Lesson #102: Sit Up!

I had my make up lesson last night with one of the other girls in the class +ADW and I usually have Sunday lessons with, and although she's a relatively new rider, she's picked it up pretty fast. Anyway, I went out to find my pony and she barely looked at me when I came over and sort of just glanced up briefly and put her head back down into the hay. I want to do more ground work with this mare b/c sometimes she just doesn't respect me. She'd never do anything mean but she's just kinda moody sometimes... wow, sounds like err.. me. HAHAHA

I told Sheri about the clinic I've registered for, that's being held later this month at a facility that I stayed a weekend at last year. The proprietress is a lovely lady who evented in her younger days and has since started promoting Le TREC in Ontario. This sport is very accommodating for all levels of equestrianism and if you like adventure or are preparing for a zombie apocalypse, this is the sport for you. There is a little bit of everything and goes beyond riding a horse over fences or getting them to dance for you because it employs other types of skills: like orienteering. I've only orienteered once when I participated in the Don't Get Lost Snowshoe Raid several years ago (my cardio never quite made the cut... LOL). One of my goals is to get fit enough to do it again in the near future.

Getting back to the lesson, I was determined to keep in mind the things that tend to get forgotten when I ride. Things like closing my armpits and keeping my heels down and forward. I was a bit curious about why Ariel seemed so sleepy... usually she's nosey and active but it was as if she stayed up all night and partied hearty. The canter wasn't too bad and I ride it better now and can maintain the balance that I need up there but I have to remember to keep her from falling into her corners or cutting them all together. We move to jumping next. Sheri's moved the jumps high and straight now (thankfully not 2'9) and I have to remember: stop thinking, as I'm approaching that jump. It's difficult for me because I'm not that kind of person in other areas of my life... I think and think and over think things while preparing for something. In this case, I just have to breathe and go. We still trot in (though Ariel on occasion, breaks into a canter before the jump) and canter out but I have been falling all over her neck. The minute she lands, I need to work on bringing myself back up in the seat. I'm also reminded that riding into the jump, I seem to get lower and lower too... LOL so when Sheri bellowed "sit up sit up!" as I was riding into the jump, I felt oddly tall. And then I hear "ok good, keep sitting tall". So feeling tall is what I need to do.

We try several times more and it just isn't working (again) today. I will need to work on my core more and also remember to do the exercises that are needed to loosen my hips--she said they were tight today and that means Ariel was all pokey too.

For now, I've hit a plateau with the jumping and I know that to overcome it, I need to figure out that upper body upon landing the jump.