John rode Duke yesterday, and it took me quite a while to get all the moving parts (of me) to coordinate enough to ride him myself. For a while, I thought it wasn't going to happen, but John persevered, and we made it.
First, I got to watch Andrea, Allison, and Sarah's jump lesson, after I took Duke up and down the hill in the sun. It was really interesting to watch both their flat and their jump exercises, the differences and similarities between the three of them, and then which questions they asked John.
We started on a circle, John had me get Duke more round. He said Duke was pretty stiff yesterday too, which even I could feel when we jumped Saturday.
Then we went to a 10 meter circle around him, counterbent until his inside shoulder moved in, then he could bend back to the inside. John had us canter, and then - horrors - sit the trot.
At both the sitting trot and the canter, I had trouble keeping my damn butt in the saddle without curling up my heels and hunching over my shoulders. Especially when I was riding with my reins short and out in front of me.
I had to really think about pushing my butt down, pulling my shoulders back, and then pushing my heels down. And then checking that my left hand hadn't dropped. And by the time I used all that brain power on myself, I had to start checking again. I couldn't just feel and react to what Duke was doing. And when John would have me do an aid, it was like the whole house of cards collapsed.
So Duke eventually got softer (I don't understand why), but like John said, at first it was like riding a jackhammer. We did 10 meter circles at the trot, changes of direction, and 10 meter circles at the canter. A lot of it was asking him to bend, but we also made the circles smaller and larger by pushing his front legs over the top of each other and leg yielding back out without giving away the reins. At the sitting trot, John said to think about legs on/off/on/off to help some with the sitting, but it really felt like it was just my lower back that was stiff and wouldn't yield to let me "bounce" the trot.
There were so many aids, I couldn't think fast enough, especially when I needed to react or when one hand (or leg) needed to be doing something than the other hand. It was really good practice, but my god, how many hours is it going to take before I can do this stuff "naturally"?
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Monday, February 17, 2020
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Jump lesson - big oxer to a tight right hand turn
We warmed up with Christa and Alina, then jumped with Christa.
Duke was a little stiff in warm up, he kept wanting to pop his head up instead of going round (mostly whenever we went past John), and he was hard to bend around my leg. John had us go from trot to halt, and Duke halted square, but not round. John said for now, to be happy with square, that it will just make Duke more anxious to then mess with the round.
We started with a cross rail, turned it into a vertical, then changed directions.
Then we went over an oxer, right hand turn to a vertical, left hand turn to another vertical. I completely screwed up the first line, and went from the oxer on a hard right straight to the vertical, instead of looping around.
From there, then we did the second vertical on a very hard right turn to the first vertical. The first time, I just had to halt in the wall, back up four steps, turn right, and then trot over it. The second time, Duke did it perfectly. The third time we made the turn, but only barely.
John said that it is being able to expect a 10 meter circle at any moment you want on show jumping. If you can do a 10 meter circle in a dressage test, which is 320 mpm ish, you should also be able to ride a 10 meter circle at 350 mpm. He said same thing in cross country, if you lift your chest, the horse should immediately go fro 550 mpm to 450 mpm, so you could make a 20 meter circle.
The tricky part was riding from the forward oxer (it was big, with a lot of space down the long side) to the very hard right turn; you couldn't ride that turn as forward as you rode the oxer, so you had to adjust to a more controlled (but impulse) stride, and you had to ride the line very precisely (John walked it out and showed us).
It was a great lesson in the importance of precision, being aware of the questions being tested, and riding every step. Duke did ok. I was really happy with the second ride through the line, but disappointed that we didn't keep it, and the third time through we were just on the edge of the fence again.
Duke was a little stiff in warm up, he kept wanting to pop his head up instead of going round (mostly whenever we went past John), and he was hard to bend around my leg. John had us go from trot to halt, and Duke halted square, but not round. John said for now, to be happy with square, that it will just make Duke more anxious to then mess with the round.
We started with a cross rail, turned it into a vertical, then changed directions.
Then we went over an oxer, right hand turn to a vertical, left hand turn to another vertical. I completely screwed up the first line, and went from the oxer on a hard right straight to the vertical, instead of looping around.
From there, then we did the second vertical on a very hard right turn to the first vertical. The first time, I just had to halt in the wall, back up four steps, turn right, and then trot over it. The second time, Duke did it perfectly. The third time we made the turn, but only barely.
John said that it is being able to expect a 10 meter circle at any moment you want on show jumping. If you can do a 10 meter circle in a dressage test, which is 320 mpm ish, you should also be able to ride a 10 meter circle at 350 mpm. He said same thing in cross country, if you lift your chest, the horse should immediately go fro 550 mpm to 450 mpm, so you could make a 20 meter circle.
The tricky part was riding from the forward oxer (it was big, with a lot of space down the long side) to the very hard right turn; you couldn't ride that turn as forward as you rode the oxer, so you had to adjust to a more controlled (but impulse) stride, and you had to ride the line very precisely (John walked it out and showed us).
It was a great lesson in the importance of precision, being aware of the questions being tested, and riding every step. Duke did ok. I was really happy with the second ride through the line, but disappointed that we didn't keep it, and the third time through we were just on the edge of the fence again.
Saturday, February 08, 2020
Jump lesson - two oxers, one triple combination
Couple big takeaways from this lesson: I'm twisting towards the outside in my canter, which is (possibly) making Duke land on the wrong lead (when we switch directions each time). Putting my weight down in my outside leg, using the outside leg aid, and looking the direction I want to go makes him switch from 100% wrong lead to 100% correct lead.
It is easier to ask Duke to turn and control him over the fences with my legs than my hands.
We did some trot and canter work, then a small vertical (going left), a bigger vertical, an oxer (3'4"). Duke was fabulous. We switched directions and went over a small oxer that had fewer strides in front of it after the turn, but more distance on the far side. Duke got a little flat and grabby, so I had to really ride him out of the corner. This was a good exercise, to feel the difference between the two types of turns, and how much you have to plan ahead.
Then we switched to riding down the center, over three one-stride verticals. Duke was pretty good on these, except for me and the wrong lead thing.
Good lesson. Duke likes to jump. Me too.
We got to walk up the hill and back in a break in the rain afterwards.
It is easier to ask Duke to turn and control him over the fences with my legs than my hands.
We did some trot and canter work, then a small vertical (going left), a bigger vertical, an oxer (3'4"). Duke was fabulous. We switched directions and went over a small oxer that had fewer strides in front of it after the turn, but more distance on the far side. Duke got a little flat and grabby, so I had to really ride him out of the corner. This was a good exercise, to feel the difference between the two types of turns, and how much you have to plan ahead.
Then we switched to riding down the center, over three one-stride verticals. Duke was pretty good on these, except for me and the wrong lead thing.
Good lesson. Duke likes to jump. Me too.
We got to walk up the hill and back in a break in the rain afterwards.
Wednesday, February 05, 2020
How to Catch a Horse
Casually stroll into the pasture. Watch horse.
In this case, horse waited until John got right up next to him, then took off running up and down the fence line, skidding around and scaring himself and making himself more wound up.
Ignore horse. Walk another direction. Horse will follow.
Gradually corner horse using fence line, body, and tree. Slyly pen horse in open goat stall and leap forward and slam gate shut.
Back up plan is barn door open, in case horse runs in.
John said turn him out with his leather halter on (no lead rope), so you can just grab halter and clip lead rope. He said Duke is genuinely terrified of being caught, and is going to eventually hurt himself, either hurt a leg or go through the fence. He said a mare is no good, Duke will be an instigator and will get the shit kicked out of a front leg and end his career. He said build a chase pen (?) or extend the fence line 20' so I can corner him in and he doesn't have the whole pasture to run around in. And don't yell, hit, or be anxious; he planned to spend 2 hours catching Duke, with nothing else to do.
He said let him have water, he'll colic. And that it's super hard to catch a horse who doesn't mind starving to death instead of being caught.
I asked him to ride Duke the first few shows of the season, and then we'll see, Twin, Spokane, EI, maybe Inavale, don't know Rebecca. I'll ride him Aspen.
Then we did a crazy hard dressage lesson. John had us ride a 20 meter circle, then a 10 meter. When Duke is popping his shoulder to the outside, counterbend him. When I feel his shoulder go to the inside, he can go back to regular bend.
I had more success with the down transitions using the outside hand squeezing steady, and the inside hand squeeze and release. and LEG ON.
John wants me to move my hips more in canter - sit/glide/sit/glide, and then get my back up (good posture) not hunched over. It is really hard to both sit up and push my butt down and let it glide. My theory is I'm not coordinated enough. John says it's just really hard to use your hip flexors.
He had me ride Duke really forward, and then get him round. He said that in our accidental time off, Duke fell back into bad habits; he's a horse who needs to be ridden every step (he didn't quite say it like that), but if you don't ask him what to do and hold him accountable, he goes back to his easy way (pop the shoulder out, grab the bit and dive down).
Duke was during the lesson, like yesterday, really trying hard. Which makes me wish I could turn him out; I think it's good for him mentally.
The lesson was really hard, Duke got sweaty even with his clipping. But it's hard to put into words.
I was thinking, when I was stewing about him running away, that he's actually a pretty challenging horse, (I was actually thinking how I've ruined him) so I was trying to think of all the ways he's improved in the 2 1/2 years I've had him. Most of the time I can bridle him. He quit biting me. He hasn't bolted or frozen in a year. He doesn't canter around tilted like a crazy motorcycle. He doesn't grab the bit and bolt towards the fence. But he does run away like an asshole, and he rarely gives me anything; he makes me work for it.
In this case, horse waited until John got right up next to him, then took off running up and down the fence line, skidding around and scaring himself and making himself more wound up.
Ignore horse. Walk another direction. Horse will follow.
Gradually corner horse using fence line, body, and tree. Slyly pen horse in open goat stall and leap forward and slam gate shut.
Back up plan is barn door open, in case horse runs in.
John said turn him out with his leather halter on (no lead rope), so you can just grab halter and clip lead rope. He said Duke is genuinely terrified of being caught, and is going to eventually hurt himself, either hurt a leg or go through the fence. He said a mare is no good, Duke will be an instigator and will get the shit kicked out of a front leg and end his career. He said build a chase pen (?) or extend the fence line 20' so I can corner him in and he doesn't have the whole pasture to run around in. And don't yell, hit, or be anxious; he planned to spend 2 hours catching Duke, with nothing else to do.
He said let him have water, he'll colic. And that it's super hard to catch a horse who doesn't mind starving to death instead of being caught.
I asked him to ride Duke the first few shows of the season, and then we'll see, Twin, Spokane, EI, maybe Inavale, don't know Rebecca. I'll ride him Aspen.
Then we did a crazy hard dressage lesson. John had us ride a 20 meter circle, then a 10 meter. When Duke is popping his shoulder to the outside, counterbend him. When I feel his shoulder go to the inside, he can go back to regular bend.
I had more success with the down transitions using the outside hand squeezing steady, and the inside hand squeeze and release. and LEG ON.
John wants me to move my hips more in canter - sit/glide/sit/glide, and then get my back up (good posture) not hunched over. It is really hard to both sit up and push my butt down and let it glide. My theory is I'm not coordinated enough. John says it's just really hard to use your hip flexors.
He had me ride Duke really forward, and then get him round. He said that in our accidental time off, Duke fell back into bad habits; he's a horse who needs to be ridden every step (he didn't quite say it like that), but if you don't ask him what to do and hold him accountable, he goes back to his easy way (pop the shoulder out, grab the bit and dive down).
Duke was during the lesson, like yesterday, really trying hard. Which makes me wish I could turn him out; I think it's good for him mentally.
The lesson was really hard, Duke got sweaty even with his clipping. But it's hard to put into words.
I was thinking, when I was stewing about him running away, that he's actually a pretty challenging horse, (I was actually thinking how I've ruined him) so I was trying to think of all the ways he's improved in the 2 1/2 years I've had him. Most of the time I can bridle him. He quit biting me. He hasn't bolted or frozen in a year. He doesn't canter around tilted like a crazy motorcycle. He doesn't grab the bit and bolt towards the fence. But he does run away like an asshole, and he rarely gives me anything; he makes me work for it.
Saturday, February 01, 2020
Sick week; Prick Duke
I've been sick since Sunday, although with hindsight, Sunday was a walk in the park. Fortunately, Duke was spending half of the week with John, and he gave me a quick lesson Wednesday, rode him Thursday, and then hacked him Friday when I was too sick to make it out. Riding today was unpleasant; I was weak, and couldn't get enough air in my damn lungs, so gasped around like a fish out of water.
On top of that, Duke was just in a mood. He was stubborn, leaned on me, resistant, and basically acted like John has never ridden him before, and he wasn't going to respect John in the arena either. Eventually, John went and got his draw reins, and then Duke was miraculously an entirely different horse. He remembered how to go round and quit and soft and bent and pliable. Until we tried to halt, then he danced all around, unable to stand still (also when John put them on and off). So needless to say, we didn't get to jump.
However, I did get a little more insight into the aids. If we're going right, and I want him bent right, I am half halting with my left hand (inside leg on when I squeeze with outside hand), but I am using my right hand differently, to squeeze in release.
Then John had me halt by using my outside leg, and Duke stopped in a gorgeous, still, square halt.
So I think there's a secret to independent hands and legs that I'm on the cusp of getting that will make things better.
John also wanted heels down, BUTT IN THE SADDLE, sitting up tall, and carrying my hands. He said I was bending my wrist too much at one point, and had me collect the reins up way more than I thought I would.
He had us work on a 20 meter circle (with Tanya), then he'd say "10 meter circle!" and we'd shoot off into the 10 meter circle, where usually Duke wouldn't be bent enough. We'd leg yield back out to the 20 meter circle for a while and then he'd have us come back in.
Duke was just chewing chewing chewing chewing on the bit and thrashing his tail and just generally letting anyone know who looked at him that he wasn't enjoying himself. It's weird, 99.99% of the time after John rides him, he's a delight to be on, like a purring Cadillac.
On top of that, Duke was just in a mood. He was stubborn, leaned on me, resistant, and basically acted like John has never ridden him before, and he wasn't going to respect John in the arena either. Eventually, John went and got his draw reins, and then Duke was miraculously an entirely different horse. He remembered how to go round and quit and soft and bent and pliable. Until we tried to halt, then he danced all around, unable to stand still (also when John put them on and off). So needless to say, we didn't get to jump.
However, I did get a little more insight into the aids. If we're going right, and I want him bent right, I am half halting with my left hand (inside leg on when I squeeze with outside hand), but I am using my right hand differently, to squeeze in release.
Then John had me halt by using my outside leg, and Duke stopped in a gorgeous, still, square halt.
So I think there's a secret to independent hands and legs that I'm on the cusp of getting that will make things better.
John also wanted heels down, BUTT IN THE SADDLE, sitting up tall, and carrying my hands. He said I was bending my wrist too much at one point, and had me collect the reins up way more than I thought I would.
He had us work on a 20 meter circle (with Tanya), then he'd say "10 meter circle!" and we'd shoot off into the 10 meter circle, where usually Duke wouldn't be bent enough. We'd leg yield back out to the 20 meter circle for a while and then he'd have us come back in.
Duke was just chewing chewing chewing chewing on the bit and thrashing his tail and just generally letting anyone know who looked at him that he wasn't enjoying himself. It's weird, 99.99% of the time after John rides him, he's a delight to be on, like a purring Cadillac.
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