Meg and I had a jump lesson on Tuesday this week because she and the Caber crew are going to Spokane instead of EI to start the season at the end of the week. It was a good lesson, but good in the sense that I was learning things the slow, hard, stupid way instead of the naturally talented way.
First, I asked John my series of questions (why is my truck squeaking (ball needed grease), should I worry about Charlie's stifle (no, I will just make myself neurotic; it would swell if the suspensory ligament was rubbing on the end of the bone); did I ride the tall bank correctly (maybe); how do you ride the downhill with a half stride (he didn't know); can I do my lesson next Tuesday (yes)).
Then we rode.
We started with a vertical, but Charlie got a bug in his ear and couldn't handle it and I had to stop and try to get it out, and then we rode anyway, but he spent so much time shaking his head, we kept coming in wrong. I didn't stop again because I wanted him to learn he had to work even if there was a bug in his ear. After we did that jump several times, John stopped us and rubbed Charlie's ear for him. John is apparently a better ear rubber than me.
Then we did an oxer going both directions, and I had some trouble getting Charlie uphill but not strung out (same problem I was having with vertical, although I thought that was because of the ear bug; and spoiler alert, the same problem I had all the way through the lesson). It was a big oxer. I think it was at John's belly and I meant to get off and check afterwards but forgot.
Then we did an airy vertical plank on a 4 stride line to an oxer, and angled the oxer. I could not get the first fence and jumped it like a spazz several times.
From there, we went to a combination with three - a one stride to two stride. John had me do the plank going the other way, then whip Charlie, then do it again. That definitely sparked Charlie up.
From there, we did the combination backwards - the oxer - two stride - vertical - one stride - vertical - 5 stride to an oxer. Both Meg and I flubbed this. My flub was that we rode this - like two lessons ago and the lesson before that too - and the line is a straight line, then bend - like 1 1/2 strides of straight, not a bend in the air over the final fence of the combination. John was mad because we both had ridden it, knew the line, and yet neither of us thought to ride it that way. We just kept riding it as a bending line and coming in at a weird place.
This is where I got really frustrated. I would have just ridden it with an awkward leap over and over and over again, never stopping to think how it needed to be ridden differently. As soon as John gave up and reminded me, it rode perfectly. But I'm mad because it didn't occur to me; and I already knew it.
John said that I need to ride Charlie uphill to the fences, that yes, he needs to be more responsive to my leg (each fence, it felt like we were just running out of steam as we got closer, but John says I am actually charging at each one), but that the fences are getting big enough that Charlie comes in cocky and ready to launch and then is like "oh shit" (my words) and kind of scrambles over it and that's where we get in trouble. If I bring him in uphill, even if he doesn't have as much forward, he can rock back and get over it. But if I bring him in forward, he comes in flat and downhill and can't get over it without some histrionics.
We ended with a discussion about clients, how there are some who expect John to fit them in the very next day (same for Meg, same for me) and others who are regular. I may not be John's most talented student, but I'm nothing if not diligent in planning ahead and trying to keep a regular schedule.
I talked with John about this several lessons ago, but I am sliding back downhill again on the curve of competency, realizing just how much I don't know, but more, when I watch Meg, how much Charlie saves my ass and how must I trust him to do that. I'm not sure that is making me a better rider, although the fact that I'm able to complain about Charlie taking care of me too much shows that I am truly capable of complaining about anything.
I am quite nervous about the show season. I really want Charlie and I to rock the region and get ready for prelim.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Thursday, May 12, 2016
My nemesis fence was worse in my imagination
As with most (but certainly not all) things, how I imagined the fence that took me and Charlie down last fall was much, much worse in my mind than in real life. In fact, it was so easy in real life that I went from fear (pooping fear prior to leaving to drive down today) to disgust that such an easy fence knocked us out of 5th place in the champs class and resulted in so much rehab. It rode easy peasy.
We warmed up over a vertical, and most of Charlie's jumps were pretty good. Meg and I did a bit of 2 point in our canter warm up, but I stayed pretty light to keep Charlie fresh.
We started with a little log, then an easy ramp to an up ramp bank to an off bank. Then an A frame with some decent scot's broom on it (so you had to jump on the right, left, or high over the center; I took the right). Then we did my nemesis.
It was just riding up to it, 4 strides, up the bank, two strides, off the bank. I was a little scared and stiff so my down bank was just me standing straight up and trying not to hit Charlie in the mouth, but he didn't bat an eye. John confessed later that he was a bit anxious too, but then saw how easy it was for Charlie. His additional theory is that Charlie, unlike most horses, accelerates when he comes into a new field. He said most horses don't, but look around. He said he saw it at Inavale too, but didn't notice it was consistent until he saw us do it today. So he expected we came across the culvert, accelerated and just came in too long and fast and got it in 3 1/2 strides instead of 4. I said that sounded exactly right.
He said he doesn't like for horses to jump cross country too much because they get dull to it, and especially for xc he likes to keep them sharp, but he let me jump it twice because it was obvious the first time that I didn't believe it was really that easy. It was also nice that John knew I was scared, didn't make a big deal out of it, but worked around it. He's the greatest instructor.
From there, we went down and did the ditch a few times each way, then the big honkin' ditch with the solid fence and scot's broom. Just like the last (two) times I rode it, Charlie jumped it like a breeze, and I just had to not think about it and look up.
From there, we went to the water and came in between two fences, off the bank into the water, over the corner, and around a nice table. Charlie hesitated a second looking at the water but then went on in.
John asked us if we wanted to do anything else and I said "yeah, the pimple" and he said "you know that's a 3' fence on top, right?" and I said "yes" (although I had no idea) and so we had to ride to it very forward, then pull him together, then kick-kick-kick. At the top, Charlie hesitated, hung in the air, then went down the back side like it was no big thang. But as we came up the hill, holy christ the fence was huge. I completely froze, and thank god for sweet Charlie who figured it out, jumped it, and went on his merry way. It was great to jump something like that with John right there (and telling us the sequence of steps) because it will make the log on the hill at Inavale now seem like nothing.
John said that we are both solid on xc, even if I have a "bewildered" look on my face a lot of the time, and that what he wants us to do next is start stringing the fences together, so that if we have a bit of a downhill after a table, we notice it and think ahead to the next fence and think, "I need to put him a bit together because that is also a bit downhill".
It was a really fun lesson. I get it, not wanting a horse to get too used to it - John used as an example if we did the pimple 5 times, Charlie would jump it exactly the same each time, but by the 5th time rub it. I wish I had two - one to drill me on, and then one for the shows.
We warmed up over a vertical, and most of Charlie's jumps were pretty good. Meg and I did a bit of 2 point in our canter warm up, but I stayed pretty light to keep Charlie fresh.
We started with a little log, then an easy ramp to an up ramp bank to an off bank. Then an A frame with some decent scot's broom on it (so you had to jump on the right, left, or high over the center; I took the right). Then we did my nemesis.
It was just riding up to it, 4 strides, up the bank, two strides, off the bank. I was a little scared and stiff so my down bank was just me standing straight up and trying not to hit Charlie in the mouth, but he didn't bat an eye. John confessed later that he was a bit anxious too, but then saw how easy it was for Charlie. His additional theory is that Charlie, unlike most horses, accelerates when he comes into a new field. He said most horses don't, but look around. He said he saw it at Inavale too, but didn't notice it was consistent until he saw us do it today. So he expected we came across the culvert, accelerated and just came in too long and fast and got it in 3 1/2 strides instead of 4. I said that sounded exactly right.
He said he doesn't like for horses to jump cross country too much because they get dull to it, and especially for xc he likes to keep them sharp, but he let me jump it twice because it was obvious the first time that I didn't believe it was really that easy. It was also nice that John knew I was scared, didn't make a big deal out of it, but worked around it. He's the greatest instructor.
From there, we went down and did the ditch a few times each way, then the big honkin' ditch with the solid fence and scot's broom. Just like the last (two) times I rode it, Charlie jumped it like a breeze, and I just had to not think about it and look up.
From there, we went to the water and came in between two fences, off the bank into the water, over the corner, and around a nice table. Charlie hesitated a second looking at the water but then went on in.
John asked us if we wanted to do anything else and I said "yeah, the pimple" and he said "you know that's a 3' fence on top, right?" and I said "yes" (although I had no idea) and so we had to ride to it very forward, then pull him together, then kick-kick-kick. At the top, Charlie hesitated, hung in the air, then went down the back side like it was no big thang. But as we came up the hill, holy christ the fence was huge. I completely froze, and thank god for sweet Charlie who figured it out, jumped it, and went on his merry way. It was great to jump something like that with John right there (and telling us the sequence of steps) because it will make the log on the hill at Inavale now seem like nothing.
John said that we are both solid on xc, even if I have a "bewildered" look on my face a lot of the time, and that what he wants us to do next is start stringing the fences together, so that if we have a bit of a downhill after a table, we notice it and think ahead to the next fence and think, "I need to put him a bit together because that is also a bit downhill".
It was a really fun lesson. I get it, not wanting a horse to get too used to it - John used as an example if we did the pimple 5 times, Charlie would jump it exactly the same each time, but by the 5th time rub it. I wish I had two - one to drill me on, and then one for the shows.
Saturday, May 07, 2016
Tough lesson.
It was about 85 today, but it felt very hot. Charlie was sluggish and didn't want to bend.
He got pretty round, but he had to lose speed to do it. John said that round and a bit slow is better than fast and strung out for his dressage test.
He was doing the thing where he refuses to bend to the left, so John had us do turn on the forehands, and when he still wouldn't bend, John took my whip to whip Charlie from the ground. Charlie was so surprised he kicked his own inside leg with his left hind leg and left a nice big gash.
The lesson should have been satisfying because even though Charlie started out stiff as a board and like we were moving through molasses, he ended up pretty nice and round. But it was frustrating because I was exhausted trying to ride him, and I'm not sure I can accomplish it on my own without John talking me through each step.
I said if I got him round and rode him round consistently, eventually he would add the speed, and John said not necessarily. He said he had some advanced horses that never really connected (I forget which verb he used) and he just worked around it because they had other strengths.
So what did John do to get him round?
We did some canter serpentines, leg yield, 10 meter circles, and shoulder in. 10 meter circles were both trot and canter.
Every once in a while, I could feel Charlie lift his shoulder and all of a sudden it was all there, but it only lasted a few steps and went away again. It was like he was saying "I CAN do this. I am just choosing not to." I couldn't tell anything I was doing different that made it happen sometimes and not other times.
We also did some work at the sitting trot, including some bigger sitting trot. As much as I hate this, it doesn't feel quite as horrible as it used to, so I guess that's progress.
John had me shorten my reins, use a steady outside rein, and then ask for bend with inside rein and inside leg. Sometimes with a leg yield step to the outside. Once he had me jiggle the rein so that it was out of sync with his strides, and that got Charlie to snap to attention for a second.
I think what is hard is I feel the couple of great steps, but I don't know what makes them happen - they seem to be blind dumb luck. But I don't really feel the round over the top line (although it is easier to feel at the sitting trot - I can actually sit, vs. when he's strung out and it's like having your back shaken like a rag doll), he just feels slow. So I need to get that feel in order to know when it's a good slow vs. just a lazy slow.
He got pretty round, but he had to lose speed to do it. John said that round and a bit slow is better than fast and strung out for his dressage test.
He was doing the thing where he refuses to bend to the left, so John had us do turn on the forehands, and when he still wouldn't bend, John took my whip to whip Charlie from the ground. Charlie was so surprised he kicked his own inside leg with his left hind leg and left a nice big gash.
The lesson should have been satisfying because even though Charlie started out stiff as a board and like we were moving through molasses, he ended up pretty nice and round. But it was frustrating because I was exhausted trying to ride him, and I'm not sure I can accomplish it on my own without John talking me through each step.
I said if I got him round and rode him round consistently, eventually he would add the speed, and John said not necessarily. He said he had some advanced horses that never really connected (I forget which verb he used) and he just worked around it because they had other strengths.
So what did John do to get him round?
We did some canter serpentines, leg yield, 10 meter circles, and shoulder in. 10 meter circles were both trot and canter.
Every once in a while, I could feel Charlie lift his shoulder and all of a sudden it was all there, but it only lasted a few steps and went away again. It was like he was saying "I CAN do this. I am just choosing not to." I couldn't tell anything I was doing different that made it happen sometimes and not other times.
We also did some work at the sitting trot, including some bigger sitting trot. As much as I hate this, it doesn't feel quite as horrible as it used to, so I guess that's progress.
John had me shorten my reins, use a steady outside rein, and then ask for bend with inside rein and inside leg. Sometimes with a leg yield step to the outside. Once he had me jiggle the rein so that it was out of sync with his strides, and that got Charlie to snap to attention for a second.
I think what is hard is I feel the couple of great steps, but I don't know what makes them happen - they seem to be blind dumb luck. But I don't really feel the round over the top line (although it is easier to feel at the sitting trot - I can actually sit, vs. when he's strung out and it's like having your back shaken like a rag doll), he just feels slow. So I need to get that feel in order to know when it's a good slow vs. just a lazy slow.
Thursday, May 05, 2016
I fell off. In front of John, Ashley, and Meg.
Other than the falling off, it was a great lesson. But it was the first time I've ever fallen off in front of John, and I didn't do it gracefully. I shot off Charlie's left side like a star fish and said "eeeeeee!" the whole way down, like I saw a mouse and was falling towards it.
Matty was being kind of a jerk and kicking out before the fences and then bucking when Meg got after him. Charlie felt slow, but John said he was fine and I was launching him at the fences for no reason.
We started with a vertical, then did a loop-de-loop figure 8 that was a left lead, right lead, left lead, right lead. Charlie actually had no problem with his leads. Then we added an oxer to the left a couple times, then a big loop around to an oxer to the right, back to the oxer to the left, to the right. Meg rode this first and had some trouble making the right hand turn. Then I rode it and immediately fell off on the first right hand turn. After that, it was fine to ride, it was just that first time I thought we needed speed to get over the oxer and that left us too long and flat to be able to make the hard right turn. John said to stop trying to go faster; I'm going plenty fast.
From there, we did a left hand turn into a one stride, right hand bend to an oxer, left turn to an oxer, back through the one stride.
After that, we added a four stride right hand turn to a vertical at the end.
Charlie rode all of those like a dream boat. The only thing was he would only get the left lead in the front, and I didn't have time to change the back and wrestle with him, so John told me to just leave it and ride it anyway. Charlie rode it fine.
John said before I got mad, to realize that last year, he wouldn't even change in the front, so at least there was that. And he said that Charlie knows now that we want him to change, so just leave it alone for a while. He said Charlie is smart enough to figure out that it is easier to change when I'm asking him to in the air instead of cross firing around the corners, and that he should just start doing it on his own in a while. I hope so.
I like riding with Meg because I like to watch her ride the line. It is easier for me to ride it after I see her do it. (except when I fall off) I also like the little tips, like she mentioned how she had to switch to her short crop because she has gotten so used to riding with her dressage whip. Since I spent all of the Aspen derby whipping my own leg instead of Charlie, it was good to hear it's more of a universal problem and that she switches. It is also nice to hear what she thinks about her ride on Matty, since I have watched it. She's a much better rider than me, in knowledge and in form, and I hope that I continue to develop so I'm a better rider in the future too.
And this weather - man. It is nice stuff to have sun and warmth.
Matty was being kind of a jerk and kicking out before the fences and then bucking when Meg got after him. Charlie felt slow, but John said he was fine and I was launching him at the fences for no reason.
We started with a vertical, then did a loop-de-loop figure 8 that was a left lead, right lead, left lead, right lead. Charlie actually had no problem with his leads. Then we added an oxer to the left a couple times, then a big loop around to an oxer to the right, back to the oxer to the left, to the right. Meg rode this first and had some trouble making the right hand turn. Then I rode it and immediately fell off on the first right hand turn. After that, it was fine to ride, it was just that first time I thought we needed speed to get over the oxer and that left us too long and flat to be able to make the hard right turn. John said to stop trying to go faster; I'm going plenty fast.
From there, we did a left hand turn into a one stride, right hand bend to an oxer, left turn to an oxer, back through the one stride.
After that, we added a four stride right hand turn to a vertical at the end.
Charlie rode all of those like a dream boat. The only thing was he would only get the left lead in the front, and I didn't have time to change the back and wrestle with him, so John told me to just leave it and ride it anyway. Charlie rode it fine.
John said before I got mad, to realize that last year, he wouldn't even change in the front, so at least there was that. And he said that Charlie knows now that we want him to change, so just leave it alone for a while. He said Charlie is smart enough to figure out that it is easier to change when I'm asking him to in the air instead of cross firing around the corners, and that he should just start doing it on his own in a while. I hope so.
I like riding with Meg because I like to watch her ride the line. It is easier for me to ride it after I see her do it. (except when I fall off) I also like the little tips, like she mentioned how she had to switch to her short crop because she has gotten so used to riding with her dressage whip. Since I spent all of the Aspen derby whipping my own leg instead of Charlie, it was good to hear it's more of a universal problem and that she switches. It is also nice to hear what she thinks about her ride on Matty, since I have watched it. She's a much better rider than me, in knowledge and in form, and I hope that I continue to develop so I'm a better rider in the future too.
And this weather - man. It is nice stuff to have sun and warmth.
Sunday, May 01, 2016
Gallop with some fences
Yesterday's lesson included lots and lots of laps of galloping in the big sand arena, then a couple fences, then some more gallop. Then a two minute break, then do again.
My conditioning (and running) has not made me a superwoman for galloping at the two point. Charlie and I were both breathing heavy, streaming sweat, and getting slower and slower (my form got lousier and lousier) as the lesson went on.
All the fences but one were pretty decent. We did the same lines as last week in our group lesson, but coming off of a gallop until several strides away. This made me more confident about how to ride them, but I still missed one left hand turn. Good news is I felt it coming strides away and just didn't react in time - I missed the center of the first fence and it totally threw off the line to the second fence. A great mistake to feel in a lesson because I can totally see how I will need to be very precise and careful at the show.
One interesting thing was how much farther out John told me to sit up than I would have, and to balance him.
Another was that when I gallop, I kind of throw the reins away. John had me keep contact and keep him round. So maybe my gallops haven't been as much of a waste, because I haven't been doing them right anyway.
John also told me to make a single bridge, which is a bridge but just in one hand, and one hand just has a single rein. That way you don't have to let go of both to use the free hand. He said he usually holds the double in his outside hand.
He had two comments about my form - flat back not rounded back and heels forward and down.
We had to start turning in the air over the first fence to make the second fence in four strides, but this wasn't as hard as I thought, if I thought about it in time.
Charlie absolutely refused to get the correct lead or change leads. If I landed going right, he'd land on the left lead, out of spite as best as I could tell. If I tried to do a flying change, he'd just toss his head up. If I put him on a circle, he'd just counter canter. If I broke to a trot, he'd pick up the incorrect lead again. John was laughing but I was steaming. Ashley told me before the lessons she untaught Nick his flying changes because they have to counter canter in the dressage test, and he would offer the change. She says she either lands on the correct lead (most of the time) or does a simple change. That was good to know, except my simple changes at Aspen took too long and we always (except for this lesson) land on the right lead.
My conditioning (and running) has not made me a superwoman for galloping at the two point. Charlie and I were both breathing heavy, streaming sweat, and getting slower and slower (my form got lousier and lousier) as the lesson went on.
All the fences but one were pretty decent. We did the same lines as last week in our group lesson, but coming off of a gallop until several strides away. This made me more confident about how to ride them, but I still missed one left hand turn. Good news is I felt it coming strides away and just didn't react in time - I missed the center of the first fence and it totally threw off the line to the second fence. A great mistake to feel in a lesson because I can totally see how I will need to be very precise and careful at the show.
One interesting thing was how much farther out John told me to sit up than I would have, and to balance him.
Another was that when I gallop, I kind of throw the reins away. John had me keep contact and keep him round. So maybe my gallops haven't been as much of a waste, because I haven't been doing them right anyway.
John also told me to make a single bridge, which is a bridge but just in one hand, and one hand just has a single rein. That way you don't have to let go of both to use the free hand. He said he usually holds the double in his outside hand.
He had two comments about my form - flat back not rounded back and heels forward and down.
We had to start turning in the air over the first fence to make the second fence in four strides, but this wasn't as hard as I thought, if I thought about it in time.
Charlie absolutely refused to get the correct lead or change leads. If I landed going right, he'd land on the left lead, out of spite as best as I could tell. If I tried to do a flying change, he'd just toss his head up. If I put him on a circle, he'd just counter canter. If I broke to a trot, he'd pick up the incorrect lead again. John was laughing but I was steaming. Ashley told me before the lessons she untaught Nick his flying changes because they have to counter canter in the dressage test, and he would offer the change. She says she either lands on the correct lead (most of the time) or does a simple change. That was good to know, except my simple changes at Aspen took too long and we always (except for this lesson) land on the right lead.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Dressage lesson and jump explanation
Photos went up from the Aspen derby, and I have a death grip on poor Charlie's face with my hands basically in my lap and no crest release. John said most likely, Charlie was slugging around, I was leaning back to try to get him to go forward, and over the course of the course, the reins just got longer and longer to where I couldn't give a crest release.
Then he made a point. He rode the snot out of me. And then said at the show, if Charlie is stuck and not moving forward, TRY SOMETHING. Do a 10 meter circle and then canter, or a leg yield, or a lengthening, or anything, just to break up the monotony of doing the same thing and wishing he would do something else.
He did this by starting us on a 20 meter circle, then we'd go down the long side to another 20 meter circle. Then we'd do the long side on a shoulder in. Then we'd ask for the canter (with inside hip). Then we'd do a long side shoulder in at the canter (!!). Then we'd do a change of direction and counter canter, and then a flying change. Then some 10 meter circles at the canter where I turned Charlie using his shoulders, and I could feel the start of a pirouette. Then sitting trot. Then lengthened trot at the sitting trot. Then a bigger trot at the sitting trot using my hips, not my legs.
All of this while he had me control my hands - not flapping hands at the sitting trot, but holding steady hands. And with outside rein/inside rein/outside rein/inside rein lifted (going to the left, to tilt his head in), and leg aids. It was one of the lessons where the step-by-step was too much for me to feel it all, BUT, I could feel the change it had, especially when we did a half halt with the outside rein and it made Charlie kind of "square up" and balance through his shoulders instead of falling out.
Charlie had one direction where he got mad and was shaking his head then trying to stop, and I'd kick and whip and he'd just toss his head, so that was kind of frustrating, but other than that, Charlie tried to figure out what I wanted and do it.
It was really, really hard, but John said I need to expect more and ask for more, even if I get the wrong thing, at least I am getting a different thing and not just being content with mediocre.
Then he made a point. He rode the snot out of me. And then said at the show, if Charlie is stuck and not moving forward, TRY SOMETHING. Do a 10 meter circle and then canter, or a leg yield, or a lengthening, or anything, just to break up the monotony of doing the same thing and wishing he would do something else.
He did this by starting us on a 20 meter circle, then we'd go down the long side to another 20 meter circle. Then we'd do the long side on a shoulder in. Then we'd ask for the canter (with inside hip). Then we'd do a long side shoulder in at the canter (!!). Then we'd do a change of direction and counter canter, and then a flying change. Then some 10 meter circles at the canter where I turned Charlie using his shoulders, and I could feel the start of a pirouette. Then sitting trot. Then lengthened trot at the sitting trot. Then a bigger trot at the sitting trot using my hips, not my legs.
All of this while he had me control my hands - not flapping hands at the sitting trot, but holding steady hands. And with outside rein/inside rein/outside rein/inside rein lifted (going to the left, to tilt his head in), and leg aids. It was one of the lessons where the step-by-step was too much for me to feel it all, BUT, I could feel the change it had, especially when we did a half halt with the outside rein and it made Charlie kind of "square up" and balance through his shoulders instead of falling out.
Charlie had one direction where he got mad and was shaking his head then trying to stop, and I'd kick and whip and he'd just toss his head, so that was kind of frustrating, but other than that, Charlie tried to figure out what I wanted and do it.
It was really, really hard, but John said I need to expect more and ask for more, even if I get the wrong thing, at least I am getting a different thing and not just being content with mediocre.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Aspen derby and jump lesson
Yesterday was the second Aspen derby of the year and today we had a jump lesson. Charlie was a bit of a slug at the derby; he got a 30.5 in dressage (broke to canter in first trot lengthening), had a run out at the narrow corner the first round jumping, and did fine the second round, but had no go.
So I was worried about his health, and did just at tiny amount of warm up for both dressage and jumping, trying to save him for the jumping and to see how it would affect him today. We got to John's, I said I waited to warm him up so John could help me as if it was the third day of a three day and Charlie was pooped, and he just trotted out like he was feeling his oats. It made John laugh and laugh.
At the derby, I don't know what happened with the lengthening, but the jumping was instructive in a humble pie way. The run out was the same mistake I made like three years ago, it was a long six stride (six strides, then 6') and I jumped the first jump in the wrong place at the wrong angle, then didn't even think to run him long and just got him to the second fence in the wrong spot.
I also had a problem with a rollback turn (on the right lead), the turn itself was fine, but then there were only a few strides to a decent sized oxer, and I didn't have enough power either time, so Charlie had to kind of twist over it. That one I'm not sure how to fix, but it is progress, I guess, that I know what the problem is. I didn't fix it between the first round and the second round, but at least I fixed the long six stride, which is something.
The long six stride was a weird angle, and the other riders jumped it making a rollback all the way around and then riding the combination as a bendy line instead of an angled straight line. What I should have done was walk it both ways; the reason I didn't switch was because I didn't know how it would have walked, and I walked the damn course three times so it would have been easy enough to do once.
Charlie had no problems with any of the other fences, just a general lack of go.
Then in today's lesson, we rode with someone whose name I should know but don't. She had a black and white paint mare. We started over some verticals that were down the center line, first going one direction, then the other (just in a 20 meter circle) and then switching directions each time. The secret here was outside leg. Whichever leg was the outside of the circle (so if going right, left leg) needed to be active to get the line to the fence right. I'm pretty sure this is the same thing as the rollback turn …
Then we went outside and rode a 5 stride line that had to be done gently, then the elements of the line with a hard left and hard right turn to a vertical, then a two stride to a bounce. We had a hard time the first couple times through getting the 5 stride line, but the last time I finally caught on how to come in gentle, and it was no problem.
It was also a relief that Charlie didn't bat an eye at the bounce, although John made me do it again to show me (remind me) to use my outside leg to keep him from drifting to the left (left leg). And unlike the paint, once he figured out we were turning, he could make the corner.
It was a huge relief that he jumped and was fine. I was really worried that I shouldn't ride him a third day in a row when he was so tired yesterday, then I realized I'd rather know at home that he can't handle three days of work yet than learn it at a show and disrupt the season. He did fine, but tomorrow is a rest day and then Tuesday is another lesson, so we'll see how the lesson goes.
May is going to be a busy month and will fly by, and I am looking forward to getting this show season going.
Oh and food.
Charlie is now getting: flake of timothy and alfalfa am and pm, but if he doesn't eat his am hay, he doesn't get pm. Full scoop of rolled oats, 1/4 scoop of Purina performance, 1/2 scoop of Senior Active, and 1/2 scoop of rice bran pellets am and pm with about 1-2 quarts of water. Supplements vary am and pm. AM is 3/4 cup corn oil, salt, squirt of body builder, and 10 papaya pills (which we are about to quit). We just used up Red Cell and I didn't get more. PM is his smartpak, salt, probiotics, papaya, corn oil, and ration plus.
Goal is to get him to: 1 scoop Purina performance, 1 scoop oats; then corn oil and smartpak. Once he has enough weight on that it is turning to muscle.
So I was worried about his health, and did just at tiny amount of warm up for both dressage and jumping, trying to save him for the jumping and to see how it would affect him today. We got to John's, I said I waited to warm him up so John could help me as if it was the third day of a three day and Charlie was pooped, and he just trotted out like he was feeling his oats. It made John laugh and laugh.
At the derby, I don't know what happened with the lengthening, but the jumping was instructive in a humble pie way. The run out was the same mistake I made like three years ago, it was a long six stride (six strides, then 6') and I jumped the first jump in the wrong place at the wrong angle, then didn't even think to run him long and just got him to the second fence in the wrong spot.
I also had a problem with a rollback turn (on the right lead), the turn itself was fine, but then there were only a few strides to a decent sized oxer, and I didn't have enough power either time, so Charlie had to kind of twist over it. That one I'm not sure how to fix, but it is progress, I guess, that I know what the problem is. I didn't fix it between the first round and the second round, but at least I fixed the long six stride, which is something.
The long six stride was a weird angle, and the other riders jumped it making a rollback all the way around and then riding the combination as a bendy line instead of an angled straight line. What I should have done was walk it both ways; the reason I didn't switch was because I didn't know how it would have walked, and I walked the damn course three times so it would have been easy enough to do once.
Charlie had no problems with any of the other fences, just a general lack of go.
Then in today's lesson, we rode with someone whose name I should know but don't. She had a black and white paint mare. We started over some verticals that were down the center line, first going one direction, then the other (just in a 20 meter circle) and then switching directions each time. The secret here was outside leg. Whichever leg was the outside of the circle (so if going right, left leg) needed to be active to get the line to the fence right. I'm pretty sure this is the same thing as the rollback turn …
Then we went outside and rode a 5 stride line that had to be done gently, then the elements of the line with a hard left and hard right turn to a vertical, then a two stride to a bounce. We had a hard time the first couple times through getting the 5 stride line, but the last time I finally caught on how to come in gentle, and it was no problem.
It was also a relief that Charlie didn't bat an eye at the bounce, although John made me do it again to show me (remind me) to use my outside leg to keep him from drifting to the left (left leg). And unlike the paint, once he figured out we were turning, he could make the corner.
It was a huge relief that he jumped and was fine. I was really worried that I shouldn't ride him a third day in a row when he was so tired yesterday, then I realized I'd rather know at home that he can't handle three days of work yet than learn it at a show and disrupt the season. He did fine, but tomorrow is a rest day and then Tuesday is another lesson, so we'll see how the lesson goes.
May is going to be a busy month and will fly by, and I am looking forward to getting this show season going.
Oh and food.
Charlie is now getting: flake of timothy and alfalfa am and pm, but if he doesn't eat his am hay, he doesn't get pm. Full scoop of rolled oats, 1/4 scoop of Purina performance, 1/2 scoop of Senior Active, and 1/2 scoop of rice bran pellets am and pm with about 1-2 quarts of water. Supplements vary am and pm. AM is 3/4 cup corn oil, salt, squirt of body builder, and 10 papaya pills (which we are about to quit). We just used up Red Cell and I didn't get more. PM is his smartpak, salt, probiotics, papaya, corn oil, and ration plus.
Goal is to get him to: 1 scoop Purina performance, 1 scoop oats; then corn oil and smartpak. Once he has enough weight on that it is turning to muscle.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Total, unabashed relief at having a lesson
It has been a few weeks since I've had a lesson, and I was going into serious lesson withdrawal. My list of questions went down one side and onto the other, and I was sure in the three weeks off I had ruined Charlie because of his crazy eye and cross tie antics. I had not.
John patiently went through my list of questions.
First, he said that Charlie is gaining weight, and yes, it is in his neck. (And yes, his coat is shiny and glossy and he has a sparkle in his eye, but the glossy coat is from the corn oil.) They gain easiest in their neck, and then their butt, and then they will start to convert it to muscle on the top line and in his leg. John said he could see a bit of weight in his butt rounding out too, but he wasn't worried that it hadn't instantly made him a beautiful top line. He said this is just three weeks on this diet, and so if he still doesn't have a top line in four more weeks, then he can come to Caber for a few weeks of work, but John thinks that I am riding him properly and he just needed enough fat to convert to muscle before we can start to see him building the muscle up.
His theory is Charlie probably was a bit sick from the surgery, and it just took a few months to catch up with him, and now it is going to take a few months to turn it around. He was not worried that Charlie wouldn't be able to handle Rebecca (in more than 8 weeks).
BUT, John did say to go ahead and cut out the rice bran pellets when I'm done with the bag, since they are about 50% fat, and that is basically what the senior active is. He said Charlie doesn't need both. And he said to be very careful with the water in his grain. He said if Charlie doesn't eat all of it, especially when it is warm, it ferments very quickly (within a couple hours), so do not forget it in his stall and go to work or leave it overnight.
He doesn't think is it the senior, but the amino acids in the body builder that gave Charlie his crazy eye.
Second, for the little nicks on his right hind foot, John said there is a pastern ring he can wear. He said bell boots have the potential to cause more problems, because they get wet, rub sores, etc.
Third, for his show tack, they have little loops I can buy for his flash, and John will try some of his bits over the next few lessons so I don't have to buy 30 bits. He said that we might not need a different bit, because it was to get Charlie off from lugging on my hand, which the new diet might do anyway.
Fourth, he said if Charlie can only go 30 minutes, it is probably because that is how much sugar he has, then he hits the wall, and where a horse with fat could pull on the fat to keep going, Charlie doesn't have enough fat right now. He said he'll probably be ok for a show, because I only ride him 6 minutes, and so long as I time my warm up to not be over 20 minutes, Charlie should be ok. I said I was worried he would be wild at the show, and John said that was fine, I could ride it now, and anyway, it would be preferable to Charlie lugging around and us trying to get him jazzed up for 30 minutes in the warm up.
Then we rode, and Charlie just floated around like he loved working. At the end, John gave him a big pat and a kiss.
We did some 20 meter circles and then 10 meter circles and then into the canter back to a 20 meter circle. Then we did a bunch of leg yields, and some canter, across the diagonal, then on the rail back to trot. Then some 10 meter half circles at H or M back to the rail and then pick up the canter. Then some 3 loop serpentines but only for half the arena (which took me like five tries to figure out how to get the shapes right).
The big takeaway is inside leg is at the girth UNTIL I want to use it to push his haunches out, then it slides back. John showed me at the girth (which I have a bit of an open knee) and then behind the girth to push his haunches out. He said if I use behind the girth as my go aid, Charlie can't know the difference between go and move your haunches over. He said "don't make it too complicated" which is exactly what I was doing with a prior lesson where he had me keep my outside leg on the girth but use my inside leg back. I was trying to do that all the time instead of just doing it when I needed to push his haunches out.
For the leg yield, it is to bend him (but I always forget which way - the way we are going?) and THEN ask for the leg yield and THEN use the outside hand to keep his shoulder from popping out. And it is outside hand, not inside, no matter how much I want to use inside.
On the circles, it was some more work on bending him but then using inside leg to outside hand - thinking outside hand like a side rein pushed against his withers - to keep him round.
Charlie got quite sweaty, but was nice and forward the whole time, and it was really nice that John could see him moving so well, that I didn't ruin him, and that we are still progressing. John feels like once we get the weight back on, Charlie is really going to be going well.
But sadly, I just went to check which California event has the P 3 day, and it isn't there anymore. :( I was going to try to double up the T 3 day this year so the second one in CA would be the practice run for the P 3 day two years from now.
I feel like about a million pounds is off my shoulders now that I can check in with John and didn't have to keep worrying I was making a mistake with Charlie. Which is an interesting life observation, since that's how I feel about work too...
John patiently went through my list of questions.
First, he said that Charlie is gaining weight, and yes, it is in his neck. (And yes, his coat is shiny and glossy and he has a sparkle in his eye, but the glossy coat is from the corn oil.) They gain easiest in their neck, and then their butt, and then they will start to convert it to muscle on the top line and in his leg. John said he could see a bit of weight in his butt rounding out too, but he wasn't worried that it hadn't instantly made him a beautiful top line. He said this is just three weeks on this diet, and so if he still doesn't have a top line in four more weeks, then he can come to Caber for a few weeks of work, but John thinks that I am riding him properly and he just needed enough fat to convert to muscle before we can start to see him building the muscle up.
His theory is Charlie probably was a bit sick from the surgery, and it just took a few months to catch up with him, and now it is going to take a few months to turn it around. He was not worried that Charlie wouldn't be able to handle Rebecca (in more than 8 weeks).
BUT, John did say to go ahead and cut out the rice bran pellets when I'm done with the bag, since they are about 50% fat, and that is basically what the senior active is. He said Charlie doesn't need both. And he said to be very careful with the water in his grain. He said if Charlie doesn't eat all of it, especially when it is warm, it ferments very quickly (within a couple hours), so do not forget it in his stall and go to work or leave it overnight.
He doesn't think is it the senior, but the amino acids in the body builder that gave Charlie his crazy eye.
Second, for the little nicks on his right hind foot, John said there is a pastern ring he can wear. He said bell boots have the potential to cause more problems, because they get wet, rub sores, etc.
Third, for his show tack, they have little loops I can buy for his flash, and John will try some of his bits over the next few lessons so I don't have to buy 30 bits. He said that we might not need a different bit, because it was to get Charlie off from lugging on my hand, which the new diet might do anyway.
Fourth, he said if Charlie can only go 30 minutes, it is probably because that is how much sugar he has, then he hits the wall, and where a horse with fat could pull on the fat to keep going, Charlie doesn't have enough fat right now. He said he'll probably be ok for a show, because I only ride him 6 minutes, and so long as I time my warm up to not be over 20 minutes, Charlie should be ok. I said I was worried he would be wild at the show, and John said that was fine, I could ride it now, and anyway, it would be preferable to Charlie lugging around and us trying to get him jazzed up for 30 minutes in the warm up.
Then we rode, and Charlie just floated around like he loved working. At the end, John gave him a big pat and a kiss.
We did some 20 meter circles and then 10 meter circles and then into the canter back to a 20 meter circle. Then we did a bunch of leg yields, and some canter, across the diagonal, then on the rail back to trot. Then some 10 meter half circles at H or M back to the rail and then pick up the canter. Then some 3 loop serpentines but only for half the arena (which took me like five tries to figure out how to get the shapes right).
The big takeaway is inside leg is at the girth UNTIL I want to use it to push his haunches out, then it slides back. John showed me at the girth (which I have a bit of an open knee) and then behind the girth to push his haunches out. He said if I use behind the girth as my go aid, Charlie can't know the difference between go and move your haunches over. He said "don't make it too complicated" which is exactly what I was doing with a prior lesson where he had me keep my outside leg on the girth but use my inside leg back. I was trying to do that all the time instead of just doing it when I needed to push his haunches out.
For the leg yield, it is to bend him (but I always forget which way - the way we are going?) and THEN ask for the leg yield and THEN use the outside hand to keep his shoulder from popping out. And it is outside hand, not inside, no matter how much I want to use inside.
On the circles, it was some more work on bending him but then using inside leg to outside hand - thinking outside hand like a side rein pushed against his withers - to keep him round.
Charlie got quite sweaty, but was nice and forward the whole time, and it was really nice that John could see him moving so well, that I didn't ruin him, and that we are still progressing. John feels like once we get the weight back on, Charlie is really going to be going well.
But sadly, I just went to check which California event has the P 3 day, and it isn't there anymore. :( I was going to try to double up the T 3 day this year so the second one in CA would be the practice run for the P 3 day two years from now.
I feel like about a million pounds is off my shoulders now that I can check in with John and didn't have to keep worrying I was making a mistake with Charlie. Which is an interesting life observation, since that's how I feel about work too...
Monday, March 28, 2016
Hocks, stifles, bloodwork, and an adjustment
Charlie got his hocks and stifles injected today by Dr. Revenaugh, who also did blood work to rule out any low grade pneumonia. He said that Charlie's symptoms (weight loss, low energy, picking at his food) were consistent with a low-grade infection, which can happen when they're on the surgery table for a while. But Charlie, ever the cryptic, did not have anything in the first blood draw, and did not have any congestion in his lungs or trachea before or after exercise.
He was "wobbly" in the right stifle, and has some muscle loss on the stifle (as well as his back) so we injected the stifles as well as the hocks just to be safe.
Dr. R said it can be a bit of a chicken and egg problem (my words) when they've had a long rest; they don't have the muscles to do the work, but need to do the work to get the muscles back. He said after the 5 days of stall rest and 7 days of light work, to really put Charlie back to work and make him come underneath himself. He also agreed that if there had been any soft tissue damage in the crash, the original stall rest should have healed it, but he said they can have front end lameness and some arthritis after they spend a lot of time in the stall.
Then Dr. Salewski stopped by and gave Charlie an adjustment. He said that he was a bit out in the poll, and he had a rib on the right out which would explain his nipping at his right side (which I thought was worms or ulcers). He said he couldn't feel anything that would indicate that Charlie had any ulcers. However, his right hip (my term) was really, really out. He expected that Charlie giving in that hip will make a huge difference, and he also thought it could have come from Charlie's crash.
He said he has only been coming to Washington a barn in Redmond and a group of dogs in Auburn, and then going back to Oregon. He doesn't like leaving his kids for those long days, but sometimes he combines a trip with socializing, and will try to let me know when he does that. I told him I'd be happy to coordinate other Olympia people (thinking of Anne and Hillary in particular) or that if the Redmond barn would let me haul in, I'd be happy to meet him up there on his trips.
He was "wobbly" in the right stifle, and has some muscle loss on the stifle (as well as his back) so we injected the stifles as well as the hocks just to be safe.
Dr. R said it can be a bit of a chicken and egg problem (my words) when they've had a long rest; they don't have the muscles to do the work, but need to do the work to get the muscles back. He said after the 5 days of stall rest and 7 days of light work, to really put Charlie back to work and make him come underneath himself. He also agreed that if there had been any soft tissue damage in the crash, the original stall rest should have healed it, but he said they can have front end lameness and some arthritis after they spend a lot of time in the stall.
Then Dr. Salewski stopped by and gave Charlie an adjustment. He said that he was a bit out in the poll, and he had a rib on the right out which would explain his nipping at his right side (which I thought was worms or ulcers). He said he couldn't feel anything that would indicate that Charlie had any ulcers. However, his right hip (my term) was really, really out. He expected that Charlie giving in that hip will make a huge difference, and he also thought it could have come from Charlie's crash.
He said he has only been coming to Washington a barn in Redmond and a group of dogs in Auburn, and then going back to Oregon. He doesn't like leaving his kids for those long days, but sometimes he combines a trip with socializing, and will try to let me know when he does that. I told him I'd be happy to coordinate other Olympia people (thinking of Anne and Hillary in particular) or that if the Redmond barn would let me haul in, I'd be happy to meet him up there on his trips.
Saturday, March 26, 2016
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.
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.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
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.
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.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
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.
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.
Thursday, March 17, 2016
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.
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.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, March 05, 2016
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.
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.
Thursday, March 03, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
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.
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.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, February 20, 2016
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.
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.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, February 13, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, February 06, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
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.
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.
Monday, January 18, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, January 09, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, January 02, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, December 26, 2015
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!!
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!!
Sunday, December 20, 2015
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.
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.
Saturday, December 05, 2015
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.
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.
Friday, November 20, 2015
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
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.
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.
Friday, November 06, 2015
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.
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.
Friday, October 16, 2015
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.
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.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
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.
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.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
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!
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!
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
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!
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)