Dressage Lesson --

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Subject: Dressage Lesson

Author:
Mel (Jenny)

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Date Posted: 10:11:08 06/17/02 Mon

It was a sunny, brisk February day. Melanie finished her homework & then groomed & tacked up Princess, her Arabian mare. She put on her helmet, grabbed the reins, and swung into the elegant dressage saddle. Princess pulled eagerly at the reins as they warmed up. "Hey, ready?" Jenny entered the long dressage arena holding a clipboard. Today was Mel's dressage lesson. "Yeah, we're warmed up." Mel halted Princess and patted the mare's neck which was light with sweat. "Outta shape girl?" Jenny joked, coming up. "She has had sort of a winter vacation these past 2 weeks." She stood in the center of the arena. "All right. Move off in a working trot." Mel turned the Arab mare and pressed her into a posting trot. She rose and fell lightly in the dressage saddle, holding the reins frimly. "Good. Post more towards the front of the saddle." After she had circled the arena at a rising trot, she did the sitting trot. Princess had a quick, fast trot but if you sat deep and collected her she floated over the ground. Mel sat the trot with ease, gripping with her lower legs. Then they cantered. "Start off on the right lead," Jenny called. Mel brought her outside leg back behind the girth and squeezed. She sat back in the saddle as Princess stepped forwards into a light, swinging canter - her tail lifted like a flag, neck arched and gait lively. "Very nice!" Jenny praised. "Now, switch leads." Mel nodded and brought her inside leg back and squeezed. Princess changed to her left lead. Then they switched back, performing a flying lead change! Melanie proudly cantered past Jennifer. "All right. Do a 20 meter circle," Jenny called. Melanie brought her inside rein up and swung the mare in an even circle. Then they did figure eights and serpentines at a collected canter, then at an extended trot. Then they worked on walk - canter transitions. After an hour and a half of intense dressage schooling, Jenny ended the lesson. Melanie's limbs ached and Princess was dark with sweat. Her dapples gleamed in the winter sunshine. She let out a loud snort and walked willingly towards the gait. Mel halted squarely, dismounted, ran up the stirrups, and led the pretty mare into the barn. She untacked her and led her into the wash racks. After letting the warm water slide over the mare's body, she dried her and fed her a treat, then turned her out. Jenny brought her a Coke. Melanie settled down to clean the saddle & bridle.

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