Jumping Position Lessons!

 For my past two rides on Lucky, I rode in a jumping saddle, and will continue to do so for the next few months. This can help me develop a better balance because jumping saddles are harder to balance in than dressage saddles, the latter of which are meant to carry a rider in an upright position and good balance.

Nice picture from Saturday. Lucky is actually
coming round(which I hadn't tried to do),
and the fog on the hills adds a pretty touch.

 Friday, before riding, Laura and I dragged the two arenas and the round pen. We first had to partly deconstruct the dressage arena and remove some panels on the round pen and the other arena. Then we hooked the truck to the arena drag, which looked something like a giant rake. We circled the inside of the arenas until the footing was soft and nicely drug. Then I got out BB for Laura to ride. While she rode, I took out Lucky and began lungeing her. She has been getting much more responsive to my slightest aids each time I have worked her. Her trot was really big and nice.

 Most of my ride, I focused on my two-point position. I rose out of the saddle and leaned forward, pressing my hands into her neck. Lucky had a jump strap on, so I held onto that for balance. It took a while to find my balance, and I wasn't able to hold it for two long–sometimes my legs would slip back or I just wouldn't be in balance. However, when I put my legs forward and underneath me, sank my weight into my heels, and opened my chest, coming into balance, I could really feel the difference. I could feel Lucky's back swing freely underneath her. It was a great feeling. I kept on transitioning between posting trot and two-point throughout the lesson.

What went well:

Working on two-point

• Lucky was responding more to my aids at a forward pace. I think this is because of the lungeing work I have been doing, which caused her to gain respect for me and caused me to grow more confident in what I was asking.

I have good elbows here!

Saturday, I rode Lucky again. This time she was also intone and listening to me. I was in two-point for a lot of the lesson and was in pretty good balance for some of the ride. Again, I could really feel these moments because Lucky's back would swing and her stride would become more free. I did an exercise much like I had done in one of my first rides on Lucky. There was a pole in the center of the arena, and cones parallel to it. This time there were two cones on each side so that I would make a larger circle. I would circle the cones on one side, head across the pole at an angle, then circle the other cones, continuing the figure eight. While circling the cones I rode in a posting trot. Then I would point Lucky toward the center of the pole, rise into my two point, and continue the exercise. This exercise will help with making straight lines toward a jump when I begin jumping. I had difficultly riding Lucky over the center of the pole–I drifted to one side. I was able to get her closer to the center when weighted the other stirrup to get her to go the other way.

 I also cantered Lucky for the first time! I had trouble getting her to canter at first, and I was all over the place and not on the rail, but Lucky had a really nice canter. She doesn't take off or jump into canter. For the most part, though, I will be working on getting a balanced two-point these next few months, which will come with time as I continue to build the correct muscles and strength.

What went well Saturday:

• Better balance at two-point
• More in tune with Lucky
• I kept her straight most of the time.