I have one dreaded excercise when it comes to dressage (or riding in general): turns on the forehand.
That moment when you ask for a turn on the forehand and your horse finds attempting to piaffe backwards easier. I can't even blame her, it sounds easier to me too.
Yes, I understand the purpose and how to ride them and how a correctly done turn on the forehand should feel. That doesn't make them any easier or enjoyable to me. I try and do them a lot with in-hand work and Indy understands them from the ground. In the saddle it's a completely different story and absolutely the best way to piss her off. They're getting better and help with the rest of our ride IF we can get them right. I still don't get any enjoyment out of doing them.
So what are the excercises you would prefer to avoid in your lessons and daily riding? I'd love to hear about them.
Hmmm. Good topic. I'll be thinking about it.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteLooking forward to hearing everyone's replies
ReplyDeleteMe too :)
DeleteI definitely have a love/hate relationship with the Circle of Death (using either jumps or ground poles), but any kind of cantering ground pole work is my kryptonite. Oh, and I can't do a trot jump to save my life, so let's add that too! :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with cantering a ground pole being a pain. It's much harder to get the right distance to them than a jump with some height.
DeleteI have always hated crossing reins -be it just changing hands or the trainer that I think wanted to kill me who crossed them under the horses neck. My brain doesn't function for that.
ReplyDeleteDropping my stirrups, haha. I actually had a bad enough wreck doing that once that I think the instructor has given up telling adult ammies to do it in lessons.
ReplyDeleteLet's just say that not only did I fall off, but I also caused a horse to flip, another rider to fall, and a $$$ client horse to go galloping loose through wire fences. Whoops.
So this is going to sound really lame but I had the free walk- it's so hard to get the horse going through and over the back- they either mosey and lose the impulsion or they fling their heads up and gawk about. It's hard to school properly.
ReplyDeleteooooh good question! probably anything that involves being very slow or collected right now, since my mare gets very stuck in her 'go go go' mentality (and i, erm, may or may not enable her...). one of our trainers has us work on 'walking at nearly halt' to have her really pushing into the bridle and stepping purposefully with each leg. she... does not care for this exercise haha
ReplyDeleteSuper depressing for me but sitting trot LOL Its so ugly right now I can't stand to do it (which means I need to do it!)
ReplyDeleteTurns on the forehand are an exercise of death for me too! Will think on this...many things are hard for me hahah :)
ReplyDeleteI honestly haven't had a fomal 'lesson' in so long, do I even qualify to answer this one? Probaly anything with SLOW work, although some days I dread doing anything past a walk, so there is always that...
ReplyDelete