The next steps

After our not too impressive performance at the Horse Trials we've done some soul searching and come up with a few proactive steps to address the issues.

Dressage must continue, but perhaps outside of lessons...
I've been on such a regular lesson schedule that I can't think of many times that I've really asked for correct dressage outside of the lesson. So of course that statement is all wrong! Dressage means training. So if I have a "dressage" standard for lessons, and a "non-dressage" standard for the rest of my riding, I'm not being demanding enough. So it is time to start expecting more from her, all the time. Second issue, is that because I am used to having the trainer coach me through my warm up and find that good quality trot, I don't always try to find it outside of the lesson. She's gotten us past some sticky spots, now we need to see if we can do it on our own! I still plan to keep going with the dressage lessons to introduce new things, but also plan to hold myself more accountable for practicing what we've learned at home.

Canter, canter, and canter some more...
The one thing I didn't feel like we'd prepared for entirely was canter conditioning rides. The last time we did canter sets the were only 4 minutes and it was in early July. She then had time off, and the optimal time for the cross country course was like 4 and half minutes. She may have been less likely to look for an easy way out of the situation if she had been fully prepared for the physical exertion. She also seems to need a little more practice focusing and managing situations at the canter. So we will now find a way to incorporate cantering into every trail ride. So far it has worked once. I had ponied Bear off of Lola for about a half hour of walking with short trot sets when we came across good sturdy tie posts at a picnic area. So Bear got tied (we'll call this his intro to ride and tie training) and Lola got cantered. First we just started with a few circles around the area, then cantered off down the trail each direction, we did a couple passes back and forth, turning around a little farther down the trail each time, until the timer sounded 4 minutes. If we can find a way to do this and more each time, we'll bump up her fitness significantly and introduce her to a whole variety of terrains and situations at the canter.

Practice makes perfect...
Although I may not have a chance to get out to that same course until the spring, I can take advantage of some local opportunities to jump in a show setting. We will be heading right back into the show arena on Sunday for another little H/J schooling show. That is IF the classes are on time! I'm going at it with a no commitment attitude this time. I'm texting a friend that will be there before I leave at 11am to be sure I won't have missed the jumping classes, and then I'm only staying a few hours. If we they don't get to the jumping classes, too bad, we'll school and go home without waiting. I can't imagine they'll run as far behind though. So I think I'll be able to get a few classes in. (Although I'm all burnt out on braiding and hunt coats for photo shoots, so we'll do this one casual.) Then there are a few opportunities for dressage schooling shows through October, including a derby where I can have my chance to correct that BN test in particular!

That's our plan! At the minimun, we'll have fun doing it!