At the risk of sounding cliche......

It has happened! I am officially back in the saddle. (Har, har). On this dreary, wet fall day, I was finally, FINALLY put on a horse again. I make a big deal out of it only because it's the first ride (other than 2 spins on a friend's horse, who was kind enough to take pity and let me ride hers) since Nationals back in June. 
The school horse, Ringo, was my noble steed du jour. He's a seven year old thoroughbred, used strictly for hunter lessons. What this actually means is that he simply does not know the meaning of self-carriage, stride adjustment, collection, or bend. What he DOES know is, leg means go, hand means stop, and either rein means change direction. 
We have some work to do. 
Let me start out by saying I was a bit apprehensive about this first ride in front of Brendan. I certainly had a lot to prove, simply because he decided to take me on, it meant I had better have a certain level of skill. Also, getting on a new horse with no idea how it acts is always an awkward situation. Like a first date with someone you don't know-you aren't aware of mannerisms or what is ok to ask etc. 
Being the balls-to-the-wall kinda girl I am, I slapped some spurs on (despite several cautions from third parties, because the TB wasn't used to spurs), and up I got. 
First off, I felt like I had no stirrups whatever. Were my legs really that straight last time I rode? Jeez I have to get my muscle memory back. And second thing, Ringo scooted off straight after I mounted, which took me by surprise because so many different people had told me he's very dull and needs tons of leg. WRONG! Perhaps it was the spurs, and let me tell you the reason I use those suckers, regardless of the horse's attitude: simply because they give me extra support on the left side where I just don't have the coordination to turn my toe out and put leg on. Therefore, having a spur, a horse can actually feel the tiny amount of pressure I am able to apply. 
I want to start with what pleased me about Ringo: he is very smart. He was unsure at times of what I was asking, but as soon as I asked another way or fixed an issue by insisting, he would figure it out in no time. 
I worked mostly in trot, after a very long warm up in the walk. He wasn't thrilled when I tried to pick him up-long and low is the hunter MO and the opposite of what we want.

the dreaded hunter frame

so he fussed a lot with his face and acted claustrophobic. Once we lengthened the reins a notch he was much quieter. In picking up the trot, I immediately started in on bending exercises. 10m, 20m circles, serpentines, half 10m circles, so many changes of direction I think we both got dizzy. But he went quickly from being horridly stiff to becoming relaxed and happier. 

the outline we want in dressage 

Brendan kept reminding me to get a bigger trot-you have to have enough forward to be able to do anything at all. Most of the time, when I applied more leg, Ringo would go to canter, even though I was still posting.
My first canter sets were quite fast. As in, almost out of control. He is extremely on his forehand, so Brendan said our homework for the next month is to do half a circle in canter (roughly 3-5 strides) and then immediately down to trot again. This gives him no time to fall on his face, and instead retrains him how to transfer his balance to his hind end. 
It's funny to see how similar the issues we had today were to Clever when I first started working with her. It's an unfortunate fact that  Ringo doesn't want to stay out on a circle or on the wall to the left, seeing as how that is my weak point. That was the only area that Brendan really stepped in to instruct me, toward the end of our ride. I was tracking left and asked for the canter and Ringo honestly twisted into a pretzel and spun in a tiny circle like a western horse. His body language said in a whiney voice, "I can't do it, it's too hard." 
Brendan was like make it straight, fix it in the trot. And I did. I just focused extra hard on my left leg, and used my seat to push the horse outward, and he did. And then we got a nice balanced transition. Solving problems one equation at a time. 
Overall, I was quite pleased with myself, not having any idea what to expect with this guy. I think it will be a phenomenal opportunity to learn how to train a green horse and to become more clear as a rider. {In my best Cher voice from Clueless,}-*PROJECT!*