Gosh, how do I summarize the past 5 months in lessons in one post? Without boring the heck out of everyone including myself...

My mare, as I mentioned in my previous post, did not have any experience in dressage - really in anything other than trails. Not one iota. Me? I had 4 years of English lessons - jumping at that! Not that I can tell you the difference between hunter and jumper, but I do remember: how to post, diagonals, bend, balance, two-point, how to cue for canter, some about collection and direction, etc.

So, one can imagine the horror of my trainer when she has a newbie dressage rider on a totally newbie dressage horse. A horse that doesn't not understand the meaning of BEND, of legs, NOT laying on the rider's leg with her shoulders, and the list goes on and on. And, I'm sure one can imagine the F-U-N of a saddle search for a horse like this:

16.0hh, 1350lbs. She's not too long, but super thick, round barrel with a flat back. Low withers. It's been tons of fun. TONS. *headdesk* I tried probably 8 different saddles on her, and I sat in dozens and dozens more in the local English tack store. Finally found the one that works - 2 months into lessons. LOL!

I am not proud to admit that I am a reformed Parelli-ite, Lyons-ite and Anderson-ite. Yea, I drink the kool-aid every time - was once a barefoot neophite as well. My poor mare. :( Even though I've moved on from those "trainers," I've always maintained the less is more mentality in training and equipment. So, fast forward to today when I am in my lessons, riding in my dressage saddle, dressage bridle with crank, dressage whip and 2" swan neck spurs. LOL!!! You know what though, I don't ever use the whip on her, she just has to know that I have it and no more choppy, lazy pony strides. The spurs are wonderful in getting her off my leg. Before those spurs, my legs were hamburger after a lesson. I could barely walk. Now? With more training and the back-up of the spurs? We are easily (mostly) and gracefully (sometimes) achieving leg yields, side pass and shoulder in. Not a lot of canter work yet, still trying to get her off her forehand and fully engage her HQ. But, it's coming. Slowly but surely, it's coming.

The funniest thing is that when I got this saddle, I got a 28" girth to go with it. It now goes to the top holes on both sides of the billets! Yikes! I need a new, smaller girth. Now, to work on my own smaller girth. *rolls eyes*

So, what are my goals? Definitely to ride better. To get my horse to carry herself better. To challenge us both in learning a new discipline. To show? Eh, not really. I'm a former WP show girl - I'm over it. But, that barn I board at does host several dressage shows on the local circuit. Why not, right? I mean Intro Level is only walk/trot. I just don't want to get back into showing again. All the stuff that happens at the higher levels? It's sickening. I can't put us through that. But, so far, it's been fun. I'm looking forward to more!