Wednesday 20th May A lesson with Marcia

I was very excited when I found out that Marcia Wakeman comes to the village near the stables to teach and even more excited when I booked a lesson with her.  I wasn't disappointed.

It was really interesting, and yet another approach to getting Xaile to build up some topline, and probably the nearest to what I'd be inclined to do naturally.  

We worked him long and low- though definitely lower than I'd have done so that was very interesting- with my hand low and wide.  On the left rein he likes to hang onto the left hand side of the bit and tilt his nose to the right so Marcia had me open my left rein very wide and hold it still and firm while keeping my left leg firmly on the girth and giving with the outside rein flexing him to the left till he lower his head and relaxed his neck.  When he gave I allowed him to go straighter and take the contact forwards.  He really seemed to understand this and quickly got the idea of what I wanted.  The more he resisted the more I was to push him towards a circle, even ending up on a 10m circle and allowing him back out to the bigger circle when he relaxed.  Marcia did however say that I have to be a lot quicker to correct him when he resists, I know this and do try but he's so much quicker to ride than the hunters I'm used to and can move every little bone in his body, I need to get my reaction times quicker!!  She also said that when he gave I was too quick to allow him to take to contact forwards and ended up dropping the reins abit which then obviously caused him to raise his head and hollow and the whole thing started over again.

The right rein is very different and till now I've thought easier.  He naturally bends a little to the right the whole time and finds it easier to carry himself on this rein.  However he is also inclined to tuck back a bit on this side and overbend to the right.  So on this rein I took more contact with the outside rein and pushed him forwards into the contact, encouraging him to take the contact forwards.  

We did this in all three paces and I was very pleased with the canter work which is really improving.

All this approach was very different to Edward's way of keeping him totally straight the whole time so that he doesn't end up drifting sideways and so that he strengthens his neck.

I do find these differences so fascinating.  They are both after the same result, yet get there in such different ways.  I'm sure you'll agree that Xaile has been coming on in leaps and bound with Edward's technique, however Marcia's is more natural to me, and I think to Xaile.  So this gives me a lot to think about.  I'd be very interested to hear people's opinions on this.  I know that this is basically the difference between the German and French schools, and I can see the merit in both.  I wonder if it just comes down to some riders and horses finding one more natural?  The one thing I would say is that I love the way Marcia's Lusos go and would be thrilled if Xaile ended up going like that.  I do also love Edward's horses but they are warmbloods so it's very different, I would be very interested to see Marcia's warmbloods to make a more direct comparison.  I wonder if she uses the same techniques with them.... I'll ask next time.  

She also told me a bit more about Working Equitation, and she thinks Xaile would be a very good horse for it.  Hopefully she'll be arranging a clinic near by and I can go and find more about it.