Too much work for me to write re lesson. Short version is that Duke helpfully showed John exactly what he did at show by stalling at several fences and then taking rails down right and left. John had me kick him and whip him which made Duke pissed, and then he tore around grabbing the bit and I had to reef him around with the reins jerking on his face.
On like the 17th try, we did it sort of ok and John let us stop.
Christa had a little bit of a hard time too, which made me feel a little better; Meg did not.
I thought one of the oxers was gigantic, but it was only belly button (training level, I think).
I don't know why it was so hard; it was good to do it as a course, because putting together a course is totally different than a few jumps, fix, a few jumps, fix, but my hip hurt, I almost immediately fell off (and made sad little animal noises), I got scared, then I felt like a loser who shouldn't be riding at all, and all I could see was a future where I ruin Duke and he just starts refusing and hitting rails and running around with me having to use a pulley rein more and more and more.
Also, today majorly sucked at work. This whole week sucked. I was apparently only a suck plateau, not at the bottom of how bad things are going to get.
My rah-rah was the reminder "Fail. Fail again. Fail better."
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Sunday, May 27, 2018
EI kind of sucked
Impostor syndrome + perfectionism + destruction of confidence professionally, personally, and riding = pity party for myself
Thursday:
Get up early, drive to EI
Happily unpack and set up
Notice someone wearing shorts and think "it's hot, I should change into my shorts too"
Stand stock still in the middle of the road while vividly visualizing bag of all my clothes, toothbrush, phone charger, etc. sitting in bedroom.
Shift to Plan B.
Freeze again, while realizing that the ONE and only time I've loaned my trailer block to someone is the one and only time I want to unhook my truck and drive away.
Get very very very very angry at myself for being so stupid.
Go to the store finally.
Get back. Half of Duke's muzzle is swollen.
Spend the next three hours trying to find a vet and figure out wtf and eventually John and Anna have to help because the vet never shows, and then 10 minutes later the vet shows. We have treated him like it was a bee sting. Vet thinks it is an abscess.
Friday:
Duke gets most improved on dressage.
His muzzle is still swollen on the side, and the hard knot in his lip is still the same size. The show doesn't have a vet on the grounds until Saturday. The number they have for the vet is a wrong number. I get pissed and make an appointment for Tuesday with my vet, even though I have a fucking two day hearing coming up and like -6 hours of free time.
Even though I didn't get to ride him Thursday because I'm a fucking idiot who didn't have any fucking breeches except for show breeches and since I can barely keep those clean long enough to get into the arena, I certainly couldn't wear them around before trying to get in the arena.
What was different?
I rode him without a whip in the test and just used my little jump crop in the warm up.
John had me ride in draw reins all week (except for Thursday, obviously).
My lesson with John focused on our weak points from the prior test.
I didn't try to overdo it in the lengthening, I tried to lengthen his frame and show a distinct difference bringing him back, but not so much that he lost his balance and then everything spiraled down.
I timed it better, so I rode him up until the rider before me, and then kept him moving until we went in.
Saturday:
Muzzle is a little bit less swollen; hard knot in his lip seems to be a little smaller.
Cross country was a little bit of a surprise; we were double clear, but we had a couple ugly jumps.
Warm up: ho-hum, no big deal, we just jumped each of the four jumps once.
Jump 1: open looking log and post. No big deal.
Jump 2: Gigantic steeplechase; jumped like a dream.
In between Jumps 2 & 3: Duke grabs the bit and runs. I have to use a pulley rein to slow him down before Jump 3. I'm yelling at him and have to steer him off the trail towards a tree to get him to listen (just a step).
Jump 3: Hobbit house. We soar over it.
In between Jumps 3 & 4: down hill and up hill. The down hill slowed Duke down (like last year, it surprised me how easy it was (at least from my side of things) to balance on him, even though it was really steep). But then he went ripping back up the hill, and I had to yell at him again that "A fence is coming up!"
Jump 4: Wide log table. We soar over it.
Jump 5: Very wide chevron, with a little itty bitty downhill and uphill on the way to it. I am still yelling at him to slow down.
Jump 6: I give up and let him tear down the road towards 6. It is much, much shorter than when we walked it. I try to pull him up a little on the way because it is a big wide table. We soar over it.
Jump 7: I let him tear down the road again. It is much shorter again. I don't have to pull him up as much because this table isn't wide. We soar over it.
Jump 8: We go into the woods and around the corner and I just let him jump this one almost out of stride. It is a angled ramp and has a nice sunflower runway to put you in the middle of it. We soar over it.
Jump 9 A/B/C: Here's where we fuck up. I didn't start trying to slow him down soon enough after 8, and so we tear around the corner, and there's a tiny uphill to 9A, and we kind of get on the right hand side of it and he crawls over it. Bless his heart, he didn't run out to the right, but it was hideous. I wasn't even sure if it counted as a jump because it was more of a four-legged crawl.
Somehow, we end up going right afterwards, at a trot, but all crazy out of control, and I'm not sure I'm going to get in between the flags to go into the water at B.
But we do.
So to regroup, I just let him trot through the water to the up bank. I don't even try to canter.
He trots the up bank just fine.
Jump 10: This is the novice sized farm stand. No big deal.
Jump 11 A/B/C: Some kids get in the way in between. A is a log, 2 strides to a ditch, 3 strides to another log. Not the most beautiful jump ever; something is wrong with our strides in between A and B, but it is ok.
Jump 12: Because we land and are able to turn right and take the longer, easier, better route to 12. But there are people fucking EVERYWHERE. I just charge through them. (Meg and Christa said the same thing.) This is the elk feeder. We jump it like a dream.
Jump 13 A/B: But that's so I can fuck up the next fence. Ashley said jump it on the right and make a bendy line to be perpendicular to the down bank on a good stride, and so like usual, I fucking overdo it. Again, bless Duke's little heart for not running out to the right on the roll top and getting us off the bank. I oomph down on his back and we head down the hill.
In between Jumps 13 & 14: I half halt at the places Ashley said to half halt. Duke charges up the hill like he's a god damn stunt man. Two girls have to leap off the road and crouch, with their eyes all big, as we tear past them.
Jump 14: Wine barrels. He does look at the BN and N wine barrels, but just a glance. He jumps these like a dream.
Jump 15: Alyssa's bar. He jumps it like a dream.
Jump 16: Another lady is in our way. Big table. he jumps it like a dream.
Jump 17: corner. I try to remember to half half like Ashley said in between, but I don't know if I really did or not. We jump it fine. It was a tiny angle for the corner and a big long jump, so I'm not really sure what the question was.
Jump 18: This is the final fence, but it came up WAY faster than I expected it to, and I almost missed the turn. It was teeny. It was nothing.
Duke got a lot of icing, but I didn't have as much ice as I wish I did, and then Meg and I watched Intermediate and Preliminary, and then we went with Christa and saw Meg's new house in Ellensburg. It was nice to hang out with people like I had friends, and then really sad because now that I have a friend she is moving away.
Sunday:
It took god damn forever from when I got up (5 am) to when I rode (1 pm). And it went from chilly to hot as shit.
Muzzle is no longer swollen and the hard knot in his lip is gone.
Duke was tense in the warm up because a) there was a napkin blowing around, and b) it was truly amateur hour, and there were like 100 near collisions and so I got more and more and more tense as the four dumb fucks just kept careening around.
Ashley tried to help, but I couldn't even make a circle and I kept hoping they were below me so they would leave the arena so I could actually warm up, but only one of them did.
Duke jumped fine until we took a break. Then he clobbered the oxer when I went to do it again before we went in. Then some bitch got in my way so I couldn't jump it a second time, so I had to ride the vertical instead.
Then the course was a fucking disaster.
Fence 1: a vertical with a lot of crap in front of it. He sort of stopped, like "wtf is this, am I supposed to jump it? why are all those people looking at me? oh, right I am supposed to jump it" and then kind of sprang over it like a deer.
Fence 2: a brown oxer. He over jumped it to make up for not jumping the first fence.
Fence 3 (the first RR): fine, but we drifted way to the left.
Fence 4 (the second RR): not fine at all, it was an oxer, I had to click and use my stick. We got a rail.
Fence 5: the triple bar. Fine, except I lost my right stirrup.
Fence 6: five strides later, fine, but I didn't have a stirrup. I think we got a rail.
In between fence 6 & 7: I am trying to get my stirrup back while turning left, so we overshot the turn.
Fence 7: We had to jump it at a funny angle because of how I overshot.
Fence 8: five strides later, because of the funny angle on 7, this one was goofy too.
Fence 9A/B: fine.
Fence 10: the Area VII oxer. I totally thought this was going to be fine, then he had a hard drift left at the last second and we got a third fucking rail.
I understand the drift left, and I understand the fucked up angle into 7 & 8 because I was rooting around for my stirrup, but I don't understand what happened at 1 and how we got three god damn rails when he normally gets none, especially when the warm up was essentially ok (over fences). He wasn't like grabbing the bit, he just seemed like he didn't have that much power and was kind of fading.
So maybe the lesson is he doesn't do so great in the heat (especially when he's kind of chubby), or maybe he was more tired than I thought from XC, except for that I couldn't feel any tired or stiffness or lack of oomph in the warm up.
That was 7 hours ago, and I'm still pissed about it. He was in 8th place, then 7th, and then ended in 14th. (out of 22?)
It was humiliating, like we shouldn't be there at all. I just keep thinking that everyone watching is thinking "she should have just quit after Charlie died. Doesn't she know he was so good he made up for the fact that she can't ride?"
I did think, though, about John telling me how important it was you like the horse, because of how you'll have to stick with him in the hard times. Sweet Duke's little face when we got home, and how happy he was to have his apple, god bless him, he's a cute little bugger.
I was scared of the fences at Spokane, and rode them better than these.
Duke did not freak out on the flat here, but he did grab the bit and run.
So I clearly don't know him yet and we still have a lot to work out together. I guess if we can just keep improving one thing at a time, it will all come together. And if I can remember fucking clothes. I was hoping we were going to be rock stars, but we most definitely are not. I barely careened us around these courses, there's no way my arrogant fucking asshole self could get us around prelim.
Thursday:
Get up early, drive to EI
Happily unpack and set up
Notice someone wearing shorts and think "it's hot, I should change into my shorts too"
Stand stock still in the middle of the road while vividly visualizing bag of all my clothes, toothbrush, phone charger, etc. sitting in bedroom.
Shift to Plan B.
Freeze again, while realizing that the ONE and only time I've loaned my trailer block to someone is the one and only time I want to unhook my truck and drive away.
Get very very very very angry at myself for being so stupid.
Go to the store finally.
Get back. Half of Duke's muzzle is swollen.
Spend the next three hours trying to find a vet and figure out wtf and eventually John and Anna have to help because the vet never shows, and then 10 minutes later the vet shows. We have treated him like it was a bee sting. Vet thinks it is an abscess.
Friday:
Duke gets most improved on dressage.
His muzzle is still swollen on the side, and the hard knot in his lip is still the same size. The show doesn't have a vet on the grounds until Saturday. The number they have for the vet is a wrong number. I get pissed and make an appointment for Tuesday with my vet, even though I have a fucking two day hearing coming up and like -6 hours of free time.
Even though I didn't get to ride him Thursday because I'm a fucking idiot who didn't have any fucking breeches except for show breeches and since I can barely keep those clean long enough to get into the arena, I certainly couldn't wear them around before trying to get in the arena.
What was different?
I rode him without a whip in the test and just used my little jump crop in the warm up.
John had me ride in draw reins all week (except for Thursday, obviously).
My lesson with John focused on our weak points from the prior test.
I didn't try to overdo it in the lengthening, I tried to lengthen his frame and show a distinct difference bringing him back, but not so much that he lost his balance and then everything spiraled down.
I timed it better, so I rode him up until the rider before me, and then kept him moving until we went in.
Saturday:
Muzzle is a little bit less swollen; hard knot in his lip seems to be a little smaller.
Cross country was a little bit of a surprise; we were double clear, but we had a couple ugly jumps.
Warm up: ho-hum, no big deal, we just jumped each of the four jumps once.
Jump 1: open looking log and post. No big deal.
Jump 2: Gigantic steeplechase; jumped like a dream.
In between Jumps 2 & 3: Duke grabs the bit and runs. I have to use a pulley rein to slow him down before Jump 3. I'm yelling at him and have to steer him off the trail towards a tree to get him to listen (just a step).
Jump 3: Hobbit house. We soar over it.
In between Jumps 3 & 4: down hill and up hill. The down hill slowed Duke down (like last year, it surprised me how easy it was (at least from my side of things) to balance on him, even though it was really steep). But then he went ripping back up the hill, and I had to yell at him again that "A fence is coming up!"
Jump 4: Wide log table. We soar over it.
Jump 5: Very wide chevron, with a little itty bitty downhill and uphill on the way to it. I am still yelling at him to slow down.
Jump 6: I give up and let him tear down the road towards 6. It is much, much shorter than when we walked it. I try to pull him up a little on the way because it is a big wide table. We soar over it.
Jump 7: I let him tear down the road again. It is much shorter again. I don't have to pull him up as much because this table isn't wide. We soar over it.
Jump 8: We go into the woods and around the corner and I just let him jump this one almost out of stride. It is a angled ramp and has a nice sunflower runway to put you in the middle of it. We soar over it.
Jump 9 A/B/C: Here's where we fuck up. I didn't start trying to slow him down soon enough after 8, and so we tear around the corner, and there's a tiny uphill to 9A, and we kind of get on the right hand side of it and he crawls over it. Bless his heart, he didn't run out to the right, but it was hideous. I wasn't even sure if it counted as a jump because it was more of a four-legged crawl.
Somehow, we end up going right afterwards, at a trot, but all crazy out of control, and I'm not sure I'm going to get in between the flags to go into the water at B.
But we do.
So to regroup, I just let him trot through the water to the up bank. I don't even try to canter.
He trots the up bank just fine.
Jump 10: This is the novice sized farm stand. No big deal.
Jump 11 A/B/C: Some kids get in the way in between. A is a log, 2 strides to a ditch, 3 strides to another log. Not the most beautiful jump ever; something is wrong with our strides in between A and B, but it is ok.
Jump 12: Because we land and are able to turn right and take the longer, easier, better route to 12. But there are people fucking EVERYWHERE. I just charge through them. (Meg and Christa said the same thing.) This is the elk feeder. We jump it like a dream.
Jump 13 A/B: But that's so I can fuck up the next fence. Ashley said jump it on the right and make a bendy line to be perpendicular to the down bank on a good stride, and so like usual, I fucking overdo it. Again, bless Duke's little heart for not running out to the right on the roll top and getting us off the bank. I oomph down on his back and we head down the hill.
In between Jumps 13 & 14: I half halt at the places Ashley said to half halt. Duke charges up the hill like he's a god damn stunt man. Two girls have to leap off the road and crouch, with their eyes all big, as we tear past them.
Jump 14: Wine barrels. He does look at the BN and N wine barrels, but just a glance. He jumps these like a dream.
Jump 15: Alyssa's bar. He jumps it like a dream.
Jump 16: Another lady is in our way. Big table. he jumps it like a dream.
Jump 17: corner. I try to remember to half half like Ashley said in between, but I don't know if I really did or not. We jump it fine. It was a tiny angle for the corner and a big long jump, so I'm not really sure what the question was.
Jump 18: This is the final fence, but it came up WAY faster than I expected it to, and I almost missed the turn. It was teeny. It was nothing.
Duke got a lot of icing, but I didn't have as much ice as I wish I did, and then Meg and I watched Intermediate and Preliminary, and then we went with Christa and saw Meg's new house in Ellensburg. It was nice to hang out with people like I had friends, and then really sad because now that I have a friend she is moving away.
Sunday:
It took god damn forever from when I got up (5 am) to when I rode (1 pm). And it went from chilly to hot as shit.
Muzzle is no longer swollen and the hard knot in his lip is gone.
Duke was tense in the warm up because a) there was a napkin blowing around, and b) it was truly amateur hour, and there were like 100 near collisions and so I got more and more and more tense as the four dumb fucks just kept careening around.
Ashley tried to help, but I couldn't even make a circle and I kept hoping they were below me so they would leave the arena so I could actually warm up, but only one of them did.
Duke jumped fine until we took a break. Then he clobbered the oxer when I went to do it again before we went in. Then some bitch got in my way so I couldn't jump it a second time, so I had to ride the vertical instead.
Then the course was a fucking disaster.
Fence 1: a vertical with a lot of crap in front of it. He sort of stopped, like "wtf is this, am I supposed to jump it? why are all those people looking at me? oh, right I am supposed to jump it" and then kind of sprang over it like a deer.
Fence 2: a brown oxer. He over jumped it to make up for not jumping the first fence.
Fence 3 (the first RR): fine, but we drifted way to the left.
Fence 4 (the second RR): not fine at all, it was an oxer, I had to click and use my stick. We got a rail.
Fence 5: the triple bar. Fine, except I lost my right stirrup.
Fence 6: five strides later, fine, but I didn't have a stirrup. I think we got a rail.
In between fence 6 & 7: I am trying to get my stirrup back while turning left, so we overshot the turn.
Fence 7: We had to jump it at a funny angle because of how I overshot.
Fence 8: five strides later, because of the funny angle on 7, this one was goofy too.
Fence 9A/B: fine.
Fence 10: the Area VII oxer. I totally thought this was going to be fine, then he had a hard drift left at the last second and we got a third fucking rail.
I understand the drift left, and I understand the fucked up angle into 7 & 8 because I was rooting around for my stirrup, but I don't understand what happened at 1 and how we got three god damn rails when he normally gets none, especially when the warm up was essentially ok (over fences). He wasn't like grabbing the bit, he just seemed like he didn't have that much power and was kind of fading.
So maybe the lesson is he doesn't do so great in the heat (especially when he's kind of chubby), or maybe he was more tired than I thought from XC, except for that I couldn't feel any tired or stiffness or lack of oomph in the warm up.
That was 7 hours ago, and I'm still pissed about it. He was in 8th place, then 7th, and then ended in 14th. (out of 22?)
It was humiliating, like we shouldn't be there at all. I just keep thinking that everyone watching is thinking "she should have just quit after Charlie died. Doesn't she know he was so good he made up for the fact that she can't ride?"
I did think, though, about John telling me how important it was you like the horse, because of how you'll have to stick with him in the hard times. Sweet Duke's little face when we got home, and how happy he was to have his apple, god bless him, he's a cute little bugger.
I was scared of the fences at Spokane, and rode them better than these.
Duke did not freak out on the flat here, but he did grab the bit and run.
So I clearly don't know him yet and we still have a lot to work out together. I guess if we can just keep improving one thing at a time, it will all come together. And if I can remember fucking clothes. I was hoping we were going to be rock stars, but we most definitely are not. I barely careened us around these courses, there's no way my arrogant fucking asshole self could get us around prelim.
Monday, May 21, 2018
Another draw rein lesson
Duke was a little stiff yesterday, after his hard workout in the draw reins on Saturday, so instead of jumping today, John had us do another flat lesson.
This one was kind of easier and kind of harder than Saturday. It was easier, because it was just a couple days after, so I felt like what John said Saturday was still stuck in my head and he could build on it a little bit. It was harder because I felt like he was mostly having to repeat what he said Saturday, and then I got frustrated, and then I got mad and then didn't ride well.
We worked on leg yielding, lengthening the canter and the trot, and bending.
I had a few really good moments, where I could feel the connection from inside leg to outside hand, and I also had a moment where I realized "wow, John can ride every horse every step with what he is telling me (and probably 1,000x more) and that's why when he rides a horse, even for 15 minutes, it is amazing to get on that horse." But then I was mad because *I* want to be able to do that by myself, not with John having to say an aid every second.
One way I can help Duke is by making my aids more distinctive. The lengthen aid is both legs on/off/on/off, the bring back aid is squeezing my legs and doing a half halt with the outside hand.
I don't PULL him into a down transition, I push him into it with my legs.
I have to give with my hands when he has responded, not just squeeze and hold.
It was a good lesson, and Duke felt really good, and much softer than when I rode him yesterday (by myself). But I had to race there and then race home to work again, and I'm getting burned out by this job and it is undermining my confidence and I just want some tiny amount of control over my own schedule and not a bunch of crises that were completely predictable and yet land on my desk once they're blowing up.
This one was kind of easier and kind of harder than Saturday. It was easier, because it was just a couple days after, so I felt like what John said Saturday was still stuck in my head and he could build on it a little bit. It was harder because I felt like he was mostly having to repeat what he said Saturday, and then I got frustrated, and then I got mad and then didn't ride well.
We worked on leg yielding, lengthening the canter and the trot, and bending.
I had a few really good moments, where I could feel the connection from inside leg to outside hand, and I also had a moment where I realized "wow, John can ride every horse every step with what he is telling me (and probably 1,000x more) and that's why when he rides a horse, even for 15 minutes, it is amazing to get on that horse." But then I was mad because *I* want to be able to do that by myself, not with John having to say an aid every second.
One way I can help Duke is by making my aids more distinctive. The lengthen aid is both legs on/off/on/off, the bring back aid is squeezing my legs and doing a half halt with the outside hand.
I don't PULL him into a down transition, I push him into it with my legs.
I have to give with my hands when he has responded, not just squeeze and hold.
It was a good lesson, and Duke felt really good, and much softer than when I rode him yesterday (by myself). But I had to race there and then race home to work again, and I'm getting burned out by this job and it is undermining my confidence and I just want some tiny amount of control over my own schedule and not a bunch of crises that were completely predictable and yet land on my desk once they're blowing up.
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Dressage workout in draw reins
We had a fabulous dressage lesson today. At the start, John said that I am scrunching my leg up to give the aid, instead of leaving my leg long. I'm also pushing it too far back, instead of keeping it up near the girth.
John had us start by doing 20 meter circles and then the long side, and getting Duke bent to the inside. Duke was a little dull (!) to start, so he had me give him one good kick with the outside leg to get him to pay attention, but it only took the one kick.
Then he had us do leg yields to the wall from the quarter line. To get Duke to step under himself, I twisted my inside toe (the one he was moving off of) towards the inside, so that I could use my spur to give him an aid. This also made him perk up and pay attention. I'd bend him to the inside, then open my outside rein (the one on the wall, the direction he was going) off of his neck, and then I'd use some spur, but use the outside rein to keep him from leading with his shoulders.
From there we did some canter on a circle, to canter lengthening and then back. John had me bend him a little to the outside, and then do a little renvers (haunches also to the outside), and then he'd have me adjust my legs a bit to help bend Duke around me. Duke did some lovely lengthening and coming back.
Then John had us do some more leg yields on the quarter line, and then we did lengthen in the trot, going across the diagonal and also down the long side. Duke got better and better at these, but they got harder and harder for me (I felt all floppy) as we both got tired.
Poor Duke was really huffing and puffing. It was another day where I had to wash him off afterwards.
John said that we needed to see how he did at his first show before he really started schooling me on the movements, although we've done them all in bits and pieces. He said he didn't want me to focus so much on trying to get the same lengthening as a lesson that I overlooked just keeping Duke calm.
He said the challenge we're going to have at the show is the balance between having a calm Duke and a neurotic Duke. For now, calm Duke is better. But if I get in a situation again where I'm the first to go and they ring the bell and I haven't had time to warm up, he said to trot, walk a few steps, trot again. If Duke isn't sharp, then walk again, and then trot again. Use the whole 45 seconds if I need it to get him sharp, so that his first few movements aren't frazzled and strung out.
We also talked about the difference in feel from Charlie on cross country - Charlie was easy going but sometimes hardly looking at the fence, and Duke is locking onto the fence and ready to charge. He said Duke's jumping style is going to be a little harder to photo (almost all of the photos of me from Spokane xc were appalling) because he hesitates then jumps. John uses their breathing to tell pace, and he said we're not quite ready to work on pace yet, but we can later. He also said what I need to work on is the difference in feel between Duke stretching over his back and lengthening, not just the pace (so we don't need to do the 5-6-7 on a long side exercise yet, just the feel of him pushing up and over).
He said to ride in draw reins all week, up to EI, and not to use my reluctance as an excuse to not really use them.
John had us start by doing 20 meter circles and then the long side, and getting Duke bent to the inside. Duke was a little dull (!) to start, so he had me give him one good kick with the outside leg to get him to pay attention, but it only took the one kick.
Then he had us do leg yields to the wall from the quarter line. To get Duke to step under himself, I twisted my inside toe (the one he was moving off of) towards the inside, so that I could use my spur to give him an aid. This also made him perk up and pay attention. I'd bend him to the inside, then open my outside rein (the one on the wall, the direction he was going) off of his neck, and then I'd use some spur, but use the outside rein to keep him from leading with his shoulders.
From there we did some canter on a circle, to canter lengthening and then back. John had me bend him a little to the outside, and then do a little renvers (haunches also to the outside), and then he'd have me adjust my legs a bit to help bend Duke around me. Duke did some lovely lengthening and coming back.
Then John had us do some more leg yields on the quarter line, and then we did lengthen in the trot, going across the diagonal and also down the long side. Duke got better and better at these, but they got harder and harder for me (I felt all floppy) as we both got tired.
Poor Duke was really huffing and puffing. It was another day where I had to wash him off afterwards.
John said that we needed to see how he did at his first show before he really started schooling me on the movements, although we've done them all in bits and pieces. He said he didn't want me to focus so much on trying to get the same lengthening as a lesson that I overlooked just keeping Duke calm.
He said the challenge we're going to have at the show is the balance between having a calm Duke and a neurotic Duke. For now, calm Duke is better. But if I get in a situation again where I'm the first to go and they ring the bell and I haven't had time to warm up, he said to trot, walk a few steps, trot again. If Duke isn't sharp, then walk again, and then trot again. Use the whole 45 seconds if I need it to get him sharp, so that his first few movements aren't frazzled and strung out.
We also talked about the difference in feel from Charlie on cross country - Charlie was easy going but sometimes hardly looking at the fence, and Duke is locking onto the fence and ready to charge. He said Duke's jumping style is going to be a little harder to photo (almost all of the photos of me from Spokane xc were appalling) because he hesitates then jumps. John uses their breathing to tell pace, and he said we're not quite ready to work on pace yet, but we can later. He also said what I need to work on is the difference in feel between Duke stretching over his back and lengthening, not just the pace (so we don't need to do the 5-6-7 on a long side exercise yet, just the feel of him pushing up and over).
He said to ride in draw reins all week, up to EI, and not to use my reluctance as an excuse to not really use them.
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
A struggle-eureka jump lesson
Today's lesson was frustrating, insightful, and interesting. The interesting part was I got to share it with Katy, and she was having to really ride, and it was interesting and useful to watch how she handled the horse and stayed balanced and calm.
The frustrating part was I - over and over and over again - would get the distance wrong and so slip my reins so I wouldn't grab Duke in the mouth, which would then just snowball because I couldn't get them back in time. Until John said "here's what you do instead" and then it was a lightbulb/eureka moment because after I did what he said, it instantly fixed the problem. It's frustrating because why do I keep making the same damn mistake until he has to step in, why can't I just try something different myself and show some initiative?
What needed to be fixed was balancing Duke further out and away from the jump (usually with a half halt with the outside rein). If I balanced him a few strides out (or, in the turn heading towards the jump, which was a few strides out), we would come to the jump on the correct distance. Then he wouldn't have to stretch to get over the fence, so then I wouldn't have to slip my reins, so then we would stay put together to keep going.
What we were doing was the long four stride line, then a right hand turn 270 degrees around to go over the red oxer, then another right hand turn 270 degrees to go over and black and white oxer, then a four stride (?) bending line to a vertical with a plank. A tiny handful of times, we got it just right. Most of the time, the turn from the red oxer to the black oxer flummoxed me (I also wasn't turning my head around soon enough, because I was looking at the wall past the red oxer sure that this would be the time we wouldn't make the turn), and so we would drift left.
Duke felt a little short and like he didn't have as much power today. The fences felt big, and I felt like we weren't coming up to them with enough power, but if I kicked him, he got long and flat and it felt worse and made the distances in between the fences wrong.
So it was a great reward to get the half halt before the fence and see just how much it helped Duke get over the fence.
The other big insight was, the first time through the oxer/vertical bending line, I just sat there like a bump on a log and waited for Duke to figure it out. John said that I've got to help him, and rebalance him, and so after that, it went a lot better.
John likes that Duke tries to get over the fence, even if the distance is wrong. He's very forgiving and honest.
I also asked John about the show (jump) questions.
We raised my stirrups a hole after he watched me trot and then trot without stirrups. He said we talked about this a few weeks ago but decided not to do it then.
He said that we won't decide on the Rebecca classic until we see how he goes at another show or two, to see if his first show he was just backing off. So we'll see how he is at EI next weekend and see if that helps.
I told him that I had to hit Duke with the stick (for the first time ever) on the first fence on cross country, and he said that first fence was hard because you not only had to come out of a bending line to it, but the horses were looking back at the horses in warm up and not really paying attention. So it was the right thing to do.
Duke rubbed the tables a little, and John said that is good for an eventer; that they jump long and flat and graze the fences, and that helps them make the speed. He said Anna had a horse that jumped up and over every fence, and to make time, she'd have to go 600 mpm in between the fences because of the time she lost while her horse was up in the air over the fence (actually, at 2 seconds per fence, for 20 fences, that's 40 seconds!).
Duke spooking at the lunge arena and ribbon; John said that he doesn't have kids hand out the ribbons, and tucks them under his arm so he doesn't spook the horses. He said a lot of people sneak out of the victory gallop, especially at the upper levels, because the horses are just too hot and conditioned by that point. He said somebody got bucked off in the victory gallop in his class.
He also said that the thoroughbreds tend to be quiet the first time they're at a place (it's new) and then a little more of a handful the second time (it's not new). He said I'm not ruining his ground manners with the shit with the bridle.
I asked him about Brooke's comment that to be ready to ride prelim you need to be 80% accurate. He said his opinion is that it is more about your reaction time and accuracy. Training level is 5 seconds; advanced is 0 seconds. He said it's why A struggles at advanced but can do intermediate - she can make a decision and correct in the 1/2 second, but needs to be a little faster at advanced. That is ominous, since I have terrible slow reaction time. On the other hand, I think I said this a couple months ago, I noticed that I have "more" time when I'm jumping now than I used to, and I think that's some things becoming rote and also - hopefully - maybe a little faster reaction time.
The frustrating part was I - over and over and over again - would get the distance wrong and so slip my reins so I wouldn't grab Duke in the mouth, which would then just snowball because I couldn't get them back in time. Until John said "here's what you do instead" and then it was a lightbulb/eureka moment because after I did what he said, it instantly fixed the problem. It's frustrating because why do I keep making the same damn mistake until he has to step in, why can't I just try something different myself and show some initiative?
What needed to be fixed was balancing Duke further out and away from the jump (usually with a half halt with the outside rein). If I balanced him a few strides out (or, in the turn heading towards the jump, which was a few strides out), we would come to the jump on the correct distance. Then he wouldn't have to stretch to get over the fence, so then I wouldn't have to slip my reins, so then we would stay put together to keep going.
What we were doing was the long four stride line, then a right hand turn 270 degrees around to go over the red oxer, then another right hand turn 270 degrees to go over and black and white oxer, then a four stride (?) bending line to a vertical with a plank. A tiny handful of times, we got it just right. Most of the time, the turn from the red oxer to the black oxer flummoxed me (I also wasn't turning my head around soon enough, because I was looking at the wall past the red oxer sure that this would be the time we wouldn't make the turn), and so we would drift left.
Duke felt a little short and like he didn't have as much power today. The fences felt big, and I felt like we weren't coming up to them with enough power, but if I kicked him, he got long and flat and it felt worse and made the distances in between the fences wrong.
So it was a great reward to get the half halt before the fence and see just how much it helped Duke get over the fence.
The other big insight was, the first time through the oxer/vertical bending line, I just sat there like a bump on a log and waited for Duke to figure it out. John said that I've got to help him, and rebalance him, and so after that, it went a lot better.
John likes that Duke tries to get over the fence, even if the distance is wrong. He's very forgiving and honest.
I also asked John about the show (jump) questions.
We raised my stirrups a hole after he watched me trot and then trot without stirrups. He said we talked about this a few weeks ago but decided not to do it then.
He said that we won't decide on the Rebecca classic until we see how he goes at another show or two, to see if his first show he was just backing off. So we'll see how he is at EI next weekend and see if that helps.
I told him that I had to hit Duke with the stick (for the first time ever) on the first fence on cross country, and he said that first fence was hard because you not only had to come out of a bending line to it, but the horses were looking back at the horses in warm up and not really paying attention. So it was the right thing to do.
Duke rubbed the tables a little, and John said that is good for an eventer; that they jump long and flat and graze the fences, and that helps them make the speed. He said Anna had a horse that jumped up and over every fence, and to make time, she'd have to go 600 mpm in between the fences because of the time she lost while her horse was up in the air over the fence (actually, at 2 seconds per fence, for 20 fences, that's 40 seconds!).
Duke spooking at the lunge arena and ribbon; John said that he doesn't have kids hand out the ribbons, and tucks them under his arm so he doesn't spook the horses. He said a lot of people sneak out of the victory gallop, especially at the upper levels, because the horses are just too hot and conditioned by that point. He said somebody got bucked off in the victory gallop in his class.
He also said that the thoroughbreds tend to be quiet the first time they're at a place (it's new) and then a little more of a handful the second time (it's not new). He said I'm not ruining his ground manners with the shit with the bridle.
I asked him about Brooke's comment that to be ready to ride prelim you need to be 80% accurate. He said his opinion is that it is more about your reaction time and accuracy. Training level is 5 seconds; advanced is 0 seconds. He said it's why A struggles at advanced but can do intermediate - she can make a decision and correct in the 1/2 second, but needs to be a little faster at advanced. That is ominous, since I have terrible slow reaction time. On the other hand, I think I said this a couple months ago, I noticed that I have "more" time when I'm jumping now than I used to, and I think that's some things becoming rote and also - hopefully - maybe a little faster reaction time.
Monday, May 14, 2018
Horse statistics at SSHF
Training:
25/52 were thoroughbreds (48%)
25/52 were 6-9 years old (48%)
Modified:
11/20 were thoroughbreds (55%)
9/20 were 6-9 years old (45%)
Preliminary:
12/23 were thoroughbreds (52%)
6/23 were 6-9 years old (26%)
Intermediate:
7/11 were thoroughbreds (64%)
6/11 were 8-9 years old (54%)
25/52 were thoroughbreds (48%)
25/52 were 6-9 years old (48%)
Modified:
11/20 were thoroughbreds (55%)
9/20 were 6-9 years old (45%)
Preliminary:
12/23 were thoroughbreds (52%)
6/23 were 6-9 years old (26%)
Intermediate:
7/11 were thoroughbreds (64%)
6/11 were 8-9 years old (54%)
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Quick recap of SSHT
Duke and I did our first training level event at Spokane this weekend (which was also my first event at Spokane).
High points - for future comparison - only:
It takes 1/2 of Wednesday, all day Thursday, and all day Sunday for show stuff - it's a much bigger commitment than the other "local" shows.
Dressage: Duke had his lowest score yet (40.0), which was too bad, because he was soft and quiet when I rode him Thursday and during his warm up. He rode at 8 am (the first horse to go) and we had to interrupt our warm up twice - once for the anthem and once for bit check (they weren't there when we got there). He got an 8 for his entrance but a 4.5 for a canter (he was counter cantering). He needs to work on his transitions and lengthenings, but John has already been working with us on those, so I think we're on the right track.
When we left the arena, though, he FREAKED OUT and did his little crazy thing he did last October (?) and caused a big scene. John thought it might be their lunge pen (which is solid, and so you just hear the noise and stuff hitting the wall).
Cross country: Although I walked it FIVE TIMES and knew the minute markers precisely, for the first time ever I got confused about when my watch went off whether I was too fast or too slow. We were too slow. I thought we were too fast. So I just kept slowing Duke down more and more until minute 4, when I finally realized that beeping early means too slow, and we sped up a bit.
Duke handled the huge benches, the double bank up, the log to a downhill drop, the huge drop, the up bank onto a hill, the hard right turns out of the water to a jump on a hill, etc. etc. like a freaking pro. I was super nervous ahead of time (as in, text Judith to remind her what to do if I die), but he was an absolute delight to ride. He also did not freak out even though the horse two horses before us freaked out the entire time he was in the warm up. He charged up the hill, he had plenty of go. He rubbed some of the fences a little, it sounded like, but was so sweet and easy to ride and bring back.
I didn't bring enough ice, so I wish I had iced his legs more (and his feet at all). They had ice there, as it turns out, asking for a $1.50 donation.
Oh, and they had a guy working a stand with super cheap food - $2 for a grilled cheese. $3 for a breakfast sandwich. Free treats for dogs.
Show jumping: Here, I walked the wrong freaking course three times, then couldn't find the map for my course, then the timing was all off because instead of going the order in the book, they went my class first (instead of last), and were a half hour earlier than I estimated, and since we were about the first to go, it was a bit of a scramble to get down there. But, thanks to the derby I knew that I could trot him around, canter him around, go over a couple jumps and, if I had to, go do the course.
But thank god I went and walked at the modified time, I would have been a goner if I'd needed to walk it too.
There was a much bigger crowd, and he got all nervous in between warm up and going in, but once we went in he looked around and got to business. It wasn't the prettiest round, but I rode a little more off my legs than my hands than a year ago, and he was double clear, even though I took the long way to get to the A-B-C line because I wanted to really line him up and settle him down.
But. He freaked out again when we tried to leave, and I had to jump off and walk him around for a while. Which was good, because it turned out we got a ribbon (9th place) even though I thought we were in 13th place (no ribbon).
On the way home we got a flat tire just before exit 93. US Rider and the local tire folks were awesome. The traffic heading back into Seattle was not awesome. It was 80 and Duke was cooking in the trailer and the dogs and I were cooking in the truck. That sucked, but it was the only part of the weekend that really sucked.
He's a delight to have around; he grazes, stands in his stall, doesn't kick, eats his dinner, doesn't make too much of a mess, doesn't chase dogs; I can read a magazine and let him hand graze (which I accomplished twice).
High points - for future comparison - only:
It takes 1/2 of Wednesday, all day Thursday, and all day Sunday for show stuff - it's a much bigger commitment than the other "local" shows.
Dressage: Duke had his lowest score yet (40.0), which was too bad, because he was soft and quiet when I rode him Thursday and during his warm up. He rode at 8 am (the first horse to go) and we had to interrupt our warm up twice - once for the anthem and once for bit check (they weren't there when we got there). He got an 8 for his entrance but a 4.5 for a canter (he was counter cantering). He needs to work on his transitions and lengthenings, but John has already been working with us on those, so I think we're on the right track.
When we left the arena, though, he FREAKED OUT and did his little crazy thing he did last October (?) and caused a big scene. John thought it might be their lunge pen (which is solid, and so you just hear the noise and stuff hitting the wall).
Cross country: Although I walked it FIVE TIMES and knew the minute markers precisely, for the first time ever I got confused about when my watch went off whether I was too fast or too slow. We were too slow. I thought we were too fast. So I just kept slowing Duke down more and more until minute 4, when I finally realized that beeping early means too slow, and we sped up a bit.
Duke handled the huge benches, the double bank up, the log to a downhill drop, the huge drop, the up bank onto a hill, the hard right turns out of the water to a jump on a hill, etc. etc. like a freaking pro. I was super nervous ahead of time (as in, text Judith to remind her what to do if I die), but he was an absolute delight to ride. He also did not freak out even though the horse two horses before us freaked out the entire time he was in the warm up. He charged up the hill, he had plenty of go. He rubbed some of the fences a little, it sounded like, but was so sweet and easy to ride and bring back.
I didn't bring enough ice, so I wish I had iced his legs more (and his feet at all). They had ice there, as it turns out, asking for a $1.50 donation.
Oh, and they had a guy working a stand with super cheap food - $2 for a grilled cheese. $3 for a breakfast sandwich. Free treats for dogs.
Show jumping: Here, I walked the wrong freaking course three times, then couldn't find the map for my course, then the timing was all off because instead of going the order in the book, they went my class first (instead of last), and were a half hour earlier than I estimated, and since we were about the first to go, it was a bit of a scramble to get down there. But, thanks to the derby I knew that I could trot him around, canter him around, go over a couple jumps and, if I had to, go do the course.
But thank god I went and walked at the modified time, I would have been a goner if I'd needed to walk it too.
There was a much bigger crowd, and he got all nervous in between warm up and going in, but once we went in he looked around and got to business. It wasn't the prettiest round, but I rode a little more off my legs than my hands than a year ago, and he was double clear, even though I took the long way to get to the A-B-C line because I wanted to really line him up and settle him down.
But. He freaked out again when we tried to leave, and I had to jump off and walk him around for a while. Which was good, because it turned out we got a ribbon (9th place) even though I thought we were in 13th place (no ribbon).
On the way home we got a flat tire just before exit 93. US Rider and the local tire folks were awesome. The traffic heading back into Seattle was not awesome. It was 80 and Duke was cooking in the trailer and the dogs and I were cooking in the truck. That sucked, but it was the only part of the weekend that really sucked.
He's a delight to have around; he grazes, stands in his stall, doesn't kick, eats his dinner, doesn't make too much of a mess, doesn't chase dogs; I can read a magazine and let him hand graze (which I accomplished twice).
Tuesday, May 08, 2018
Realistic expectations
Thinking about what John said yesterday, I keep expecting Duke to just step into Charlie's shoes. Charlie was already established at training level, I rode him with Shannon for two years, and it took me four years before I was ready to ride him Training level.
Duke has also gone training level, but only for a handful of shows and with a professional. It will probably take us years to be able to ride together the way that Charlie and I could in our sixth year together. I need to be realistic that Duke is a different horse, with different strengths, and it will take us time together to get to be a good team like Charlie and I were. I think he has a lot of potential, but we need TIME, which can only come by dedicating years of work together.
Duke has also gone training level, but only for a handful of shows and with a professional. It will probably take us years to be able to ride together the way that Charlie and I could in our sixth year together. I need to be realistic that Duke is a different horse, with different strengths, and it will take us time together to get to be a good team like Charlie and I were. I think he has a lot of potential, but we need TIME, which can only come by dedicating years of work together.
Monday, May 07, 2018
More sweaty dressage work; sans draw reins
Duke and I had a nice hack out along the road, in the sunshine, before starting our lesson. We worked inside, and it was quite a workout. Duke had a sweaty butt and even a sweaty throat latch. John said that's how hard I need to warm him up before our dressage ride at the show.
We started out working in half the arena; then John had me overbend to the inside, then to the outside, going down the long side. I had to keep Duke moving forward while overbending. From there, we worked on it on 20 meter circles, and then giving a little and then putting back together. We did some leg yields each direction, and the bend there is the opposite of the direction you're going, so if Duke is moving to the right, which is off of my left leg, then his neck is bent to the left (towards the leg giving the over aid), not to the right (the direction he's going).
John said that when Duke gets "stuck" and locked in, the overbending is used until it breaks up his pattern, and then I can go back to regular riding. Yes, it's ugly, and I wouldn't ride it in a test, but it's better than him going around with his jaw and neck all stiff and clamped into place.
We did some lengthening on the canter, and John had me push him much bigger than I ever would do on my own, but Duke stayed really balanced, especially compared to when he arrived last year. Then we brought him back.
By the second canter, he was tired, and it was interesting, because it was the most tired he's ever been when I've ridden him (he's also definitely getting chubby, and it was probably about 70 out), so I had to start using more and more leg to keep him going. He did, though, he kept doing what I asked, even though it was a bit of an effort. I also did his conditioning ride yesterday, plus a few fences outside, and I was surprised how nicely he moved today, since yesterday was conditioning.
The main takeaways from today's lesson are: don't be afraid to ask for more (more bend, more forward, more flexion, more over his back); use my outside rein to make him round and flexed (not the inside); use my outside leg aid a little further back than my inside leg aid; to get him on a nice curve into the corners, think like I'm leg yield aiding into those corners down the long side.
I told John I was a little nervous about Spokane and he told me that no matter what happens - whether it is dressage or cross country or show jumping, we'll learn more about Duke and come back and work on it. It's just a show.
I was having a hard time deciding whether I wanted to jump or ride dressage for my lesson, but I'm glad we did dressage because Duke felt so good, and it was just the right good feeling to think about to try to remember to carry through this week to the show.
We started out working in half the arena; then John had me overbend to the inside, then to the outside, going down the long side. I had to keep Duke moving forward while overbending. From there, we worked on it on 20 meter circles, and then giving a little and then putting back together. We did some leg yields each direction, and the bend there is the opposite of the direction you're going, so if Duke is moving to the right, which is off of my left leg, then his neck is bent to the left (towards the leg giving the over aid), not to the right (the direction he's going).
John said that when Duke gets "stuck" and locked in, the overbending is used until it breaks up his pattern, and then I can go back to regular riding. Yes, it's ugly, and I wouldn't ride it in a test, but it's better than him going around with his jaw and neck all stiff and clamped into place.
We did some lengthening on the canter, and John had me push him much bigger than I ever would do on my own, but Duke stayed really balanced, especially compared to when he arrived last year. Then we brought him back.
By the second canter, he was tired, and it was interesting, because it was the most tired he's ever been when I've ridden him (he's also definitely getting chubby, and it was probably about 70 out), so I had to start using more and more leg to keep him going. He did, though, he kept doing what I asked, even though it was a bit of an effort. I also did his conditioning ride yesterday, plus a few fences outside, and I was surprised how nicely he moved today, since yesterday was conditioning.
The main takeaways from today's lesson are: don't be afraid to ask for more (more bend, more forward, more flexion, more over his back); use my outside rein to make him round and flexed (not the inside); use my outside leg aid a little further back than my inside leg aid; to get him on a nice curve into the corners, think like I'm leg yield aiding into those corners down the long side.
I told John I was a little nervous about Spokane and he told me that no matter what happens - whether it is dressage or cross country or show jumping, we'll learn more about Duke and come back and work on it. It's just a show.
I was having a hard time deciding whether I wanted to jump or ride dressage for my lesson, but I'm glad we did dressage because Duke felt so good, and it was just the right good feeling to think about to try to remember to carry through this week to the show.
Wednesday, May 02, 2018
Sweaty work in draw reins
Today was an absolutely spectacular spring day, and we got to walk around a bit in the sun before our lesson started. But yesterday Duke had his feet done, and although Brent left his toe 1/8" longer than it was last time, AND put on pads, when we walked down the driveway I thought Duke felt a little sensitive, and when we walked down the road, I thought he felt a little stiff, like he wasn't putting his front legs down quite right, so I didn't walk him on the road, just in the outdoor arena. We did get to see a killdeer (?) chasing a snake, so that was pretty cool. A big snake.
When we were warming up inside, Duke felt a little bit stiff - more so to the left, I think - and so I wonder if sometimes when he is stiff and reluctant to bend, it is because his feet hurt. Which would maybe explain also why his stiffness switches sides.
John had us work in draw reins today, and it was a little warm out (but not really inside) and Duke got very huffy and puffy and very sweaty - even butt sweat. So it was a really hard workout for him. I even sponged him off afterwards before we drove home.
John had us start out on a circle, get round, go to 10 meters, and then give with the inside or the outside, leg yield towards the outside, and then bend him and give again. When he softens, the release is to give with that hand, and it's hard for me to feel it fast enough for it to be an immediate reward, and sometimes I can't even tell which hand (or both) I should give with.
So John had us work both directions, then work the full arena, then make circles at other spots along the arena. Sweet Duke did it all.
Then we cantered, made different size circles, and lengthened. Here, John had me put my inside leg a little forward and my outside leg a little back, and at one point, he told me to lean back just a bit - to get tall and then to lean back. He tried having me sit the trot but immediately said to forget it - that the saddle just threw me forward too much for it to be useful. I had a hard time sitting down into the seat today, but that might be because I put air in the panels last night, and they are super full right now.
After we worked for a while, Duke got much softer - when I'd give with my hands, he'd take the bit and chew it down, and then John would let him go for a while in that longer, lower head frame (or that's how it felt to me).
We had a bit of a struggle on the right lead canter, where John was trying to get Duke to sit down on his haunches. This was an outside half halt and ... well ... and ... I can feel it, but I can't think of how to say what the aids were. And Duke wanted to break or move his shoulders out, and it was hard to get him to rock back and sit down, but he did, for a few steps, and I could feel it.
Whenever we did a canter lengthening, I would have to take the reins back up, so when we're lengthening, I'm letting the reins slip out through my fingers. I have a vague recollection I did the same thing with Charlie. So it's good I noticed because, like that one jumping lesson with Charlie when the light bulb went off and I could feel it happen - as soon as I can feel it I can start to fix it.
We also had to do some jiggling on the inside rein, in addition to bending, and bending to the outside then back to the inside.
Anyway, it was a great lesson. Duke worked really, really hard, and he felt really good. I was impressed with him and with how well we're coming along together. Of course, we would be useless without John, so my next big goal is to try to lock in more of these feelings and when I feel them so that I can do more of it on my own.
John said that he thinks we'll ride in the draw reins for a while, because it is a good reset for Duke and reminds him what Jane taught him, and he tends to stay good for a few days afterwards. I'm too chicken to ride him that vigorously alone, with or without draw reins.
When we were warming up inside, Duke felt a little bit stiff - more so to the left, I think - and so I wonder if sometimes when he is stiff and reluctant to bend, it is because his feet hurt. Which would maybe explain also why his stiffness switches sides.
John had us work in draw reins today, and it was a little warm out (but not really inside) and Duke got very huffy and puffy and very sweaty - even butt sweat. So it was a really hard workout for him. I even sponged him off afterwards before we drove home.
John had us start out on a circle, get round, go to 10 meters, and then give with the inside or the outside, leg yield towards the outside, and then bend him and give again. When he softens, the release is to give with that hand, and it's hard for me to feel it fast enough for it to be an immediate reward, and sometimes I can't even tell which hand (or both) I should give with.
So John had us work both directions, then work the full arena, then make circles at other spots along the arena. Sweet Duke did it all.
Then we cantered, made different size circles, and lengthened. Here, John had me put my inside leg a little forward and my outside leg a little back, and at one point, he told me to lean back just a bit - to get tall and then to lean back. He tried having me sit the trot but immediately said to forget it - that the saddle just threw me forward too much for it to be useful. I had a hard time sitting down into the seat today, but that might be because I put air in the panels last night, and they are super full right now.
After we worked for a while, Duke got much softer - when I'd give with my hands, he'd take the bit and chew it down, and then John would let him go for a while in that longer, lower head frame (or that's how it felt to me).
We had a bit of a struggle on the right lead canter, where John was trying to get Duke to sit down on his haunches. This was an outside half halt and ... well ... and ... I can feel it, but I can't think of how to say what the aids were. And Duke wanted to break or move his shoulders out, and it was hard to get him to rock back and sit down, but he did, for a few steps, and I could feel it.
Whenever we did a canter lengthening, I would have to take the reins back up, so when we're lengthening, I'm letting the reins slip out through my fingers. I have a vague recollection I did the same thing with Charlie. So it's good I noticed because, like that one jumping lesson with Charlie when the light bulb went off and I could feel it happen - as soon as I can feel it I can start to fix it.
We also had to do some jiggling on the inside rein, in addition to bending, and bending to the outside then back to the inside.
Anyway, it was a great lesson. Duke worked really, really hard, and he felt really good. I was impressed with him and with how well we're coming along together. Of course, we would be useless without John, so my next big goal is to try to lock in more of these feelings and when I feel them so that I can do more of it on my own.
John said that he thinks we'll ride in the draw reins for a while, because it is a good reset for Duke and reminds him what Jane taught him, and he tends to stay good for a few days afterwards. I'm too chicken to ride him that vigorously alone, with or without draw reins.
Monday, April 30, 2018
Jumping the 4 stride line
We had a quick jump lesson tonight. John started us over the cross rail, and, for some reason, Duke just kept nailing the distance, whether we were coming from the right or left (and nailing his lead when I asked him to change in the air over the fence). So John made it a vertical, then an oxer. Duke, bless his sweet heart, just kept jumping it exactly right.
So then we did the four stride line coming off the right lead, and the first couple times in he had a hard drift left, but then I did a better job lining him up further out and then keeping my left leg and hand on him, but interestingly, we had to really push to get the fourth stride. Then we did it off of the left lead, and the last time through, I thought we were going to miss the distance, so I gave him a nudge a stride before the first fence, and man, that really helped him cover the four strides (instead of waiting to nudge him until after we landed after the first fence).
John said he really likes that Duke will try his best, no matter what we put in front of him, but that we'll need to keep in mind for shows that if it is a bit of a long distance, and I ride him straight all the way through, he's going to compress a bit when he is going straight, so I'm going to have to push him a little bit harder all the way through.
He said something else brilliant too, but now for the life of me, I can't remember it.
Over the last few days, we seem to have moved past the bit obstacle. I used little bits of carrots and one day one of his favorite peppermints, as well as putting his bridle on in his stall when we're at home.
So then we did the four stride line coming off the right lead, and the first couple times in he had a hard drift left, but then I did a better job lining him up further out and then keeping my left leg and hand on him, but interestingly, we had to really push to get the fourth stride. Then we did it off of the left lead, and the last time through, I thought we were going to miss the distance, so I gave him a nudge a stride before the first fence, and man, that really helped him cover the four strides (instead of waiting to nudge him until after we landed after the first fence).
John said he really likes that Duke will try his best, no matter what we put in front of him, but that we'll need to keep in mind for shows that if it is a bit of a long distance, and I ride him straight all the way through, he's going to compress a bit when he is going straight, so I'm going to have to push him a little bit harder all the way through.
He said something else brilliant too, but now for the life of me, I can't remember it.
Over the last few days, we seem to have moved past the bit obstacle. I used little bits of carrots and one day one of his favorite peppermints, as well as putting his bridle on in his stall when we're at home.
Friday, April 27, 2018
Dressage and the bit
Duke and I had issues yesterday when he refused to take the bit, then threw a fit, and then things escalated and escalated. So my first and most important question for John tonight was what to do. He said put Duke in his stall to put on his bridle, and turn his head a bit to the left (so there's a bend in his neck) before putting it on. And not to get mad. John ran his fingers on his teeth, but couldn't feel anything my vet missed.
I'll probably also try carrots.
Although he also clamped his jaws shut tonight, I did eventually get the bit in, and then he was just as lovely as could be riding for John. However, it was one of those rides that is feels, not words, and so I'm going to struggle to describe it.
In the trot, we worked on getting the correct bend to the inside. Then John had me correct my leg aids; I had my inside leg too far back, and needed to put my outside leg farther back. Inside leg feels like it is forward, up next to the girth; outside leg feels like it is pushed as far back as it can go.
From there, we did some 10 meter circles, using either inside or outside leg to make the circle round.
We did a little bit of counterbend going to the right, and then worked on keeping Duke round in the canter to trot transition.
The canter was similar, correct bend, and not curling my wrist. When my wrist starts to curl, it means my reins are too long and need to be shorter. Duke was stiff to the left on the canter, but he also was stiff last night on his carrot stretch (and tonight) so I wonder if in all the jerking around like a jerk face with the bit, he torqued his neck a bit.
It was just the lesson I needed, a quiet and pleasant ride, after the shit day I had at work. Riding with John is like my way of self-soothing. I think it's because I get to give up control and just concentrate on whatever he is telling me to do.
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Duke's birthday, first outside jump lesson, and Aspen derby
Duke's 7th birthday was today. He got two apples and an outside jump lesson at John's.
We jumped the lines that we ended last season with, and much to my surprise (and delight) they were easier to ride!
First we jumped a cross rail and changed direction a couple times. Sweet Duke obediently switched his leads in the air when I gave the proper aids at the proper time.
From there, we went over a red oxer and came back around to what was now a vertical.
Then we jumped a vertical over a plank, and then our first course.
It was the black and white oxer, around to the right, the two stride black and white vertical to oxer, left hand turn, 4 stride line.
Duke was great, so John changed the course.
It was black and white oxer, right hand turn, four stride line going the opposite direction, then a crazy hard right turn to the red oxer (backwards from how we started).
The first time, I just completely blew past the red oxer, even though I had walked over and looked at the line from the second fence to the red oxer and thought about how I needed to ride it. The second time, we did it, but only because Duke is a sweetheart.
John said he wanted me to know we could make it, but we should never have a turn that tight on a course (for a while, I assume).
The four stride line was hard (both directions) because I had to push Duke really forward to make it in four, to avoid it being a "5 and a chip", but it was much harder to be thinking about pushing him, leaping in the air, and then making the hard right (because he drifts left) to that oxer.
Duke jumped like a little dreamboat, although we drifted left a few times. The cure for that seems to be my rein (and left leg) on, several strides out. If I kind of steer him, like wheelbarrow hands, just before he starts to drift, it is way easier than if I try to correct it once he has already drifted - then we kind of jerk and overcorrect and screw up the line to the fence.
After I'd push him on that long 4, he'd land kind of long and low, like he rode when he first arrived last year, but I could put him back together. Another thing I noticed - and I noticed this at the derby too - is that time has finally slowed down a little bit again, so I have time to think about what's about to happen, fix it, recollect, and go again. This seems to happen in spurts, and I expect it means I am finally learning what John has been teaching me at this level, and am getting ready to move back into the stage where I'm an idiot again.
At the derby, we had bad distances a couple of times, and sweet Duke launched himself over the fences, and somewhere in my training, someone drilled into me not to EVER EVER jerk him in the face when he's in the air, so I'd slip my reins. And even though I'm so.slow. gathering them up again, I was surprised that each time I had plenty of time to pick them up, correct him, look for the next fence, and get him all lined up again. So my reflexes must be a little quicker or there is one thing that has turned into instinct that I no longer have to consciously think about.
I watched a few rounds (so I could watch Meg), then ran and got Duke and had to do a hurried warm up. Despite watching, and walking the course, I still made exactly the same mistakes as the people I watched, which was pretty frustrating. There was one big table (fence 4), which rode just fine, but a couple big overs that I got scared of, and so jumped rushing at them, which screwed up the already 1/2 step off distances. Duke was great for the bank and the corner and the brush and, well, everything.
He only got a 38.1 in dressage, but I was really happy with it. I thought it was some of his best work so far, especially for the next level up test. Plus, he's just so pleasant to be around for a day. He's a good boy.
After talking to John last week, it took me a few days, but I realized what I am most proud of with Charlie is that I didn't ruin him. Every year we got a little better together. And it taught me enough that so far, I appear to not be ruining Duke either, even though he is a very different ride than Charlie. I am so, so grateful for John.
We jumped the lines that we ended last season with, and much to my surprise (and delight) they were easier to ride!
First we jumped a cross rail and changed direction a couple times. Sweet Duke obediently switched his leads in the air when I gave the proper aids at the proper time.
From there, we went over a red oxer and came back around to what was now a vertical.
Then we jumped a vertical over a plank, and then our first course.
It was the black and white oxer, around to the right, the two stride black and white vertical to oxer, left hand turn, 4 stride line.
Duke was great, so John changed the course.
It was black and white oxer, right hand turn, four stride line going the opposite direction, then a crazy hard right turn to the red oxer (backwards from how we started).
The first time, I just completely blew past the red oxer, even though I had walked over and looked at the line from the second fence to the red oxer and thought about how I needed to ride it. The second time, we did it, but only because Duke is a sweetheart.
John said he wanted me to know we could make it, but we should never have a turn that tight on a course (for a while, I assume).
The four stride line was hard (both directions) because I had to push Duke really forward to make it in four, to avoid it being a "5 and a chip", but it was much harder to be thinking about pushing him, leaping in the air, and then making the hard right (because he drifts left) to that oxer.
Duke jumped like a little dreamboat, although we drifted left a few times. The cure for that seems to be my rein (and left leg) on, several strides out. If I kind of steer him, like wheelbarrow hands, just before he starts to drift, it is way easier than if I try to correct it once he has already drifted - then we kind of jerk and overcorrect and screw up the line to the fence.
After I'd push him on that long 4, he'd land kind of long and low, like he rode when he first arrived last year, but I could put him back together. Another thing I noticed - and I noticed this at the derby too - is that time has finally slowed down a little bit again, so I have time to think about what's about to happen, fix it, recollect, and go again. This seems to happen in spurts, and I expect it means I am finally learning what John has been teaching me at this level, and am getting ready to move back into the stage where I'm an idiot again.
At the derby, we had bad distances a couple of times, and sweet Duke launched himself over the fences, and somewhere in my training, someone drilled into me not to EVER EVER jerk him in the face when he's in the air, so I'd slip my reins. And even though I'm so.slow. gathering them up again, I was surprised that each time I had plenty of time to pick them up, correct him, look for the next fence, and get him all lined up again. So my reflexes must be a little quicker or there is one thing that has turned into instinct that I no longer have to consciously think about.
I watched a few rounds (so I could watch Meg), then ran and got Duke and had to do a hurried warm up. Despite watching, and walking the course, I still made exactly the same mistakes as the people I watched, which was pretty frustrating. There was one big table (fence 4), which rode just fine, but a couple big overs that I got scared of, and so jumped rushing at them, which screwed up the already 1/2 step off distances. Duke was great for the bank and the corner and the brush and, well, everything.
He only got a 38.1 in dressage, but I was really happy with it. I thought it was some of his best work so far, especially for the next level up test. Plus, he's just so pleasant to be around for a day. He's a good boy.
After talking to John last week, it took me a few days, but I realized what I am most proud of with Charlie is that I didn't ruin him. Every year we got a little better together. And it taught me enough that so far, I appear to not be ruining Duke either, even though he is a very different ride than Charlie. I am so, so grateful for John.
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Plant a seed and water it
Today John taught me the different canter aids to get a lengthening from Duke on each side, since his right canter lengthening is harder to do than his left. We also talked about the methods of teaching it, and how although many people like to teach canter lengthening on a circle (which is the way it rides in Training test A this year), it is harder to do, because there are more aids needed (the circle aids) in addition to the lengthening aids. Duke does a better lengthening (and come back) on a straight line, which is what is in the Training 3 Day, but I have been asking him first on the long side, then using the same aids to ask him on the circle, so he puts them together, and he seems to be catching on to that.
John suggested that maybe what I want to care about for the test is having him on the bit as my #1 priority ...
First, the geometry of the circle is important because if I have a weird squashed circle, Duke can't properly lengthen because he is having to lean in or lean out or move in or out or push his haunches in or out because the circle isn't really a circle. So I need to pay attention to that and not be sloppy on the shape of my circles.
For the right lengthen, I ask for it with my hips instead of so much with my legs. I put my right leg up at the girth and my left leg a little behind, and then I push him longer with my hips and then bring him back by thinking "slower slower slower" with my hips. Where the "come back" aid goes wrong is I make my hips go still, he goes to trot, then I kick him with my legs and he's like "What?!" and lurches forward. So I have to do a gradual slowing with the hips.
For the left lengthen, I ask more with my legs (but same, outside a little back). Here, I think more about also asking for sort of a leg yield, pushing him out with the inside leg at the same time, to keep the circle shape.
To get him ready for it, when he's stiff, I counter bend, and then keep the outside hand still and ask for bend with the inside hand. If he just needs a little correction because he's just a little stuck, I can twitch the outside rein instead of counter bending.
John said his method of teaching me is to plant a seed and then water it, and then he can tell I've thought about it, because a few weeks later I'll come back with questions based on the seed he planted. He said he has some students where they're more instantaneous light bulb, but this way, I get there myself after he plants the seed. He also said that what he was preventing in the lesson last Wednesday, when I wanted to stop and overanalyze it, was just to ride through it and ride by feel and instinct, which is contrary to my preferred style.
We had a philosophical discussion to start, because on the way down I was thinking about how grateful I am that he is so patient to teach me, even though it must be really frustrating because he has to keep telling me the same thing over and over and over, and that this is the only thing I've really done in life where I have to keep being told the same thing. And how it's frustrating for me too (and how two years ago, he told me to tell him when I was frustrated), but that I also think that's part of why it's rewarding - I work SO HARD to get a tiny bit better, and I am SO GRATEFUL to have John patiently helping, helping, helping, helping. When I think about where Duke was a little less than a year ago to now - no, it's not what I want to be going Training level, but it's also so, so much better than our first few months. And John told me it would take a year to get to know a new horse. And when I think about where I was the first time John taught me, and just how much fortitude it must take to watch someone who sucks so badly and help them, step by step, suck a little less and a little less. That made me think that John has been the most stable part of my life the last five years, and out of all the bad decisions I've made, he wasn't one of them. More than that, he's taught me about myself, and he's taught me how to trust myself - the HUGE lesson in trusting what I felt with Duke, even though what I wanted on paper was a different horse, and how *I* had to know that, I couldn't pass it to him. It was a great lesson and a great conversation, and I guess the takeaway (and I'm not sure why I'm in such a sappy mood) is that if I die tomorrow, I hope my last thoughts are happy ones (and based on the Charlie crushing me experience, they'll at least be peaceful and ok with it), and most of my happy thoughts have been on horses, in the last few years, thanks to John. Plus Easy Ridge. Plus Odin. Plus Zeb. And K2. Maybe a few other rocks, mountains, and wild places.
John suggested that maybe what I want to care about for the test is having him on the bit as my #1 priority ...
First, the geometry of the circle is important because if I have a weird squashed circle, Duke can't properly lengthen because he is having to lean in or lean out or move in or out or push his haunches in or out because the circle isn't really a circle. So I need to pay attention to that and not be sloppy on the shape of my circles.
For the right lengthen, I ask for it with my hips instead of so much with my legs. I put my right leg up at the girth and my left leg a little behind, and then I push him longer with my hips and then bring him back by thinking "slower slower slower" with my hips. Where the "come back" aid goes wrong is I make my hips go still, he goes to trot, then I kick him with my legs and he's like "What?!" and lurches forward. So I have to do a gradual slowing with the hips.
For the left lengthen, I ask more with my legs (but same, outside a little back). Here, I think more about also asking for sort of a leg yield, pushing him out with the inside leg at the same time, to keep the circle shape.
To get him ready for it, when he's stiff, I counter bend, and then keep the outside hand still and ask for bend with the inside hand. If he just needs a little correction because he's just a little stuck, I can twitch the outside rein instead of counter bending.
John said his method of teaching me is to plant a seed and then water it, and then he can tell I've thought about it, because a few weeks later I'll come back with questions based on the seed he planted. He said he has some students where they're more instantaneous light bulb, but this way, I get there myself after he plants the seed. He also said that what he was preventing in the lesson last Wednesday, when I wanted to stop and overanalyze it, was just to ride through it and ride by feel and instinct, which is contrary to my preferred style.
We had a philosophical discussion to start, because on the way down I was thinking about how grateful I am that he is so patient to teach me, even though it must be really frustrating because he has to keep telling me the same thing over and over and over, and that this is the only thing I've really done in life where I have to keep being told the same thing. And how it's frustrating for me too (and how two years ago, he told me to tell him when I was frustrated), but that I also think that's part of why it's rewarding - I work SO HARD to get a tiny bit better, and I am SO GRATEFUL to have John patiently helping, helping, helping, helping. When I think about where Duke was a little less than a year ago to now - no, it's not what I want to be going Training level, but it's also so, so much better than our first few months. And John told me it would take a year to get to know a new horse. And when I think about where I was the first time John taught me, and just how much fortitude it must take to watch someone who sucks so badly and help them, step by step, suck a little less and a little less. That made me think that John has been the most stable part of my life the last five years, and out of all the bad decisions I've made, he wasn't one of them. More than that, he's taught me about myself, and he's taught me how to trust myself - the HUGE lesson in trusting what I felt with Duke, even though what I wanted on paper was a different horse, and how *I* had to know that, I couldn't pass it to him. It was a great lesson and a great conversation, and I guess the takeaway (and I'm not sure why I'm in such a sappy mood) is that if I die tomorrow, I hope my last thoughts are happy ones (and based on the Charlie crushing me experience, they'll at least be peaceful and ok with it), and most of my happy thoughts have been on horses, in the last few years, thanks to John. Plus Easy Ridge. Plus Odin. Plus Zeb. And K2. Maybe a few other rocks, mountains, and wild places.
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Two slightly different lines to a Chevron
Today I got to watch another rider's lesson and then ride some of the same fences. I arrogantly thought that if I watched someone else be taught first, John wouldn't have to tell me any of the same things, but I was wildly wrong about that. However, it was interesting to watch, to see what I could see in the horse (and rider), what John told her to do, and how much of a difference it made. It was also, similar to a group lesson, interesting to watch what challenged her and how John worked with her to adjust it.
We did a bit of warm up while she was taking a break, and John's first comment was to make Duke more supple; that I was (my words) basically just puttering around the arena.
He put us right to work when the lesson started, jumping a vertical on the right lead. I had watched the prior rider and was watching how she made the circle - i.e. where she turned to try to get to the center of the jump. She frequently cut the circle too short, and would jump the fence at an angle. I, on the other hand, cut the circle too wide (Duke drifts to the left) and so would end up next to the far standard. Even though we worked on this last jump lesson, and I put out ground poles and rode to the center of the ground pole from various starting points, I still struggled with getting the turn correct.
John told me to use my right hand to bend his neck, and then my left leg to keep him from drifting out. Afterwards, he said that this is a good exercise for show jumping in the warm up on Sundays, because just going around and around in the circle helps loosen Duke up and keep him easy, so he doesn't grab the bit and run on the far side of the fence.
From there, we rode a three stride line, which was a vertical to vertical. Although we were still a bit left, this was easier to line up because I had more space to get to the first fence compared to the circle.
Then John had us do a bounce, that was a cross rail - cross rail. Duke didn't even bat an eye at it. John made it a cross rail - vertical and Duke still didn't bat an eye, so then we went down the center line and jumped the Chevron. No eye batting.
But the next series of fences were a challenge. John had a narrow green/white over a barrel, four stride, Chevron on the right lead, and then a narrow plank over a barrel, bending line to the Chevron. The plank to Chevron had to be lined up just so from when you started to turn towards the narrow, but the vertical to Chevron was an easy straight line, except it was on the right lead.
So we blew the vertical pretty much every time, but did ok with the plank pretty much every time (instead of making a bending line, we just jumped the narrow plank at an angle, so we had a straight shot).
BUT, I could not turn left after the Chevron. We'd either skid around on a 10 meter circle, or head straight towards the wall and then suddenly bounce left. It was frustrating. John suggested thinking that we were riding on a circle, and I just ripped poor Duke around on two legs. So then he suggested thinking trot first, and we almost hit the wall. He had to bring us back to circling over the far vertical (going to the left) because I was just getting frazzled.
Duke, however, bless his little heart, just kept trying, even though we ended up knocking down the standard (with my foot), the Chevron, the vertical, the Chevron again, etc.
What the right turn was ended up being so simple - I wasn't making the correct turn to it, we were drifting left, a narrow is too narrow to drift left, and so we didn't have the line correct to the Chevron. Every damn time until John told me, then we jumped it fine at least twice (maybe three times) in a row.
Why couldn't I figure that out myself? He told me in the last lesson. He told me in at least 10 lessons before that. He told me WHILE WE WARMED UP OVER THE VERTICAL, and yet I immediately reverted to the exact same mistake and never once figured out how to correct it on my own. I'm a dimwit.
Duke is a sweetheart though. I was super happy with him. He just kept trying.
John said his weight is good, that he'll lose his fat as the competition season starts, and that since it took almost 10 months to get the weight on that he lost when he traveled cross country (in the photos of him at Jane's, he looks a lot more like he does now), we don't want him to start losing weight because we won't be able to get it back on. He said he looks good - more filled out.
It was a good lesson, not because I showed I'd done a great job working on my homework since the last lesson, but because how and where I'm stuck hopefully finally got into my head, so maybe I'll be able to problem solve this for myself (or at least recognize it) going forward.
We did a bit of warm up while she was taking a break, and John's first comment was to make Duke more supple; that I was (my words) basically just puttering around the arena.
He put us right to work when the lesson started, jumping a vertical on the right lead. I had watched the prior rider and was watching how she made the circle - i.e. where she turned to try to get to the center of the jump. She frequently cut the circle too short, and would jump the fence at an angle. I, on the other hand, cut the circle too wide (Duke drifts to the left) and so would end up next to the far standard. Even though we worked on this last jump lesson, and I put out ground poles and rode to the center of the ground pole from various starting points, I still struggled with getting the turn correct.
John told me to use my right hand to bend his neck, and then my left leg to keep him from drifting out. Afterwards, he said that this is a good exercise for show jumping in the warm up on Sundays, because just going around and around in the circle helps loosen Duke up and keep him easy, so he doesn't grab the bit and run on the far side of the fence.
From there, we rode a three stride line, which was a vertical to vertical. Although we were still a bit left, this was easier to line up because I had more space to get to the first fence compared to the circle.
Then John had us do a bounce, that was a cross rail - cross rail. Duke didn't even bat an eye at it. John made it a cross rail - vertical and Duke still didn't bat an eye, so then we went down the center line and jumped the Chevron. No eye batting.
But the next series of fences were a challenge. John had a narrow green/white over a barrel, four stride, Chevron on the right lead, and then a narrow plank over a barrel, bending line to the Chevron. The plank to Chevron had to be lined up just so from when you started to turn towards the narrow, but the vertical to Chevron was an easy straight line, except it was on the right lead.
So we blew the vertical pretty much every time, but did ok with the plank pretty much every time (instead of making a bending line, we just jumped the narrow plank at an angle, so we had a straight shot).
BUT, I could not turn left after the Chevron. We'd either skid around on a 10 meter circle, or head straight towards the wall and then suddenly bounce left. It was frustrating. John suggested thinking that we were riding on a circle, and I just ripped poor Duke around on two legs. So then he suggested thinking trot first, and we almost hit the wall. He had to bring us back to circling over the far vertical (going to the left) because I was just getting frazzled.
Duke, however, bless his little heart, just kept trying, even though we ended up knocking down the standard (with my foot), the Chevron, the vertical, the Chevron again, etc.
What the right turn was ended up being so simple - I wasn't making the correct turn to it, we were drifting left, a narrow is too narrow to drift left, and so we didn't have the line correct to the Chevron. Every damn time until John told me, then we jumped it fine at least twice (maybe three times) in a row.
Why couldn't I figure that out myself? He told me in the last lesson. He told me in at least 10 lessons before that. He told me WHILE WE WARMED UP OVER THE VERTICAL, and yet I immediately reverted to the exact same mistake and never once figured out how to correct it on my own. I'm a dimwit.
Duke is a sweetheart though. I was super happy with him. He just kept trying.
John said his weight is good, that he'll lose his fat as the competition season starts, and that since it took almost 10 months to get the weight on that he lost when he traveled cross country (in the photos of him at Jane's, he looks a lot more like he does now), we don't want him to start losing weight because we won't be able to get it back on. He said he looks good - more filled out.
It was a good lesson, not because I showed I'd done a great job working on my homework since the last lesson, but because how and where I'm stuck hopefully finally got into my head, so maybe I'll be able to problem solve this for myself (or at least recognize it) going forward.
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Voltaire saddles
Duke got a saddle fitting and new saddles ordered today. Whew. John recommended Lindsey with Voltaire, and she was in Buckley this morning, so fit us in.
She said that my current saddles were definitely built for Charlie, and his unique shape, and that Duke was far more normal. She said he had a nice back for a thoroughbred, and that while his back was short, he doesn't need a special short tree. She did recommend that I have a 17" jump saddle (instead of 17.5") because it was very close. She said the extra half inch is usually preferred for banks, but I'd rather he be comfortable for everything but the bank and I hit my ass on the back of the saddle there.
We got a Palm Beach (the Beezie Madden saddle) used ($1,000 off), with a matching bridle; and a new Adelaide for dressage. She had a used one, but it did not have the narrow twist, and if I'm going to use this saddle for the next 10-20 years, I'd rather have the narrow twist. I also got a shorter and thinner knee block, although set back just a bit to help my leg go straight down instead of curl up. So we'll see.
I got bridles for both saddles so he'll match and not look like such an orphan at the shows in Charlie's hand-me-downs.
For care:
Ok to use the cleaner with the towel each time to wipe the dust off.
For the new saddle, use the beeswax every three rides for a month. Put it deep into the twist, and then put the saddle somewhere warm (like the sun). Use less beeswax on the braided reins, since it gunks up.
Ask John if he needs a belly guard girth, but my stirrups and girth are in good condition, although she thinks he'll need a shorter girth once he's fit (48").
She also aid to try wearing a 5 point with John xc a few times before deciding whether to get one, some horses don't like them and act up.
Use the beeswax after that enough to keep the saddle a deep, rich color; if it starts getting light (brown) then it needs more.
The dressage saddle should take 16 weeks to arrive; the jump will take 1-3 depending on how much work they do to it once they check it.
The billets are easy to replace, and she said she'll check them (they are at Rebecca). They'll also check fit there, and can do it there (after I ride) or I can send it in (it takes about an hour). She says that he'll change shape a bit when he's fit, and I figured he'll be fit most of the rest of his life if he's going prelim and above.
For the shoulder movement and cut back jump, she said it had more to do with where the point of the saddle was, and that I needed a more forward flap because when I get up in a two point and gallop, I push my knee a bit forward.
Both saddles were very comfortable to ride in; it was easy to sit in the trot in the dressage and I didn't feel like I was being thrown forward at the canter in either of them. I jumped a 2'10" or so vertical, and it was easy to stay balanced up and over him.
But man, what a big decision.
She said that my current saddles were definitely built for Charlie, and his unique shape, and that Duke was far more normal. She said he had a nice back for a thoroughbred, and that while his back was short, he doesn't need a special short tree. She did recommend that I have a 17" jump saddle (instead of 17.5") because it was very close. She said the extra half inch is usually preferred for banks, but I'd rather he be comfortable for everything but the bank and I hit my ass on the back of the saddle there.
We got a Palm Beach (the Beezie Madden saddle) used ($1,000 off), with a matching bridle; and a new Adelaide for dressage. She had a used one, but it did not have the narrow twist, and if I'm going to use this saddle for the next 10-20 years, I'd rather have the narrow twist. I also got a shorter and thinner knee block, although set back just a bit to help my leg go straight down instead of curl up. So we'll see.
I got bridles for both saddles so he'll match and not look like such an orphan at the shows in Charlie's hand-me-downs.
For care:
Ok to use the cleaner with the towel each time to wipe the dust off.
For the new saddle, use the beeswax every three rides for a month. Put it deep into the twist, and then put the saddle somewhere warm (like the sun). Use less beeswax on the braided reins, since it gunks up.
Ask John if he needs a belly guard girth, but my stirrups and girth are in good condition, although she thinks he'll need a shorter girth once he's fit (48").
She also aid to try wearing a 5 point with John xc a few times before deciding whether to get one, some horses don't like them and act up.
Use the beeswax after that enough to keep the saddle a deep, rich color; if it starts getting light (brown) then it needs more.
The dressage saddle should take 16 weeks to arrive; the jump will take 1-3 depending on how much work they do to it once they check it.
The billets are easy to replace, and she said she'll check them (they are at Rebecca). They'll also check fit there, and can do it there (after I ride) or I can send it in (it takes about an hour). She says that he'll change shape a bit when he's fit, and I figured he'll be fit most of the rest of his life if he's going prelim and above.
For the shoulder movement and cut back jump, she said it had more to do with where the point of the saddle was, and that I needed a more forward flap because when I get up in a two point and gallop, I push my knee a bit forward.
Both saddles were very comfortable to ride in; it was easy to sit in the trot in the dressage and I didn't feel like I was being thrown forward at the canter in either of them. I jumped a 2'10" or so vertical, and it was easy to stay balanced up and over him.
But man, what a big decision.
Saturday, April 07, 2018
Thoroughbred 3-day Long Format Conditioning Schedule
Rebecca is July 22
Monday: Dressage
Tuesday: Dressage
Wednesday: Jump lesson
Thursday: off
Friday: Dressage
Saturday: Dressage lesson
Sunday: Jump/Condition
Monday: Dressage (light)
Tuesday: Dressage
Wednesday: Jump lesson
Thursday: Dressage
Friday: show
Saturday: show
Sunday: show
Dressage should be at least 45 minutes of work; 20 minutes to warm up and then 25-35 minutes of work.
April 15: 3 min T/1 min W x 2; 3 min C/1 min W x 2
April 22: Derby
April 29: 4 min T/1 min W x 2; 4 min C/1 min W x 2
May 6: 5 min T/1 min W x 2; 5 min C/1 min W x2
May 13: Spokane
May 20: 5 min T/1 min W x 2; 5 min C/1 min W x 2
May 27: EI
June 3: 5 min T/1 min W x 3; 5 min C/1 min W x 3
June 10: Aspen
June 17: 5 min T/1 min W x 3; 5 min C/1 min W x 3
June 24: Inavale
July 1: 6 min T/1 min W x 3; 6 min C/1 min W x 3
July 8: [Whidbey] 6 min T/1 min W x 4; 6 min C/1 min W x 4
July 15: 5 min T/1 min W x 4; 5 min C/1 min W x 4
July 22: Rebecca
Training Three Day:
A: 10-16 min T
B: 2.5-3 min @ 500-520
C: 15-25 min T
D: 5-7 min @ 450-470
Monday: Dressage
Tuesday: Dressage
Wednesday: Jump lesson
Thursday: off
Friday: Dressage
Saturday: Dressage lesson
Sunday: Jump/Condition
Monday: Dressage (light)
Tuesday: Dressage
Wednesday: Jump lesson
Thursday: Dressage
Friday: show
Saturday: show
Sunday: show
Dressage should be at least 45 minutes of work; 20 minutes to warm up and then 25-35 minutes of work.
April 15: 3 min T/1 min W x 2; 3 min C/1 min W x 2
April 22: Derby
April 29: 4 min T/1 min W x 2; 4 min C/1 min W x 2
May 6: 5 min T/1 min W x 2; 5 min C/1 min W x2
May 13: Spokane
May 20: 5 min T/1 min W x 2; 5 min C/1 min W x 2
May 27: EI
June 3: 5 min T/1 min W x 3; 5 min C/1 min W x 3
June 10: Aspen
June 17: 5 min T/1 min W x 3; 5 min C/1 min W x 3
June 24: Inavale
July 1: 6 min T/1 min W x 3; 6 min C/1 min W x 3
July 8: [Whidbey] 6 min T/1 min W x 4; 6 min C/1 min W x 4
July 15: 5 min T/1 min W x 4; 5 min C/1 min W x 4
July 22: Rebecca
Training Three Day:
A: 10-16 min T
B: 2.5-3 min @ 500-520
C: 15-25 min T
D: 5-7 min @ 450-470
Dressage in draw reins & delightful canter
We had a great lesson using draw reins today. I've been too timid to use them since October (?!?) when Duke acted up in them and I had to go down for an emergency lesson. John asked why I needed them, whether he'd been stiff, and I said no, I just wanted to use them in a lesson again first because I was nervous about riding in them. They go on from the inside to the outside (first neck to his neck, out of the bit and back to me), and then I ride with them on the outside of my pinkie with a knot in them.
John had me bring them (and the reins) up and up and up and up, and then Duke tensed up just a little bit, but as soon as I asked him to step through, he then moved like an angel pretty much the rest of the lesson.
We worked on 10 meter circles, leg yielding out, haunches in and then neck bent in. John had me move my legs off set a little more than usual, and also had to caution me several times not to let my inside hand drop down.
Duke's canter felt great, so much better than the last few months, and probably it last felt this good after John had been riding him. It was easier to sit and his back felt lifted, instead of like he was down and forward on the forehand.
Once during the lesson, I thought about what I should do, and then John said it, which is always a treat, like I'm actually learning to think and ride like him.
When Duke gave with his neck, I had to release with my hand to reward him. Similarly when he got a little tense, a quick release and then take back let him let off steam and concentrate again.
He got pretty tired and sweaty, and it was a great ride, but I wish I could record the lessons and then watch them again (although really, it is the feeling them again that I need) because this was one where I had to rely heavily on John's instructions and I can't really type them out in words; he had me react as Duke moved, and move him to soften him and push him forward, and the whole thing was, well, a dance. Not memorizing, but reacting. This is why I'm struggling with this step so much, it is feelings and moment by moment, not, "sit up, put your heel down, look up". So maybe that is progress, but I wonder if I will really get past this part or if this is where I max out. It feels dreamy when John is telling me step by step, but I wonder how much of it I am really successfully repeating at home. Then again, maybe being aware that this is the next layer is what I needed for the next eureka moment.
Anyway, it felt amazing.
John said that my saddle is tipping up onto his shoulders, and suggested I look at Voltaire.
We also looked at my conditioning schedule, and he said that it is too much; that Duke will be naturally more fit than Charlie, and he is already off my leg, and most of the work for Charlie was to get him moving forward. He said if I did this schedule, Duke would be too fit and he'd end up being ridden by John. He said Duke probably doesn't need any speed work.
Brooke was also there and suggested sitting tipping my pelvis forward, so it leads, which is kind of scooping my tail bone underneath.
Man, I wish I had a better vocabulary to describe all the movements we did today... it felt great.
John had me bring them (and the reins) up and up and up and up, and then Duke tensed up just a little bit, but as soon as I asked him to step through, he then moved like an angel pretty much the rest of the lesson.
We worked on 10 meter circles, leg yielding out, haunches in and then neck bent in. John had me move my legs off set a little more than usual, and also had to caution me several times not to let my inside hand drop down.
Duke's canter felt great, so much better than the last few months, and probably it last felt this good after John had been riding him. It was easier to sit and his back felt lifted, instead of like he was down and forward on the forehand.
Once during the lesson, I thought about what I should do, and then John said it, which is always a treat, like I'm actually learning to think and ride like him.
When Duke gave with his neck, I had to release with my hand to reward him. Similarly when he got a little tense, a quick release and then take back let him let off steam and concentrate again.
He got pretty tired and sweaty, and it was a great ride, but I wish I could record the lessons and then watch them again (although really, it is the feeling them again that I need) because this was one where I had to rely heavily on John's instructions and I can't really type them out in words; he had me react as Duke moved, and move him to soften him and push him forward, and the whole thing was, well, a dance. Not memorizing, but reacting. This is why I'm struggling with this step so much, it is feelings and moment by moment, not, "sit up, put your heel down, look up". So maybe that is progress, but I wonder if I will really get past this part or if this is where I max out. It feels dreamy when John is telling me step by step, but I wonder how much of it I am really successfully repeating at home. Then again, maybe being aware that this is the next layer is what I needed for the next eureka moment.
Anyway, it felt amazing.
John said that my saddle is tipping up onto his shoulders, and suggested I look at Voltaire.
We also looked at my conditioning schedule, and he said that it is too much; that Duke will be naturally more fit than Charlie, and he is already off my leg, and most of the work for Charlie was to get him moving forward. He said if I did this schedule, Duke would be too fit and he'd end up being ridden by John. He said Duke probably doesn't need any speed work.
Brooke was also there and suggested sitting tipping my pelvis forward, so it leads, which is kind of scooping my tail bone underneath.
Man, I wish I had a better vocabulary to describe all the movements we did today... it felt great.
Wednesday, April 04, 2018
Jump lesson - making the turns
Today's lesson was not as spectacular (riding) as Saturday, which was unexpected, since I did MORE riding, but that meant it was more educational.
We started with some work on the flat (same as last lesson) because Duke was stiff and I couldn't get him round and on the bit. When we started jumping with a right turn to a cross rail, fine, which John gradually raised, but when I turned in across the center, instead of down the longer side, it was harder to make the turn.
Then John had us do the four stride line, and after a few times through, I started getting really upset and asked him for a break to talk about it.
John said that Duke drifts left, which is just his thing - John doesn't know why, but Duke has consistently done it, and so if he's having a day where he's stiff, and that will certainly happen at some show in the future, it's going to be a harder ride (same as for dressage).
So what do I do? I use my left leg and my left rein to keep him from going left, I ride a little bit to the right (so if he makes a jig at the last second, we're ok), and I look through the turn. He said that I only need the left leg and rein until he moves over, and then not to use it, and that he's seen horses who then start going right, and then go in the center for a while, and then go back to drifting left.
It was a really helpful discussion; it isn't that I'm riding him differently from one day to the next, it's that he's less soft some days than others. He also reminded me what it was like when Duke arrived, and how much he's improved since then, and how much better this is to deal with than a horse who is a nasty stopper.
So we went back to doing the 4 stride line, went down the center to a skinny, and then to the oxer, then back around to the 4 stride and Duke was much improved.
So it was a great insight, and a great learning opportunity, but not quite as pat-on-the-back as jumping that oxer at an angle to the barrel.
We started with some work on the flat (same as last lesson) because Duke was stiff and I couldn't get him round and on the bit. When we started jumping with a right turn to a cross rail, fine, which John gradually raised, but when I turned in across the center, instead of down the longer side, it was harder to make the turn.
Then John had us do the four stride line, and after a few times through, I started getting really upset and asked him for a break to talk about it.
John said that Duke drifts left, which is just his thing - John doesn't know why, but Duke has consistently done it, and so if he's having a day where he's stiff, and that will certainly happen at some show in the future, it's going to be a harder ride (same as for dressage).
So what do I do? I use my left leg and my left rein to keep him from going left, I ride a little bit to the right (so if he makes a jig at the last second, we're ok), and I look through the turn. He said that I only need the left leg and rein until he moves over, and then not to use it, and that he's seen horses who then start going right, and then go in the center for a while, and then go back to drifting left.
It was a really helpful discussion; it isn't that I'm riding him differently from one day to the next, it's that he's less soft some days than others. He also reminded me what it was like when Duke arrived, and how much he's improved since then, and how much better this is to deal with than a horse who is a nasty stopper.
So we went back to doing the 4 stride line, went down the center to a skinny, and then to the oxer, then back around to the 4 stride and Duke was much improved.
So it was a great insight, and a great learning opportunity, but not quite as pat-on-the-back as jumping that oxer at an angle to the barrel.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Jump lesson with a barrel
We had a great jump lesson today, the first in 2 1/2 weeks.
First, Duke's feet. John says he kept pads on all his prelim horses, just because it wasn't worth risking a rock or even a little stone. He said to ask the size of nail, and that the farrier should be using "specials". He also suggested measuring from Duke's coronet to toe, and making sure that we don't trim shorter than that. He thinks that when it is warm and Duke's foot expands (vs. cold when it contracts) and when it grows just a bit after the shoeing, that the nail might be touching the white line. His fourth suggestion was that although his pre-purchase X-rays were good, Duke might have a coffin bone that is pointed a bit down and towards the sole of his hoof, so if his foot is a little flat and then he puts pressure on the thin sole, it can press into the coffin, which presses into the digital flexor tendon, which presses into a bursa, and can hurt. So this suggestion was, if he goes lame again, try a bar shoe. If it is his thin sole, the bar shoe should prevent the coffin bone pressure. He said we'll need to figure it out, but it's Duke's only weakness so far (he doesn't mind a scrape on his leg, he doesn't mind being skinny, etc.), and that he's had horses vary a bit (doesn't know anything is off and a huge abscess blows; steps on a pebble and goes lame).
Next, me. Pull my shoulder blades together to make my back flat. Wrap my legs down and around him and keep my heels down.
Third, Duke. Man, he was a good boy. He was just a tiny bit hot (he wouldn't stand still for me to tighten the girth the final hole and I had to get off), and he was annoyed with the music (so I'm glad it was there, since Aspen plays music at show jumping), but he was a rock star over the fences. We started with a tiny cross rail, which he seemed very surprised by and made Brooke and John laugh. John slowly raised it, and he just got better and better. We worked on making the turn off of my right leg (turning left), and once he came in at the wrong distance and I didn't support him, but other than that, it went pretty well.
Then John had us ride a four stride line (both directions) and worked on trying not to let him drift left.
From there, he had us go down the center over a skinny that was on top of two barrels, and then we just kept going and jumped a bar that was between the barrel and a standard. Then he had us angle the vertical and ride a three stride line OVER the barrel (left lead to right lead) and then angle an oxer, three strides, over the other barrel (right lead to left lead). Making the oxer to barrel turn was much harder, and he said that's Duke's weak spot, and what we'll do this season if there is a right lead bend to a left lead is bulge the line a little (so ride it in six strides instead of the walked distance of five) and then over the summer, tighten the line up). He said especially if we're coming into water on the right lead and have to get out, that might be what catches us a little. I can also imagine a hard right hand "roll back" in show jumping where we could scramble a bit. But Duke did it eagerly and with some panache. He hit the barrel the very last jump, and John said he was tired. He got pretty sweaty, and although we cantered non stop once we got going, it wasn't that many fences, so I need to get him back in shape.
John said one thing he wanted to see today was how he handled the fences being a little hot and with a couple weeks off, and he was pleased with Duke's attitude. Me too. Big reminder though is I can't just count on him to do each fence, but need to guide him and tell him. If he's drifting left, I need to put the outside aids on and straighten him out, and if we're coming into a funny spot, I need to give him the support to let him know it's what I want and it's ok.
I don't feel as hesitant about riding training at Spokane for our last show now.
Then I cooled him off by walking him down the road, and he was good. He didn't recognize Ashley running towards us, but he just stood still and looked.
After we got home, I tried to use the whirlpool boots, which made him nervous and were ridiculous, so I'm going to see how much they'll cost to return and just use two black feed bins with water and ice for his feet.
Great lesson, great weather, great day. It made my whole March.
First, Duke's feet. John says he kept pads on all his prelim horses, just because it wasn't worth risking a rock or even a little stone. He said to ask the size of nail, and that the farrier should be using "specials". He also suggested measuring from Duke's coronet to toe, and making sure that we don't trim shorter than that. He thinks that when it is warm and Duke's foot expands (vs. cold when it contracts) and when it grows just a bit after the shoeing, that the nail might be touching the white line. His fourth suggestion was that although his pre-purchase X-rays were good, Duke might have a coffin bone that is pointed a bit down and towards the sole of his hoof, so if his foot is a little flat and then he puts pressure on the thin sole, it can press into the coffin, which presses into the digital flexor tendon, which presses into a bursa, and can hurt. So this suggestion was, if he goes lame again, try a bar shoe. If it is his thin sole, the bar shoe should prevent the coffin bone pressure. He said we'll need to figure it out, but it's Duke's only weakness so far (he doesn't mind a scrape on his leg, he doesn't mind being skinny, etc.), and that he's had horses vary a bit (doesn't know anything is off and a huge abscess blows; steps on a pebble and goes lame).
Next, me. Pull my shoulder blades together to make my back flat. Wrap my legs down and around him and keep my heels down.
Third, Duke. Man, he was a good boy. He was just a tiny bit hot (he wouldn't stand still for me to tighten the girth the final hole and I had to get off), and he was annoyed with the music (so I'm glad it was there, since Aspen plays music at show jumping), but he was a rock star over the fences. We started with a tiny cross rail, which he seemed very surprised by and made Brooke and John laugh. John slowly raised it, and he just got better and better. We worked on making the turn off of my right leg (turning left), and once he came in at the wrong distance and I didn't support him, but other than that, it went pretty well.
Then John had us ride a four stride line (both directions) and worked on trying not to let him drift left.
From there, he had us go down the center over a skinny that was on top of two barrels, and then we just kept going and jumped a bar that was between the barrel and a standard. Then he had us angle the vertical and ride a three stride line OVER the barrel (left lead to right lead) and then angle an oxer, three strides, over the other barrel (right lead to left lead). Making the oxer to barrel turn was much harder, and he said that's Duke's weak spot, and what we'll do this season if there is a right lead bend to a left lead is bulge the line a little (so ride it in six strides instead of the walked distance of five) and then over the summer, tighten the line up). He said especially if we're coming into water on the right lead and have to get out, that might be what catches us a little. I can also imagine a hard right hand "roll back" in show jumping where we could scramble a bit. But Duke did it eagerly and with some panache. He hit the barrel the very last jump, and John said he was tired. He got pretty sweaty, and although we cantered non stop once we got going, it wasn't that many fences, so I need to get him back in shape.
John said one thing he wanted to see today was how he handled the fences being a little hot and with a couple weeks off, and he was pleased with Duke's attitude. Me too. Big reminder though is I can't just count on him to do each fence, but need to guide him and tell him. If he's drifting left, I need to put the outside aids on and straighten him out, and if we're coming into a funny spot, I need to give him the support to let him know it's what I want and it's ok.
I don't feel as hesitant about riding training at Spokane for our last show now.
Then I cooled him off by walking him down the road, and he was good. He didn't recognize Ashley running towards us, but he just stood still and looked.
After we got home, I tried to use the whirlpool boots, which made him nervous and were ridiculous, so I'm going to see how much they'll cost to return and just use two black feed bins with water and ice for his feet.
Great lesson, great weather, great day. It made my whole March.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)