I had a great time Saturday. I only rode two of the stallions as I was late to the yard and the manager had to rush off so we just only did the two main boys!
Alfie was in great form today as a 4 year stallion he’s really growing into himself. I lunged him in a de gouge for about 15 minutes before sitting up because he was seriously fresh. I personally not a fan of training aids apart from the peossa but I go along with whatever my trainer prefers because at the end of the day its his horse. They apply pressure until the horse drops his head so you really got to introduce them slowly but Alfie is well use to it now. We has a nice easy schooling session just bringing it back to basics again just not pushing him into tantrums and not challenging the superman ego which he has developed this spring. I think he knows hes getting some girlfriends soon. We basically concentrated on walk, trot, canter circles getting him going nice and easy leaving him nice and soft on him only asking for a bend, simple stuff. Then I increased and decreased the trot using only my seat which he copped straight away was willing enough to do and we moved onto the canter. He has only cantered a hand few of times but he as he was so fresh he messed a bit on one rein. I ignored it went with it and pretended like I was bored at this point of his antics. My trainer was delighted how easy I was about it because I would have doubted my ability with his ego a couple of months ago but I was just delighted to ride up. So all round good day!
With Yates I worked on my transitions and improve my seat aids. Yates is a dressage schoolmaster but a complete prankster who loves taking the p*ss outta of ya and showing your weaknesses and mine happens to be my controlling my seat through trot and canter. Yes I do realise that is a novicey thing to work on but it is one of my weak areas and I am a perfectionist, generally I ask for lunge lessons on him to develop my seat more but I love messing about and practicing as well. Yates keeps me in check hes very sensitive and knows his transitions inside out so if I do it wrong hes make a point that I am not doing it right! And hes not going to help me out until I do it right. We mostly concentrated on my seat aids and transitions to get them more accurate. In the end we got a serious walk canter transition so I was chuffed and he was quite sweaty after a good work out so it was smiles all round leaving the yard.
Lots of love
irishhorseygirl 