Friday 20 March 2009

Super-dooper lesson today.

Im very pleased with my boy today and myself I might add!:)
Ive forgotten half of it already now but i'll do my best.We started with getting him to flex in walk loosening him up but with a forward walk and energy.Straight away he was responsive to the leg so I could concentrate more on what we were doing rather than keeping him going which was good.Then did some 20(ish)m circles flexing in then using the outside rein to move the shoulders across we got this quite well then D said to give him a long rein and go large around the school.Ali was really stretching and reaching down for the rein, D said was the best walk she's seen from him.
Then moved into trot it was tougher for sure,at first he tried to curl back,lean heavily on the inside rein then had a large buck and we also exited the boards of the school several times anything but flex and come off my inside leg but then he suddenly lightened and lifted and it felt great.
After a break on a loose rein D wanted me to ride him around the whole school totally giving with the inside rein and to create the bend using half halts and inside leg/outside rein,this was really hard but there were moments when we got it.
At the end of the lesson D said she was very please with us both,she said I actually ride him well and im correcting him and riding him with much better timing. I can get a bit fixed and focused on one rein then forget the other and I havent quite got the outside rein 'feel' yet.She said he was like a different horse today and overall there was a huge improvement from last week so im very happy.

Its turning into a weekly blog it seems so a quick re-cap of the week-
Sunday we went for quite a long hack,it wasnt the best hack in the world he started off a bit nappy and shouting lots then half way around became forward and a bit silly! I trotted him at first to wake him up and then to settle him down{doh}, we also had a decent canter along a nice incline where I had to really pull him up as he didnt want to stop.As we turned along the road for home the penny dropped where he was and he started to shout and bounce,I felt there might be a rear on the way so pushed him forward into a steady trot which seemed to do the job and he settled for the rest of the way home.


Through the week he had two sessions in the school one with me where we worked on the flexing and things from the previously lesson.
Vic had a ride on him on Wednesday and found to her peril just how wide he is but she really enjoyed riding him and playing about,he is the perfect horse to play about on as his paces are extremely comfortable and he doesnt get wound up.

The other thing that im pleased about is his physical shape,although he is still carrying a bit too much weight around his tummy its definitelg firming up and looking more toned.Also his chest and shoulders are looking huge,his chest is now wider than Polo's who's a bigger horse and well built in himself.He's turning into a real power house:)
The field is now stripped off so they now have less than half the field which they share with their Fell pony friend and Vic's horse Ted who moved in with them last weekend.
It was quite funny today as when I got to the field to bring them in I caught them just about to make a break for it.They were both in the stream which runs between their field and one of the other fields,I shouted of them which stopped them in their tracks Polo leapt out and cantered over to me luckily Ali followed Polo and not the Fell who continued up the river into the other field!
Need to strip that bit off tomorrow.

Hoping for a gentle hack tomorrow,well thats the plan.

2 comments:

Claire said...

that sounds like a GOOD week...

Jean said...

Great week! Nothing like a good lesson to bring a smile. So pleased for you.

The outside rein as always the key. You will get the concept, just keep practicing.

AliG is quite a character. I can see why you love him. He is totally intent on keeping you busy every minute learning how to ride him. *G*