What’s better than the crisp, fresh, intensive, Aspire training air ? :)

Beautiful sunny day at work (thank you to Emma for pictures 🙂

Working on lateral flexibility in – hand. Emma learning how to improve the school pony’s ability to bend. She is asking the pony to walk in a shoulder fore position to help him step under his centre of balance with his inside hind leg, contract the left side of his body and relax the right (tight) side.

Emma and Orpheus earning his pat for a few good steps

Emma and Orpheus later in the lesson. She stays out of the saddle to help the pony as he tends to drop his back and basic engagement. She is learning to feel for more quality steps that in turn help Orpheus with his balance.

Gemma on straight lines mission…Learning to ride the horse straight in light seat and on a given line without overusing the reins for steering

Working on suppleness in sitting trot

Emma, Gemma and Sophie strike a pose 🙂

Sophie working on correcting the mechanics of her rising trot

…then trying to put it into practice. Correct weight distribution through the legs is not always easy for riders who have been riding in chair seat for a while. Here the rider is putting a lot of effort into upper leg position which is the key, the back of the leg still needs to relax and allow her heels to drop but she is making a great effort.

Same rider working on carrying own upper body in canter as well as absorbing the motion through her pelvis instead of the middle of her back.

Sunny walk back from the arena 🙂

Related articles

• Come for a day of November Aspire Training! (aspireequestrian.wordpress.com)
• Equestrian version of eat in and take away…what kind of rider are you? What kind of rider would you like to be? (aspireequestrian.wordpress.com)
• Rider’s Mind: Fear of Failure, Lack of Self-Confidence, Yearning For Perfection (aspireequestrian.wordpress.com)
• “Busy hands syndrome” and how to work on it… (aspireequestrian.wordpress.com)
• Adult Beginner/Novice Rider – What You Might Want To Know about booting and whipping of horses (aspireequestrian.wordpress.com)
• November Training Update (thehorseobsessed.wordpress.com)