Lesson Recap 4/3/16

I'm a visual learner. I learn by seeing and doing. I'm sure everyone else will agree that they too find it really helpful to watch playbacks of videos or look at photos of their riding to really hit home on what needs improvement.

The last time I had pictures taken of me while riding I realized how LOONNGG my stirrups looked. I put them up two holes and voilà the issue I had with my saddle flap bunching up on me was gone.

Nope, too long.

In this weeks lesson I realized I need to open my pace a little more, maintain straightness to the fences, and use all of the available ring space for the turns.

Also, just because I see a long spot does not mean I should take it! This is a chronic problem of mine, and the spots just get longer and longer which leaves me all like...

In the words of George H. Morris, "Distances are like men...never take the first one you see, there will be always be another one."

After the long-spot-of-shame my trainer put a flower near the base of the fence and had me aim for it, which I surprisingly made happen on the first time and what do you know, broke my chronic string of long spots to the fence.

So the things to work on in my hacks this week that I learned from watching the videos

1. Move Panda off my leg
2. Clean transitions (always something to work on perfecting with us)
3. Not tilting my chin to the ceiling and riding (noticed on the videos)
4. Not riding with my mouth open (a personal goal after the barn owner asked if i was trying to catch flies)