Lesson: Do your homework

Had a FANTASTIC lesson today with Hamps.

Not that he's normally naughty, but today he was just extra cheerful and cooperative and the work was NOT easy. We were both sweaty by the end and it was 35 degrees.

So last week J said we needed to work on reinback since that will help him learn power trot/expression. Hampton thinks reinback is dumb and up until now he would come above the bit, stiffin his whole body and slowly step back as if it was torture.

Haunches in (travers)

We worked on reinback over the weekend and I was patient and rewarded him obnoxiously when he got it right.

So when J asked me to reinback today, and Hampton performed a lovely, round, polite reinback - she was stunned. "Oh, he does that now?" she said and kept apologizing that she was so surprised. What? Do your students not normally do their homework? She told me to work on that so I did. No, he isn't going to learn everything over a weekend but reinback was something he picked up quickly. I just needed to be more clear with him.

So other than that here are some other exercises we did:

• Leg yielding. Duh! The more you drill it, the better it gets. We had some SUPER fancy leg yields. It felt like gliding across the arena! He is getting better and better as he learns where to place his feet.
• Shoulder in, to ranvers. We are still a little green with the ranvers but it's just a matter of more practice.
• Shoulder in, to haunches in. First with a circle in between and then no circle, just change the position. Again, still a bit green with the haunches in but much improved. I need to remember not to bop him back over with my inside leg. Yes, we will eventually need more bend but for the time being he just needs to move his haunches over.
• Turn on the haunches. Not too bad really. Need more bend.
• Walk- canter transitions. J suggested I work on these before he gets too tired since it requires so much sitting.
• Walk to canter on a straight line. Sound so easy. Not easy. But we did it! That transition really requires the horse to put that outside leg down.
• Medium trot. You have to get the fire in the corner and not halfway down the long side. :) But we are getting there.

Then we ran through the canter work from First-3. J said our First Level trot work was there, but that in the canter we would probably fall apart. Yup.

Left lead canter has entered a hell phase. Lots of falling left and when I correct that, out comes the eggbeater canter. I know this is a balance and strength issue but it's annoying still. Our canter loop (from corner to X back to the rail, same lead) was a hot mess on the left lead. Totally bad riding from me. I need to get my ass in the corner and keep him straight. Right lead was EASY AS PIE. Because that is his stiff side. The stiff side is usually easier in the canter. And it was.

So the canter is where we need the most work now. HOWEVER, all the trot work will make him stronger and improve the canter.

Next week I am going to memorize First 3 and really start to put the pieces together so I can find our weakness.

Another lesson tomorrow. What will Hampton think? :)