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Training at Talland Part 2

Talland Part 2
So, having been down to the glorious Cotswolds for one Talland lesson, Tory and I set off the following weekend to go do it again!  

 We had our physio - Ann Loach - to our horses at 7am, and abandoned them at 8am for Mrs Whipcracker to put back out.  We had to leave for our 10am lesson.  This was too tight!  We only just made it - arriving at Talland with just 5 minutes ot spare.  I will be making sure we leave earlier next time because it's so hard to get into the right open, calm frame of mind when your adrenaline is pumping from the drive down!
This time I was riding a different horse, equally tall and equally well schooled. This one was called Whizz which I think is an instruction more than a description 😉 sweet mare. Tory was riding the same horse as last time. This time we brought our spurs!  The school horses are so sweet to ride, they are not whizzy or light but they are responsive and very reliable.  

 We aimed this time on working on contact which is my bugbear certainly.  I have got into the habit of a very light contact which turns into none at all with every step.  My instruction was thumbs on top and grip the reins whilst being elastic with the mouth.  

 Last time my eureka moment was seeing my right leg in the arena mirrors - trying to find my right ear.  This time it was about lateral work and the positioning of my leg and timing of the aids.  We played at half pass and leg yield and the finer differences between them. We also played at travers and shoulder in and on flexion and flexing.  All so so valuable.  The really big thing I am learning is that it is quite subtle.  Sounds daft but shoulder in should not feel like skidding sideways and half pass needs preparation, not just grab and kick! Poor Beau, I will get there buddy! 

 I thoroughly thoroughly recommend going here for a lesson, however experienced or good you are. Tory and I have booked in again in November as a pre-Christmas pressie to each other, and the time after that we hope to ride an elite horse too.  I am going to go down there with a list of questions to ask Hilary, and I am going to try to think of a single simple focus.  I think one eureka moment is priceless and don’t want to be greedy.  The big question is in what order should I fix things?

 In between times Tory and I took Beau and Stella to our first group BD. Stella won the prelim and the music and Beau was second in both! Interesting because I rode Stella in the prelim and Tory rode her in the music class.... when we get the hang of her she will be a stormer! 
We just have to get her to quit being a stormer out hacking (so Beau can keep up) and she will be just about perfect!

Love and hugs

Tam and Beau x




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