ASB Weekend Day 1, Lesson

Riding

Awareness of the outside world. Florida Museum of Natural History: Oldest DNA from domesticated American horse lends credence to shipwreck folklore, July 27, 2022. HT Phys.org.

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Bubba appears to be my regular ride.

Since it was Saturday, my ground person was available to help with the lesson. He may not know from saddle seat, but he knows me. He’d be able to point out the bad habits I can’t seem to stop.

Earned his fee in the first minute. He told me to sit back. You see, I thought I was sitting back. He was right, I wasn’t really. Sit back. Too far back. Way too far back. This is a ridiculous way to ride too far back. Yes, there.

When I get in the correct position, I can feel the gentle divots in the saddle where the seat bones go. Plus, Bubba was immensely relieved that I was finally in place where he knew how to carry a rider.

The first few posting steps in this position are always a treat. Then I sort of figure it out. “I get my momentum up and just keep going.” [Back In The Saddle, Saddle Seat Style]

One of my goals for this lesson was getting my canter transitions. Had trouble with that last time. Decided that I was throwing my shoulders. It’s such an ingrained habit that my own horses eventually learn it as a canter signal, which causes me to continue the behavior. Bubba of course had no idea what I was going on about. [Return To Saddle Seat]

Now that I was in the correct place? Piece of cake.

When I came in for line-up, the lesson struck me as a bit short. To this day, part of me gets a little snitty, thinking, ‘That’s not a lot of minutes for the money.’ Particularly since restarting the h/j lessons which tend to run close to an hour. And then I get off and think, ‘That’s okay, I’ll just sleep for the next 24 hours.”

Saddle seat riders don’t work long, but they work hard.

Onwards!
Katherine