Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
March 7, 2011: Groundwork!
It continues to surprise me at the number of people who declare their horses “perfect” who have not taken the time to train despooking.
Moon and I spent the day on Sunday training her to go over poles and a little oxer. I really felt bad for the mare since it was very obvious again that she needs a good lesson on despooking. I plan to work on that this week since spook and spook is a bad combination. Her lunging lesson took the place of my lesson with Tammy this week but I did ride Amira. I am still trying to find the magic of keeping my body straight while leaning far enough into the left stirrup to get her to turn nicely. How to keep your body level but push down on the stirrup. I did try to keep my hands down below the front of my saddle but I am unsure if I succeeded. I really need to remember to take my video camera!
Lynnea came by and kicked our tails teaching yoga. Don’t know if it was the yoga or the riding/lunging but I was bone tired last night when I got home.
As fgor the petals part, the snow is finally starting to disappear from my gardens and I need to clean my room so I can start more seeds. I need another body with more energy I thinks!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
First Ride on Moon and Lessons on Mira
First Ride on Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJOZZRskhWY
Lesson Notes: Hands need to be down!
Courtney Lynn Dye [http://www.courtneykingdressage.com/] happened to have posted about this just after my lesson:
I always tell students to EXAGGERATE the opposite of their problems. For instance, if their hands are constantly too high, I don't just tell them to put their hands where they belong, but to put them too low, so the right amount becomes easy. This is why Lendon and I got on so well together. If she told my leg was too far forward, I'd put it back to the saddle pad, so the next time she'd have to tell me it was too far back. It was, and is, my goal to have the instructor tell me the OPPOSITE thing the second time, not the same thing again.
In other sports, for example golf, if you're consistently hitting the ball too far to the right, try to hit it too far to the left to make it go straight. Eventually hitting it straight will feel straight.
This week was all about my hands. I really struggled to maintain a gait on Moon while trying to turn her and then also keeping my hands solid. Moon's trot has a different cadence than Mira so think I will ask Tammy to ride her so I can pick out a song that will help me count the posting. All in all, lots of things to improve on but Moon very much took care of me throughout Oddball's bombastic fart that scared all the horses and my lack of rhythm and focus. What a girl she is!
I truly feel like part of the Tamarack family - Moon is listed here: http://www.tamarackstablesiowa.com/boarding.html#boarders
Speaking to Nick and Belinda right now to perhaps schedule a clinic at Tam's, have to run!
