Back to Basics

The number of posts you've seen on this blog in the last 6 months (hint - 0) is a pretty good indicator of how NOT motivated I have been to ride or to write for that matter! But! Hopefully we are back on an upswing!

If you could picture Rio for about the first half of Casey's
 ride on him this is what he would probably have looked like!
He did eventually give into her!

To recap Rio stepped on a nail last May. That resulted in no riding for a good three months, and then right about the time he was ready to go I got a new job! Yeah for the job! I LOVE it! I get to do three jobs in one, Gifted Teacher, ESE Teacher, AND staffing specialist (think lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of paper work, and meetings with occasionally grumpy parents). Minus the paper work I get to work with some really cool people, and some pretty awesome kids... and it pays for the horse addiction, that try as I might, I can't seem to kick! For the most part I love it. 

But, I digress.... over the last 6 months we have gained 2 pretty amazing leasers who love my horse as much or more than I do, and make it possible for me to afford the occasional  lesson, and keep my sanity when I can't get out to the barn because of work or family obligations... which unfortunately for me, has been ALOT of the time lately. 

We're back atSeminole, and despite the fact that I'm looking to move closer to work which is currently a 50 minute commute... I don't think I will be moving my horse any time soon. Too many crazy people in the horse world, and for the first time in a while I am generally happy with where we are! So now you are pretty much up to date... on with the real blog topic for today!

Laura (one of my awesome leasers!) and Rio. 

Rio, and I have been out of lessons since our last trainer moved up to Ocala. In an effort to gain some forward momentum with my riding again I took a lesson with a dressage trainer who happens to lease the property up the road from my barn yesterday.  

Let me just say; I have been riding for 25 years. I have taken lessons with at least 7 or 8 different trainers over the years, not including little clinics and one time rides for outside help. I'm not a great rider,  but I am by no means a bad rider. I've learned a lot from every one of those trainers including an international level trainer, but I think the lesson I had this weekend was quite possibly THE single best lesson I've ever had... or at least one of them. And, do you know what we did? We spent the majority of the lesson working on an elementary move. Turn on the forehand. 

It was a light bulb moment for me though because for the first time in my riding career I was able to feel exactly what it means to ride inside leg to outside rein, and use my outside rein effectively. I've read about it. I've had trainers tell me inside rein to outside leg. I thought I understood the concept. And, then I felt the difference when I was able to get Rio to do the turn on the forehand, and nope... I really never had a clue!

Rea & Rio (My other awesome leaser)

Casey got on him for a while during the lesson which was enlightening too because I was able to see him move under her, and watch her respond to all of his little hissy fits about having to work, and give, and bend. He spent a good chunk of the time going sideways every time he would throw his shoulder, or root and try to pull her out of the saddle to avoid the work, and eventually he gave in did his job. When I finally got back on him he was so much more responsive to my leg, and I realized that I was a big part of the problem with him not being as responsive as he should be. I over use my leg and work harder then I need to, and as a result he tunes me out, and stops listening, and I work even harder to get his attention. Its a snowball effect. 

Lauren & Rio! So much to update on I almost forgot to mention
our former lesson student turned adopted little sister came
for a visit at Christmas! At some point I will do a before & after...
Lauren learned to ride on Rio when she was 9 ish. She's almost 18 now!

I went back out today and had some one-on-one time with the pony practicing on my own what we'd worked on in the lesson, and playing with my outside rein more. I put him back in my german martingale to avoid what what I'm now dubbing the giraffe effect. I warmed up at the walk encouraging him to really stretch, and then worked for a while on turn on the forehand to get him back in the mindset of giving to my aids more, and to remind both of us what it felt like. We followed up with some serpentine work, and low and behold using my outside rein correctly he gave me a really nice bend through the turns instead of fighting me. I even got some shoulder fore towards the end of our ring work, and finished with with some work over cross rails because my horse actually loves to jump now... small revelation if you've read our earlier posts from years past! 

Carol clipping Rio for our show next weekend!

One kind of really cool revelation I got from watching Casey ride him, and then from playing a bit on my own is that my horse has had little to no actual training for lateral movements, but when you ask correctly he will give them to you. It made me realize what we could be capable of with a little time and effort, and the right teacher. 

At the end of the ride I took him out around the 2 mile trail loop in our neighborhood by himself... again another awesome accomplishment. A year or two ago that never would have been possible. Today he walked down the road calm, but alert and enjoying himself. The one or two opportunities he had to be a little bit spooky I resorted to playing with turn on the forehand down the side of the road and he was so focused on having a different job to do rather then just walking forward that he forgot to spook at the barking dogs or the trash can we were waling by. 

Ninja pony...

Next weekend he goes to his first show with Laura, walk , trot, equitation and possibly cross rails. Its nothing big, but it will be his first time to a show in a while, and I am excited to get him out and see how they do. I'm hoping that with a little bit more work, and more free time over the summer I will get to a dressage show or two... that's the goal I'm setting for myself at least. I want to get consistent enough with my riding to try a training level dressage class. 

I think Rio could probably do it no problem... Its my confidence I have to work on. Which, I'm noticing is a common theme for me! Casey spent a good chunk of my lesson telling me to stop blaming my riding for all of our little issues. My principal at work tells me at least once a week that I need to give myself more credit, and that I'm doing awesome for being "new" to everything that is being thrown at me. I never thought of myself as a perfectionist, but I'm starting to question that now!

Ready for our riding lesson yesterday...

All in all life is good. Things are moving in the right direction, and with a little luck and a lot of prayers they'll continue to move in the upward direction!

Until next time... hopefully not six months from now (sorry!) Rio & I hope all our friends, family and readers are well!

Rock'n it out on the trail... super pony style!