Evaluation Ride

Yesterday was my first ride since before Christmas. I was a bit nervous about how my body would feel once I was in the tack, would I feel strong? would I feel wobbly? would I have leg cramps? would I be winded? But ultimately, I was so ready to sit on a horse again!

Unrelated, but cute :)

T has a very distinct process. She believes very much in having a routine for her animals (and her people). When I arrived, I was given a 4 page packet to review, detailing her process for grooming, tacking, untacking, cooling out, and grooming again. Most of it is very logical, and it's really only 4 pages because each thing is a step. Some of it is new to me, like leading the horse with the ends of the reins unattached--this does make sense from a safety perspective, but I've never done it that way before yesterday!

She was happy to let me do my thing getting the horse (Eli) ready, while she continued moving round bales to her paddocks. She came by and checked on me after every bale was placed to make sure I didn't have any questions. Really my only questions were whether she wanted me to put anything on his feet to help dry them out after my ride (she laughed, because it's still so wet, why bother), and do they brush tails or just pick them. She seemed to genuinely appreciate these questions.

Once we got to the ring, we stood and chatted for a few minutes. She asked me about my strengths and weaknesses. I said I thought my biggest weaknesses right now are my position, my overall strength/stamina, and my lack of confidence over fences. While I was warming up, I also mentioned my tendency to have piano hands. And when I popped over a couple of cross rails at the end, I mentioned I could feel my heel coming up over the fence. 

I said I wasn't really sure about strengths on the spot, and she asked if I could get my diagonals and leads by feel and I said, oh yes, absolutely. I told her about Dede (she sold me Promise and was my mentor for many years through high school) and how she was big into Mary Wanless, biomechanics, and riding by feel. Her whole face lit up and I could tell she was excited to see if I could actually do it! I told her that stuff is really fun to me and I would love to get back to using my body properly to influence how the horse is moving. 

With that, I checked my girth, stretched Eli's legs, attached my reins around his neck, and mounted. Oh boy, Eli goes in a Pelham, and I got all tangled up in the double reins at first! It's been a long time since I've held 2 reins! 

Once I got that sorted out, she had me do a lap in each direction in 2-point. My legs felt really strong (yay, workouts!) and didn't really start to burn until the last quarter of my 2nd lap. 

After that, she had me pick up a rising trot and was super excited when I started posting on the correct diagonal immediately (and, every time after that...and, of course, without having to look, haha, I really wasn't exaggerating). Eli and I trotted around and right away T had me thinking about straightening my upper body and engaging my core. I apparently have developed a bad habit of leaning one way or the other and my position was getting almost no attention in my previous lessons. As soon as I straightened and leveled my shoulders, I could feel the horse get straighter underneath me and when she asked me to do a 90 degree turn, was actually able to do a square turn, rather than a rounded turn. 

Also unrelated, but cute!

After several changes of direction and a few walk breaks, she called me over and asked if I had any questions so far. I didn't, it's all stuff I've done before, but have not been actually doing lately, because that simply wasn't the focus of the program I was riding in. She commented I wasn't really huffing and puffing and asked how I was feeling. I said, I am feeling surprisingly strong, so I guess my workouts are working! Then she asked how I've been taught to ask for the canter. So, I said, outside leg back, inside leg at the girth, and try to time the ask as the outside hind is pushing off the ground. She was impressed by that, saying most people don't know the 3rd one.

She sent us back to the rail, said get a medium walk together and when I was ready, ask for a left lead canter. I was not to let Eli run into it because he has a prompt canter depart from any gait. My first ask was a bit off, so I brought him back to a walk. She told me to give him a tap on the shoulder with my crop so he knew I meant business, then I gathered myself back up and asked again. Definitely a prompt depart! I started out in 2-point because he has a very bouncy canter, and then took my leg off in the corner and he broke. Oops. She told me to try again and to sit the canter this time.

So, I picked up the left lead again and sat. It was bouncy but apparently looked ok. She had me do a few circles, really focusing on keeping my body up and straight, and steering by looking around my circle with my head and upper body. It was hard! My body was like, oh, yea, I know how to do this, but I haven't been doing it right for several years now! 

After cantering in both directions, she let us walk and asked if I felt up to jumping a couple of cross rails. I guess I hesitated a little because she said it was totally fine if I said no. But I was like, yea, let's try it, it's the only way to start the process of getting my confidence back!

Eli kept a consistent pace to the fences and took them easily, which really helped me feel better about myself :) Apparently turning right to the 2, I really had a lot more weight in my right stirrup, which could be part of the reason I felt my heels come up in the air. 

All in all, I really liked her style. I can tell she can be tough when needed, but also is very sympathetic to reservations/concerns, etc and will push when needed or back off and find another way when needed. It seems like she really wants an open dialogue to happen between her riders, her horses, and herself. I am excited to call her today and try to find a lesson slot!