Hi guys!
So I will be honest from the get go....dressage really is not my thing. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand why it is necessary and important, I'm just not the greatest at it. I did work with a dressage trainer (who advertised himself as an eventing trainer BTW....in the 2 years I worked for him I had about 3 jump lessons) and learned a lot, but I feel like my knowledge is kind of maxed out at this point. The trainer I ride with now hasn't had a formal dressage lesson in her life (long story), but I am switching barns soon. Anyways, I do flatwork with my gelding 3 days a week and jump 2, but I feel like our flatwork sessions are becoming too repetitive and I don't want him to get bored/crabby by doing the same thing over and over. So, with that being said, what do you all work on while you're doing flatwork?
We aren't doing anything higher than training level dressage. I have taught him how to work off his hind end and power with his butt and accept contact with the bit. Typically we do a lot of transitions on our "dressage" days, lots of circles, serpintines (I'm sure I've spelled this incorrectly ), leg yields and turn on the forehand. I, as a rider, don't feel confident in my shoulder-ins or turns on the haunches and Blazer has never done it, so we are leaving those exercises out until I switch trainers. Anybody out there have any other ideas/exercises for us to work on? Ideally I'd like something that is going to help improve our jumping. And when we do FINALLY get to our first event, I'd like to have an AWESOME dressage round!
Thanks in advance!
So I will be honest from the get go....dressage really is not my thing. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand why it is necessary and important, I'm just not the greatest at it. I did work with a dressage trainer (who advertised himself as an eventing trainer BTW....in the 2 years I worked for him I had about 3 jump lessons) and learned a lot, but I feel like my knowledge is kind of maxed out at this point. The trainer I ride with now hasn't had a formal dressage lesson in her life (long story), but I am switching barns soon. Anyways, I do flatwork with my gelding 3 days a week and jump 2, but I feel like our flatwork sessions are becoming too repetitive and I don't want him to get bored/crabby by doing the same thing over and over. So, with that being said, what do you all work on while you're doing flatwork?
We aren't doing anything higher than training level dressage. I have taught him how to work off his hind end and power with his butt and accept contact with the bit. Typically we do a lot of transitions on our "dressage" days, lots of circles, serpintines (I'm sure I've spelled this incorrectly ), leg yields and turn on the forehand. I, as a rider, don't feel confident in my shoulder-ins or turns on the haunches and Blazer has never done it, so we are leaving those exercises out until I switch trainers. Anybody out there have any other ideas/exercises for us to work on? Ideally I'd like something that is going to help improve our jumping. And when we do FINALLY get to our first event, I'd like to have an AWESOME dressage round!
Thanks in advance!