1/27/11: Success!

Today I finally rode Lucy again! She's been getting lunged with a chambon since last Friday. This morning I got up, wrapped my knee with a ridiculously oversized bandage, put on riding clothes (I've discovered that riding pants are not comfortable with a small watermelon-sized knee), took Ibuprofen, and headed to the barn. I think Ibuprofen is pretty awesome because riding was no problem, and I even jumped a little bit. Alois also rode Lucy for about 15 minutes. He really put her together, and seeing his hand and body position while riding her on the flat and over jumps was really helpful for me when I got back on. Lucy often tries to avoid pressure from the rider's leg by constantly swinging her hind end slightly from side to side. To help with this issue, Alois sat very deeply in the saddle, maintained a constant but soft feel of the reins and draw reins, and made her canter in a slow and consistent rhythm. She was much easier to adjust to the jumps and settle in the corners after Alois's work! Alois left for a horse show this afternoon, so I will try to utilize some of his tips while working Lucy on the flat over the weekend. Luckily, I have Ibuprofen to help me out!