I am rubbish at writes ups so I will appologise before I start but the first thing I want to say is thank you to Lou for giving me confidence in what I am doing with Livvi and I think that is worth a million of anything else The lesson was brilliant, Lou focused totally on the positive and not on what I was doing wrong which was very refreshing not once did I hear her say, don't do something (like I use to much rein in halt) but just suggested how what I am doing might be improved. This made me feel far more at ease, made me more positive and able to ask questions without feeling like I was an idiot!So, this lady arrives looking round a bit lost and as she was wearing jods, I deduced that this must be Lou! Poor woman had to watch me fumble and try to put a bridle on the wrong way round before we were ready to start, so I confidently tell her that I usually do a couple of minutes in hand just to get Livvi listening (and I think how good she is in hand so Lou will see what a star my pone is!) and she agrees we should start as we normally do.....only Livvi is a little wound up due to Helen and Spirit coming over for a lesson too (well Spirit actually, she has mest Helen before and Helen is human so no worries there! ). So my in hand work is rushed, charging through the bridle and I am totally embaressed!
So I say, I think I will just get on Livvi doesn't stand for me to get on (and she always does, I promise Lou, she is normally a rock! ) and then off we go at motor walk and jig and neigh and I'm thinking "oh s**t" this is it, she is going to do something terrible and I'm going to fall off but despite my wild predictions, we walked a few circles with me chattering nonsense and we soon had plod pony back! So I am VERY VERY VERY about this Livvi hasn't been ridden for that length of time ever so she did get a bit fed up bless her and it didn't help that Lou and I chatted most of the lesson away so Livvi got a bit bored!
We worked on my seat and following with my seat bones and then halt with less rein and discussed that I struggle too because she is not keeping a rythm. The halt was brill, I found that I use too much rein because I try to catch her but if I let her drift into it she does stop so I need to work on this, just giving a light rein aid with a quick release but using my seat in the first instance and hopefully she will stop the drift!Lou said that I need to work on forward the most, Livvi will amble is she can, so that then we can feel each other and she will stop when I stop! We looked at her doing of my leg and if she didn't first time then backing it up with the schooling whip on her hip or my boot, whatever works. But we aren't going to get anywhere unless we have forward! I also said that I was having some problems with steering, especially on the left rein but this was easily solved by never turning in the same place we are so intent on going round on a circle or within boundaries but the answer is just obvious!!!
So we tried a trot to finish and I was again, Livvi had been fab the past couple of days, trot has been forward but what did I get today? Resistance!! and when I asked on the right rein we got hissy fit! Its the worst thing she has done (so I am VERY pleased again! ) but she lifted her back and went all wooden and threatened to buck..cue me yelling don't you bloody dare, giving a bit of a pony club kick and generally making a fuss! I was pleased that Lou said I did the right thing! but I couldn't show off our spectacular trot! Why don't they ever behave in company
I think the biggest thing I will take away from today is that Lou said we all make mistakes and as long as Livvi does as I ask, even if I am not asking in the right way, then thats fine! I need to be positive in what I am asking Livvi even if I am not quite 100% sure its right, and if I ask for it wrong then we can fix that because I won't do it again!
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