Well, it's Tuesday, and since Ziggy got two days off after XC schooling at Pine Hill, I figured it was time to pull him out of his stall and put him through his paces. Tonight, I decided the ride would be about two-point, up transitions, and practicing the "cruising gallop" versus the collected gallop positions. I am happy to report that the up transitions went very well. I had to work a little bit to get the right lead canter, but that's not too much of a surprise, as that's his weaker side. I was able to pick up the left lead like clockwork, so maybe my problems with the canter transition are behind me?? I can but hope.
The two-point went decently. I'm still not 100% convinced I have the right form at two-point, and I feel like I'm having to put way too much weight on my hands on the horse's neck. I'm also having a difficult time reconciling that with the critique I got when we were schooling this past weekend that I hold my hands up too high. I suppose I could do something radical and ask my trainer: When is it OK to rest your hands on the horse, and when do they need to be off the horse? Of course, if any of you reading this would like to chime in, feel free. One of the other things I'd like to do is take a longe line lesson. I'll probably try to set one of those up next month, as there's several things I'd like to work on without reins or stirrups. Not that I'm expecting to fix everything in one lesson, but I'm hoping to at least be told what I'm doing right, what I'm doing wrong, and what I can do to fix my inconsistencies.
The cruising galloping position vs. the collected galloping position really didn't work at all. There were moments this weekend when I could feel it, but today, it just wasn't happening. Of course, this is something that's apparently three levels above me, so I'm not expecting great strides of progress in it just yet. I'll keep working at it, and hopefully as I approach that level, I'll get closer and closer to being able to make the switch successfully and consistently between those two positions.
So, why all of the sudden intense focus on my jumping position? Thought you'd never ask. My goal for the summer is to improve my riding to the point to where I would be able to ride GAG at a horse trial, and not embarrass myself, or my trainer. I looked up the GAG Dressage test, and I think I can do it. It won't be a sub-30 penalty test or anything like that, but I feel like I can get through it cleanly, and not have people watching saying to each other, "What in the hell is he doing here?". As far as XC goes, I can make it over all of the GAG fences on the Pine Hill course with one leg on each side, and myself in the middle. Well, I can make it over the fences one at a time. I have yet to actually string them together and jump one after the other. I feel like I need a *lot* of work on both myself and my horse to make sure I can jump XC safely and cleanly. As far as stadium goes, I've not seen a GAG stadium course, so I'm not sure whether I'd be up to that one as well. But, at any rate, I will spend the summer practicing as hard as I can, and we'll see where I am come September. Hopefully, I'll be able to twist Saga's mom's arm into hauling Zigs and I out for another XC schooling sometime soon.I'm falling asleep as I write this, so I think I'm going to go to bed. Tomorrow I'm heading over to Duchess' house to go ride Sonata. I was supposed to ride today, but Duchess' mom and I decided that tomorrow would work better for the two of us, so tomorrow it is. Until then!
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