In the past three lessons I have been progressing moderately. I'm concentrating on keeping my lower leg back to prevent a chair seat and on making my knee not so tight! My posting has been better as I am working on not flopping back down in the saddle. Something that really helps is thinking that my belly button is moving forward and back instead of me trying to stand up and down from my seat.
In one lesson, I found a slight solution to fighting with Helen when she doesn't want to go left. I have been holding constant pressure on the rein- she tends to ignore this as I naturally have pretty soft hands/contact. Instead, pressure on-off-on-off of the bit gets her attention and gets the point across better.
On this last lesson (September 11, 2012) I was put back on the lunge line. My instructor feels that I need a few more sessions on it to get a better feel of Helena. I agree, however those constant circles on the lunge line sometimes make me feel unbalanced. My stirrups were also made even longer! I admit I am once again struggling with keeping my heels down and my irons from flopping everywhere, although fortunately and surprisingly I didn't loose them once!
My hands are decent, but sometimes I do weird stuff with my wrists. As long as I remember to keep my thumbs up my hands are decent.
I also found that I can almost always pick up the correct diagonal trotting right. However going left, I have issues picking it up. I am also having a difficult time picking it up when coming from the canter. I tend to sit too long instead of posting right away as soon as we transition down. That said, my transitions TO the canter are improving. Not to mention I LOVE Helen's canter. It's not necessarily soft- in fact it feels more like a charge- however it is very fun and feels very powerful.
We also did a little sitting trot work, which I don't find too difficult as long as we are at a slow trot. I can tell it will be more difficult if we are at a faster trot.
I was told it was my best ride yet! Hopefully I continue to improve. I also need to remember to ask for another video to be taken... it was a lot of help.
Maintain: Improved trot, not loosing my irons, transitions down from canter.
Improve: Heels down, knees not so tight, thumbs up, picking up the correct diagonal going left, balance on the lunge.
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