Lesson from a Lusitano Stallion..

I discovered Pen Llyn stables near Llaniestyn, about three years ago. Still very much a beginner horse-rider, I'd only just started cantering in the school and booked myself on effectively my first hack. I rode Tia, an unremarkable mare who looked after me well and I enjoyed every minute. Despite being the only rider in a large group to decline the invitation to canter. We rode the local lanes and through fields on the lower slopes of Carn Fadryn on a lovely warm Summer's day, in the heart of the beautiful Llyn Peninsula in North Wales.

Early first steps in walk

Pen Llyn is also located conveniently, only five miles or so from my favourite campsite, overlooking the wide open bay at Porth Neigwl. The beach here is a gold mine for beachcombers and the waves bring surfers from miles away. I had recently planned a camping trip and knew the weather forecast was poor. Previously I've found it all too easy to make excuses not to go, only to regret the decision later. So I made a reason to go. I booked an hour classical riding lesson for Monday lunchtime.

A wet and windy sleepless night in a cold, damp tent is not the ideal preparation for probably the most interesting and important riding lesson to date. However pulling on familiar boots, polished just for the occasion, soon settled me into a positive frame of mind. My camping comrade Jos came along with his camera and we arrived early!

Perhaps a little too early as we were shown to the indoor arena and watched a group lesson in progress. A mixed ride of horses were being ridden in more advanced moves than I've ever seen...let alone attempted. So I was starting to feel a little concerned that I'd taken on a little too much. Almost suddenly the arena emptied and before I knew it and with little time for introduction, I was up in the saddle on board the handsome Lusitano stallion Rez. I barely got time to look at him before..maybe just as well as I was feeling a bit intimidated by things by now anyway.
Leg Yielding

I need not have worried. My instructor, Lucy, put me at ease by starting off very slowly with nothing more than walking Rez into a contact on both reins. Then moving onto shoulder in at walk and trot. Followed by familiar circles and serpentines at trot, then some leg yielding with some invaluable tips from Lucy and some pointers on some of my weaknesses.
Flying Change

My "driving" seat is a problem and poor Rez thought I was asking for passage. So every now and then I was asked to extend him down the long side in trot. We cantered large, then circles, on both reins, before trying figure of eights with flying changes, which he gave with little more than a nudge. This whole ride was an experience I will remember for a long time. Rez is probably used to far more advanced riders than me but never made me feel out of place or took advantage. Lucy obviously knows him very well and had me weighed up quite quickly. Coming on close to an hour later I was ready to finish. Everything had gone so well, mentally I was switching off...full to overflowing with all the different movements and actions I was trying hard to coordinate, the concentration and emotion spent on riding such a beautifully talented horse.

I was invited to try some Spanish Walk and Passage, which Rez is obviously well versed in. However it was the more simple, familiar school figures, done well, that gave me most satisfaction. Possibly because I know where I might struggle sometimes, perhaps cantering on the right rein on a circle. Whilst I'm sure there was plenty of room for improvement on some points, in general I think my riding has come on very well and that I justified my ride on a Luso. I hope I'll return very soon for more...

One question that keeps coming up in many of my riding lessons. I understand the the concept of asking and needing impulsion from the horse. How exactly it is achieved is slightly more tricky. In my simple view I ask with my legs. The horse responds by going faster. If I am to keep a soft hand, how do I contain the speed and change it to impulsion? Am I approaching this wrong?