Yesterday I got to ride Pablo, Falada, and Prince. Two Grand Prix horses and a 5 year old who is a sweetheart. Mike gave me some suggestions while I was riding Pablo, but then he got busy with Teenie, and then we went on a trail ride with George and Falada.
During my lesson, by which point my abs were getting tired (yay in long run!), we worked on:
- Foot position. Yes, toes straight ahead (as if standing) is preferred to 45 degree angle - for dressage, because you need so much fine tuned leg movement.
- We did a 3 loop serpentine for the first time. Very cool, but I need to think about it - I have to lift the inside seat bone - unless it's the outside - why I need to think about it. And the geometry, which looks simple on paper, is not as intuitive to ride.
- Collection and being on the bit. Willig was having a day where he really didn't want to be on the bit, so there was a lot of heavy handed riding by me - it makes my arms tired.
- But then we figured out, after a canter lengthening where I basically threw the reins down, that maybe what I'm missing working on the "poof" by myself is that I throw away the connection. When I keep the "heavy" contact, Willig LIFTS, which is weird and also counterintuitive because the poof is so light and easy to ride.
- Don't put up with the laziness - if I want him to respond immediately to my aids, them make him respond every single transition every single ride.
I was kind of pooped by the end of the day, although it was pretty much what I'd do every day if I was a millionaire and didn't have to work, so it was a very happy, good exhaustion. It's also soooo cool to get to ride all those horses, and then about a million times cooler to have Mike there to give me little pointers. This is far and away the best use of my time I've made out of the last - 10 years? My life?
However, Willig is the LEAST fun to ride of that bunch. They're all different, they all look at the scary end to varying degrees, but I can't quite put my finger on what makes him more difficult. He's more ... wiggly.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Hive free!
For the time being at least.
And we're back to jumping. Willig has been (knock on leather) quite the gentleman lately.
And we're back to jumping. Willig has been (knock on leather) quite the gentleman lately.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Prince & George
Today I rode two horses, my first day helping Mike, Prince and George. (Two chestnuts - then Willig, who I swear was jealously watching me and hence, well behaved when I finally got on him.)
Prince is young (4?) and seems to have the personality of his mother. He was very mellow for a youngster. He acted like I expect warmbloods to act. A flick of the ears rather than a rapid sideways skittering.
George is a bit more frisky, but thanks to the few years now of working with Willig, it wasn't a big deal (!!). The only thing he did (that I forgot to ask Mike about) was when he was trying to do a racecar canter, and I'd ask him for a down transition, he'd do a collected canter instead. So I obviously don't know the distinction between those two aids, and should figure it out so I don't confuse him in the future.
Both of them, like Mardi, Charlie, and Pablo, were much more "rolly" and easy to ride. I was thinking it was because Willig is very narrow compared to them, but then, as I thought about their confirmations, I realized that couldn't be it (they all have very different confirmations, and Willig's is actually, while narrow, quite elegant).
And then I had an "ah-ha" moment. It's their balance. Their hindquarters are engaged while Willig still spends a lot of time heavy on the forehand. It's what makes them feel like a wave rolling from back to front (it comes under the hip bone, lifts it up, and gently lets it back down), makes them easier to sit the trot on, and makes them easier to ride in general.
I feel like I'm on the verge of "getting it", but I really, really want to know how to create that engagement myself. I will NEVER EVER go back once I've figured that out. (Although I have no idea how I've ridden so many horses - 100? - and never felt it until this barn.)
As an aside - the trampoline seat is really coming along. (That's what I think is the verge of getting it. Suddenly, I can do trampoline seat no problem.)
Prince is young (4?) and seems to have the personality of his mother. He was very mellow for a youngster. He acted like I expect warmbloods to act. A flick of the ears rather than a rapid sideways skittering.
George is a bit more frisky, but thanks to the few years now of working with Willig, it wasn't a big deal (!!). The only thing he did (that I forgot to ask Mike about) was when he was trying to do a racecar canter, and I'd ask him for a down transition, he'd do a collected canter instead. So I obviously don't know the distinction between those two aids, and should figure it out so I don't confuse him in the future.
Both of them, like Mardi, Charlie, and Pablo, were much more "rolly" and easy to ride. I was thinking it was because Willig is very narrow compared to them, but then, as I thought about their confirmations, I realized that couldn't be it (they all have very different confirmations, and Willig's is actually, while narrow, quite elegant).
And then I had an "ah-ha" moment. It's their balance. Their hindquarters are engaged while Willig still spends a lot of time heavy on the forehand. It's what makes them feel like a wave rolling from back to front (it comes under the hip bone, lifts it up, and gently lets it back down), makes them easier to sit the trot on, and makes them easier to ride in general.
I feel like I'm on the verge of "getting it", but I really, really want to know how to create that engagement myself. I will NEVER EVER go back once I've figured that out. (Although I have no idea how I've ridden so many horses - 100? - and never felt it until this barn.)
As an aside - the trampoline seat is really coming along. (That's what I think is the verge of getting it. Suddenly, I can do trampoline seat no problem.)
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Breakthrough! I can ride with my seat & legs!
I had a flat lesson with Shannon today - I wasn't sure Willig was going to be sound for jumping, but there is plenty to work on from the ground, and I didn't want to miss yet another lesson weekend.
This was, it turns out, a brilliant idea. (Go, Martha.)
After my normal ploddy around crap for warm-up (the take away: it really isn't necessary. Do a few laps of plodding (<10 minutes) and then get to work.), we did something really, really cool. Are you ready? Can you wait to hear this? Are you on the edge of your seat?
I was telling Shannon about how when I rode Pablo, I tried to steer from the inside hand to turn him, and it took me most of the lesson to start steering with the outside hand and leg, like she told me to do maybe a year ago?
And I'm worried that I'm somehow faking it on Willig, and don't know how to do this yet. First, she pointed out I rode Charlie fine, and second, she hasn't noticed anything egregious, but ok, we'd work on it.
And so I latched my hands onto the gel pad and ....
steered Willig with my legs and seat only!!!!
With other horses in the arena, I could make circles, move him in and out off the wall in the circle, go from walk to trot to canter and back down.
And I didn't need my hands for ANY of it.
It was amazing. I was grinning like a fool again.
We tried this, outside, maybe a year ago or so, and I couldn't even go a few steps without freaking out and letting go of the saddle pad and hanging onto the reins again. I kept telling her (that time) that there was NO WAY I could go around the arena without my hands. She'd tell me to try again, and I'd try to sneaky use my hand.
This was so amazing and cool and also just such an objective sign of progress.
And ... still not lame! Those first few days were maybe just him bouncing off the walls. I haven't felt a flicker since.
Although he's still got his hives - so far just neck and saddle area - not behind the saddle.
So the lesson was that I micro-manage with my hands, but if I can think about them being still, I am perfectly capable of riding with my seat and legs for pretty much everything I need.
And he was a gentleman. Lots and lots of horses and the rain and he's been kind of wild this week, but not during this lesson.
This was, it turns out, a brilliant idea. (Go, Martha.)
After my normal ploddy around crap for warm-up (the take away: it really isn't necessary. Do a few laps of plodding (<10 minutes) and then get to work.), we did something really, really cool. Are you ready? Can you wait to hear this? Are you on the edge of your seat?
I was telling Shannon about how when I rode Pablo, I tried to steer from the inside hand to turn him, and it took me most of the lesson to start steering with the outside hand and leg, like she told me to do maybe a year ago?
And I'm worried that I'm somehow faking it on Willig, and don't know how to do this yet. First, she pointed out I rode Charlie fine, and second, she hasn't noticed anything egregious, but ok, we'd work on it.
And so I latched my hands onto the gel pad and ....
steered Willig with my legs and seat only!!!!
With other horses in the arena, I could make circles, move him in and out off the wall in the circle, go from walk to trot to canter and back down.
And I didn't need my hands for ANY of it.
It was amazing. I was grinning like a fool again.
We tried this, outside, maybe a year ago or so, and I couldn't even go a few steps without freaking out and letting go of the saddle pad and hanging onto the reins again. I kept telling her (that time) that there was NO WAY I could go around the arena without my hands. She'd tell me to try again, and I'd try to sneaky use my hand.
This was so amazing and cool and also just such an objective sign of progress.
And ... still not lame! Those first few days were maybe just him bouncing off the walls. I haven't felt a flicker since.
Although he's still got his hives - so far just neck and saddle area - not behind the saddle.
So the lesson was that I micro-manage with my hands, but if I can think about them being still, I am perfectly capable of riding with my seat and legs for pretty much everything I need.
And he was a gentleman. Lots and lots of horses and the rain and he's been kind of wild this week, but not during this lesson.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Eeeeee - happy dance!
Starting next week, one afternoon a week I'll be helping Mike with his horses. Since he is teaching a couple piaffe and passage, this is going to be SO educational. I am so excited!!!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Trampoline Seat = Easier Ride
Today we worked our way closer to the elusive poof. Thanks to one of the Pony Club manuals, I realized that what I've been calling the "poof" is when Willig gets off his forehand and engages his hindlegs, which elevates the forehand and creates the "poof". Mike explained how Training and 1st level are working over the topline, so switching to the "poof" for 2nd and 3rd level is a big change for the way that the horse thinks about doing his job.
We started with working on the sitting trot with the "trampoline seat" and an internal metronome to switch from a regular trot to a working trot and back. I can ask for a bigger trot, but unless I think "1-2-1-2" to myself, we just speed up and flop onto the forehand. When I think "1-2" instead, he begins to lift up, and while the trot gets bigger (and yes, a little faster), it isn't as hard to sit as a racing on the forehand medium trot.
Then we worked on the canter, thinking the same thing - maintaining his connection into the canter (by slowing down the trot and then WAITING for him instead of flinging into the aid like a spaz (me)), and then lifting into trot, not plummeting down on the forehand. We also did a bit of using the outside leg to move him onto a 10 meter circle, and then maintain the canter (hard work for him) on the little circle.
As if that didn't fill my head with enough, then we did a few minutes of asking for connection - wiggling both rains erratically(right 3 shakes, left 7 shakes, right 4 shakes, both together, etc.) to get his attention and connection. Then I did the same walking, and then added leg shaking which was truly a feat of multi-tasking. And then, because Mike couldn't see the steam coming out of my ears with my poor brain trying so hard to juggle that much, he added picking up the trot. The goal was Willig, moving forward nicely, but maintaining his connection. The secondary goal was to begin to train my brain to focus on more things at once, so that when we eventually learn flying changes, and it is an inside leg, outside leg, hip, shoulder, hand aid - all at once - I'll have the multi-tasking ability to do it.
Then we went to lateral work, doing leg yields, and then leg yields that turned into shoulder-in. This helps to engage his hind leg, but also helps me with my aids (these were kind of ugly - we got the job done but it wasn't pretty) and not using my leg further back for leg yield or allowing him to bend too much in shoulder-in, but instead, really engage his outside hind leg.
Then we took the lateral work, added canter, and shifted my shoulders to the outside, which made Willig's hindquarters go to the inside, and then to the inside, which made them (sort of) go to the outside. He moved more naturally (most horses do, apparently) to the inside.
*Note - trampoline seat can be done from a slightly forward jumping seat (like a hunter seat), and doesn't need a leaning-back driving seat. The driving seat kind of drives Willig to dive down on his forehand, while, kind of contrary to my common sense at least, the slightly tilted forward softer seat still "lifts" him on the forehand.
Then we went back to canter, not running forward on the up transition, not plummeting down in the down transition, and making a 10 meter circle.
The take-aways were that there is indeed, another layer of the onion, and I've mastered (my thinking) the last layer, and am ready to tackle this layer. But just like sitting trot seemed overwhelming, and heels down seemed overwhelming, and leg yield seemed overwhelming, this new layer of the onion is a whole new world. Which, I have to say, is one of the coolest things about riding.
And then second is just how much easier and more delightful it is to ride when I keep Willig "bundled". And that I can "bundle" him but still do a trot lengthening or a medium (well, try to) trot. I don't have to let him fling out and splay around, and it is so, so, so much easier on my lower back!
And third is to keep pushing it. Because I can consistently leg yield him, now let's take it up a notch and leg yield with impulsion. And then leg yield with impulsion and with the shoulder-in. Keep it challenging for both of us.
It was a great ride with a lot to chew on. Mike said as I work on all these things, they'll gradually become part of the repetoire, and then we'll be able to add more.
We started with working on the sitting trot with the "trampoline seat" and an internal metronome to switch from a regular trot to a working trot and back. I can ask for a bigger trot, but unless I think "1-2-1-2" to myself, we just speed up and flop onto the forehand. When I think "1-2" instead, he begins to lift up, and while the trot gets bigger (and yes, a little faster), it isn't as hard to sit as a racing on the forehand medium trot.
Then we worked on the canter, thinking the same thing - maintaining his connection into the canter (by slowing down the trot and then WAITING for him instead of flinging into the aid like a spaz (me)), and then lifting into trot, not plummeting down on the forehand. We also did a bit of using the outside leg to move him onto a 10 meter circle, and then maintain the canter (hard work for him) on the little circle.
As if that didn't fill my head with enough, then we did a few minutes of asking for connection - wiggling both rains erratically(right 3 shakes, left 7 shakes, right 4 shakes, both together, etc.) to get his attention and connection. Then I did the same walking, and then added leg shaking which was truly a feat of multi-tasking. And then, because Mike couldn't see the steam coming out of my ears with my poor brain trying so hard to juggle that much, he added picking up the trot. The goal was Willig, moving forward nicely, but maintaining his connection. The secondary goal was to begin to train my brain to focus on more things at once, so that when we eventually learn flying changes, and it is an inside leg, outside leg, hip, shoulder, hand aid - all at once - I'll have the multi-tasking ability to do it.
Then we went to lateral work, doing leg yields, and then leg yields that turned into shoulder-in. This helps to engage his hind leg, but also helps me with my aids (these were kind of ugly - we got the job done but it wasn't pretty) and not using my leg further back for leg yield or allowing him to bend too much in shoulder-in, but instead, really engage his outside hind leg.
Then we took the lateral work, added canter, and shifted my shoulders to the outside, which made Willig's hindquarters go to the inside, and then to the inside, which made them (sort of) go to the outside. He moved more naturally (most horses do, apparently) to the inside.
*Note - trampoline seat can be done from a slightly forward jumping seat (like a hunter seat), and doesn't need a leaning-back driving seat. The driving seat kind of drives Willig to dive down on his forehand, while, kind of contrary to my common sense at least, the slightly tilted forward softer seat still "lifts" him on the forehand.
Then we went back to canter, not running forward on the up transition, not plummeting down in the down transition, and making a 10 meter circle.
The take-aways were that there is indeed, another layer of the onion, and I've mastered (my thinking) the last layer, and am ready to tackle this layer. But just like sitting trot seemed overwhelming, and heels down seemed overwhelming, and leg yield seemed overwhelming, this new layer of the onion is a whole new world. Which, I have to say, is one of the coolest things about riding.
And then second is just how much easier and more delightful it is to ride when I keep Willig "bundled". And that I can "bundle" him but still do a trot lengthening or a medium (well, try to) trot. I don't have to let him fling out and splay around, and it is so, so, so much easier on my lower back!
And third is to keep pushing it. Because I can consistently leg yield him, now let's take it up a notch and leg yield with impulsion. And then leg yield with impulsion and with the shoulder-in. Keep it challenging for both of us.
It was a great ride with a lot to chew on. Mike said as I work on all these things, they'll gradually become part of the repetoire, and then we'll be able to add more.
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Unicorns, rainbows, and starry-eyed bunnies
This is a post that is about my wonderful, best-hour-of-the-year (maybe decade) ride on Pablo this week.
Here's what I actually learned, other than that I can be completely and utterly present and happy on a horse:
- Something's off with my left leg. I think it's my hip, but I should probably figure this out before I waste too much more time blaming Willig.
- I need to learn to turn from the outside rein/outside hand.
- I don't know how to 'squeeze the toothpaste'. I think this is collection that I don't know how to do.
- I throw my hands forward after an up-aid.
Here's what I actually learned, other than that I can be completely and utterly present and happy on a horse:
- Something's off with my left leg. I think it's my hip, but I should probably figure this out before I waste too much more time blaming Willig.
- I need to learn to turn from the outside rein/outside hand.
- I don't know how to 'squeeze the toothpaste'. I think this is collection that I don't know how to do.
- I throw my hands forward after an up-aid.
Aspen Farms is a delight to volunteer for!
Although I got up at 5 am this morning, volunteering for Aspen Farms was so well run that I didn't grumble once.
First off - they feed you breakfast. Warm breakfast. French toast, bacon for you meat-eaters, yogurt, cereal, and coffee - when it's 48 degrees out this is AWESOME.
Then - they give you a shirt!
Then they gave me (at least) a super sweet location where I had almost no refusals but got to watch Training level horses have issues with the first water fence, and therefore - I learned SOOOOO much yet didn't have to write it down on the form!
Then I walked BN to scope it out for next year, which gave me some ideas (uh, we have to learn up-banks; and we need to work on oxers with some spread to them, and stick with the height (3') so the fences at the show seem puny).
Here's a few photos that looked brilliantly done on my iPhone screen, but not so much on the computer screen.
We also met a rider with a dachshund like Atom, and I asked her what she does with him when she rides. Answer: puts him in trailer (nothing else worked). So that seals it! Next year we'll camp and Atom will accompany me to shows.
Thursday, September 01, 2011
Willig's hives are back this year
He's got a smattering of them across his chest and neck, mostly. They're small but a few have the center depression, so he's starting on his blend of herbs today.
There was NO change in hay around this one.
There was NO change in hay around this one.
Face-splitting grin
Today I got to ride Pablo, Mike's Grand Prix horse, while Willig is in his second week of recovery. I was so excited and was asking around for tips, because I didn't want to embarrass myself and reveal that I actually have no idea what I'm doing. The consistent message was to relax; Pablo is so well trained that each tensing tells him to do something.
So of course this morning there was earth-shattering work news, and I was a nervous ball of tightly wound energy (ironically, what I noticed about Willig a few hours later on our trail ride), and I only got tighter knowing this was my ONE CHANCE to ride a horse like Pablo, and I was going to blow it by being the most tightly wound I can remember being.
Well, it turns out that a ride on Pablo undose the worst day of your professional life, and your breakup with your boyfriend, and also most of the unpleasantness of the last 5 - 10 - maybe even 20 years.
Hence, the face splitting grin.
It was incredible.
I could collect him by sitting smaller. I could bend him with the outside rein and hand. I could move from a collected trot to a medium trot by loosening my gut and opening my hands a bit. We did canter pirouettes. We did half passes. We did collected trot and piaffe and passage. We did medium trot. We did shoulder in and travers. We picked up the canter from the walk and collected the walk. We did flying changes!!!
And each movement - was like - divinity. I thought, and Pablo would do. Unless I was giving him weird-ass aids, like towards the end of the lesson when I got tense and started overthinking it and then couldn't get the right lead canter anymore. (Left lead? No problem. So this was also useful because Mike pointed out it was the opposite of the problem with Willig, and so it helps him pinpoint where in my body the aid is getting messed up.)
We would be doing something, and I would just be grinning and on 7th heaven, and Mike would have to say "Martha? Where are you going?" Because I was just ... riding, man. And enjoying every blissful second of it.
I could feel how to use my body to get the movement.
I could ride the movements without having to mess around and mess around.
I "got" how wiggly and twisty I am, because Pablo was like a big, giant mirror, reflecting how I push with my right leg so his haunches would swing enormous to the inside, and it was SO HARD to ride him straight, so my body is all jiggly and twisty.
It was a lot like being a kid in love with horses, and then finally, finally getting on one for the first time, and feeling like you've finally found the place you belong.
It's like the smell of the barn and the hay and horses chewing when you've had to be away for too long.
You just breathe and relax and love life and are present. I have never felt more relaxed and happy as an adult.
It was a wonderful, wonderful experience.
So of course this morning there was earth-shattering work news, and I was a nervous ball of tightly wound energy (ironically, what I noticed about Willig a few hours later on our trail ride), and I only got tighter knowing this was my ONE CHANCE to ride a horse like Pablo, and I was going to blow it by being the most tightly wound I can remember being.
Well, it turns out that a ride on Pablo undose the worst day of your professional life, and your breakup with your boyfriend, and also most of the unpleasantness of the last 5 - 10 - maybe even 20 years.
Hence, the face splitting grin.
It was incredible.
I could collect him by sitting smaller. I could bend him with the outside rein and hand. I could move from a collected trot to a medium trot by loosening my gut and opening my hands a bit. We did canter pirouettes. We did half passes. We did collected trot and piaffe and passage. We did medium trot. We did shoulder in and travers. We picked up the canter from the walk and collected the walk. We did flying changes!!!
And each movement - was like - divinity. I thought, and Pablo would do. Unless I was giving him weird-ass aids, like towards the end of the lesson when I got tense and started overthinking it and then couldn't get the right lead canter anymore. (Left lead? No problem. So this was also useful because Mike pointed out it was the opposite of the problem with Willig, and so it helps him pinpoint where in my body the aid is getting messed up.)
We would be doing something, and I would just be grinning and on 7th heaven, and Mike would have to say "Martha? Where are you going?" Because I was just ... riding, man. And enjoying every blissful second of it.
I could feel how to use my body to get the movement.
I could ride the movements without having to mess around and mess around.
I "got" how wiggly and twisty I am, because Pablo was like a big, giant mirror, reflecting how I push with my right leg so his haunches would swing enormous to the inside, and it was SO HARD to ride him straight, so my body is all jiggly and twisty.
It was a lot like being a kid in love with horses, and then finally, finally getting on one for the first time, and feeling like you've finally found the place you belong.
It's like the smell of the barn and the hay and horses chewing when you've had to be away for too long.
You just breathe and relax and love life and are present. I have never felt more relaxed and happy as an adult.
It was a wonderful, wonderful experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)