Lesson Review

Okay so this is a better review of my lesson the other day without me being entirely focused on the few minutes of galloping racehorse I had. And giving myself a little more of a break than I was giving myself the other day. Because we actually did get a lot of great work done in our lesson.

To understand why I was so proud of how this lesson went, I've gotta give you a little recap of our first lesson from 4 months ago.

Really pushing him out with that inside leg

So this is in my last lesson. On the flat, my trainer told me to have him consistently bent around my inside leg, and he needed to be on a 3 track, because any time I stopped the bend, he either started bucking or running. Every. Single. Time.

Constant bend

We had a good ride if he was three-tracking. But every time I would ask him to two-track, it didn't end well.

Not my finest moment

This is him deciding whether to buck or run. Tough decisions.

But in this lesson, we graduated to straight lines! Or at least that we can now start working at straight lines because straight lines aren't exactly my strong suit

Actually able to ride along the rail

We even cantered around the arena in a controlled, forward pace without having to circle at every fence post.

Keeping as parallel to the fence as we can be

We struggled with keeping on a two-track, but when I actually successfully got him straight, he didn't take off like a rocketship, or decide that having his back feet over his head was more fun. Instead, he just politely kept the forward motion going.

Sassy and straight

Now to show you the jumping we were working with 4 months ago.

You mean this isn't how its supposed to look?

It consisted of lots of rushing and turning into the fence to keep him from bolting away. And we needed placing poles too.

Successfully making a crossrail jump look awkward

No amount of words can describe the awkward of how we were jumping that day.

What are knees?

I learned a lot, but my horse was difficult and we couldn't even use the whole arena or he would either bronc or racetrack it.

We had one real racetrack moment in our lesson the other day, but the whole lesson went so much prettier and it was not constant running into fences!

Look who figured out how to use knees

I'm not sure how necessary it was to jump this crossrail like it was 2'9", but I will not complain about his pretty form.

Actually added in a second halfway sizable jump

He has gotten significantly more scope-y in the last four months and learned to use his body better and better. And aside from our one panic attack, he was so pulled together.

Using the booty

Despite his drama, his jumping was so much prettier and my trainer mentioned the same thing. He can be pretty dramatic, but I was very proud of the moments where we pulled it together.

Now we have some new and useful things to work on and he is starting to look more and more like an actual broke and ridable jumper pony instead of a green, racehorse trying to play with stripey sticks. 

And now I also have to work on my own confidence in allowing him to go forward, because I can ride him when he is going fast.

Example A

And I can ride him in an opened up canter when it is my choice too

Bigger canter. And I'm still on top

I just get nervous and chicken out and do not have the faith in my own riding ability that I should have.

Ft. Trainer saying "I have more faith in your riding
ability than you do!"

She is not wrong. I have very little faith in my riding ability, despite the fact that even through all the stuff my horse has pulled, I haven't come off. I can stay on. I can ride it. I just psych myself out, into thinking that I can't ride it.

So grateful for a trainer in the area as skilled as my trainer is, and one who is so supportive of my journey with Charmer and really works to help us further ourselves. She sees more potential, ability and good things in us than I think we see in ourselves. And I think with her help and critical eye, Charmer and I might really turn into something one of these days, and I am ridiculously excited for that day.