First Lesson.... again!

This entire week has been super busy. I love it! It keeps me occupied.

Okay, so last night was Greta and I's first lesson with the new instructor. It went really well and I also realized how insanely rusty I was (it was pretty embarrassing) and Greta realized how insanely unfit I have kept her haha!

Instructor's comments: Greta had apparently been ridden in a tie-down of some sorts (I like to call them "I'll Cheat My Way Through This" martingales) so the underside of her neck is much more developed than her topline. It should be the other way around. I always thought that perhaps she was just born with a slim neck. Haha. WRONG!

Anyway, she does also feel that she remembers her buttons and really I just need to relearn how to press them. She hopped up on Greta for a few minutes and instantly Greta was reaching for the bit, bending into the circle (we were doing a big circle in the middle of the arena to get started on the bending bit) and overall looking like she knew dressage! I will be working on all of this until our next lesson next Thursday.

Another major thing we worked on was Greta's "looky looky" habits! I was told to "bump her neck" with the reins to keep her form putting her head up and looking at anything that moves around her, which will sometimes lead to spooking if not forcing her way away from the object. Stuff like the scary cows next door (it's her new "scary jumping barn" that was at the old place) or the scary white chair on the side of the arena. Instructor asked about her breeding, I told her, and she said "Well, that can explain some her looky attitude."

"Do tell."

"She's a racehorse on her dam's side."

"Racehorse? Really? Great."

She also explained that Greta's looky-looky attitude is her way of being the dominate one. Not in a sense of "I am taking over" but more along the lines of "I'll be the lead mare since you're not taking over and lead mare says stay away from that man-eating lawn chair!"

Instructor also suggested polo wraps, though they weren't necessary, to be used while Greta is relearning where her feet go. Just on the front legs to keep her from hitting them accidentally. Sounds good to me!

All in all, she felt that Greta, with some fine-tuning, will be a very nice horse, and she was glad that I already knew some stuff!

No pictures today, but there should be some soon. Depends....