Where we were and where we are going.

I am having so much fun with Rose in my dressage tack as of late. As much as I love jumping and recognize that my hunt tack is necessary for that, sitting in my dressage saddle feels like home to me. It's warm and cozy and I know where every inch of my seat and leg are. So, I'm happy to be focusing on our dressage work again, and will continue to jump her once a week until spring/summer when I can haul over to Livingston and take jumping lessons with Laura Love. At that point I'll start seriously focusing on her jumping.

For the winter though, I will be taking dressage lessons when I can from our barn trainer CR. Our next lesson will be on the last day of the year, and I cannot wait. Right now I'm taking a mental note of what I want to work on and where I want our riding to go. This will be the first lesson we've had in over a year, and she's actually come a very long way since then, even with the minimal amount she's been ridden. I imagine CR won't even recognize us.

Before I stopped riding at the end of 2011 we were working on:

• Developing and even tempo (she used to rush, rush, rush, and fall on her forehand all the time).
• Learning to properly half halt and halt through the seat.
• Stand square.
• Downward and upward transitions (she used to run into the canter from the trot). 
• Simple changes.
• Going through the people door. The garage door was not an option because she was scared of it if standing too close, and darn it I want her to walk through a scary little people door if I ask.
• Asking her to look for and accept contact, rather than force it on her (she was behind the vertical a lot)
• Jumping 2' courses.

 In 2012 we accomplished the following:

• Maintain tempo at all gates.
• Execute a square halt down from any gate, even the canter.
• Halt/canter & canter/halt transitions.
• Half halt.
• Recently begun executing flying lead changes on cue.
• Shoulder in.
• Haunches in.
• Half pass.
• Wait for me to open the garage door while tacked up and being held (I gave up on the people door).
• Stretches down looking for contact with the bit, staying just in front of the vertical.
• Jumping 18" verticals and exes (yes...we went back to the start with jumping). No course work.

Dressage goals for 2013:

• Work towards first level movements and tests.
• Balance: Rose at times still falls-in noticeable at the canter.
• Improve responsiveness to leg yields and half passes.
• Collection/extension.
• Improve flying lead changes.
• Show training level to start, and move up to first level at at schooling shows and least one recognized show.

Jumping goals for 2013:

• Schooling 2'9' by September if she's ready.
• Take her over a cross country course at least once.
• Jump logs on a trail ride.
• Attend a hunt in the fall.
• Jump a 2'6" course well at schooling shows and at least one recognized show.

That's all I can think of for now. I cannot wait until the 31st for my lesson. It will be nice to have some direction once again. Yea!

Happy trails and swooshing tails!
•DS•