John's horse-keeping tips, part 1

Footing:
Peeler pole is good, but initially hard to work with.  Once you get it in, though, you don't have to drag it much.

Tractor:
Get a minimum 20 hp with a front end loader.  His Kubota has only needed regular maintenance for the last 16 years, but there's no real difference between Kubota and John Deere.

Dragging:
Bring him a sample of the arena footing.  The cloth is really good because it absorbs moisture so you don't have to water as much.  There is a special dragger that you use for cloth - not one of the straight ones which just makes it ball up, but one that spins around.
It depends on if it is felt or cloth, so he'll look at the footing at tell me.

Sawdust:
Look for Wilco to have sales and then buy a pallet at a time.  Get "dryden" (?).

Hay:
I will need about 1 ton every 8 weeks for one horse.  A horse eats 20 pounds/day, and a bale lasts about three days.  This will be hard because I don't have enough horses to buy it in bulk, but enough to want to get it delivered.  The best will be if I can find someone else ordering hay and then get one of their tons because it costs less in bulk.  It can be stored so long as it doesn't get wet, but I also have to watch for condensation from the roof of whatever it is stored in.
Where to put the hay is also an issue, because I don't want to be moving hay around every day all the way across the property.  He said I'll probably want to use one of the stalls for hay and feed.

Our first fall

This weekend was champs at Caber.  I had said it was going to be a "massacre" but I meant I would be in last place after dressage based on all the professionals and really good riders in my class.  To my absolute surprise, we were tied for 5th.  Charlie was lazy, but felt really balanced in warm up, and the only thing I was having problems with was his down transitions (which were primarily what the judge noted too).  So we need to work on those.
Then for cross country, he felt great in warm up, a little long, but nothing too unusual.  I didn't do much warm up because he has been so lazy and we had to do 5 minutes at 470 mpm and I feel like he's just not in great enough shape.
There were three a/b/c combinations on the course, and the first one (fence 5a) was our undoing.  It was an up bank - maybe 3' high but I'm not even sure, and we came in fast and long, and I had a moment to say something to Charlie just before we should have gone up, so I felt something was wrong.
I think he misjudged the bank or didn't even see it or stumbled as he went up, and so we went straight forward onto the gravel, and I shot off over his left shoulder (all the way to the down bank, so 20' ish because it was a two stride).  The fall was actually ok, because he had stumbled down, so it wasn't from very high, and somehow I didn't scoot along the gravel too bad, but then he fell too.
I don't think he flipped over the bank, I think he fell down on top of the gravel, but then he rolled on me.  He did NOT step on me, but all of a sudden I could feel all of his weight pressing me into the gravel and then his big butt moving around, and then bless his heart, he got up without stepping on me. Peaches mom was there (because Peaches was after me) and she said that he stepped on his reins, got out of them, and then ran off like a maniac.  I didn't see the rein stepping, and it took me a few minutes to open my eyes, but I could see him cavorting around the field like a maniac.  Like a total asshole who didn't care about me.
Some little girl caught him, and then Marc had him.  They had to stop the course to get me out of the way, but all in all, it wasn't that bad because John had just put in the new gravel so it was actually really soft (for gravel).  I have one little scratch on my shoulder and ring finger.
Charlie, however, has four or five, all but one on his right leg.  I think he got gravel in his boot when he skidded, and then ran with it and it chewed up inside his boot.  I had gravel in both of my ears.
I don't know why he doesn't have scratches on his front legs or nose or chest though.
I hope he is ok.  In warm up he kept pinning his ears at the other horses and briefly at me, so I'm wondering if he is sore somewhere and needs the chiro or the vet to get back to normal.  Especially with his rough couple months in the move and how much he's had wind puffs.
I went to the ER because Kevin thought I might have punctured my spleen or lungs, but nothing was wrong.  They think it is cracked ribs, but they didn't even show up on the X-ray or cat scan, and my feet were filthy, my armpits weren't shaved, and I am fat and disgusting.
I can't wait to see John to ask why Charlie fell.  I was getting all cocky about being ready to go up a level, and I totally didn't feel it coming or anticipate it was going to be a rough ride at all based on warm up.
And I am, of course, bitterly disappointed because we were going to be in the ribbons in Champs against all those really good people!  Aaarrgghhh!

Unconventional approach to Charlie's reluctance to bend

Today we had our dressage lesson out in the cross country course, which was great practice for the footing for the show this weekend, and the extra attention issues.  What I did NOT do was ride without my whip, since we can't use it for champs.
Charlie remained reluctant to bend, and - who knows why - I was having a terrible time sitting the trot - so John had me use my inside hand like a side rein - slipping it a little, then using my thigh as a block so that he would keep the same pressure, then pushing him off of the inside leg (or whip).  It was "unconventional" but designed to break his mental block about bending.  We would do a circle or two with his neck bent (it was much, much easier to bend him to the right so we mostly worked to the left) and then go back to regular reins, and I could feel his shoulders lift and the balance improve.
John said it would be useful for me once I'm back at home, so if Charlie gets mentally stuck, I have some tools to try to break it myself.
It was insightful, but really hard to do.  I was particularly uncoordinated at using my left leg and right hand at the same time.
In the warm up, unlike Sunday, I was NOT able to get a flying change each direction.  I could get the hop and skip, but not the actual change.  I didn't want to mess with it too much just before the show so I gave up but it is like he half gets what I'm asking him to do but isn't quite 100% sure yet.
It is amazing how fast the show is coming together at Caber.  Two days ago they were still mowing; today most of the portable stalls were up, most of the cross country fences were numbered, and everything was mowed!

Draw rein lesson with John

Today we had a dressage lesson, but after Charlie refused to bend his neck (and quit tilting his head), even after I rode around with my inside hand up and back for FOREVER, John got the draw reins and a whip and made Charlie work his buns.  Charlie had the nerve to kick out at John when he used the whip.
Peaches rode Charlie the last two days, and I could totally feel the difference when we got on, but I just could not make Charlie bend or engage his hind end.  Peaches said that the first day was a stretchy ride, but the next day she really made him work, and he kept his ears back and under protest until the last five minutes when he finally softened and she could ride with a loose rein.  She said she just kept pushing him into it until he did the work himself and then worked him for just five minutes and quit.  She said some horses (not all ?!?) are lazy like that about dressage.
When John put the draw reins on, Charlie's shoulders suddenly lifted and he got easy to sit, but it was still a struggle to keep him going.
John suggested that he needs a couple rides in draw reins just before the show, and Peaches said that draw reins are an aid until I learn how to coordinate the leg/seat/hand aids and don't need the draw reins to help me with it.
It was a good lesson, but I was in a mood, and so I feel really frustrated.  I'm ready to start getting it instead of just pounding my head against the wall.

John did say that organizers can split open classes however they want, and that it is usually "experienced" and "less experienced".  So it wasn't an accident that all the pros were in one class, or that I was in that class (with other amateurs).  I am going to try to take it as a sign that Charlie and I are doing well since it is still our first year riding Training level, and we didn't get in the class with the regular peeps.

XC at Lincoln Creek; winter projects

Cross country was fun.  Charlie was a bit of a dud in warm up again, but once we got galloping on the course, he perked up.  Like last time though, he seemed to be looking at the sidelines a bit more than the fences.  I'm wondering if his right hip is bothering him and that's why he seems to be missing his usual zest.
The course was fun.  It was a good course for Charlie because it had long stretches of gallop, so we could do those and make up some time, and then slow down for the trickier combinations.
There were several wide tables, which were fun because we had that "hang time" in the air.
Charlie did great on the trickier elements.  There was a log with a left turn up the hill to a log on top and down the hill.  We lost some momentum on the way up and trotted the first few steps down, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would feel.
He did great on the skinny with a hard C to another skinny and a mound under the hard C.
The roll top to a down bank into the water with a left hand turn out over another skinny, we had the same problem as at Inavale - going into the water I flopped up and over his left shoulder, but we recovered and he didn't go all crazy so we got out ok.  I know the water was really deep, but now that it has happened twice, it is probably one we should work on.
The up bank was no problem, and he rode the rail, two tight downhill strides to a ditch, several strides bending left to a shark tooth like it was a cakewalk.
We were a little fast, so we did a gentle canter to the last fence and across the finish line, and were still about 20 seconds fast.
In my class, we ended up 10th (from 15th).  All nine riders ahead of me were professionals.  The seven or so riders who weren't all ended up below me.  So I guess that is good, but I need to get better at dressage so I can start holding my own if from now on I have to compete against the professionals.

I started thinking about what we need to work on during the drive home:
1.  Flying changes
2.  Faster response to the leg aid  (which means I also have to keep my aids OFF except when I want to give one)
3.  More "oomph" coming from the hind legs (for lengthenings and for the "jump" in the canter)

I thought of a lot more than that, but I got up at 4 am yesterday and 4:30 today, so am not on my A game.
I also want to talk to John about how to school the technical stuff that shows up at Prelim.  I don't even know what it looks like, let alone how to ride it, and how much we need to school before we're ready to compete.
This year was an "off" year - training level for experience, with next year the training level to win.  But for the shows we did, we did pretty well.  I think next year is definitely starting at Training, maybe doing some derbies at Prelim, doing the Rebecca 3 day at Training, and then maybe finishing the season at Prelim.

I am so lucky to have Charlie.  He is just such a great horse.

Dressage and SJ at Lincoln Creek; dressage practice with John

Yesterday John and I practiced my Training A test.  He had several suggestions which were easy to remember and made a huge difference in my test.  Which was good because as I'll write in a minute, I got clobbered today, even with the tips.
First, when I enter, bend Charlie just a tiny bit to the right, to make up for his tendency to go left.
In the 15 meter circles, I push him out with inside leg for the first half of the circle, then he will try to fall in for 1/4, then I push him out again for the last quarter.  This is trying to go to the wall in horse logic.
I had one perfect lengthening out of four tries, so it's really a 25% gamble at the show.  And after the perfect one, I got greedy and totally blew the next one.
For the stretchy circle, do a half halt before I go back to regular trot and another half halt just before the walk.  This makes for a nice down transition instead of plummeting down into walk.
Then the final canter on the left lead, after the 15 meter circle, do just a touch of shoulder in and half halt before the trot transition.
For the halt transition, just as I finish, bend him to the right to prevent him from swinging his haunches out to the left.

Charlie was much more responsive to my aids after his two days of being ridden by the working students (I didn't have to nag-nag-nag each stride) but he was also a bit stiff in the jaw, and I think he was a little confused by the aids.  I wonder if his "head tilting" comment in the judge's comments was what I call him stiff in the jaw.

The show was a little disappointing.  I felt like we had a really good ride, pretty consistent with the rest of this year, but we were in 13th place (out of like 16!).  The comments were fair, but still felt harsh compared to our other tests.  Then for show jumping (same day), Charlie was a total slug.  I had to kick him, with the jabby end of the spurs, and whip him, and yell at him, just to get around the course.  We went double clear, but it felt like riding a heaving sack of oats.
Then when I got home, I looked up our class.  9 professionals, and the other 7(ish) of us regular people.  The other training class is all regular people.  And both classes didn't have any really good scores, even for the professionals.  Our class had like three people with rails down; other training had like 9.
So I am going to go with my gut was right, and it was a decent ride for us - one that would have had us in about 4th if we weren't in a class of professionals.
But is that something that happens in training and up?  Do we not have amateur/horse/rider classes anymore?
Cross country looks fun tomorrow.  A couple new things, but nothing that looked too intimidating.
We're up to about six people asking when we're going prelim.  I'll have to ask John when he thinks we'll be ready.

Two-point and jumping lessons with John

Sunday we had our first lesson while Charlie is in half-training at John's.  We did a grueling amount of two-point.  When I got tired, I would hunch my back and tuck up my legs, and today the outside of my lower legs (both of them) are sore.
We did everything in the two-point:  20 meter circles, leg yields, transitions up to and down from canter, bending to the outside …
John said it was for fitness, balance, but also to show me that I could do all kinds of things without needing to sit down in a dressage position; that Charlie is quite responsive from the two point if I need it while we're on course.

Yesterday was his first day being ridden, which I completely forgot to ask about today.  But Charlie had nice svelte lower legs and no goop in his eye, and his coat looks shinier, and he seems relaxed coming into and going out of his stall (although he is a bit grass crazed).

So today we jumped.  I could NOT get a three fence line right (vertical - one stride - oxer - two strides - vertical), and John said I was looking too long at the first fence, but it didn't matter how many times we did it, I kept flubbing my way through (Charlie, bless his sweet soul, just kept saving the day).
But before that, we did a couple lines to a couple fences, and they were basically no problem.  On the long stretch, I needed to get Charlie back on his haunches, and the way John had me do that was to bend him to the outside and then give him a half halt.  I also sent him forward in between the fences and then sat up around the corner and to the fence.  John said I needed to be able to launch or come close, and I needed to be able to pick which one.
However, Charlie had decided a monster was in the woods about 5 minutes before John got there (he was all giraffe neck and blowing) so he was actually quite peppy to ride, which was nice in a way.
It wasn't my greatest riding, but it was pretty smooth.  Charlie is so great.

A second day of amazing insights with Beth; moving day

Charlie started out a little fresh today, but by the time we worked on the walk, he decided he wasn't anymore.  We worked on the "next layer of the onion" at the walk, with more focus on me not nagging with my legs, and more focus on keeping the "two plates" (one in front, one in back) in place so that I don't have as much forward and back movement.  We also worked on feeling when each of Charlie's hind legs is coming under him, so I can give prompt, precise aids based on when the hind leg is working.  His leg pushes his barrel out to the other side, so when his left hind leg comes forward, his barrel goes to the right.  Once Beth explained that, I had no problem knowing when the hind leg was moving, at the walk or trot, and it helped a lot with timing the leg aids.
Charlie has trained me to slip the reins, and to let him slow down in the corners.  The way around this was to give a "tap-tap-tap" timed with the hind leg (the inside hind leg on a 10 meter circle, because it is the one doing the work) as we approach the corner where he's going to slow down.  Also, I need to think each step and when I feel him do it, ask him for more.
Then we worked on shoulder-in and lengthening the trot.  For the shoulder-in, for some reason I turn him way too far to the inside when we're tracking right, but can't turn him at all to the left.  I need to twist my shoulders (gently) to the inside when we're going left.
For lengthening, I kind of launch him forward, like a flat rocket onto his forehand.  The secret to the lengthening is to connect my shoulder blades into my back.  For some reason that I don't fully understand yet, that prevents me from letting him shoot out in front of me, and so he rises like a motor boat taking off instead of puking down.
I also have to concentrate very very hard on not using the leg aids to nag.  It took me 10 times around a 20 meter circle to walk energetically, but eventually that time will get shorter and then I will be well served by having Charlie with a lightning fast response to the leg aid.
It was a great lesson; a little harder than yesterday but with a lot of great tips that I could feel and apply myself, and like always, Charlie was a champ who responded instantly so that I could feel when I did it right.
He's at John's starting today for six weeks, while we close on the new house.  Exciting!