Jump lesson
I think the riding out and doing more and more trot and canter sets in half seat has started to make a difference in combatting the season-off out-of-shapeness. I was still wiped by the end of the lesson, but I felt like I was riding stronger again and able to ride Clover forward, adjust her, and make pretty good turns.
We worked on gymnastics for the entire lesson, which I'd requested because after our first couple of jump sessions of the year earlier this month, we were having a hard time getting the spot to some fences, especially coming into combinations.
We started with an xrail with placing poles fore and aft, then pole to 2 xrails with a pole out, and eventually worked up to finishing up with an oxer for the last element. I must improve the release, need more of one over an oxer!
Having the mirror in the indoor helped me keep my head up—I habitually drop it on landing to check the lead, and being able to check it in the mirror, as well as our straightness over a gymnastic line was nice.
I need to work on keeping Clover forward, but still on the aids. Janet noticed Clover does a line the first time generally well, but then she gets strung out, as if she doesn't feel like she needs to make the effort once she does it.
I should have worn spurs; I wound up picking up a dressage whip to keep Clover forward over the last exercises (pole to vertical to bending line pole; pole to vertical to 3 stride canter vertical).
Overall, though, it was a great lesson, still feel like we're going in the right direction and some of my focus is coming back. Got some good exercises to work on and gymnastic lines to use.
We worked on gymnastics for the entire lesson, which I'd requested because after our first couple of jump sessions of the year earlier this month, we were having a hard time getting the spot to some fences, especially coming into combinations.
We started with an xrail with placing poles fore and aft, then pole to 2 xrails with a pole out, and eventually worked up to finishing up with an oxer for the last element. I must improve the release, need more of one over an oxer!
Having the mirror in the indoor helped me keep my head up—I habitually drop it on landing to check the lead, and being able to check it in the mirror, as well as our straightness over a gymnastic line was nice.
I need to work on keeping Clover forward, but still on the aids. Janet noticed Clover does a line the first time generally well, but then she gets strung out, as if she doesn't feel like she needs to make the effort once she does it.
I should have worn spurs; I wound up picking up a dressage whip to keep Clover forward over the last exercises (pole to vertical to bending line pole; pole to vertical to 3 stride canter vertical).
Overall, though, it was a great lesson, still feel like we're going in the right direction and some of my focus is coming back. Got some good exercises to work on and gymnastic lines to use.
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