Lesson 7

Awesome lesson today! Rode Helena walk/trot off the lunge and was actually able to keep her on the rail (although I had trouble towards the end of the lesson, maybe due to my brain trying to process everything)! And while my feet did slip 'n slide, I'm improving in this area as well. I also had different spurs on than before (these were English Rowels..Rovels? I forget) and did well in those. I'm just happy my actual leg is quiet enough to be able to wear spurs without bumping the horse with them.

Then we did a little canter work. I admit, I got a little scared. It's not the canter that bothers me at all; in fact this horse's canter is quite comfortable. However it is the transition that gets me. The fast trot that leads into the canter is so jarring I often loose my balance and feel like I'm going to fall. Obviously this is my fault: I need clearer cues when asking for the canter. On a good note for that though, I did canter right along the rail without needing a lunge line. Going left (Helena's strong side) was difficult. This is where she decided she was going to be a little more difficult to keep on the rail. So, back on the lunge I went to canter left.

But all in all, improving more and more and it feels great!

Maintain: Good trot along rail, keeping horse on rail, heel down.

Improve: Feet still, keeping focus throughout lesson, canter left, clearer signals to canter more smoothly to avoid jarring trot.