We started today over a stack of three cavaletti, and then John put us straight to work going through the grid. He then alternated the grid with the corner, from both directions. If I looked up and over the corner AND counted strides, I could get the right distance (mostly), but if I looked down at it or forgot to count, we'd come in at an odd distance.
John had me put the reins in one hand and the whip in the other, and then smack Charlie and cluck at the same time through the grid twice. After that, Charlie got a LOT more respectful for the cluck or the whip. (Although he gave little "screw you" bucks through the grid. Little ones.)
Then John made the oxer on the end of the grid ginormous. I asked him at the end how big and he said "not that big" but I think it was over 4'. (Which probably means it was like 2'9". Ha ha.)
Charlie jumped like a champ, but my position was pretty bad over the huge grid. I had to look ahead and watch the back rail from the first corner, or else we drifted.
It was awesome. We were in the air SO LONG and it was so easy - even with terrible form - to get up and over Charlie's back because there was so much time in the air. Charlie is so great.
Then we ran through my questions:
- 4 poles on the ground 9' apart, why did Charlie goof it up? Even if he kicked the one on the end, it was no more than 1' off. John said the purpose of the exercise is to make it easy for Charlie, and so yes, he "should" be able to adjust that 1', but that's not the point of the exercise. He said pile some dirt around the base so they don't move so easy.
- 10 meter circle; we spent a lot of time on how I wanted a perfect circle but the measurement wasn't right. John said to just walk to half way and then go up and down. He said it is better to work off one cone (in the center) and not make the four.
- Charlie's weight; John said he will tell me if Charlie gets too fat, and if he is cleaning up all his hay, give him more to eat. I increased it. He said when Charlie goes into hard work with him (in Dec/Jan), he'll lose 150 pounds that week. He said Charlie needs the weight to put the muscle on top and that his neck is already starting to fill out a little. I increased it to 1 1/2 scoops strategy am & pm; 3 flakes Timothy am & pm; and he gets 2 flakes local pm.
- I asked him why my left leg sticks out all the time. He said it is probably coming from my hip. He said try to think of clamping the dollar bill - not under my knee, but on the part of my calf that connects to the knee. He said you can ride without your knees touching (and made me do it at the trot, then in a two point), and in fact, it kind of prevents you from pivoting around your knee when you jump because when you close your leg, it closes the whole leg instead of just the knee.
Charlie got quite sweaty. I haven't clipped him yet, but hope to tomorrow or over Thanksgiving.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Sunday, November 06, 2016
Dressage in draw reins
Jessica hauled out with us and had a jump lesson before our dressage lesson. When John came out with the draw reins, I assumed they were for her, but lo and behold, they were for me and Charlie. And good lord they were a good choice. John wanted to see how Charlie was doing without me having to fight with him about his frame (he told me after the lesson ended) and how Charlie was doing was moving like a dreamboat. We did 8 meter circles, 10 meter circles, and 12 meter circles, leg yield at the trot and canter, and shoulder-in. We did "medium" (not lengthened) trot, and Charlie lifted up like a motorboat taking off and just soared down the wall. He got a lot of "good boys" from me during the lesson.
At the end, John told me that he could tell that when he rode Charlie (around September 3, the lesson before Aspen), I obviously was watching him, watched what he did, and watched how Charlie reacted, and then tried to incorporate it. Which is true, but I think he is giving me too much credit for doing it successfully. He said that at the canter, I've been behind the motion - trying to get Charlie to step up or go faster and then - eventually - going forward when Charlie is going backwards and not helping him with his legs. But he said this time, I figured out the driving forward seat, and was using it properly. I was glowing with the compliment, even though I felt like I totally didn't deserve it. I thought it was just dumb luck that Charlie was moving so great during a lesson.
Jessica said after it looked like I had a dressage seat, and I said yeah, that's how it felt. Like I was riding and thought "oh, this is why dressage riders look like this when they ride."
Next week I have to miss Thursday, so John said we'd jump on Saturday. I asked didn't I need dressage more than jumping, and he said jumping was the reason the son shone. I agree completely.
I am so, so, so lucky in life to have a great horse like Charlie and a great trainer like John and the means to be able to go down there and ride with him. He is such an incredible instructor.
At the end, John told me that he could tell that when he rode Charlie (around September 3, the lesson before Aspen), I obviously was watching him, watched what he did, and watched how Charlie reacted, and then tried to incorporate it. Which is true, but I think he is giving me too much credit for doing it successfully. He said that at the canter, I've been behind the motion - trying to get Charlie to step up or go faster and then - eventually - going forward when Charlie is going backwards and not helping him with his legs. But he said this time, I figured out the driving forward seat, and was using it properly. I was glowing with the compliment, even though I felt like I totally didn't deserve it. I thought it was just dumb luck that Charlie was moving so great during a lesson.
Jessica said after it looked like I had a dressage seat, and I said yeah, that's how it felt. Like I was riding and thought "oh, this is why dressage riders look like this when they ride."
Next week I have to miss Thursday, so John said we'd jump on Saturday. I asked didn't I need dressage more than jumping, and he said jumping was the reason the son shone. I agree completely.
I am so, so, so lucky in life to have a great horse like Charlie and a great trainer like John and the means to be able to go down there and ride with him. He is such an incredible instructor.
Thursday, November 03, 2016
Man, I love being in a jump saddle
We had a jump lesson tonight. Charlie was his usual fantastic self, after the first trip through the grid which sounded like he just decided to blast straight through as if there were no fences there.
First we did a line of three (?) ground poles that were 9-10' apart. Then John turned them into a cross rail, then a vertical, and my job was to just stay in my two point and let Charlie figure it out. I would send him forward on the long side, then look up to my fence, then use my outside leg to balance him, then look up and out to go over the line, regardless of whether it was ground poles or a fence.
The last couple, John said I was drifting to the left (which I could feel) but once he said it, I could focus on it and fix it. And I did fix it!
That was to the right, so then we did grid work to the left. This was easier because it was a nice grid - a ground pole, tiny cross rail, pole, vertical, pole, and then a vertical that ultimately became an oxer.
The three takeaways were:
- Keep my back flat; apparently I like to round it over the third fence (I don't know why)
- Keep my head up - keep looking down the line. Charlie likes to plummet down after the last fence, and it keeps my head from slamming down towards his neck.
- Keep my legs forward. Instead of rolling forward at the end, make sure to think about my legs being in front of me so they don't flip up after the last fence.
The last few fences we worked on Charlie landing to the left lead. John put a ground pole out and so I'd land (looking left and with the whip in my right hand) and try to do a flying change over the ground pole. Charlie didn't, but after a few rounds he voluntarily switched leads by the back door instead of having to go around in a circle. John thinks he'll get it again as we go back to work.
John said the vertical exercise was a good one to do at home because it makes Charlie think about his feet and keeps me out of the way.
Charlie was soaking wet at the end, so I guess I'm going to have to go ahead and clip him (and he's out of shape).
I forgot to mention from the last lesson that John also suggested using the whip next to my leg, instead of back on his rump, with the leg aid, to intensify it. He also suggested I try standing up for an hour or so a day, like when I'm reading, as a way to kind of get up and out of my chair but not have to spend an extra hour away from work.
I love lessons with John. And I got the trailer parked successfully back in its spot, which is what I was the most anxious about.
I felt very - solid and tight - in the jump saddle. A nice strong sort of feeling. And John had me start working in a two point, trying to think of the maximum pressure being my upper/lower leg just below the knee - not pinching with the knee, but that spot right below the knee being the primary pressure point. I was pleasantly surprised with how long it took for my thighs to burn (really my hamstrings), especially after hitting the gym so hard on Tuesday night.
First we did a line of three (?) ground poles that were 9-10' apart. Then John turned them into a cross rail, then a vertical, and my job was to just stay in my two point and let Charlie figure it out. I would send him forward on the long side, then look up to my fence, then use my outside leg to balance him, then look up and out to go over the line, regardless of whether it was ground poles or a fence.
The last couple, John said I was drifting to the left (which I could feel) but once he said it, I could focus on it and fix it. And I did fix it!
That was to the right, so then we did grid work to the left. This was easier because it was a nice grid - a ground pole, tiny cross rail, pole, vertical, pole, and then a vertical that ultimately became an oxer.
The three takeaways were:
- Keep my back flat; apparently I like to round it over the third fence (I don't know why)
- Keep my head up - keep looking down the line. Charlie likes to plummet down after the last fence, and it keeps my head from slamming down towards his neck.
- Keep my legs forward. Instead of rolling forward at the end, make sure to think about my legs being in front of me so they don't flip up after the last fence.
The last few fences we worked on Charlie landing to the left lead. John put a ground pole out and so I'd land (looking left and with the whip in my right hand) and try to do a flying change over the ground pole. Charlie didn't, but after a few rounds he voluntarily switched leads by the back door instead of having to go around in a circle. John thinks he'll get it again as we go back to work.
John said the vertical exercise was a good one to do at home because it makes Charlie think about his feet and keeps me out of the way.
Charlie was soaking wet at the end, so I guess I'm going to have to go ahead and clip him (and he's out of shape).
I forgot to mention from the last lesson that John also suggested using the whip next to my leg, instead of back on his rump, with the leg aid, to intensify it. He also suggested I try standing up for an hour or so a day, like when I'm reading, as a way to kind of get up and out of my chair but not have to spend an extra hour away from work.
I love lessons with John. And I got the trailer parked successfully back in its spot, which is what I was the most anxious about.
I felt very - solid and tight - in the jump saddle. A nice strong sort of feeling. And John had me start working in a two point, trying to think of the maximum pressure being my upper/lower leg just below the knee - not pinching with the knee, but that spot right below the knee being the primary pressure point. I was pleasantly surprised with how long it took for my thighs to burn (really my hamstrings), especially after hitting the gym so hard on Tuesday night.
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Dressage lesson after Charlie's vacay
I tried to be efficient with personal life and Charlie, but he ended up with a three week vacation instead of a two week vacation. We saw John a month ago for a great lesson, and I rode Charlie this week to get him ready to go back to work.
First, we went over rider fitness, following up on our last lesson. For prelim, John says I have to take it up a notch. Ideally, I'd be running 6 miles 5 days a week by show season, but because of my dumb foot, I've got to bike. John says I have to do about triple the mileage on the bike for the equivalent of running, so about 80 minutes on the bike at about 80 rpm. John also had some suggestions for PF treatment, which made me realize I have been ignoring it for far too long (since July) hoping it would go away on its own. I need to be more proactive because I'd way rather run than ride the bike for hours and hours.
Then we got to work. He reminded me of the three topline exercises we worked on last year (which I should have looked up on my own; that's the entire purpose of this blog). One was spiral circles in with a counterbend and leg yield on the way out; one was shoulder-in on a long rein; and now I have forgotten the third.
I told him about Charlie leaping around like a mad man on Thursday when I tried to do a serpentine to the quarter line at the canter, and he said "you started flying changes again didn't you?" and I confessed that I had, and he said just leave them alone for a while and we'll work on them later. (He also knew Ashley's horse was bucking with the eyes in the back of his head and how she was riding at that moment!)
I told him how Charlie was stiff and heavy on the left rein at the canter, so the first thing we did, when getting ready to canter right, was ask him to pick up the left lead on a right hand 20 meter circle which made Charlie have to spend a lot of time thinking about his legs, so after a few tries, when he didn't get it, and I asked him to pick up the right lead, it was quite lovely.
For the left lead, I asked him to bend his head way to the inside, then would very softly put it back in position. I'd also lift my hand 8-10 inches up, and then pull back with bicep.
Charlie was great. The Legend booster he got a few weeks ago really seems to make a difference, so my plan is to do injections twice a year and then 8 boosters.
It didn't feel like we rode that long or that hard, but Charlie was quite sweaty (I haven't clipped him yet), and he has not gotten anywhere near that sweaty on our regular rides at home so I guess I'm not working him hard enough.
It was a great lesson. I'm so lucky to have John.
First, we went over rider fitness, following up on our last lesson. For prelim, John says I have to take it up a notch. Ideally, I'd be running 6 miles 5 days a week by show season, but because of my dumb foot, I've got to bike. John says I have to do about triple the mileage on the bike for the equivalent of running, so about 80 minutes on the bike at about 80 rpm. John also had some suggestions for PF treatment, which made me realize I have been ignoring it for far too long (since July) hoping it would go away on its own. I need to be more proactive because I'd way rather run than ride the bike for hours and hours.
Then we got to work. He reminded me of the three topline exercises we worked on last year (which I should have looked up on my own; that's the entire purpose of this blog). One was spiral circles in with a counterbend and leg yield on the way out; one was shoulder-in on a long rein; and now I have forgotten the third.
I told him about Charlie leaping around like a mad man on Thursday when I tried to do a serpentine to the quarter line at the canter, and he said "you started flying changes again didn't you?" and I confessed that I had, and he said just leave them alone for a while and we'll work on them later. (He also knew Ashley's horse was bucking with the eyes in the back of his head and how she was riding at that moment!)
I told him how Charlie was stiff and heavy on the left rein at the canter, so the first thing we did, when getting ready to canter right, was ask him to pick up the left lead on a right hand 20 meter circle which made Charlie have to spend a lot of time thinking about his legs, so after a few tries, when he didn't get it, and I asked him to pick up the right lead, it was quite lovely.
For the left lead, I asked him to bend his head way to the inside, then would very softly put it back in position. I'd also lift my hand 8-10 inches up, and then pull back with bicep.
Charlie was great. The Legend booster he got a few weeks ago really seems to make a difference, so my plan is to do injections twice a year and then 8 boosters.
It didn't feel like we rode that long or that hard, but Charlie was quite sweaty (I haven't clipped him yet), and he has not gotten anywhere near that sweaty on our regular rides at home so I guess I'm not working him hard enough.
It was a great lesson. I'm so lucky to have John.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Humble pie jump lesson
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.
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.
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.
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