Blaze had his first ever lesson and I am still smiling! Where has my baby pony gone?

Long-reining a pony for 40 minutes there and 40 minutes back, up and down hills, in not the best weather was totally worth it! It was a great lesson and a where it was a first for Blaze it was the first lesson I have had in a long time and I had forgotten how much I enjoy riding under instruction!

First I just led him round the arena in hand – just so he could have a good look and make sure there were no pony eating tigers hidden anywhere! I gave him an in-hand walk on both reins and filled in the instructor a little on his background.

Then I went to mount and he was a little fidgety at first – she asked if I wanted her to hold him and I declined – he knows how to park once we get in the right space and sure enough he stood like a rock. She was very complimentary about that – pointing out how many people forget to teach manners and what seem like ‘little things’ but are actually big things. We were off to a good start!

So we had a walk (she said to keep giving him little half halts so he knew I was there and he was safe) and trot and she asked if he was ok to canter which he is (though I pointed out he is not canter fit as we have had such a soggy field) and though he struggled to get the correct lead a couple of times behaved perfectly.

Now she had seen him move we had a little chat. Her first question was what did I want to do with him? I answered honestly – I wasn’t sure if I should keep him and have fun with him but was I (even at my tiny stature) slightly too big for him (she laughed) and would he be better doing what I had bought him for and going to make a little kid really happy. She said she thought he was absolutely cracking and I had done a really good job on backing and producing him (cue my eyes filling) and she thought I was silly for thinking I was too big and I should keep him and compete him.

I was über emotional. I have backed and produced ponies for other people on and off since I was a teenager. Blaze and Spot were the first ones I bought for myself to do on my own. They both were super fun and eager to please. Spot told me he loved hacking and wasn’t really interested in all this schooling/jumping stuff so I found him a perfect home where he gives a lovely couples grandkids rides round their farm. Blaze had something about his brain that was different. He wanted to do stuff and was quick to learn. I loved that he resented his days off and would physically sulk. It meant he was enjoying his job so I started getting him more prepared for a pony club home. I was still prepared to do so and this lesson was kinda important in that I wanted a professionals opinion.

Her first task was to lengthen my stirrups by a hole to start with the homework being to lengthen it another hole once I got used to it. Then she commented that as he has such a short neck, he needs to lengthen it to stop him becoming even shorted in front. We would focus on walk and trot and in time we will work on the canter (once he’s fitter too).

To help me position myself better to help him lengthen she had me hold my reins the other way up. This forced my elbow and hands forward and got a much better carriage from him and forced me to use my legs and seat more. A really clever technique! Disclaimer – introduce slowly as you have less control so may not be ideal for a pony that bolts etc.

So we went onto a circle and worked on getting his handle really under him to create the bend, using inside leg to outside rein and pretty much letting go of the inside rein so I couldn’t cheat. We managed to get some lovely steps out of him. Once on the circle we used this to get him to make the circle bigger, while maintaining the correct bend. She said to worry less about the correct bend in the neck and more about the bend through the body and focus on moving the back legs over rather than the nose.

We were both quite puffed out by the end of it but I was so so pleased with him and she was full of really kind and positive feedback. I have had a hard time with my confidence and have often wondered if I was completely deluded riding round my field with what felt like so much going wrong last year and in half an hour she had me believing in myself and my skills and my pony again!

Homework for Blaze and I

• Working on long and low
• Practice with my hands holding the reins the other way up
• Inside leg to outside rein, increasing the size of circle
• Lengthen my stirrups