The ups and downs: working on transitions

I think we've all had those lessons where we are a little disappointed that we couldn't get the horse to canter, the pony spooked and was distracted the rest of the lesson, etc. etc. My lesson with D was running a little late (she's got them back to back and would never rush anyone, so I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often!) so I got to watch the dressage lesson that goes on simultaneously. I think I've mentioned this group before, they are all seasoned riders (hunter/jumper most likely) who seem to be new to dressage. So much of what the instructor is talking about goes over my head. She usually tells one rider to do something differently (that I can't see) and the rider gets it (but I can't see that) and she goes, "Do you feel that?! Much better!" (What? Feel what?!)...In any case, hopefully with time I will be a better observer. Until then, it's still interesting to see what better riders look like! But back to my point. There were a couple riders who were disappointed with their mounts. One lamented that she felt like she will never get to canter. She had, sort of...a bad attitude! I think we spend so much time waiting to get into the saddle (and so much money, sigh) that if it doesn't go well, it's really easy to get down on it. But, no matter what, a bad attitude is not a good look. It might have made more sense to wait until the end of the lesson and take the instructor to the side and ask what she could have done better, if maybe she could have a try on a different horse next time or whether it was in her best interest to keep trying to figure this horse out. Like I said, this was a more experienced rider than me, but in a previous life she had her own horse, so I'm wondering if there are somethings that are new to her, too!

Ok, now about transitions. My lesson was just focusing on transitions. To the point where D told me to ignore any bad riding I was doing when actually in the canter, trot, etc. We really focused on "revving in the engine" - getting energy stored up through half halts to really GO in upwards transitions (not so much speed-wise as response-wise). Downward transitions, I was a little troublesome going from trot to walk. I was riding Chance, the youngster, and he was all amp'd up near the end of my lesson (which was, ironically, because he hadn't had his dinner yet) so getting him down to a walk required planning ahead. Everything required planning ahead in transitions, which is something it's taking me a while to learn. Also, the downside to just focusing on transitions was my steering was bonkers (would have been easier to be a lunge lesson!). There was an obstacle that we kept almost barreling through because I would fixate on it, thinking, "Don't go into the obstacle!" but really my body was saying, "to the obstacle! Tally ho!"