Today was jump lesson day! I opted to do Funny solo and do Lyric in the group. So we set out early and were hoping to do a warm up hack. We ran into Laura and Astaire and so we went on a little hack with them. I had wanted to do some trotting and cantering in the field before our lesson so we left Laura and Astaire in the field and headed back to the dam, doing our trots in the hay field. We were able to canter a little and then trot up the hill to stadium and make it in time for our lesson.
It was a good lesson. We worked on ridability. We talked "theory" which I love... Jacel mentioned that just like kids... we have to have rules and punishment, but... we can also allow them to make mistakes and try again. So for example.. her son got in trouble and they told him he couldn't do his dirtbike season. But then he made an effort to change his behavior so they allowed him to go back and do the rest of the season but he did miss the one event. Had they held their ground and insisted he stay out the whole season, it would have just made the kid mad and resentful. So... there were consequences for his actions but... then when he showed that he was trying, he was rewarded for it. I have to do the same for Funny. She can be sassy but not outright rude. So when she tunes me out and rushes through my half-halts... I'm allowed to be loud and "yell" at her and make a big half halt and stop her butt. But it doesn't mean that I continue to yank on her face and assume she's going to be naughty. I give her a chance... can you go politely with soft half halts again? Yes... good girl. But if you get super naughty again, the half halts get louder again. This gives her the opportunity to learn and rewards the try. Which, will hopefully keep her happy and wanting to work and me not dead.
We had fun though. We did some trot poles and some canter poles and then put together some jumps in a course. And Funny was a good girl. She's definitely getting a little bit easier to ride.
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