This week in lessons

This week in lessons we are going to continue to work on getting good corners. Combined with getting the good corners will be trying to get the flying changes in the corners using raised poles and small jumps in the corners to assist.

Getting lead changes in this way should be pretty simple: keep the horse straight, look in the new direction, and outside leg back on tack off over the pole/jump. You need to have some contact so that the horse doesn't just get quick as that will just result in the horse swapping the front lead and not behind. This is the same reason you have to hold the outside rein and keep the horse straight through the body. To do a good flying change the horse needs to have some bounce in its step as well, so the leg into the hand is needed for this reason as well.

We are also going to be doing some work without stirrups at the walk and trot to work on developing a more stable leg and better seat. For jumping, the lower leg needs to be quite stable, and needs to stay in the same spot regardless of what the hands or body is doing.

Karen