So I last did a lesson diary back in 2012 (will have to go back and see what I wrote then) but I've decided the time has come to do it again. I'm not expecting anyone to read it - but I think it would be useful for me to log my thoughts after every lesson and see what progress I've made.
Having spent a couple of years pootling around on my share horse without any lessons I finally decided I needed some regardless of not being able to afford it as me and Flicka (the lovely share mare) were becoming worse every time we rode.
I have been having lessons with a wonderful dressage instructor. Flicka's owner asked her to teach me and I think she is definitely doing it as a favour to her, as I must be one of her most useless students ever! But despite that she is very encouraging and also very specific about what she wants me to do - which I love.
I've been having weekly lessons for a couple of months, and I'm not going to go back over all we've done so far, except to say we have made progress. F is now much straighter, and we've started managing to transitions in and out of canter more or less where I asked and to canter in more or less a straight line down the 3/4 line for the length of the school. I have also become a bit straighter, and a lot less tense!
So to my report of this week's lesson:
It was too short due to me moronically having left the keys to F's cupboard behind and having to go back and fetch them, but we still squeezed in 40 minutes. F was in a lazy mood for the first time in a lesson. My RI told me to bring a whip next time! But we got some decent trot (i think). We focused on speeding up and slowing down the trot within the pace. RI was getting me to kick sharply (or smack her shoulder with the end of the reins which I found difficult to actually do) until she sped up and then to do nothing (ie not nag with the leg) until she was about to slow - then kick again. She was also getting me to slow the trot with my seat. RI kept saying 'do nothing with your leg' when I thought I was doing nothing - showing I obviously don't hold it still enough - need to work on that.
We managed to spiral in from a 20 metre circle to a 10 metre one and out again reasonably easily. F seemed to be doing better at bending correctly (so I could just see her eye some of the time) than is usually the case.
Also did giving and retaking the rein in trot and trotting on a long rein. With the latter F was tending to cut in, I think because I was tending to lean in. I have to really concentrate on putting weight into my outside stirrup to stop me motorbiking.
Okay that is it for the first instalment...
Having spent a couple of years pootling around on my share horse without any lessons I finally decided I needed some regardless of not being able to afford it as me and Flicka (the lovely share mare) were becoming worse every time we rode.
I have been having lessons with a wonderful dressage instructor. Flicka's owner asked her to teach me and I think she is definitely doing it as a favour to her, as I must be one of her most useless students ever! But despite that she is very encouraging and also very specific about what she wants me to do - which I love.
I've been having weekly lessons for a couple of months, and I'm not going to go back over all we've done so far, except to say we have made progress. F is now much straighter, and we've started managing to transitions in and out of canter more or less where I asked and to canter in more or less a straight line down the 3/4 line for the length of the school. I have also become a bit straighter, and a lot less tense!
So to my report of this week's lesson:
It was too short due to me moronically having left the keys to F's cupboard behind and having to go back and fetch them, but we still squeezed in 40 minutes. F was in a lazy mood for the first time in a lesson. My RI told me to bring a whip next time! But we got some decent trot (i think). We focused on speeding up and slowing down the trot within the pace. RI was getting me to kick sharply (or smack her shoulder with the end of the reins which I found difficult to actually do) until she sped up and then to do nothing (ie not nag with the leg) until she was about to slow - then kick again. She was also getting me to slow the trot with my seat. RI kept saying 'do nothing with your leg' when I thought I was doing nothing - showing I obviously don't hold it still enough - need to work on that.
We managed to spiral in from a 20 metre circle to a 10 metre one and out again reasonably easily. F seemed to be doing better at bending correctly (so I could just see her eye some of the time) than is usually the case.
Also did giving and retaking the rein in trot and trotting on a long rein. With the latter F was tending to cut in, I think because I was tending to lean in. I have to really concentrate on putting weight into my outside stirrup to stop me motorbiking.
Okay that is it for the first instalment...