Lesson Recap - 22Mar2025: Keep it Light

 I'm going to be playing catch-up on posts I intended to write the past couple weeks... but HOLY CRAP I ACTUALLY TOOK A LESSON! 

Say whaaaaaat?!

The dressage coach I mentioned a while back who is willing to come give in-person lessons at our barn came to give a grand total of 5 lessons to boarders/lessees on a beautiful Saturday. I was having a good brain day, and it was a pleasure to have the stable bustling with friends as we prepped our ponies and spent the day learning. 

No crossties were harmed this day thanks to Pyro's Busy Buddy pacifier.

I appreciated being first in the line-up, since that meant I could get Pyro in and ready in a relatively quiet barn, before everyone else arrived. The buzzing atmosphere of a full aisle doesn't bother him at all, but it meant I didn't have to use more of my brain's stamina leading up to my ride.

I even had my riding boots on! So official!

Even though I've only been getting in the saddle about once a week, Pyro came out feeling quiet, mature, and ready to try. I was a little worried that he'd be a wild man with as little work as he's been getting (and the shenanigans I had witnessed when they didn't get normal turnout), but he surprised me by coming out there and acting like a (somewhat green and out of shape) dressage horse who understands his job. 

He also put up with me struggling to tighten a short girth from the saddle with minimal eye rolling. 

After touching base on where Pyro and I are and what we've been working on lately, Brynne guided us through some shoulder in (SI) and leg yield work at the walk. We worked on getting him "honest" (in front of my leg with correct bend) at the walk and keeping him there through the movements. 

Wore a matchy outfit. Felt cute. (Ignore his extra "spots".)

When it comes to SI, I have a bad tendency to REALLY overthink the cueing (who me?). She had me set him walking on a 10m circle, then simply apply my inside leg to ask him to stay on the straight line in SI. Thinking of it that way helped me not get so tense or stuck in my head. 

I love his expression here. Confident and attentive.

I also appreciate Brynne's approach to keeping dressage training light. She often used the phrase "play with it" when describing working on a concept or movement. It kept my mental state very relaxed, without feeling like my ride lacked direction. Pyro responded beautifully to the positive, low-pressure atmosphere with some high quality, willing work. 

Relaxed during a walk break

I was still feeling balanced and clear-headed, so we played with getting him "honest" at the trot. I felt strong and coordinated as I posted the trot. (However, after the ride my legs made it known I have to rebuild my stamina... and my poor chafed lady-bits made it clear I wasn't as balanced and coordinated as I thought.) 

I was glad to see that I made it all the way to the top of the rise.

As he tends to hollow in walk to trot transitions and rush off on his forehand in too fast a tempo, I was coached to ask him to come a little more round just before the transition and focus on setting the tempo from the beginning. When I approached it that way, he gave me some REALLY lovely trot where I could leave him alone. 

You could see him trotting around, quiet as you please, then it was like he got a little rebellious thought that, "Nahhhh, this is hard. No thanks.", and he'd flip his head and rush forward onto his front end again. Honestly, it was kinda funny. I laughed and smiled through ignoring his mild protests, and soon enough we found our way back to the trot I was looking for. 

I DO suspect some of his fussiness in his face was because I was trying him in his old cavesson noseband bridle rather than the Micklem we've been working in. He was distinctly more fussy, so I've swapped him back, but it doesn't hurt to test these things now and then. 

In downward transitions, he would often try to "quit" and fall behind my leg. After a few repetitions of kicking him on when he tried that, he gave me some much smoother transitions.

Pyro getting a well deserved pat from Coach Brynne

Despite the occasional head toss, it was a very... pleasant, enjoyable ride? He keeps surprising me by acting like an adult horse. 

Don't let the cute baby face fool you

I'm grateful to get some eyes on my riding as I build back up to where we were at the end of last fall. It helps me feel like I'm heading in the right direction, and the reminders to keep it light and have fun are exactly what I need for my anxious brain. 

As a bonus, if you remember that teeny tiny fluffy yellow chick I shared over a month ago, here he is now:

Sticky-bird and a beer, I'm all set.