Oh lessons how much I have missed you

FINALLY!!!! I have a horse that can stay sane enough and was sound to ride in the weekly Tuesday lessons with Emma.

Old picture, but captures Tillie's enthusiasm perfectly 

While I felt the lesson was a bit lack luster in general (Ill explain more in a moment), it felt nice to be back in the swing of things.

The lesson went long actually, closer to an hour and a half.  It worked well since we took turns under the magnifying glass with D and then would go walk on a loose rein or watch while the other one went.

Tillie and I focused on the walk and trot really trying to work through resistance and activating her hind end without losing the rhythm. She has a tendency to find a good rhythm and small steps but be a bit lackluster and flat, but when starting to ask for more push she starts to rush and lose the rhythm.

So in true trainer fashion it was all about LEG last night. Inside leg at the girth, outside leg slightly back to protect the haunches from swinging (all while keeping my heel down when using leg which is sooooooo hard!). He had me try some sitting trot to really use a driving seat and alternate with posting. Trying to get her to relax without being "dead"

Tillie also was being quite rude and trying to root here and there to which D exclaimed - That is resistance and you need to reprimand her. Well I guess what I was doing to correct it wasnt blatant enough and he pushed me a bit further asking to see her react. I admit a lot of times I am guilty of avoiding the fight with Tillie because she gets so tense and offended, but I think that is exactly what D wanted so we could attempt to work through that.

Tried on a new bonnet I got on clearance...Tillie clearly loved it.
Does this new bonnet make my ears look big?

By the time I figured out what he wanted we were an hour into the lesson, but I finally had a "OHHHHHH, I get it..." moment. Tillie slightly shut down on me, but she did eventually give me different answers and tried. Being only our 4th ride back since being out of work, that is fine for me.

Emma kindly snapped this shot at some point in our lesson...Hey she really can extend that short neck of hers!