"If you have to think about it, you're too late."

- David O'Connor

Two lessons this week, both excellent.
Some jumping at John's.  This week's issue was flopping forward after the fence.  I have been working much, much harder after the last lesson, and John said it showed - I seemed "crisper".  He also said that now I'm starting to be able to choose what Charlie does, instead of just ride him around the arena.  It's like I have more time to think and more tools in my tool belt to choose from.  While I had a couple flops, I also had a few fences that were just exactly right on, which felt great.  We also jumped the narrow skinny triangle, which was new and fun (for me).

Then today I had a dressage lesson with Shannon.  Again, she said the effort from last week was showing.  I was able to get Charlie rounder, had some nice consistent right circles, and did some really nice leg yields at the end.  Although Charlie started out like a total slug and heavy as a rock in my hands, he ended up moving really great.  The big difference was riding him with a lot of transitions and activity so he had to pay attention.  Transitions in the circle, to a spiral in, changing direction, to another transition ... The other big one was not to do one puny whip and then say "oh, I guess that didn't work" and give up, but to follow it up if he doesn't respond.  If I do a whip smack and he ignores it, I do a second, harder whip smack, and that usually motivates him to get going.  We also did some work without stirrups, which was torture, so I definitely need to incorporate that back into my daily routine.