Thursday, September 1, 2016

JK on that progress...

...Well, no, I HAVE been learning a few things. Like sending a disinterested pony over ground poles if he does not have pace can lead to a bit of a tumble. My instructor had us looping around the outside ring and approaching ground poles correct at the trot, then canter. At the trot, the pony slowed waaay down and tripped over the poles, landed on his knees and I landed on my feet. On the ground. I guess that's what makes learning on short ponies so great. Question here, should I have tried to stay on? I was sort of worried he would really fall down and I would get crushed, but maybe that's just a weird fear. In any case, I sprang to my feet and aborted. Had to get back on and drive him forward better.

Learned a few things:

Path: The poles were on the short side, off the rail, and my instructor pointed out they should be taken on a bending line because of this.

Pace: Getting a good pace has to happen before said path and maintained on the approach. This pony is SO over crops that he doesn't respond well to them (see previous post), so next time we will use a dressage whip, and my instructor might show me how to use spurs with him.

I think riding has made me a bigger fan of the seasons. Our lesson was so hot on Sunday at noon that I thought I was going to puke. Hello, fall!

Angelina


3 comments:

  1. oh that's happened to me before where we were doing this exercise with alternating poles raised on one side (left raised, then right raised... etc) where she was expected to raise her little legs higher and she tripped and we both nearly toppled over but she managed to pull herself together. in your situation, i'd ask your instructor what they thought.

    i can't believe you had a lesson right at noon. oyyyy.....

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    1. Yes, and of course, now that it's fall, she's moving me to a 10am lesson...

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    2. ha. murphy's law. i would never ever take a noontime lesson ever again! i remember just everyone standing there with zero energy...

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