Well, at last this year I have started to get out and about as well as try and learn some classical riding and training techniques.

Our first party was at a Becky Holden clinic in Fife. Becky is an in-hand, longreining and classical riding instructor and absolutely superb. Horses really seem to love her and she has a lovely way of encouraging them and taking her time so they get to think about what they are being asked. Vico was very well behaved and we arrived in style as had to book alternative transport at the last minute. He was told to not get used to his Equitrek lorry! Becky explained how to mobilise the shoulders to get V stretching and stepping across and we played with shoulder in and leg yield on a circle and on the straight in-hand. Becky then taught V what the outside rein was all about and got him going beautifully in long reins teaching him SI and LY plus rein back to trot to show the ‘sit’ required for piaffe. Vico was very taken with his reflection in the mirrors and the audience!

We then had plans to do some baby showjumping end of April but I was in a little car accident and had whiplash. Also we had entered some  combined training in May but unfortunately this was cancelled due to the weather!

Anyway, our next do was the Perry Wood clinic in the middle of May. I have a new tow car and was able to borrow a trailer so had the slightly nerve wracking task of towing for the first time (although I had practised!). Again the weather threatened activities but the organiser was able to shift venue to an indoor one at the last minute. Thanks again Barbara of Remus EC in Fife! Anyway, I was terrified because I always am-not of riding my horse but of riding him badly Perry was great, very funny and put everyone at ease.

So Vico! we warmed up as we normally would-I’ve always had problems with him in halt in that the halts are quite abrupt and not square. I needed to slow the walk down-he has a great walk, overtacks massively but I was pushing him out of his rhythm. In trot though, I don’t ask for enough. I am slightly behind his movement in rising trot so he had me doing this fiendishly difficult exercise of alternately rising for 2 beats, sitting for one. You can only do this when you are in balance with the movement. It took me a while but when I got it V really opened up in front as he wasnt being blocked anymore-we then worked on him stretching down and out.
Then we worked on shoulder in-again I hadnt been asking for enough for fear of him falling out through his shoulder. Perry argues that that doesnt matter when the horse isnt established and to ride the horse, not the movement ie ride the horse how it needs to be ridden- the movement can be tweaked later. So I had to ask for much more bend and concentrate on me looking in the right place. By this time V was going very nicely and we progressed to transitions in SI-halt, walk & trot on the long side and SI for 3 strides, straight for 3 strides, SI on circles of all sizes including volts etc etc in fact, we rode SI on both reins and LY for quite a long time including alot of sitting trot-but since doing the exercise in rising, sitting was much better. Vico was such a dude and looked amazing (mirrors!), never thought I’d see him go like that with me on top-really big, free trot-really felt I could do anything on him from just thinking half halt and getting it, to him being completely straight out of SI, 4 track SI and super SI at the end followed by some lovely lengthened strides.
Perry chastised me for not working him hard enough-says that he loves it and will thrive on hard work as lusos do.

On the second day we had a short session off of the horses on absorbing the movement in sitting trot and in canter and then feeling when the best time to do a transition up and down would be wrt to rider’s seat bones. OMG! all these years I’ve been riding canter back to front, why has noone ever bloody said!
anyway, I was riding somewhat below par and V felt tense and choppy. Perry had me experimenting with feeling as though I was tipping forwards.¬† Once again, I was behind the movement and when you lean too far back-your thighs tense (try it), tip forward slightly and your thighs release. So we concentrated on this and keeping thighs loose and looking up-really nice swinging walk and big trot. Revisited the SI, counter SI and travers and then tried some canter concentrating on timing for transitions up and down. Best canter ever, cant believe I’ve been riding it so badly for so long, poor horse. Anyway, canter transitions on both leads on the same rein so an intro to counter canter= very sweaty horse and rider!

Other things I took away-the bigger the horse the lighter the aids have to be-there were some real biggies there and all improved the lighter the aids providing they were off the leg. Also a really useful positioning exercise for the bolshier horse. Again, ride the horse not the movement and find the riding position thats acceptable for the horse and go from there.
V loaded straight up and travelled like a pro-excellent weekend all round and he didnt put a hoof out of place, well mannered ponio  I was over the moon with him!

Unfortunately the next day the ponies had their jags and Vico had a massive reaction to it. I found him on Tuesday evening barely able to move, he was as stiff as a board, unable to walk or put his head down to graze He was obviously hungry and thirsty but it took me over an hour to get him in so I could tie up hay etc for him. We got some bute for him and it took until Thursday afternoon until he was comfortable enough to roll and graze etc poor boy.

So, we have a few things planned including some dressage, clear round jumping, another clinic with Becky plus one with Perry in August. Just waiting to get my own trailer! June is a very busy month photography wise so may not get out much then.