Well, back to the grind.
The fabulous feeling of the low head and the impulsion? Gone. Instead we spent the evening being scared of ... (jaws music) the mounting block.
Seriously. A hard day of work, I raced home on my bike, wolfed food, patted the dog, raced out to the barn so I could give him a good workout and we spent 45 minutes being nervous about the same mounting block that has been there since February.
Tom came to video (coming later, when I have more time), the new, improved Willig after his training, and his observation was that Willig looked pretty much like he always does, i.e. not at all like he did yesterday for Mark, then me, then John. (Until the end, when I got this fabulous trot with impulsion on the bit that just made me grin.)
While it was not one of Willig's "good" days (neither was yesterday), I was pleased that with a dog barking in the distance, riding in the dark, with Tom popping in and out of the shadows (until I asked him to cut it out, I only need one "learning opportunity" per night), and back at home, he did as well as he did. I guess that's my lowered expectations from two years ago.
Also, when I ride, I remember a lot more of John's instructions. Something gets lost in me trying to get it all written down at home. One of the big Mike ones from my last lesson is to ride like a belt is around my biceps. Instant improvement when I visualize that.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
My fortune tonight, after picking Willig up
"You can make the best of a bad situation - they make diamonds out of coal."
My plan
Ok, no matter what, the next six months are the hard market, so I might as well work hard with Willig and see where it gets me. Since John, Shannon, and Mike have all identified pretty much the same issues, here's my plan:
From now until March, try to get 6 "lessons" a month - two from Shannon; two from Mike; and two rides from Mike with mini-lessons at the end.
I'll work really hard during this time on the consistent message from all three - riding Willig forward and with impulsion, using my new and increasing tools on dealing with his mental issue, and if necessary, sending him back to John for a bit. We'll see how this week goes by myself - if I immediately lose the progress John just made, I'll send him back down and go down there for lessons for a month, but if I can keep it up working with Mike and Shannon, I'll hold off on more training until spring.
Then from March - August (or so), I'd like to take him to those local dressage shows, keep up my "6" lessons and add 2-4 more - with John weekly or every other week. I'll have to cut my hours at work for that, but if I don't have a heavy litigation load, I think I could handle one afternoon off a week, and hopefully trailerpool. I'll also try taking him at (huge sigh) Hopeful, just riding him around on the show grounds and schooling, and then maybe, hopefully, we could also ride Beginner Novice at unrecognized stuff if he's showing some good improvement.
Here are the big factors:
- If we move back to Seattle, even if I am working down here four days a week, I seriously doubt I can make the time commitment to really work him consistently the way he needs it. That would probably lead to his sale and me getting an easier, more reliable horse.
- If my work goes up considerably, which I suspect it will over the next few years, same as above. If I'm working 60-70 hours a week, he's going to get the short end of my time stick, and I think he works more consistently on the upper end when he is getting worked more consistently from me. (Although he never acts hot, he seems to have more trouble focusing.)
- If at the six month point or one year point we haven't made much progress, even with a lot of training aid, I'm willing to admit that I'm just not an advanced enough rider. One alternative is to send him for intensive training, but more likely he'll just need a better rider. It would be nice, though, to improve, although I have NEVER, ever wanted a project.
- I weighed this with what if I had infinite money and infinite time? Yes, I'd like to improve and I'd like to be able to ride more types of horses. Do I think I'm that good? No. But with trainers helping me, there's a lot for me to learn. Alternatively, if I knew I was only going to ride 10 more years, then we'd move back to Seattle and I'd have to give it up? Then I don't really want to spend my last 10 years riding on him. I want to be on a horse that's fun. But 10 years from now? I'm probably going to be too old to have a horse who bucks me off. I better get good now, while I still bounce a little bit.
- John also pointed out, when I asked what if it was 10 years of him being inconsistent and needing work, and then 5 good years - and John said, no more like 1. I'm going to assume the 1 replaced the 10, not the 5. :)
So that's the sort of stuff I'm thinking about. I'm not overmounted, but Willig is not an easy horse, by any stretch of the imagination. He's not a pleasure horse, and he's probably never going to be one. But John also agreed, when he has a good day, he is a pleasure to ride.
The most ominous sign, I think, is the lack of "heart" towards the fences. He's just not a jumper by nature, and he doesn't make the effort to clear them. This might not ever matter for novice, the highest I think I would ever take Willig (and the road to novice seems very, very long from here).
From now until March, try to get 6 "lessons" a month - two from Shannon; two from Mike; and two rides from Mike with mini-lessons at the end.
I'll work really hard during this time on the consistent message from all three - riding Willig forward and with impulsion, using my new and increasing tools on dealing with his mental issue, and if necessary, sending him back to John for a bit. We'll see how this week goes by myself - if I immediately lose the progress John just made, I'll send him back down and go down there for lessons for a month, but if I can keep it up working with Mike and Shannon, I'll hold off on more training until spring.
Then from March - August (or so), I'd like to take him to those local dressage shows, keep up my "6" lessons and add 2-4 more - with John weekly or every other week. I'll have to cut my hours at work for that, but if I don't have a heavy litigation load, I think I could handle one afternoon off a week, and hopefully trailerpool. I'll also try taking him at (huge sigh) Hopeful, just riding him around on the show grounds and schooling, and then maybe, hopefully, we could also ride Beginner Novice at unrecognized stuff if he's showing some good improvement.
Here are the big factors:
- If we move back to Seattle, even if I am working down here four days a week, I seriously doubt I can make the time commitment to really work him consistently the way he needs it. That would probably lead to his sale and me getting an easier, more reliable horse.
- If my work goes up considerably, which I suspect it will over the next few years, same as above. If I'm working 60-70 hours a week, he's going to get the short end of my time stick, and I think he works more consistently on the upper end when he is getting worked more consistently from me. (Although he never acts hot, he seems to have more trouble focusing.)
- If at the six month point or one year point we haven't made much progress, even with a lot of training aid, I'm willing to admit that I'm just not an advanced enough rider. One alternative is to send him for intensive training, but more likely he'll just need a better rider. It would be nice, though, to improve, although I have NEVER, ever wanted a project.
- I weighed this with what if I had infinite money and infinite time? Yes, I'd like to improve and I'd like to be able to ride more types of horses. Do I think I'm that good? No. But with trainers helping me, there's a lot for me to learn. Alternatively, if I knew I was only going to ride 10 more years, then we'd move back to Seattle and I'd have to give it up? Then I don't really want to spend my last 10 years riding on him. I want to be on a horse that's fun. But 10 years from now? I'm probably going to be too old to have a horse who bucks me off. I better get good now, while I still bounce a little bit.
- John also pointed out, when I asked what if it was 10 years of him being inconsistent and needing work, and then 5 good years - and John said, no more like 1. I'm going to assume the 1 replaced the 10, not the 5. :)
So that's the sort of stuff I'm thinking about. I'm not overmounted, but Willig is not an easy horse, by any stretch of the imagination. He's not a pleasure horse, and he's probably never going to be one. But John also agreed, when he has a good day, he is a pleasure to ride.
The most ominous sign, I think, is the lack of "heart" towards the fences. He's just not a jumper by nature, and he doesn't make the effort to clear them. This might not ever matter for novice, the highest I think I would ever take Willig (and the road to novice seems very, very long from here).
John's pointers
I watched his student ride (and jump), then I rode him just for a bit to feel how he was doing.
I love the lower frame and the impulsion and moving in front of the leg. That's what Shannon and Mike have had me working on, but to feel what it is supposed to feel like - wow. I hope that I don't ruin this and we can keep it up. It felt great.
We worked on bending him to the inside (on the LEFT) and planning the inside bend ahead of the "periscope" zone, then I actually, counterintuitively, loosen my hands (just straighten my elbows a tiny bit) and ride him forward off the leg through the spook zone. I also do a bit of a side pass - pushing him out into the spooky place. This worked incredibly well, but was really hard for me to do. Willig is bracing himself on my hand, and I'm also doing all the thinking for him, which will not do me any good out on a cross country course down the road.
Then when we went RIGHT (his easy bend side), I held my right hand steady and then did the squeezing him into the bend using my left hand. This was funky but also worked.
So the big tip was the arm straightening to loosen the reins and ride him forward off the leg.
Also, John was a lot more easy going about him being spooky or scared. He was just like "eh, ok" and then made him work harder towards the spook, so it was less work for Willig once he figured out it didn't serve him any purpose.
John pointed out that there's a big difference between, in my words, being frustrated and beating your head against the wall every time you ride, and making slow but steady progress. He thinks Willig can make progress, but I've been viewing it as a head-beating since he's nowhere near where I originally expected him to be. So, again, it depends on what I want. I took away the message that with a lot of time, a lot of lessons, and some training, Willig might turn out alright - but I will almost certainly be a better rider for it. But Willig should not have been sold as an amateur horse.
I really enjoyed the quick lesson from him. I felt like he did a great job explaining everything, and it feels like he keyed in on what I've been working on with Shannon and Mike, only he was able to do it faster and better. I think lessons with him, down the road, would be really great. Of course, he's got different preferences than Mike, and I can see how Shannon's lessons with him affect her style a bit. It was really educational.
I love the lower frame and the impulsion and moving in front of the leg. That's what Shannon and Mike have had me working on, but to feel what it is supposed to feel like - wow. I hope that I don't ruin this and we can keep it up. It felt great.
We worked on bending him to the inside (on the LEFT) and planning the inside bend ahead of the "periscope" zone, then I actually, counterintuitively, loosen my hands (just straighten my elbows a tiny bit) and ride him forward off the leg through the spook zone. I also do a bit of a side pass - pushing him out into the spooky place. This worked incredibly well, but was really hard for me to do. Willig is bracing himself on my hand, and I'm also doing all the thinking for him, which will not do me any good out on a cross country course down the road.
Then when we went RIGHT (his easy bend side), I held my right hand steady and then did the squeezing him into the bend using my left hand. This was funky but also worked.
So the big tip was the arm straightening to loosen the reins and ride him forward off the leg.
Also, John was a lot more easy going about him being spooky or scared. He was just like "eh, ok" and then made him work harder towards the spook, so it was less work for Willig once he figured out it didn't serve him any purpose.
John pointed out that there's a big difference between, in my words, being frustrated and beating your head against the wall every time you ride, and making slow but steady progress. He thinks Willig can make progress, but I've been viewing it as a head-beating since he's nowhere near where I originally expected him to be. So, again, it depends on what I want. I took away the message that with a lot of time, a lot of lessons, and some training, Willig might turn out alright - but I will almost certainly be a better rider for it. But Willig should not have been sold as an amateur horse.
I really enjoyed the quick lesson from him. I felt like he did a great job explaining everything, and it feels like he keyed in on what I've been working on with Shannon and Mike, only he was able to do it faster and better. I think lessons with him, down the road, would be really great. Of course, he's got different preferences than Mike, and I can see how Shannon's lessons with him affect her style a bit. It was really educational.
Summary of John's Comments
John had Willig pegged after 10 days and the short version is I'm not crazy and I haven't been imagining the problems and they're not coming from me.
- John said that when I called Willig a "challenge", it was a total understatement.
- He and his students didn't enjoy riding Willig. They also pointed out that he was a much nicer horse than many they have who are there for training because of issues (i.e. he isn't BAD bad).
- They didn't enjoy him because he's inconsistent. He would ride like a dream one day, then the next day spook every time he went past a sign, or a spot, or the sun, or whatever.
- John cured him of the bucking the first time he rode. He made him halt after the fences. Willig tried once, John didn't put up with it, end of bucking story.
- The spooky nervousness on the other hand - John doesn't know that it's curable because it's something inside Willig's head.
- John said that Willig is not an amateur horse and he wasn't the best choice for me. (Finally! Someone who knows something about horses said it! I'm so relieved.) He has odd, complicated training aids, and doesn't respond to very basic, simple aids (like opening your inside rein).
- John and his students preferred jumping him to dressage - the opposite of what I would have expected. They rode him in a much lower frame which I enjoyed quite a bit when I rode him.
- But he is a lazy, lackadaisical jumper. Even when they were jumping him over a 3' oxer with a few strides to a twisty vertical (another oxer, I think), he only lifted his feet just enough to get over the jump. Obviously he could jump much higher than I need him to, but he approaches the fences like he's bored.
- John thinks some horses are born great; some can be taught to be good; and some are just plain bad. He thinks Willig is in the middle category, though he doesn't think he has a ton of potential (as in, Willig is never going Intermediate, which is not news to me, but was still nice to hear someone with a lot of experience say). But the teaching takes time, money, and experience.
- If I want a horse that I can putter around on whenever I have 30 free minutes, Willig is not the horse for me. If I want a horse that will give me such a great work out that I don't need any other form of exercise, then yes, Willig is worth a shot.
- It was such a relief to watch John's student ride, then John, and to see Willig try the same bullshit on them (after 10 days) that he does to me. This alone was worth the 10 days, to know that it's not me doing something wrong.
So ....
There was nothing black and white. I really appreciated that John just NAILED Willig's personality and quirks so quickly, and he obviously has a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge about what to do, what the limitations are, and the ability to do it. But that didn't give me the answer about what to do next. I had actually barely mentioned, if at all, the spooky, when I dropped him off, because I was so focused on the bucking, but that was their predominant comment.
John's tips and my plan for the time being are coming up next.
Oh yeah - and I can load him in and out of the trailer no sweat now. We did like 7 times in a row just walking in and out and in and out when I got him home.
- John said that when I called Willig a "challenge", it was a total understatement.
- He and his students didn't enjoy riding Willig. They also pointed out that he was a much nicer horse than many they have who are there for training because of issues (i.e. he isn't BAD bad).
- They didn't enjoy him because he's inconsistent. He would ride like a dream one day, then the next day spook every time he went past a sign, or a spot, or the sun, or whatever.
- John cured him of the bucking the first time he rode. He made him halt after the fences. Willig tried once, John didn't put up with it, end of bucking story.
- The spooky nervousness on the other hand - John doesn't know that it's curable because it's something inside Willig's head.
- John said that Willig is not an amateur horse and he wasn't the best choice for me. (Finally! Someone who knows something about horses said it! I'm so relieved.) He has odd, complicated training aids, and doesn't respond to very basic, simple aids (like opening your inside rein).
- John and his students preferred jumping him to dressage - the opposite of what I would have expected. They rode him in a much lower frame which I enjoyed quite a bit when I rode him.
- But he is a lazy, lackadaisical jumper. Even when they were jumping him over a 3' oxer with a few strides to a twisty vertical (another oxer, I think), he only lifted his feet just enough to get over the jump. Obviously he could jump much higher than I need him to, but he approaches the fences like he's bored.
- John thinks some horses are born great; some can be taught to be good; and some are just plain bad. He thinks Willig is in the middle category, though he doesn't think he has a ton of potential (as in, Willig is never going Intermediate, which is not news to me, but was still nice to hear someone with a lot of experience say). But the teaching takes time, money, and experience.
- If I want a horse that I can putter around on whenever I have 30 free minutes, Willig is not the horse for me. If I want a horse that will give me such a great work out that I don't need any other form of exercise, then yes, Willig is worth a shot.
- It was such a relief to watch John's student ride, then John, and to see Willig try the same bullshit on them (after 10 days) that he does to me. This alone was worth the 10 days, to know that it's not me doing something wrong.
So ....
There was nothing black and white. I really appreciated that John just NAILED Willig's personality and quirks so quickly, and he obviously has a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge about what to do, what the limitations are, and the ability to do it. But that didn't give me the answer about what to do next. I had actually barely mentioned, if at all, the spooky, when I dropped him off, because I was so focused on the bucking, but that was their predominant comment.
John's tips and my plan for the time being are coming up next.
Oh yeah - and I can load him in and out of the trailer no sweat now. We did like 7 times in a row just walking in and out and in and out when I got him home.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Willig leaves in two days for a month(ish) of training
I'm actually pretty nervous about it because it pretty much sets the wheels in motion.
He's going to Caber Farm, http://www.caberfarm.com/index.shtml, for training with John Camlin.
John said he'll know in about 10 days about how long Willig will need to be there. He's got a show in about three weeks, so it'll depend on how he's doing whether he comes home before or after the show.
My goal is to go down there once a week for lessons while he's there.
He's going to Caber Farm, http://www.caberfarm.com/index.shtml, for training with John Camlin.
John said he'll know in about 10 days about how long Willig will need to be there. He's got a show in about three weeks, so it'll depend on how he's doing whether he comes home before or after the show.
My goal is to go down there once a week for lessons while he's there.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Lesson video clips
I have to start with the confession that I feel so much better when I ride that I'm not even sure I can call what I was doing before riding.
Having said that - I am mortified by how I look in these clips - what the hell is my heel doing? When am I going to have a decent lower leg? How can my butt be that big?
And ... looking back - I really don't see that much of a difference with me or Willig than back in April. I mean, back in April we quit being able to go over fences, and his head swings a bit more, but I still look floppy with that damn heel going up and down.
Then again, back in April, sitting the trot - even at baby steps - was totally out of my reach.
http://vimeo.com/6426176
http://vimeo.com/6426281
http://vimeo.com/6426385
http://vimeo.com/6426447
Having said that - I am mortified by how I look in these clips - what the hell is my heel doing? When am I going to have a decent lower leg? How can my butt be that big?
And ... looking back - I really don't see that much of a difference with me or Willig than back in April. I mean, back in April we quit being able to go over fences, and his head swings a bit more, but I still look floppy with that damn heel going up and down.
Then again, back in April, sitting the trot - even at baby steps - was totally out of my reach.
http://vimeo.com/6426176
http://vimeo.com/6426281
http://vimeo.com/6426385
http://vimeo.com/6426447
Hot off the press - lesson summary trumped by poodle success
Twice in the last two weeks, armed with a bag of treats, Willig and I have gone out to the terrible side of the outdoor arena where the terrible, terrible monster poodle lives. Both times he has happily munched treats with no sign of the poodle.
Today (drum roll) he did the same thing - with the poodle galavanting around in the yard. The poodle was out as we were heading in, and while his ears flicked in the direction of the poodle, that was all it was - a flick. Then they flicked right back onto the bag of treats. Although the poodle went in after a only a few minutes, it was a few very, very satisfying minutes for me because Willig acted like he could have cared less about the poodle's existence.
Granted, he was just ridden vigorously, and has had two positive experiences, and I haven't been working out there and stressing him about the poodle, but I think we've both learned a couple valuable things.
(Treats work wonders, and I am not so smart because it never even occurred to me to use the treats until Mike suggested it.)
As to my lesson.
I'm going to try to just hit the high points, so it's easier for me to review.
Lower Leg
- My lower leg is creeping forward again. We worked on this by doing the standing 5 strides/posting 5 strides, and feeling the spot where the lower leg is totally, absolutely rock solid and secure. Mike says when it's in that spot, it's an 8 or 9. We are ignoring my upper body.
- Once my leg is in that spot, I have to keep thinking about pushing my *(#&^*(^&*# heel down. I can feel it when my leg goes into the right position, but the second I stop thinking about it, sproing - it's right back to a heel up.
Leg Aids
- Wake him up - a few tippity taps.
- Then ask, with the drum swing (not the heel squeeze) once - firmly and briskly. The second time, add the whip. (I didn't need the whip - the tippity taps and then one firm ask was all he needed.)
- Give him 1-2-3 "heads up" information before I change gaits (up or down).
On the Bit
- The reason he can fling his head all around is because I ride around with the draw reins all droopy. Tighten my draw reins.
- And we practiced by looping his rein-reins and riding in just the draw reins so I could feel the proper contact.
Sitting Trot
- Slow him down, and then just keep practicing bigger sits. It will come, just more slowly than the first leg of progress.
Transitions Up and Down
- STOP THROWING MY CONNECTION AWAY!!! Every up transition (and some of the down), I just throw my hands forward. Think of the 1-2-3 (above), give him a clue I'm doing it, pull him together (push him into my hands which STAY STEADY CONTACT), and then ask with the braced back. When I can get myself together, he just lifts right up or down. When I throw my hands around or fold my body up, he flops or runs into it.
- Also, don't let him be lazy. If he's dragging around in the canter, ask with the quick drum aid to pick it up.
- We practiced this by trotting and then halting or walking. I know how to do this (braced back, braced hands) but I don't do it going up - I fold my shoulders in and throw my hands forward. So I need to really concentrate on changing that habit.
Willig is responding really well. I have a lot of ideas for where to go next with training (more lessons, Mike riding him), but first I want to tackle whether he'll go to John Camlin's for a month.
Mostly, this still seems to be coming from me. Although he has had those naughty moments, I'm letting those few moments control how I ride the rest of the time. When I ride him properly (and now we're into learning new stuff about how to ride him properly, so it's harder and I need to practice it more), he just rides beautifully. He just is green, not bad.
Today (drum roll) he did the same thing - with the poodle galavanting around in the yard. The poodle was out as we were heading in, and while his ears flicked in the direction of the poodle, that was all it was - a flick. Then they flicked right back onto the bag of treats. Although the poodle went in after a only a few minutes, it was a few very, very satisfying minutes for me because Willig acted like he could have cared less about the poodle's existence.
Granted, he was just ridden vigorously, and has had two positive experiences, and I haven't been working out there and stressing him about the poodle, but I think we've both learned a couple valuable things.
(Treats work wonders, and I am not so smart because it never even occurred to me to use the treats until Mike suggested it.)
As to my lesson.
I'm going to try to just hit the high points, so it's easier for me to review.
Lower Leg
- My lower leg is creeping forward again. We worked on this by doing the standing 5 strides/posting 5 strides, and feeling the spot where the lower leg is totally, absolutely rock solid and secure. Mike says when it's in that spot, it's an 8 or 9. We are ignoring my upper body.
- Once my leg is in that spot, I have to keep thinking about pushing my *(#&^*(^&*# heel down. I can feel it when my leg goes into the right position, but the second I stop thinking about it, sproing - it's right back to a heel up.
Leg Aids
- Wake him up - a few tippity taps.
- Then ask, with the drum swing (not the heel squeeze) once - firmly and briskly. The second time, add the whip. (I didn't need the whip - the tippity taps and then one firm ask was all he needed.)
- Give him 1-2-3 "heads up" information before I change gaits (up or down).
On the Bit
- The reason he can fling his head all around is because I ride around with the draw reins all droopy. Tighten my draw reins.
- And we practiced by looping his rein-reins and riding in just the draw reins so I could feel the proper contact.
Sitting Trot
- Slow him down, and then just keep practicing bigger sits. It will come, just more slowly than the first leg of progress.
Transitions Up and Down
- STOP THROWING MY CONNECTION AWAY!!! Every up transition (and some of the down), I just throw my hands forward. Think of the 1-2-3 (above), give him a clue I'm doing it, pull him together (push him into my hands which STAY STEADY CONTACT), and then ask with the braced back. When I can get myself together, he just lifts right up or down. When I throw my hands around or fold my body up, he flops or runs into it.
- Also, don't let him be lazy. If he's dragging around in the canter, ask with the quick drum aid to pick it up.
- We practiced this by trotting and then halting or walking. I know how to do this (braced back, braced hands) but I don't do it going up - I fold my shoulders in and throw my hands forward. So I need to really concentrate on changing that habit.
Willig is responding really well. I have a lot of ideas for where to go next with training (more lessons, Mike riding him), but first I want to tackle whether he'll go to John Camlin's for a month.
Mostly, this still seems to be coming from me. Although he has had those naughty moments, I'm letting those few moments control how I ride the rest of the time. When I ride him properly (and now we're into learning new stuff about how to ride him properly, so it's harder and I need to practice it more), he just rides beautifully. He just is green, not bad.
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