lessons this week

I spent some of Sunday scribing at the Amberlea Meadows Dressage show. Scribing is a good way to learn from someone who gets to see so many dressage tests ridden and so gains to much insight. Getting to see a variety of horses, and all quite well ridden, was motivational and inspirational.

A key element that was mentioned, and that I know certain Hillside horses need to work on, is IMPULSION. The desire to move forward and push from behind. This increase in push, doesn't mean an increase in speed, but it does mean an increase in power. It means the rider can't be LAZY, and must push the horse into a waiting outside rein, while maintaining suppleness with the inside rein and active inside leg. The rider should feel (and the horse should appear) as if going slightly up hill.

We will likely be jumping indoors again this week, as copious rain is forecast, but we will be working on a basic hunter course again, and I am hoping that riders will show me correct approaches to the diagonal singles and lines.

We will also working a bit on hand position.

Hands should hold the reins as if holding a baby bird: with purpose but without tension. Reins should be held as though valuable, and as if not wanting to be dropped. The thumb should hold the reins from slipping, but the fingers should be folded such that only the back of the hand, and not the knuckles of the fingers are visible.

The wrist should be held straight, with the thumb flat along the forearm. If your hand is in the correct position, the little hand bones should not be visible along the back of your hand! If you can see the bones poking out the back of your hand, your hand has tension that the horse will be able to feel, and you will have issue getting the horse to relax and give to your hand!

Karen