Making progress...

I used to have a riding lesson every week but Pip pointed out I needed time to practise everything I had learned in between my lessons. It’s been really good to experience riding on my own and having to think for myself! I video my sessions and review the footage to make sure I’m rectifying any glaring mistakes and it’s been good practise to stand on my own two feet.

Having spent a few weeks practising my lunging and riding I realised we were having a few issues on the left rein that I couldn’t resolve so asked Pip for a lesson.

We started off and Pip couldn’t help but notice my problem. We were consistently rushing like a pair of lunatics down one side of the ménage and falling in on the corners. But rather than this being the big issue I had convinced myself it was, she told me exactly what to do to correct it and that was the end of that! I’ve never known anyone who can resolve issues between horse and rider so easily and yet I’ve seen Pip achieve this time and time again with clients at clinics and in my own lessons. I’m so glad we have her as our trainer!

Having so easily rectified my ‘big issues’, we began working on extension and collection. Beginning on a circle and then eventually using the entire ménage.

It felt utterly brilliant to be riding with some collection, extension and control in such stark contrast to our ‘rushing’ and I was on cloud 9! Before I came to Pippsway I thought schooling was boring! I would never have believed that going around the menage could be such a joyful experience! When you’re riding a circle completely focused on your horse and he is focused on you it’s a different ball game altogether. The sense of achievement when we were working in unison was something else!

I know Bronson knows exactly how to do everything I’m asking of him. I’ve seen him do that and so much more with Pip! It’s actually just me learning how to ask properly that we are always working on and whenever I get it right he immediately delivers. I’ve said before that when I was learning to dance I finally understood the horses predicament. We are leading the ‘dance’ and if our lead isn’t clear then our horse genuinely doesn’t know what we want!

I’m delighted with what we achieved today and am looking forward to practising our new exercises. We’re booked into the next Clinic so I have plenty to focus on until then. I love Pippsway of horsemanship so much! It’s the most rewarding way to be with your horse and that’s for sure!