D+ Training

Saturday saw myself and the other Pony Club girls working on our positions and trying to remember why we do things in certain ways as part of our training for the D and D+ tests we will be completing this summer.

Going back to basics is really useful because for the most part you don't need to worry about the horse in a way you might if you were doing something more advanced. So if you were doing something like a leg yield or a shoulder in, you would have to think of yourself and the horse but things like walk to trot/halt transitions are pretty standard. The D and D+ tests require knowledge of rider position, and whilst I think we all knew what we went over at some stage in our riding life, where we haven't gone over it in a while it's falling through to the very backs of our minds.

I think my biggest problem is my legs. On some horses they don't sit in the right position, like on the horse I was riding yesterday. On bigger horses my legs will sit beneath me, but on 'skinnier' steeds they have a tendency to shoot forwards. Standing up in the stirrups would probably solve this, but as it wasn't too bad on Saturday I think I got away with it. With conscience effort I was able to bring them back underneath me, it just didn't come as naturally as it does when I'm on JD. Of course, this could also be because my stirrups were longer. It'll be something to consider next time at any rate.

In addition to answering questions about what makes a good position, how to give certain aids and how to ask for bend etc, we also worked on our jumping positions. The cross we went over was quite small, but the point wasn't for us to be going over massive fences. It was simply to show that we could actually go into jumping position.

My favourite moment of the session was when we attempted to sit to the trot. Thankfully the horse I was riding wasn't too bouncy so I could sit to it, even if I had to start cutting off corners to keep up with the lead horses in the ride. It was great fun though, especially when our instructor imitated us by showing how we kind of just collapse in the saddle. She commented on how our positions change even though they shouldn't. It was very generous of her to say I wasn't as bad as the others, but I think that was more a result of the tension I felt doing sitting trot! I didn't mention that part; it's an ongoing thing haha.

Flatwork is always really useful for me. I think I'm naturally better at dressage of the three main English disciplines, so I always appreciate a good flatwork lesson simply because it impacts on jumping as well.

I hope you are all enjoying the bank holiday weekend. The weather isn't brilliant where I am, but it's nice to have an extra day of relaxation!

Until next time...