We're in the last two weeks of Connor's four months of full training, so I'm going to Cincinnati a lot the next two weeks to soak up all I can before CGP leaves for a relatively short Florida trip and I'm left here alone in the cold with my "new" pony.
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| Who is THE CUTEST not that I'm biased <3 |
No, your eyes don't deceive you: that's jump tack at a Dressage barn. CGP rents out one of her barns to a well-known Ohio eventing trainer, and every Saturday at 1pm there's a group of Dressage ladies that take a "jump" lesson from her, including CGP herself. I finally made it to one last Saturday. I say "jump, because it was a ground pole lesson, with four of them raised 6" on one side by the end. Not jumping oxers here, people!
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| Most of the time we started with the four trot poles, until the end when we rode it from the opposite direction. |
The poles stayed the same throughout, but we gradually increased the complexity of the pattern we rode through them, so this would be a great exercise for someone riding alone at home. We rode the entire thing at the trot, and it demanded precision in the figures and good turning skills - so exactly what I got drilled on by CGP the previous weekend.
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| Even through this horrible photo (sorry buddy) you can see how much muscle he's packed on. |
We never visibly struggled with it, partially because even the tight turns are easy on a pony, but the event trainer perceptively said, "His evasions aren't super obvious to someone standing on the ground, but I'm sure they are in the saddle. He likes to put his head down and rush, so it's not as obvious as [other rider's Saddlebred that wants to become a giraffe] even though both make the exercise harder. Make him slow his feet down and take bigger, loftier steps."
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| Review coming soon - I am kind of in live with there Majyk Equipe sparkle pads |
Something in my brain clicked in midair and I let go with my hands, sat up, and suddenly found myself with a slower, more rideable pony. So for the zillionth time, DON'T F****** PULL ON THE REINS!
I hope I can join this lesson more in the future!
Sounds like a fun lesson to mix things up a bit. Love that saddle pad, but I feel Connor needs some teal boots? For the next level matching thing? ;-)
ReplyDeleteLol, those are teal boots! You just have to look closely for the insert. I'm not THAT into matchy matchy!
DeleteYay for "Jompies"! I think Connor and Shiny are a bit similar (though his work ethic is a lot stronger...) She too likes to get rush through the front end. I'm forever trying to get the slow trot just bigger not faster. Some day. Hopefully!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for you to get your boy back home!
Connor and Shiny together would be a scary team, lol. I'm excited too! Nervous but excited.
DeleteAhhh I love reading about you guys right now. <3
ReplyDeleteThank youuuuuuuu <3 It's been a good year for blog content, that's for sure.
Delete🤣🤣🤣 I need a bumper sticker for my trunk (so I can giggle at shows) that says "DON'T F****** PULL ON THE REINS". Had my own come to terms with that (still a struggle) and helped someone else with it this weekend too, haha.
ReplyDeleteBahahaha. That struggle is sooooooo real. I feel like the rest of my riding career is going to be re-learning this over and over.
DeleteIt's super cool that the dressage barn cross trains like that and you were able to participate in it!
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