My Lesson & Dad's Lesson

Soo... I missed documenting Saturday's lesson. I haven't seen Kim in SO LONG [I mean, lesson-wise]. LAST Saturday I was in DC, and the TWO Saturday's before that Jamie taught, and the saturday before THAT, I believe I didn't go for some reason or another. *sigh* So, anyways. Kim was hoping for some big improvement.

Walk: We're free-er and lighter on the forehand! He is learning to adjust the speed of his walk and the length of his stride to the rhythm of MY hips. In other words, I'm just controlling it with my body, and I'm not having to use my hands to slow him down anymore! Yaay. :P Kim was impressed with the walk.

Trot: Still free-er! :D He's not aloud to trot in biiiig circles or straight lines for long amounts of time [ie - more than 6 strides. :P] otherwise he'll get heavy and stiff and become totally uncollected.

Canter: Can collect a **tad** bit more. My upper body is no longer getting tossed all over the place like a rag doll. I could still get a bit quieter in the saddle.


******
Sunday.

I got out my western saddle.
Walk/trot/canter.
Walk was still free! Trot was a bit choppy and we didn't have much rhythm. But we don't use the western saddle all that much, and I still don't feel as connected to him in it, so that might be why.

We went out to the rented and *attempted* to gallop. I think we were on the verge into really breaking out every time we got to the point where we had to start slowing down. Not enough room to really gallop. :(

Then my dad got on! hahaha.
He can steer just fine at a walk, and doesn't bounce around all that much at the trot. Next up, I need to teach him to post.