What would Laura Set UP

On Sunday, I reset the jump arena. I thought to myself...what would Laura set up? Laura is our trainer who visits the farm weekly to help WallE and I progress. I felt that it was time for a little pole and cavelletti work. So I set up a four cavelletti 9 feet apart (bounces), Three raised poles on a half turn, 9 feet apart in the middle, 6 feet apart on one side and 12 feet apart on one side, a ground pole, a single on the center line and a one stride vertical to oxer on the diagonal. This course is very similar to the first lesson we ever had with Laura. I have the full course written down somewhere, but the one I set up Sunday was from memory. 

Warming up, WallE was a champ. Very responsive to asking him to bend and collect. We did a few leg yields and then worked over just the ground pole a few times before going to the half turn exercise. We began at the trot and worked up to the canter. It was frustrating at first because we would knock a pole down, so I would have to dismount, fix it and get back on. However, eventually we got it and then moved on to the line of bounces. WallE was great, though I realized that I HAVE to stretch up more over the fences. I have a habit of hunching and trying to be as little as possible, I need to stretch up and help us balance. We then put together a little course: Vertical, pole, caveletti on the turn, bounces, one stride Circle and end with the raised caveletti and pole. WallE was perfect and I felt I did well too. We did it once backwards and then finished with the jumping. 

Since we had not ridden very long we schooled lead changes across the diagonal a few times with great success. WallE got one full change and the other three times he changed in the front and a stride later changed in the back. I am very pleased with how he is progressing with the changes.