 |
| And it was awesome! Look how far his foot is in front of his nose! |
This isn't a trainer I've ridden with before, but I've seen her at every show. She's shown GP herself and has had several students earn their golds. I'm happy with the trainers I already work with, but I'm always interested in new perspectives, and Karen spoke highly of her lessons, and especially of her coaching at show warm-ups.
So, we went!
 |
| ROAD TRIP! |
There was a moment in the beginning of the lesson when I wondered if I'd made a mistake, if she was not the right type of trainer for a Welsh Cob. She is intense, in a good way, but in a way that flustered Connor, and I had to subtly and quietly manage that pressure for him. One of the first things we did was rest/bounce my whip on his croup at the trot to get a "sit" reaction out of him. If you know Connor, you know he hated this:
 |
| Get that whip off my butt lady! Thank you Karen for taking video. |
But after I reassured him he was a good boy when he gave me the right answer, it was so effective at getting the message across to a horse that really struggles with this concept.
I've always heard Welsh Cobs need to learn piaffe and passage before they really get the "sit and lower your croup" message, and what did this trainer say? Exactly that, only in the context of what she thought Connor needed and not in the larger breed context.
Just like my regular trainer, KGP identified that he likes to carry his hindquarters to the left all the time, and she had me do 10m trot circles in haunches in on the right (but not the left), which was SO hard but SO effective.
 |
| A few steps after we rejoined the rail in this GIF, she yelled out "THERE IT IS! There's your fancier horse!" |
At canter, here too she echoed what my own regular trainer has been saying lately, which is that "I understand it's probably taken a lot of work to get quickness in his hind legs, but you've done that and now it's time to work on collection." She said my default canter looks like we're taking off on an XC course, and I need to "recycle, rebalance, recycle, rebalance" constantly.
 |
| So Kate, I am definitely not following the motion of the canter with my hands enough here, I promise I've been working on this, honest 😂 |
But on a more meta level, and my most valued takeaway - I recognize that this same lesson would have been disastrous for me and Connor if I had tried to ride with her anytime before right now. If I wasn't as self-aware as I am now that pulling, clamping and tension are my default reactions to everything, the intensity, pressure and second toolkit nature of this lesson would have pushed me to push Connor to get more and more frustrated and wound up until he shook his head violently and got his tongue over the bit - which he did not do.
 |
| So consistent even with a super awkward whip change |
There were a couple of "fork in the road" moments in this lesson, where I chose to trip his pressure release valve by giving forward with the inside rein and scratching his withers and telling him he did good. In return, he SHOWED. UP. for me, and even handled things like a giant bucking lunging horse a few feet away from him at a barn he'd never been to before with no more than an ear flick.
In conclusion, KGP is definitely a trainer I need in my life, but in carefully measured doses. Too much of this type of lesson right now, and my biomechanics would regress, but too little of this type of lesson and I won't push him hard enough. My first toolkit-heavy trainers are a better fit on a day-in-day-out basis, but we need this trainer's level of intensity and pressure too in order to keep making progress.
Love KGP! She pushes you to do things you never thought possible. Great job Jen!
ReplyDeleteShe definitely pushes you, that is for sure. Thanks!
DeleteSounds like a great lesson!
ReplyDeleteIt was good!
DeleteSounds like such an awesome lesson! Connor looks great!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteSo fun! It's great when news eyes tell you similar things to what you have been hearing, but can also give a fresh perspective and challenge you in different ways!
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely, that about sums it up perfectly!
DeleteConnor looks awesome! Your last paragraph really speaks to me. Gav and I have lessoned 3 times now with Dylan's trainer AC. She's awesome, but definitely pushes both Gav and I pretty far out of our comfort zones. I think too many lessons and I'd have one cranky pony, but a lesson every month or two keeps us on our toes and looking forward.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's a balance, and I fully expect that balance to change over time as he adjusts to harder work as we move up the levels. How cool that you've been taking lessons with her! I loved the way she worked with Dillon.
DeleteWhat an AWESOME lessons!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely!
DeleteYou guys look sooooo cute and awesome. I love connor's flaxen locks and I'm jealous of your back, which might be weird to say. It's just really straight and soft.
ReplyDeleteThanks, that actually means a lot!
DeleteYou guys look great!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteAwesome! Good to be able to balance the 2 trainers to get what you and Connor need!
ReplyDelete3 really, lol. I get around.
DeleteThis sounds amazing!! I’m totally jealous of the progress you guys have been making :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. It hasn't come easy.
DeleteSounds like a really good lesson! I guess part of being a good rider and training is adding things to your "toolbox" all the time but also learning how best to deploy them for your particular horse.
ReplyDeleteYeah, exactly. You have to advocate for your horse even if it's just by knowing when to give and when to push.
DeleteEpilogue: We spent several hours in traffic on the way home and did not kill each other. lol!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was a slow blogging week so I made that into a totally separate post, haha!
DeleteWhat a great day! And I really like your insights at the end. You really seem to have a handle on what you need and when. That's a great thing to be on top of.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I don't think Cobs are total special snowflakes or anything, but they do have some particular emotional needs that I try to be sensitive to.
DeleteYasss! I rave about that trainer all the time. Her ability to take all kinds of horses and riders to upper levels is so awesome. You guys look great! Definitely a time to push, and I remember having to learn that lesson. Those released valve moments will be remembered by him, and build a more willing horse in all places, I'm sure! So cool!
ReplyDeleteIt was very cool!
DeleteSounds like she is more of a clinic type Trainer than your everyday one and that is totally ok - I think the best thing about this lesson was your ability to recognize what you need and don't need and what to apply and when.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I would agree with that. I could see taking these lessons 2-3 times a year and then maybe also using her at shows just because neither of my other trainers are usually at my shows.
Delete