Lesson

Today was the Play Day for WE, but because of the stupid rain, it was cancelled. Instead, we hauled out to CS's place to do a lesson. K, who hasn't been on Eddy in three weeks, hauled up with me. CS had planned to do a miniature play day with the two of us and invited her niece to join us. We got there just before the rain, tacked up and went into the indoor.

Eddy was being a bit of a stinker and did not really want to work in the arena. K handled it really well. I think I would have gotten really frustrated with him, had it been me, but she kept her cool and rode him through it.

We started on walk pirouettes, with some lateral work thrown into the mix. It is hard to tell the difference between the pirouette and the turn on the haunches. CS had us move to the corner so the walls would help shape the movement.

Ashke and I did get one good pirouette toward the end, but I have no idea how. Or if we will be able to replicate it again.

Then we played follow the leader, which is so much harder than it looks.

Eddy was giving K some grief, although I think they both did great, considering this was his first work in three weeks.

Ashke tried really hard and did a great job at what he was asked to do. CS said afterwards that he looked really good and was moving very well.

Some canter work.

Riding a Western Dressage Intro Test. Ashke did pretty well, considering we have not practiced anything like this in a while. And I had no idea of how the test went or what to expect next. I really think that would be the best way to do a test. Make up the movements and the order the morning of the test. Hahahahaha

I was going to ride a second, more advanced, test, but the rain was drumming down so hard I couldn't hear anything. We decided to end it there, although we had planned on working obstacles, etc. We raced out to the trailer, pulled tack and threw the rainjacket on Ashke and the rain stopped. It was okay. By the time we got back to the barn it was almost six o'clock.

I have lots of lateral work to work on, and I am going to memorize the Novice test from WEIAUSA so that we can work on our dressage stuff during our ride on Weds. Ashke was very good, not too spooky considering the outrageous noise from the rain and the wind blowing the flags on the walls of the arena. Hopefully, next time we can do the side by side work (like Westernaires or riding posse), because you can teach your horse some technical stuff that may be harder alone, like learning to collect and slow the canter behind a horse that is already doing so. Some of my favorite riding is doing that kind of work. It's a lot harder than you would expect, especially if done technically.