Even shorter stirrups

[cwb]

Yup - it's Wednesday and you know what happens on Wednesdays?

You guessed it, Cleo gets to have me bounce about on top of her for a whole 45 minutes.

Well today she was super spooky - to start with she wouldn't even walk the length of the school, she turned into the school about halfway down. So I rode her in a 5 metre circle back to the track and it was like there was a glass wall in front of her. I rode her across the school and tried it on the other rein and the same thing - there was no way she was going down the end of the school. So the RI takes her in hand and leads her towards the end, she pushes the RI out of the way and really fights, eventually she got to the end and stood there with her ears flat back on her head - not a happy Cleo today! - see pic from video -

http://www.octarine-services.co.uk/riding/cleostand.bmp

So we used the top end of the school to start with and after the warm up the RI ups my stirrups even more than last time :eek:

Standing in walk is OK, standing in trot is OKish, standing in canter is much better - no more slapping by the saddle :p also easier to lean forward and stick my bum out but oh boy do my legs start to ache!

Slowly I extend the area we are working in down the other end of the school and Cleo is so busy she forgets to spook down there - eventually we are cantering over poles in light seat down both long sides of the school until she remembers her spookiness and as I squeeze her on over the second pole - almost at the bottom end - we get a lovely little buck! Watch carefully and you'll see both rear hooves come up behind the front legs -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42eOeUALmbc

Next time round and she spooks in exactly the same place but this time she plants both front hooves followed by the rear two and she does a couple of bunny hops!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkTzCgXs1_M

Well - I suppose we made some progress today and I did get a nice clean run in canter in 2 point, but of course it was "off camera" on the other side of the school! :mad: but here are the highlights of the lesson - including an amusing stop to look at a pole!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwnF8cl-E_8

Anyway, at the end of the lesson Hayley says, book next week's lesson on Tetley or Hovis 'cos Cleo doesn't jump!:confused:

So guess what we'll be up to next Wednesday :eek:

[vonandiz]

You're gonna be jumping next week - how fab is that? :D:D

Have you jumped before?

Did your RI have any idea of what Cleo was unhappy about? There really are a lot of invisible scary monsters around!

It sounds like you're making amazing progress. I'll look forward to reading your first "I've jumped" post. :D

[Nazdaq]

wow, lovely videos you sat that mini-buck and spook really well :D :D You have inspired me to video my lesson next week so thankyou and I love the way you write. :)
Look forward to the next update.

[cwb]

Thanks, Nazdaq, the buck felt fine - no worse than cantering over the poles, except it wasn't expected. The bunny hop almost had me out the front door but I jammed my hands down onto her neck!

I've added another video clip to the first post - a couple of nice canters in 2 point one plain and one over the poles plus an amusing incident where Cleo stops to look at the pole that wasn't there last time round :D

Vonandiz, very fab indeed :D - no I have never ever jumped - so it is scary as well as exciting! I have only cantered Tetley once and he is untidy in the transition, so I have booked an extra group lesson on him tomorrow to get used to him again so I don't waste any time next Wednesday!!

Some of the horses are bad down that end of the school - it may be the horse eating trees or the sounds from the golf course behind there. Cleo is usually just fine - just one of those days!

[goeslikestink]

um-- turn your foot so its striaght and not pointing out like duck feet then you would have a secure and better leg as your leg would be on the reason you nearly came out the side door is you havent an independant seat
push your weight evenly down into your ankles heals down toes up and oi your leathers up a hole

[cwb]

goeslikestink,

if you look at the video, my feet ARE almost straight - the reason they are turned out in the still picture is because I was leaning forward and sideways to stroke Cleo's neck to calm her in the spooky corner

also I am taught NOT to put weight into my heels or push them down, but to relax the leg and let my heel drop naturally

I do actually have quite a secure seat and my leg is getting more still as I practice the balance.

stirrups were up 8 holes from my normal riding position - I have long legs!

and it was the front door was going towards, not the side, fortunately Cleo has a large head and neck to help me out :D

[goeslikestink]

you wouldnt be in a bouncy trot if you work from an indepedant seat

and the spooky bit sit in and ignore it - then she ignores it