# New avenues - first year on the dressage team!



## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Well, as soon as I get to the post office and get a shipping envelope, you will have a pair of show breeches in the mail. I'm glad I have a few extra pairs! So, unless they end up not fitting....you can scratch those off any list.

CHEERS!!!


Oh, and it isn't the rising trot you need to start worrying about....it is the SITTING trot!! MWAHAHA!!!!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Absolutely! Had to get a pair of breeches to practice in, too. 

And oh yeah...posting is not dressage...I have a lot of learning to do.


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

So, lesson was today! 

I felt less enthusiastic and excited about my lesson when I woke up today than I did yesterday, but only because yesterday was such a bad day. My field boots that I ordered off eBay didn't fit, even though I measured my foot and bought the size I'd tried on in the store. And the zipper to the neoprene zip case for my Macbook stopped working, so I can't zip it up; I have to leave the case open when I put my laptop in my backpack. I had placed my backpack by my bed and was getting my laptop out when it started to fall out of its case. I reached for it so fast I whacked my eye on the bedpost and now have a red mark near my eyebrow. 

But once 2:30 rolled around, I was ready to ride! Good thing I still have my paddock boots and half chaps. It was a pretty easy drive there. The barn was nice, neat, and clean. I got put on a horse named Violet, who was a pinto - or could have been a paint, looked Quarter Horse-ish to me. I definitely needed a refresher course on grooming and tacking horses, though I did remember the curry comb takes circular motions. 

But I did decently once I actually got on Violet. She was a lot more willing to trot than Impy, the horse I rode at my old barn. Our instructor had us posting (it was a group lesson - we had 3 people this time but are going to break it up into 2 and 1 next time) rather than sitting trot. I guess we'll get to REAL dressage once we get some more experience. At first I had a hard time figuring out if I was on the right diagonal, but when I was correct, it just felt...right. I don't know how else to describe it other than that. The horse's motion naturally helps lift you out of the saddle. 

And I don't remember my first instructor at the old barn telling me this 6 years ago (maybe she did but hey, I was in 8th grade), but I got a lot of practice with turning - whenever you pull one of the reins, you squeeze with the opposite leg. It was an "aha" moment when the instructor told me, "You're not doing anything wrong, but you're not _riding_ the horse as much as you should be right now." After I knew that, I did a lot better. I admit I had some trouble staying up and centered in the posting trot when we went over some poles on the ground, but I improved by about the 6th time I did it. 

All in all, my grand return to riding was just about all I expected and wanted it to be. I'm not as rusty as I thought originally, but I have a ways to go before I'll be riding dressage tests. But I'm here to learn. Our team instructor is wonderful, and very forgiving, yet lets you know what to do. And I'm happy that the other girl who will be sharing my lesson spot is an almost exact match with me as far as skill and experience. It was a good day. MUCH better than yesterday. But I don't want to have to walk up any stairs for the next few days :shock:


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

Sounds like it went very good! Congrats!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Thanks!


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

No photos?? No photos??????


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

oh...yeah. forgot about photos...


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Lesson #2! 

Lesson, which was at 3 PM on Thursday, got moved to 8 AM on Friday. I'll take it because it may be the only way I can take lessons with the team this year, but it's a bit too early. Oh well. We did a lot more patterns: riding over poles, doing serpentines and 20-meter circles at a posting trot. At first I was cutting my serpentines short a little - I was turning too early. But then our coach told me to hug the wall a little longer and it was a lot better. I was surprised I could hold myself up better over the poles without falling on the horse's neck, and could adjust to the altered trot, too. I also caught on pretty well to changing my diagonals when I went through the serpentine. But I had quite a bit of trouble at keeping my heels down at the same time I squeezed the horse's body while going up during posting. That will get better as my leg muscles get stronger. We were in the roofed ring today because it was raining. When my lesson buddy and I rode back to the barn, hot and sweaty, it started pouring. It actually felt pretty good to end a lesson by just casually riding at a walk through nice cool rain. 

Sometimes I realize my lesson isn't the most fun while I'm riding, but I sure feel good once it's over, because I was glad to have done it. I think it's because I'm out of shape, riding-wise, and get out of breath and sore. However, I wasn't nearly as sore after this lesson as I was after last. A week ago, I couldn't even walk up stairs. I think it will be a good year


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I never squeeze when I am rising in the trot. I always do it when I am down, you could try doing that.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Congrats on the second lesson! It will get easier every time. You will build your endurance and fitness as you go. You will have great days when you take five steps forward...balanced by the not so great days when you take two steps back. As long as the progress is somewhat forward, no worries.

Have fun!!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Ray, this is what my coach told me to do...


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Congratulations! SOOOO much fun!!! Boy, you'll have a MUCH better seat after riding with the Dressage Team than you've ever had before. *Have LOADS of fun this year!!*


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Lesson #3!

Friday's lesson probably felt the best out of the three I had so far, even though it was a tad frustrating at times. I almost never felt out of breath, and was barely sore at all. My lesson buddy and I were introduced to the wonderful world of leg yielding. I had never even heard of that before. But, as with all the new concepts I've been introduced to over these first three lessons, I struggled at first then the lightbulb went off. Our coach taught us to "tickle" the inside rein, then pull the outside rein while applying pressure with the inside leg. Somehow I couldn't coordinate it at first. But then she asked me to get off my horse and to borrow my helmet. Unlike the instructor at my old barn, she actually got on my horse and showed me when I had trouble grasping the concept. I could see what she was doing and watched the horse step over. That was this lesson's lightbulb moment. Seeing someone else do it while listening to them explain the process really helped. Also, I was told my serpentines improved since last time. This was probably also the most fun lesson so far because once I started to grasp leg yielding, it felt pretty good, and I was able to use leg and a little bit of the crop to get my sluggish horse trotting at a good pace. Except that once, he decided to jump over the ground poles rather than just stepping over. I wasn't expecting that but my lesson buddy told me she was impressed I held on!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Home dressage show weekend!

So our dressage team hosted its home show this weekend. I didn't get to show, but that's probably because since I had originally tried out for the hunter/jumper team, I started my lessons a few weeks late. Oh well - there are 2 more shows I could be placed in this semester and if not, I have 2.5 more years! 

This was the first time our team has hosted a show, and it's only the second year the team has existed, so everyone needed all the help they could get. Saturday we left campus at 8:30 AM to head to our barn to clean horses and tack and get everything loaded to go to the show arena. I brushed Beacon, the horse I usually ride in lessons, and sat in the tack room with about 7 other girls on the team to clean saddles and bridles. It was work, all right, but it didn't feel like it because a) It's with horses and b) We were all talking and getting to know each other.

Yesterday - Sunday - was the show. I got up at 5:45 AM when there were still stars in the sky to leave at 6:30 AM. Once there, we brushed and tacked horses. It was absolutely freezing, only 30 degrees, and I don't have any jackets on campus that I can get dirty, so I was just wearing a sweatshirt. Not a good idea. My job for most of the day was to lead horses back and forth from the barn to the arena, and to help switch the ring to a smaller size for the lower level riders. I did get to watch several tests. Especially for the first-level riders (the highest IDA level), I didn't quite know what I was looking for, since I'd only seen hunt/jump shows in the past (oh, no, I did watch Olympic eventing on TV). But I could tell when the horse was going into an extended trot. And more than anything else, I could tell when the test was going well and when the rider was struggling. Our team placed last out of 6 in overall scores, but once again, our team has only existed for 1 1/3 years now. It was fun, I got to know my fellow team members, and yes I was frozen and exhausted, but it was worth it.


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Mid-week update: goals/aspirations!

I've decided that I'd like to get into eventing. I like dressage, but I also like jumping, and what better way to practice both? My goal is to complete my remaining 3 years of college on the dressage team, graduate, move out West (hopefully Scottsdale, AZ), and train in all 3 eventing disciplines. I'd like to compete in my first event within 2 years of graduating college. In doing some research, I was surprised at the amount of barns offering hunter/jumper/dressage lessons in places like Arizona!

Also, I'm currently an IDA Intro level rider. My goal is to at least move up to Lower Training, which is the level right above mine. I might be able to make it to Upper Training, but I doubt I'd get into actual first-level dressage in the next 3 years. It could happen and I'm not saying I can't do it, but I'm not going to set unrealistically high goals for myself, then make myself feel bad when I don't achieve them. So for now, I'll keep working hard, but my goal is to move up at least one IDA level by the time I graduate.


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Lesson #4!

Probably the most difficult lesson yet, but I learned a lot.

Today my coach and I discovered that when posting, my leg slides back too far, the stirrups slide back to my heel, and my toes really don't stay up as much as they need to. Apparently, the stirrups should go closer to the ball of the foot. She told me to push my leg forward toward the girth every time I post up. At first, although I could tell what I was doing wrong and I could feel that I was doing it wrong, but I couldn't tell what to do instead in order to correct this. Also, Violet was being really sluggish and stubborn today - she's one of 2 horses I've ridden so far. So first the coach gave me a crop, then had me trade for a whip. I was also told that I was being too delicate with my use of the whip. 

After a while, I did get a lot better with keeping my leg forward. It will take some time to achieve consistency with this. Once I discovered what it felt like to push my legs forward when posting, it became easier to tell when I was doing it right. I did have to slow down to a walk, or stop altogether, a few times, because my stirrups had slid so far back on my foot. Also, the coach told me it would be helpful to turn my feet out, especially when kicking Violet to get her moving. This actually helped keep my toes up when posting. We rode a few patterns - we rode one of the IDA Intro tests today. Both my lesson buddy and I were generally having trouble. She has more trouble with her hands than I do, but her legs are more consistent than mine. Sometimes our coach has us ride the patterns by ourselves. I find this is helpful, especially to watch the other rider to see what she does. If she does something well, I try to duplicate it. If she could improve upon something, I try to remember it so I can work on it myself. Also, I learned the meaning of "medium walk" and "free walk" today. I felt clueless - this is what happens when you take a 5-6 year break from riding! Never again will I choose marching band over riding. 

Anyway, when I was walking with the girl on the dressage team who drives my lesson buddy and I to lessons, the first thing I said to her is, "Well, I'm not going to the next show." It was definitely a struggle, and I feel like my ankles might hurt tomorrow, but definitely a necessary learning experience. Staying positive!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Lesson #5!

The first 10-15 minutes of my lesson were a bit difficult, but I'd say I did pretty well after that. I was riding Sony, which was the horse my lesson buddy rode last week. And she had Violet, the horse I rode last week. So we switched horses. I was glad about that. Violet can be a bit stubborn, but all the dressage girls love Sony. 

It was certainly an interesting lesson. We started off riding figure 8s, but I couldn't really conceptualize that as a pattern. So when the other girl led, Sony got too close to Violet, so I tried to pass on the inside, and ended up cutting her off because I forgot that she'd be turning to make the figure. I think my instructor thought I wasn't listening to her instructions to do a figure 8. Then, shortly after that, one of the horses at pasture got loose somehow, so that was a little chaotic - a lot of shouting between our instructor and the others working at the stable.

After that, our instructor was mostly teaching the other girl, because Violet was being super stubborn and spooking at nothing. The horse kept throwing her off balance. I was doing a lot better with pushing my leg forward toward the girth when posting and keeping my toes up. I did get told to keep my shoulders back and also to not let Sony put her head down. I feel as though every lesson, my instructor points out a new problem with my riding that I start to get the hang of by the end of my lesson. Then when the next lesson comes around, I've done much better with what I was told last lesson, but something new comes up that I could improve on. Well, that's riding, and that's life! It's difficult, but if it weren't difficult, it wouldn't be a challenge, and I'd get bored. I can't say I'm loving _every single second_ I'm on a horse, but overall...it's worth it.


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Lesson #7! Whoops, forgot to write about last week's lesson!

Today I was on Molly. She's known as the resident stubborn pony of the barn - basically, she's a challenging learning experience that every rider on the dressage team has to have. I didn't know how it would go at first, but hoped she wouldn't be too difficult. I got to carry a dressage whip because apparently it's a little tough to get her moving. That was pretty accurate. I had to give her a good smack or two to get her to trot, but once she did, she had a pretty quick step! So that was actually pretty enjoyable. Molly tended to cut turns short, and required an active use of leg and reins to get her to cooperate. Like our coach said, this is good for me because it requires me to actually _ride_, and to think about leg aides a lot as I ride. This is a challenge, because I think my lesson buddy, having taken riding lessons more recently than I did, is better with her leg than I did.

But the best part of my lesson is that I got to canter! We only got to canter halfway around the indoor ring at a time, but all it took with Molly was one good smack to get her to canter. The horse I used to ride at my old barn, Impy, was similarly stubborn. I almost wish I could have another lesson on Impy (who liked to break her canter into a trot, which kept me from getting a proper cantering education until now), because now I know how to communicate with a stubborn horse. I loved the feel of her quick step - both at the trot and the canter. I caught on to the natural rhythm and the movement of my hips with the pony almost right away. At the end of my lesson, I just couldn't stop smiling.

And I'm going home for Thanksgiving break today!


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

You have GOT to get a friend to take some photos....you're KILLING me!!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Ok, I'll see what I can do!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Lesson #8!

It was sort of a messy, yet fun, lesson. I was on Molly again. And I realized that I'm so focused on everything else I have to be doing that sometimes I forget about my leg aides. I'm thinking about keeping my hands down, about shortening the outside rein, about the right diagonal, about the pattern I'm riding, about turning my head the way I'm turning before the turn, about staying centered, about keeping my heels down. By the time I've thought about all of those things, I've forgotten to, say, use the inside leg to help push Molly out to the outside. Also, I've come to rely on the whip a tad too much when riding Molly. She doesn't want to go to trot or canter, so I got used to just tapping her instead of asking with the leg first. So sometimes, she was cantering when I just wanted her to trot. But I think I've come a long way since the beginning of the semester, when I didn't even know the meaning of "leg aides." 

But we did do a lot of cantering today, and our instructor told us that both of us were doing a lot better than last time. I was able to stay balanced better. Also, I was bouncing too much at the beginning, but then our instructor told me to not be so stiff through the hips, to keep myself balanced by not letting my outside shoulder go back too much, and to let myself rock back a little bit. Once I remembered that, it was fantastic. Molly is a quick little pony, and when she starts to canter, the whole world falls away. I love the dressage team, but I also can't wait to jump. Hopefully I can trade barn work for lessons this summer. I need to have a job so I can pay for my dressage team lesson block during the school year, and it would be nice if I didn't have to pay for summer lessons. Maybe then I could jump! I did jump when I was in 8th grade, but only a few times.


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Lesson #9, last lesson of the semester!

Not much to say for this one. On Molly and cantering for the third lesson in a row. This time, we got to ride 20-meter circles at the canter. We did some more complex patterns this time. For some reason, I kept forgetting what the next step in the pattern was. Usually I can remember them pretty well.

The dressage team had a formal get-together in the evening. I'm so happy to have found such a great group of girls! Now I'm attempting to study for finals and all I can think about is riding. I may have found somewhere to take lessons over the summer, if the parents will let me. And as soon as I get back from break, I'll be working even harder to eat healthy and exercise so that maybe I'll get chosen to ride in a show during the spring. Also hoping to pick up some field boots over break with the Christmas money. 

I won't be writing for 4 or so weeks, because I won't be riding over the holiday break - the only bad thing about break!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Forgot to write about my first lesson of the new semester, but here's the second!

Instead of riding at 8 AM on Fridays, I'm now riding at 8 PM on Thursdays. I woudln't mind that time if it weren't during the new season of 30Rock! I have usually been riding Molly, but yesterday I got to ride a completely new horse: Rocco. He's big compared to Molly, who's a little pony just big enough for me. Rocco was also sort of stangely conformed, so he had a bouncier canter than I was used to. But I was having a lot of trouble with his transitions. He really didn't want to canter from the trot, but he was more sensitive to the aides than Molly, so if you tried to use a crop on him, he'd just take off. Our coach talked about using inside leg, then raising the outside arm, to get him to canter. She suggested grabbing a handful of mane, and by the end, it was getting a bit easier. But I still couldn't get him to transition just when I wanted him to, so I think I got a little frustrated at times and forgot what else I was doing. It made me mess up my pattern sometimes. I don't think I'll be going to the first show. But maybe the next one a few weeks after that. I was also told for perhaps the first time to lengthen the reins a bit so that I could bend my elbows when I ride. We also did some standing at the trot, and I was having trouble keeping my balance. I don't remember having that much trouble last semester. But oh well...we're still just starting off the semester and I'm sure it'll all get better!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Lesson #3 of the new semester - 12 total since the beginning of fall semester!

This lesson was a LOT better than last week's. I was back on Molly. I'm used to her but she's still tough at times. I had to readjust to her quick step, but I had a much easier time with transitions between gaits than I did with Rocco - even without using the crop sometimes. Coach commented "I think Molly likes you." I think so too. What a cute little pony! I think I'm getting a lot better at the canter, although I did almost lose a stirrup, which meant my leg position isn't steady enough yet. Also another thing I improved on is not falling forward when transitioning downward from canter to trot, or trot to walk. I tend to lean forward when I make those transitions, but when I do that, I get thrown off balance. I'm trying to remind myself to lean back a little. 

We're working on standing in the stirrups at the trot and I sometimes lose balance but am getting better. We're also doing some patterns - I think we're going to ride some actual dressage tests next lesson. What I do is focus too much on the movement I'm doing right now that I forget to give the horse a clear cue of where we need to go next. I need to be thinking ahead a little more, because this will be important when actually riding tests in a show.


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Lesson #4 of the semester - 13th lesson total!

I had a pretty good lesson. I was on Rocco, the horse I had trouble on 2 weeks ago. But this week...no issues! I felt a lot better about what I did. Mainly we worked on riding the official Intro B dressage test, which is what they have riders ride in IDA shows. What I have to work on is knowing where I want the horse to go before we get there and giving it clear cues. If I don't do that, some horses - especially the lazier ones - tend to just go wherever they feel like going when you're not giving them directions. I feel like I did that much better this week. Also, I sort of won the award for best free walk. The other two girls weren't letting the reins out the whole way and not quick enough. At least that's what our instructor said to me. But for whatever reason, I had trouble telling if I was on the right diagonal with Rocco. Maybe because this is only the second time I've ridden him. 

Then near the end we switched horses. There are 2 other girls who take lessons with me. It's a good learning experience because you have to readjust to a different horse's unique tendencies. When we switched, I got on Molly, the quick yet stubborn pony I usually ride. I felt I actually did better on Rocco, even though I'm more familiar with Molly. I didn't have any problems with my diagonal on Molly though - again because I'm used to her!

I really hope I get to be in a dressage show soon!

Also I wish I got to jump. I jumped a little bit back when I started riding, but just really low stuff. I'd like to get back to it. Maybe this summer when I take lessons at home!


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Glad all is going well with you. I sure wish you had some photos of these lessons, though!!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

I'll ask if they can take pics at the next lesson...

Lesson #5 of the semester - 2 weeks ago forgot to write!

I had a pretty decent lesson. Not much to report. We rode patterns and such.

Lesson #6 of the semester, 15th lesson total!

I was riding Sony, who is not my usual lesson horse. These days, I've been riding Molly. Our coach told me Sony is a lot more sensitive to the aides, so I can't kick her like I have to do with Molly. And this was true. For a while, I accidentally had my right rein shorter than my left, so when I pulled back to ask her to stop, she wouldn't stop and kept turning right. We rode the Intro B test in our lesson. Our instructor put poles down to make our large ring the size of the dressage ring. I did much better than the last time I rode that test, though my lesson buddy and I both had trouble visualizing what a really round circle would look like. I was getting it toward the end, though! Also, I did a lot better with keeping my heels down. Last time, I was losing stirrups almost every time I cantered. This time? Only once. And of course, Sony not being the stubborn little pony Molly was, it was easy to get her to canter so the transitions were better overall. My lesson buddy and I are going to ask the instructor if, for our last lesson of the semester, we can jump some basic crossrails or something. It's been forever since I jumped and I miss it! Also I have to make some calls to see where I can ride over the summer.


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

I am so sorry I haven't written in quite a while!

Lessons are going well. I know I missed telling you all about 2 or 3. I believe this is lesson #10.

Last lesson I rode Sony. The previous 2 lessons, I rode horses who are much more sensitive than I'm used to: Tommy and Spice. You barely even have to touch them to get them to canter. Spice, in fact, is so bad that if you touch her with your leg and DON'T mean for her to canter, she probably will anyway. It taught me that I'm using too much leg sometimes. But anyway, Sony is a more moderate horse. She's not overly sensitive like Tommy or Spice, but she's not like Molly who you can kick and kick and she won't budge. Sony transitions pretty easily, but won't freak out if you squeeze her a little. I like that I'm being moved around to more different horses lately. It's a learning experience. Tommy and Spice are more advanced horses, so that must mean our instructor thinks I'm getting better! Anyway, the lesson this week went pretty well. I'm doing much better with keeping my heels down and having good form when cantering. That's mostly what we worked on. 

I may have found a place to ride over the summer. They teach dressage AND jumping, which would be perfect for me, as I hope to get into eventing one day. 

Also, found a used black velvet show helmet at the local tack shop, but it looks like new, and it was a heck of a deal, and it fits right, so we bought it.


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Also will be taking some pictures next lesson!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

I had 2 lessons in one day because I had a make-up and it was the only time we could fit it in! Exhausting, but a good exhausting.

During the first lesson, we rode a lot of patterns. Our instructor asked us to make up a pattern so the horses don't get too used to riding the Intro B test, the one most commonly used at IDA shows. This time, it was a pretty difficult one with cantering, 4-loop serpentines, and standing down the long side. I discovered I don't do very well with standing at the trot. I keep falling back into the saddle and can't really hold myself up long enough. But we'll work on that! But for the most part, it went well. We also did ride the Intro B test. We discovered that both my lesson buddy and I aren't making our circles very even, so we rode in circles for a while at the trot to just get those even. I was riding Molly, my favorite pony. She's a stubborn one, but I felt pretty proud because by now, we have a "relationship," and I don't even need to touch her with the dressage whip, whereas I used to need to really give her a smack. 

The second lesson, we rode the pattern we made in the morning again and did a lot of cantering. Wasn't much to report there. It was the last lesson for the year and I hope to have something lined up for summer, but I will miss the team. I'll be back next year though! I'll start a separate journal for summer. Pictures of my lesson coming tomorrow!


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Here is a photo of me riding Molly, my favorite pony in the barn!


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

You and your horse Molly are adddoooorable together! It's funny how you're staying completely out of her way at a canter and she's all put together 

Gotta take up some contact though eventually, missy! 

What kind of horse is she?


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Thank you! She's not _my_ horse - unfortunately, I'm one of those horseless equestrians, so she's just owned by the barn, but I love her and I wish she could be my horse! I believe she's part Haflinger? I'm not 100% on that though. 

Is the "staying out of her way at a canter" a good thing? And as for contact - would you mean bending my elbows more? I'm new to dressage, and in fact, this is my first year taking riding lessons in 6-ish years. I did, then stopped because of marching band, and started back up now that I'm in college, so excuse my ignorance


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

saddlesandskis said:


> Is the "staying out of her way at a canter" a good thing? And as for contact - would you mean bending my elbows more? I'm new to dressage, and in fact, this is my first year taking riding lessons in 6-ish years. I did, then stopped because of marching band, and started back up now that I'm in college, so excuse my ignorance


I could see a little of that being in her, very pretty girl!

Well it can be a great thing, and I'm still learning too but since Dressage is all about connecting with the horse with a deep seat, and through the bit and having the horse carry himself appropriately so he's on his hind, etc. etc. (I am just a beginner so I won't talk about it too much since I'd be getting into shady waters.)

Anyway see how your reins are kind of looped loose so you technically aren't connected through the bit. You're reaching forward a lot. Your hands should be a little closer to your body and the reins should be like elastic to her mouth. Right now if you bring your hands back, then you would have contact. Bit contact is when every action that you do is physically felt in the horse's mouth via the bit. 

Now since you're cantering your horse will have a head bob most likely so you want to move your arms in time with that head bob. When your horse's head bobs down, arms go forward, to follow the movement. When it bobs back up, your arms go close to your body again. So you're essentially opening and closing your elbows. Now when you are riding your horse forwards, you need to push them into the bridle so that the contact stays the same and doesn't jarr the horse in the mouth. No it doesn't hurt them but you want the horse to use all of the muscles along its spine and all of the top of the neck muscles. Right now your pony girl seems to be doing great by working her back, but see how her neck is in a straight line up instead of nice and relaxed low? 

Since you asked for some help, I hope you don't mind me explaining it a little bit 

But that's what I meant by keeping out of her way. You aren't impeding her movement (which is great!) but you aren't using all that energy from the hind; it's essentially just going out the window. Anebel made a really good analogy. She said 

"Collection is like a tube of toothpaste. You want to squish all the toothpaste into the front of the tube so it's easy to use, but if you leave the cap off you squish out all the toothpaste. Right now there is toothpaste all over your bathroom, you need to get that cap on."

Right now you are riding a flat canter. Once she's alll put together, you'll be riding a powerful rounded canter.

Hope I helped


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## saddlesandskis (Aug 13, 2011)

Yes you did! Thank you! My instructor has told me to bring my elbows back before, but I never got the connection with collection and contact until now!


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