Come riding with me! Episode 2
Welcome to one of my newest series of blogs. This is where I share my highs and lows of riding from past and present experiences. I am using this to document my journey as well as show that not everything is always picture perfect.
On the 20th of August 2022, I had a brilliant lesson! I rode a pony that I regularly ride who is known to be a challenge as she is stubborn and laid back. I did lots of canter work and my first canter pole.
But, prior to getting into all the details, let me tell you all about the mare that has always had a massive place in my heart:
This is Blue. She is a piebald cob mare who is approximately 14.2hh. She is around 7 years old. She is a clever pony and has already taught me lots and taken me lots of places.
My lesson was booked with a fabulous instructor, Siobhan, who I have had 3 lessons with now. She is incredible and knows Blue very well. At the beginning, we did our usual, lots of transitions, to warm her up properly and get her out of her stubborn, lazy mood. We got her in a nice active walk to begin with and then shortened her up into a collected walk and back into an active walk again, as well as circles, change of the rein and trot transitions. By this time, she was feeling a little bit more awake underneath me and so we proceeded with the lesson.
A problem I have had for a long time – which is common amongst many riders – is pointing my toes outwards instead of forwards. We started solving this issue in my last lesson with Siobhan a couple weeks back and continued with it again. To begin with, she lengthened my stirrups, so I really began becoming a dressage rider and wanted me to imagine that I was squeezing Blue on with my toes instead of the back of my foot and heel and just relax my ankles and let them be droopy. I did lots of this practise and got a feeling for how it should be. Then we moved into the canter after doing it in walk and trot. It was important that I only did a couple strides of canter and then back down into trot so that I didn’t have the opportunity to grip and tense.
I did start to get it, so we worked on my canter transitions and keeping the canter for longer afterwards. All I had to do was keep my toes pointing forward and the canter going for longer than 4 or 5 strides. It took me a few attempts and each time we kept it for longer until we managed a full lap of the 20m x 60m outdoor school. I was over the moon at this accomplishment at gave Blue a walk around break before continuing. This is where she really showed her true colours again. So, after our little argument we started back up and did a few more transitions and circles to get her moving again.
I then asked Siobhan if we could do a cheeky trot pole that was already set out, but she very kindly let me do a canter one instead. On our first canter pole I performed my best canter transition to date, but I didn’t use enough leg, so we transitioned into trot whilst going over it so we tried again, and I did the same thing. This time, Siobhan suggested that I put both reins in one hand and go western in order for to relax and focus and just keep the leg. This time we MADE IT!
It was nearing the end of the lesson, so we called it a day. I walked her off on a loose rein whilst keeping her forward and talking about how I got on and what I though I had improved on that session. I was delighted to hear that Siobhan thought I was ready to start looking at the fundamentals of jumping which I never thought I would do.
Although I am a dressage rider at heart, the riding school I attend is mostly a show jumping yard with ponies experienced in that area. I still aspire to be a dressage rider and still haven’t changed my mind; I think it is good to not limit myself to other things and actually try them. And so, that is what I am doing now.
Thank you for reading Episode 2 of my ‘Come riding with me’ series and thanks again to Siobhan if you are reading this. Like it if you did and comment if you have any tips to share. Follow my Instagram for regular notifications about my blogs since I am active on their daily. Subscribe since it is free and if you would like to share any positive or negative feedback about how I could improve my writing then you can in the box below. You are also welcome to sending me blog suggestions ideas to my email: admin@theequestrianblogger.co.uk. Stick around for my next blog. Hope to see you there!
Bye!
The Equestrian Blogger
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