#dirk notes

[myblackmare]

The baby was very good for our lesson with Dirk. We worked on some harder stuff and she handled it pretty well with only minor tantrums.

[myblackmare]

Lesson moments. She was actually pretty good, it was the first lesson in the flexisoft bit. She was still really easy to handle and it was fine. Dirk didn’t cry or poo poo it so we’re all okay. Lol.

[myblackmare]

Power noodle definitely in a mood today. Whenever Dirk comes out she gets annoyed because it means she has to work lol.

[myblackmare]

Also forgot this from the lesson but when Dirk was watching me doing extended trot across the diagonal he grinned and said “So! When is your first competition?”

AHhh no please Dirk don’t make me competeeeeeeee! 

[myblackmare]

Dirk lesson notes: She needs to activate her hind and drive forward up into the contact because with energy it will make it easier for hold a nice contact. I need to lift my hands more up and out in front of me. Because she needs to lift her head more up in the frame and because her neck is so long if I hold my hands more forward it makes her neck look a bit shorter and more in proportion. She really ignores my leg during leg yielding, renvers and travers, I think mostly because the exercise is difficult for her and she doesn’t want to do it. Dirk told me to get some “little dummy spurs” so that she’ll actually listen. Otherwise getting higher level moves is going to be really hard. Wahh idk how I feel about wearing spurs.

He also told me sometimes I need to be more firm and hold her in the frame, and then release and soften once I feel her give to me. And that she needs to flex more, and that if she isn’t listening, flexion is the way to try and instil some control and discipline.

Also trying to teach collected canter is tricky. She’s can go collected, working and extended walk and trot. And she can do working and extended canter but collected is whooping my butt right now.

Alsooooo he said he is “constantly suprised by her” And when I asked about her ability to learn more dressage stuff he said “flying changes, w/t/c pirouettes yes. And I’d put my money on her being able to piaffe over passage… She will surprise you”.

AHHHH

[myblackmare]

Things from my lessons with Dirk so far: - I need to get her more forward. She goes far too slowly and he said she needs to moveeee more. He literally spent half the ride telling me to get energy. - He said that with energy and an open stride Lily will be able to reach and engage herself. - I brought up me being worried about pushing her too far and he said at first she will be uncomfortable but as muscle builds it will be easier. I quote "six months ago, the men in a marching band were lazy, hairy bums. With six months of training and drilling they are now polished marchers. The same goes for horses." - He said that I have "lovely, soft hands" but that sometimes they are too gentle and that it's almost like I'm afraid to touch Lily in the mouth. He told me while she's learning there's no shame in being exaggerated with the aids, because I can't expect her to react as a polished horse would to tiny aids. When she is more experienced I can get smaller aids but "there is no shame in adjusting for the horse." - He told me at the end of the lesson that he sees "a lot of potential in her" and that he sees more potential in her that perhaps I can see.

[myblackmare]

Lesson with Dirk was good. She was really reaching under with her hind and it even felt like we were getting a bit of toe flicking in the extended trot, wish I'd had someone to film the lesson, I'm too awkward to ask Dirk to lol. Still struggling with that stupid collected canter, she always breaks to trot. Ah well, something to work on.

[dirklings]

i’m probably going to change my url to something else if i can think of something!!!