Shorter reins! Shorter reins! Quit pulling the horse outside with the left rein, hold steady to avoid bulging and support if it happens, but more inside leg to push out

More impulsion makes for better collection. She’s pulling in front because she’s not using her hindquarters.

Ask for more softness in the jaw. Hold steady outside rein with contact, ask for the inside (bending) rein to tip the jaw out. Use the outside rein if she tries to plow through it.

More trot! More trot! More trot!

Think sit back and drive, don’t collapse my shoulders over hers.

I have elbows. Use them. Bend in elbows.

At this point I’ve shown up to three lessons in two saddles, neither jump saddles, and different stirrup set-ups in the one saddle I’ve ridden in twice. I am so appreciative that trainer L didn’t even blink, just asked at the end why the swap. We’re odd ducks here and I know it, but good basics aren’t discipline-specific!

Also: the new fenders I ordered showed up last weekend. I put them on the saddle this week, the lengths looked wrong, pulled them off and compared and they sent me two different length fenders. Left a voicemail for the company, but at this point I figure I won’t hear anything back til January. Siiiiiigh.