Kara, Kerrie, Kim and Linda at Talland

Kara, Kerrie, Kim and Linda all travelled down south on Valentines Day to spend a few days at Talland School of Equitation where Pammy Hutton is based.  The weekend would entail 4 lessons each on school master horses.  The aim was to have fun, learn and gain confidence in our riding ability. 

Linda and Kim were focussing solely on dressage over the weekend but Kerrie and I fancied a SJ lesson too.  The lessons were spread over the day so we could all watch and learn from each other.  There are endless video tapes to watch back and digest. 

The theme of the lessons tended to be to get rid of your stirrups and stretch your legs as long as they would go.  Then to do rising trot without stirrups.  OWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!  The horses have all been there and done that so were perfect to focus on yourself and your aids rather than worrying about the horses. 

Each horse had its thing so you could practice particular movements.  Linda practised lots of lateral work and changes.  She in fact was the queen of one time changes over the weekend!!  Linda also managed some passage and piaffe.  Very smart! 

Kerrie and I had our SJ lesson first with Gerry.  He said it as he saw it which suited us fine.  It was all about rhythm and having a good canter which is easier said than done.  When the jumps were small we both made a great job but as they got bigger we both started to ride differently and interfered more.  Our take home message is not to focus on the fence but to focus on the horse.  The way we learned to do that was to think about a song or a word and say it over and over again.  When you hear us saying "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday..." over and over again as we do our SJ round at the next CT, dont worry, we are just focusing on our rhythm.  We are not weird, really!!  It really does work.

Our dressage lessons were great and really helped our positions.  Kerrie learned she had a uncontrollable right leg while I learned my left leg had a mind of its own.  And when that is the case, the horses take any movement as an aid for a change of movement.  So Kerrie and I spent one lesson trying to stop our horses doing changes because our legs were doing their own thing!!  Also maintaining a quiet and secure position on these horses is essential as they take any change of position as an aid.  Very well trained horses and not so well trained riders.  By the end, however, we were managing very well.

Kim had a lesson with Pammy Hutton herself.  She enjoyed every minute.  Kim worked on changes, half pass, canter pirouettes and some passage. 

We all enjoyed our 4 lessons so much that we booked another group lesson on the Sunday morning before we left for the airport.  Laura had her work cut out and I think the lesson looked a bit like a pony club lesson with us all doing our on thing and not really paying attention to anyone else (especially Kim, who was fascinated by the huge mirrors at the end of the arena!). (Note from Kerrie: there were kids on 12.2 ponies behaving much better than us!!!)

The weekend was a HUGE success and 5 lessons was only the beginning.  Another 5 lessons would have been very useful but maybe next year.  Bonnie, Vergil, and Ned are all now going to be doing changes, half pass, canter pirouettes, passage and piaffe...NOT!!  We can dream though! 

Kerrie has put together a wee ode de Talland:

" These are not just riding school horses, these are beautiful, well trained grand prix school masters.  

These are not just riding lessons, these are lessons which find muscles you didn't know you had and make you ache from head-to-toe.  

This is not just flat work, this is half-pass, piaffe, passage and flying changes.  

These are not just riding school instructors, these are International grand prix dressage riders Pammy Hutton, Justine Sole, Laura Ferrier and Olympic eventer Gerry Sinnott.  

This is not just a riding school, this is Talland School of Equitation.  

If M&S made riding schools................!! "

 

Kerrie started off well!!  But then she managed to get the hang of it!!

Grand Prix rider to S**T shoveller!!!  She knows her place...dont you Kerrie?!

Kara during her jumping lesson at Talland.  "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday..."  What a difference a day makes...or a week, over and over again!

Saturday night dinner - and there is that good looking guy again (see HOYS)!

  

Kerrie and Linda stretching after 2 days of sitting trot and no stirrups!

Kerrie and Linda after too much stretching!!