Theory was on the menu today, and this time it consisted of our riding instructor demonstrating some of the things we’ve practiced these last two weeks by having us watch her ride Spitfire. I helped get him ready, and since I haven’t ridden him myself it was my first experience working with him. He really is a terrible sweety, like everyone has said. He loves company, and when I led him down to the arena, he was constantly snuggling his head against my side. At first I thought it was just due to him having located my candy pocket, but I was told he always does that. He just snugged, really, without pushing or nipping or being intrusive. Very sweet. Too bad he’s a touch too tall and, from the looks of it, pretty big-gaited too.
Our task for today was to keep an eye out for how he tried to avoid work by doing various things, like throwing his hindquarters out to one side or not keeping his inner shoulder in. I do wish I got to watch others ride more often, so I could develop more of an eye for what is right and what is wrong, because it can be really useful to analyse things from the ground now and then. For example, watching the canter transitions closely gave me a very good idea of what it is that happens when Murphy goes well and when he doesn’t go so well.
I am still pondering trying to squeeze in a private lesson this week, to follow up on this display and last weeks lesson, but with the Levade show on Thursday it might be tight. Unless I can get driven down there on Friday morning.