Dressage novice, our progress together!

[Kira657]

Me and kira as some of you may know are dressage novices and have just started doing lots of it with the help of a friend of mine, this is quite an old pic but feel free to critique. We've come a long way since this picture so i'll try and get some more recent ones. I am so pleased with the difference in my mare, her whole attitude towards being ridden has changed since we started schooling regularly, she's gone from a hollow maniac to a much softer more pleasant ride!

I've also been trying to train myself into riding with a longer leg, i'ts not until I saw theses pics that i realised i've still got a way to go! And also realised my horrid habit of looking at Kiras face whilst i'm riding and tilting my head to one side!Thanks for looking
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f126/kira9144/Image031.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f126/kira9144/horsey002.jpg

[PonyGirlAsh]

Awww you guys look so cute together!

Don't kill me everyone, but I think I read in some recent issue of Practical Horseman that some fancy dressage school in Spain or somewhere teaches all their students to focus their eyes on the horses ears/neck, so they can really feel in tune with their horse and let the horse concentrate on what is ahead.

I was taught to look up at all times (my RI practically took my eyes out of my head when I was like 7), but some do it differently in other schools of thought. :)

Love the second piccie.

[Kira657]

Thanks for the reply, can't say i've ever heard of that one!x

[skewpie]

She looks lovely ,bit lazy in the second pic perhaps and evading a little by overbending but you both look relaxed and comfortable maybe she needs to know you mean it!
I hate to critique anyone cos who the heck am I to do that but if she was mine thats what I would be wanting good luck anyway Rosie and I have jusy started last year all our comments have been really good "when the rider learns to RELAX" how do you do THAT!