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Wentworth Hunter Pace - June 6, 2021

After Margaret and I had such a fun time at the fall hunter pace, we opted to go again this spring! This time, while I rode Rejoice again, Margaret rode her horse Jester and had a friend ride Ladyhawke. All Kennebec Morgans!! Jester and Rejoice have the same dam and Jester and Lady share the same sire. Unfortunately instead of a lovely late spring day, we had one of the first intensely hot and humid days of the year. It was definitely a bummer, but the ride was mostly in the shade of the woods and we had a great time!  most of the fences were 3' coops but we found a small log and this hay to jump haha Until we didn't. 😑 We brought along a third friend who rode Margaret's older mare, Ladyhawke. She's a good rider but hasn't known Ladyhawke for very long and didn't realize how much of a cranky boss mare she could be at times. She kicked Jester right in the front leg just about halfway through the ride, and while the cut itself ended up not being a big deal in the

NEDA Flextime Lesson #2

I had my second NEDA Flextime lesson with Gwyneth McPherson at Pineland Farm last week.  I rode with her last August as well.  It was nice to see her again and ride at Pineland again, which is an amazing facility.  That is where I rode in the Heather Blitz clinic this past May.

Anyway, Gwyneth watched me warm up for a bit.  She noted that Dreamy had improved from last year and even from this past May when she watched me ride with Heather Blitz.  We came to the conclusion that I would work on some movements from Training 4 and then of course, work on her canter.

We did some work on 10 m. circles, as I sometimes have issues with overshooting my centerline on my last movement.  Funny enough, we did just fine each time we tried a centerline.  LOL! I guess I am improving without really noticing it.  But because it is technically a half 10m. circle movement, and we really ought to be schooling more First Level movements as Gwyneth reminded me, we did some 10m. trot circles in the corners.  It is hard for me to visualize a 10m. circle, so some of them started off as 12m. and then 8m. but finally I figured it out.  Now at home, without a dressage ring set up to ride in, I am having a harder time.  But I think a few well placed cones might help with that, as I decided in this evening's ride.  LOL!

We also worked on the stretchy trot circle, which appears at the end of the test.  Often Dreamy will reach her head and neck down but not poke her nose out enough.  Technically she is not following the bit far enough down.  Gwyneth had me let her out slowly, just an "inch" at a time, while making SURE I did not lose the contact.  We got out a little, then she would have us come back to full contact and try again a few strides later.  It worked well, and there was one point where she FINALLY stretched waaaaay down and maintained the contact.  It was awesome!  And I was pleased to feel it correctly for once!  LOL!

At the end we worked on the canter, which went well.  Gwyneth reminded me that "perfect practice makes perfect" so she advised that I not allow her to canter after she "falls apart."  So to the right we only got 3-4 strides before we came back to the trot.  To the left we got 6-7 and once even 8.  :D  It really helped to be reminded that I need to only allow her to canter correctly.  Having been so focused on showing, which requires a full 20m. canter circle and some into each corner, I have been trying to push through her moments of unbalance.  And of course, her canter transitions are great now and most of the canter is pretty good.  But to the right she is still not where I want her to be.  (Funny enough, it used to be that her RIGHT was good and the LEFT was bad....funny how that changed in about 18 months.  ???)

I was so happy to find that it worked well.  At first we had to trot for 6 strides or so (about half the 20m. circle)  to rebalance and get ready to try the canter again.   But the more we practiced, the less strides of trot were needed!  YES!  So it was canter for as many strides as needed, trot for maybe 2 strides, then canter again.  Her canter felt so good, balanced, uphill, and I was not all discombobulated!  When Dreamy loses her balance, I seem to lose my ability to canter correctly too.  Gwyneth, as did Jen, recommended I take some lessons on a schoolmaster to regain my "cantering muscles" so I can better support Dreamy when she gets off balance.  Not a bad thought and something I think I will pursue this winter.  :D

Overall, it was a great lesson.  Even though I do not work with Gwyneth on a regular basis, I feel as though I got a good solid lesson and some exercises to try at home.  I enjoy her quiet but firm teaching style.  She reminds me of my regular instructor, which is why I think I like riding with her so much.  :)

So thank you Gwyneth and NEDA for offering me such a great lesson!  :)  I hope to do it again next year!  :D

Comments

  1. It's a really great opportunity to get to do this, and it sounds like it was a really useful learning opportunity.

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  2. On the 10m circles, I can so appreciate your problem as I struggle to visualise any size circle at all. I have to put traffic cones in the arena to give me visual markers. Yet my horse who has always been schooled by me, can do 8m trot circles under someone else. Ugh. Just remember that a circle is 4 corners and that you have to practice harder stuff at home that you do in competition.

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