January Review

Haven't been keeping up with this - I'll try to go sort out the backlog and remember when I rode.

Here was the January goal: Develop a steady and relaxed w/t/c with some degree of push from behind. Also establish and maintain smooth bend, shoulder-in, and correct leg yields.

First part: success! We have a steady and relaxed w/t/c. We occasionally get glimpses of that coveted hind-end push, but most importantly we are coming up off the forehand.

I haven't spent much time on lateral work, but she does maintain smooth bend. I need a pair of eyes on the ground to check my leg-yield and shoulder-in, so maybe I should check that this month.

February: Jumping month - we're really working on getting ready for the Show Jumping Rally at the end of March. We're halfway through the month and she's doing very well! Schooling at home, she finds her distances very nicely and canters fences easily. She seems to know her leads - but I need to spend more time making sure I prepare her correctly and ask her for them over the fence. We went to a jumping schooling show, and she was fantastic in the 2'3" jumper courses. Cantered the whole thing, did not even think about looking at the fences. Awesome.

Need to set up some grids to work on at home this month.

We are going to a clinic and rating assessment this Saturday which will help with analyzing our jumping strengths and weaknesses.

I can't find where I set exactly where I want to be at the end of February, so I'll update this post with that specific goal when I find it. I think I wanted to be coursing 2'9 smoothly.

This is all for now. Will do my best to get back on track with a regular riding log.