2022 Riding Journey

#16 Riggs Again

(I wasn't able to go to my lesson last week because it was too muddy. However, the weather for this lesson was beautiful!) 

So, my trainer gave me the choice as to who I was going to ride in this lesson.  She said I could choose from Mariah, Lily, Cordell, Riggs, and, if I remember right, Twister.  

As you probably already know, I chose Riggs.  I picked her for several reasons.  She wasn't hard to catch, unlike Lily, she wouldn't snap at me when I put the saddle on, unlike Mariah, and she is a nice horse to ride.  Plus, I didn't know if this might be my last chance to ride her, because I know she's going to be leaving soon.   

Sure enough, Riggs was nice to tack up.  I had to adjust a bridle to fit her. 

We rode in the indoor arena.  My trainer merely told me to "warm her up" so I started doing my go-to exercise:  circles in each corner. 

After about three circles one side and two circles on the other, my trainer told me to trot her around the arena a little bit.  Then we were going to go on the circle of poles.  

I should also mention that John came for a lesson and rode Twister. 

So, I trotted Riggs around.  My trainer had to tell me to speed her up, which I chastise myself for not already doing.  Riggs was feeling a mite lazy in the summer sun. 

Then I came down to walk, and we went on the circle of poles.  My trainer wanted me to go about 3 circles and see what front leg Riggs stepped over with first, the inside or the outside.  That is, which leg she liked to step over with best.  

I had a tricky time telling which one she used more, because she did either inside or outside leg very readily.  I used a combination of my eyes and my seat to tell which leg she stepped with first.  

After I told my trainer it was about even, in terms of which leg Riggs used more, she had me go the other way and do the same thing for 3 more circles.  Once again it was about even.  

However, I noticed that when we were more straight going over the pole, she preferred to step over with her inside front leg.  When we were more bent, it was with her outside front leg. 

Before I could tell my trainer this, she had to go and catch Albert, the donkey, who'd escaped XD So Riggs and I waited while she did that.  When she got back, I told her what I'd noticed.  

She said that was what we wanted Riggs to do.  We wanted her to adjust herself like that, to be able to balance herself as needed.  

Then it was time for a new exercise.  I'd seen my trainer do this exercsie on Rugar, and it doesn't look fun because it's on Rugar and he's throwing a hissy fit.  But it's not really that hard on a horse that knows how to do it, like Riggs. 

So, what it is is choosing which foot the horse steps over the pole with first.  It can be either the outside or inside front leg.  

The way you do this is by positioning the horse so that it's easier for them to step over with one foot or the other.  If you want them to step over with the inside foot, you make them more straight.  If it's the outside, you bend them more.  

My trainer wanted me to go on the circle, in trot, and pick either the inside or the outside leg to try to get to step over first.  If it was the outside I chose, which it was, to bend my body as if I was turning Riggs onto a smaller circle.  But I'd use my inside leg and inside rein to keep her from actually turning in.  

I chose to work on getting her to step with he outside front leg first, and I attempted it going counter-clockwise, which is the harder direction to turn for me.  In that way, I sabotaged myself.  

I did the first round of this exercise posting, and again, sabotaged myself that way.  Honestly, I got her to step over with the outside as much as the inside.  I didn't tell my trainer whether I ws aiming for the inside or the outside leg, and from just watching me she assumed I was aiming for the inside leg XD So she told, after a break, to try for the outside leg going the same direction.

The second  time was better, partly because my trainer told me it would help if I did sitting trot.  She was right.

The amount of bend I thought I needed was not enough as well, plus I wasn't being aggressive enough about it.  My trainer told me to bend my body more, and she got onto me a little about keeping / fighting for the bend.

AT one point, Riggs made a bit of an effort to get over the pole with her outside foot.  My trainer said that was what we wanted and had me come back to walk.  We walked around for a bit, then attempted it going clockwise.  

Going clockwise was better because it was my easier side to turn on and I had experience from doing it twice before counter-clockwise.  We were able to get it two or three times in a row, and I could feel the time or two she stretched out to get the outside foot over first.  

On one of my breaks, Trainer told me that Mariah really needs this exercise.  But she hasn't done it, and will probably explode in her mare-ish way the first time someone tries it on her, so she's not a good horse me to try it on the first time.

Then it was time for canter work.  We only did a little bit. 

At first, my trainer had me ask in the corners like normal.  But after something didn't go quite as planned, I don't remember what, we did something I don't think I've done before.  

She had me bend her like I had trying to get her to step over with her outside foot.  But it was on a circle, or even in a corner, but on the straight way.  

Sure enough, it worked and she got the right lead.  I've seen my trainer do that, but I hadn't done it myself till then.  

So, there you go.  Be advised that this is not my best lesson entry at all, partly because I wrote most of it while in the car on a long trip, and when I write in a notebook, my writing is stilted.  But it's done!  

Actual lesson 5/31/2022