Today was lesson day! I had decided to flat because... Jacel helped us so much the last lesson and we were still struggling. And since Laura was out of town... I figured it was a good time to do a flat lesson vs jump. But then it dawned on me that I had a flat lesson with Kelly on Sunday and... we really wanted to play. Boot camp is hard and not as much fun. Even though we did jump around XC the other day. So... Jacel walked out to the dressage arena and I told her my thoughts and she said "Let's jump... we can incorporate some flat work too". So we did! Mack got there early so she wanted to come watch. Of course!!
We walked up to the jump arena and we were chatting and Funny walked up to Jacel and put her nose in her face and then proceeded to have a very intense conversation with her. She was nodding her head and you could just about hear her saying "And then... she had the audacity to ask me to half halt? Can you believe it? And then.... and then.... and Oh my, I was so mad". ha ha.. It was hilarious. It was like a 30 second bitch fest. Hee hee. Okay girly.. I hear you, We're jumping today!
So we picked up the trot and she was a bit quick again so Jacel had us ride a square. Push her haunches out around the corners and make them square. That worked to push her into the outside rein and the square turns helped her rock back onto her haunches and step up and under. Then once we got that settled with did square figure 8's. And then we added "almost transitions". And... suddenly Funny was much saner and calmer and softer. And she was willing to take a very soft connection and was hearing me. Ahhhhh... Of course it only lasted a few strides before I had to do something again... another square turn or another almost transition, but... she was listening. Yay! And it helped my brain to think of it in a new way. It's not necessarily that she's not balanced and on the forehand.. because she's really not on the forehand per se. It's more that she was using her strong front end instead of pushing with her hind end. Which... I guess semantics, but it makes me feel less of a failure to think of it as her stronger front end is working vs she's on the forehand and not balanced. But maybe that's just because she's so much more balanced than some of my other horses that it feels more balanced despite it not being balanced for her?? Although watching the videos... she looks like she's fishtailing a ton, which.. I can definitely feel her do but on video... she almost looks like she's fishtailing because she's not willing to bend around my leg. Ahhhh..... vs just being over-reactive and slinging body parts. So... I'll have to pay attention to that and focus on bending her through her body. Although... sigh... is she ready for that? Do I focus on straightness in her body and slowing her rhythm first? But maybe the way to slow her tempo is to get her more bent around my inside leg?? I don't know.
So then we started jumping. Jacel set up a vertical with trot placing poles and had me do a square turn and then come to the fence. I did an almost transition prior to the trot poles. And if she was terrible/bolting, then do a square circle again. She was lovely the first few times through and then she started to escalate a little. We added a 15 meter-ish circle on landing to help her balance. And she tossed in some flying changes whenever necessary. Good girl! (Good thing I've already got my 2nd level scores!). And I didn't ask for them, so... but I did balance her and half halt, so maybe I sort of did. Ha! Jacel added V poles and then took away the placing poles. And then she allowed me to canter it IF she was respectful. Then we added a second jump in the line. And she was mostly good. She did get quick and starting hanging on me some so I had to do my square circles and almost transitions really frequently but we managed to have quite a few good jumps!
It was a good lesson and fun hanging out with Jacel and Mack and fun having Mack take some videos! After we were done I took Funny on a short hack to the lake and back and then we hung out and watched Jacel and Mack jump. Although I did let her have a nice big canter up the hill! Wheee! Jacel rode Synergy first and then let Mack get on and finish the lesson. Synery is Funny's idol and boyfriend, so she was making googley eyes at him and couldn't take her eyes off him. :) Although she did pin her ears at him when he got too close. Hee hee.
She was a tired girl! Hopefully we can get in a long trail ride this weekend. I keep planning on it but then we either ride too long or hard or run out of time to really enjoy the woods.
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