Today's part of the clinic was very interesting. We did some flat work, jump work and had a few falls.
For flat, we worked on shoulder in and haunches out at the walk and at the trot. Hercules started out really good in the beginning but he was a bit speedy at the trot when we were working on those two exercises. We also worked on the transition from the trot to the walk to make it look much cleaner and easier. After that, we worked on trotting over three ground poles that were set in a curved line.
When we started jumping, that is where it all changed... We started by cantering over the curved line towards a small oxer, I think it was about 2 feet. It was okay, we had a few refusals but I made him get over it. During one try, he stopped on his breaks and a flew and summer salted over his head. But that did not stop me from getting back on again. I got back on and tried again but Ryan stopped me because he sensed that Hercules was refuse again. So Ryan got on him and literally worked him up to a sweat. He went over the oxer, green hill like wall, a low cross rail and a higher cross rail. Hercules still tried to refuse the jumps but he was just forced to go over them with some pushing with a crop. I think he jumped him over that course at least 6-7 times. I learned that I now need to ride him with a crop. He is no show pony that is ridden multiple times a week, he is just a lesson horse.
I really wish I could lease him so that he would get ridden more but I can't since I don't have enough money. But I know that I will work him even more when it comes to my lessons. He is getting tomorrow off since he was ridden two days in a row.
The clinic was an amazing experience and really helped me to improve some points in my riding and jumping. My leg muscles are so sore but it's a good sore, my left forearm actually is a bit sore too.
No comments:
Post a Comment