Falling Off Week

 The reins to my new bridle were a bit stiff Wednesday, so Thursday I soaked it in neatsfoot oil so they soft and flexible for yesterday's lesson. I started the lesson by riding several trot circles at A. I still need to work on turning Chester's head to the inside, but I'm getting better.

Trotting down the long side.  I seem to have trouble putting my right heel
down sometimes but my left heel his usually fine.

 After ridings several circles to the left, I rode down the long side and trotted around the dressage arena several times, the changed directions and started heading right. Chester seemed relaxed and like he didn't want to go too fast today.

 Before I practiced my test, I turned up centerline and practiced my halt salute, stopping two times along centerline, once at X and another time at G. The one at X was straighter than the second one. Next, I rode through the Intro Test C, halting at X straight halt and riding a big trot for the canter parts the first time I went through. The object of doing the bigger trot is that Chester might go so fast that he throws in a canter stride, rather than suddenly bounding into canter.

That moment before the fall.

 The second time riding through the test, when Chester quickly sprung into canter, he did a little bound, causing me to lose my balance. When he suddenly slowed down I fell into the muddy part of the arena. Another in one week? This must be my falling week.

Better canter!

  I wasn't hurt(although my breeches and gloves were muddy) so I remounted and continued riding, starting with circle A to the right. I rode several times with the bigger trot, then got a couple canter strides an continued riding the test as if nothing happened. For the left circle at A, I did the same exercise, working up to riding several circles with the canter parts.

Cantering

 I ended the the test and walked Chester around the arena to cool him down. After hosing him off I gave him the apple and horse cookie I brought because he was a good boy cantering and it wasn't his fault I had fallen off.