Lesson with Id & Thoughts on Trainers

John squeezed us in for a jump lesson after Pony Club but before he left for California.  The most impressive part of my evening, though, had nothing to do with my riding.  I successfully backed the trailer in between another trailer and the ditch, because I arrogantly assumed - knowing he was leaving for a show - that there would be a parking spot up next to the barn.  There was not.

I shared my lesson with David, who had a young mare who is still figuring out the fences, but had a lot of scope.  Duke, unlike Saturday, was just a cool cucumber, but I think he still feels a teeny bit short, especially in the canter.  I gave him bute, will give him tomorrow off, and see how he feels on Thursday.

We did a bit of flat warm up, where John said when Duke is stiff in his jaw, first ask him to go a little more forward, then flex him to the outside, then, keeping contact with the outside rein, bend him back to the inside.  This worked each time I tried it.

Other than that, the direction was just to have him be more round.  Oh, and drop my heels.  By 4".

For jumping, we started with a cross rail, which Duke was thoroughly uninspired by.  He showed it some respect when John turned it into a little vertical with a ground pole - we did it from the trot and then from the canter.  I had to ask with a little bit of leg the first few fences, but after that I just had to look up and over the fence.  A couple fences I slowed him down just a bit with my core, to balance him.  John said I'm seeing my distances ok, but Duke isn't always 100% listening to me on the way in.
We had ONE fence where Duke kind of leaned on my hand all the way there, and it was the only one John didn't like.  He said that after the corner, ask him to get off my hand, then get out of his way again a couple strides before the fence.
We did a cross rail to vertical bounce, then a skinny.  Duke was "ho hum" about all of them which was nice.  He's a good little guy.

Then we went back and worked the vertical with the ground pole and then switched directions over it.    Duke stayed steady and consistent.  We had problems picking up the left lead going left (he wants to pick up the right lead).  One time I put my right leg way back and he picked up the left lead, but I suspect it was chance.  It only takes a couple of trot steps to switch leads after the fence; he's pretty nimble.

On the drive home, I was thinking about how shitty my week(s) (years) have been at work, and wondered why I like riding so much - why do I pay someone to pick on me when I am withering from lack of confidence at work?  I think the difference is that John wants his students to succeed.  But more than that, he is able to read each student/horse combination, and do what they need to build confidence and improve.  While he isn't heavy on the praise, he also doesn't blame me for errors, and instead, uses them as learning opportunities.  I think Pam is similar, and I expect most (good) coaches are too.  I also suspect that a partner - a good one - would be like that too.  Not blame you for fucking up or making a mistake, but using it to grow.  It is definitely not what my current coworkers/clients are like.  So it is a good role model, and maybe one I can learn from and try to apply it more at work. I LOVE my lessons, and it would be really nice to enjoy work 1/100th as much.  On the other hand, I've had lots and lots of trainers, but none that I have learned anywhere near as much from as John.  So it is more likely that he is just an exceptional trainer, I would be too lucky to ever encounter that in two places in my life at one time, and I should just be grateful that my life took the path it did so that I have gotten to ride with him for so many years.