Plan with the horses
Ok; so show is coming up in 5 weeks.
I have to learn to ride first level by then, people! Sitting trot is obviously my biggest obstacle, but I also want him moving better and quicker to my aids.
So here are my thoughts. The plan is to ride Enrique 3 times a week, and have trainer ride him once.
One ride is going to be a really stretchy deep ride. Where I really concentrate on getting him to bend around the ribcage, particularly on the left side, so I am forcing him to take even steps with the left hind. Work on some caveletti and alternate between a higher frame where I really get him to lift through his shoulders and a deeper frame where he has to lift his hind legs a bit higher.
Ride #2 is going to alternate between a lunge lesson and a regular lesson, so that I can get eyes on the ground and also work more on my seat. I also want to incorporate 10-15 minutes of sitting work each ride to help me improve.
Ride #3 is going to be a "we can get to first level, damnit!" type of ride. First of all, I need to work on the lengthenings. They aren't there. He lengthens, but he rushes. So instead of extending his stride, he's hurrying. I also need to work on the canter. It's gotten better, but he needs to lift up more through his shoulders, and slow the tempo a bit and have a bit more jump to the canter. I also want to work on the simple changes a bit, so that they are more crisp. And the walk. As I've said, our walk sucks, particularly when we first start. But the free walk sucks especially. So that gives me a lot to work on.
We are also gearing Costa up for his first show. I've decided to enter him in the 3/4 year old Material class and training 1 and maybe 2, depending on how he holds up. We have moved him to the Jenny Craig pen. He is saddened. Trainer will be riding him 2-3 times a week, and has asked that when I ride him, I focus on really working on the stretchy trot and free walk. He's pretty balanced in the canter now, and is finally respecting the half halts, but he's not too trusting of stretching down into the contact.
Them's the goals!
I have to learn to ride first level by then, people! Sitting trot is obviously my biggest obstacle, but I also want him moving better and quicker to my aids.
So here are my thoughts. The plan is to ride Enrique 3 times a week, and have trainer ride him once.
One ride is going to be a really stretchy deep ride. Where I really concentrate on getting him to bend around the ribcage, particularly on the left side, so I am forcing him to take even steps with the left hind. Work on some caveletti and alternate between a higher frame where I really get him to lift through his shoulders and a deeper frame where he has to lift his hind legs a bit higher.
Ride #2 is going to alternate between a lunge lesson and a regular lesson, so that I can get eyes on the ground and also work more on my seat. I also want to incorporate 10-15 minutes of sitting work each ride to help me improve.
Ride #3 is going to be a "we can get to first level, damnit!" type of ride. First of all, I need to work on the lengthenings. They aren't there. He lengthens, but he rushes. So instead of extending his stride, he's hurrying. I also need to work on the canter. It's gotten better, but he needs to lift up more through his shoulders, and slow the tempo a bit and have a bit more jump to the canter. I also want to work on the simple changes a bit, so that they are more crisp. And the walk. As I've said, our walk sucks, particularly when we first start. But the free walk sucks especially. So that gives me a lot to work on.
We are also gearing Costa up for his first show. I've decided to enter him in the 3/4 year old Material class and training 1 and maybe 2, depending on how he holds up. We have moved him to the Jenny Craig pen. He is saddened. Trainer will be riding him 2-3 times a week, and has asked that when I ride him, I focus on really working on the stretchy trot and free walk. He's pretty balanced in the canter now, and is finally respecting the half halts, but he's not too trusting of stretching down into the contact.
Them's the goals!