John squeezed us in for a jump lesson after Pony Club but before he left for California. The most impressive part of my evening, though, had nothing to do with my riding. I successfully backed the trailer in between another trailer and the ditch, because I arrogantly assumed - knowing he was leaving for a show - that there would be a parking spot up next to the barn. There was not.
I shared my lesson with David, who had a young mare who is still figuring out the fences, but had a lot of scope. Duke, unlike Saturday, was just a cool cucumber, but I think he still feels a teeny bit short, especially in the canter. I gave him bute, will give him tomorrow off, and see how he feels on Thursday.
We did a bit of flat warm up, where John said when Duke is stiff in his jaw, first ask him to go a little more forward, then flex him to the outside, then, keeping contact with the outside rein, bend him back to the inside. This worked each time I tried it.
Other than that, the direction was just to have him be more round. Oh, and drop my heels. By 4".
For jumping, we started with a cross rail, which Duke was thoroughly uninspired by. He showed it some respect when John turned it into a little vertical with a ground pole - we did it from the trot and then from the canter. I had to ask with a little bit of leg the first few fences, but after that I just had to look up and over the fence. A couple fences I slowed him down just a bit with my core, to balance him. John said I'm seeing my distances ok, but Duke isn't always 100% listening to me on the way in.
We had ONE fence where Duke kind of leaned on my hand all the way there, and it was the only one John didn't like. He said that after the corner, ask him to get off my hand, then get out of his way again a couple strides before the fence.
We did a cross rail to vertical bounce, then a skinny. Duke was "ho hum" about all of them which was nice. He's a good little guy.
Then we went back and worked the vertical with the ground pole and then switched directions over it. Duke stayed steady and consistent. We had problems picking up the left lead going left (he wants to pick up the right lead). One time I put my right leg way back and he picked up the left lead, but I suspect it was chance. It only takes a couple of trot steps to switch leads after the fence; he's pretty nimble.
On the drive home, I was thinking about how shitty my week(s) (years) have been at work, and wondered why I like riding so much - why do I pay someone to pick on me when I am withering from lack of confidence at work? I think the difference is that John wants his students to succeed. But more than that, he is able to read each student/horse combination, and do what they need to build confidence and improve. While he isn't heavy on the praise, he also doesn't blame me for errors, and instead, uses them as learning opportunities. I think Pam is similar, and I expect most (good) coaches are too. I also suspect that a partner - a good one - would be like that too. Not blame you for fucking up or making a mistake, but using it to grow. It is definitely not what my current coworkers/clients are like. So it is a good role model, and maybe one I can learn from and try to apply it more at work. I LOVE my lessons, and it would be really nice to enjoy work 1/100th as much. On the other hand, I've had lots and lots of trainers, but none that I have learned anywhere near as much from as John. So it is more likely that he is just an exceptional trainer, I would be too lucky to ever encounter that in two places in my life at one time, and I should just be grateful that my life took the path it did so that I have gotten to ride with him for so many years.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Monday, February 19, 2018
Dr Salewski & Jim Wofford on fitness
Duke had his third visit with Dr. Salewski today, and he continues to improve. This visit he was a little tight in his left hip, nothing in his neck, and a little sore just behind his withers. He did great with Dr. Salewski, and he says that Duke probably doesn't need to see him again until he starts getting out of alignment.
The February Practical Horseman has Jimmy Wofford's fitness suggestions:
200 minutes of aerobics per week, at 70% maximum (for me, 180 heart rate)
Body fat (for women) between 18 and 25. According to my Garmin, I'm at 23.2. To be an "athlete" BMI (20%), I'd need to weigh 116 pounds, i.e. lose 18 pounds.
Strength training 3x week, divided into upper body[1], core[2], and lower body[3].
[1] Upper body is upper back and shoulders.
[2] Core is lower back, obliques, abs, glutes.
[3] Lower body is emphasize outer thighs.
The February Practical Horseman has Jimmy Wofford's fitness suggestions:
200 minutes of aerobics per week, at 70% maximum (for me, 180 heart rate)
Body fat (for women) between 18 and 25. According to my Garmin, I'm at 23.2. To be an "athlete" BMI (20%), I'd need to weigh 116 pounds, i.e. lose 18 pounds.
Strength training 3x week, divided into upper body[1], core[2], and lower body[3].
[1] Upper body is upper back and shoulders.
[2] Core is lower back, obliques, abs, glutes.
[3] Lower body is emphasize outer thighs.
Sunday, February 11, 2018
"Get your ass in the saddle"
Re Duke's biting, John said don't feed him by hand (put treats in his bin), and if I'm in his stall with him have him in his halter with his lead line trailing. If he bites me, he gets hit, even if he already knows he was bad. He said that sometimes there is head swishing before ears pinned as a signal that I'm in his space and a bite is coming.
For lessons, I'm going to keep with my slot instead of going back to a group lesson with Meg.
The hind legs warm and front legs cool is something he can't do anything about (ha ha) but also there's nothing to do but wait and see how it affects him. I think I'm going to try to put Sore-no-more on his front legs in his stall in the evenings from now on though, to see if it improves his circulation. I wonder if his back on track boots would help too.
For Training Test B new movement, it's just a Volte, not anything fancier than that.
Duke was great in his dressage lesson, but it was another one that's going to be hard for me to describe, because it was a lot of tiny movements with John telling me the correct aid at the correct time.
We started out working on a 20 meter circle, and then John put a few 10 meter circles in at random places. The aids we worked on were outside hand in a half halt (to control his shoulders but more often, to make him round), inside hand (to bend to the inside), a little bit of bend to the outside, giving forward a little (which makes Duke go soft and round), outside leg back (to push his haunches in to make the bend around my leg correct), timing of the inside leg (a fast now-now-now), both legs on to ask him to go forward, and then, the name of this post - the instruction to get my ass in the saddle at the canter. For whatever reason, this cracked me up, and it took all my willpower not to laugh and piss John off. We started on the right lead canter, and that direction it is harder to stay seated in the canter (it is hard on the left lead too, but not as hard as the right lead). I generally start letting him throw me up and then, as he gets round, I sit deeper. But to ride his canter, I have to kind of curl my tail bone under and then hold it down with my lower back, so it takes a lot of concentration to get all those muscles coordinated.
Duke was responsive and we eventually got him round, and there were a few minutes of trot towards the end where he felt just amazing - up and over his back, I think is what the feeling was, and it was just this quiet, bouncy, soft trot that was just a delight to ride.
John's in Fresno next week, so I have to go a whole week without lessons. Poor me.
For lessons, I'm going to keep with my slot instead of going back to a group lesson with Meg.
The hind legs warm and front legs cool is something he can't do anything about (ha ha) but also there's nothing to do but wait and see how it affects him. I think I'm going to try to put Sore-no-more on his front legs in his stall in the evenings from now on though, to see if it improves his circulation. I wonder if his back on track boots would help too.
For Training Test B new movement, it's just a Volte, not anything fancier than that.
Duke was great in his dressage lesson, but it was another one that's going to be hard for me to describe, because it was a lot of tiny movements with John telling me the correct aid at the correct time.
We started out working on a 20 meter circle, and then John put a few 10 meter circles in at random places. The aids we worked on were outside hand in a half halt (to control his shoulders but more often, to make him round), inside hand (to bend to the inside), a little bit of bend to the outside, giving forward a little (which makes Duke go soft and round), outside leg back (to push his haunches in to make the bend around my leg correct), timing of the inside leg (a fast now-now-now), both legs on to ask him to go forward, and then, the name of this post - the instruction to get my ass in the saddle at the canter. For whatever reason, this cracked me up, and it took all my willpower not to laugh and piss John off. We started on the right lead canter, and that direction it is harder to stay seated in the canter (it is hard on the left lead too, but not as hard as the right lead). I generally start letting him throw me up and then, as he gets round, I sit deeper. But to ride his canter, I have to kind of curl my tail bone under and then hold it down with my lower back, so it takes a lot of concentration to get all those muscles coordinated.
Duke was responsive and we eventually got him round, and there were a few minutes of trot towards the end where he felt just amazing - up and over his back, I think is what the feeling was, and it was just this quiet, bouncy, soft trot that was just a delight to ride.
John's in Fresno next week, so I have to go a whole week without lessons. Poor me.
Thursday, February 08, 2018
Little indoor jump course
Tonight we jumped a little five fence course forwards then backwards (mostly). Duke was great - he's like a completely different horse than when he arrived eight months ago - he was just as steady and confident as he could be.
We started with some warm up on the flat, where John had us work back through getting him round. Duke was a bit resistant (he was most of the week at home too), so we had to do some counter flex before we had success bending to the inside. John had me make him forward first, then try to make him round, and I had to use the outside rein on the bit of a diagonal aid, as well as inside leg at the same rhythm as his trot. We would get really close, but really struggled with getting the final little push to complete it.
John had us go from the canter on the 20 meter circle straight over this tiny vertical with a ground pole, and then he raised it up. What was interesting was Duke jumped the little tiny vertical just as nice as he jumps a big 3'8" fence - and by nice, I mean he keeps his form. He doesn't just canter over it.
John raised it, then added a vertical on the opposite wall. It had standards for an oxer, but no oxer pole, and it didn't have the ground pole in the front, so the first time through I was helpless, but after that, it becomes a regular jump again.
So we went from vertical to vertical a couple times, then John had us jump the narrow. Duke thought no problem. From there, John added a one stride combination - again, Duke thought no problem. Then John changed direction, so it was a hard left turn into the combination, and he said that I didn't fall for the bait, which was to stare down the first fence because the turn was tight, but kept my eye up on the exit. This was only because I had stared down the fence without the ground pole at the start of the lesson, so he had reminded me not to.
He said to keep that in mind at a show, don't stare down the first fence, especially when you can't see the second one, because then you'll get a puke over the first fence and a struggle to get out over the second one.
Duke got pretty sweaty, but we didn't jump big fences. He was nice and steady, he had, of course, a few that were long and few that were short, but it wasn't the mad scramble and me reefing on his face to make it around the corners like we were doing after he arrived.
I also asked John about his odd canter last week (?); he picked up the right lead three times in a row before remembering how to pick up the left lead. John said that next time if he picks it up incorrectly walk him, tap him a few times with the inside leg, trot, and then canter. He's probably just confused about the aid (are we about to do a leg yield? trot? what?) and that reminds him.
It was a good lesson. Mom took pictures but there was only one that had us in it going over the fence. I'm really proud of how well Duke is coming along. He's a good boy.
We started with some warm up on the flat, where John had us work back through getting him round. Duke was a bit resistant (he was most of the week at home too), so we had to do some counter flex before we had success bending to the inside. John had me make him forward first, then try to make him round, and I had to use the outside rein on the bit of a diagonal aid, as well as inside leg at the same rhythm as his trot. We would get really close, but really struggled with getting the final little push to complete it.
John had us go from the canter on the 20 meter circle straight over this tiny vertical with a ground pole, and then he raised it up. What was interesting was Duke jumped the little tiny vertical just as nice as he jumps a big 3'8" fence - and by nice, I mean he keeps his form. He doesn't just canter over it.
John raised it, then added a vertical on the opposite wall. It had standards for an oxer, but no oxer pole, and it didn't have the ground pole in the front, so the first time through I was helpless, but after that, it becomes a regular jump again.
So we went from vertical to vertical a couple times, then John had us jump the narrow. Duke thought no problem. From there, John added a one stride combination - again, Duke thought no problem. Then John changed direction, so it was a hard left turn into the combination, and he said that I didn't fall for the bait, which was to stare down the first fence because the turn was tight, but kept my eye up on the exit. This was only because I had stared down the fence without the ground pole at the start of the lesson, so he had reminded me not to.
He said to keep that in mind at a show, don't stare down the first fence, especially when you can't see the second one, because then you'll get a puke over the first fence and a struggle to get out over the second one.
Duke got pretty sweaty, but we didn't jump big fences. He was nice and steady, he had, of course, a few that were long and few that were short, but it wasn't the mad scramble and me reefing on his face to make it around the corners like we were doing after he arrived.
I also asked John about his odd canter last week (?); he picked up the right lead three times in a row before remembering how to pick up the left lead. John said that next time if he picks it up incorrectly walk him, tap him a few times with the inside leg, trot, and then canter. He's probably just confused about the aid (are we about to do a leg yield? trot? what?) and that reminds him.
It was a good lesson. Mom took pictures but there was only one that had us in it going over the fence. I'm really proud of how well Duke is coming along. He's a good boy.
Saturday, February 03, 2018
It's just using the correct aids at the correct time in the correct order, that's all
We had a great dressage lesson today, with a little something new. John has very gradually increased the independence of each aid (each hand, each leg, seat), and today we not only used each leg independently, but with different strength, and used a hand giving an aid in two directions at once.
At the canter, I had left leg back (outside leg) and inside leg up next to the girth, and I was using both legs to ask him to go forward, but I was using the outside leg Harder, so that he didn't bulge out of the circle. I was able to do it, but it was definitely a novel experience. With my hands, I was using outside hand not just to half halt, but also to move diagonally towards my inside hand to help steer his shoulders.
So first, we worked on steering on the circle, and using an open inside hand to not just bend his neck but to move his shoulders in.
He was crabby (he started the day crabby in his stall), and was stiff, so we ended up having to use outside counter bend to get him to loosen up.
John was watching me warm up, and I let Duke go around with his neck all stretched out and John said that's ok for the very beginning of the warm up, but if it were up to Duke, he'd do that all the time, so I need to get him to work after just a few laps.
We did 10 meter circles, but worked on the transition between two circles being round around my leg, not jerking his face and neck around to make the second circle.
We also worked on getting him a bit more forward, once he was bent and moving nicely, then asking him to step under himself a bit. This, I think, was the hard work, because he got quite sweaty, even in his butt. John said that he was working much harder with his hind end than a few months ago.
John said whichever rein is the one he's heavier on is the one that needs me to jiggle it and get him to flex.
He said because Duke is a thinker, I can't think inside/outside, but have to ride how he's feeling at that moment for each stride. He said Duke won't do well if I put him in a frame and then just expect him to go around and around without changing.
We also worked a bit on transitions - John said don't pull back, and so I immediately threw the reins loose and forward. He said that I can make an imaginary line and don't pull back just means don't pull past that line, but if Duke grabs on one side or gets tight, then that changes the game and my hands can react. We ended up, when I thought about it all the way through, with some decent transitions.
I should video these, and then turn them into the write up. I feel like I forget so much of what John says between the lesson and getting home. Then again, I can only work on a few things at a time, so he introduces them, they percolate, and eventually I'm ready to work on them at home alone. Speaking of, John said he expects I don't ask Duke to go forward enough at home, and I think that's right, I'm just satisfied with a half decent frame.
Afterwards, because mom was here and it wasn't raining, we walked down to the pond and back. Duke was pretty nervous about this. Then he had baby carrots, which he was ecstatic about. I wonder if he's never had a baby carrot before.
At the canter, I had left leg back (outside leg) and inside leg up next to the girth, and I was using both legs to ask him to go forward, but I was using the outside leg Harder, so that he didn't bulge out of the circle. I was able to do it, but it was definitely a novel experience. With my hands, I was using outside hand not just to half halt, but also to move diagonally towards my inside hand to help steer his shoulders.
So first, we worked on steering on the circle, and using an open inside hand to not just bend his neck but to move his shoulders in.
He was crabby (he started the day crabby in his stall), and was stiff, so we ended up having to use outside counter bend to get him to loosen up.
John was watching me warm up, and I let Duke go around with his neck all stretched out and John said that's ok for the very beginning of the warm up, but if it were up to Duke, he'd do that all the time, so I need to get him to work after just a few laps.
We did 10 meter circles, but worked on the transition between two circles being round around my leg, not jerking his face and neck around to make the second circle.
We also worked on getting him a bit more forward, once he was bent and moving nicely, then asking him to step under himself a bit. This, I think, was the hard work, because he got quite sweaty, even in his butt. John said that he was working much harder with his hind end than a few months ago.
John said whichever rein is the one he's heavier on is the one that needs me to jiggle it and get him to flex.
He said because Duke is a thinker, I can't think inside/outside, but have to ride how he's feeling at that moment for each stride. He said Duke won't do well if I put him in a frame and then just expect him to go around and around without changing.
We also worked a bit on transitions - John said don't pull back, and so I immediately threw the reins loose and forward. He said that I can make an imaginary line and don't pull back just means don't pull past that line, but if Duke grabs on one side or gets tight, then that changes the game and my hands can react. We ended up, when I thought about it all the way through, with some decent transitions.
I should video these, and then turn them into the write up. I feel like I forget so much of what John says between the lesson and getting home. Then again, I can only work on a few things at a time, so he introduces them, they percolate, and eventually I'm ready to work on them at home alone. Speaking of, John said he expects I don't ask Duke to go forward enough at home, and I think that's right, I'm just satisfied with a half decent frame.
Afterwards, because mom was here and it wasn't raining, we walked down to the pond and back. Duke was pretty nervous about this. Then he had baby carrots, which he was ecstatic about. I wonder if he's never had a baby carrot before.
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