Sandy Lesson

Despite not getting in as much work as I had wanted, Fleck and I had a good Sandy lesson. I was a little concerned starting out as EVERYONE was out at Ashland. Flecks' two BFF's were in the ring - Cash and Arwyn. Then there was another horse in the other ring and then Taco arrived for a jump school. Then Sky, George and the chestnut came out of the woods. I thought Fleck would lose his mind that he couldn't go play and join them. Especially when they all left us. But he was REALLY really good. Sandy was impressed with his topline and muscling and said he looked better than the last time she saw him. Sweet!! 

We started off with some nice work. Then we went to work on leg yields and it all fell apart. He was either running, falling out the shoulder, not straight enough, or not really crossing over. So we worked on it at the walk and Sandy had me do turn on the forehands. I had never done those before but it was pretty easy to get the hang of. I just need to leg yield him around his front end. The opposite of a turn on the haunches, but more of an exaggerated leg yield aid wise. I really need to remember to close my left leg. For some reason it pops off my saddle and gives him the space to exit stage left with that shoulder. I don't know why. Going the other way, my right leg stays on him. So we worked on that a good bit and also getting him to accept my right leg as an aid for more bend and not more speed or canter. And then we worked on the canter a bit. Sandy wants me to ride everything like a turn on the haunches for a bit to help straighten him out. I felt at the canter that i got it a few strides because he felt haunches out almost. But I think he's just been crooked long enough that it feels normal to me.

All in all a good lesson. :) My homework is to practice those things and still remember my left thumb. But she didn't mention it by twice, so whoo hoo. Progress!!

Fleck was feeling good and wasn't huffing after our lesson. Yay!