It's mid-December and we have had a very mild winter (so far) but the days that are cold(ish), as in below 40 degrees, J has been really cranky. He acts up in his stall, in the cross ties and under saddle. He is very snarky towards other horses, his muscles are very tight, he is cold backed/saddle sore, he is hesitant to go forward until really warmed up, he is much less tolerant of correction and more spooky. He has been prone to this in the past and a couple of years ago it was suggested that he was magnesium deficient and after being put on a supplement, he got much less cranky. When we moved to White Springs, I was able to gradually take him off all his supplements (except the Adequan for maintenance), as he was getting great turnout, great feed and back on pasture. He has been great all summer, but with this cold weather he has been a bit of a monster. So I decided to put him back on a magnesium supplement, but this time decided to go with MagRestore, made by Performance Equine USA, which touts human-grade supplements. So he is on the loading dose now, started on Sunday night and lasts for 10 days, and then he goes on the maintenance dose. So we shall see if his attitude gets better with the new supplement.
So I have been working hard at keeping him in correct flexion and asking him to bend his back, which has been a trial of patience, for both J and myself. We have some moments of correctness, but we have lots of moments of resistance, which is really trying for me. I want him to be perfect NOW, but in the back of my mind, I know that is not possible. He has to build up the muscles and learn what I am asking for, but it is hard to remember that when I am in the saddle. And it doesn't help when he is obstinate and throws little temper tantrums because I'm actually making him work and use his back! So I try to not "drill" the exercises and take a break once in awhile, by doing canter/trot lengthenings or simple transitions and praising him a lot. It gives both of us a break- both mentally and physically, which definitely makes a difference.
I feel like I am still giving him too many static aids and he gets dull to my aids and doesn't more forward with enough impulsion as he should and does do with Shelley. I get mad at myself and mad at him, which I know is unfair. But I try to take a deep breath and calm things down and then get back to it when we have both relaxed. This is definitely a lesson in patience for me!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
And THAT'S collection!
So Shelley had recently audited a clinic with Cathy Morelli and was reminded of a very important step in teaching a horse collection. While we all strive to ride "inside leg to outside rein" we cannot allow the horse to hog down on the outside rein and use it to lean on, balance himself, etc. And J was doing just that, especially going to the left (so leaning on the right rein).
Shelley was a little late to the lesson, so I had warmed J up prior to her coming in and she was able to hop right on and get to work. First off, Shelley had to get J more responsive and not so slow to the aids- this seems to be the story of my life as J and I tolerate each other, and not in a good way. I know that I have too much "static" going on with my aids and need to be more deliberate when I mean it and not give aids that don't mean anything. Once Shelley reestablished his sensitivity, she started in on the work of getting him truly balanced. She did this by keeping her outside rein away from his neck, not crazy wide, but not snugged up against his neck where it would be easier for him to lean on it. Then she would use her inside rein to turn him and then use her inside leg to ask his inside hind to come up underneath him, all while keeping his neck really straight. He had a couple minor hissy fits, but eventually got with the program and did some really nice work. Then it was my turn!
We started going to the right, which is J's "easier" side (and mine as well, which is NOT a coincidence) as J is much more reactive to turning off the inside (right) rein and bringing his right hind under while keeping his neck straight. Shelley didn't necessarily want me to make this into big movements (ala turn on the forehand) but very subtle but definitely bend through is back, but if I had to make it into something bigger, I could do that. We did pretty well, doing the best in the canter where it's easier to use the natural bend of the horse and the impulsion that is in the gait. I have to learn to start with small aids and train him to be response to those smaller aids instead of having to nag him or beg him, which he can obviously do because Shelley does it every time she rides him.
So then we went to the left, which is a more difficult direction for the both of us. I have a nasty habit of shifting too much to the left, which then takes my right seat bone out of the saddle. This allows his outside shoulder to fall out and create this false bend, so he is not straight. J is also convinced that he cannot possibly bend his back without bending his neck while going to the left. He would love it if I would keep my right rein tight against his neck and steer him all day long off of it- basically neck reining. But he is not straight and balanced when he does this and therefore true collection would be impossible. So I worked on keeping my right rein away from his neck, keeping my right seat bone in the saddle, keeping his neck straight, then asking him for a small turn (though the shoulders) to the left with small aids on my left rein and then follow-up with my left leg, bringing his inside hind underneath him. While going to the right it seemed much more natural and not so chaotic, but going to the left was a completely different story. We both struggled, especially in the walk and trot. J felt like a ping-pong ball- flying from one side to another in his balance- from the right rein to the left rein and back again, while bending his neck at the smallest aid. It took me quite a while to find that "sweet spot" where he was correct. We got it a few times for a few steps, so I was happy that I had at least gotten the feel for it so I could practice it between lessons. Then we went to the canter and as it was in the other direction, it was much easier. And then suddenly, with seamless little effort, J got balanced, bent through his back, round and supple and it felt great! We ended the lesson on that last effort. And with that Shelley said...
"And that's essentially collection!"
I felt so hopeful that we would eventually get there! Can't wait to ride tonight and try to get it again!
Shelley was a little late to the lesson, so I had warmed J up prior to her coming in and she was able to hop right on and get to work. First off, Shelley had to get J more responsive and not so slow to the aids- this seems to be the story of my life as J and I tolerate each other, and not in a good way. I know that I have too much "static" going on with my aids and need to be more deliberate when I mean it and not give aids that don't mean anything. Once Shelley reestablished his sensitivity, she started in on the work of getting him truly balanced. She did this by keeping her outside rein away from his neck, not crazy wide, but not snugged up against his neck where it would be easier for him to lean on it. Then she would use her inside rein to turn him and then use her inside leg to ask his inside hind to come up underneath him, all while keeping his neck really straight. He had a couple minor hissy fits, but eventually got with the program and did some really nice work. Then it was my turn!
We started going to the right, which is J's "easier" side (and mine as well, which is NOT a coincidence) as J is much more reactive to turning off the inside (right) rein and bringing his right hind under while keeping his neck straight. Shelley didn't necessarily want me to make this into big movements (ala turn on the forehand) but very subtle but definitely bend through is back, but if I had to make it into something bigger, I could do that. We did pretty well, doing the best in the canter where it's easier to use the natural bend of the horse and the impulsion that is in the gait. I have to learn to start with small aids and train him to be response to those smaller aids instead of having to nag him or beg him, which he can obviously do because Shelley does it every time she rides him.
So then we went to the left, which is a more difficult direction for the both of us. I have a nasty habit of shifting too much to the left, which then takes my right seat bone out of the saddle. This allows his outside shoulder to fall out and create this false bend, so he is not straight. J is also convinced that he cannot possibly bend his back without bending his neck while going to the left. He would love it if I would keep my right rein tight against his neck and steer him all day long off of it- basically neck reining. But he is not straight and balanced when he does this and therefore true collection would be impossible. So I worked on keeping my right rein away from his neck, keeping my right seat bone in the saddle, keeping his neck straight, then asking him for a small turn (though the shoulders) to the left with small aids on my left rein and then follow-up with my left leg, bringing his inside hind underneath him. While going to the right it seemed much more natural and not so chaotic, but going to the left was a completely different story. We both struggled, especially in the walk and trot. J felt like a ping-pong ball- flying from one side to another in his balance- from the right rein to the left rein and back again, while bending his neck at the smallest aid. It took me quite a while to find that "sweet spot" where he was correct. We got it a few times for a few steps, so I was happy that I had at least gotten the feel for it so I could practice it between lessons. Then we went to the canter and as it was in the other direction, it was much easier. And then suddenly, with seamless little effort, J got balanced, bent through his back, round and supple and it felt great! We ended the lesson on that last effort. And with that Shelley said...
"And that's essentially collection!"
I felt so hopeful that we would eventually get there! Can't wait to ride tonight and try to get it again!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Doing well!
After a week of riding with a major emphasis on stretching his neck, working over his back and getting more swing in his gaits, his work has already showed improvement. I had a lesson with Shelley on Saturday and she rode him first, and now that he is stretching his neck nicely, she went back to bringing his balance point farther back to his haunches (which then results in collection). She mainly did this by keeping his neck stretched and super straight and then asking him to do steep leg yields/lateral movement/half pass. I know that I am biased, but he did look pretty darn good! I love watching Shelley ride him, she really makes him look the best he is capable of!
So then it was my turn to ride and Shelley wanted me to be really aware of his balance point and making sure he wasn't rushing onto his forehand. She told me to think about half steps or piaffe, without losing the stretch or swing, and that seemed to really help me get the feel of what we were trying to do. The canter was especially tough, as J really wants to be crooked and when I ask him to straighten with his balance farther back, he changes leads instead of doing what I ask. But Shelley wasn't too concerned about it and said that it would just take repetition and more strength on J's part.
Interlaken (the chiropractor/acupuncturist) is coming out tomorrow night and I'm having them work on J. He hasn't been worked on in a few months and although he feels really good, I want to make sure he is maintained and it will be good to have him treated before our next show in January.
So then it was my turn to ride and Shelley wanted me to be really aware of his balance point and making sure he wasn't rushing onto his forehand. She told me to think about half steps or piaffe, without losing the stretch or swing, and that seemed to really help me get the feel of what we were trying to do. The canter was especially tough, as J really wants to be crooked and when I ask him to straighten with his balance farther back, he changes leads instead of doing what I ask. But Shelley wasn't too concerned about it and said that it would just take repetition and more strength on J's part.
Interlaken (the chiropractor/acupuncturist) is coming out tomorrow night and I'm having them work on J. He hasn't been worked on in a few months and although he feels really good, I want to make sure he is maintained and it will be good to have him treated before our next show in January.
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