The first lesson I had on Gigi was half an hour with Tina. Such a fail. Hence why it was part of the 'Lousy' blog post. Gigi is a fan of passage and piaffe, and if you do not give her clear aids she will just start bouncing up and down.
I couldn't get her forward, round or anything, and any canter attempts turned into a little mini passage. In my head I was thinking "I am not qualified to ride this horse!"
Major misunderstanding of aids. Turns out my legs were in the wrong position (again!). With every other horse I've been riding here, my legs need to be further back to be effective. So of course when I wasn't getting results with Gigi, I kept trying to force my legs back. Little did I know this was also the aids for piaffe, hence the bouncing.
As soon as I got my legs on the girth, we were away into canter and everything went well. Of course this was in the last 5 mins of the lesson, but at least I got there! Kind of!
The second lesson was WAAY better. I actually started out on Walter (being taught by Dawn this time) and someone else was riding Gigi. Mid-way through we all did a switch around, and I ended up riding G again.
Dawn instructed me through her canter, which still took a few tries to get, but much easier, and then had me work on shortening the stride. To do this, it was very much just a lengthening of my body, and engagement of my core. I was basically holding this giant Warmblood mare together with my abs.
Just out of no-where, Dawn instructed me to come down the long side and do two flying changes. Here I was, just getting the hang of her canter, and now I was expected to do some advanced movements!!
Needn't have worried. That mare is a saint, and first try she gave me one lovely change. Took a tiny bit of adjusting from my aids to get the second, namely holding my outside leg where it needs to be, so that I can move it forward at the correct moment. Really technical stuff. Pretty chuffed with myself! It felt amazing.
I rode Axel in two lessons this week and found him difficult in both. I really liked Axel the first time I rode him, but for some reason we're not meshing anymore. Not sure what I've changed. He is SO difficult to bend, so I actually spent most of both lessons doing walk/halt transitions with a bend, and trying to get some kind of suppleness and obedience. I didn't mind. Honestly, since I couldn't get any bend, there was absolutely no way I was going to get a passable leg yield or shoulder-in. I could have hauled his face around, but that's not really bend now, is it?
On the plus side, he's super comfortable. So I had that going for me!
I also had another lesson on Regitse. Seriously love that old mare. She is just so cool. I only participated in half the lesson, since Reg isn't up to much canter work, but that mare is really helping me with feel and precise application of aids. Again we had some stellar shoulder-in and half passes. I was able to keep her round and forward, which is exciting. I had her round the last lesson, but I didn't get a whole lot of forward movement. I don't want to push her too much, she IS a million years old. But the old girl was charging across that diagonal doing her best to manage a medium trot! Go girl.
Joao praised me heavily for that particular ride. Feels good when I get it right!
And Lastly (I've got to hurry, I'm riding very soon!)
I had the most AMAZING private lesson on a dear mare named Lula. Lula is an absolutely ginormous Hanovarian. Like, 17hh big and long as a train. She works at Prix St George level, and to be honest I was a little apprehensive about riding her. My first lessons with the advanced schoolmasters have never gone well. They are all so different, and I am just not used to a horse that well trained!
I am pleased to report that I had a stellar lesson on the Big Orange. I only had half an hour, so I briefly got to know her buttons a bit (she is SUPER soft. Love it.) and then straight into half-pass and flying changes. Half pass was a bit shaky to start, but that was all to do with the positioning of my body. Once I had my shoulders pointing across the diagonal, and my outside leg further back, she did a lovely half pass.
Flying changes were spot on. I'm really getting the hang of the timing! I think the work I did on Gigi prepared me really well for Lula. Her canter just felt amazing. Very adjustable, and just fabulously together for a horse her size.
So basically I'm in love, and can't wait to ride her again.
The Big Orange
I've got to go! Jump Club starts soon and I need to tack up Walter. Tomorrow I'm riding in a dressage clinic, so stay tuned!!
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