Hands in front!

Ok, so unless I'm doing a jumping lesson, we can just assume that regular lessons from now on are on Clover with Michele at MRF.

Notes from video:

• Add "release legs" to position checklist, will help unclench seat


• Don't pinch with legs, take legs off and tap with whip


• Going to right, carries haunches to left, weak left leg, wants to compensate with right leg


• shorten reins so hands can stay in front, about in line with saddle pad
• stay tall, hands out in front, don't pull hands back


• no riding backwards - keep hands in front


• don't take back - bend one way or the other


• serpentines help with suppleness


• canter helps loosen up


• what is up with my diagonals at the trot?


• half halts outside rein, inside rein softly shows bend, where you want them to go


• don't forget to soften outside rein when bending!


• hands quiet--fingers give and take


• don't want upper body to come over hands


• ride forward through corners--right hand grabby, soften right wrist


• bring forehand in a little bit on circle--leg yield


• trot poles on circle/canter work


• you can ride, ask her to come together, just don't take backwards on the reins


• don't ask for canter on straight line, ask as you approach the wall on a circle, not after--use wall to help teach them sit on their hind end


• canter up diagonal, trot at X to change rein


• some sitting trot at end

Not bad for only having ridden once in two weeks (vaca and rain, ok)! Even though the fitness wasn't there, I still felt like I made progress with my position and ability to feel where my body should actually be, especially my arms and hands. I also understood more physically about how not to take or pull back on the reins, at all. I'm starting to learn how to rely less on my hands to ride. Still, with all that I got today, I could tell that my seat would tense, and sometimes I wasn't sitting square on my seatbones. I have the urge to lean forward, like any good hunt seat rider.