Work with Charlie that I can practice with Willig

We worked on some basics today that were pretty infuriatingly hard. First - legs draped on Charlie's sides, toes pointed forward. Simple, right? I couldn't even hold it for a single stride before things would flop out of place again. And asking for a transition? Hopeless. Second - keep those fingers closed - all the time - so it becomes new muscle memory to hold them closed instead of flopping open. Third - down transitions. First is "seat" (which is back and core going still), then legs, then hands, and hands are just like a "stop" not a pull back. Three "easy" things that are currently impossible. But I also thought there was no way I'd ever sit the trot, so it's just a matter of putting the hours in doing these correctly until they become a new habit I don't need to think about. So I immediately dedicated some time to it, for the first half of Willig's ride. Until our honeymoon with sedivet ended and he used some birds as an excuse to spin, bolt, and buck down the long side of the arena. He's really pretty much the opposite of kind, gentlemanly, handsome Charlie.

Charlie was great at Caber!

The only real error we (and by we, I mean me) made was not enough left bend on our left circle in our dressage test (we got a 5 for it). Charlie did everything else like a champ. Our 33.3 dressage test score had us tied for 7th, but with only a 4.7 point difference between 1st and 7th. Then after Charlie's awesome cross country round - while we had to slow down at both our check points, he jumped everything in stride like a rock star, even the "big" brush box - we moved up to 4th. Today was show jumping, and 1st-3rd were in a tie and ranked based on their cross country scores, and then Charlie went perfectly clear in show jumping, again, with no bad jumps, and then after 1st place had an error, we moved up to 3rd! Charlie got to do a victory lap (my first victory lap!) and head home. He was, like always, a total and absolute delight to ride. I was a little nervous, but all that hard work we've been doing in our lessons paid off - I could feel the improvement from the first show. And Charlie is just the world's greatest horse, which lets me work on those little details and turn them into good habits. I (heart) Charlie! I had so much fun!

Charlie's 33.3 dressage test

Caber's BN XC course - GPS magic

My amazing boyfriend mapped the course and then calculated the speed (and the too fast) for me after we walked the course Thursday. https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=214725165407047817459.0004c7ff8ebf7209ccaeb#bmb=1

350 mpm

Yesterday we worked on feeling the correct pace for 350 meters per minute. I measured out 350 meters with a start and stop, and set up four fences (kind of airy 2'9"ish verticals) (side note - I've got to start work on adjusting my eye - these still looked a bit big to me) and then after warming up, we rode it twice. The first time, I rode it in 58 seconds, but with a bit of an odd fence and then a cross canter that I didn't fix; and the second time in 55 seconds, with improved consistency all around. We go a bit faster at the shows from excitement and nervousness (Charlie, me, respectively, I'm pretty sure I can speak for him and I definitely can speak for me), but I'm pleased that my internal clock had it correct at home. Of course, the downside is that next season, when we go up to Novice, I have to reset for something that's going to feel super sonic. I can't even imagine Training speed. Then we did the 3 stride combination since I've been riding it goofy the first effort, and because I concentrated, it was fine (and I know that particular combination by now). Then we rode it with an easy roll back turn to the combination, and fine again. The secret is not letting Charlie get all strung out and riding him up to the base, not launching him out like I'm prone to do. He's such a champ. I'm so lucky to have this time in the saddle with him. He's making everything fun again.

Charlie jumps like a rock star, in case I haven't mentioned that recently

We had a jump lesson this morning before the heat wave starts, and Mr. Charlie was once again an absolute delight. Shannon's focus was on getting a responsive Charlie ahead of my leg, keeping my leg in the "defensive" position (really just so I didn't nag him, I think), and then keeping my chest open. We did a few courses, with some bendy lines, a 3 stride combination (that I unbelievably, twice rode in 2 strides before fixing it the third time - which is a miracle if you look back 6 months ago where I consistently puttered around like I was running on fumes and almost out of gas), and a line to an angled vertical. The work we did on adding strides a month or so ago made a huge impact on how I see the spot, and I'm now far more comfortable riding up close to the base of the jump (at least, it feels close to me, but now it's a doable close instead of my previous tendency to launch at everything from 10' away). The other thing that feels a lot better is bending from the outside rein and leg. I've started to think of that much sooner on the bend, and if I start asking for it at a reasonable time (not when we're towards the end of the bend because I can be really, really painfully slow in sending the message from my brain to my hand and leg), it really helps us make tighter corners much more smoothly. Next week, Shannon wants to measure out the distance with the meter wheel and set up fences along the outside so that we can work on speed and try to get a better feel for BN speed with the last two shows coming up. Like always, Charlie was a blast to ride, and we felt really smooth and connected today, without some of my weird disconnection.

Willig's first day back under saddle

It feels like it's been forever, but looking back through the blog posts, the time was just dragging. Regardless, Willig was a cool, nonplussed cucumber about going back to work. We walked in hand 5 minutes, walked under saddle for 20, and then did another 5 minute walk in hand. No biggie. Then he got a hair cut - like my hair, his mane gets extremely scraggly when it gets long - neither of us have thick, flowing hair - and ate some carrots and apple and went back into his turnout, like it was no big thing. We do have some things I can devote some work on - getting my left foot pointed straight ahead instead of all wonky out to the left like a maniac, teaching my fingers to hold the baby birds and not let them fly free, open chest and nice elegant position, using my core and hands as the brakes, instead of pulling back with my hands, getting an A+ walk out of Willig in frame, working on his engagement in the walk (and nice steady connection and frame) including some collection, free walk, and lengthening with a medium walk, square halts, and backing.

Willig's search for a new home

Now that Willig is going back to work under saddle, I'm going to start looking for a home that will be a better fit for him. Here's his history in a nutshell: Willig is a 17 hand 2001 American Warmblood Registry chestnut gelding. His sire is Wizard (ARF) and his dam is Hi Fidelity (Trakehner). Willig injured his medial collateral sesamoidian ligament (old name: suspensory ligament of navicular bone). He's been under treatment by Dr. Revenaugh. He had about four months of stall rest with hand walking and three shock wave treatments, then four months of tiny turnout and stall rest, and has just started back under saddle. It's possible that in the future he might need injections in his coffin joint and/or navicular bursa. He has x-rays and an MRI on record with Dr. Revenaugh. Before his injury, Willig was showing 1st level and schooling some 2nd level movements. He's a natural lateral mover and has the potential to progress well beyond 2nd level. Because of his injury, Willig should never jump again. In 2011, he scored 50, 56, 61, 57, and 60 (twice) at recognized shows. That was my first year showing 1st level. He got 63s at training level in 2010. (Keep in mind, I'm an eventer, not a dressage rider.) I'm looking for a new home for Willig for two primary reasons. First, my primary interest is in eventing, and while Willig will likely return to full dressage work, I do not have the time for two horses, so plan to focus my energy on an eventer. Second, over the next year, while Willig will be in need of consistent rehab work, I'll be extremely busy at work, and I'm not sure I will be able to devote consistent time to him. My best guess for a good match for Willig will be an experienced rider who is assertive and calm. Willig has a busy mind and prefers regular work. I'm asking $1,500 for Willig, and anticipate doubling this about every 4 months as his rehab progresses. Because of Willig's injury, there will be strings attached. I will require any sale to be conditioned with an obligatory return to me in case he reinjures himself so that he can go back into treatment or out on pasture, if appropriate. I'd be pleased to provide further information and answer any questions. It's easiest to reach me by email if you send me your email in a comment (I won't publish it). Here is a link to a video of a 2010 training level test: http://vimeo.com/12902590

Counter canter

With the two final shows of the season rapidly approaching, I've suddenly lost all confidence that I have any idea I know what I'm doing on a horse. It would be really interesting to be a totally different person who had fun instead of putting all this pressure on myself all the time. We worked more on the Martha classics - close my fingers, keep my legs long with heels down, and make sure Charlie is responding to my leg (so I can use my core to halt or slow - with hands as a quiet, firm brace). I noticed when we were warming up that my left leg falls sloppy and loose, while the right leg is steady against the saddle. Shannon suggested thinking of some of the Centered Riding exercises to help focus attention in the right way, especially the one where your knees point towards the ground and your legs end as stumps. We did the classic work of getting Charlie moving forward, then round (leg first, then hand), then REWARD him by softening when he gives. Then we worked on trot to halt transitions (minimize walk steps in between). And then we did a wild and crazy counter canter loop (both directions) where I'd try to bend Charlie's neck to the outside, and interestingly, would come off posting on the wrong diaganol. It was a good ride, but it's frustrating that I'm still working on the same old things. Maybe the silver lining of my hours and hours of walking Willig over the next few months will be the perfect opportunity to turn those habits around on the basics, where I won't really have anything else to do!!

Willig goes back to "work" (finally) (notice those quotes)

Willig had his 3 month follow up with Dr. Revenaugh today. He got a very thorough exam, and here's the nutshell: He's got 2-4 months of walking, building up to 10 minutes of trotting. With the aid of drugs to keep me in one piece. Long version: He's sound trotting a straight line on asphalt He's the same amount off as the last 6 months trotting a circle on asphalt He acts as if he's in "pain" (my word) for the flex test. On both front feet. Dr. R used the word "drama queen" to describe some of his behavior. In our arena, with good footing, trotting on the lunge line, he doesn't appear off at all. When he got on the lunge line, he immediately decided to freak out and rear and spin and be naughty because - horrors - he'd never seen a lunge whip before. So he got a new drug - sedi-vet. 1/4 cc dose. Which gives him 50 extra IQ points. He's going to stay on his little turnout for 1 month, and then I'll see how he's doing under saddle. He's going to get 1/4 cc of sedi-vet every time I ride him, which is going to start at a walk and build up to an hour over the four months, with an equally gradual build up to the 10 minutes of trotting. And then I'll see how he's doing and get another check up. Next shoeing he'll get another pad (so he's even) and switch to a straight bar, and then take the pads away for winter since this is the Pacific Northwest and it'll be too wet. I was really anxious about the appointment, and then hadn't strategized for what would happen if he got the green light (a "B+" according to Dr. R) to go back to work. And, horrifyingly, my face fell when Dr. R said I could ride him again.