Sheri is good at taking your mind off of what's happening and just quickly building up the course until I was doing exactly what we intended. After that diagonal away from home, then coming along that vertical station around H, I continued along C and up the other quarter line going over 2 more verticals with a spacing of 5 strides. I needed to collect Ariel enough to ride into the first jump so we could take off with a good distance and there shouldn't be a chip in. The last two jumps was a line on the diagonal from K to M. This one was required me to also collect because of the vertical I was coming off, at F towards A basically had me to a tight turn around. I had to tell myself to sit up and collect Ariel enough so that we wouldn't go through the entire thing in a mess. I haven't learned to change the striding between jumps like that but I have learned enough to collect upon approach of a line. It isn't pretty, but it's still successful in the sense that I made it over.
 |
| Hot dog! She did it. |
At first, that diagonal line was taken at the trot and that is already a struggle to do because Ariel doesn't want to slow down. Despite that, we did get through it and managed the final canter the entire course. HOORAY! The next goals would be... take these turns on the left rein too... because I do believe the entire course was actually on the right rein--which is actually my better side as I have my left side able to compensate and appropriate direct Ariel. That makes total sense.
Now, in addition to that, I will need to make the actual position look pretty. If I was being judged in an equitation class... I don't think the judges would even want to watch the rest of it because it was so messy: arms flying about, armpits open, legs flailing around... I just didn't look collected. So now we refine.
yay!!!! congratulations!! sounds like an awesome ride :) (and isn't it funny that as soon as we meet one goal about 18 more crop up that need to be done next??)
ReplyDeletethanks! i'm really impressed with myself. i didn't think i'd get it so soon. i still have some hang ups that can cause issues with my achievement, but i know what they are so i just have to continue to mitigate that issue while moving forward.
DeleteSo awesome! This may be a silly question, but is using the letters as reference for where the jumps are what is typically done in hunter lessons, or is it easier for you because you know dressage? In other words, should I be learning where the letters go? ;)
ReplyDeleteno such thing as a silly question :) in the post, i use the letters for reference about where the jumps are, approximately. that said though, the letters are good for everyone to know. i think it's more important at dressage because they often as for precise transitions or such at the letter. that said though, my coach usually references the letters during lessons so we know what she means when she says "take the diagonal from K to M" or something like that.
Deletei didn't make a concerted effort to learn them so i think the letters will come in time ;)