Riding Lesson notes

Today's lesson was, as usual, very educational and humbling! Let's see if I can remember everything.

We concentrated on getting me to look up instead of at Cruz's neck and react to the feel of him in the reins. I can assess what's going on and adjust my riding much faster this way.

1. I need to ask Cruz to give on the right rein until he does it. Whether I'm riding to the left or right, I need to get him to submit to the right rein. Once he does, he gives in the back and is more supple - in all gaits.

2. When he doesn't want to bend left (once we start what he considers to be 'work') I mustn't turn him in small circles while emphasizing my left rein and asking him to get off my left leg. This makes him more unbalanced, and upsets him. I need to work him on a larger circle where he has a chance of co-operating, and loosen my upper thigh, while keeping my legs quiet. I have a habit of using too much left leg, which encourages him to move sideways.

3. Moving sideways instead of forwards as asked means he is behind the leg and able to evade my aids. I must keep him in front of my leg and using his rear end, then he won't feel I'm in his face and will be better able to co-operate.

3. When I asked him for left canter from walk he got discombobulated very fast. If this happens, I need to stay calm, keep my left rein asking for inside bend, loosen my thighs and relax my legs again. Just stay like that and he'll give in graciously, without a fight. It really worked.

4. Maintain that right rein (without giving up the left rein) while cantering down the long side in left lead. If necessary, move his head left and right - just minimally - to keep him supple in the neck and round and giving his back. Same goes for right lead canter, but he did that better anyway, 'cos it's easy for him.

5. Cruz doesn't want to get underneath himself in canter, so he tends to rush down the long side. I have to make sure I get him round, and with half-halts bring him into a more balanced canter. At one point he did a flying change from left to right lead to get out of cantering to the dreaded left! That was a first.

6. As a general rule, use shoulder fore whenever I'm riding down the long side.

7. Use shoulder fore coming onto the quarter line and moving into leg yield. Look where I'm going, so we don't overshoot the quarter line and go round in a circle again. Keep the outside rein guiding the horse on the line I want to take, maintain the shoulder fore and ask him to move laterally.

8. When in sitting trot in the final phase, ask him to lengthen and shorten (not 'go faster' or 'more slowly' because the impulsion and activity have to remain the same) to get him used to bringing his hocks underneath himself and strengthening his hind end.

Great trot, square halt, big pats with sugar and walking to cool him off.

Steady hands, happy horse!

It was so good to get back in the saddle today after 96 hours of torrential rain. The previously half-full water troughs were overflowing. Although my arena wasn't completely dry, it was very rideable.

Cruz was just wonderful again. He stretched down into the steady contact my hands are finally offering, bent easily to the left and right, cruised smoothly into canter on both reins and snorted happily all the while.

And the main reason for this: STEADY HANDS!!! Why, oh why did I never pay sufficient attention to my hands before these past few weeks? All Cruz has ever asked of me - well, one of the things he requires - is constant support from yours truly. Now he knows where to put his head, he's happy to do it.

End of ride: lots of pats while walking him off. Dismount, loosen girth, flash and cavesson, many apple chunks and hugs in thanks. We both admired the beautiful sunset to our right as we walked side by side up to the barn, with the obligatory stop to poop in my driveway (by Cruz, not me!).