Although Duke was a little bit short from his recent shoeing, he wasn't off, and we had a great jump lesson. John started us over a little cross rail, and had us focus on not rushing towards the fence. After doing it a couple times, he turned it into a vertical and gradually started to raise it. What I had to focus on was looking past it and not, just before the fence, suddenly rushing at it just because it was bigger. John used a ground pole to help (which he rolled out as the fence got higher), and Duke did an excellent job staying cool and calm, despite the height increase. Sometimes after we landed, we'd have to circle once to get him back to being soft in his jaw, but he did not do the land on the forehand and shoot off like we did our first few weeks together. There was still a hard drift left, and John says we'll work on that all winter.
We did this fence at the beginning both directions, but as John raised the height, he had us go just to the left. He said that was because if he had us switch directions, I spend most of the time thinking about landing on the correct lead or fixing it, instead of just focusing on the fence.
Next we did a white oxer, landing to the right. For this one, I did the same thing at the start - it looked so much bigger so I'd try to barrel towards it, but Duke did a nice job teaching me by responding if I rode it properly, for instant reward. If I didn't get all clambery right before the fence, he jumped it smooth and easy. If I pulled on his face or kicked him, it was a bit more scrambley. He had no problem jumping it, and after our jump lesson last week, when I couldn't get the angle right, but Duke showed me he could go over it anyway, it helped me relax (just like John said) to know we could get over it even if I came in badly. For this one, John put a ground pole on the far side on the left, rolled in just a bit, to help with Duke's drift.
From there, we went over to a slightly bending line, which was a black and white oxer, 4 strides, black and white vertical, one stride, black and white oxer. I think the first time (and last time) through were the best, but as it turns out it was just luck the first time.
After riding it nice and smooth, the second time through I didn't half halt on the way in, so we barreled down the four strides, Duke had to leap in over the vertical, and then I'm pretty sure he did one of those superman leaps with his front legs straight out in front of him to get over the oxer. John said for this, it was a lesson in how important it is to set up ahead of time, not wait until we're part way through.
But instead of letting me ride that line over and over (like I would have done), he added in a red and white oxer with what I called a roll back (he says a roll back is 10 meter circle, and this was more like 17 meters) left turn to the start of the black and white oxer.
The first time, we came in weak to the red and white; Duke started to drift left, and instead of putting my left leg on, I just sat and waited for disaster. But Duke got over it, and to my surprise, instead of having us start over, John had us make a circle and keep going. I think that was maybe the best time through the line. We were both so surprised we rode it spot on.
Then we struggled with it a bit the next two times; John said that I was trying to turn too quickly, and showed me where the straight line after the oxer ended and the turn began. I got to that point, but then reeled Duke around on the wrong lead, so that kind of flubbed the next one. But we sort of launched in, and then half halted on the four strides, and Duke once again got out ok.
The last time through, when I had a better feel for how much space we had (the 17 meter circle really was much bigger than it looked), we were still on the wrong lead, but I was more comfortable with the time and space I had to fix it, and then we were off on the first oxer, but we waited for it instead of launching, which meant I didn't have to do as much half halt on the line.
Duke worked his little heart out, even with what I think was sore feet (and yet another cut on his leg that the boot rubbed and it bled), and just to think back even just a month, as John pointed out, we couldn't have adjusted just a couple strides before the fence. John also said the fences are bigger than Novice height.
He asked how the show went and if we had any trouble (other than me running over his stock water tank in the haul-in), and I told him for dressage I thought I just did too much warm up, too long a break, and then not enough time to re-warm up. He said 30 minutes wasn't so long, but Duke might not be a horse who wants to cool down/warm back up again. And then I said for the rail down in show jumping, I just didn't get him uphill enough between the two fences. Overall, I was very happy with how he did.
John said for recovery, do the light work the day after the show, then give him the day off the next day (so Monday light work, Tuesday day off). That way, you can feel if there's anything off the day after.
And - happy day - Ashley said they are going to three shows in California this fall and for one (Galway?) trying to have a novice team. I think it would be a great trial run (like Charlie and I did with Rebecca) to go ahead down there for Novice and then next year go for Training level.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Sunday, August 27, 2017
Caber wrap up
Overall, Duke and I rode better in all three phases than we have so far, but we didn't do very well, coming in 10/18 on a score of 39.9 (1st was 27.4).
For dressage, we once again had a great warm up, but I started it too early, so he got kind of bored and sour when I tried to warm him up the second time. Lesson learned is that I don't need half an hour, more like 20 minutes, and he'd prefer to get to work, work, go in and do the test, and be done with it; not take a break in the middle.
His canter was a little stiff both directions, but it was a steady, even test, which I was satisfied with.
And his manners at the trailer were to die for. He's an absolute gem to hang around with all day.
For cross country, he was very good. We didn't do much warm up; a bunch of walking, then several laps of trot and canter. I jumped the cross rail, vertical (badly), and vertical again; then took a long walk break, and the rider before me did a lap of canter, the natural, and the oxer, which were absolutely perfect (Brooke confirmed!) and then just headed over. He got a little tense on the walk over, so we just made circles and then walked in to canter out, didn't stand in the start box.
Our first jump was off a bit, and he looked at all the big fences I thought he would look at, and gave me a pretty good jig at the tricky tree/log combo (so did Caruso, Jessica said), but jumped the hill like a dreamboat and just shot through the water (in between the two big logs) like he was part seahorse. I took the long route and tried to keep him slow, so we were only about 30 seconds faster than optimum time. I was very, very happy with this course. I didn't have to pull him up like I did at the derby, and we were much smoother and even.
For show jumping, it was our best jumping yet, but we still got a rail (fence 4; the second fence in the long "combo"). This time, despite the fact that I'm always early, our class had started early, so I did a very hurried warm up, with only 1/2 of the walking, trot, and canter I'd like to do, and then a few rushed bends because he was a little stiff and downhill. Then we jumped the cross rail and vertical, tried to figure out how much time we had, walked a few minutes, jumped the vertical and oxer. He was jumping pretty well, so I decided not to push it since I wouldn't have time to fix it, but then had a weird amount of time left, especially because the rider ahead of me didn't show up.
The round went very well; we just went out and cruised it; the turns were easier than I thought, but I went long at the final turn instead of inside. I'm not quite sure why he got the rail on the fence, but I was very happy with him; he just went out and did his job. I didn't have to reef on his face like I did at the derby a month ago.
While I'm disappointed in our placing overall (and, like an asshole, after I got the rail I left because I was so far below everyone else; as it turns out, we were in 10th place and they gave ribbons to 10th so I missed Duke's first show ribbon), I'm very happy with how much Duke has improved in the two months we've been working together. If I think back to the first week and our first jump lesson, when we cantered around all askew and shot off on the far side of each fence, he's like a different horse.
We do have plenty to work on; he's got a hard drift left, like John said, which we're going to have to fix before training level, and he needs a topline and then some serious dressage work this winter, especially for our canter/trot transitions.
I guess I'm just disappointed because a) I really, really, really miss Charlie and feel guilty for riding Duke; and b) I feel like Duke is easier to ride (although I don't communicate with him as well yet), and yet our scores are worse. He's a good little athlete, with a huge heart. I feel really lucky I got him, and then guilty for being pissy that he's not sweeping the ribbons.
There was a huge accident (well, four accidents) on northbound I-5 and it was closed. We went back roads home, which didn't take that much longer than normal (oddly), but was a lot of twisting and turning for him in a very hot trailer.
And yesterday I fell backwards out of the truck (stationary truck) trying to feed the dogs pretzels, and today I hit John's stock water tank and cracked it even though I've probably driven into and out of his haul-in 20 times.
I think I'm a sore loser asshole, and I'm kind of disgusted with myself for expecting so much from Duke, even though I have been telling myself out loud I'm not.
Oh, and Charlie and I our first year going novice (2013):
1st, 2nd, 12th, 17th, 5th
Get real, Martha.
For dressage, we once again had a great warm up, but I started it too early, so he got kind of bored and sour when I tried to warm him up the second time. Lesson learned is that I don't need half an hour, more like 20 minutes, and he'd prefer to get to work, work, go in and do the test, and be done with it; not take a break in the middle.
His canter was a little stiff both directions, but it was a steady, even test, which I was satisfied with.
And his manners at the trailer were to die for. He's an absolute gem to hang around with all day.
For cross country, he was very good. We didn't do much warm up; a bunch of walking, then several laps of trot and canter. I jumped the cross rail, vertical (badly), and vertical again; then took a long walk break, and the rider before me did a lap of canter, the natural, and the oxer, which were absolutely perfect (Brooke confirmed!) and then just headed over. He got a little tense on the walk over, so we just made circles and then walked in to canter out, didn't stand in the start box.
Our first jump was off a bit, and he looked at all the big fences I thought he would look at, and gave me a pretty good jig at the tricky tree/log combo (so did Caruso, Jessica said), but jumped the hill like a dreamboat and just shot through the water (in between the two big logs) like he was part seahorse. I took the long route and tried to keep him slow, so we were only about 30 seconds faster than optimum time. I was very, very happy with this course. I didn't have to pull him up like I did at the derby, and we were much smoother and even.
For show jumping, it was our best jumping yet, but we still got a rail (fence 4; the second fence in the long "combo"). This time, despite the fact that I'm always early, our class had started early, so I did a very hurried warm up, with only 1/2 of the walking, trot, and canter I'd like to do, and then a few rushed bends because he was a little stiff and downhill. Then we jumped the cross rail and vertical, tried to figure out how much time we had, walked a few minutes, jumped the vertical and oxer. He was jumping pretty well, so I decided not to push it since I wouldn't have time to fix it, but then had a weird amount of time left, especially because the rider ahead of me didn't show up.
The round went very well; we just went out and cruised it; the turns were easier than I thought, but I went long at the final turn instead of inside. I'm not quite sure why he got the rail on the fence, but I was very happy with him; he just went out and did his job. I didn't have to reef on his face like I did at the derby a month ago.
While I'm disappointed in our placing overall (and, like an asshole, after I got the rail I left because I was so far below everyone else; as it turns out, we were in 10th place and they gave ribbons to 10th so I missed Duke's first show ribbon), I'm very happy with how much Duke has improved in the two months we've been working together. If I think back to the first week and our first jump lesson, when we cantered around all askew and shot off on the far side of each fence, he's like a different horse.
We do have plenty to work on; he's got a hard drift left, like John said, which we're going to have to fix before training level, and he needs a topline and then some serious dressage work this winter, especially for our canter/trot transitions.
I guess I'm just disappointed because a) I really, really, really miss Charlie and feel guilty for riding Duke; and b) I feel like Duke is easier to ride (although I don't communicate with him as well yet), and yet our scores are worse. He's a good little athlete, with a huge heart. I feel really lucky I got him, and then guilty for being pissy that he's not sweeping the ribbons.
There was a huge accident (well, four accidents) on northbound I-5 and it was closed. We went back roads home, which didn't take that much longer than normal (oddly), but was a lot of twisting and turning for him in a very hot trailer.
And yesterday I fell backwards out of the truck (stationary truck) trying to feed the dogs pretzels, and today I hit John's stock water tank and cracked it even though I've probably driven into and out of his haul-in 20 times.
I think I'm a sore loser asshole, and I'm kind of disgusted with myself for expecting so much from Duke, even though I have been telling myself out loud I'm not.
Oh, and Charlie and I our first year going novice (2013):
1st, 2nd, 12th, 17th, 5th
Get real, Martha.
Friday, August 25, 2017
Crunching some numbers
I got upset today because although our dressage was most improved from Lincoln Creek (no bolting in), it was a pretty solid B-. Despite that, I was distraught that we didn't place better (currently 13/18). It was only a 35.9.
So first, I've only been riding Duke 8 weeks and have only owned him 10, and haven't had nearly enough lessons on him.
Second, in the 8 mere weeks I've been riding him, he's gone from randomly bolting and tearing off on the far side of the fences to working on his bend, connection, and taking the bit. That's good progress, especially given how slow I can be! And for most of that, I used him in the wrong tack.
Third, I need to figure out warm up. At both Lincoln Creek and here, I had some very lovely work, but it went on too long and then he got a little stiff and sour before we went in. So I think I need to count on making the most of a smaller window of time.
Fourth, it took me something like three years with Charlie to master Novice. I'm out of line to think that Duke should be able to figure me out (at 6 years old!) after just 8 weeks, and being ridden by other people, and not showing this year, etc.
Fifth, I didn't get Duke to be a warmblood who could kick ass at Novice but could barely get around Training. I got him to go Prelim and hopefully a *, and I think he's got the athleticism to do it. But I sacrificed that warmblood movement for the speed and endurance at the upper levels, and we're not ready to go there yet.
Sixth, even though we did better at the derby in dressage, we got rails in show jumping, which we didn't do at Lincoln Creek.
Regardless, here's the numbers:
Five year old (with a pro):
5/16 - Training with Ashley - 9/18 (34.3 d, xc time, 8 sj); 1st was 24.8
7/16 - Training with Ashley - 4/11 (36.1); 1st was 30.5
7/16 - Training with Ashley - 6/13 (35.2, 4 sj); 1st was 25
8/16 - Training with Ashley - 9/19 (36.6, 4 sj); 1st was 21.4
8/16 - Training with Ashley - 7/11 (33.4, 4 sj); 1st was 26.4
10/16 - Training with Ashley - 9/15 (40.5, 4 sj); 1st was 23
Six year old:
7/17 - BN Derby at Caber - Day 1 - 3/12 - 33.2 + 4 sj; 1st was 28.2
Day 2 - 5/10 - 32.1 (tie for 2nd) + 4 sj; 1st was 27.1
8/17 - Novice with me at Lincoln Creek - 10/22 (37.2); 1st was 31.2
8/17 - Novice at Caber - dressage only was 35.9 (13/18); 1st is 27.4
So we need to get 1 point better on each movement, and that's doable as we get to know each other and he develops a topline. He's got fat pads on his shoulders now.
So first, I've only been riding Duke 8 weeks and have only owned him 10, and haven't had nearly enough lessons on him.
Second, in the 8 mere weeks I've been riding him, he's gone from randomly bolting and tearing off on the far side of the fences to working on his bend, connection, and taking the bit. That's good progress, especially given how slow I can be! And for most of that, I used him in the wrong tack.
Third, I need to figure out warm up. At both Lincoln Creek and here, I had some very lovely work, but it went on too long and then he got a little stiff and sour before we went in. So I think I need to count on making the most of a smaller window of time.
Fourth, it took me something like three years with Charlie to master Novice. I'm out of line to think that Duke should be able to figure me out (at 6 years old!) after just 8 weeks, and being ridden by other people, and not showing this year, etc.
Fifth, I didn't get Duke to be a warmblood who could kick ass at Novice but could barely get around Training. I got him to go Prelim and hopefully a *, and I think he's got the athleticism to do it. But I sacrificed that warmblood movement for the speed and endurance at the upper levels, and we're not ready to go there yet.
Sixth, even though we did better at the derby in dressage, we got rails in show jumping, which we didn't do at Lincoln Creek.
Regardless, here's the numbers:
Five year old (with a pro):
5/16 - Training with Ashley - 9/18 (34.3 d, xc time, 8 sj); 1st was 24.8
7/16 - Training with Ashley - 4/11 (36.1); 1st was 30.5
7/16 - Training with Ashley - 6/13 (35.2, 4 sj); 1st was 25
8/16 - Training with Ashley - 9/19 (36.6, 4 sj); 1st was 21.4
8/16 - Training with Ashley - 7/11 (33.4, 4 sj); 1st was 26.4
10/16 - Training with Ashley - 9/15 (40.5, 4 sj); 1st was 23
Six year old:
7/17 - BN Derby at Caber - Day 1 - 3/12 - 33.2 + 4 sj; 1st was 28.2
Day 2 - 5/10 - 32.1 (tie for 2nd) + 4 sj; 1st was 27.1
8/17 - Novice with me at Lincoln Creek - 10/22 (37.2); 1st was 31.2
8/17 - Novice at Caber - dressage only was 35.9 (13/18); 1st is 27.4
So we need to get 1 point better on each movement, and that's doable as we get to know each other and he develops a topline. He's got fat pads on his shoulders now.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Approach the jumps uphill
Tonight, after idiotically driving through the fire that had crossed I-5 (despite Meg's attempt to warn me!), we had a jump lesson that included a repeat of Sunday's lesson on the flat. Because despite all the time John put into it Sunday, and me trying to ride it again Monday, and having warm up time, I still couldn't repeat it until John got there and walked me through it step by step.
So he had us start cantering and go over a vertical over a little box. This proved beyond my grasp, although I can't say why. Duke gallantly tried, over and over again, and I just flailed.
So John backed us up, had us work on the flat, which was a repeat of Sunday - inside leg - outside leg - bend him to the inside - both legs ... I could feel it as we got it right, and occasionally as he was saying it, but I couldn't do it all on my own.
Then we switched to jumping the gate. Here, John had us work on getting Duke uphill, instead of getting onto his forehand and barreling towards the gate. This was sitting up, giving him a half halt, and, when needed (argh! feel!) also some bend to the outside.
After that, we did the gate at an angle, which Duke did like a dream boat. Apparently he likes angling fences, because we did it three (?) times, each of which was a perfect take off.
From there, we did an oxer-oxer line. The first time, I completely flubbed it. Maybe the first two times. Then Duke jumped it perfectly. And I think what was different was setting him up WAY out (as soon as we started the first of two turns towards it), thinking half halt, keeping the rhythm, and not letting him step to the side and mess up the distance.
John had us do a bit more flat work, with some trot, getting connection, haunches in, then neck bent in (which is super hard to combine those two), then letting him get straight and go forward. We also did a trot - 10 steps of walk - trot again.
I was actually super proud of Duke. Not only was I, inexplicably, a flailing mess, and he stayed cool, calm, and collected, but he did not rush off the way he has our other jumps so far. He was a little "lazy" when we started, and it was hot and hard work, but he was basically pretty ho-hum about it.
Afterwards, I walked him down the road and back, and we had to stop and look at Katy setting up the big training level brush/ditch about 100 times, but he didn't spook or bolt, he just wanted to look, then he'd keep going.
I also asked John about not carrying a whip. He asked why not, and I said I hadn't needed to use it and was clumsy with it. He made the elegant and simple point that I won't get any less clumsy by not using it, and said he's already talked to me about this, which is the third (?) time since I got Duke that I've had a moment where I think I'm making John repeat himself. I need to set aside time this winter to go back through and read my old lessons (in addition to the riding theory books).
So he had us start cantering and go over a vertical over a little box. This proved beyond my grasp, although I can't say why. Duke gallantly tried, over and over again, and I just flailed.
So John backed us up, had us work on the flat, which was a repeat of Sunday - inside leg - outside leg - bend him to the inside - both legs ... I could feel it as we got it right, and occasionally as he was saying it, but I couldn't do it all on my own.
Then we switched to jumping the gate. Here, John had us work on getting Duke uphill, instead of getting onto his forehand and barreling towards the gate. This was sitting up, giving him a half halt, and, when needed (argh! feel!) also some bend to the outside.
After that, we did the gate at an angle, which Duke did like a dream boat. Apparently he likes angling fences, because we did it three (?) times, each of which was a perfect take off.
From there, we did an oxer-oxer line. The first time, I completely flubbed it. Maybe the first two times. Then Duke jumped it perfectly. And I think what was different was setting him up WAY out (as soon as we started the first of two turns towards it), thinking half halt, keeping the rhythm, and not letting him step to the side and mess up the distance.
John had us do a bit more flat work, with some trot, getting connection, haunches in, then neck bent in (which is super hard to combine those two), then letting him get straight and go forward. We also did a trot - 10 steps of walk - trot again.
I was actually super proud of Duke. Not only was I, inexplicably, a flailing mess, and he stayed cool, calm, and collected, but he did not rush off the way he has our other jumps so far. He was a little "lazy" when we started, and it was hot and hard work, but he was basically pretty ho-hum about it.
Afterwards, I walked him down the road and back, and we had to stop and look at Katy setting up the big training level brush/ditch about 100 times, but he didn't spook or bolt, he just wanted to look, then he'd keep going.
I also asked John about not carrying a whip. He asked why not, and I said I hadn't needed to use it and was clumsy with it. He made the elegant and simple point that I won't get any less clumsy by not using it, and said he's already talked to me about this, which is the third (?) time since I got Duke that I've had a moment where I think I'm making John repeat himself. I need to set aside time this winter to go back through and read my old lessons (in addition to the riding theory books).
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Amazing dressage lesson
This morning Duke and I had the most amazing dressage lesson. John did a couple of unusual things; he videoed and showed it to me to show me what he was seeing, and then he also walked alongside Duke and showed me the aid. Then he did a normal thing, which was tell me each change, but this time I had a bit of a eureka and got it better than the last few attempts he's made.
First we rode our Novice test, which was a bit lousy. So then he had us work on a 20 meter circle. The first thing we did was work on the proper shape and size of the circle. He stood on one corner, made a mark in the footing on the other corner, and then I had the two letters of the arena to use. My circles went from weird elipses to round circles, which helped Duke maintain the bend in his body.
But then we worked on the bend. Hard.
So first - John said to pinch the rein between my first finger and thumb, but then I can use the rest of my hand to squeeze/release; instead of using my whole hand to pinch. That's something that no one has ever told me, and was definitely a light bulb moment.
Then he showed me how easy it is to move Duke over by using his finger, but he said I need to give sharp, quick aids, not cling on. He hasn't had to tell me that in a long time, but I remember months and months of trying to catch onto it with Charlie, and with Duke, he reacted immediately.
We did 20 meters, got Duke round, then did 10 meters, then did 20 meters again keeping the same bend as in the 10 meter.
To get Duke to bend around his body, there is a bit of art. He is so "narrow" (short backed is what I would call it), that he can dart all around. And if I get one part of him bent, he just moves another part. So it is aid-aid-aid-aid-aid-breathe-aid-aid-aid all the way around the circle. For now. For example, if I use my outside leg to put his haunches into the circle, then he tries to bend his neck to the outside. If I bend him back to the inside through his neck, he'll either pop his outside shoulder out of the circle, or move the haunches back out.
What I had to do was feel where his shoulders were, and then think of how I wanted his body aligned. Maybe 5-10 times, I could feel it and started the aid just before John said it, but approximately 2000 times John had to say it. (I was inordinately proud of the 5-10 times, then we switched directions and my success rate of .05% went back down to .00%).
In the trot, I use my outside leg (up closer to the girth than I "like" for it to hang, but not jammed in front of me either. John had to show me, and to wrap it down and around Duke, I kind of open my knee. It is a little further forward than feels right, but not as far forward as I try to put it when left to my own devices) to keep his outside shoulder from popping out.
But in the canter, I use a half halt.
Basically, to get around a circle, I have to use inside leg to keep him from falling in, then outside leg to keep him from falling out, then both legs to push him forward, then some inside rein to bend him again, then outside leg to keep him from falling out, etc. But when all the pieces fall into place, angels sing and all is well in the world. We could do it; we just needed John's help to get there.
John said that because Duke is so narrow (short front to back), if I put my leg back where it likes to hang, it is several ribs further back than it was on Charlie. And it pushes his haunches in and he has to compensate. I have to think of him like a little speed boat who needs lots of little corrections to stay on track; Charlie was a big cruise liner who you had to start bending way ahead of time and wait for it, and who you had plenty of time to feel the drift coming and correct it; Duke I have to be right on top of each moment and ready to ride it.
What is nice about Duke is that he is responsive and sweet, so when I give the aid, he immediately responds (or at least I think he does), and it rewards me for doing it right.
It was an amazing ride. It made me feel really hopeful about the team that Duke and I will be, and hopeful that I'm not the world's biggest fuck up of a rider, and am capable of learning. And it makes me suspect that John is the world's best trainer, and that he did this sort of building confidence ride before his show on purpose. He's always been excellent at progressing the lesson so that you end up doing something you never would have imagined doing at the beginning. Once again, I wish I could ride with him every day and had been riding with him the last 25 years.
First we rode our Novice test, which was a bit lousy. So then he had us work on a 20 meter circle. The first thing we did was work on the proper shape and size of the circle. He stood on one corner, made a mark in the footing on the other corner, and then I had the two letters of the arena to use. My circles went from weird elipses to round circles, which helped Duke maintain the bend in his body.
But then we worked on the bend. Hard.
So first - John said to pinch the rein between my first finger and thumb, but then I can use the rest of my hand to squeeze/release; instead of using my whole hand to pinch. That's something that no one has ever told me, and was definitely a light bulb moment.
Then he showed me how easy it is to move Duke over by using his finger, but he said I need to give sharp, quick aids, not cling on. He hasn't had to tell me that in a long time, but I remember months and months of trying to catch onto it with Charlie, and with Duke, he reacted immediately.
We did 20 meters, got Duke round, then did 10 meters, then did 20 meters again keeping the same bend as in the 10 meter.
To get Duke to bend around his body, there is a bit of art. He is so "narrow" (short backed is what I would call it), that he can dart all around. And if I get one part of him bent, he just moves another part. So it is aid-aid-aid-aid-aid-breathe-aid-aid-aid all the way around the circle. For now. For example, if I use my outside leg to put his haunches into the circle, then he tries to bend his neck to the outside. If I bend him back to the inside through his neck, he'll either pop his outside shoulder out of the circle, or move the haunches back out.
What I had to do was feel where his shoulders were, and then think of how I wanted his body aligned. Maybe 5-10 times, I could feel it and started the aid just before John said it, but approximately 2000 times John had to say it. (I was inordinately proud of the 5-10 times, then we switched directions and my success rate of .05% went back down to .00%).
In the trot, I use my outside leg (up closer to the girth than I "like" for it to hang, but not jammed in front of me either. John had to show me, and to wrap it down and around Duke, I kind of open my knee. It is a little further forward than feels right, but not as far forward as I try to put it when left to my own devices) to keep his outside shoulder from popping out.
But in the canter, I use a half halt.
Basically, to get around a circle, I have to use inside leg to keep him from falling in, then outside leg to keep him from falling out, then both legs to push him forward, then some inside rein to bend him again, then outside leg to keep him from falling out, etc. But when all the pieces fall into place, angels sing and all is well in the world. We could do it; we just needed John's help to get there.
John said that because Duke is so narrow (short front to back), if I put my leg back where it likes to hang, it is several ribs further back than it was on Charlie. And it pushes his haunches in and he has to compensate. I have to think of him like a little speed boat who needs lots of little corrections to stay on track; Charlie was a big cruise liner who you had to start bending way ahead of time and wait for it, and who you had plenty of time to feel the drift coming and correct it; Duke I have to be right on top of each moment and ready to ride it.
What is nice about Duke is that he is responsive and sweet, so when I give the aid, he immediately responds (or at least I think he does), and it rewards me for doing it right.
It was an amazing ride. It made me feel really hopeful about the team that Duke and I will be, and hopeful that I'm not the world's biggest fuck up of a rider, and am capable of learning. And it makes me suspect that John is the world's best trainer, and that he did this sort of building confidence ride before his show on purpose. He's always been excellent at progressing the lesson so that you end up doing something you never would have imagined doing at the beginning. Once again, I wish I could ride with him every day and had been riding with him the last 25 years.
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Jump lesson with Mom watching
Tonight, pre-eclipse traffic, we jumped a cross-rail, vertical, white oxer, red oxer, and then a four stride line vertical to oxer. Duke was good.
John started us with work on the flat for bending, feeling him chew the bit, moving him in, moving him out. It is still a bit out of my grasp, although I feel when it is correct. He suspected I was probably nervous for dressage at the show and conveyed that through, which would be a good feeling to recognize and then try to reduce. He also said the warm up was for warming up, and that our second few fences (before we went in to show jump), Duke had settled down. He said with a 6 yo, OTTB, I'm going to have variability in what Duke needs at different times. He said when he was riding him for the week, he thought he figured him out, then Duke would throw a curve ball. (My words.)
So we worked on the flat, getting him nice and bent and listening, with half halts on the outside and the sponge squeezing hand to get him softer and chewing.
We started jumping with the cross rail, with John alternating which direction we landed after a few jumps each direction. The left turn was kind of tight, but Duke held it together. John changed it to a vertical, same thing.
Then we rode to the oxer that would normally have been a bending line, but straight at it, and despite five or six attempts, I couldn't get the line right, but John said it was ok because that way I knew that we could jump it if we came it at not directly head on, so I'd be more relaxed at a show if I couldn't get the line right. Then he showed me where to ride and the line was no problem, and then the jump was a breeze.
We moved over to a red oxer that I assumed he was going to drop, but he did not, and Duke came in once low and flat and launched over it. John had me get him back to the canter as soon as I regrouped but give him a good half halt a few strides out, and he jumped it delightfully, rocked back on his haunches. John said that I gave him the proper half halt on the launch, but he blew me off, and so he wanted to get it again right away so that Duke learns to respect it when I tell him to half halt, it doesn't matter if he agrees, he needs to half halt.
Then we ended with the four stride line, and John had me sit up on the way there, half halt in the turn, and then sometimes bend to the outside, sometimes to the inside, to get there. We had a couple that were decent, but not an A+, and then a couple good ones.
Once during the lesson Duke put his head down, and that was the one time John had me halt, then walk a 10 m circle, then trot the circle, then canter the circle before we could go back to jumping. Other than that, we mostly did a half halt and a bit of bending to kind of check him. He is really good about coming back, I just have to set him up. John said that there's several things Duke still has to work on, and so for now it's ok to accept just one or two, like on the flat he said it's ok to have a little more on the forehand if I can get him bent, and then later we'll get bend and engagement.
He said he thought Duke did well at the show (me too), and that Jimmy Wofford says it takes about a year to get to know a horse. It was a good lesson and mom got a few photos, but I do wish I could have stayed down there another week with him - he said he wouldn't have offered if he couldn't have fit me in, and there was more he could accomplish with me, but I told him I thought maybe we could come back in October when his show season had settled down. It did really help to ride with him a bit each day.
John started us with work on the flat for bending, feeling him chew the bit, moving him in, moving him out. It is still a bit out of my grasp, although I feel when it is correct. He suspected I was probably nervous for dressage at the show and conveyed that through, which would be a good feeling to recognize and then try to reduce. He also said the warm up was for warming up, and that our second few fences (before we went in to show jump), Duke had settled down. He said with a 6 yo, OTTB, I'm going to have variability in what Duke needs at different times. He said when he was riding him for the week, he thought he figured him out, then Duke would throw a curve ball. (My words.)
So we worked on the flat, getting him nice and bent and listening, with half halts on the outside and the sponge squeezing hand to get him softer and chewing.
We started jumping with the cross rail, with John alternating which direction we landed after a few jumps each direction. The left turn was kind of tight, but Duke held it together. John changed it to a vertical, same thing.
Then we rode to the oxer that would normally have been a bending line, but straight at it, and despite five or six attempts, I couldn't get the line right, but John said it was ok because that way I knew that we could jump it if we came it at not directly head on, so I'd be more relaxed at a show if I couldn't get the line right. Then he showed me where to ride and the line was no problem, and then the jump was a breeze.
We moved over to a red oxer that I assumed he was going to drop, but he did not, and Duke came in once low and flat and launched over it. John had me get him back to the canter as soon as I regrouped but give him a good half halt a few strides out, and he jumped it delightfully, rocked back on his haunches. John said that I gave him the proper half halt on the launch, but he blew me off, and so he wanted to get it again right away so that Duke learns to respect it when I tell him to half halt, it doesn't matter if he agrees, he needs to half halt.
Then we ended with the four stride line, and John had me sit up on the way there, half halt in the turn, and then sometimes bend to the outside, sometimes to the inside, to get there. We had a couple that were decent, but not an A+, and then a couple good ones.
Once during the lesson Duke put his head down, and that was the one time John had me halt, then walk a 10 m circle, then trot the circle, then canter the circle before we could go back to jumping. Other than that, we mostly did a half halt and a bit of bending to kind of check him. He is really good about coming back, I just have to set him up. John said that there's several things Duke still has to work on, and so for now it's ok to accept just one or two, like on the flat he said it's ok to have a little more on the forehand if I can get him bent, and then later we'll get bend and engagement.
He said he thought Duke did well at the show (me too), and that Jimmy Wofford says it takes about a year to get to know a horse. It was a good lesson and mom got a few photos, but I do wish I could have stayed down there another week with him - he said he wouldn't have offered if he couldn't have fit me in, and there was more he could accomplish with me, but I told him I thought maybe we could come back in October when his show season had settled down. It did really help to ride with him a bit each day.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
I did not master bending after two lessons
I got on Duke super confident today after my two rides in a row with John, and then almost immediately proved I had learned nothing. We sort of struggled through, after a particularly rough right lead canter, but then, thank the lord, John came out and helped us out.
It is a little hard to say what went wrong, but with John walking us through step by step, it all felt all right again.
With me, Duke was lunging down and forward, but John thinks he was probably just falling on his inside shoulder.
He was stiff to bend, but more so to the left, but not when John got there.
John had us work on a circle, and he had me use a bit more of a half halt (there was a eureka when I felt the down transition half halt, which I frequently forget to ask for, from the inside leg to the outside rein and we had a beautiful down transition).
John said it is the outside leg that asks for the canter aid over the fence, and that yes, it is not intuitive, but it is because they move away from the aid that you only ask with the one leg when they're in the air.
He had me flex him in and out, and first bend his neck, then go on a smaller circle (use a half halt to keep him from rushing), and then put his haunches in towards John using the outside leg. One of these was much harder than the other.
For the canter, he also had me do a release with inside, then release with outside, repeat a few times, then take up the contact in both reins again.
Duke felt soft and pliable at the end, but I was getting frustrated for not being able to do it by myself, until I realized it really had been just two days, and I worked on it by myself for maybe 30 minutes. I have some seriously disconnected expectations.
John also said that our challenges with our horses reflect ourselves; for example, I don't like change. It was so insightful it left me pretty stunned. I wish I was that good at reading people (and horses).
I think we have a long road ahead of us, but it was great that I could feel the correctness, which will make it easier going. After John finished with me, I watched Meg's lesson, then we went on a short hack with Meg and Manny, where Duke spooked at the girls painting a fence.
It is a little hard to say what went wrong, but with John walking us through step by step, it all felt all right again.
With me, Duke was lunging down and forward, but John thinks he was probably just falling on his inside shoulder.
He was stiff to bend, but more so to the left, but not when John got there.
John had us work on a circle, and he had me use a bit more of a half halt (there was a eureka when I felt the down transition half halt, which I frequently forget to ask for, from the inside leg to the outside rein and we had a beautiful down transition).
John said it is the outside leg that asks for the canter aid over the fence, and that yes, it is not intuitive, but it is because they move away from the aid that you only ask with the one leg when they're in the air.
He had me flex him in and out, and first bend his neck, then go on a smaller circle (use a half halt to keep him from rushing), and then put his haunches in towards John using the outside leg. One of these was much harder than the other.
For the canter, he also had me do a release with inside, then release with outside, repeat a few times, then take up the contact in both reins again.
Duke felt soft and pliable at the end, but I was getting frustrated for not being able to do it by myself, until I realized it really had been just two days, and I worked on it by myself for maybe 30 minutes. I have some seriously disconnected expectations.
John also said that our challenges with our horses reflect ourselves; for example, I don't like change. It was so insightful it left me pretty stunned. I wish I was that good at reading people (and horses).
I think we have a long road ahead of us, but it was great that I could feel the correctness, which will make it easier going. After John finished with me, I watched Meg's lesson, then we went on a short hack with Meg and Manny, where Duke spooked at the girls painting a fence.
Wednesday, August 09, 2017
Jumping and drifting
Today's lesson started with some flat work, and then we switched to jumping, after John scolded me for not wearing my shirt tucked in with a belt. Actually, before the lesson even started, Katy helped me adjust Duke in a different bridle, which included punching new holes for his tiny head.
Duke seemed much more pliant in the tighter noseband and flash, but I couldn't tell if it was the ride yesterday, the week with John, the tighter noseband, or a combination of all of the above.
John had us work again on bending him both ways, including the awkward actual use of the bicep to pull his head around, but it was easier today to remember to also push forward with the outside hand.
We started by trotting over a little cross rail, and John said to focus on the trot - don't think about the take off spot, but just think about the rhythm of the trot and keeping it all the way to the fence. No big deal.
Then we did some canter, which was ok, but Duke was preferentially landing on the right lead even though we were going left, and then John did something miraculous and said to listen to him, and then as we took off, told me to use my right leg (?) and Duke landed on the left lead perfectly. His timing was impeccable and it was a huge eye opener that I'm not using that leg aid enough, just kind of hoping he'll magically guess which way I want to go. However, it's a bit disappointing that a few hours later, I don't remember which freaking leg it was during a jump in the air to ask for the lead.
Then John switched us to a vertical, but at an angle, first coming at it angled to the left, then after a few times, from the right. Duke found it much more challenging to angle it from the right, and would take off with his running thing. John said it was good, because we found the hole, and so we'll know that he doesn't want to use his right inside hind and would rather run than balance. He had me once halt and rein back, but mostly just fix the lead and then make a circle.
What worked the best was one good pull - almost a pulley rein - and then immediately release with both hands, and Duke would soften back up almost immediately. If I just got in a pulling war with him, he just tore around with his head down.
From there we did the 4 stride line from the vertical which we'd been angling to an oxer, which he did very well, and then a bending 5 stride line from the Seahawks vertical to the same vertical. Then we finished on a brown gate, which he jumped perfectly, and John said "Walk!"
John said in show jumping, I'll have to use my hands more than he'd like, but try to get him one good sharp pull and rebalance him. Make sure to balance him 5-6 strides out, and don't get into a pulling war with him during the course - give the correction and then release. A few times he had me bend him before the fence, but it was really hard to bend him while keeping the line to the fence.
He jumped a few short and a few long, but he's easy to stay balanced over, even if I don't like the take off spot.
So I think it is going to be talk low to him (whoa, easy, steady; in a low voice), think way out to steady him (half halt, sit up, think rhythm), balance him, and bend him, and then give sharp corrections if we barrel through any fences. He was, all in all, much better.
It was pretty hot out today (low 90s?) and even his eyelids were frothy with sweat.
Duke seemed much more pliant in the tighter noseband and flash, but I couldn't tell if it was the ride yesterday, the week with John, the tighter noseband, or a combination of all of the above.
John had us work again on bending him both ways, including the awkward actual use of the bicep to pull his head around, but it was easier today to remember to also push forward with the outside hand.
We started by trotting over a little cross rail, and John said to focus on the trot - don't think about the take off spot, but just think about the rhythm of the trot and keeping it all the way to the fence. No big deal.
Then we did some canter, which was ok, but Duke was preferentially landing on the right lead even though we were going left, and then John did something miraculous and said to listen to him, and then as we took off, told me to use my right leg (?) and Duke landed on the left lead perfectly. His timing was impeccable and it was a huge eye opener that I'm not using that leg aid enough, just kind of hoping he'll magically guess which way I want to go. However, it's a bit disappointing that a few hours later, I don't remember which freaking leg it was during a jump in the air to ask for the lead.
Then John switched us to a vertical, but at an angle, first coming at it angled to the left, then after a few times, from the right. Duke found it much more challenging to angle it from the right, and would take off with his running thing. John said it was good, because we found the hole, and so we'll know that he doesn't want to use his right inside hind and would rather run than balance. He had me once halt and rein back, but mostly just fix the lead and then make a circle.
What worked the best was one good pull - almost a pulley rein - and then immediately release with both hands, and Duke would soften back up almost immediately. If I just got in a pulling war with him, he just tore around with his head down.
From there we did the 4 stride line from the vertical which we'd been angling to an oxer, which he did very well, and then a bending 5 stride line from the Seahawks vertical to the same vertical. Then we finished on a brown gate, which he jumped perfectly, and John said "Walk!"
John said in show jumping, I'll have to use my hands more than he'd like, but try to get him one good sharp pull and rebalance him. Make sure to balance him 5-6 strides out, and don't get into a pulling war with him during the course - give the correction and then release. A few times he had me bend him before the fence, but it was really hard to bend him while keeping the line to the fence.
He jumped a few short and a few long, but he's easy to stay balanced over, even if I don't like the take off spot.
So I think it is going to be talk low to him (whoa, easy, steady; in a low voice), think way out to steady him (half halt, sit up, think rhythm), balance him, and bend him, and then give sharp corrections if we barrel through any fences. He was, all in all, much better.
It was pretty hot out today (low 90s?) and even his eyelids were frothy with sweat.
Tuesday, August 08, 2017
Bending at the base of the neck
John kept Duke for a week while I was in Florida, and so my first ride, he came out and gave me a lesson on bending. First, he wanted to know what bridle Jane rode him in (a flash) and why I changed it. I had a "dunno" answer, and he suggested I go back to a flash because Duke likes to evade by opening his mouth, at which point I looked down at Duke's gaping mouth and agreed. John said that the flash doesn't have to be tight, but if I limit a little bit how much he can open his mouth, it's going to help.
We worked on trot and canter circles where I bent him to the inside by widening my inside hand and then pulling back. To get this bend, I had to push my outside hand forward (like the old pushing a wheelbarrow), at which point, Duke would feel comfortable enough to bend. John had me sometimes use some leg to either push his shoulders in (he likes to pop them out), or push him in or out of the circle, crossing his leg. Duke also likes to speed up instead of balancing, so John said to just keep my posting slow and steady.
Sometimes, if Duke was being resistant, John would have me bend him to the outside, and then bend him back to the inside.
He said always keep one rein with contact, so don't throw them both away at the same time. We also did a bit of squeezing the outside hand (like a sponge) just to remind him it was there.
John said that Duke doesn't know how to move into the outside rein - that I'm asking for the aid correctly - but Duke doesn't trust he can connect to it, so the bending in and out teaches him he can connect and stay balanced.
It was one of those lessons from the last couple years, where John would tell me step by step what to do - then eureka - I'd feel Charlie balance up underneath me - but it was so many steps and so much coordination and so much feel that I had no chance of doing it on my own. I'd like to say that eventually I did figure out how to do it on my own, but I'm not sure that John doesn't give me too much credit, and I'm just lucky enough to ride horses who try to figure out wtf I'm asking for and do it.
When Duke did bend and was balanced on both sides, he felt great. He was sweet and flexible and responsive, and even though it was hot, I was so glad to be riding again.
We worked on trot and canter circles where I bent him to the inside by widening my inside hand and then pulling back. To get this bend, I had to push my outside hand forward (like the old pushing a wheelbarrow), at which point, Duke would feel comfortable enough to bend. John had me sometimes use some leg to either push his shoulders in (he likes to pop them out), or push him in or out of the circle, crossing his leg. Duke also likes to speed up instead of balancing, so John said to just keep my posting slow and steady.
Sometimes, if Duke was being resistant, John would have me bend him to the outside, and then bend him back to the inside.
He said always keep one rein with contact, so don't throw them both away at the same time. We also did a bit of squeezing the outside hand (like a sponge) just to remind him it was there.
John said that Duke doesn't know how to move into the outside rein - that I'm asking for the aid correctly - but Duke doesn't trust he can connect to it, so the bending in and out teaches him he can connect and stay balanced.
It was one of those lessons from the last couple years, where John would tell me step by step what to do - then eureka - I'd feel Charlie balance up underneath me - but it was so many steps and so much coordination and so much feel that I had no chance of doing it on my own. I'd like to say that eventually I did figure out how to do it on my own, but I'm not sure that John doesn't give me too much credit, and I'm just lucky enough to ride horses who try to figure out wtf I'm asking for and do it.
When Duke did bend and was balanced on both sides, he felt great. He was sweet and flexible and responsive, and even though it was hot, I was so glad to be riding again.
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