Back to familiar territory but with new tests and challenges

I sadly do not have any new media for you guys...at least not a ton of interesting stuff. But the great news is that I finally have had two rides where my horse feels back in business.

Soooo sweaty

I chose to do two dressage lessons two days in a row to help kick start us back to our happy place. Tillie showed up ready to work and I couldnt have been more relieved.

Yesterday's lesson we finally ran through Training level test A since that is what we will be tested on at our next event. Boy let me tell you what a jump it is from Novice. Here is the test for reference: USEF Training Test A

We realllly hate flies even after being sprayed

Unfortunately the test is still in a small dressage ring, which makes me nervous about the two trot lengthenings and one canter lengthening...they are hard enough in the larger, full sized ring! So definitely something Ill be practicing in the smaller arena at home.

She says I soooo pretty! Also really curious about the foals running around

Yesterday's lesson she was the perfect weight and contact in my reins...she felt willing to work both ways and we finally had some nice canter work. C commented my riding on our lateral work and said I am getting better at riding the movements and fixing Tillie when she attempts to give the wrong answer!! YAY!! Let me tell you, lateral movements fry my brain...but Im sure the more I get comfortable with them it wont seem soo challenging.

There's her pretty face!

Anyway, back to riding through the Training level test...not only is it way more going on than Novice, it all happens really fast in succession...you dont have large trot circles to help prepare, its literally one movement into the next.

Which, luckily for us, seems to ride pretty well for the most part. C hadnt remembered this test but was happy with how it rode for us and said it did tend to show off Tillie's best qualities.

After running through it once in the larger full size ring just to get the lay of the land, we ran through it again but focusing on the areas that gave us a harder time...which C said she was surprised at which parts did. She said she would have thought some other parts would but that she generally liked how we did.

The stretchy circle is tough because it comes right after the trot lengthening...so to change modes that quickly is really hard. Not to mention, stretchy trot with Tillie we always let it slowly build with her tendency to want to rudely root or throw her head down. It also happens to be the only 20M circle in the whole test...everything else is 15M.

C recommended we play it safe but to def work on it at home as long as she didnt start to pull down.

The other thing we worked on was getting our lengthenings to happen faster out of the turn because that small arena is small and there is not a whole lot of time to let things build. The trot ones we got pretty darn good!! The canter one I still am a bit of a weenie and dont really go for it as much as I could.

All in all I am super excited to have her back...now we need to go XC school to make sure *I* feel good out there too!