Today's lesson with Mike had the theme of "core". What's weird is that I have a very difficult time feeling this when I'm riding.
At first, there were a couple other riders, so we started out near the scary end (and looking back - for months I couldn't even ride down there!), and worked a bit on smoothing out the transitions. I hint, hint, hint (3 warnings) and then ask for the transition, and at first we worked on keeping him on the bit - thinking overbent and expecting him to pop up and asking him not to. Willig improved rapidly on this!
So then next, Mike started looking at my core - I have consistently (the whole time he and Shannon have been teaching me) curl up and throw away my contact at the transitions. What was fascinating about this was that it seems to be almost the same as the way Shannon is telling me to come to a jump. Mike described it as playing tug of war - you don't pull with your biceps and you don't curl around your stomach - you create this solid wall with your hip and then lean into it.
So then we worked on the canter transitions using my core, and the very last one was absolute perfection. I lifted him up, up, up and then we light-as-a-feather went into trot.
I am supposed to keep working without stirrups and now consistently work on sitting the trot when I do a down transition from canter.
And my heels - the horror. They are a nightmare - the second I stop thinking about them, they spring right back up. Other than at walk, they're almost always, at best, flat. So Mike KEPT pointing it out - to my chagrin - and I just have to keep thinking about it.
Finally, we also worked on my whole lower leg position - thinking about a thrust down and back (I think of it like a frog's legs look jumping), but it's more of a pushing into the saddle with your leg - all of this just to keep my thigh from riding up on the block.
We also started with some standing in the stirrups - to work on keeping the heels down (which is really toes up).
So these are a lot of tiny adjustments which take a lot of thought and concentration, and are just going to take time to turn into new habits. But man - that one transition? It will all be worth it.
It also motivated me, combined with a picture of my fat arm at a race last weekend, to dig out my exercise books and videos and get serious about working on my hips (which HURT when I try to put my legs back) and my core and my upper body strength. I've been procrastinating on that too long now.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Chehalis Valley Pony Club Horse Trials
Sunday Willig and I rode Nervous Novice at the Pony Club derby at Caber Farm. I was nervous, and he's the novice, so unfortunately, the level was correct.
I also had to go alone because Tom was in Colorado, picking up our new puppy, and I didn't get nearly enough riding in the week before thanks to that old ball and chain - work.
Regardless, we started late in the day which was quite nice (3:45 was the dressage test) although in hindsight, had I had a helper, I would have gotten there an hour earlier to go walk the course.
At Caber, you park the trailer in one field, and then it's a pretty long walk (10+ minutes) to the show jumping and x-country. Since Mr. W is improving, but not yet trustworthy tied to the trailer, I was there early, but not early enough to go walk the course. So I rode over to that side, looked at what I could see from his back, and then went back to warm up.
Phase 1 - Dressage:
He started out really, really nice - gorgeous movement, paying attention, sweet as could be. But as the minutes ticked by, his stress level started going up - it was an unusual amount of activity for us, and he started neighing for help. I interpreted it as "Hey! She's actually riding me out here! Can't anyone see this?! Help me! Help mmmmeeeeee!"
I took the Shannon approach to the dressage test and rode about 30 minutes, took about 10 minutes easy the test and a half before me, and then warmed him up again so we were ready to trot right from warm up (big open field) to the test (still big open field). Like the nervous novices before us, he was kind of scared of the dressage stand, but unlike the other nervous novices, he got right over it AND decided instead to be nervous about the horses on the path way off in the distance.
Which is what I think led to ... a frowny face in the comment section on the second move. It's hard even to call it a move since it was a trot down the long line, but he did a weird sproingy 4-feet-in-the-air buck spazzy thing. I went to whip him and yank him around to do it again, realized we weren't off course, we had just stopped, and then went on with the test. He got a handful of 7's, one 8, a couple sixes and a couple fives, and then a 4 for that, and a "quite naughty" next to the frowny face. The judge also thanked me for not falling off, and in a rare witty moment, I said it was my pleasure.
She also said the free walk was not well shown (on the test), and I'll have to ask Mike about that, because he didn't do as well on those at Peteton either, and I suspect it's a nerves at the show thing, since Mike had us work on it at home.
Phase 2 - Show jumping:
We went to the trailer, changed tack, headed over to show jumping, very, very quickly looked at the map of the course, watched one rider ride it, went into warm up, where he WAAYYYY over-jumped each fence. There was enough time in the air for me to think about whether he might buck when he landed, which is a pretty long time in the air for my slow brain. Our barn friend's trainer was there and said he looked good but was way overjumping and I nervously laughed and decided what the hell - let's try the fences.
They had a colorful and fun course set up, with a lot of extra jumps and a LOT of stuff along the sides - people and covered sitting areas and a loudspeaker and the dreaded sign on the side of the road from when he went there for training. So because I wasn't very comfortable with the course (first time never walking it), I spent most of my time trying to look for and remember where the next fence was, and the remainder of my time trying to get him to look at the jump instead of the person/tarp/other fence/whatever could catch his attention. He didn't hesitate at a single fence, and I rode him the Shannon-style - where I sat a few 'strides' (sometimes we were trotting) out and urged him forward, thinking "confidence". I was actually pleasantly surprised with how effortless he was over the fences and how he didn't try to refuse them.
Phase 3 - Cross Country:
We went back to the trailer, where I switched clothes (and what a relief to get out of my long-sleeve shirt and show jacket!) and headed back over to the course, where, since I couldn't walk it, I watched a couple riders do it. Since it was Nervous Novice, thankfully they didn't go really far out in the woods, so I could see the route they each took, even though I couldn't see all the fences.
I had a mixup with the ring steward - there were 5 riders before me so I asked if I had 10 minutes, she said yes, I went to warm up, made two laps (and one spook at the flags) and then she called me. So we popped over the cross rail and shot over to the starting box.
Again, the height of the jumps was no problem - it was all the other stuff to look at and be scared of: big fences, spectactors, jump judges in chairs, jump judges in chairs in the woods, horses off in the distance, people on their bikes/those weird little motor scooter things. But again, I looked at the jump and lined us up, asked him with baby half halts to look at the jump, and squeezed him - from a gentle, "pay attention, I'm pointing you at that jump up there" to "hey! (smack!) there's a jump coming up!" and rode the Shannon-style, what I think of as really, really defensive, sitting before the fence thinking about having my heels jammed way out in front of me. Thinking about "helping" encourage him over the fences is a big help; Jessica riding him is a huge help - he just floats over them now; but I think, oddly, it also helped that I didn't walk the course. I didn't know what was coming, I had to look for the fence after he locked on to each fence, and so I couldn't be anxious about a "big" one coming up because I didn't know until we were on it. Now, 2' is never big, but the green roll top sure looked big, and I thought "Shannon will have my hide if we refuse this" and that was the one that got a smack with the whip - not only was it kind of big and intimidating, but it was heading right towards all the tents and other horses and activity and people jumping around and he just had a lot to look at. And, just like the other fences, he cleared it like an angel. I made myself a little hoarse yelling "Good Willig!" and "Good boy!" the whole way around the course. Also, we went through the water (at a walk) no problem.
So that was it. He ended up in 3rd place. I ended up eating humble pie because I guess we're still in the confidence building stage in Nervous Novice, but most importantly, I had fun on cross country for the first time since I got him. And so I'm willing to live with some more nervous novice if that means that sometime (soon, I hope) Beginner Novice gets as fun as nervous novice was. Although I had been so nervous I wanted to scratch and just give up, I'm really glad that I did it. Even if the sproingy-buck thing bugs me. I can feel a lot of his agitation now, but that one took me totally by surprise.
I also had to go alone because Tom was in Colorado, picking up our new puppy, and I didn't get nearly enough riding in the week before thanks to that old ball and chain - work.
Regardless, we started late in the day which was quite nice (3:45 was the dressage test) although in hindsight, had I had a helper, I would have gotten there an hour earlier to go walk the course.
At Caber, you park the trailer in one field, and then it's a pretty long walk (10+ minutes) to the show jumping and x-country. Since Mr. W is improving, but not yet trustworthy tied to the trailer, I was there early, but not early enough to go walk the course. So I rode over to that side, looked at what I could see from his back, and then went back to warm up.
Phase 1 - Dressage:
He started out really, really nice - gorgeous movement, paying attention, sweet as could be. But as the minutes ticked by, his stress level started going up - it was an unusual amount of activity for us, and he started neighing for help. I interpreted it as "Hey! She's actually riding me out here! Can't anyone see this?! Help me! Help mmmmeeeeee!"
I took the Shannon approach to the dressage test and rode about 30 minutes, took about 10 minutes easy the test and a half before me, and then warmed him up again so we were ready to trot right from warm up (big open field) to the test (still big open field). Like the nervous novices before us, he was kind of scared of the dressage stand, but unlike the other nervous novices, he got right over it AND decided instead to be nervous about the horses on the path way off in the distance.
Which is what I think led to ... a frowny face in the comment section on the second move. It's hard even to call it a move since it was a trot down the long line, but he did a weird sproingy 4-feet-in-the-air buck spazzy thing. I went to whip him and yank him around to do it again, realized we weren't off course, we had just stopped, and then went on with the test. He got a handful of 7's, one 8, a couple sixes and a couple fives, and then a 4 for that, and a "quite naughty" next to the frowny face. The judge also thanked me for not falling off, and in a rare witty moment, I said it was my pleasure.
She also said the free walk was not well shown (on the test), and I'll have to ask Mike about that, because he didn't do as well on those at Peteton either, and I suspect it's a nerves at the show thing, since Mike had us work on it at home.
Phase 2 - Show jumping:
We went to the trailer, changed tack, headed over to show jumping, very, very quickly looked at the map of the course, watched one rider ride it, went into warm up, where he WAAYYYY over-jumped each fence. There was enough time in the air for me to think about whether he might buck when he landed, which is a pretty long time in the air for my slow brain. Our barn friend's trainer was there and said he looked good but was way overjumping and I nervously laughed and decided what the hell - let's try the fences.
They had a colorful and fun course set up, with a lot of extra jumps and a LOT of stuff along the sides - people and covered sitting areas and a loudspeaker and the dreaded sign on the side of the road from when he went there for training. So because I wasn't very comfortable with the course (first time never walking it), I spent most of my time trying to look for and remember where the next fence was, and the remainder of my time trying to get him to look at the jump instead of the person/tarp/other fence/whatever could catch his attention. He didn't hesitate at a single fence, and I rode him the Shannon-style - where I sat a few 'strides' (sometimes we were trotting) out and urged him forward, thinking "confidence". I was actually pleasantly surprised with how effortless he was over the fences and how he didn't try to refuse them.
Phase 3 - Cross Country:
We went back to the trailer, where I switched clothes (and what a relief to get out of my long-sleeve shirt and show jacket!) and headed back over to the course, where, since I couldn't walk it, I watched a couple riders do it. Since it was Nervous Novice, thankfully they didn't go really far out in the woods, so I could see the route they each took, even though I couldn't see all the fences.
I had a mixup with the ring steward - there were 5 riders before me so I asked if I had 10 minutes, she said yes, I went to warm up, made two laps (and one spook at the flags) and then she called me. So we popped over the cross rail and shot over to the starting box.
Again, the height of the jumps was no problem - it was all the other stuff to look at and be scared of: big fences, spectactors, jump judges in chairs, jump judges in chairs in the woods, horses off in the distance, people on their bikes/those weird little motor scooter things. But again, I looked at the jump and lined us up, asked him with baby half halts to look at the jump, and squeezed him - from a gentle, "pay attention, I'm pointing you at that jump up there" to "hey! (smack!) there's a jump coming up!" and rode the Shannon-style, what I think of as really, really defensive, sitting before the fence thinking about having my heels jammed way out in front of me. Thinking about "helping" encourage him over the fences is a big help; Jessica riding him is a huge help - he just floats over them now; but I think, oddly, it also helped that I didn't walk the course. I didn't know what was coming, I had to look for the fence after he locked on to each fence, and so I couldn't be anxious about a "big" one coming up because I didn't know until we were on it. Now, 2' is never big, but the green roll top sure looked big, and I thought "Shannon will have my hide if we refuse this" and that was the one that got a smack with the whip - not only was it kind of big and intimidating, but it was heading right towards all the tents and other horses and activity and people jumping around and he just had a lot to look at. And, just like the other fences, he cleared it like an angel. I made myself a little hoarse yelling "Good Willig!" and "Good boy!" the whole way around the course. Also, we went through the water (at a walk) no problem.
So that was it. He ended up in 3rd place. I ended up eating humble pie because I guess we're still in the confidence building stage in Nervous Novice, but most importantly, I had fun on cross country for the first time since I got him. And so I'm willing to live with some more nervous novice if that means that sometime (soon, I hope) Beginner Novice gets as fun as nervous novice was. Although I had been so nervous I wanted to scratch and just give up, I'm really glad that I did it. Even if the sproingy-buck thing bugs me. I can feel a lot of his agitation now, but that one took me totally by surprise.
Belated lesson report with Mike
I have been so busy at work that I haven't had time to summarize my lesson from a few weeks ago. The silver lining is that I'm concise, because I forgot most of the details.
1. Work on crisp canter aid. This was a new thing, where I sit about three 'strides' out, then ask with the outside leg - pushing it waaayyy back - and then kind of "pop" both hands up in the air. It feels weird and looks weird and only works some of the time.
2. Work more without stirrups. What's interesting as I do this, there are so many nuanced feelings and I have no ideas which are right and which are wrong. The other thing about this is the kind of surprising amount of pain when I try to "open" my hips - when I think about lifting my legs and rotating them out, those muscles (ligaments?) on the outside of your hip, that spend all day all scrunched up because I sit in a chair at work, s-c-r-e-a-m when I try to stretch them out. After a few minutes of agony, they loosen up though.
3. Work on keeping my heels out of his side. As Shannon pointed out at Peteton, especially when I'm nervous, I scrunch up and my heels come up practically to his pad. So I think about pushing them out and away from him. Mike pointed out that at FEI level, you have to wear spurs, but that made me laugh since 2nd level seems pretty out of reach at this point.
I had been super stressed at work before this lesson, so I wasn't in as receptive a frame of mind as I like to be, to maximize what I'm getting and work on it so I can work on something new starting the next lesson.
1. Work on crisp canter aid. This was a new thing, where I sit about three 'strides' out, then ask with the outside leg - pushing it waaayyy back - and then kind of "pop" both hands up in the air. It feels weird and looks weird and only works some of the time.
2. Work more without stirrups. What's interesting as I do this, there are so many nuanced feelings and I have no ideas which are right and which are wrong. The other thing about this is the kind of surprising amount of pain when I try to "open" my hips - when I think about lifting my legs and rotating them out, those muscles (ligaments?) on the outside of your hip, that spend all day all scrunched up because I sit in a chair at work, s-c-r-e-a-m when I try to stretch them out. After a few minutes of agony, they loosen up though.
3. Work on keeping my heels out of his side. As Shannon pointed out at Peteton, especially when I'm nervous, I scrunch up and my heels come up practically to his pad. So I think about pushing them out and away from him. Mike pointed out that at FEI level, you have to wear spurs, but that made me laugh since 2nd level seems pretty out of reach at this point.
I had been super stressed at work before this lesson, so I wasn't in as receptive a frame of mind as I like to be, to maximize what I'm getting and work on it so I can work on something new starting the next lesson.
Monday, July 05, 2010
Schooling at NWEC
Today Shannon and I went out and schooled at NWEC. This wrapped up my three day weekend with a huge success, although in an entirely different way than I hoped for.
Shannon brought her horse Charlie to work on some ditches and water (she is competing Training Level!), and it was both nice to have someone else riding but it was also really useful for me to watch her and be able to ask questions right after she did each jump.
So Charlie started first, by giving Shannon the opportunity to demonstrate how to deal with a horse trying to refuse, but despite the educational scenario, I still wasn't vigorous enough with Willig on that one. But he went over it successfully a few times, we moved on, more success, more success, and he got a little stronger.
After about the sixth jump (we did some a few times), way off in the distance Willig saw a truck and used it as an excuse to try to misbehave, and this was educational opportunity #2 - my instinct would have been to stop and look at the truck and let him calm down and get bored, and instead, Shannon had me keep riding him focused and hard over the same fence until he got calm and relaxed.
Then we went through some water, and then Shannon gave me the option to try a baby ditch, with the caveat that I had to finish what I started. Since last year I blew off Willig at a ditch at a clinic and ended up in the hospital, I was pretty nervous. She had me ride right behind her and Charlie, and Willig was fine until the last second when he saw the ditch and he screeched to a halt.
Shannon's approach was very patient. He couldn't go backwards, and I praised him and patted him and gave him slack when he moved forward. He swung his butt around a lot, and then decided to stare, focused and intently, into a tree in the distance for no apparent reason (again, thanks to Shannon being there, she said it was just to avoid focusing on the scary ditch).
Mostly, it was just him trying to figure it out. Eventually, Shannon got off and kind of assisted him over from the standstill, then he did it from the walk, then he did it from an easy trot, then he did it and celebrated at the end with a bit of hopping. So then we got to do it a few more times. Shannon is merciless. In a very good way.
So then we made it into a combination with another one at the top of a hill - he actually got a bit freaked out by Charlie leaving, stopped but then hopped off of it, so we did it two more times to get it cleaner, and went charging up the hill back to Charlie.
Shannon made another combo, then she did a big ditch a few times, and then, as we headed towards the other water complex, I pointed out some "big" jump Willig's eyes were bugging out at (his face was saying to me "I sure hope you're not pointing me at THAT!") and so Shannon had us go over it.
This was where things got really interesting.
He jumped it gorgeous, with no indication of the rodeo to come, and then started his little bucks. Thanks to my improved leg position, hand position, and skills (crank his head (but not too hard!!)), we made a circle around Shannon. So he continued the bucking/hopping but added in some front leg hopping. (He had done a couple tiny, frustrated rears back at the ditch.) And then we hopped around Shannon what seemed like a ridiculously long time - like several laps. Me without stirrups (and we lost the stirrup pad - I think during all this), and I actually managed to do an extra loop into the reins with my pinkies, I had so much time. It was a lot more exciting than I wanted (all I really want is some clear jumping), but it was also GREAT to have Shannon right there to show me and help me with what to do when he acts like that.
And that was super, since it was again contrary to my instincts - she had me canter way way out across the field, take one of the jumps again - he tried to buck again - so she had me canter way back out, around the field again (at a vigorous canter) - back over the fence (he was a tiny bit naughty again) - so we did it a THIRD time! By this time we were both pouring sweat, and I felt him kind of "give" - we went back over the fence and all the way back out to the fence that started it and then back over it and off in a straight line.
With no acting up at all.
And then finally in and out of the water a couple times - at the trot - no big deal.
And then right back in the trailer like it was no big deal.
So the valuable take-aways:
I'm not pushing him hard enough.
I need to take him more places - that is the sort of experience he needs to be having.
But for both of those - I could push him much harder with Shannon there helping me than I could do alone - especially if I was literally alone way out there.
And then I need to keep working on riding him defensively - with the scooped belly that is the solid defensive posture, pushing him close to the fence instead of pulling back, and "helping" him go over it (not just passively waiting for him to jump it himself). He is a great jumper, and he gets enthusiastic about it, but he still needs the confidence boost.
And Shannon thinks his little bucking/hopping is more like a celebratory happy dance (those are my words) - not being a naughty bad horse. They do seem pretty consistent when he's done something he thinks is hard or new. (This also coincides with a lot more of the downward dog stretches.) The other new behavior is he's checking in with me more - literally turning his head and nudging my foot to let me know things.
I'm actually really happy with today. I stayed on, learned a whole lot, and feel like I have a much better "feel" for how I need to ride towards the fences - it is a touch of fear with a real drive to get over it.
I'm going to try to keep up this vigorously the rest of the summer - now that it is finally summer.
This was VERY useful, and just what I needed to get off my butt and all my excuses why I haven't schooled yet this year.
Shannon brought her horse Charlie to work on some ditches and water (she is competing Training Level!), and it was both nice to have someone else riding but it was also really useful for me to watch her and be able to ask questions right after she did each jump.
So Charlie started first, by giving Shannon the opportunity to demonstrate how to deal with a horse trying to refuse, but despite the educational scenario, I still wasn't vigorous enough with Willig on that one. But he went over it successfully a few times, we moved on, more success, more success, and he got a little stronger.
After about the sixth jump (we did some a few times), way off in the distance Willig saw a truck and used it as an excuse to try to misbehave, and this was educational opportunity #2 - my instinct would have been to stop and look at the truck and let him calm down and get bored, and instead, Shannon had me keep riding him focused and hard over the same fence until he got calm and relaxed.
Then we went through some water, and then Shannon gave me the option to try a baby ditch, with the caveat that I had to finish what I started. Since last year I blew off Willig at a ditch at a clinic and ended up in the hospital, I was pretty nervous. She had me ride right behind her and Charlie, and Willig was fine until the last second when he saw the ditch and he screeched to a halt.
Shannon's approach was very patient. He couldn't go backwards, and I praised him and patted him and gave him slack when he moved forward. He swung his butt around a lot, and then decided to stare, focused and intently, into a tree in the distance for no apparent reason (again, thanks to Shannon being there, she said it was just to avoid focusing on the scary ditch).
Mostly, it was just him trying to figure it out. Eventually, Shannon got off and kind of assisted him over from the standstill, then he did it from the walk, then he did it from an easy trot, then he did it and celebrated at the end with a bit of hopping. So then we got to do it a few more times. Shannon is merciless. In a very good way.
So then we made it into a combination with another one at the top of a hill - he actually got a bit freaked out by Charlie leaving, stopped but then hopped off of it, so we did it two more times to get it cleaner, and went charging up the hill back to Charlie.
Shannon made another combo, then she did a big ditch a few times, and then, as we headed towards the other water complex, I pointed out some "big" jump Willig's eyes were bugging out at (his face was saying to me "I sure hope you're not pointing me at THAT!") and so Shannon had us go over it.
This was where things got really interesting.
He jumped it gorgeous, with no indication of the rodeo to come, and then started his little bucks. Thanks to my improved leg position, hand position, and skills (crank his head (but not too hard!!)), we made a circle around Shannon. So he continued the bucking/hopping but added in some front leg hopping. (He had done a couple tiny, frustrated rears back at the ditch.) And then we hopped around Shannon what seemed like a ridiculously long time - like several laps. Me without stirrups (and we lost the stirrup pad - I think during all this), and I actually managed to do an extra loop into the reins with my pinkies, I had so much time. It was a lot more exciting than I wanted (all I really want is some clear jumping), but it was also GREAT to have Shannon right there to show me and help me with what to do when he acts like that.
And that was super, since it was again contrary to my instincts - she had me canter way way out across the field, take one of the jumps again - he tried to buck again - so she had me canter way back out, around the field again (at a vigorous canter) - back over the fence (he was a tiny bit naughty again) - so we did it a THIRD time! By this time we were both pouring sweat, and I felt him kind of "give" - we went back over the fence and all the way back out to the fence that started it and then back over it and off in a straight line.
With no acting up at all.
And then finally in and out of the water a couple times - at the trot - no big deal.
And then right back in the trailer like it was no big deal.
So the valuable take-aways:
I'm not pushing him hard enough.
I need to take him more places - that is the sort of experience he needs to be having.
But for both of those - I could push him much harder with Shannon there helping me than I could do alone - especially if I was literally alone way out there.
And then I need to keep working on riding him defensively - with the scooped belly that is the solid defensive posture, pushing him close to the fence instead of pulling back, and "helping" him go over it (not just passively waiting for him to jump it himself). He is a great jumper, and he gets enthusiastic about it, but he still needs the confidence boost.
And Shannon thinks his little bucking/hopping is more like a celebratory happy dance (those are my words) - not being a naughty bad horse. They do seem pretty consistent when he's done something he thinks is hard or new. (This also coincides with a lot more of the downward dog stretches.) The other new behavior is he's checking in with me more - literally turning his head and nudging my foot to let me know things.
I'm actually really happy with today. I stayed on, learned a whole lot, and feel like I have a much better "feel" for how I need to ride towards the fences - it is a touch of fear with a real drive to get over it.
I'm going to try to keep up this vigorously the rest of the summer - now that it is finally summer.
This was VERY useful, and just what I needed to get off my butt and all my excuses why I haven't schooled yet this year.
Lessons from Peteton
Shannon came out and gave me and K some help before our first tests at Peteton.
This was super useful!
Just like in my lessons, I was pouring sweat instead of my usual blase riding, and instead of standing and watching the test before mine, Shannon had me ride a lot of "attention" work - transitions, spirals in and out to work on the side that wasn't bending well, and focused riding.
We trotted out of the warm up arena right into the test arena, and then walked past the judge's stand twice - after that, Shannon said it was enough and to RIDE him past it. This was harder for me than it seems like it should be (I'm kind of passive, and want to let him just keep looking at it).
So it was actually just a few take home lessons, but ones that I can remember and continue to try to incorporate and that made a huge difference: ride harder in my warm up, don't put up with so much goofiness, and focus just before the test by getting his attention.
I was quite pleased with how he did. Although he craned at the judge's stand, it wasn't anything unmanageable, and he improved.
He was excellent getting in and out of the trailer, and he actually did really well standing around in between the rides (the part that I had been the most worried about).
It also took down my stress at least two notches to know Shannon would be there telling me what I needed to do, which was huge and kind of a surprise to me how much of an impact it had.
And it was really fun to be there riding with a friend.
This was super useful!
Just like in my lessons, I was pouring sweat instead of my usual blase riding, and instead of standing and watching the test before mine, Shannon had me ride a lot of "attention" work - transitions, spirals in and out to work on the side that wasn't bending well, and focused riding.
We trotted out of the warm up arena right into the test arena, and then walked past the judge's stand twice - after that, Shannon said it was enough and to RIDE him past it. This was harder for me than it seems like it should be (I'm kind of passive, and want to let him just keep looking at it).
So it was actually just a few take home lessons, but ones that I can remember and continue to try to incorporate and that made a huge difference: ride harder in my warm up, don't put up with so much goofiness, and focus just before the test by getting his attention.
I was quite pleased with how he did. Although he craned at the judge's stand, it wasn't anything unmanageable, and he improved.
He was excellent getting in and out of the trailer, and he actually did really well standing around in between the rides (the part that I had been the most worried about).
It also took down my stress at least two notches to know Shannon would be there telling me what I needed to do, which was huge and kind of a surprise to me how much of an impact it had.
And it was really fun to be there riding with a friend.
Peteton - Training 2 & 3 Comments
Training 2 - 61.071%
Slight wobble on centerline
Counterbent (he was spooking at judge's stand), but he got the same comment later when he wasn't
Needs bend
On forehand in one canter
Not straight on centerline
Work on keeping haunches straight in transitions (he has been wiggling like a motorcycle); canter can be on forehand at times
Under submission, she circled attention & confidence (ha! understatement!) and acceptance of the bridle
Training 3 - 61.6%
Haunches trailing on centerline
Counterbent
Inconsistent bend, disobedient (this was a bizarre leap out of nowhere and then right back to work)
Haunches in
Uphill transition
"uphill"
Hurried canter
Nose needs to be out in trot stretchy circle
Lovely horse with much potential; want to keep haunches straight
(Again, lots of good comments too. Next post will be about how this was much harder for him being in a new place.)
Slight wobble on centerline
Counterbent (he was spooking at judge's stand), but he got the same comment later when he wasn't
Needs bend
On forehand in one canter
Not straight on centerline
Work on keeping haunches straight in transitions (he has been wiggling like a motorcycle); canter can be on forehand at times
Under submission, she circled attention & confidence (ha! understatement!) and acceptance of the bridle
Training 3 - 61.6%
Haunches trailing on centerline
Counterbent
Inconsistent bend, disobedient (this was a bizarre leap out of nowhere and then right back to work)
Haunches in
Uphill transition
"uphill"
Hurried canter
Nose needs to be out in trot stretchy circle
Lovely horse with much potential; want to keep haunches straight
(Again, lots of good comments too. Next post will be about how this was much harder for him being in a new place.)
FPEC - Training Test 1 & 2 Comments
63.043% on Test 1
Willig was sticking his right hind out on the centerline
Needs to flex and bend to the inside, not tilt to outside
Stretch more into contact
Judge didn't like my salute
Willig needs to work through back and accept better contact
63.929% on Test 2
Still sticking his haunches to the right on centerline
On circle to right, was hanging on inside rein (need to soften my hand)
Tilting not flexing right
Poll neck and back stiff
Could be rounder
Needs to stretch down (underlined!)
Tilting outside
Very crooked
Needs to work more through back, accept steady contact, and bend on circles and turns
(He got lots of good comments too, but these are what we need to work on.)
Willig was sticking his right hind out on the centerline
Needs to flex and bend to the inside, not tilt to outside
Stretch more into contact
Judge didn't like my salute
Willig needs to work through back and accept better contact
63.929% on Test 2
Still sticking his haunches to the right on centerline
On circle to right, was hanging on inside rein (need to soften my hand)
Tilting not flexing right
Poll neck and back stiff
Could be rounder
Needs to stretch down (underlined!)
Tilting outside
Very crooked
Needs to work more through back, accept steady contact, and bend on circles and turns
(He got lots of good comments too, but these are what we need to work on.)
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