Foster was a tired boy after our lesson!
So we finally got a lesson in! I trailered over to Equiventure this morning, where Holly trains, so it was even more meaningful because we were able to get off property. Foster tends to travel really well, and was much more interested in eating grass than looking about. But when we got to the arena he found another gear that I haven’t felt in some time!
While I won’t bore you with all the details, I did have some great take-aways:
- I have a tendency to bend him to the left over fences, as well as turn my head to the left, which causes him to travel through his right shoulder and occasionally jump over the shoulder. I need to focus on riding him straight through his neck and body and look straight ahead!!
- It is okay to let Foster move out a bit. More forward and more energy is not something I should be afraid of!
- Don’t hit him with my butt! This one I was somewhat aware of going into it, as I’ve seen it on some of the videos taken of us recently. I need to stay in the air just a beat longer so I don’t punish him by ‘landing’ before he does.
- For practicing at home we are going to take 3′ off of the distances, but know and be prepared for shows setting up strides different ways. Even if they use the 12′ stride + 6′ takeoff/landing, the adrenaline should get us moving through it fine.
- For combinations, land, sit up, stay quiet, and let the fence come to you
There’s definitely a few other pointers I picked up but these are the highlights! Overall I think I have plenty to work on, and am really proud of my boy for being so workmanlike. We both had a great time; I knew Foster was having fun because he was giving me great walk/canter transitions with a little fun head toss every once in a while.
It was also a great opportunity to school in some wetter footing!
Tomorrow’s a tack cleaning day for sure…
Next week is our XC schooling at a huge farm in Southern Pines. So stay posted for that and maybe even a jumping photoshoot at home this weekend!
Red on the Right 
I’ve always wanted to go to Southern Pines! Have fun!! And can I have your girth!? 😀
Oh I do love my girth 😉 – it was a steal at Rolex last year- shopping is the best there!
I want a shorter brown leather girth for my monoflap with the- er, my mind is blanking, that metal hook, to hook my 5 point breastplate to, so bad! but they’re sooo expensive! and shopping really is the best at rolex 🙂 I got a pair of REALLY nice brushing boots for 35$, a fleece lined dressage pad (kind of like the fleeceworks?) for 40$ (whaaat!?) and stuuben reins for 10$. It was awesome! can’t wait to go back!
That was exactly what I was shopping for when I went- a short brown girth for my monoflap, and I was looking for a five point breastplate too. It turns out though that my breastplate doesn’t clip on to the girth (I bought the girth first) so the ring is superfluous but you really can’t beat those Rolex deals! Definitely hoping to go back next year too 🙂
It won’t let me reply to your comment below- but yeah, all the horsey bloggers going to rolex next year should get together and meet 😉 I was shocked, though, because I thought things would be MORE expensive at rolex, but surprisingly, no! 🙂
Jumper rider here that was able to go to Rolex this year. One word. Amazing. I was overwhelmed with the great shopping. Self control was hard.
Sounds like some good stuff, also you can come clean my tack too 😉
Haha as soothing as I find tack-cleaning to be, I think my hands are full! 🙂 Sand is everywhere!!
I miss southern pines! Glad you had a good lesson.
Sounds like a great lesson!
I need to remember to let Henry more more forward too, always something eh? haha
Have fun XC!
Those are great take-aways! I need to remember forward is a good thing as well. Also, a little attentiveness and freshness is good as well (my guy can be a little spooky recently…I like to think of it as being extra aware of his surroundings).
Like you, I also will fall back in the air sometimes. Recently I have discovered I need to focus on my core muscles (mainly lower abs) in order to maintain my seat lifted off the saddle through the entire phase of the jump.
I am from the NC area as well. Love Southern Pines. Have fun!
So nice to have a fellow NC blogger on here! And I absolutely understand your comments about using the core- I’ve been rediscovering mine in dressage and man, it makes a difference! Forgot those muscles were there! Thanks for reading 🙂