Big 'Well done!' to all my 7 o'clock Flatwork Lesson Group, who recently took part in a Dressage Competiton at Aintree International Arena. Eva Muir & Ricochet, Louise Atkin & Jake, Debbie Adderley & Copperhill Star, Elaine Neary & Rynette and Michelle Lyon & Salt were all placed within the Top 10 competitors. Eva Muir & Ricochet took 2nd place only 0.2 marks behind the class winner! This was all the girls' first experience of dressage and they rode Prelim 1 having never even done an Intro test.
My 7 o'clock lesson was originally set up to improve the riders' position and horses' movement on the flat. All the girls found this made a big difference to their first love - show jumping. As both riders and horses improved in gigantic steps, the lesson soon included lateral work and the theory behind it. Soon I was looking at horses, that initially couldn't hold their canter and often led off on the wrong canter lead through rider error, working into the bridle and performing varied lateral work - canter leg yield, counter canter, turn on the forehand, to name but a few.
The girls never miss a week, improve every week as a result and as originallly intended, their competitive show jumping has improved.
All their horses were sourced by John Shaw too - you represented us well girls!
Abi Clarke