Danny Lesson - T minus 12 days until Prelim debut

So Legacy and I had a great lesson tonight. Did some work on my sitting trot, which Danny explained to me will take the next year to feel comfortable, so I just need to get used to being uncomfortable. At this stage in the game, my dressage scores will have to suffer because I need to teach Legacy to engage his back, and to do that I have to make him go deeper and rounder and perhaps behind the vertical (oh no, all dressage people are cursing me). Magically, when Danny got on Legacy and showed me how to do it, it got much easier to sit. So after I get Legacy relaxed and using his back, (and learn some rhythm), we will be ready to kick some butt!! Then we jumped a bit...I feel like a lightbulb went off when Danny told me to get taller and keep my shoulders away from the jump as we are approaching instead of throwing myself over the fence. When I did that on the third jump we did tonight, it was a drastic difference...I mean it was like a different horse. I actually got out of Legacy's way and he was able to use his hind and and had a beautiful round jump...I felt like we could jump the moon. I definitely try to do too much and help him out, but I'm slowly learning he doesn't need my help...he knows what he's doing. He doesn't need me to carry him around the ring, or throw my body forward over a jump so he can make it...he's got it all on his own. So I think the less I do, the better. I need to guide him instead of force him to the jumps...I'm not doing the work, he is, so I need to let him. It's been a process to get to this point and it's so interesting to see the progression. First, he rushed through all the fences, so I had to pull and hang on to try and slow him down...then I had to teach him how to go round in his head and neck no matter what cue I gave him....now, I'm pulling it all together and making him smooth and relaxed. If I can get him round and have more of an up and down canter while jumping, it's so easy. So, hopefully I can use all of this momentum and knowledge and have a positive experience next weekend. We are ready for Prelim!!!

~Kelly