Dressage - right hand at the withers

Tonight, after a bit of head shaking resistance, Charlie caved and decided it was just easier to bend around my leg at the canter.  We ended up with some very nice transitions, in addition to nice canter and trot work.
This made it a bit easier for me to use my seat to push him bigger (down and forward at the canter; a bigger "bounce" at the trot).
However, while we got nice work out of him, it was one of those lessons where I needed a lot of step-by-step instruction from John, and I'm not sure I can repeat it at home.  He said that I should definitely try - especially the putting my outside hand against his withers so he can't pull me forward out of the saddle, and then ask him with the inside hand to bend.
We did similar work to the prior lessons, with trot and canter bent and counter bent, then on 10 meter circles, and Charlie worked much better - the increased food is making him easier to ride because he's much peppier - but it is still just a bit out of my grasp.  I can feel it working, and today I had a miraculous feeling of his outside - I could feel his haunches coming out (for the first time I think!) and I could feel his shoulders just a bit sooner than normal too, but I couldn't feel them until it had already happened, not before to prevent it.
I also had a whine about how I wasn't really that good compared to other training level riders.  John said everyone has strengths and weaknesses, but to note that when he gives me a new exercise, I learn it, so I am still able to absorb and grow, that I've never seen a lot of the exercises he's giving me, and that I didn't start with a good foundation.  He said my big weakness over fences is that I have the forward and go, and then I hesitate and wonder if I should mess with it, instead of just going forward with it.  He pointed out I rode Calo and that Charlie hasn't been able to unseat me with his antics, and then noted the irony of me complaining because my horse is too reliable.
Charlie sees Dr. R and Dr. S on Monday, and I hope that clears up whatever is left of his kinks so that we can really buckle down, get him fat and sassy, and get ready for the show season.

Craz-ee 8s

Tonight was a lesson with Meg.  John started out while Meg started her warm up by reviewing Charlie's diet.  Since Charlie is loving the oil but still not drinking, John suggested more oats (another 1/2 scoop am and pm and a scoop at lunch if I can), more oil (3/4 cup twice a day), and adding molasses to one of his buckets to see if it will make him drink.  If not, start adding salt to his grain.  John said we can't go to a show and have him not eat.
But, he did agree that Charlie had some extra spring in his step, which I first noticed two days ago but was really obvious yesterday and again today.
He started us both on the flat, and said Charlie needed to be more round and then a bit more bend to the inside.  When I got him both round and bent, then John wanted me to go forward.  I thought Charlie had his own oomph (although it helped John was standing there with a lunge whip), and that also made him feel softer in his jaw to me.
We started with a little vertical, then a 5 stride line, then the same line from the other direction.  We switched direction over the plank wall, and then John went to the craze-ee 8.  It was an oxer in the center of the ring, jumped at an angle, on an angled line (2 strides) to a vertical; then a right hand turn back to the oxer with an angled line to another vertical; then a left hand turn, etc.
I thought angle to angle wouldn't be so bad, but you had to really ride from the outside rein, but forward, but not flat, and get the angle just right to get the whole thing right.  I'm pretty sure I said "EEP" over every fence the first time through.
Then Meg did it, flawlessly, and it really helped my eye see the lines better for the next time.
I would come into the second half (going from right back to left) and half halt, then hesitate, then it was too late, and Charlie would have to spring over it.  John said I have to commit all the way, and to sit up to it.
It was one of those elegant exercises that looks simple but is quite technical (for me) and at the same time, kind of sketchy and then rewarding that we did it.  I did not like angling over the oxer at such an extreme angle, but Charlie didn't mind at all.
I had a nice conversation with Meg afterwards about her former horses and how she has been working with Matty.  He's got some opinions, unlike solid reliable Charlie, who just jumps whatever he's pointed at.  Meg also recommended following Denny Emerson on Facebook and William Steinkraus's book.

Different dressage bit and almost squished John

On Saturday, we had a dressage lesson.  My dad was in town and that evening was Anna's fundraiser, so it was a bit early.
John had a different bit for me to try, and it did help soften Charlie a bit.  He suggested it might be a good bit for shows only.
I'm a day late, but we worked on some 10 meter circles with Charlie bending at the poll (?).  He really didn't want to (especially to the left) so eventually John got out the lunge whip and would cluck (or ask me to) and then give the whip a crack.  Charlie got VERY responsive to John's clucking, but mine was less effective.  It was nice though, because once he was bent and moving forward he felt lovely.  John said we're just a little bit away from really having him going nice.  I am hoping that his hock injections and the chiropractic appointment are really going to help with that.
One of our 10 meter circles though, I couldn't decide whether to go inside John or outside him, and Charlie had to screech to a halt because I just split the baby and headed straight at him.  I've come close before, but this was the worst almost-run-over-the-trainer.
We worked on the circle for a while, then we went large and worked on a counter bend around the short side, then a lengthen on the long side, then counter bend again.  Then we did a bit of leg yield back and forth.
We also did some figure 8's (sort of) at the canter, so that Charlie would counter canter.  Going to the left, he liked to use it as an excuse to break to the trot and then pick up the right lead.  These were a little more challenging than I would have expected.
At the end, John had us doing some circles that were way out of my league without him - where he would direct me almost every step - like right leg forward, left hand up, release right hand, release left hand, right leg again - but it got Charlie pretty nice and round.  I am always amazed when he does those - not just how fast he can see and process, but that he knows just what Charlie needs and which leg needs to do it and how.
It was a good lesson, although I can't repeat it at home, because it helped me feel the next level of movement and coordination we're moving towards, and that Charlie can do it if I am consistent enough with my aids.

My form and tight tick Charlie

Today's jump lesson was focused on my form, but John was very pleasantly surprised when he made an oxer just a bit bigger and all of a sudden, Charlie started jumping over it snapping his knees up to get his feet out of the way.  I've never felt him do that before - and then I had the great experience of getting to feel it a few more times - and it was similar to rounding and making a bascule, with lifted shoulders that kind of popped up.  John thinks it is because we used the elevator bit last week, and Charlie kind of caught on that he could approach a fence a bit forward but not on his front end.  After the first time, John had me halt and make a big fuss over him, and I didn't even know what it was!
The main take away I took from my form was that after the fence, I need to think heels down.  I also had my hands too high at the start, but that seemed to resolve itself.  I have to think about pushing them down and forward while I'm in the air, otherwise, they swing back a bit.  The other thing was to keep him going after a fence, and to look soon at where I'm going.
I had a couple good fences, and a couple corrections that I caught and made, but I'm still not reacting far enough ahead.  John said that a couple strides out I'll see the distance is wrong and do something about it, but if I could see it 4 or 5 strides out, I could do a half halt and fix it back there.  But the few that we rode well felt wonderful.
I also had a laundry list of questions for John, from his new shoeing (he has lines next to the nail holes and I was horrified his foot was going to fall off, but John said it is just a farrier style to set the nail head in), noted his dehydration (John agreed, but said that if his poop isn't crumbling and he's still drinking, not to worry about it, but to move his oat-water-bucket further away from his food), Charlie's diet (John thinks Charlie looks wormy and has no fat, so he suggested 1 cup of corn (or canola) oil a day, switch his whole oats to crimped or rolled, and add rice bran pellets), and whether I should ride prelim at the next Aspen derby (no, because it isn't the height but the technical precision, and we haven't been working on that so it won't do me any good to go there and be surprised by some two stride bendy line to a skinny, plus we need to work on narrows at home).
He said that we should do the elevator bit about once every three rides, agreed with me that Charlie had springier feet but was still stiff in his jaw, and said that if we focus on my form when Meg isn't there, it should help me get better with my distances.
It was a great lesson, but I'm too tired to repeat everything else in detail - these were just the very high points.

An elevator bit and the "stupid" phase

Charlie was very, very stiff in his neck today, so John went and got one of his bridles with an elevator bit on it.  Charlie did not care for it, thank you very much.  He did a lot of head shaking, including shaking his head so vigorously, that he'd have to stop moving his legs so he could better shake his head.  I did a lot of kicking and smacking with John's whip (which he was probably sorry he had me try today) and John did a lot of growling.  We jumped one little vertical from a stand still and had a couple of circles to avoid stops, but after a while, Charlie gave up and just went with the new bit.
And then his head was SO light.  I could turn and I didn't have to crank him around my leg and he landed on the correct lead almost every time, and he wasn't pulling me down and forward.  It was kind of a miracle.
So we only jumped a couple little jumps, but I started getting mad because I could see the distance but not make it.  We did a deer jump over the oxer once, and John said I had to commit, that I couldn't just stare at it and wait for something to happen - I had to decide whether to go long or go in another stride and then follow through.
So I expressed my frustration with being able to see the distances but still not get them, and he said that's because I was in Phase 3 (of 4, thank goodness) the "stupid" phase.  He said phase 1 is ignorance - just happy having a good time.  Phase 2 is knowing a little bit, but still being pretty good.  Then Phase 3 is knowing and not being able to implement, and it is totally frustrating.  He said both for jumping and for particularly sitting the trot, you work at it and work at it and work at it and nothing happens.  Then one day you realize you are sitting the trot, or hitting all your distances the way you want, and that is it, you just got it.  And then Phase 4 you are good.  He said that he has 4-5 Phase 3s on each horse per year, where he just can't get the distance, but the way he usually corrects it is to jump a fence at an angle, which helps him reset his eye.
We also talked about exercises on the ground, like doing a 4, 5, or 6 line in between two fences, or counting down.  He feels that "1-2-3-4" is the best way to count (and that yes, in xc you should go the same speed the whole time.  He knows someone who counts all the strides and then counts between each fence - even if it's 80 strides), because you can't say "1-2-3-4" fast like you can "1-2-1-2" and change the rhythm.  He was taught 1-2-3-jump, but doesn't like it as much because a lot of people launch at 3 to make the jump instead of getting to the right place.
Then we talked about chiropractors and farriers and Pony Club, and John described the difference between an average horse and Charlie, where the average horse will step on a pole and pretend like nothing happened, but Charlie says "oh no, look at what my crazy leg is doing over there - it's out of control" and just goes all wonky with his legs, and always has.

Square - turn on the forehand, leg yield, repeat

During today's dressage lesson with John, he gave me an alternative way to soften Charlie when I don't have draw reins.  But it was a lot of work.
We started at the walk with a turn on the forehand, then a leg yield, and repeat to make a square.  From there, we did it at the trot, and then just a hint of it at the canter.
Charlie started stiff in his jaw before we even got going, which he also was for jumping on Thursday night, but John said he didn't care since Charlie was jumping 3'11" like it was no big deal.
We would do a couple squares struggling through each corner, then go to a big circle.  Doing the forehand/leg yield/forehand/leg yield made Charlie even and balanced in his shoulders, and he must have been using his back legs more underneath him, because it felt like his shoulders lifted.  When he was particularly slow and struggling and I would start to get frustrated, John pointed out that he was really stepping underneath himself with his hind legs.
John was telling me how to ride everything - both hands, seat, and legs doing all kinds of things - so at the end I told him there was no way I could do it by myself at home, and he said yes I could - to just break it down into the steps, and then do a bit more, then do a big circle to take a break, then do it again.
We had a bit of inside leg back and outside leg up at the girth (sometimes with toe pointed out so I could use the spur) - inside leg was back a couple ribs back.  This kept Charlie bent somewhat around the leg and not bulging out so much through his outside shoulder.  John had me doing the same thing at the jump lesson - bending him to the outside as I came around the corner to the fence, so that he wouldn't swing out through the outside shoulder and then get the distance wrong.
When Charlie got stiff in his jaw, which was always the worst going to the left, John had me lift the inside hand.
At one point, he told me to use my inside leg and outside leg at the same time, but to use my inside leg more.  I told him afterwards that's way out of my league, and he said yes, but if he didn't tell me I wouldn't even think to try.  I was just pleased that I could use only one leg at a time when he asked me to.
While it got good results, (John said it looked like Major Beale and then laughed and laughed), he was telling me every single step (right leg now - now - now, now move your inside hand, now do a half halt with your outside rein, etc.) and so I know what he was asking and I could feel the results, but I couldn't feel why it was needed, and it was way more than my brain could have possibly processed that fast on its own.
Because now I can at least ride with my legs and hands doing different things - even if not at different intensities - and I can sit the trot, and I can do a lot more than I could do last year when I really think about it (even if my stupid heels still aren't beautiful), I think there's hope that one day I will also feel all those different things (outside leg forward, aid now, inside hand squeeze, inside hand relax) as fast as John can say them.  That would be pretty cool.
And good old champ Charlie.  He had caked up sweat afterwards, but gave it his all.  We had a few circles where John just had us keep going; he said that Charlie was trying to figure out how to move to flex himself under and really use himself - that he just doesn't know how and has to figure it out.  That's pretty cool that I'm getting to ride him while he learns that.

HUMONGOUS oxer

I had a lesson with Meg tonight and John had us jump the same fence while he gradually raised it until it was 3'11", and then a 3'11" oxer.  It was freaking gigantic.
It was also frustrating, because both directions I couldn't get the distances right consistently.  John showed me where to turn, and then they were smooth as silk, but how could I not think to adjust something like that when I keep getting odd placements over and over?  John showed me how I would ride deep into the corner to try to rev Charlie up because the fence was big, and it would end up a half stride off from the fence.
Charlie jumped them beautifully, even adding a stride a few times and really bending up and over, but my position was horrible.
Although they were huge (intermediate height) I'm cranky because I wanted to be magically good at the big ones so that I could level up, and all the goodness came from Charlie.  I just made his job harder.

Double whips and burr bit

Today was a fierce dressage lesson.  John said poor Charlie will probably be a bit sore tomorrow.
The lesson started with John bringing out a second whip, but then he quickly got annoyed with Charlie's utter disregard for anything I was doing with my left hand.  So he went inside (I was hoping to get his helmet, but no….) and got one of those "burrs" that sits in the bit with the pokey ends touching the muzzle, and put it on Charlie's right side.
Then he made me ride the snot out of poor Charlie.
It is not something I could repeat on my own.  We would bend him to the left (way left) so I could see his eye, and then I would use my outside (right) leg up next to the girth (eventually, just putting my leg up, then turning my heel so I could touch him with just my spur) to push him forward.  We would get a few marvelous steps where he was bent around my left leg and pushing from behind - I could feel his back lift up - and then he would invert, shake his head, and kick out behind.
Then we went to the right, but counter bent to the left.  He'd get a few steps bent right, then back to counter bend.  Same thing - he'd do a few steps, then invert, shake his head, and kick out.
Then John had me try to cross his front legs over to make a small circle, then leg yield out, without letting him bend to the outside, back to the regular circle.
Then we turned a 10 meter circle into a shoulder-in down the long side, which Charlie HATED.
Finally, we did some canter both ways, and he would canter a couple nice steps, then try to shake it off.  Canter was a little easier than trot in one sense, because John said to really use my seat to make his steps longer, and Charlie responded really well to that.
John said that Charlie should have learned this when he was 4, and he's never really had to bend around my left leg before.  He said I didn't have the skills to try to get it until this year, and that if we had a show next week, we wouldn't be doing it, but it's worth trying a few times over the next lessons.
At home, he said to just try not letting Charlie evade - if he tries to pop out through the right shoulder, correct it.  Then when he tries to pop out through the left shoulder, correct it.  He said Charlie will just keep moving around where he's trying to evade until he learns he has to submit.
Charlie was sweaty all over - even his butt, and my hair was soaking wet.
Oh, and at the beginning of the lesson, John had me ride a 10 meter circle to the left with my left hand behind my thigh so Charlie couldn't wear out my arm.  He was still refusing to bend, so that's when John decided he'd had enough.
It was a really interesting lesson.  Those few steps where Charlie was bent and using his hind end and lifting his back?  Divine.  I hope one day we can get that all the time.

Skinnies with Meg

Tonight I shared Meg's jump lesson, which was great because we did some crazy things.
First, John set up ground poles to make a chute, but on both sides of the fence, and in a "three stride" line.  So you turned right, went through the chute, over the fence, through the chute, rode three strides, through the chute, over the fence, through the chute.
Then we did it to the left.
At first I thought, "this is going to be a freaking disaster" but it actually went ok.  The hardest part was getting the three strides in between the two fences.  I had a much harder time getting the distance off the left lead, and John said I was staring down the second fence instead of looking up after I got over the first fence.
Then he went totally crazy and changed the second fence (still left lead) to a barrel standing upright.  Just a barrel.  You rode chute, vertical, chute, 3 strides, chute, barrel.
The first time, Charlie jumped it a bit to the left, but after that he pretty much figured out he was supposed to jump over the top of this barrel, and did it like a champ.
Then John added a skinny rail over the barrel and put the standards in, and then it was a cake walk to jump.
John said it was an exercise to show us how we tend to get sloppy and not ride very precisely.  The narrowest training level fence will still be another foot wider than the jump with the skinny rail, which was luxuriously huge compared to the barrel.  He said it is a good reminder to choose the spot and ride it precisely, and how important it is not to deviate in the chute.
Other than how hard it was for me to get three strides (something John said he wouldn't have even asked me to do last year), what was really illuminating was that Charlie landed on his left lead most of the time; at least the front.  So John said that was really good to know, and that he thinks that Charlie is probably drifting, I'm trying to correct it, and that's what's making him land on the right lead.  So he said we'll be working on these types of exercises more.
Great lesson.
Also, John said ok to use the ammonia about once a week, but that it really dries out the leather.
He also said he feeds timothy because it is more consistent than orchard; that thoroughbreds go off orchard a lot because it seems to vary considerably depending on the fertilizer - like some bales are good and some aren't.  He said if Charlie doesn't eat a flake in a day, take it out and replace it; don't leave it sitting in there all week.

Two rollbacks in our jump lesson with John

On this beautiful sunny February day, we had a great jump lesson with John.  Kevin came with me and so I was ready a bit faster than normal.  John was going to jump one of the horses there really quick but I got to watch him ride while warming up.
We did the same "figure 8" as last weekend, which was a vertical, right turn around an oxer, vertical, left turn, back to the same first vertical.  Charlie didn't spend nearly as much time hopping around flinging his front legs every which way as last week, although he only landed on the left lead maybe twice.
Then we added in the oxer, which made Charlie jump nice and round.
Then John had us do a line, which was an angle over a vertical with a lattice, 4 strides to the "original" vertical, then a right turn around back to the oxer.
Following that, he took it up a huge notch, and had us do the line, then a very hard right rollback turn to a gate, with a very hard left rollback turn to the vertical with the lattice.  When he showed me that one, and told me where I needed to change by, I was like "sure, John, we'll ride that" totally sarcastic.  And then we rode it - amazingly, including the change.  It was AWESOME.
And it cemented for me what John was saying last week, that I've gotten so much faster on the trot changes that if I see that we're landing left, I can do a change through the trot a stride or so after the fence, and not really lose any of the rhythm or the line to the next fence.
He said the biggest problem I had in show jumping last year was the inconsistent speed - I'd go fast but then slow way down and then speed up again then slow way down.  He said the reason why the jumps felt good today was because it was a nice even speed and rhythm; which incidentally, let me have more time to look for the next fence, check the lead, and feel generally like it was a nice ride.
He also said that it's just about time to think about changing the bit; he said my hands have gotten quiet enough that it would be nice to have a bit that let me get a bit more "lift" out of Charlie.
It was a great lesson, and John chatted a bit afterwards, but none of the pictures Kevin took came out.  We are just a fuzzy blur going over a fence.

Second lesson with Beth

We had our second clinic lesson with Beth this morning, a good Valentine's gift to myself.
Beth had me twist to the left, which made my body "square".  I could feel that I was landing center in the saddle, and Charlie helped by not needing to be nagged and not bulging out through the corner.  My left upper thigh felt like it was landing more on the center of the saddle.

The other big thing we worked on was visualizing a bowl of water in my lower belly that I don't want to slosh around, at the walk in particular, where I push my stomach forward and back.  Beth had several ways to address this:  first, using my whip instead of my legs to get Charlie to walk on; second, by putting my hand on my belly and making sure it didn't move forward; and third, for the trot, by putting my fingers on my ribs and hip bone and making sure that at the posting trot it stayed the same distance and didn't close.

By stopping the sloshing, I stopped nagging Charlie and stopped tensing my butt and my legs.  For both the walk and the trot, this made me "plug in" and I could rest into the saddle, which actually made Charlie move a lot better.  Not tightening my butt to drive him forward, and not clenching with my leg, made me feel the connection in a really good way that I rarely achieve on my own.

For the canter, it was thinking under/up, under/up, under/up, and that was his hind legs coming underneath him and then up in the front legs.

Beth is also of the opinion that some horses can walk around on a loose rein when they first warm up; that it isn't wasted steps doing something you wouldn't ask them to do under saddle.  She says she has one horse in particular she spends 10 minutes on.  The horse doesn't get to be lazy, but she gets a long neck to stretch down until Beth puts her to work.  She also recommended a chiropractor (Kelli Taylor) and Anne also said that Dr. Salewski is hardly coming to Washington anymore.  She and Anne both said that Charlie's hind end looks a little like it is doing string halt, and Beth thought she wouldn't jump until I get it checked out.

Overall, it was a great lesson.  I think the challenge is going to be keeping the "wrong" feeling until it feels right when I am alone at home.  It is slippery to grasp and as soon as we do something different (a three loop serpentine) I very quickly revert to my habitual riding, even with Beth watching.

First lesson with Beth in 8 months; Jump lesson with John

Yesterday was our first lesson with Beth since the end of June last year.  Today, we took Calo back home and then had a jump lesson with John.

Today's jump lesson John put a flash on Charlie and tightened his nose band (from 2 holes to 5 holes, and he said it could even go one hole tighter).  Charlie DID. NOT. LIKE. THIS.  He decided that if he couldn't open his jaw, he couldn't go forward.  It took a LOT of leg and a LOT of arm to wrastle him into place so he could feel that he could still move.  Then he stubbornly refused to land (or stay) on the left lead after the fence to the left, so for about 100 times, we circled and did these huge leaping ridiculous overblown lead changes.  John said that Charlie just doesn't understand how to push up from underneath, and is trying to figure out what to do with his legs to allow them to do the change.  He gave me a couple pretty good bucks when he was frustrated.  John said it's ok if he's done a circle a few times leaping and hopping around and is starting to get frustrated to just trot, but then to work him really hard on the trot circle - not let him have a break.  Then go back to work.  He also said that it's ok to trot at the show.  He said that so long as I trot within a couple strides after the fence, go back to canter, so I still have like 7 strides of canter before the next fence, it will be ok.  He also said to start working Charlie in the flash, and that before my hands were a little too rough for the flash, but they're better (not great) so it's ok to do.
We spent a lot of time on the flat, trying to get Charlie round and forward, and then we did a vertical, right turn, vertical, left turn, back to the original vertical.  It was sort of a figure 8.  Then John added in a lattice wall, and then the lattice wall at a slight angle to make a straight line to the vertical.
Charlie spent a lot of time in the trailer today, so I wondered if that made him tired and harder to do the changes.  John said it doesn't matter - that Charlie is good, but on his terms - and that he needs to start trying to figure out what we're asking him to do and do it.
I also asked him about my inability to get a two stride line correct at home, and he said that his steps can get off from the beginning to the end of a day, as his hamstrings tighten up, so when I can't get the line right, just measure it with the tape.
He said not to work on the changes at home, just to work in Charlie coming underneath himself with lots of transitions and stuff.
I was pouring sweat.  My hair was wetter than at Inavale last summer, when it was 104 and I rode my dressage test in my jacket anyway.

Yesterday with Beth was a good lesson too, but in a very different way.  Beth gave me three exercises to work on.
First was slowing down the trot so Charlie is basically taking half steps, then going forward again.  She said they have to balance themselves and it builds strength.
Next was walking on a circle, leg yield out to the wall, and trot when we get to the wall.
Third was to work on a 20 meter circle, make a 10 meter trot circle, and then start cantering when touching the wall, canter a quarter or so of the circle, then do another 10 meter trot circle.
She noticed that I twist because I am trying to get Charlie to go forward, and I am using more of my left leg.  She suggested using the whip more than my leg, especially in the corners.
She also noticed the difference between his right lead and left lead canter.  She said his leg is kind of jerky - she described it as "stabbing down", and she suspects he is tight over his back.
My position improvements were:
- At the sitting trot, allow my legs to be softer and my core to be tighter.  I have found a way to sit the trot, but I am gripping way more than necessary with my lower leg.  I can bounce even more softly if I breathe into my leg and relax.
- At the posting trot, think about my left butt coming more toward the center of the saddle, and pushing my right hip forward.  This works better for me if I think about pushing my weight into my right leg when I am posting up.  When I have this correct, it feels like I am corkscrewed around to the left, and my right hip starts to ache.  This one was kind of amazing, as soon as I got "uncrooked", he quit bulging out in his shoulder and just made nice round circles, and I didn't need to nag with my leg nearly as much.
- Finally, she said I need to do more ground work because I am rounding much worse with my shoulders (slumping forward).  John pointed this out today too, so I can't deny it.

Jump lesson with Meg; Dressage lesson

On Thursday evening, Meg and I shared a jump lesson.  It was a great lesson but very frustrating.  I could see the distances, but I couldn't always get the right take off spot, and I reverted back to launching him if I thought it was going to be close.  John had us do a vertical, then a two stride oxer-oxer line, then we started doing figure 8s at an angle over the oxers.  It was challenging to keep the outside shoulder from bulging out, so that the angled line would be consistent.  But worse was I would be so busy focused on the lead change that I would miss the turn, and then launch, which then messed up the next turn.  Meg and I seemed pretty evenly matched, even though Matty is only 8 (!) and he prefers the opposite lead of Charlie - he likes to be on his left, so she has the flip of me over every fence for trying to change leads.

Then today I had a dressage lesson.  When I warmed him up, Charlie had a nice soft trot but a herky jerky canter.  Somehow. what John had him do made him get soft and fluid and forward, but I don't know quite why.  We did some circles, then some small circles counter bent, then back to regular bend, then leg yield out to the big circle.  Then we lengthened and Charlie felt great.  It really wasn't that simple, but I don't know what happened that made him go from slugging around to being really forward.  John says he needs to be about this much [       ] more round, and then he'll be happy.  He also said not to worry about the season, that he'll tell me when to worry.  He thinks Charlie needs to gain some weight to help with his top line, so we'll see how the grain works.  (He increased from 1/4 scoop oats to 1 full scoop.)

We also talked about the conditioning schedule and he said that it is aerobic conditioning that really matters, and I can do that with long trot sets (20 minutes), especially with draw reins on.  He said I could also jump 3 fences, then trot 5 minutes, then jump 3 fences, etc. to meet the 20 minutes.  He said the gallop work isn't as essential and I can do that every other week starting in April when the footing gets better.

Group dressage lesson

Today's lesson was with Ashley, Peaches, and two of John's boarders (kids on ponies).  Charlie got to be the leader, which was a surprise to everyone involved, including him.  He got a little spring in his step from the honor.
The biggest insight was for the bend to the inside, instead of pulling my hand down, pull it back, like from my elbow.
We went over the aids for a flying change, because yesterday at home, Charlie made his neck all stuck out and stiff instead of bending to the inside, and John confirmed that yes, I bend him to the inside, reverse my leg aids (so they're for the correct lead), and then do a half halt with the outside rein.  He said that if Charlie has a stiff neck or tries to swing his haunches out to avoid it, bring his haunches in, and then if I have to, make the circle so small he does a trot step to change.
The group lesson had a lot of changes of direction, some leg yield (trot and canter), some lengthening (trot and canter), and 20 meter circles.  We'd also turn down the center line (trot and canter) and then change direction, as well as some shoulder in, then haunches in (just a tiny bit), and a bit of counter bend.  Because Charlie was so much faster (?!) than the other horses, a couple times we had to do some shortening of his trot.
It was really fun to work in a group, and good practice for show season coming up, since I spend so much time alone.  Charlie seemed to really like being leader of the pack, and I rode most of the lesson in the sitting trot.  It kept me busy enough, though, all the changes, and leading, so that I couldn't really watch the other riders very much.
Next week I'll go back to lessons twice a week, although things start picking up with work, John's shows, and weekend shows so those won't get to be as consistent as January was with my 2 on Saturday.

A training height fence (I thought it was like advanced)

We had a jump lesson today.  Charlie had the prior two days off while I was at work in Seattle, so during warm up he was soft and forward, but still a bit stiff.  We warmed up, walked a bit, but the softness and forward disappeared in between, so we had to start with a bit of a grind in the canter.  If I took up the reins, he would make his steps very short, so then I'd have to bend him to the outside and he'd slow down to like slow motion.
That was the downside.
The upside was he jumped beautifully.  The problem with the jump night at home, when he was long and flat, was that I'm a moron who doesn't know how to measure, didn't think to check, and as John pointed out, could easily have texted him to ask.  I made ground poles 12' on each side of the fence but they should have been 9'.  12' is pretty much a recipe for making Charlie jump long and flat.  Live and learn - thank god I've got Charlie who gave it his best even with a nincompoop for an owner.
So we started with a little vertical, and then John whopped it up what looked like a foot.  This had two properly spaced ground poles, and we jumped it on a circle from both directions.  The circle was just a bit tight (20 meters, though, but it felt tighter) and Charlie actually did pretty great landing on the left lead.  Our second time through (to the left), he wasn't as good, but he was pretty quick to change in the front and it usually took just a few tries for the hind.  But by the end of the lesson, he was struggling to change, so I think that's good information; it is not just a mental thing but also a strength thing.
Then John added in an airy vertical over some flowers, which he said was a hole up.  I think that one was about 3'.
Then he added in a little lattice wall with a vertical on top, which looked freaking gigantic (I was sure it was armpit height; i.e. 4'2") which Charlie jumped like a dreamboat.  Afterwards, I checked, and it was only 3'3".  So my eye has some adjusting to do, but Charlie got right back to it.
I thought Charlie did great on the flying changes; it rarely took more than a couple laps for the full change, but John said that when he changes in the front, I don't need to bend him to the outside to get him to change to the back; that will just encourage him to change back to the right in the front.  Instead, I just need to pull my outside leg back (the right leg) and do a half halt with the outside (right) hand.  Once I quit making too big a deal out of it, he popped in like a dream.  I think he's catching on, and I hope that his back to work was more proper working so his back muscles are building up.
John said this week to practice on the left lead; do a jump and go to the left over and over and make him change if he doesn't land properly.  Next week is dressage, and then in February we'll go back to two lessons a week.
It was super fun jumping, but using my legs to line up the circle with the fence was hard to keep consistent.  Every once in a while I would hit it dead on and feel it coming, but most of the time I was still wiggling right up to the end.
Charlie is such a good boy.  He's a total trooper.

Charlie earned a "wow"

We had an amazing dressage lesson today.  It was all the more amazing because although Charlie was better at home this week than last week, he certainly wasn't full of zest and vigor.
John had us work in draw reins on several 10 meter circles, sometimes with just a bit of a bend to the outside, followed by some lengthening.  Then he added in canter circles, followed by canter lengthening.  I don't know why, but Charlie was willing to just spring forward into the lengthening.  We even had a moment where he rocked back and was using his haunches!  John also had me sit the lengthened trot, which makes me bouncy, and he said to think about hips going "right left right left" so that I don't impede the movement.  He said that it's rough, but that it makes my back loosen up afterwards.
Unfortunately, I am not sure why Charlie was such a rock star today.  He was a bit of a slug yesterday in the jump saddle, and I thought that was because he was sore from the day before, when we worked in draw reins at home.  There certainly wasn't any hint that he was going to pull out all the stops and be flashy.
We did a few trot 10 meter circles with a  change of direction in the center, and we also would do a 10 meter circle and then a shoulder in.  John said I was using too much hand and needed to bend him from the inside leg.
John said that our shoulder in is much better, that I don't have to struggle to keep it, although I could feel that I would lift the inside seat bone (and shift to the outside, to try to push him over) so I need to be more aware of that.
In the canter, we would do a hint of bending to the outside, and then lengthen even with the outside bend.
At the walk, I have to give a little forward with my hands, and then I give with the opposite hand from the leg (so if my right leg is active, my left hand gives just a bit) when he is walking with the mincy steps in the draw reins.  To make his stride longer, I swing my hips bigger.  Charlie responded to this like he'd been waiting for me to do it.
John suggested that his tip last week for the sluggish canter was probably to try a bit of haunches in at the canter.  We didn't need it today, but I bet I'll get a chance to try it this week.
John said for dressage, it is best for Charlie to do short bursts that are hard work like this (he had frothy sweat under his girth - I had to flick it when I took it off), and then build his stamina with trot work in the jump saddle.  He said that it is possible to do two long formats in a year - that Rebecca in July and Galway in November would probably work, but we need to wait and see how Charlie is doing.  He said the one star speed used to be like 620 mpm!!
As best as I can tell, Charlie was just in a mood to work today, but I will try to repeat the sequence of exercises to see if there was something about it that helped Charlie to get in the proper frame, and frame of mind.
John gave us a "wow" for one of the canter lengthenings.  I think it is the first wow we have earned that is not a "wow you are a bonehead" wow.  Charlie tripped a few minutes later in front of John trying to do a down transition, so that evened things out.

2nd jumping lesson; 2'9", two grids, cavaletti and flying changes

I started the lesson by running over one of John's sandbags and then being completely unable to park the trailer or get out of the parking area.  Hot start.
Charlie was fine on Sunday last week, got Monday and Tuesday off, but then was stiff and flat on Wednesday in the dressage saddle, and horrible - completely ignoring my leg - in the jump saddle on Thursday.  I must have whipped him 1000 times.  I changed hands, in case it was raising welts; that's how bad it was; and he would buck instead of just freaking going forward.
So that's what I told John about, and he said that yes, every once in a while Charlie gets in a snit and needs that, and that usually he does it (or Shannon would do it).  He said that everyone thinks Charlie is  a saint, but he's got a dingy halo.  He said it should have improved by the third day.  He also said that I can call or text him when I get stuck, but lateral work would be one way to break the snit and the other way is draw reins.  Charlie shouldn't be doing a lot of lateral work yet, so he said just go get draw reins, and then let Charlie fight the draw reins.
He said it does no good to beat him if he just runs out long and stringy, that I have to get him back a bit on his haunches.
It made me feel about a million times better because I felt awful after riding him and so guilty I didn't ride him Friday, although I was pretty sure that it was one of those things he had to work through or else the behavior would get worse.
We started on the flat with some bending to the outside, then back to the inside.  Then we did work over one cavalleti, then two.  Two that are 9' apart can be cantered or trotted, and it was Charlie's job to figure out where to put his feet, not mine.
Then we did the same grid as last week, a pole, cross rail, and then a pole, vertical.  You had to turn left after this one and Charlie pretty much landed on the right lead every time.  John said once he landed on the left, but went 1 1/2 strides and then switched to the right.
So we went ahead and worked on lead changes, mostly so John could see where he was from last year.  Which was much improved from where he was a year ago when we started working on them, but not as far as at the end of the year.  Charlie had the concept, and changed pretty easily on the front.  I'd usually have to bend him to the outside, and the shift in balance would make him change in the back (or trot and change).  John said that it's a huge improvement, since last year he would just canter 100 circles like he had no idea what a lead change was.
Then we did the other grid, a pole, cross rail, vertical, and oxer.  Charlie jumped the oxer like a rainbow.  It was awesome.  And I forgot to ask John, but I'm still pretty sure my hips are going back better and my lower leg is more stable than last year.
Then we went back and tried the left turn again a couple times, but we still had to do lead changes after.
John said it's ok to work at home on simple changes, like we were doing last year, to start to get it back in his head.
The lesson made my day.  I had been worried I was on a downward slide after our two battle rides and then the horrible parking, but all is now right in the world.
Damn I love those lessons.  John just knows how to deal with everything.

Jumping again - yaaaayyyy!!!

We had a group jump lesson with Brooke on her young horse (and someone whose name I should know but don't); it was exactly right for our first time jumping after over four months off.
We warmed up on a circle, and John had me do a bit of leg yield out at the trot, and then a bit of counter bend back to regular bend at the canter.  Charlie started off just smooth as silk, and carefully hid my spastic monkey flapping that happened the first day back in the jump saddle (four rides ago in that saddle).
Then we did a cavaletti at its high end, and we were supposed to just canter over it, but I kept doing a two point.  Charlie couldn't decide whether to just step over it or hop it, so when I gave him leg he'd hop it.
Then John put a ground pole out, which made things much messier.  Charlie couldn't decide where to put his legs, so I just stayed out of his way.  What made things the smoothest would be coming around the corner, using the outside aid, and then compressing him (just a bit) as we approached.
Then we did a line that was a ground pole, cross rail, ground pole, cross rail (which John eventually turned into a small vertical).  These went ok; unmemorable.
Then we did a line turning to the right instead that was a ground pole, cross rail, vertical, oxer.  The oxer was not puny, but wasn't huge either.  Charlie jumped this line like a freaking rock star.  So despite four months off, he still prefers to work over something a bit bigger (not big, for sure, but bigger than the cavaletti).  If I didn't bring him in exactly straight, he would drift to the left, so I tried to use my left leg and make sure to look at the right side of the oxer.  We got a few really nice round jumps over the oxer when I kept him from being crooked.
I was pleasantly surprised with my position.  It didn't feel anywhere near as awful as I thought it was going to.  And my lower leg didn't feel like it was swinging, and I felt like I had a bit better grasp of coming out of the corner, which I was struggling with last year.
John said Charlie's not ready for two days a week of lessons yet.  He said we'll jump again next weekend, but he'll probably just rotate jump and dressage lessons on the weekends for a while because Charlie isn't going to be able to go more than half an hour.
It was crowded today, and John had to line my truck and trailer up to leave.  I guess I should get out some cones and start practicing at home.  And it was cold - a high of 38 today, but the water buckets in the barn got floating ice in them during the day.
Charlie is so good and reliable.  I am so, so lucky.  Also, our tractor came today.  SUPER fun.

Full work! And releasing a braced jaw.

Charlie was a bit lazy this week, but he was basically floating around John's arena like a dreamboat.  We did some spiral circles, leg yields, forward/back at trot and canter, and trot and canter lengthenings.  Overall, he felt great.  His trot to canter transitions were very prompt and smooth - eliciting a couple "yes"es from John - but our down transitions still need some work.  The lengthenings feel really rough - like we are just plunging forward instead of getting all the power from the hind end, but there is definitely a difference between the forward and back.
My homework for this week is to work on a soft inside hand and an outside hand half halt when Charlie starts to brace his jaw against me.  The purpose of it is just to get him to loosen and react, instead of riding around and around in a circle with Charlie's jaw braced unchanging.
I'm really pleased with the prompt canter transitions.  John told me to put my outside leg back during the lengthenings and I asked why and he said Charlie likes to just bend instead of actually lengthening, so this helps prevent that - also my inside leg gets tired from the nagging so I need something stronger.
John said we can do full work now, serpentines and everything, and that 45 minutes is probably about the right amount to be riding him.  Next week we should finally jump again.  Hooray!!

Almost back to full work

We started riding a bit with draw reins, and had to skip one week with John due to some horrible weather (flooding, followed by lightning).  John had texted me and told me not to ride with the draw reins too tight, so I showed him about how I ride with them and he said that was good.  They're just to encourage Charlie to use his back muscles and try to decrease the amount of time we need to get his back muscles built back up.
Judith and Ric got a couple videos of Charlie, and I think he looks really good.  She said she thought he looked really good at first, but then got tired, and she felt he didn't look as put together as last year.
We worked on getting him engaged through his hind leg.  We did some spiral circles, but only down to 12 meters and back out.  Then we did just a bit of leg yield.
The main thing was getting him round, and then asking him to go forward.
John said NO canter lengthening yet so that he isn't putting a lot of weight on that back leg.
We also worked on a bit of counter bend, especially to the left, where I pulled my hand back to my thigh and then kept it there.  After that, I lifted my right hand (going to the right) and then pulled it back.  It was to get Charlie to stop tilting his head and instead to bend through his neck.
John thinks we'll be ready to jump in the first or second week of January.
I also had a horrible clipper job this year, but I did exactly the same thing as last year.  John said my blades were probably dull, and on top of that, Charlie was probably the dirtiest and most dandruffy he's been after a few months of not being ridden and that dulls the blades.  I might also have not been cleaning them off enough during the clipping.  Or it could have been user error…
It was a great lesson.  I'm really excited about getting back into it because I feel much more balanced and I feel like the break was a bit of an opportunity to break some bad habits.
John also said that at Wilco I can rent a truck that sprays out the lime (and yes, I should put lime on the pastures), and that it only takes him 4 hours to do his whole place with the truck.  He suggested I send a soil sample to WSU and they can tell me what the soil needs.
The other instruction was when I give the aid using my spur, to make sure I am wrapping my leg down and around Charlie, and not lifting my heel to use it.

Charlie rides (with John) again!

Today was our first lesson with John since the fall at the end of August.  Charlie was awesome there, but there was hysteria all around when we left.  I put Calo in the grass and Angel in the small turn out, and that was not acceptable to either of them.  John said that they'll get used to it, but that I can help by separating Charlie and Calo every once in a while just so they know they go back together.  He said it is worst the first time, but that is why people usually end up with three horses.
He said that Charlie looks consistent whether on a straight line or on a circle, so to  keep working this week and he can probably go back to full work next week.  What I can work on this week is a few circles - no more than 3, and then back to straight line work.  I can also change his gaits inside the gait (bigger trot, smaller trot), and I should work on using my outside leg (left leg) when we are going to the right to do haunches in for about twenty seconds to start trying to strengthen that weak inside right leg.
John also thought that Charlie might have done the initial injury to his leg earlier in the season, then something about the fall (or the twisting and running afterwards) finally snapped it the rest of the way.
He said that because the skin got stretched out, that's why the leg looks just a bit bigger than the other one.  He said, if we need to, we can sweat it down, but it might go down on its own once Charlie is back to work.
His plan is to do some intensive work with Charlie in draw reins to accelerate the process; he doesn't think it should limit our ability to go to Rebecca or compete this year (getting his back muscles built back up).
His other suggestion was the same as last time - don't let Charlie get away with ignoring the aid (like he started to do the last two days).  He gets the aid, and if he ignores it, a big smack with the stick, then the aid again.  We're going to try to break that bad habit.
Peaches may be interested in using Charlie for her C3 rating.  I hope she does; it would be perfect timing for trying to go up to prelim at the end of the season.

Calo improvement!

Yesterday I had the best ride so far on Calo, even though I had been struggling with a llama head and tiny steps up until the moment John walked in.
I had four practical questions for John:  which vest to get (2 point), what harrow to get (not the ones I had flagged but one with multiple circles), when can Charlie canter (one lap at a time, once he's up to 15 minutes of trot), and is it ok to use small circles to slow Calo down when he's rushing (yes, or shoulder in).
We worked on a more prompt canter transition, and John said that Calo's ability to get into the trot from the canter without sprawling (for more than a couple steps) showed he was improving.
We did some stuff that was hard for me, but it was nice that Calo was being so cooperative.  The canter work focused on getting him connected from the inside leg (keep it next to the girth!) to the outside hand (use it when he is drifting out!).
For bending, I have to be ready to put on my inside leg, because Calo is going to naturally fall to the inside.  But then I have to RELAX that inside hand.  I can ride Calo between my inside leg and outside hand and I don't have to hang on the inside hand and make my arm tired.  I just use it to bend him, and then soften it again.
We started with some nice trot, which really only needed a bit of inside bend.  Then we did a bit of leg yield, which Calo did quite nicely, stepping under himself.  So then we spent the majority of the lesson working on the canter, especially the right lead canter.
We put Calo on a circle, bent him to the inside, and then I pushed his shoulders in by moving my hands to the inside (to the right, for a right circle), while keeping my inside leg on.  This made a slightly shoulder in on the circle.  From there, I'd ask for the canter by sitting up, and putting both legs on (inside leg forward, outside leg back, inside hip pushing down).  Once he was going, we'd work on inside bend again.
John said that last year we made a lot of improvements in show jumping, but what we need to focus on next is the canter aid - that my aids are kind of weak but Charlie knows them so he knows what I'm asking.  He thinks if I can sharpen them (and sharpen Charlie's response) it will help with the dressage scores.  He also said that feeling how to ride from inside leg to outside hand will help me with Charlie, who likes to do half the movement to see if I'll keep asking, and help me learn that I can let go of that inside hand and still get the movement.
It was, as always, a great lesson - incredibly educational and I felt like we made even more progress.

John rode Calo today

In today's lesson, we started by doing a 10 meter circle, then keeping the bend and switching to a 20 meter circle going the other direction.  We did this a few times each way, with a gradual change to the correct bend on the 20 meter circle.
After we wrestled our way through some canter, John suggested that he ride him.
He made Calo look beautiful, but they were both pretty sweaty at the end.  He had to use lots of hand to soften Calo, but then he switched from being an inverted U to over bent with his chin on his own chest.
John said that for the right lead canter, it would be best to have him do shoulder-in, and then ask for the canter from shoulder-in.  Otherwise, he swings his haunches really far in, which throws his shoulders out, which makes him even more unbalanced than he already would be, which makes him throw his head up and rush around for a while before he can round and try to canter like a normal horse.
Peaches was watching and she said that Calo probably isn't strong enough to hold much of the trot or canter over his top line, especially after so many years.  Peaches also suggested that he needs the hands, but with enough leg to keep him moving up into his hand, and then making sure to give forward, like pushing him into the bit, once he softens and gives to it.
It was really cool to watch John ride him; he got Calo to step underneath himself and to soften and come over his top line, but it took him a lot of work.  He said not to get frustrated, that Calo is a frustrating horse to ride because he ignores a lot of the aids, but just to keep asking until Calo responds. Peaches also suggested that it will probably take a few months until he gets strong enough to really be able to hold any of the top line work.

Calo's third lesson with John

I forgot to blog his second one, but it was basically progress on his first lesson.  He got better and better each day until last Sunday, when he just conked out and we had a huge battle each ride for the next three days, until my right arm got so tired I just lunged him and then took a day off waiting to ride with John.
Then during today's lesson, he was basically back to the progression-Calo.
John said I need to work on inside leg, but it is hard because he tries to move to the outside instead of bending.  Then I need to do squeeze and release (sometimes pulling hard and open) instead of just a steady pull, to try to break the "lock" in his neck and get him to bend.
John said Calo is fairly unbalanced in the canter, so it throws him off to bend and have someone one him (why he can canter just fine on the lunge line).  He also spent about the first 15 minutes just being anxious, so we just did trot stuff to soothe him so that then he could work.
John said it is ok to let him lunge forward, then just to regroup him and try to make him bend again - not to try to make him keep moving in frame.  He also said that I needed to control the tempo of the trot more.
I asked him whether he should stay, and he said yes:  he doesn't eat much, it won't matter if I miss a day because I'm busy, and more hours in the saddle is always good.  So I'll talk to J&M about him staying longer.
It was a good lesson, but I was annoyed with Calo for not being anywhere as naughty as he was the last four rides.  I want him to be as bad with John so I learn the tools for dealing with it at home.
We'll see how much more I learned from this lesson, and how much we can progress until next Tuesday's lesson.

Calo's first lesson with John

It was so good to see John after 8 weeks off.  We worked on Calo's basics.  John recommended leaving my legs lightly on him, for support rather than to urge him forward.  Then we worked on his flexion in his neck, using a squeeze and release, and then if he was resistant, opening my hand to the inside.  I had to anticipate him going faster and be ready with the outside rein to slow him down, and also some inside leg to leg yield out on the circle.
We helped him work more over his top line at the canter by doing some big turn on the forehand circles before asking for the canter, and just a bit of leg yield.  It made a big improvement, although he can't really hold the canter for more than 1/2 of a circle.
John said to keep working on helping him get stronger, that his muscles aren't riding strong from his couple years off, and so we need to let him build up some strength and gradually add a few more strides at a time.
The good news is it was not me.  A pleasant surprise.

John's horse-keeping tips, part 1

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

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

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

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

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

Our first fall

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

Unconventional approach to Charlie's reluctance to bend

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

Draw rein lesson with John

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

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

XC at Lincoln Creek; winter projects

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

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

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

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

Dressage and SJ at Lincoln Creek; dressage practice with John

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

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

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

Two-point and jumping lessons with John

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

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

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

A second day of amazing insights with Beth; moving day

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

Amazing lesson with Beth - all kinds of things clicked!

I started my first clinic ride with Beth telling her that although I needed to keep working on all the things, I also felt like I was at the next step - a step that is so far out of my grasp that I don't even know what it is we'll be working on.
Beth told me.  :)  She said that it is beginning collection - getting Charlie to begin to step high underneath himself, and not go forward, but up.  And amazingly enough, that's what we started to do!
Beth was on fire with excellent descriptions of what was going on and how to adjust my body and what to feel, so it was just like:  Pow! Pow! Pow! with me "getting it".
We started with a walk (that marching walk that she doesn't call a march).  Tip #1:  If I lean a little more forward than I think is normal, the movement from Charlie switches from making me have a snaking back to hula hips.  Too far forward and I go back to snaking, but just a wee bit forward from normal, the movement goes left right left right in my legs and hips.  Once that happens, then I can squeeze/release (sometimes tap), and so long as I keep my hands firm so Charlie doesn't "leak out" the front, he starts rounding up and marching.  He is very good at getting me to open my fingers and let him stretch his neck out, though.
From a walk where I can halt or trot at any step - once it is at that walk but not while I'm still messing around with it - we can go to a trot.  Tip #2:  the crazy sashay I have in the posting trot?  Well, it is there in the sitting trot too.  I was in denial, but if I "tighten" my left side (easiest to do by putting my left elbow on my hip), *AND* let my right hip move (by thinking about it being equal with my left hip), then I quit sashaying so much.
Tip #3:  I can't feel it in my hips, but I can feel it in my legs.  So when I start trotting, if I check in on how each leg feels, I can even them out.  Generally, my left leg feels long and flappy (Beth says it kind of moves in a little circle but we'll fix that later) and my right leg is still all curled up tight like a tick.  If I think about making them feel symmetrical, then like a miracle, Charlie's shoulders balance up and he gets nice and fluffy to sit on.
We did some leg yields, and Beth says I am working too hard.  This was actually a theme throughout.  I give an aid every stride, so she made me lift my legs off and hold them off until I needed to give an aid again.  Especially to the right (off the left leg), I clench so tight I start lifting my heel.
An aid needs to have a beginning - middle - end, and most importantly, a purpose.  Charlie needs to react to it.  I can't get away much longer with my sloppy aids.  He was being bad today too, ignoring the trot aid the first time like he had no idea what I was asking for.
When I sat balanced and did a leg yield without lifting my heel, I could feel Charlie's whole body lift and move sideways instead of us just slouching sideways across the arena.
Charlie is a great horse to learn on because he makes you ask for it correctly, but once I do, he instantly rewards me by showing me how different it feels to do it the correct way.
Then we worked on canter.  Tip #4:  I need to close my knees and not let them flap on and off the saddle.  I'm not sure why (I was too busy concentrating on keeping them down to ask) but when I would rest them on the saddle, Charlie kept trying to use it as an excuse to trot.  Same thing with my aids too - I need to not ask every stride to keep him going.  He has to learn to keep himself going.
I also need to tuck my pelvis just a little, but that little bit helps me kind of root into his back.
Tip #5:  Then we worked on Charlie on a smaller circle at the canter.  This was pretty cool.  First, he would stick his neck up in the air, and my job was just to keep him on the smaller circle and not let him break.  Eventually, he would round his neck, and go from a hollow back hard to sit on horse to a round frame delightful to ride horse, and then we would make the circle bigger and then give him a break.  It was much more difficult for both of us to do going to the right.  His weak left hind leg, my crookedness.  (Although!  Tip #6:  if I turned just a tiny bit to the outside, I suddenly got balanced and everything got easier - it was a "eureka" feeling for what is happening with the sashay at the trot)  Anyway, what happens is he is figuring out that he can step under himself with his hind legs instead of shooting them out behind him (like that lesson with Asia), and when he tucks them under, he automatically gets round and soft in his back.
All in all, it was an amazing lesson.  Beth showed me exactly what I needed to start looking for and how to get it and how it felt.
There are probably a zillion other tips that were in the 45 minutes, but this feels like enough to work on for the next couple months!

Stitches out; dressage lesson

I took Charlie's stitches out today in his shoulder.  It was a few days early, but it looks good.  I accidentally knocked off the scab on the left shoulder, so it isn't looking as great.
I had a dressage lesson with John.  He gave me three jump exercises for homework while he is in Montana and then the next week, my Tuesday and Friday both have conflicts.
We worked on getting "more" of everything - more round, more connection, and more impulsion.  He said while he is gone, the most important thing I work on is getting that feeling of being on a 20 meter circle and then asking for more of everything.  He said if Charlie is stiff and won't bend at all, then I lift the inside hand (the direction he's not bending) until he gives, then put my hand back down.
We worked on 10 meter circles, leg yielding, and changing from canter to trot through the diagonal.  John said he was trying to get Charlie to use that inside leg.  Every few moves, we would get it right and it would all click, but I'm not at that point where it's reliable yet.
John also said he thought it progress from last year that I could see what was being tested on the courses at Whidbey (at least, I thought I could see it), and that now that I can see it, he can help me get faster at responding.  But I couldn't get faster until I could see what the test was.
The ride felt really good; it feels to me like we are much better connected and I have many more tools in my toolbox than last year.
I am jealous that we're not going to Rebecca, but only one more qualifying ride and we can go next year!

Flying change success!

During today's jump lesson, on approximately our third (but possibly 10th) try, we finally got a right to left flying lead change!!  Without any leaping, just a regular old, "oh, you wanted a change, ok here it is" kind of thing!  John clapped.
We also rode a few lines (a six stride, a five stride to a one stride, and a long four) quite well and forward.  When Charlie took off, I could feel my hips close like they are supposed to, instead of jumping ahead.
It wasn't perfect, but somehow I got him nice and forward and he was eager to jump also.
Then we went on a nice long walk on John's uphill trail to cool off.
Charlie is such a great boy.
The secret to the change was the 3-10 tries before that, the lesson earlier in the week, but most (?) importantly, I took a breath, I'd ask him to bend right, I'd do a half pass right (on a circle), then I'd change his bend to left, lift my right hand, and ask with my legs for the new lead.  I had to do each step and do each one precisely and calmly.
He did a little better too, after we jumped a fence and landed left, he'd remember left and be more likely to land on the left lead (instead of his usual 90% on the right lead no matter what) - but I am also doing a much better job looking, bending a bit a few strides out, but I still need work on my leg aids for the correct lead when we are taking off.
I also walked the lines when we were done, and the 6 walked one step short (4'), the 5 walked perfectly, and the 4 walked one big step long (4'+) so I can now apply that to walking the SJ course at the shows for when I need to ride big into one vs. ride regular vs. ride tight.

Progress on flying leads!

Today we worked again on our flying lead changes.  We took a break from it the last few months, but pretty much everyone I watched at Training and above for show jumping could do them, and I just can't see how I will be able to get around a prelim show jumping course without them.
It was great!  First, Charlie caught on to the concept almost instantly (where he started offering them), which was a huge difference, because that seemed to be a mental hold up for him for years.  He got the idea of doing them from left to right, but it was like he couldn't even wrap his head around the concept from right to left.
He was trying to do them, but in this huge lunging, kicking way, where he would leap up all gigantic and forward (actually, that is what I saw him doing with Shannon over a ground pole in a lesson with Mike several years ago), and so sometimes he would get the change during the huge leap, but sometimes he wouldn't.
As we kept working, he quit needing to do the huge leap, and could do them a bit more reasonably.
John felt that I was a lot stronger and more balanced, so I could sit up and give something to Charlie to press into.  We also added in the detail of using my inside hip to press down, like if we were on the right lead and changing to the left, I would press down on my left seat bone, and put my right leg back, and use the whip, as well as have him bend to the left.
We worked on this with a couple of exercises.  We would half pass from the corner to the center line, and then turn the opposite direction (so if we half passed in the canter from K to X on the right lead, then I would bend him left at "G" so that at C, in theory, we would be on the left lead heading back towards H).  We also turned on the diagonal, then half passed starting at X, so if I was on the left lead, I would go pass A, turn left at F, at X start half passing to the left, turn his head right, and ask for the change at H, so by C we would be on the right lead.
Charlie was soaking wet (it was also hot out) so I walked him on the trail afterwards.  It was a really great lesson.  It's too much for me to try to do on my own, because John said he has a couple ways to try to evade the work (and it took me a while to get him really half passing).  When he does the carousel horse, John says we have to nip that in the bud immediately.  At one point, Charlie got really frustrated and wouldn't listen to anything or bend left at all, so John had us halt, then bend him left, then do a turn on the forehand, then go back to work, and it seemed to reset Charlie's brain.  When he was doing the carousel horse, John had us quit working on the flying leads and work on some trot work and transitions instead.
I liked that there was a pattern that set Charlie up for success, and also helped him figure out what we were asking him for, and I also like that it is a pattern I will never do in a dressage test, so he won't get too exuberant and start trying it willy nilly.
I also asked John about my two flops where Charlie saved my bacon at Inavale.  He said for the water, that it starts out at about 6", but within one stride, is like 2' deep.  He asked Peaches, and she said pretty much every rider had issues in the water.  So that's why the jump felt fine, and then I flopped, it was the footing and Charlie scrambling in it.  He also said everyone had trouble with the triple, because when they removed the first hibiscus, it took the "round" out of the turn, and everyone ended up making an angled turn, where we drifted right toward the judge's stand, and didn't come in nice and straight.  He said if they had left that fence up, it would have helped make the turn more structured.  So it wasn't just me, but I was lucky to have good boy Charlie (and all those grids) work through it.
Charlie got a puncture wound on Tuesday.  Diane said his stall gate seemed to have gotten half shut, and then there was a bolt on the "inside" that Charlie could have done it on.  It was the only thing they found (and they took the gate out).  He seems to be doing ok.  I talked with her (and Bre) about whether Charlie was too much for them.  They said he is more than they are used to, but they have that young horse that isn't ridden and Kevin …
She also told me that on Wednesday (?), Deb Stevens came by looking for a place to board.  She said that Deb said that she used to be at Forest Park.  I told her I had never met Deb.  She said Deb wanted to hug Charlie, but so far as I know, the only time she would have met him was when he was a baby.

Inavale was hot!

95ish Friday and Saturday, maybe only 85 on Sunday.  Despite the searing heat, it hailed from minutes 4-6 of my cross country ride (with a 0% chance of rain) and just before I show jumped (2% chance).
The negative is we got 4th, after being tied for 5th after dressage and cross country.
The positives were:
- I felt that our dressage was much, much stronger than last year, even if the score didn't reflect it.  I think the pictures showed it too.  I could tell it was a picture of a trot lengthening and a canter lengthening just by Charlie.
- Charlie saved my bacon once in cross country and once in show jumping.  He is an honest gentleman.
- I was very, very, very nervous about cross country after the first time I walked it.  After the second time, I was still pretty nervous.  The third walk was with John, and that made me feel a lot better.  The fourth walk was a half walk and it was just to cement what John had told me.
- I watched the upper level riders and it was surprising how difficult a time they had.  It made me feel better that even they make mistakes.
- Charlie was an absolute rock star in show jumping.  I did pretty well (there is a photo of my head looking at the next fence from the center of the air over the fence - go me), until the triple, and then somehow I just completely fell apart over the first fence, stood straight up to get out of Charlie's way over the center over, and then Charlie the champ finished up on his own with me hanging on his mouth.  Thank god for all those grids with John and Charlie just dutifully doing his job, unlike some of the bad horses we saw.
- The cross country had a big wide table (fence 5), then an angled three log into the water, out a ramp, to an angled ramp, two strides, down bank.  I was on Charlie's neck in the water, and so again, like a true workhorse, he just took us through the ramp and down bank as smooth as could be.
He is a super, duper horse.
Then we had a HUGE trakhener, a few giant log piles, a "lion trap", and then an uphill with a hard left turn to an up bank, one stride, log pile.  He did them all like he just loved his job.
I can't say enough good things about what a good boy he was.  He is an amazing horse.
I wore my dressage jacket even though they were waived, and we messed up the halt, but he did really well for 8 minutes of warm up.  I did a super light warm up for cross country and I was worried about the heat, 420 mpm, and 6 minutes, but then we were fast!  5:23 instead of 6:01.
I hung up a fly sheet for shade the end of the second day, and had a little battery powered fan going.  He got sweaty just standing in the stall and didn't eat as much as normal, but peed and pooped pretty well.
It was fun.  I think I'll need to do training again next year, but that was my original thought anyway.  1 year BN, 2 years N, 2 years T, and then 3-4 years P.
The good part was I had even more time to think between the fences and in the dressage movements, I had a little better working knowledge about what the course was asking for and how to work it, and I felt like we did a really good job together, even with the hiccups in getting started with the show season this year.

Dressage with draw reins

In preparation for Inavale (fingers crossed), we rode in draw reins today.  It was 84 out, and Charlie was a bit of a slug again.  I feel bad - I should have him skinnier and in better shape before asking him to work in this heat, but I never expected it would get this hot this early in the season, and the last couple months got away from me.
We worked on 10 meter circles down the centerline, changing direction.  Then we did quarter line to quarter line 10 meter circles.  Wait - those are the same thing.
Then we picked up the canter from the quarter line, which was really, really difficult to do.  John said he expects in warm up, in a big grassy field with no wall, Charlie will kind of ignore my aids and not really pay attention.  So he recommended that kind of precision in picking up the correct canter when it sort of surprises him.
Then we did some lengthening, at both trot and canter.  At first, this was difficult to really get Charlie going, but after the 10 meter circles, we got the most amazing lengthened trot yet, and then some really nice canter as well.
The draw reins really help, although I tend to let them slip.
We also worked on a 10 meter circle on Charlie's bend.  It is asking with the inside leg (next to the girth!) and then at the same time, half halting with the outside hand.  There is also asking him to leg yield to the outside while on the 10 meter circle, except for then the outside hand holds him and he doesn't really leg yield out.
John said it was a bit overdone, so that the show will feel like less.
As we were leaving, he talked a bit about the styles of showing, how 4* horses average competition lifespan is now 2 years, but the average age of an Olympic horse is 17 and it used to be 9.  He said it used to be very difficult to get a 9 in dressage, and then suddenly it got much easier.  He said it is also much more difficult for the horses going advanced and above because they have to have considerable collection for dressage, but then they can't collect like that to get over the cross country fences, so they have to know to listen to the collection for dressage but the same aid means something different for cross country.  It was really interesting.
He said again not to warm up for 15 minutes - to get out there, get immediately to work, and then stop so I don't wear him out.  He said check on how many riders are ahead, because sometimes they get really far behind and in the heat, I do not want to overwarm up Charlie.