Odin's owner and I both agreed to give the Beast (he's a HUGE Shire/Morgan cross but an absolute baby and sweetheart) a day off so he wouldn't be a pill for lessons Sunday because I would ride him tomorrow and get him back and gear for Sunday.
And the Barn Manager let me go for a very quick spin on the new lesson horse Tequila... who is just absolutely push-button. I had not Western since I was 10 (of course she was properly trained to go off the leg and seat and was so light and supple and stepped underneath her so nicely and have wonderful self-carriage with zero rein contact, and did I mention she was very easy going about everything.... perfect lesson horse, and honestly I think she'd rock dressage if given a chance) and she made me look good haha!
I talked with Odin's owner (she has trained up to Fourth Level) and we got into a wonderful discussion about dressage. I asked her if how I had been working with Odin (as I have been doing the same techniques with Greta, lots of loose rein and transitions) was okay. She said that we are starting perfectly and the fact that I'm not worried about a headset is perfect. So I got a uncalled confidence boost haha.
Tomorrow I will get back with the plan with Greta, no rushing haha, and do lots of transitions and circles and serpentines and leg yields and a few turns on the forehand and a few rein backs (the last two have been iffy lately, so I don't want to push anything, but we do know it!) all on a fairly loose rein. Same program with Mister Odin, although he still quite a newbie compared to Greta. Odin's owner and I both talked about more having to be a rider learning rather than a rider teaching the horse. Her fourth level horse was actually a Grand Prix level Arab cross in which she had to learn the ropes rather! It really is the same situation with Greta and I: I'm the one learning the ropes. We will still work on flexibility and what-not (also, I'm going to take a looky-loo at my saddle, I think I put it too far up, it has CAIR panels and an adjustable gullet, so those problems should be quite simple to fix) and I have great hope for the future!
I'm very happy right now :)
Great!
ReplyDeleteSO many people put their saddles too far forward. I did for the longest time, but then I started reading that the saddle should go behind the horse's scapula. It's kind of hard to feel the scapula, but there is an easier way to guage it. There should be at least a hand's width between the front edge of the girth and the horse's elbow. If the girth is right up near the elbow, not only is the horse's elbow running into the girth, the saddle is also too far up on the horse's withers. It really does work better to have it further back, although I do get people at the barn asking "Is your saddle too far back?" xD
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely worth getting your saddle checked. I learned soooo much when I had a professional saddle fitter come out and look at my boys - where the girth should sit (on Saga it's like 10 inches back!), how wide the channel needs to be, etc. Every horse is so different. Of course I ended up having to buy a new saddle to fit Mr. Picky, haha! Anyway if you'd like my saddle fitter's contact info, drop me a line.
ReplyDeleteStill inspiring. Still amazing. I often wondered if a horse's head was very heavy....
ReplyDelete