Great lesson!

I had a lesson with Shelley on Monday and when I started getting a major migraine earlier in the day, I was very upset that I wouldn't be riding my best for the lesson.  Fortunately a friend gave me some Excedrin migraine and it took the edge off, so I was able to focus for the lesson. I have been dealing with constant headaches and/or migraines for the past few months and it has been really frustrating.  But I am now taking medications that will hopefully lesson the occurrence and intensity of them.

So usually Shelley rides him in the beginning of the lesson, which I really appreciate her doing for two reasons. 1) She gets him quicker to the aids and 2) I learn very visually and if I am able to see her doing it, it helps me in understanding what needs to be done.  But for this lesson, Shelley asked that I ride for the entire lesson as her back has been bothering her again.  So I was able to ride the entire lesson and really work on the exercises.  As stated previously, J has a false bend to the left and that is something that we are really trying to address as he will need to be honest in order to correctly do the 2nd level work.  We are also trying to get J's shoulders up to meet the reins while he is bending his back, which is also a strength issue.  When he bends his back correctly, he wants to get slow in his hind end, which then puts him on the forehand.  So to deal with all these issues, Shelley had me do and exercise that was very challenging for both J and myself.  I had to turn J to the inside with my inside rein (just a small bit, nothing dramatic), then use my inside leg behind the girth to push his inside hind up underneath him and then use my inside leg up near his shoulder to drive the inside shoulder up and forward to meet the bridle.  All the while keeping a very stable outside leg and outside rein, doing absolutely nothing with either one.  And then repeat about 1 million times, on both a circle and the straightaway.  We started to the right, which is easier for both J and myself and we got pretty good.  We did some nice work and J was getting more and more responsive to smaller aids.  Then we went to the left, which is our weak side.  It's a bit of the "chicken or the egg" case... I have a hard time keeping my right seat bone in the saddle while I'm using my inside (left) leg, so when I use that inside leg, he falls out to the right and doesn't turn correctly or move his shoulder.  Which came first?  I don't know, but I'm willing to take the blame on that one.  So we went to the left and J was resistant, kept wanting to fold his neck up like an accordion (to the left) and fall down on his left (inside) shoulder.  I would use my leg to ask him to stand up on his shoulder and go forward and he would get pissy and just stop.  So it took a little while of asking and waiting, but he did finally understand that I was not going to give up.  We did this in the walk and trot and then took a break and worked on some trot lengthenings across the diagonal.  Shelley had me counterflex/counter leg yield him through the short side, straighten him on the diagonal, stretch his neck and then ask for the lengthening, while re-stretching his neck every couple of strides.  I found that if he was crooked in any way, leaning on either rein or had his neck too short he would either fall onto the forehand or break into the canter.  But I think that we got some decent lengthenings that I won't be ashamed to show at the end of the month.

After getting some good lengthenings, we went back to the previous exercise and J was much quicker to get to task.  We went back to the left, as that is the more difficult way and worked in the canter.  We actually did pretty well!  J was actually turning and moving his hind end underneath himself and then I would rein-yield him out and ask again.  We were even doing very small volte's- probably on a 6 meter circle and he was keeping his balance and keeping tempo.  Shelley had me do a couple walk/canter/walk transitions from this exaggerated shoulder-in positioning.

All-in-all it was a great lesson!  I felt that I was moving well with him, not hindering him as much in my seat and reins and getting better at not giving him static aids where he would tune me out when I applied an aid that I actually meant.  We have come a long way in the past few months and I really look forward to this show season!

Full Steam Ahead!

So J has now been on the magnesium supplement for a few weeks and he has shown definite improvement that even my barn owner and trainer have commented about.  His muscles are less twitchy and tight, he has a better attitude and is much more forward from the very beginning of the ride.  It is pretty amazing that this little bit of supplement can make such a huge difference in a horse!  It's a relief to have my horse back.

We are still working on the same things- trying to keep him bent correctly through his back, loading his hind end and keep his neck straight and stretched.  Shelley rode him last week and the biggest issue was his false bend while tracking to the left.  I directly contribute this to my riding flaws, which I am trying to correct.  While going to the left, I tend to collapse my inside hip, which then takes my right seatbone out of the saddle.  Then when I use my inside leg to ask for bend, he just falls out the right side or if I use my outside aids to ask for a turn, he is either ignoring the aid or falling in.  So I have been really trying to be more aware of this and keep both seatbones in the saddle and no collapse.  It definitely makes an immediate difference!  It's a work in progress.

I must say that our first level work is really coming along.  His canter lengthening to the left is really doing better- he sits back and really lifts with the shoulder- it is such a great feeling!  And best of all, he is coming back to me really nicely while staying supple.  The canter lengthening to the right isn't as reliable, but we are working on it.  His leg yields are really improving as well.  He is keeping his balance point farther back and becoming more adjustable in his lateral work.  In the 1-3 test, it calls to come around the short side of the arena and then immediately from the corner to the center line of the arena, so the problem was that he was crooked in the turn and then I didn't have enough time to straighten him, flex him in the new direction and then leg yield and get to the center line.  Or else he would run out of impulsion and it was not flowing.  But now he is much more responsive and active, which makes it fairly easy!  So that is really exciting!

I have no doubt that we will be ready to do our freestyle this year, which I am really looking forward to finally using my movement and showing it!  I am all ready to show 1-2 and 1-3 at Fields and Fences at the end of the month and hopefully I can get one qualifying score that weekend.  Then I'm shooting for the Fields and Fences show in March for (hopefully) my second qualifying score and then I can start working on my freestyle to show in the spring.  My show season goal is to qualify for regionals at 1st level AA and 1st level freestyle and to compete at Region 2 championships, which are being held at the Kentucky Horse Park. 

Deep Breaths...

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!

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!

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. 

Stretch that neck!

So last week I was able to do two training sessions, as I didn't have one the week before.  So I asked Shelley if she would be willing to ride him on Wednesday (as this was the day before Thanksgiving and would give me more time to prepare for hosting Thanksgiving dinner) and we could do the lesson on Friday.  Shelley thought that was a great idea and agreed to it. 

So Friday morning I met Shelley at the barn and we got right to work.  Her big focus for this lesson was to really teach J to use his back and stretch his neck even more.  He is pretty good about keeping a long neck, but Shelley really wanted to emphasize him stretching the 3-4 inches of neck right in front of his wither, which is a difficult area to access.  When he does this, he will be effectively using his back and his gaits will get more swing (or schwung!).  We did this by keeping a very consistent outside rein, keeping my hand close to the pommel/wither area, gripping with my thumb and forefinger and using suppling actions through my wrist and ring/pinkie fingers.  I would ask for him to "yield" to the rein, and once I felt him give, I would soften my reins and push him forward to a bigger gait.  At times he got tight, which I responded by keeping consistent pressure on the rein until he softened and then we would go back to work.  At first he was pretty belligerent about it, throwing little temper tantrums and stomping his feet, but he soon learned that I would wait until he got good, so by the end of the lesson, he was pretty consistent. 

By Sunday he had very few meltdowns and worked really nicely in all three gaits.  He gets a little deep at times, but Shelley says not to worry about it right now and that once he is more consistently stretching that area above the withers, it will be easy to get him to a more proper "frame" with small half halts.  But she wants to really encourage that stretch and swing, so a little deep isn't horrible.  It does feel like he is lifting his back more honestly and his gaits are swinging more.  Keith went to my lesson and observed that J's trot was significantly better, as he was using his hind end a lot better and had more articulation in his hocks. 

My next lesson isn't until Saturday, so we'll be plugging along until then and hopefully Shelley will be happy with our work!

Minor hiccups...

Well, J and I had been (seemingly) back on track to consistent training, but lately I've been having some medical issues that have kept me from the barn more often then I care to admit.  But hopefully things are being resolved in that department and we can get back to frequent rides.

I've been able to keep up on the weekly lessons with Shelley and we are really working on shifting his balance to his hind end while keeping his neck long and straight.  We've been working on this through a couple of different exercises, doing full passes in walk and trot, counterflexion and spiraling in on a circle at the canter and turn on the forehands in walk and trot.  The full passes can be difficult because of his urge to move forward instead of bringing his feet up directly underneath himself.  So when he surges forward, I halt him, stretch his neck, back him up, stretch his neck again and ask him to move directly sideways, in either walk or trot.  This keeps him from leaning on the bit, his legs underneath him and responsive to my aids.  The counterflexion and spiraling-in in the canter is interesting as well, as I have to be super quick with my aids and super quick to put him back to correct flexion as he will throw flying changes, with he is using as an evasion technique.

I don't know if it is the work or the colder weather, but he is wanting to constantly break to the canter.  So I have to make sure that he is really "on" the outside rein and stretching through the neck.  I make sure my aids are soft and I'm not unintentionally telling him something through my legs or seat.  He was also a bit stiff last week- we do carrot stretches (with mints though) before every ride and he was noticeable stiff last week.  But each ride it got better and yesterday he was back to full range of motion.  I will definitely have the acupuncturist/chiropractor work on him when they come out to the barn next.

J's first level work is getting more and more solid, even the lengthenings.  So I'm still aiming for the show at Fields and Fences in January!  It will be nice to get a couple of shows out of the way before the hot weather hits!