Lesson with Alfredo

Monday we had our first lessons with Lientje in the afternoon. Cashew was a star and I was very happy with how she handled the new arena and how great she was in the connection. That will be our main focus with her. She can get quite heavy in the contact and not balance the weight of her body properly, so I usually end up holding it in the reins. But on Monday she was fantastic and I find Lientje so amazing at getting me to get her round and over her back but then still be able to bring her frame up. I think this is one of Lientje's specialties - having horses truly round and in the perfect frame, even young ones. I feel I am not quite skilled enough to get the horse's frame up and out without loosing their back. And that is why I am here to learn from Lientje and I couldn't have a better horse to learn that on, then Cashew.

Oslo was still a bit tense, but once again he settled in the work. He was not as supple as he has been at home, understandable for a 17 year old that has just come off a 2.5 day trip. Therefore, he was a bit inconsistent in the connection as well, but we managed to work through most of it in the lesson and had a very relaxing and positive lesson for both of us.

Tuesday I was lucky enough to get a lesson spot with the master Alfredo Hernandaz! He is the piaffe and passage expert that Steffen uses for in-hand work. Oslo and I were a bit nervous coming in as we are still very green. It didn't help that we saw Legolas and Steffen beforehand with their piaffe for a 10! So brilliant! Alfredo was lovely though and seemed so happy to be there. At the beginning of the lesson he said "it doesn't matter how good or how bad you are, I am here to help you and your horse". And that is exactly what he did. Once I figured out what he was saying about Oslo, "he is a tricky one" we managed to get the rhythm more clear and me not bouncing so much to get him into the piaffe. Alfredo said he had to change his tapping rhythm in order to push Oslo towards a more rhythmical passage and piaffe. Apparently this is typical for Contangos, but it was very nice of him to give me the compliment of how I have done such a good job with such a "tricky" horse. He sure made us work near the end of the lesson though as he made us get everything on our own. "I can't be in the ring with you"! Pff, I wish, then that Grand Prix doesn't seem quite so difficult! We were even working on the transitions from piaffe to passage and vie versa without much trouble with Alfredo's help. On our own it was a bit more difficult and I think I was sweaty more than Oslo! I needed to just get him to do it though and then be able to relax in the saddle. First we need to get it though and have Oslo understand the idea that neither of us can be lazy!

Cashew was even more up in her lesson on Tuesday and she didn't take a step wrong. She is really surprising me here and I hope we can ramp things up with her now!

Mom went home this morning and the ponies got today off. Mom will be back next week, but until then, Dad and I are expected to be behave! Dad and I took Oslo and Cashew for a long walk and then they had some quality turnout time with Dawn's horse and Joseph's hot Contango, Daisy! Oslo and Daisy were ripping around in those pens! Thank goodness it wasn't someone else's horse there, as some owners are very particular about their horses running around. The horses in the barn must be worth millions and everyone is very careful they don't hurt themselves. Oslo is pretty used to it though and sometimes I think it is good for him to run off the steam.

Back to lessons tomorrow and Friday. Then a light ride on the weekend with one day off.

Working on Oslo's connection.

Cashew's brilliant canter!

Sunset Sunday night after dinner with Angie.

Good night from San Diego!


Lindsay + Oslo + Cashew