lesson

My trainer was out of town this week so I set up a lesson with another trainer  who is a bit farther away but a very accomplished.

It was a very good lesson, I learned a bunch. I think it is good to get another opinion on things because, a new trainer my have a different technique or say something differently that just clicks.

This lesson was all that I hoped it would be.

we worked alot on the canter walk transition, as Whin falls on the forehand.

It turns out Whin curls her haunches to the inside and locks up and falls on to her forehand so in order to fix it  we started riding leg yields through the transition. And I mean we rode a leg yield. At first I thought she meant to ride a leg yield feeling, No she wanted side ways steps.

The downwards transitions improved and became more up hill but we will really need to work on them! The trainer also said that in 2 weeks Whin will always want to leg yield over and then I will need to work on getting her straight again.

I guess its like Painting, there is always a point when you are part way through where the painting looks terrible its just blobs of color here and there, but you have to go through that point to make the painting good.

Things that were emphasised were the bend, really asking her to bend around my inside leg, and always riding a leg yield to the outside while on the circle 

(I guess leg yielding is kinda important)

Another thing that I noticed was everything had to be done well.  every turn on to center line and every transition had to be done right or it was repeated until it was good, even when we were all done and I let her walk, that trot walk transition needed to be ridden well.

That is defiantly something I need to work on!

All King Edwards Horses Call Me Blessed Fool

Monday, Monday

Whin has decided that she is a very, very good girl.

While my trainer was out of town she tried on the evil twin shoes (she actually does have a twin but is more of a free spirit so she doesn't wear shoes.)

However when my trainer got back in town and told me to get after her for bucking and throwing herself about while I rode her, and it has all stopped and I am quite sure she has become some sort of magic creature who can read my thoughts.

(my mood towards Whin was not hurt at all by her earning a 70% last weekend)

But she has continued her superb attitude and we had a quick little ride yesterday 1. because no one turned on the lights in the arena (I don't have access to the room where the light switch is) 2. because she was an angel!

our second level test said that we didn't have enough bend in the 10 meter circles so we worked on that a bit. Did oodles of transitions (Carl Hester says do 200 transitions a day) and worked on half pass. She did every thing very nicely  so we stopped and I feed Whin copious amounts of cookies!

 Which Brings me to a product review

 

Mrs. Pastures horse cookies!

According to Whin they are the most delicious thing in the world along side her Safe Choice Performance.

Seriously, I think I have mentioned on this blog that Whin is a bit of a flirt, ok a huge flirt, so Whin was flirting with all the horses and calling an carrying on when  I unscrewed the lid of the cookie jar.

NOTHING else in the world mattered to Whin. Geldings who cares, all of her focus was on me and these cookies. She loves them!

The only down side is that they are a little large and hard to fit in your teeny tiny breeches pockets.

They may even play a roll in Whins angelic behavior.

so 4 hooves up for Mrs. Pastures!

All King Edwards Horses Can Make Best Friends

Second Level Debut

Whin and I went to our first Rated Show together.  I have only been to 2 rated shows and that was nearly 10 years ago!

I don't know why but sometimes it seems like things just go wrong when preparing for horse shows. I was going to try wire to Braid Whins mane but I couldn't find it so I threw in some rubber bands which I was less than thrilled about.

So by this time I am running late due to the braiding issue and Panda finding a dead mouse and using it as a chew toy. She knew I was going to try to get it away from her so she escaped and I had to chase her down.

Then as  I was trailering I ran into a Parade and drove around for 15 minutes before I decided to double back and take another route.

I finally made it to the show late and flustered, but a really nice lady helped me back my trailer in  which helped relieve stress, however I managed to lose my phone, It had dropped down into the parking lot dirt, I found it before an one ran it over thank goodness.

Whin came off the trailer like a fire breathing dragon, So I threw her tack on her and we went into warm up.

I was still quite flustered and Whin was still a bit fire breathing so we walked for a long time. There was a Friesan in the warm up that Whin didn't like and so we had little mini meltdowns every time we passed him. but finally he went to do his test and both me and Whin settled down.

Whin really started to go well and all of my nerves melted away. I actually learned a really good thing in that warm up. half halts need to come from the leg, almost completely for Whin she just sort of compresses her self if I do that.

I also periodical need to push my hands forward to help her come over the back more.

So our turn came up and we entered the ring. I did feel that it was the best test I had ridden.  we had a spook in the stretchy circle  but she came back to me really quickly and stretched way down but the circle was a weird shape and then on our 15 meter canter circle I got so caught up on getting her more through that I forgot to steer. but every thing else I felt good about.

As we were warming up for our second test my friend came over to the rail with a big smile on her face. I stopped to talk to her and she congratulated me, I guess I didn't respond correctly because she asked me If I had seen my test I answered no, she gave me the good news that I had gotten a 70%.  I was over the moon, its the highest score I have ever gotten and we got it at our first rated show!

Whin felt with me in the second warm up which she isn't always on the second one. and we went in to do our Second Level debut. as we were rounding the corner to enter at A Whin spooked and took off head in the air at a wild gallop into the arena.

I couldn't help but grin madly at our modification to the test , enter A Wild gallop x halt salute.  She came back to me quickly but It threw off the first 2 scores.  I felt pretty good about the second test there was still some steering errors (really when I learn how to steer it will help my scores) Whin was willing but tiered so we lost some of the spark, but I felt we put in a good test.

We scored 62% my goal had been to get above a 60% so goal achieved, Now if I can learn to steer we will be doing great!

Also It was a secret goal of mine to score a 70% at first level before I moved on so It was a great day for achieving goals!

All King Edwards Horses Can Make Best Friends