SJL lesson - Parwood - 09-12-15

From the start he felt like a very happy pony.  Possibly something to do with the 11.5miles of hooning round Hankley common with the hunt on a fun ride on Sunday!  He was beautifully forwards and much sharper off my aids.

Initially we tried something different with the flying changes - activating with my new inside leg before asking for the change with the outside leg because trying to soften him to the new bend with the reins just makes him change as soon as he feels me ask for the change in flexion so hoping this way will help him soften through the ribcage and do a better change.  So, in the video you can see initially our right to left change is late behind but then trying this way he is through from behind, possibly still a little short in the length of stride but at least not late.  He was still anticipating a bit and not exactly on my aids but it's something we can work on.

We did some work on doing flying changes on a 20m circle as may help him, especially with the tension/anticipation.  He is funny as he just doesn't get the point of changing if we're not changing direction and once he realised we weren't he refused to change.  Shows he needs to be more off my aids in the change and not just be anticipating because we're changing direction.  Video shows some lovely clean changes from right to left (as well as left to right which are normally good), probably the most through he's been in this direction:

Finished with couple of lines of 4 time changes - not our best as he was enjoying himself so much he was charging off after each change and struggled to fit 3 of them in!  Must watch he doesn't anticipate the right to left change as well or we end up with a 3 time change.

On to the canter HP - straight away managed the whole diagonal across the 3/4 length school as in AM98.  Think about staying behind the diagonal line, try to keep the activity with the inside leg and just place the outside leg back to get the right positioning but don't shove him over too much.  Make sure really ride the corner before you start as well and keep it steady and active, don't let him just run sideways.  Still a work in progress but big improvement on before.

Finished with running through AM98 - make sure don't lose the quarters on the 8m trot circle.  Must have him straight after the trot HP before can get the medium trot.  In the walk piris don't nag him all the way round, create the energy then turn the shoulders.  Straightness was definitely lacking a bit today and all the changes were wild but he does make me laugh when he's like that - it's nice to see him enjoying himself!