Lesson! Ow!

Last Saturday were lessons.  I used the Cashel and kept the stirrups.

I looked at the ring Friday, and instead of it being stonedust it is now a stonedust center with a perimeter of stones.  Ick.  So we went out to the the first field in Fair Hill for lessons.  I said it would feel better to fall on.  Denise said that the Cashel meant that I had a better chance of falling if something spooked Peanut.

I hate it when everyone's right.

At one point, working on transitions, the next thing I knew we were spinning.  I realized that I was standing with my entire weight in my outside stirrup and I had the inside rein cranked back pretty far.  I was ok, however, and figured I could wait Peanut out and get my act together since I wasn't sure exactly what to do first to correct everything.  Well, I could have waited it out if it ever decided to end.

But no, it was not going to end.

So the next thing I knew I landed on my usual fall spot - the back of my right hip - and Peanut took off.  He stopped about 20 feet away, spun around and looked back with terror at the biker that had spooked him.

Denise walked over to Peanut and grabbed a rein, and I got up and wandered over while the biker dismounted and looked like a beaten puppy.  Denise and I stood on either side of Peanut's head (he was calm by now) and just pet him as the biker walked his bike along the path up to us.  He asked if I was ok, I said I was, and he apologized and mentioned he had squeaky brakes.  I said not to worry about it.  He sheepishly asked if it was ok for him to ride, and I said of course.  He got back on his bike and carried on.

I'd never tried to mount the Cashel from the ground, and it did not go well.  I HATE the stirrups that come with it.  My foot just slid right out.

Denise and I walked back to the barn and continued the lesson in one of the small paddocks, but it was not ideal.  I asked what had happened, and she told me that we were both so off balance that there was nothing that Peanut could do but keep spinning.  He would not have been able to stop until I got my ass back in a balanced place.

So, here are the main things that I took from my lesson:

1. Turns.

Yeah, simple, eh?  I've had my horse for over 5 years, you'd think I'd know how to turn the damn thing.  Denise said to imagine that there are three sets of eyes on you.  One set at your hips.  One set at your shoulders.  And then your real set.  All should look where you are trying to turn and THAT IS ALL YOU SHOULD HAVE TO DO TO TURN.  Whoa.  Doing that both moves your legs and weight just enough to give the seat cue, plus it slightly moves your reins.  It worked.  At this point we were still in Fair Hill and I was a-turnin' all over the place, giggling, until Denise couldn't help but laugh.  Major lightbulb moment.

I kept dropping my outside shoulder without realizing it, and that made everything less effective.  Grrr.

At the end of the lesson I was losing steam and losing the ability to do anything, which brings on the next topic.

2. Ride with purpose.

It's no secret that I have had a lot more training and comfort with dealing with horses on the ground than in the saddle.  I can sometimes turn to a horse and make it run from me just from my attitude.  Denise had me bring that level of mental control into the saddle and Peanut did everything beautifully.  It really is just a change of mental state, with accompanying boss body language, but I'm afraid that it leaves my back stiff.  Nevertheless, I seem to be offensive on the ground (especially when surrounded by loose horses in a field) and defensive in the saddle.  That could be one of my big problems.

3. When asking for up transitions, open hips.

I'd heard this before, but I never understood it.  Now I do.  Open your upper legs to allow more muscle movement when asking for faster gaits, and it makes everything much easier for all parties.  :)

That was mainly what I got out of my lesson.  I am very happy to go slowly right now, and have another lesson in a week's time.

Rick ended up getting dumped during my lesson, probably at around the same time, but well out of sight.  He got dumped when asking Gene to go into Fair Hill alone so that they could join us, and Gene was not about to cross that road.  So, Rick ate dirt at the side of it and Gene took off up the driveway, probably waving a middle hoof back at Rick as he ran.

I wasn't hurt, in fact by the time I got back on I was fine, but Rick is still feeling the effects of his spill.  :(

One sad, in a way, thing about Rick's lesson is that Denise shortened Rick's stirrups even more - to the point where she had to wrap his super-long leathers around the stirrups.  This made Rick's knees sit on top of the knee rolls, but it also straightened out his feet and gave him much better control.

But, yeah, the saddle does not work for someone with such long legs.  Rick has some thinking to do about his saddle.

PS - rode today, in the Cashel, and it went pretty well.  Peanut was slow on hills, but didn't lock.  I'm just not comfortable with faster speeds in it, but everytime Peanut threw one at me I would have a moment of panic then realize that, hey, this is fine.  I've ridden this so many times before.  Still, not comfortable yet.