So I rode J on Monday, with the same idea as to the balance point and having him accept my rein aids. He felt pretty good and really getting the idea of balancing back to the hind end and then pushing off strongly when I ask for the lengthen. But suddenly that feeling changed, he wasn't as quick to move strongly off the hind end and got heavier and heavier in my reins. I felt like he was locked up. So I temporarily ditched the exercise and suppled him and moved him forward, it took a few strides, but he did unlock. Then the light bulb came on... I was using WAY to much rein to balance him back! Basically giving him the rein to hang on, which was opposite of what I was trying to accomplish. So I went back to the exercise with more awareness of self carriage and regulating the tempo with my core instead of my rein, and it went much better.
J got Tuesday off due to my work schedule, but I will be back at it tonight, constantly evaluating the reins and not letting him use them against me- by getting too light or too heavy!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Moving full steam ahead!
I had another great lesson with Shelley on Saturday. I had worked diligently all week on J following my hands out to the bridle and responding with a quicker hind leg in the half halt. Shelley was happy to feel the difference, but in the process J had gotten a little dull to the rein aids, as I was so worried about shortening his neck, "holding" him and not asking his neck to stretch into my hand, that I had allowed him to become a little complacent in the reins. So Shelley quickly got to work with J, asking him to be more accepting of the rein aids. She did this by taking a shorter rein and using flexions on each rein to position him a little more honestly. He was a little resentful at first and gave her lots of wrong answers, but he eventually understood that it didn't matter what kind of excuse he gave, he was not getting out of it. Shelley also wanted to work on our lengthenings, as she feels that our other work is passable for a decent first level test.
So I got on and Shelley had me ask J to walk very deliberately and slowly, keeping the balance point closer to his hind end while making sure that J is being respectful of the rein. He actually didn't want to do this too honestly- he kept trying to barge over the reins and walk too quickly, which would force him onto his forehand. Then once he would complete a few steps correctly and with the correct balance, I would ask him to march off his inside hind for three or four steps, then ask him to come back to the deliberate walk. It was tougher than it sounds! The aids have to be very quick and close to each other and if the aids got to strong or long, it would allow him to either fall on the forehand, rush or get behind my leg. Then we did the same thing in the trot and canter- eventually turning the marching steps into some lengthenings. The trot was hardest as he kept wanting to either break to the walk or break into a faster trot. If he broke into the walk, I had to bring him immediately back to the slow walk and then ask him to go into the slow trot. It took a lot of patience and very quick ques on my part, but we did get some nice moments. The canter was easiest as it has the most impulsion and easiest to time the aids. It was a very successful lesson and I can see where these exercises will take us in our work.
On Sunday I worked on keeping his balance point farther back and the exercises that Shelley had taught me on Saturday. I also ran through the 1-3 test and felt that it was pretty decent. We will have to work on the canter work some more, but it is tough in a small arena. I'm excited that our outdoor arena is now open, but it weather has become increasingly uncooperative, even deciding to snow last night. But in preparation for building my dressage arena in the outdoor, I ordered the vinyl letters today and will be very anxious to do some test work outside and also get my freestyle worked out. I plan on showing my freestyle on June 18th and 19th, so it must be ready by then!
So I got on and Shelley had me ask J to walk very deliberately and slowly, keeping the balance point closer to his hind end while making sure that J is being respectful of the rein. He actually didn't want to do this too honestly- he kept trying to barge over the reins and walk too quickly, which would force him onto his forehand. Then once he would complete a few steps correctly and with the correct balance, I would ask him to march off his inside hind for three or four steps, then ask him to come back to the deliberate walk. It was tougher than it sounds! The aids have to be very quick and close to each other and if the aids got to strong or long, it would allow him to either fall on the forehand, rush or get behind my leg. Then we did the same thing in the trot and canter- eventually turning the marching steps into some lengthenings. The trot was hardest as he kept wanting to either break to the walk or break into a faster trot. If he broke into the walk, I had to bring him immediately back to the slow walk and then ask him to go into the slow trot. It took a lot of patience and very quick ques on my part, but we did get some nice moments. The canter was easiest as it has the most impulsion and easiest to time the aids. It was a very successful lesson and I can see where these exercises will take us in our work.
On Sunday I worked on keeping his balance point farther back and the exercises that Shelley had taught me on Saturday. I also ran through the 1-3 test and felt that it was pretty decent. We will have to work on the canter work some more, but it is tough in a small arena. I'm excited that our outdoor arena is now open, but it weather has become increasingly uncooperative, even deciding to snow last night. But in preparation for building my dressage arena in the outdoor, I ordered the vinyl letters today and will be very anxious to do some test work outside and also get my freestyle worked out. I plan on showing my freestyle on June 18th and 19th, so it must be ready by then!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Focus is back!
I've had a bit of a dressage lesson hiatus- not because I have wanted this to occur, but unfortunately scheduling can be difficult, especially when my trainer lives over 2 hours away! So it worked out for Saturday morning and I was more than ready for her guidance! She rode J first (as she customarily does) which allows her to figure out quickly where he (we) is (are) lacking and what needs to be worked on for that particular time. She started running through the First Level test 3 trot work and found that he had some holes in his half halts, he was responding too slowly and not responding correctly. Shelley started to ask J to carry himself with a very high poll, not worrying about roundness per say, but instead focusing on him carrying himself, lengthening his neck and quickening his hind feet in response to the half halt. J's typical response to a half halt is to shorten his neck, fall a bit on the forehand and slow his hind end, leaving his legs out behind him, which is not really a half halt at all. So Shelley worked diligently and he was looking much improved after 15-20 minutes of her riding him. She even did a little bit of stretchy circle and free walk and he was noticeably better.
Then it was my turn. Shelley had us work the full arena, always on the second track or the quarterline. She advised me to take a short-ish rein, keep my hands in front of the pommel and leave him alone with my legs/feet (as I have a tendency to nag him). My reins were to be used to keep him relatively straight and my seat was to steer him, I was only to use my legs/spur when I asked him to go forward. So I would ask him to walk, trot or canter, give him a quick half halt through both reins and/or my seat, then stretch my reins forward (just centimeters through my elastic elbows) and give him small aids from my leg and/or whip until he responded by quickening his hind end and following the bit out to meet my hands but WITHOUT going down. It was difficult, especially at the walk because there is not much impulsion in the walk, but it got better as I got the feel for it. I tend to keep my hands up- probably because I want to carry his head- which is a dressage sin! So I would try to keep my hands down and then J would drop onto the bit and I'd have to pick him back up and then try to remember to put my hands back down. It's like trying to rub my belly and pat my head at the same time! I just have to keep diligent about it so it eventually becomes a habit.
Overall it was a great lesson- Shelley was very positive and encouraging, which I greatly appreciated. It gave me renewed focus on our work and more drive to get our work accomplished. We are hoping to have another lesson next Saturday, which would be great. Show season is sneaking up quickly and I want to be as prepared as possible!
Then it was my turn. Shelley had us work the full arena, always on the second track or the quarterline. She advised me to take a short-ish rein, keep my hands in front of the pommel and leave him alone with my legs/feet (as I have a tendency to nag him). My reins were to be used to keep him relatively straight and my seat was to steer him, I was only to use my legs/spur when I asked him to go forward. So I would ask him to walk, trot or canter, give him a quick half halt through both reins and/or my seat, then stretch my reins forward (just centimeters through my elastic elbows) and give him small aids from my leg and/or whip until he responded by quickening his hind end and following the bit out to meet my hands but WITHOUT going down. It was difficult, especially at the walk because there is not much impulsion in the walk, but it got better as I got the feel for it. I tend to keep my hands up- probably because I want to carry his head- which is a dressage sin! So I would try to keep my hands down and then J would drop onto the bit and I'd have to pick him back up and then try to remember to put my hands back down. It's like trying to rub my belly and pat my head at the same time! I just have to keep diligent about it so it eventually becomes a habit.
Overall it was a great lesson- Shelley was very positive and encouraging, which I greatly appreciated. It gave me renewed focus on our work and more drive to get our work accomplished. We are hoping to have another lesson next Saturday, which would be great. Show season is sneaking up quickly and I want to be as prepared as possible!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Getting 2 horses ready for show season!
So things have been pretty hectic- I took a last minute trip to Minnesota with Tawney to a reining show were she did awesome! It also gave me a chance to watch the "green" reining classes to see what I could expect at our (hopefully) first reining show in May at Gordyville. I was very surprised with what I saw- not a lot of fast spins and most of the riders using two reins- it definitely made me less nervous to show so quickly! I just have to get a sliding stop and we will be ready to go! Fortunately Radar is getting his slider plates "installed" in a couple weeks, so I'll have about three weeks to practice before our show. I've got to get a few items before the show- a cowboy hat, show shirts, a blingy belt and boots. I ordered a really cute shirt today- I can't wait to see it in person!
So J had a couple days off due to me attending the show and I was able to ride him last night. First off, he is doing so great at this barn. He is now off his ulcer supplements and calming supplement and just getting adequan joint supplement (as a preventative) and raw apple cider vinegar (natural anti-inflammatory, insect repellent, probiotic, etc.). He gets one cup of Safechoice per day- spread into three feedings. And he gets loads and loads of beautiful mixed hay. He looks better than he ever has in his life- he has gained weight (and "finish" as Tawney calls it), has a gorgeous golden and shiny coat, hooves are strong (has not lost one shoe since being at this barn) and is generally happy and calm! I'm so happy to see him thriving!
So last night J was a little "looky" at the back door, not sure what he was looking at, but he was a good boy and worked through it, never spooking or acting naughty. I have been making sure to start off on a long rein, going two laps each direction being super relaxed and letting J settle in, this seems to really help him get focused in our warm-up and not make him defensive. Then we worked on lots of halt/walk transitions with some rein-backs thrown in there if he got to heavy on the bridle. I made sure to keep him light in the front and ask him to move off quickly and strongly off his hind end. Then we added in some trot work- doing transitions between the gait, and transitions between the walk/trot and halt. I added some lateral work- some sweeping leg yields that got him more responsive off my lateral leg.
Then I started to work on some of the trot work from the 1-3 test- which includes a leg yield away from the wall, a 10 meter volte in each direction at X and then a leg yield back to the wall. J was responsive but seemed to be really lagging and not trying hard. I debated two thoughts- that 1) he has not been ridden in a few days and may need to be gently brought back or 2) he is just being lazy and can do it despite being off. So I went with the latter- I sat up, took better contact on my outside rein and asked him to give me more effort. He was resistant at first- trying to ignore my request, but when I made it impossible for him to ignore, he went with it and did some great work. I felt that he was really pushing off his inside hind and giving me some swing. We worked a little more on the trot work from 1-3 and then did some trot and canter lengthenings and some changes through the trot. I'm going to have to work on J anticipating the changes because he is starting to throw flying changes when I ask for the downward transition. We also worked on some bending lines in the canter. I was very happy with his work and especially his effort after I got on his case about it. J is definitely the type of horse that you have to ride- he is not going to exert more energy than is being asked. I haven't had a lesson in a few weeks and will hopefully have one this weekend! I need some focus! :)
And as for my ride on Radar, it was great as well. This horse has just as much heart as J and seems to really love to work. I've been working on collecting him and making him work off his hind end instead of running around on the forehand. It is tough for him, but he is getting better and better with each ride. He is the king of anticipation and that is something that I've been working very hard on- making sure that I am the pilot and I don't let him take charge simply because he knows what to do. We did lots of transitions, between gaits and within the gait, than worked on some very small trot circles that eventually became spins and then some flying changes. I did a couple of rollbacks, but the arena was pretty busy and I didn't want to run anyone down. I can't wait to get his sliders on so I can learn how to do a sliding stop and have that last piece of the puzzle at our disposal. I have my first lesson with Tawney scheduled for tomorrow night and I can't wait!
So J had a couple days off due to me attending the show and I was able to ride him last night. First off, he is doing so great at this barn. He is now off his ulcer supplements and calming supplement and just getting adequan joint supplement (as a preventative) and raw apple cider vinegar (natural anti-inflammatory, insect repellent, probiotic, etc.). He gets one cup of Safechoice per day- spread into three feedings. And he gets loads and loads of beautiful mixed hay. He looks better than he ever has in his life- he has gained weight (and "finish" as Tawney calls it), has a gorgeous golden and shiny coat, hooves are strong (has not lost one shoe since being at this barn) and is generally happy and calm! I'm so happy to see him thriving!
So last night J was a little "looky" at the back door, not sure what he was looking at, but he was a good boy and worked through it, never spooking or acting naughty. I have been making sure to start off on a long rein, going two laps each direction being super relaxed and letting J settle in, this seems to really help him get focused in our warm-up and not make him defensive. Then we worked on lots of halt/walk transitions with some rein-backs thrown in there if he got to heavy on the bridle. I made sure to keep him light in the front and ask him to move off quickly and strongly off his hind end. Then we added in some trot work- doing transitions between the gait, and transitions between the walk/trot and halt. I added some lateral work- some sweeping leg yields that got him more responsive off my lateral leg.
Then I started to work on some of the trot work from the 1-3 test- which includes a leg yield away from the wall, a 10 meter volte in each direction at X and then a leg yield back to the wall. J was responsive but seemed to be really lagging and not trying hard. I debated two thoughts- that 1) he has not been ridden in a few days and may need to be gently brought back or 2) he is just being lazy and can do it despite being off. So I went with the latter- I sat up, took better contact on my outside rein and asked him to give me more effort. He was resistant at first- trying to ignore my request, but when I made it impossible for him to ignore, he went with it and did some great work. I felt that he was really pushing off his inside hind and giving me some swing. We worked a little more on the trot work from 1-3 and then did some trot and canter lengthenings and some changes through the trot. I'm going to have to work on J anticipating the changes because he is starting to throw flying changes when I ask for the downward transition. We also worked on some bending lines in the canter. I was very happy with his work and especially his effort after I got on his case about it. J is definitely the type of horse that you have to ride- he is not going to exert more energy than is being asked. I haven't had a lesson in a few weeks and will hopefully have one this weekend! I need some focus! :)
And as for my ride on Radar, it was great as well. This horse has just as much heart as J and seems to really love to work. I've been working on collecting him and making him work off his hind end instead of running around on the forehand. It is tough for him, but he is getting better and better with each ride. He is the king of anticipation and that is something that I've been working very hard on- making sure that I am the pilot and I don't let him take charge simply because he knows what to do. We did lots of transitions, between gaits and within the gait, than worked on some very small trot circles that eventually became spins and then some flying changes. I did a couple of rollbacks, but the arena was pretty busy and I didn't want to run anyone down. I can't wait to get his sliders on so I can learn how to do a sliding stop and have that last piece of the puzzle at our disposal. I have my first lesson with Tawney scheduled for tomorrow night and I can't wait!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Not much to add...
So I haven't written in awhile as I feel like there is nothing much to add at this point. I haven't been able to arrange a recent lesson with Shelley due to conflicting schedules. She rode J while I was gone to the reining show with Tawney and Elizabeth and we had a lesson scheduled for today, but unfortunately Shelley is not feeling well, so it was cancelled.
I've been working on all the same things, although probably not as diligent about riding his neck as long as it should be and as Shelley would like. I have been doing lots of transitions, keeping J up off his front end while asking him to stretch and not get locked up in the neck and back. I feel like he is getting stronger and better, but we'll see how it is interpreted in the next lesson. I am getting a little stressed because it is now April 1st and we only have a couple more months to prepare for show season, hopefully that will be enough time to get confident on our work! It will be great when the outdoor is rideable and I can start working on my movements in a larger area that will replicate a standard size dressage arena. So I am definitely looking forward to that!
I have also been working on getting to know Radar and some the reining stuff. I have not taken a lesson from Tawney yet, but am planning on doing our first one next week. Radar is a great mount; super work-man-like personality and a little quirky in a fun way! He definitely knows his stuff and I am working on gradually building up his stamina, muscling and flexibility to the rigors of reining again. He tries his heart out each and every time and I cannot fault this horse for trying! He does like to anticipate and gets short in the neck, so my dressage training is really helpful in getting him to use his body more honestly and have him wait for my aid instead of doing what he thinks I will ask for. We are getting more and more in-sync and I am having a lot of fun with him.
I have decided to go with Tawney to her reining show in Winona, Minnesota today. It was very last minute (on my part) and we'll be back tomorrow, so it will be a really short trip. We are going to be sleeping in the gooseneck of the trailer with an air mattress and tons of blankets! It will be great to watch the green class tomorrow to see exactly what the competition will look like and give me an idea as to what to expect and what is the "norm". I'm hoping to show at Gordyville in May, so it'll be good to see what I'm in for this weekend!
I've been working on all the same things, although probably not as diligent about riding his neck as long as it should be and as Shelley would like. I have been doing lots of transitions, keeping J up off his front end while asking him to stretch and not get locked up in the neck and back. I feel like he is getting stronger and better, but we'll see how it is interpreted in the next lesson. I am getting a little stressed because it is now April 1st and we only have a couple more months to prepare for show season, hopefully that will be enough time to get confident on our work! It will be great when the outdoor is rideable and I can start working on my movements in a larger area that will replicate a standard size dressage arena. So I am definitely looking forward to that!
I have also been working on getting to know Radar and some the reining stuff. I have not taken a lesson from Tawney yet, but am planning on doing our first one next week. Radar is a great mount; super work-man-like personality and a little quirky in a fun way! He definitely knows his stuff and I am working on gradually building up his stamina, muscling and flexibility to the rigors of reining again. He tries his heart out each and every time and I cannot fault this horse for trying! He does like to anticipate and gets short in the neck, so my dressage training is really helpful in getting him to use his body more honestly and have him wait for my aid instead of doing what he thinks I will ask for. We are getting more and more in-sync and I am having a lot of fun with him.
I have decided to go with Tawney to her reining show in Winona, Minnesota today. It was very last minute (on my part) and we'll be back tomorrow, so it will be a really short trip. We are going to be sleeping in the gooseneck of the trailer with an air mattress and tons of blankets! It will be great to watch the green class tomorrow to see exactly what the competition will look like and give me an idea as to what to expect and what is the "norm". I'm hoping to show at Gordyville in May, so it'll be good to see what I'm in for this weekend!
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