for Falzalot last night, I wonder if something is up with him...
I had a long-ish warm up since it took Deb a while to cool off Haylee and put her away. I enjoyed it--it was kinda like a practice ride. Had to stay away from the lunging, but I in addition to the usual walking around and trotting in circles I worked in some halt practice. I did this specifically because my last lesson on Jokie my halts needed work. So when we began class we continued to work on halts. The lesson tonight was to get Shammy round (or round-er, this being Shammy) before asking for the halt. This was done by establishing a bend to the inside with the outside rein and the inside leg (sound familiar?) When he rounds, I need to release the tension, but to pick it up when he goes hollow again. I really thought I was starting to get the feeling for this, by the end. Focused on relaxing my shoulder-muscles, keeping my hands together, and remembering to keep my outside hand in line with my hip. Deb caught me releasing the inside rein by opening my grip, which I was doing unconsciously. Unfortunately, this meant I was not vibrating my inside rein, but was pulling on his mouth. But now I know, and I can watch out for this bad habit. Per the halt itself, I need to remember to "block" his shoulders by pressing with my *outside* thigh muscles. Note that it is much easier to feel and use these muscles when you are pulling your legs apart, rather than pushing them together (just try it sometime...)
I was cold by this time, having forgotten my thermal tights, so I asked to trot. This was really coming together, what with my relaxed shoulders, leading with my inside hip, and keeping my body aligned (or, for falzalot, Mary Wanless' boards concept). Did the usual broken lines and 3 and 4-loop serpentines. Tonight I was able to change my diagonals pretty automatically, and was able to change inside and outside reins and leading hips. Did some trot figure-8 with a brief walk transition in the center, which was harder but went well. Finally, in the trot, I did a new pattern: 10m circle at M, 10m circle at H, then change the diagonal and make a 15m circle in the opposite direction at the base of the two other circles, then change diagonals and do it again. I was able to really signal with my body and not my reins tonight, which is saying something with such small circles. Also held my outside rein and kept my inside rein loose. Yeah Me!
That was the good part of the lesson. Next came the lunge line and cantering, which started *really* badly, but that ended with 2 successful stints of cantering. We started Shammy on his left lead, which is his good side but my bad direction. I could not get into the canter, with the exception of one or two steps. Finally, in frustration, Deb had me get off and broke out a lunge whip to make sure it was me and not Shammy. Much to my embarressment, Shammy cantered. But Shammy does not, apparently, canter from a walk, which would be much nicer. After Deb gave me a mild "I just don't know what else to do" lecture, I got back on. By this time, Shammy didn't want to go in that direction anymore, and was pulling and being a butt-head on the line. So we changed to clockwise direction, which is my stronger side. This time we got canter right away. The first time he was on the long lead, so we only when about a quarter of a circle. Then we did it 2 more times, this time on the correct lead. I only did about 2 circuits total, but Deb was full of praise. She is so good at being encouraging. The last time felt fast, but better.
Shammy isn't clipped, so I had to give him a long cool-down walk. So no more cantering until next week. I wish I could work on cantering more; I know from past experiance that I really don't learn (much) when I do it only once a week.