Dressage Lesson

Since we had quite a bit of rain lately, the only arenas we had to work in were the covered arena (where we do not have jumps set up--we have two other uncovered arenas designated for that) or the Dressage arena. I've been going back and forth in each while riding the last few days, but today we had a flat lesson working on our Dressage in our Dressage arena. I believe this is a first for us :) Dressage lesson IN the Dressage arena, haha.

Gertie has been a bit of a fresh pill the last few days. Crow hopping, spooking, bucking, rushing at the gaits, or sucking back/evading the bit.. just a turd. She is typically pretty darn good during our lessons (figures--but I do usually ride her the two days before my lesson) and today was no exception. So proud of her!

We worked in our 20m circles and getting me to use my inside thigh more to keep her bending to the outside rein. I feel a lot stronger than I was a few months ago and it was much easier to maintain this correctly.

Having ridden bareback for so long a while ago, I have been rather self conscious about slipping back into a chair seat if I bring my left leg forward (I tend to let it slip back--I over-exaggerate it out of concern that if I put it where it *needs* to be, that I will let my body go into chair seat). My trainer reassured me by saying that I am no where near going into a chair seat. I mean, I know I sit much better, keeping my pelvis/hip angle much more open, sitting more on my butt bones than I ever used to--it's just that mental block that has gotten to me. Once she said that, I felt like I could let that worry go and it then became easier to keep my leg where it needs to be to encourage my horse to continue forward.

It was good work! Using my core doesn't hurt now that I have built up the strength to actually use it. It doesn't take as much work as it used to and I don't feel like I am going to die after a few minutes. I can keep going longer before needing a break. Go me! Really proud of myself :) We kept decently straight and our canter was smooth as BUTTER! Man, she felt fabulous.

Gertie is so round and supple in the bit we have been using, I really need to find one like it for her and our Dressage shows. The Myler I want, I can't get or find it in the size that I need. I was going to get the one with hooks anyway, but decided I may as well get it w/o the hooks so I can use it in all shows. BUT it doesn't come in 4.75. Normally she takes a 5" but the Myler seems to run a tad big -_- just my luck. So I basically have no choice but to get the one WITH hooks. Not a big deal, other than I can't use it at Dressage shows. Though, looking through the USEF 2013 rulebook (may have just kept overlooking this), I cannot find where it says hooks being prohibited. I am certain it is not allowed, I just cannot find it.

Bleh. Anyway!