Your lesson is with Ben!

Sometime ago I entered an on-line competitions for a free lesson at Bedgebury Park Equestrian Centre, as I never usually win anything, I was surprised to receive an email to say that I'd won a lesson.  I chatted to the owner of the centre and agreed on a jumping lesson.  So I got another email to confirm the time and date of the lesson and that it would be with their in-house trainer called Ben... but Ben who I cried... but I was never told. 

To be honest I wasn't sure I wanted to bother to drive for an hour and a half for a lesson with someone called Ben, but decided that I might as well, I had nothing to loose.   So we set off, the weather was glorious and we arrived at Bedgebury.  I haven't been before, but had heard lots of good things.  It is the new base for Sharon Hunt, and the facilities looked fab on the website.  We got a little lost on arrival as we went up a back drive, but a quick call and we got rescued.

Ben came out and said hello and said he would meet us at the indoor arena.  Harry was as chilled as ever, and we wandered down to the indoor arena. 

The lesson was good, Ben was quick to work out Harry put as little effort in to things if that was an option and therefore I often tried too hard.  So the flat work session to warm up for jumping was to do as little as possible and not to expect to much from Harry to start with.  He got me to ride with shorter reins but hands a lot further forward than I am use to when in the jumping saddle.  He wanted my lower leg more wrapped around and we did a lot of on to medium steps (even if only little ones) and also half steps to help Harry engage and bend his hocks.  I really enjoyed this work.   Next was on to some grid work and Harry then showed that he could jump, even taking off at the canter pole and clearing the whole lot and continue on down through the grid. 

All in all I enjoyed the lesson, it was calm and worked Harry within his own balance.  I found out that Ben did have a surname which is Cook, and we actually had a few mutual contacts.  I certainly would consider another lesson... it has also got me fired up for some more jumping lessons, and to pull my finger out and sort out some faster fittening work for Harry.

We got back at 6pm, did the horses and then I went off to work Pluto - who again was super and tonight showed his owner what he could do off the lunge line.  What a star.