Mini Trail Ride and Lessons

It's been a few weeks since we've hit the trails, so I was hoping to go out last weekend.  Unfortunately my usual trail riding buddy wasn't available, and I didn't want to go out alone (just in case!)  So instead I invited one of my barn mates for a hack around our own property.  It was a nice sunny day, and we had a good time walking around while chatting.  I also found someone else at my barn who might be interested in going trail riding.  She said her horse has experience but it's been a few years, but he's usually as good as his company which is the same for Cupid.

There's the ocean under a layer of fog

Our rides have been going well.  We had two lessons this week.  In our dressage lesson we were doing shoulder-in on a circle, then straightening (still on the circle) into a bigger trot.  I wasn't really getting it at first and my trainer pointed out that I was collapsing through my ribcage.  Once I corrected that, I still couldn't feel as much bend/displacement of the shoulders that I was seeking (it's hard for me to feel it on a circle!) but when I straightened I could feel a huge improvement in the trot - it felt much lighter.  My trainer said right now that's what we're looking for. 

Our canter work also felt pretty good, though going to the left Cupid still has a tendency to break into a trot.  It tends to happen in the same spots around the arena, I think where the footing is a bit deeper, so sometimes I can anticipate it and try to keep him going but today I was surprised because the canter felt really good, not behind the leg.  I'm a bit worried because the Training 3 test has a longer canter to the left (of course!)  My trainer said I need to be a bit more firm telling him that is incorrect.  Usually I just curse under my breath, reorganize, and eventually ask for the canter again - she said I need to tap-tap with the whip right away, even if I take a moment after to reorganize before asking again. 

We also had a "jump" lesson.  Our course was actually just trotting over trot poles, picking up a canter and going over some cavaletti (trot changes after the cavaletti if we don't land on the correct lead), then back to a trot for a little 1' crossrail.  I enjoy these little courses when I'm not worried about the actual jumps!  I can just focus on straightness and getting to the base of the jumps.  My trainer said my eye is getting better - I don't know about that but I do feel more secure.

New shoes