Progress!

For Wednesday's lesson, I rode Chester with a new pad I got him, a black Roma sheepskin pad. It worked well; the saddle didn't slip at all and it looks nice with his brown saddle. Meghan lunged him before I got on because he hadn't been ridden since Friday(I rode Ronnie Monday). When he was done bucking and cantering to burn off some of his extra energy, I mounted and began riding him around in the dressage arena, trotting in a figure eight pattern.

Figure eight

  I had to work a lot on keeping Chester on the circle and going all the way to the points, while at the same time turning his head slightly to the inside. It is hard work to use your leg to keep him on the circle and takes a lot of coordination. There were times when I didn't make it all the way to the points, or found myself using a little outside rein to keep Chester on the circle, which in turn brought his head to the outside. I got a little better at it as I continued but it is still something I need to practice.

Cantering. I'm coming out of the saddle a bit.

 On one part of the figure, about midway through the lesson, Chester spooked at something, and Meghan quickly told me to turn him in a tight circle, which I did. I managed to stay on, but I need to work on taking control when I horse I'm riding spooks rather than holding on.

 I continued on the figure eight, continuing to work on turning Chester's head to the inside while using my leg to push him to the points. Next, I trotted around the dressage arena, rode across several diagonals, then made a circle left at C. I pushed Chester into a big trot as I started the circle, then asked for the canter when I reached C. It was great! I'm getting more comfortable cantering and better at sitting deep in the saddle.

This looks much better. I love this picture.

Walking at the end

 After that, I made a fast circle at A, heading right, and cantered the whole circle. I ended the lesson with the dressage test as it is written, with cantering. I had to redo the circle right at A a couple times, because I cantered in a too small circle at first. The next two times he only trotted quickly. When I gave Chester more of a squeeze and loosened the reins more, he cantered nicely. The canter for the left circle at A, however, was good and immediate. Even the downward transition was smooth! I'm getting much better at cantering now.

Improving at Riding the Canter

 After returning from summer camp earlier today, I went to the barn for a riding lesson. Chester looked happy to see me and was calm and relaxed. I tacked him and began riding around the arena to warm up. Then, I began the lesson by trotting around the perimeter of the dressage arena. I've riding been working a lot lately on posting on the correct diagonal and have been getting better at doing so and recognizing when I am on the wrong diagonal. I am also getting better at sitting to correct or change my diagonal without being bumped around.

 I wasn't on the correct posting diagonal all the time this lesson, though, but I still rode well. I trotted across the long diagonal of the arena several times and changed my posting in the middle, at X. I also tried to make Chester straight so wasn't looking to the outside of where I am going.

 After doing several laps at the trot I took a walk break, then began a trot serpentine when I reached C. I rode several of them before beginning the dressage test I am working on, Intro Test C, riding Chester at the canter for the canter parts. The canter to the left was a little sloppy, so I had to redo it a couple times, but the canter right was much better. There was one time when I was sitting deep in the saddle rather than being bounced up.

 I ran through the test twice. The second time was much better: the shapes were more precise and the halting and saluting went much better.

Cantering

 Before putting Chester away I watched another girl, Maddie, ride her gelding Bentley so I could learn something from observing her. She rode some leg yields, shoulder fores, and canter serpentines, with a couple simple changes in between each circle. It's nice to watch someone else ride so you can better visualize what you are supposed to be doing.

Cantering off the Lungeline

 I rode in the morning today to beat to heat and did a lot more cantering. Jessica, Chester's owner, was there and decided to watch my lesson. I started by riding several trot serpentines around the dressage arena and focusing on making him straight and turning his head toward the inside.

 Next, I trotted down the long side and rode across the diagonal of the arena, changing my diagonal at X. Chester was being really good and responsive today. After trotting around for a bit, I was ready to do some cantering. I worked on the lungeline first, heading to right. Before cantering, I worked on transitioning from a slower trot to a bigger, faster trot, then back again. After a few times, I asked for the canter, riding an entire circle.

After that, I trotted around the arena, then went through my dressage test. This time I would ask for a faster trot again or a canter stride if I was ready. For the first 20 meter circle at A, the one heading right, I didn't get Chester to canter, but I got a few strides to the left, which is supposed to be his harder canter to ride.

 At the end of the test I halted and saluted at G, patted Chester, and let him walk for the bit. Then I made a 20 meter circle heading left at A. I rode a faster trot on the part that you canter during the test and a slower part on the other half. I worked up to ending the lesson by cantering half of the circle. I didn't even hold onto the saddle or the mane when I cantered off the lungeline. Cantering is now my favorite gait. I'll likely be doing more of it in future rides.

 I won't be riding next week because I'll be at summer camp so I won't post any blog updates. Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Practicing Dressage and Continuing to Improve

 Friday I another great lesson. Riding several times a week has done a lot to improve my riding skills. I'm starting to post on the correct diagonal most of the time, putting my heels down, sitting up straighter, and overall just becoming more relaxed and comfortable in the saddle.

 Meghan had Chester tacked up and ready when I arrived. Horse service! The lesson started with me riding Chester on a serpentine, first at the walk and then at the trot, the latter of which I did a few times to work on my posting and changing my posting diagonal. I've been improving as lot this past month! When doing the  serpentine, I was on the correct diagonal most of time, though there were several times when I needed to fix it. I'm also getting a lot better at sitting a beat and changing my diagonal at the point where two parts of the serpentine meet.

Other than being tipped a bit forward and me shoulders not being back, I look kind of good.
Heels are down and aligned with my hips and I appear to be on the correct diagonal.

 After riding several serpentines, I took a quick walk break, then trotted around the dressage arena for a little bit, heading left. I then made a trot circle at E, riding several ones to make it more precise and ride on the correct diagonal.

Trot circle at B

 Next I worked my dressage test, Intro Test C. The were some parts where I was not on the correct diagonal and I didn't quite make it to the letters, but it otherwise went smoothly. The turn up centerline is getting better as well. After a short break I rode through the test one more time, making the circles and diagonals more precise.

Circle at A heading right

Finishing a circle at A to the left.

Heading to P to make my short diagonal to H.

After that, I cooled Chester down by riding him around the property twice because he had really worked up a sweat in the hot weather. I untacked him, the hosed him off to cool him down further and get all the sweat off of him. I then sprayed fly spray all over him and returned him to his paddock.

 Before I went home we stopped at a nearby feed store where I bought a sweat scraper because Chester didn't have one, as well as a lead rope with tan, navy, and burgundy stripes, just so I can start collecting my own things. That way I don't need to buy as much stuff when I get a horse of my own.

 The lesson was very fun and I'm happy that I'm starting to improve more and more. I'm now having  lessons Mondays, Wednesdays, and fridays every week, plus I will be attending the Pony Club activities. I'm really excited about that.

Forgot to mention this at the beginning of the post, but Thursday I helped out with the therapy riding program Meghan runs, afterward visiting Chester to give him an apple I brought from home. He enjoyed it!

It's Official! I'm Leasing Chester!

 I had a great lesson yesterday on Chester. I met his owner, Jessica, who is very nice and friendly. I talked with her before getting Chester ready for the lesson. He had already been brushed because Jessica had taken him on a walk, so I just tacked him up and Jessica put some boots on his front legs. I was also using a different bit this time, a snaffle, while the other times I had ridden him I rode in a kimberwick. Meghan wanted to see if I could still control him using the milder bit. I walked around, doing walk-halt transitions for a few minutes while Meghan finished up a jump lesson. While I rode, Mom went over the lease with Jessica.

 When it was time to pick up the trot, I made a circle around Meghan and tested my brakes. I trotted a few steps, then walked, then trotted. The downward transitions took a few steps and I had to use more pressure to stop him, so after a few circles, we decided to change the bit. Once that was done, I again made a circle around Meghan and tested my brakes. I only had to use very light aids and Chester stopped. Much better!

 Once we had ensured that I could stop Chester if needed, I began trotting him around the dressage arena. My legs were a bit tired from riding several times this past week, I started gripping with knees. I walked for a bit, then focused on gripping with me calves, and things went much better.

 However, I wasn't posting with the outside shoulder, so I began working on that. Meghan had me working on correcting my posting. An exercise I did to correct this was zig-zagging across the short diagonals of the dressage arena(F to E, E to M). This helped me to focus on quickly changing my posting diagonal. I'm probably going to work on this until posting on the correct diagonal becomes automatic.

Circle at E

 After that, I rode down the long side and turned up centerline. I had to redo this several time because I didn't quite turn tightly enough. You have to make that turn a lot soon on a big horse! I rode up centerline halted and saluted at X, then went through Intro Test C(without canter).

Square halt

 When I finished that, I returned to the walk and cooled Chester out by walking around the property. Once I  finished untacking him and picking out his hooves, I brought Chester to the wash rack and hosed him off. I brushed the water off of him, then returned him to his paddock. After I put his fly mask on, Jessica gave me an apple to put in Chester's bucket. I'm really excited about his lease! It officially starts in July, but I will have lessons on Chester for the rest of the month. I will also write up an official introduction.

 Also here are some pictures from Monday's lesson--I didn't post them yet.

Cantering!

Cantering!

Summer Goals 2014

 Summer is here, and now it's time to review my spring goals. I made a few small goals, because I like to break down my larger goals into smaller, achievable goals that can help me to obtain my larger. I might add some more after I find out about whether the lease with Chester will work out, but for now here a couple of my goals.

Spring Goals

Goal 1: Improve at Intro Test C---I haven't practiced this one a lot, but I have it memorized and plan on practicing it outside of lessons if the lease with Chester works out. Once I start showing I'll set a goal score for the show and work toward that.
Goal 2: Improve my equitation at the trot My equitation at the trot is getting much better. I'm getting better at keeping my shoulders back although I sometimes am not on the correct diagonal, which I will work on.

Summer Goals 2014

1. Post on the correct diagonal in the trot most of the time.
2. Keep my shoulders back
3. Eyes up!
4. Improve my seat at the canter. This one is a big one because my seat at the canter is not really great. It almost feels like I'm going to fly over the horse's head, which I actually did as you may remember. Not fun so I'm going to work on that and make sure my heels are down so I don't lose my balance.
5. Heels down. Those goes hand in hand with improving my seat.

As I said I may add a few more but this is my list for now. I think they seem achievable and I'll be thinking about them during my lessons.

Pictures from My Dressage Test and a Fall Picture

 I'm really happy with how many nice pictures I got from my last lesson. I even have one of me falling off! The first few are of me riding Ginger at the trot along the perimeter of the dressage court, and then there are some of my dressage test. My heels are not done in some of the pictures.

Trotting.

Notice my heel.

At A in the dressage court.

Turning down centerline.

Riding towards B to do a 20 meter circle

Here I think I am doing my 20 meter circle at B.

Now I am riding my circle at E and am heading back towards E.

Cantering!

Ouch! I'm flying over her head. I did a somersault in the air and landed on the ground pole  by Ginger.

After getting back on I did some circles at C at the trot.

Heading in the other direction. Look how much better my heel is.

Ouch! I Fell off During my Dressage Lesson + an Opportunity with Owning a Horse

 For this week's riding lesson, I worked on dressage Intro Test C with Ginger. I warmed her up with walk-halt transitions riding around the arena twice before entering the portioned off dressage court. I trotted around it several times. Ginger needed a bit of encouraging sometimes, but she was otherwise great.

Next, I went through Intro Dressage Test C for the first time on Ginger. I trotted down center line, halted and saluted, then continued toward C, turning right and riding down the long side of the arena. I rode a 20 meter circle at B, then another at A, skipping out the canter part. I then rode across the diagonal of the arena, turned left, then made two more 20 meter circles, one at E and another A. At P, I slowed to a walk and rode to H. Finally, I trotted down the long side, turned down center line, and halted and saluted at G.

After that I rode Ginger on a long rein around the dressage court to give both of us a break. When I was ready, Meghan said I could do some cantering, something I hadn't done with Ginger before. I rode toward C and began a 20 meter circle in the trot. At the S-R line, I began cantering. I did only a few times on each circle.

What Meghan noticed is that my heels weren't down, so when Ginger stopped, I would lose my balance. That is what caused the next event. When I was cantering near M, Ginger slowed down, and I went somersaulting over her head, landing on a wooden ground pole the marked the dressage court. Unlike last time, this fall hurt. The part above my right hip hurt a lot, and I knew at once that it would lead a terrible bruise. Meghan ran over to me and told me to take deep breathes and up slowly. Once one my feet, I walked over to the mounting block, limping slightly. I'll probably be very sore tomorrow.

I remounted, and Meghan led Ginger back over to C, where I began circling to the right at the walk. I trotted around once, then slowed to the walk and changed directions and trotted to the left. Then I rode Ginger out of the arena and rode around the barn and dismounted by the entrance. I untacked, brushed her out, and put her away. I'm still a bit sore, although not badly injured.

In good news, Meghan found a horse that would good for me. He is a 17.3hh warmblood, Largo, who is trained in high level dressage and can leg-yield, half-pass, and do lead changes. He is a 20 year old schoolmaster and Meghan said he would be able to win some blue ribbons. Largo would be able to teach me dressage and give me skills I will need to move on to other disciplines, such as eventing, something I want to do someday. We haven't finalized anything yet, but my parents and I are talking it over.