Wednesday 22nd April LUNGE LESSON!!!!

Well I had my lunge lesson today. I've been rather nervous since I booked it yesterday!! Clover is a sweet horse but has been know to bronc very impressively (though to be fair not for a couple of years and is very chilled at our new yard). Especially as Edward says that he gives particularly nasty lunge lessons.  

I got on and walked around a bit and then warmed him up in trot. Edward then attached the side reins and sent him round a few times as it's years since Clover has seen side reins. Then I got on (thrilled to find that for the first time ever I seem to be able to get on Clover -16.3- from the ground, I've done it twice now so clearly the first time wasn't a fluke and I really am getting stronger and more flexible :yahoo:).  

He feels that my lower leg and hip problems stem from the fact that I'm gripping with my knees.  

We worked in walk first lifting rolling back my knees to loosen my hips, getting me to turn around as far as possible each way and stretching up and back with my arms. Then the torture started- TROT. Well Ed says that Clover has a very flat trot but not so flat as far as I'm concerned!!! Anyway he wouldn't let me touch the pommel or the neck strap, in fact he said if I did he'd hit Clover on the bottom with the lunge whip!!!!! He wanted to get me to loosen my lower back and flow more with Clover. The interesting thing was that when I did manage a bit of looseness Clover went forward better, this wasn't necessarily a good thing from my point of view lol. He had me doing lots of stretches and very meanly made me do the knees up and out business at trot.  

It does have to be said that I felt much looser and more secure in the saddle by the end. And I was thrilled not to have lost my balance once which given this is probably only the third lunge lesson I have had in my life I think is quite good. I've already booked one for next week, but I might see if I can't afford more than one a week as I think they're going to do me no end of good.

Then I worked Xaile. I went to get him in from the field and for the first time since I've had him he cantered over to me, I couldn't have been happier.  

As always I lunged him before getting on. Though this time I put side reins on. Very loose. I did intend to tighten them but just their presence caused him to lower and stretch his neck beautifully- I wish I'd had a camera as he was working the best I have ever seen him.  

So then I got on and he felt much better than yesterday. Though really weirdly he seemed a bit reluctant to bend to the inside which is very unlike him. Maybe he's a little stiff from all this different work. Also I'd forgotten to put my spurs on so maybe my inside leg aid wasn't how he's used to it. We did lots of circles and transitions between and within paces. I got one fabulous circle with his head totally consistent and a lovely contact so I left it there (we'd done about 35 mins anyway- amazing how time flies when I ride him).