Tired laura and tired Mr Z...

Had a great lesson today. I managed to overface myself about riding Z on my own- i am riding with J more than not at moment, which is great for us both training wise, but then I got a bit weird about not knowing what to do when he wasnt there - which is bloody silly, but hey ho. I have this mad idea I will break Z and ruin him, which is nonsense!

Anyway today instead of J warming up and doing some schooling and then me on him, I started from the start. The plan was to come up with a plan for me.

We started in walk, just large, then took a contact and did some 10m circles each way, and then serpentines. Idea was to stop on centre line each time to get him listening.

then onto trot. Get forward. This proved harder than you would hope and we got a few into canter transitions. after he kept doing this, we just worked him in canter, forward and large, and more collected and in circles.

Then we got walk to to trot! again, trot in serpentines, i think, and asking for flexion round the little bits. I must remember to ride straight for a few strides in the middle - i tend to try to go from one bend to another instantly...

also again, i need to let him make the mistake as an excuse to correct him and then reward him!

we also walked on a long rein every 10 mins or so to give us both a breather!

We did some more working within the pace - sitting trot - and asking for more and less with seat first, then leg if ignored. my tummy hurts. ow.

finally some anter transitions. main lesson for me is take my time with the transitions - i must set him up. Questions for self are - is he forward? Is he round? then ask.

anyway a really good lesson, and lots to remember. J told me to school a little tommorrow before hacking to set the stuff in my memory. Back to getting him to school first next week tho, methinks!

I also went and rode friends horse. am pleasantly surprised my hands and riding has improved - its easy to miss as I tend to think all mistakes are mine and all good things are horse / j, whereas truth is, I am getting better too!