Lesson report 06-09-11

Off to a new yard today in Sutton Green for a lesson with Tracey.

We started with trying to straighten him out a bit so we did shoulder-in on the right rein then we turned it into renvers (never done that before but he made a good effort) and then we did travers on the left rein.  He needs to do lots of these exercises to try and straighten him - SI/renvers on the right and travers on the left to stop this quarters in to the right thing.  More forwards off my leg - stop nagging him, he needs to maintain the movement by himself.  Work the movements round the short sides as well as down the long sides.

Moved into trot and immediately he was a lot softer in the contact so as we have found before a lot of lateral work in walk really helps him to soften.  We did some turns down the centre line remembering not to let him drop and run onto his forehand on the turn - must keep him up in front and think passage around the turn.  Keep left leg forwards, right leg back and dont let the quarters swing out on the turn.  Need to prepare for the turn and ride it, not just fling him round the corner.  Quite ok to start the centre line from the opposite rein to the way you're turning at the bottom - dont change diagonal until the corner.

In preparation for the Area Festivals on Thur we ran through P19 all the time thinking up and forwards, esp in the transitions.  In the trot to canter he wants to jump up/back into the trans and into collected canter - need him much more forwards at this level.  Worked on medium trot to canter letting the canter just appear and he was really leaping into it.  Then must think jump, jump, jump in time with the canter - push him up and forwards into my hand.  Must must go forwards at all times, do not let him suck back into this nothingy collected canter.  Biggest thing of the session was really riding this big canter.  Then back into big, forwards trot.  Forwards, forwards, forwards through every transition.  Need to think bold - ride the horse forwards and ride for every mark.

Also need to work on wayward left leg - it goes far too far back and I put far too much weight in my right leg - explains why my left gaiter has worn away - left leg not stable at all.  In trot, we took away my right stirrup only on the left rein and I nearly fell off but was fine when took away left stirrup on the right rein!  Left leg going too far back doesn't help the tendency to swing the quarters right.