Lesson With Cheryl

Rogo and I had a lesson with Cheryl two days ago. I think it went pretty well. We reviewed our test scores and comments from the recent show and determined to continue focusing on connection and forwardness. Unfortunately we forgot to update our monthly goals, so we'll do by phone or do it next week.

We did quite a bit of longing work, much of it over cavalletti, and by the end of it Rogo was picking up and lengthening through them quite nicely. He seems to enjoy this, so after our last week training blitz and show, it was a bit more fun for him.

I'm still coming out of the saddle too much in posting trot a lot of the time, especially when I get in the show ring and am a little more tense. Cheryl worked with me to identify the feeling of using my calf muscles without my thigh muscles, so that when I put my calves on I don't inadvertently tighten my thighs as well and push myself out of the saddle. She did this with me on the longe line until I was doing it correctly (it will take a lot more work until it becomes muscle memory) and then we did it sitting in a chair in the kitchen. I was amazed when sitting in the chair to discover how much I'm using my thighs when I think I'm just using my calves. And I was even more amazed at how I popped up in the air when this happened :)

The weather is idealic, the horses are happy and sweet - life is good!