In today's lesson with Mike, he had me ride Training tests 1 and 2, which are our first tests of the season at the end of June.
Overall, they went pretty well. The corrections I need to work on are:
- Tipping forward (leaning) at the up transition from trot to canter. I need to think of the "popping a wheelie" up, which makes this nice, lifting transition; instead of a running-into-it transition.
- Working on the free walk across the diaganol. At 3rd level, you maintain the connection. At training, I can throw it away. Not that we want to, but I have been holding poor Willig so tight that he's like "give me more give me more" and I'm all "huh?" up on top, oblivious. This improved like 200%.
- Working on the down transition from trot to walk. I've been giving him the 1-2-3 notice, but then we plummet abruptly into walk. Another easy (yet I never figured it out on my own) fix. I sit, slow the trot down a few steps out, and then start thinking of the elephant's trunk swinging (legs loose and going right-left-right-left) and that makes my hips stay loose, and he just eases like a feather into walk. I had been clamping with my legs and hips as we did the transition. Sigh. Once again, all me.
- Willig was scooting just a bit right down the centerline. This is almost certainly my heavy right hand. Mike suggested riding with a small (5") bridge to become more aware of how often and heavy my right hand is.
- And my circle method worked. I look at the next letter over, and then do the bend to the inside and the inside leg pushing his inside hind leg over, and it comes pretty close each time.
- Avoid rushing the canter. It tends to get longer and stretched out the longer we go, so keep thinking of that wheelie.
After we rode both tests (and then worked on the fixes I described above), we crossed my stirrups and started working in the *new* territory for me. Mike says that at home I should be working 1st and 2nd level so I can ride Training confidently, even with all the show action going on. We did two new-ish things, which were really fun.
First, at the trot, I worked on that feeling of "lifting". I keep the rhythm with my hips, which is hard to explain but easy to feel when Mike says 1-2-1-2, which helps me kind of push into the saddle and have more control. Then I think about pulling my legs back, especially my thighs, applying just a bit with my calf, and at the same time, thinking "lift" with my hands. Every once in a while, nowhere close to 50%, we'll suddenly get it, and I feel Willig's back swell up into me and then it's like floating. It's pretty amazing, but needs lots of work and practice.
Second, at the canter, we worked on popping the wheelie, but also doing the lift, and this one was brand new, so I don't really have vocabulary for it yet. What happened was he did the same sort of floating up with his back, but it was hard to keep him lifted up and not break into trot. This one should be exciting to work on before my next lesson.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
GREAT jump lesson with Shannon!
We had our first jump lesson in a while, and I started it with a great conversation with Shannon that was really, really useful for me putting things into perspective with Willig.
The take-away points were:
- I should go ahead and take him to some of the derbies and enter him in hopeful this year. If we have to be eliminated, scratch, or just look hideous - it doesn't matter, so long as we get around the course. She had to take her guy for three years in hopeful.
- When I ride him, it needs to be more assertively. He's always going to be a chicken, probably, so I have to make up for that and say "Rah! We're going over this jump here!" She doesn't think he doesn't like jumping; he's just easily scared of the other stuff going on. (Her guy was too, and he got over it!)
- What the hell is going on with my right hand? Over fences (not just in dressage) and especially when I get nervous, it is like pulling his head to my thigh. I don't even realize it's happening, so I have to think about "even hands".
- I also have to, on the way to the jump, not pull back. If I'm nervous, kick him forward, but don't pull back.
- And ride him in a defensive position. Think about having my legs in front of me on the way to the fence (and by thinking that, I focus on that and get out of his way for the rest of it), which also means I don't jump ahead, which means that I don't throw everything away, which means that I don't lose my balance, which means that I can react quicker on the other side, and it just keeps getting better. I also feel much more secure and safe.
- The nervousness I'm feeling is "normal" (in the relative scheme of normal, given that some eventers are lunatics). It's ok to not want to jump training level. But I can't start backing off or I'm going to back off of everything (this is me, not Shannon) until I sit in a corner in my house scared of the outside world.
- Most of the horses (quite likely all) have been "pack" horses who have just hauled me around the arena. Willig is the first time I'm really having to learn how to ride, and that's what makes you improve as a rider. Selling him and buying a pack horse would just postpone the lesson (and Shannon agrees he is a handsome guy with some nice qualities) or doom me to a fate of always having to buy packers.
When I put all these things together, Willig did GREAT! He jumped a little course and some things that have been scary for us, and although he didn't always hit his take off point correctly, he didn't have a single bad moment. It was a huge confidence builder. Shannon said that J should keep up with what she's doing, because it is really helping, and also offered for us to go school some at NWEC, which would be great!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Pema Chodron could be writing about riding
Pema is one of my favorite authors, and every time I re-read one of her books, I learn something new. In "The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times", the Prologue reads like it was written for a rider:
"As the Zen master Suzuki Roshi put it, 'In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.'
... the three noble principles [are]: good in the beginning, good in the middle, good at the end. We can begin anything we do ... with the intention to be open, flexible, and kind. Then we can proceed with an inquisitive attitude. ... 'Live your life as an experiment.'
At the end of the activity, whether we feel we have succeeded or failed in our intention, we seal the act by thinking of others ... [and] [w]e wish that anything we learned in our experiment could also benefit them.
In this spirit, I offer this guide on the training of the compassionate warrior. May it be of benefit at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end. May it help move us toward the places that scare us. May it inform our lives and help us to die with no regrets."
"As the Zen master Suzuki Roshi put it, 'In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.'
... the three noble principles [are]: good in the beginning, good in the middle, good at the end. We can begin anything we do ... with the intention to be open, flexible, and kind. Then we can proceed with an inquisitive attitude. ... 'Live your life as an experiment.'
At the end of the activity, whether we feel we have succeeded or failed in our intention, we seal the act by thinking of others ... [and] [w]e wish that anything we learned in our experiment could also benefit them.
In this spirit, I offer this guide on the training of the compassionate warrior. May it be of benefit at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end. May it help move us toward the places that scare us. May it inform our lives and help us to die with no regrets."
Patience, young jedi, patience
I started out whining this lesson - not an enjoyable quality in anyone, but particularly a waste of my valuable time with Mike. Willig was a great horse yesterday, a good horse two days before that, but kind of an idiot the day before those days, when I ventured out on the trail for the first time this year. And by idiot, I mean about 200x better than when I got him, but still not what I want him to be. And I just felt worn down by how far he has come, and how far he still has to go.
So the take away messages were:
- Continue to be patient. Working him slowly, building his confidence, not pushing him too hard - working hard on myself - all of those things are making improvements in him by leaps and bounds, so being frustrated because he's still not a rock solid eventer (and never will be, although Mike things he will progress outside and with fences just as well as he has with dressage) isn't really fair to him.
- Continue to work without stirrups. (Does that even need to be said?)
- Continue to work on the hip-opening feeling. This is actually uncomfortably stretchy, and I have to think about lifting my leg off the saddle, pushing it back off the back of the flap, and then holding it there. Whenever my knee touches the knee roll, my leg has gone too far forward. This one is going to take some effort to make those muscles open up.
- My left shoulder likes to tilt forward. I have to think about pulling it back (which makes me feel, when I'm going right, like I'm looking behind me).
- I need to work on some details, but we have most of the movements for training level tests 1 and 2 down. And I am going to ride them at Mike's show at Forest Park coming up at the end of June:
http://www.mikeosinski.com/images/olympia2010prizelist.pdf
http://www.mikeosinski.com/images/2010DRESSAGEINTHEPARKENTRYFORM.pdf
http://www.mikeosinski.com/
The more detailed version.
After my whining, where Mike asked specifically how Willig was an idiot (and in having to explain, really, guess who the idiot most of the time is? I suspect I have improper expectations, but in reality, I've just lost my nerve, and it actually shakes me up more that I lost my nerve than the actual losing of my nerve), we did both tests.
Willig dropped the canter a couple times, and I have a terrible time seeing the 20 meter circle (I am going to start measuring it out and putting the cones out until I feel it properly), and
- I need to give him 3 strides ahead the heads up that something is about to change - NOT ONE! - When I tell him something is about to happen, we can hit the timing perfectly. When I don't give him enough notice, surprise!, he is a couple steps late.
- It is also ok to sit before the transitions. So just before the corner, start sitting for the transition that will be at A or C. (And start telling him just about then too.)
I have not been understanding what a free walk is. I throw the reins away and doodle along. It is a neck stretching down, like he's grazing, and I keep the contact to remind him "hey!" with my fingers if he pops his head or looks at something, all while encouraging him to move forward with the left-thump right-thump left-thump right-thump. It is not a wide hand pulling his head down to his knees, like I have been doing when I want his head down but "loose" reins. Once he knows what I'm asking, he's nice about it, so I think we can cure this - I've just been doing it wrong.
I need to get my heels OUT OF HIS SIDE and think about my thighs going back off the back of the saddle, but my toes lifting and heels being down. ARGH!
The leg yield out is improving nicely, now that I am feeling where his feet are (inside hip forward, like at the top of a nordic track, is outside hind leg lifting at the walk; at the trot, it is the thump of my butt into the saddle).
We also worked a bit on the proper feeling of the trot - not his dragging around lazy, but a thump thump go! feeling, and then the short side and then a thump thump go! feeling.
The salute is also a 5 step thing, that I never knew how to do (Mike taught me last time, but refreshed this time).
So after all that work, the two dressage tests, and a pep talk, then we went outside and I just rode a couple laps, just as nice as inside, in the outside arena.
Mike said to keep doing that. Next time go a couple feet further. Then a couple feet further. And then, before I know it, we'll be able to work the whole arena.
He said it's ok to keep taking him on trail rides - that any horse looks at the movement in the woods, and that Willig has been quite nice while Mike is watching. (Tom was there for part of the ride, and also observed when I got home that Willig seems to respect Mike and not act up while Mike is watching; I'm going to guess it's that I relax because Mike is watching and can focus on riding instead of worrying about what Willig is going to do).
All in all - another lesson chock full of things to work on, massive improvements, and more goals. And a VERY well behaved Willig, even though I got out there too early, made him wait for dinner until after the ride, and I was a bit scattered today.
I was looking at the dressage tests, since I've kind of given up on the idea of eventing this summer, and we have a lot to learn. Mike thought we could do up through Training Level 4, but I don't know what some of the movements are in First Level, so that is my new goal, is to get solid in Training Level this summer, and start working for First Level for next year. And continue to patiently expose Willig to new things so that maybe next year I can ride him BN.
Also - in filling out the entry form, I had to dig out his records. I forgot that I got him when he was 6. No wonder I scared him with the fences. I set us back probably way more by assuming he was ready and able to do things he wasn't. It helps me look at how far he's come and try to learn some good lessons from it. I hate the thought of having wasted three years of his life.
So the take away messages were:
- Continue to be patient. Working him slowly, building his confidence, not pushing him too hard - working hard on myself - all of those things are making improvements in him by leaps and bounds, so being frustrated because he's still not a rock solid eventer (and never will be, although Mike things he will progress outside and with fences just as well as he has with dressage) isn't really fair to him.
- Continue to work without stirrups. (Does that even need to be said?)
- Continue to work on the hip-opening feeling. This is actually uncomfortably stretchy, and I have to think about lifting my leg off the saddle, pushing it back off the back of the flap, and then holding it there. Whenever my knee touches the knee roll, my leg has gone too far forward. This one is going to take some effort to make those muscles open up.
- My left shoulder likes to tilt forward. I have to think about pulling it back (which makes me feel, when I'm going right, like I'm looking behind me).
- I need to work on some details, but we have most of the movements for training level tests 1 and 2 down. And I am going to ride them at Mike's show at Forest Park coming up at the end of June:
http://www.mikeosinski.com/images/olympia2010prizelist.pdf
http://www.mikeosinski.com/images/2010DRESSAGEINTHEPARKENTRYFORM.pdf
http://www.mikeosinski.com/
The more detailed version.
After my whining, where Mike asked specifically how Willig was an idiot (and in having to explain, really, guess who the idiot most of the time is? I suspect I have improper expectations, but in reality, I've just lost my nerve, and it actually shakes me up more that I lost my nerve than the actual losing of my nerve), we did both tests.
Willig dropped the canter a couple times, and I have a terrible time seeing the 20 meter circle (I am going to start measuring it out and putting the cones out until I feel it properly), and
- I need to give him 3 strides ahead the heads up that something is about to change - NOT ONE! - When I tell him something is about to happen, we can hit the timing perfectly. When I don't give him enough notice, surprise!, he is a couple steps late.
- It is also ok to sit before the transitions. So just before the corner, start sitting for the transition that will be at A or C. (And start telling him just about then too.)
I have not been understanding what a free walk is. I throw the reins away and doodle along. It is a neck stretching down, like he's grazing, and I keep the contact to remind him "hey!" with my fingers if he pops his head or looks at something, all while encouraging him to move forward with the left-thump right-thump left-thump right-thump. It is not a wide hand pulling his head down to his knees, like I have been doing when I want his head down but "loose" reins. Once he knows what I'm asking, he's nice about it, so I think we can cure this - I've just been doing it wrong.
I need to get my heels OUT OF HIS SIDE and think about my thighs going back off the back of the saddle, but my toes lifting and heels being down. ARGH!
The leg yield out is improving nicely, now that I am feeling where his feet are (inside hip forward, like at the top of a nordic track, is outside hind leg lifting at the walk; at the trot, it is the thump of my butt into the saddle).
We also worked a bit on the proper feeling of the trot - not his dragging around lazy, but a thump thump go! feeling, and then the short side and then a thump thump go! feeling.
The salute is also a 5 step thing, that I never knew how to do (Mike taught me last time, but refreshed this time).
So after all that work, the two dressage tests, and a pep talk, then we went outside and I just rode a couple laps, just as nice as inside, in the outside arena.
Mike said to keep doing that. Next time go a couple feet further. Then a couple feet further. And then, before I know it, we'll be able to work the whole arena.
He said it's ok to keep taking him on trail rides - that any horse looks at the movement in the woods, and that Willig has been quite nice while Mike is watching. (Tom was there for part of the ride, and also observed when I got home that Willig seems to respect Mike and not act up while Mike is watching; I'm going to guess it's that I relax because Mike is watching and can focus on riding instead of worrying about what Willig is going to do).
All in all - another lesson chock full of things to work on, massive improvements, and more goals. And a VERY well behaved Willig, even though I got out there too early, made him wait for dinner until after the ride, and I was a bit scattered today.
I was looking at the dressage tests, since I've kind of given up on the idea of eventing this summer, and we have a lot to learn. Mike thought we could do up through Training Level 4, but I don't know what some of the movements are in First Level, so that is my new goal, is to get solid in Training Level this summer, and start working for First Level for next year. And continue to patiently expose Willig to new things so that maybe next year I can ride him BN.
Also - in filling out the entry form, I had to dig out his records. I forgot that I got him when he was 6. No wonder I scared him with the fences. I set us back probably way more by assuming he was ready and able to do things he wasn't. It helps me look at how far he's come and try to learn some good lessons from it. I hate the thought of having wasted three years of his life.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
A lesson involving feeling
I started this lesson by telling Mike that despite last week's lesson being a bunch of new stuff, I felt like I "got it" - until my next ride, where it promptly all fell apart and I couldn't seem to do any of it right.
He almost immediately solved the problem - instead of a "thump" (percussion type aid), I continue to do a "squeeze" (anaconda type aid). So it's impossible to time my aid properly (a thump when his rear hind leg is lifting) when I start squeezing, build up the squeeze, and release - which basically takes three steps to do.
So - wham-o - explanation and now back to practice.
We worked a bit more on feeling the swinging of his belly and which hind leg is moving. This is TRICKY. I put my hand on his back hip and felt it coming up and down and up and down, but matching that feeling to my hips is really confusing. I'm going to have to really work on this one.
Mike also pointed out the very strong difference between my right and left (going right, poor Willig's head is cranked almost to his belly; going left, well, poor Willig's head is still cranked almost to his RIGHT belly). I have to be more aware of that and work really hard on the left.
Then we worked on a "thump" with a check-in with the reins, and then how many strides can Willig hold it - and as he starts to fade, a new "thump" and check-in.
Willig was a bit of a slug today (there was a flappy jacket at the end of the arena that his ears stayed pivoted on, but he couldn't muster up the effort for a spook), but he usually catches on right away and is all thankful "A crisp, clear aid! Thank you Mom!"
Then we took away the stirrups and worked for a while at sitting trot - mostly focusing on the bouncing ball and not leaning too far back, and then thinking about pushing my legs DOWN, instead of clamping with my thigh.
We worked on a super-duper feeling thing here - continuing to move into uncharted territory for me - where I imagined Willig the wheelbarrow leaning onto his front wheel with his butt up in the air, and then I would sit up tall and straight and firm and think about him lifting his shoulders up - and then by some miracle, most of the time, he would. Mike says he has quite a nice trot, and not every horse can lift his shoulders up like that. (At the end of the lesson, I was working again on pushing my leg farther back (thinking off the back of the saddle) and then I could really feel him just loosen up and go. Pretty cool.) But this bit was hard because I could tell that I was doing something that had an effect on him, but other than "sitting up" I can't begin to describe what I was doing (yet).
Then we worked on transition from the sitting trot to the canter - keeping the bouncing ball going all the way into the canter transition - what I do is completely stop moving my hips, and then he does this ugly up transition. If I focus completely on the 1-2-1-2 of my hips, the transition is much nicer.
Then we worked on the down transition (after some "swinging" my seat at the canter), and doing the same - thinking about it with my hips so we just drop into it soft like a feather instead of like a bowling ball - off the Eiffel tower - and lo and behold - I can continue to sit the trot when we do it with focus and concentration.
It was another great lesson, although I think my learning curve is about to flatten out quite a bit since all this is new to me (which is keeping it really interesting and fun and challenging between lessons too!).
He almost immediately solved the problem - instead of a "thump" (percussion type aid), I continue to do a "squeeze" (anaconda type aid). So it's impossible to time my aid properly (a thump when his rear hind leg is lifting) when I start squeezing, build up the squeeze, and release - which basically takes three steps to do.
So - wham-o - explanation and now back to practice.
We worked a bit more on feeling the swinging of his belly and which hind leg is moving. This is TRICKY. I put my hand on his back hip and felt it coming up and down and up and down, but matching that feeling to my hips is really confusing. I'm going to have to really work on this one.
Mike also pointed out the very strong difference between my right and left (going right, poor Willig's head is cranked almost to his belly; going left, well, poor Willig's head is still cranked almost to his RIGHT belly). I have to be more aware of that and work really hard on the left.
Then we worked on a "thump" with a check-in with the reins, and then how many strides can Willig hold it - and as he starts to fade, a new "thump" and check-in.
Willig was a bit of a slug today (there was a flappy jacket at the end of the arena that his ears stayed pivoted on, but he couldn't muster up the effort for a spook), but he usually catches on right away and is all thankful "A crisp, clear aid! Thank you Mom!"
Then we took away the stirrups and worked for a while at sitting trot - mostly focusing on the bouncing ball and not leaning too far back, and then thinking about pushing my legs DOWN, instead of clamping with my thigh.
We worked on a super-duper feeling thing here - continuing to move into uncharted territory for me - where I imagined Willig the wheelbarrow leaning onto his front wheel with his butt up in the air, and then I would sit up tall and straight and firm and think about him lifting his shoulders up - and then by some miracle, most of the time, he would. Mike says he has quite a nice trot, and not every horse can lift his shoulders up like that. (At the end of the lesson, I was working again on pushing my leg farther back (thinking off the back of the saddle) and then I could really feel him just loosen up and go. Pretty cool.) But this bit was hard because I could tell that I was doing something that had an effect on him, but other than "sitting up" I can't begin to describe what I was doing (yet).
Then we worked on transition from the sitting trot to the canter - keeping the bouncing ball going all the way into the canter transition - what I do is completely stop moving my hips, and then he does this ugly up transition. If I focus completely on the 1-2-1-2 of my hips, the transition is much nicer.
Then we worked on the down transition (after some "swinging" my seat at the canter), and doing the same - thinking about it with my hips so we just drop into it soft like a feather instead of like a bowling ball - off the Eiffel tower - and lo and behold - I can continue to sit the trot when we do it with focus and concentration.
It was another great lesson, although I think my learning curve is about to flatten out quite a bit since all this is new to me (which is keeping it really interesting and fun and challenging between lessons too!).
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
First lesson in the new saddle (and in a couple months)
The cat just stepped on the mouse in some magical way and deleted 20 minutes of typing.
The lesson today was great - one of the best.
We worked the first 1/3 on, at each quarter of the circle, a leg yield out which made Willig tall and balanced. This involved a lot of thinking (but more, feeling) on my part. Once I put all the steps together, I could instantly feel the transformation, but as soon as I lost a step, I'd have to start over (1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then magic, then I'd lose my hand, so 1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then ooops, then 1, then 2 ... you get it).
The second 2/3 of the lesson we worked on canter transitions (he did quite nice) and this is probably where we're getting the most solid.
The last 1/3 of the lesson we did a dressage test (and I learned how to salute properly!), but Willig got a bit worked up about having to go past the scary short side, so we need to work on that some more. It was a good lesson for when a tired Willig is hungry but he needs to keep working, but wasn't quite as satisfactory as the first 2/3 of the lesson, which were just more magic.
The 20 minute version said that I am excited, and even though he fell down out of fear of the poodle earlier this week, I love the saddle, and today's ride was the reason I spend all my spare time and money riding.
The lesson today was great - one of the best.
We worked the first 1/3 on, at each quarter of the circle, a leg yield out which made Willig tall and balanced. This involved a lot of thinking (but more, feeling) on my part. Once I put all the steps together, I could instantly feel the transformation, but as soon as I lost a step, I'd have to start over (1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then magic, then I'd lose my hand, so 1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then ooops, then 1, then 2 ... you get it).
The second 2/3 of the lesson we worked on canter transitions (he did quite nice) and this is probably where we're getting the most solid.
The last 1/3 of the lesson we did a dressage test (and I learned how to salute properly!), but Willig got a bit worked up about having to go past the scary short side, so we need to work on that some more. It was a good lesson for when a tired Willig is hungry but he needs to keep working, but wasn't quite as satisfactory as the first 2/3 of the lesson, which were just more magic.
The 20 minute version said that I am excited, and even though he fell down out of fear of the poodle earlier this week, I love the saddle, and today's ride was the reason I spend all my spare time and money riding.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Friday, April 02, 2010
Vacation
I was gone for almost all of March, and spent almost all of February working to make up for being gone almost all of March. I was gone for a good reason (http://wademcdade.com/), but poor Willig ...
Now I'm back, enthusiastic and refreshed, and so keep watching for some good posts coming soon.
Now I'm back, enthusiastic and refreshed, and so keep watching for some good posts coming soon.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Willig may be making his Pinnochio move
Today he got 1 1/2 hours of turn-out in the grass because I had to read something for work (it was sunny and warm - yay!). He never once checked in, but contentedly munched grass, and although some dogs barked, someone was riding a 4-wheeler off in the distance, Pony Clubbers were jumping, and eventually, almost all of the horses went in, he made nary a peep. (There was one jump, but followed quickly by eating.)
So tomorrow he is going to try the grass rotation again. Fingers crossed! I wish *I* lived in one of the grass pastures, they are so nice.
So tomorrow he is going to try the grass rotation again. Fingers crossed! I wish *I* lived in one of the grass pastures, they are so nice.
Hive free!
Last week I cut out Willig's hive-reducing/eliminating supplements, and with a few, infrequent days, he has stayed hive free for the week. Yay. That leaves me free to go on vacation without preparing 70 baggies, and 70 baggies to start out next fall the first second a hive shows up.
He has been swishing his tail quite a bit lately, but he has also been severely neglected - a long weekend away, a doozy of a cold, and massive hours for me at work - means he is lucky to get lunged every other day.
The two rides I have managed to squeeze in over the past two-three weeks, however, were quite enjoyable. I don't think that was because he was particularly good (he had what I would consider "typical" unridden consistently quirks), but because I was just so glad to be riding instead of working that my expectations were different.
Huh. How about that.
I am now thinking maybe it will be worth it to shift my show budget to a training budget for the spring/summer/fall, and have the (now two!) people who can ride him over fences work him a bit outside and see if that, with my work too, helps him progress like he did with dressage.
He has been swishing his tail quite a bit lately, but he has also been severely neglected - a long weekend away, a doozy of a cold, and massive hours for me at work - means he is lucky to get lunged every other day.
The two rides I have managed to squeeze in over the past two-three weeks, however, were quite enjoyable. I don't think that was because he was particularly good (he had what I would consider "typical" unridden consistently quirks), but because I was just so glad to be riding instead of working that my expectations were different.
Huh. How about that.
I am now thinking maybe it will be worth it to shift my show budget to a training budget for the spring/summer/fall, and have the (now two!) people who can ride him over fences work him a bit outside and see if that, with my work too, helps him progress like he did with dressage.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
A full hour in the Regal - oh my
I had my first of two dressage lessons this month with Mike today. I have been focused on trying the various saddles to see what I like and if another saddle came close to the Regal experience (one, and oh my goodness saddle shopping is hard), and at one of the boarder's sage suggestions, I wanted to ride in his saddle again to see if it was just the novelty of riding in one that fit well, or if there really was a magical combination of features that makes it just exactly right.
It seems to be closer to Goldilocks and the porridge than novelty.
So I got to warm up in it, then have my entire lesson in it, and I must say, although my legs got a bit tired towards the end after the work without stirrups, it was really quite, quite nice to ride in and not fight with my own seat and legs.
I started with the dilemma with Willig outside. Mike's thoughts were that Willig has improved tremendously in the time he's been working with us, and he doesn't think he's a nasty mean horse, so he thinks I just need to tackle the outside issue as patiently and calmly and slowly as we did the inside issue, and that future lessons we could do the first half inside and the second half outside.
I agree with this approach, I'm just not sure it will work, but there's nothing to do but try. Mike is more confident that Willig will come along than I am. Mike's also a professional and Willig hasn't tried to buck him off yet, and his points are well taken that a high-spirited horse, once channelled, is more fun to ride than a plodding school horse.
So what we worked on:
This lesson felt like refining to me - thanks to the Regal.
We worked on his bend to the left. My right hand keeps him in a headlock, whether we are going right or left, so he is overbent to the right, and not bent at all to the left. Poor guy. That's why he's started picking up the left lead on a right circle - I'm cranking his head so far I'm sending his back end out. This just takes me paying attention.
We worked on his trot to canter transitions, with no running/falling into them. I have to think about collecting him up (and not letting my reins get long!), and then wheelie into it, instead of blah into it.
He has been breaking after a few canter strides (combined with a tail swish) and Mike thinks he is confused and a bit frustrated because I am clamping my thighs instead of loose legs. Loose legs = nicer moving Willig. Again, something I need to pay attention to.
We worked on the speed and "pulled together" trot, with a three step: 1- ask a bit bigger, 2- ask again, a bit bigger, and 3- ask again, this is just below a lenghtening trot, and oh man it is nice. Willig responds quite nicely. Once Willig starts paying attention, he gets very responsive.
We took away the stirrups and worked on sitting trot and canter, with the down transition being a smooth transition into the speed of trot I want (one that I can actually sit in the Regal), and this was really cool too. We did half circles so that I had to keep him together (and not spend half a circle getting him the way I want, then riding the other half of the circle).
The leg work and position for this was a bit more - thinking of my leg really pushing down and back into him, while the sit part is a belly-to-back but on a bouncing ball, and my upper body is a bit back. This is still not quite together, but I still get a few flashes of it being just right and it feels really good. And, for the first time in my life, I could feel his back leg moving. So it really is possible to time when you ask for a canter or whatever. It was pretty amazing, and Mike says it's also partly about riding with a tighter rein and him pulled together that lets me feel it.
Then we ended with an example of how to introduce something scary - working inside closer and closer to the scary side, we just move that way in stages - towards it, make a circle, a little further, make another circle, a little further, make a circle.
Then, walk towards it, stop, let him look, walk, stop, look, walk, stop, look, all with praise and patting. This was another consistent message - I don't reward him often enough when he does the right thing.
So big messages:
Bent to inside and let go with that cranky right hand
Keep working on sitting trot and the feel
Tighten up my transitions - no throwing him away up or down (for trot/canter and trot/walk)
Be patient with him and help him build confidence
And yes, I really want the Regal.
It seems to be closer to Goldilocks and the porridge than novelty.
So I got to warm up in it, then have my entire lesson in it, and I must say, although my legs got a bit tired towards the end after the work without stirrups, it was really quite, quite nice to ride in and not fight with my own seat and legs.
I started with the dilemma with Willig outside. Mike's thoughts were that Willig has improved tremendously in the time he's been working with us, and he doesn't think he's a nasty mean horse, so he thinks I just need to tackle the outside issue as patiently and calmly and slowly as we did the inside issue, and that future lessons we could do the first half inside and the second half outside.
I agree with this approach, I'm just not sure it will work, but there's nothing to do but try. Mike is more confident that Willig will come along than I am. Mike's also a professional and Willig hasn't tried to buck him off yet, and his points are well taken that a high-spirited horse, once channelled, is more fun to ride than a plodding school horse.
So what we worked on:
This lesson felt like refining to me - thanks to the Regal.
We worked on his bend to the left. My right hand keeps him in a headlock, whether we are going right or left, so he is overbent to the right, and not bent at all to the left. Poor guy. That's why he's started picking up the left lead on a right circle - I'm cranking his head so far I'm sending his back end out. This just takes me paying attention.
We worked on his trot to canter transitions, with no running/falling into them. I have to think about collecting him up (and not letting my reins get long!), and then wheelie into it, instead of blah into it.
He has been breaking after a few canter strides (combined with a tail swish) and Mike thinks he is confused and a bit frustrated because I am clamping my thighs instead of loose legs. Loose legs = nicer moving Willig. Again, something I need to pay attention to.
We worked on the speed and "pulled together" trot, with a three step: 1- ask a bit bigger, 2- ask again, a bit bigger, and 3- ask again, this is just below a lenghtening trot, and oh man it is nice. Willig responds quite nicely. Once Willig starts paying attention, he gets very responsive.
We took away the stirrups and worked on sitting trot and canter, with the down transition being a smooth transition into the speed of trot I want (one that I can actually sit in the Regal), and this was really cool too. We did half circles so that I had to keep him together (and not spend half a circle getting him the way I want, then riding the other half of the circle).
The leg work and position for this was a bit more - thinking of my leg really pushing down and back into him, while the sit part is a belly-to-back but on a bouncing ball, and my upper body is a bit back. This is still not quite together, but I still get a few flashes of it being just right and it feels really good. And, for the first time in my life, I could feel his back leg moving. So it really is possible to time when you ask for a canter or whatever. It was pretty amazing, and Mike says it's also partly about riding with a tighter rein and him pulled together that lets me feel it.
Then we ended with an example of how to introduce something scary - working inside closer and closer to the scary side, we just move that way in stages - towards it, make a circle, a little further, make another circle, a little further, make a circle.
Then, walk towards it, stop, let him look, walk, stop, look, walk, stop, look, all with praise and patting. This was another consistent message - I don't reward him often enough when he does the right thing.
So big messages:
Bent to inside and let go with that cranky right hand
Keep working on sitting trot and the feel
Tighten up my transitions - no throwing him away up or down (for trot/canter and trot/walk)
Be patient with him and help him build confidence
And yes, I really want the Regal.
Saddle features
For my lesson today, Mike let me ride in his Regal again. I wanted to compare it now that I have ridden in a handful of other saddles.
Although this time there were no angels singing (the last lesson in it does appear to have been a perfect confluence of timing), it was still far superior to the other saddles I tried.
As best I can tell, here is what I like:
Narrow twist (although I'm not sure I can feel the difference)
A high, steep pommel
A small knee roll (triangle shaped, with the small pointy end at the bottom) that is set kind of high
Deep seat
Slightly forward panels
And the straight down leg position for the stirrup bar
So I'm going to try a few more, but if I can't find anything close, I am thinking it may be worth it to try to find a way to get a Regal.
Although this time there were no angels singing (the last lesson in it does appear to have been a perfect confluence of timing), it was still far superior to the other saddles I tried.
As best I can tell, here is what I like:
Narrow twist (although I'm not sure I can feel the difference)
A high, steep pommel
A small knee roll (triangle shaped, with the small pointy end at the bottom) that is set kind of high
Deep seat
Slightly forward panels
And the straight down leg position for the stirrup bar
So I'm going to try a few more, but if I can't find anything close, I am thinking it may be worth it to try to find a way to get a Regal.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
First jump lesson of the year
During the dark, dreary days of winter, Willig was mostly jump-free. I can only think of two times I jumped him (though there could have been a couple other efforts that I forgot) - once inside over a simple vertical (2'), which he did consistently with no hitches, which led me to take him outside last weekend, where he was a total jerk-face and tried to buck me off several times. I already had a lesson for January and a lesson for February with Shannon scheduled - as much as I can squeeze in because of a big vacation in March and a little too much going on, so his misbehavior and my massive, massive disappointment and frustration, was well timed to talk with Shannon at the first lesson.
We chatted a bit, then she set up two jumps (two of the plastic blocks that become 2' when vertical) with ground lines on either side, the "usual" distance apart (which I need to look up from a prior lesson). So I rode him in a circle, first over just one, then over both, then she converted one from a cross rail to a vertical, then the other, then one turned into an oxer; and of course, both directions.
While it wasn't perfection, it was pretty smooth, and kind of the "same old same old" instructions - stop jumping ahead & just wait for him; keep my reins shorter and my hands farther up his neck; sit deep and up when approaching the fence; and if he's on the wrong lead, that's his own problem - it's a circle and I'm looking, so he needs to figure out how to land.
Then, against my desire, we went outside, where Shannon set up exactly the same exercise, and we did it outside. Again, without a hitch. Towards the end I got a bit tired, and it was a bit uglier than inside, but it wasn't a big deal.
So the take-aways:
- Don't push him where I want him to be instead of where he is. Ride him inside - if he's good - end with a few minutes outside of the same thing, after he's tired. Build his confidence by successfully doing little challenges instead of making him stressed.
- Shannon pointed out that we're better to the left, because my outside hand is my right hand (the dominant one). Interestingly, that's started to show up cantering also, so I must be doing something with my right hand going to the right (or my body) but I have no idea what.
- Do NOT let him get away with his ping-pong head. He doesn't get to decide where to look, and even when we're just standing there or I'm leading him, I need to be consistent with "pay attention to me and watch scary things out of the corner of your eye".
Overall, it was a nice lesson, a good confidence builder for both of us, and gave me the structure that I need to start working him over fences again.
Another post (I'm so tired, all the time), I'll talk about my "plan", which is to put him up for sale while concurrently working him much harder and more consistently over fences, to see if he can make the same kind of progress there that he did with the dressage. (We don't think it's the fences or the jumping, just the stimuli outside.) Also, Shannon said I can ride her horse to be reminded what it's like to jump where it isn't a terrifying sweat-fest.
We chatted a bit, then she set up two jumps (two of the plastic blocks that become 2' when vertical) with ground lines on either side, the "usual" distance apart (which I need to look up from a prior lesson). So I rode him in a circle, first over just one, then over both, then she converted one from a cross rail to a vertical, then the other, then one turned into an oxer; and of course, both directions.
While it wasn't perfection, it was pretty smooth, and kind of the "same old same old" instructions - stop jumping ahead & just wait for him; keep my reins shorter and my hands farther up his neck; sit deep and up when approaching the fence; and if he's on the wrong lead, that's his own problem - it's a circle and I'm looking, so he needs to figure out how to land.
Then, against my desire, we went outside, where Shannon set up exactly the same exercise, and we did it outside. Again, without a hitch. Towards the end I got a bit tired, and it was a bit uglier than inside, but it wasn't a big deal.
So the take-aways:
- Don't push him where I want him to be instead of where he is. Ride him inside - if he's good - end with a few minutes outside of the same thing, after he's tired. Build his confidence by successfully doing little challenges instead of making him stressed.
- Shannon pointed out that we're better to the left, because my outside hand is my right hand (the dominant one). Interestingly, that's started to show up cantering also, so I must be doing something with my right hand going to the right (or my body) but I have no idea what.
- Do NOT let him get away with his ping-pong head. He doesn't get to decide where to look, and even when we're just standing there or I'm leading him, I need to be consistent with "pay attention to me and watch scary things out of the corner of your eye".
Overall, it was a nice lesson, a good confidence builder for both of us, and gave me the structure that I need to start working him over fences again.
Another post (I'm so tired, all the time), I'll talk about my "plan", which is to put him up for sale while concurrently working him much harder and more consistently over fences, to see if he can make the same kind of progress there that he did with the dressage. (We don't think it's the fences or the jumping, just the stimuli outside.) Also, Shannon said I can ride her horse to be reminded what it's like to jump where it isn't a terrifying sweat-fest.
Blanket Temperatures
In October, Practical Horseman had an incredibly useful (and missed by me until January) blanket guide.
For a horse like Willig who is in the barn at night, turned out during the day, and has a partial clip:
60 F - Turnout sheet if rainy or windy
50 F - Turnout sheet
40 F - Lightweight turnout
30 F - Midweight turnout
20 F - Midweight turnout
10 F and below - Heavyweight turnout & hood
And here's the blanket insulation and how it translates:
0 grams - Sheet
100 grams - Lightweight
200 grams - Midweight
300 grams - Heavyweight
I suspect I have been WAY overblanketing him.
Due to his sensitive skin, I also try to use high neck or hood as much as I can for rain.
For a horse like Willig who is in the barn at night, turned out during the day, and has a partial clip:
60 F - Turnout sheet if rainy or windy
50 F - Turnout sheet
40 F - Lightweight turnout
30 F - Midweight turnout
20 F - Midweight turnout
10 F and below - Heavyweight turnout & hood
And here's the blanket insulation and how it translates:
0 grams - Sheet
100 grams - Lightweight
200 grams - Midweight
300 grams - Heavyweight
I suspect I have been WAY overblanketing him.
Due to his sensitive skin, I also try to use high neck or hood as much as I can for rain.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saddle ranking upset
Yesterday I rode in an Albion SLK Ultima, MW 17 1/2". It was divine. It was almost as great as Mike's Regal. I didn't have quite the soft, cemented seat that I did in the Regal, but it was pretty close.
So the ranking is now, well, it doesn't matter - Albion and Regal are basically neck and neck.
The downside I'm seeing with the Regal is that the used ones are almost impossible to find, and since they are all custom, would need to be adjusted and might not feel like Mike's, depending on the specifications of the person who first bought it. And the Albion is cheaper new than a custom-made Regal, but about the same price and almost as hard to find used.
There are some lower Albions - the Ultima I think is the grippy leather, and the SLK is another feature, so it might be interesting to try to find some of the other Albions and see how they compare.
Of the three Washington tack stores, there are only a handful of 17.5, MW, and none in the Albion and no Regals at all.
This could be a long, long process.
So the ranking is now, well, it doesn't matter - Albion and Regal are basically neck and neck.
The downside I'm seeing with the Regal is that the used ones are almost impossible to find, and since they are all custom, would need to be adjusted and might not feel like Mike's, depending on the specifications of the person who first bought it. And the Albion is cheaper new than a custom-made Regal, but about the same price and almost as hard to find used.
There are some lower Albions - the Ultima I think is the grippy leather, and the SLK is another feature, so it might be interesting to try to find some of the other Albions and see how they compare.
Of the three Washington tack stores, there are only a handful of 17.5, MW, and none in the Albion and no Regals at all.
This could be a long, long process.
Friday, January 22, 2010
First three saddle test ride results
Holding steady in first place, not surprisingly, is the Regal saddle of my trainer's:
http://www.regalsaddles.ca/saddles.htm
http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-display/11243.html
I have found one for sale used.
As I described in the post below, the heavens opened up and angels sang when I rode in this one. Everything about it was perfection. That may have been because Mike broke it in? I found a bad review online and heard about a similar experience for the customer service.
Second place, the Anky Euro XCH saddle:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/anky-euro-xch-dressage-saddle/p/X1-15645/cn/1707/
http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-display/9422.html
This one was a much closer second than I expected. I could not sit quite as well and the saddle didn't hold me effortlessly in exactly the right position so that I could use all my aids by just breathing what I wanted. It was a 17.5" MW, and my knee didn't quite make it to the front roll, so maybe I need a 17"?
A very close second though. I really want to try it in 17".
Third place, the Niedersuss Symphony:
http://dressagestars.com/symphony__6.html
http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-display/4222.html
I loved what this one did with my seat - especially in the walk, I could really feel him respond to my hip bones and forward motion. But I had to keep pushing my knee back really hard to keep it from riding up on the knee roll. It also kept my lower leg really stable and still.
Fourth place, my existing saddle, the Dover's Circuit:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/circuit-dressage-saddle/p/X1-15012/cn/91/
When I got this two years ago, I had to buy two new saddles because neither of my existing saddles fit Willig (but fit the thoroughbred), and sadly, it appears that I ignorantly bought the wrong size. It was a screaming deal (I did some math today and it has been about $1.67/ride!), but now that I have tried the other saddles, it is like riding around on a greased bouncy ball. While it has probably taught me some extra super duper awareness of my legs, it has also made my life that much harder. This may be because it is a wide, and the other saddles have all been regular or medium or medium-wide (whatever the makers call "regular"), and so this saddle has never fit Willig properly.
Fortunately, two more of the delightful wonderful fellow boarders have offered to let me try their dressage saddles, and I am going to go by the tack store and sit in a bunch this weekend to see if any others leap out at me like Mike's did.
http://www.regalsaddles.ca/saddles.htm
http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-display/11243.html
I have found one for sale used.
As I described in the post below, the heavens opened up and angels sang when I rode in this one. Everything about it was perfection. That may have been because Mike broke it in? I found a bad review online and heard about a similar experience for the customer service.
Second place, the Anky Euro XCH saddle:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/anky-euro-xch-dressage-saddle/p/X1-15645/cn/1707/
http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-display/9422.html
This one was a much closer second than I expected. I could not sit quite as well and the saddle didn't hold me effortlessly in exactly the right position so that I could use all my aids by just breathing what I wanted. It was a 17.5" MW, and my knee didn't quite make it to the front roll, so maybe I need a 17"?
A very close second though. I really want to try it in 17".
Third place, the Niedersuss Symphony:
http://dressagestars.com/symphony__6.html
http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-display/4222.html
I loved what this one did with my seat - especially in the walk, I could really feel him respond to my hip bones and forward motion. But I had to keep pushing my knee back really hard to keep it from riding up on the knee roll. It also kept my lower leg really stable and still.
Fourth place, my existing saddle, the Dover's Circuit:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/circuit-dressage-saddle/p/X1-15012/cn/91/
When I got this two years ago, I had to buy two new saddles because neither of my existing saddles fit Willig (but fit the thoroughbred), and sadly, it appears that I ignorantly bought the wrong size. It was a screaming deal (I did some math today and it has been about $1.67/ride!), but now that I have tried the other saddles, it is like riding around on a greased bouncy ball. While it has probably taught me some extra super duper awareness of my legs, it has also made my life that much harder. This may be because it is a wide, and the other saddles have all been regular or medium or medium-wide (whatever the makers call "regular"), and so this saddle has never fit Willig properly.
Fortunately, two more of the delightful wonderful fellow boarders have offered to let me try their dressage saddles, and I am going to go by the tack store and sit in a bunch this weekend to see if any others leap out at me like Mike's did.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Ba-da-bing!! Your saddle fit really does make a difference (duh).
On the 19th I had one of my (best efforts) twice-a-month lessons with Mike. I wanted to cancel, because from the last lesson to this one, I only got to ride about 5 times (about half what I wanted). All I can say is thank goodness I didn't.
It was the best lesson and quite likely, the best ride of my life.
Five key points:
1. Straighten my leg now, not push my lower leg back. I have to think about making my knee and thigh straight, but it is pretty amazing how straight and how far back they go. It is still taking some getting used to with my seat though, when they hang directly under me. But from the beginning (knee bent up in front of the saddle flap) to now - wow.
2. Rein pressure is "cradling a baby". It is both heavier than I am capable of remembering in between lessons, but if this makes any sense at all, with a soft hand. I pull back (thinking the classic elbows to hips) and when he gives with his head (which I can feel! yay!) I praise him.
3. Keep improving my position from my last lesson: butt wipes the saddle in the canter, and the slightly different but similar for the sitting trot. I also need to lean back a little more. Work on sitting the trot with 1/2 the finger strength (which is, entirely, Dumbo's feather).
4. Ride a stretchy circle - play with my reins as I let them out so the contact stays there.
**5.** (What made this the best ride of my life.) Mike had his saddle out (a custom-made Ryder (?) for his super nice horse, Pablo) for the lesson before mine, and we had been doing quite well and I had finally proven that I am capable of actually practicing what he is telling me in between lessons (like keeping my &*#&* heel down), and so he said that I was doing well, let's see if the saddle was holding Willig back any (he said, in the very first lesson, that it didn't fit him properly). I'm not sure it was holding Willig back, but let's just say it was - fireworks - stars in my eyes - a 100x improvement - and oh, uh, yeah - the best ride of my life. I just SAT in Mike's saddle and was like "oh". I have never - in my entire life - sat in a saddle that fit properly before. The light bulb went off. The saddle was comfortable. It helped me. I didn't have to fight it to ride.
As a result, we could do anything. I could sit the trot. I could lengthen and shorten his stride with just my seat. I could bend him. I could get him up on the bit. I didn't have to fight my legs or my heels or my hips. It was completely eye-opening.
And of course, now I have to come up with the money (we are definitely going to have to do used) and find the right saddle for Willig, because I don't even want to ride again in my sucky non-fitting saddle and lose the feeling of riding in Mike's. I could have ridden in it all day. I don't even know why I'd jump - it was so amazing to just ride in it. I wish I had one for work, to sit at my desk.
Oh yeah, and Willig? Once I quit flapping around up there, he just responded beautifully. Like a Ferrari.
Why in the world would I have been making something I'm not particularly gifted at, on a horse who is relatively sensitive, doing things slightly above my level, mostly by myself, 500 times harder by poorly fitting tack?
So Step 1 - new dressage saddle.
Step 2 is tied between the new (light weight) trailer or a new jump saddle - because if it even makes 1/2 the difference, it will be totally worth it to feel solid over the fences.
Mike has my undying devotion now. He has been right on about everything (like to just wait to jump until we reached a certain point in dressage, and lo and behold, that worked too once I quit jumping for a couple months and focused like he suggested), and has, in 6 months, made me a better rider than all my experience in my life so far.
It was the best lesson and quite likely, the best ride of my life.
Five key points:
1. Straighten my leg now, not push my lower leg back. I have to think about making my knee and thigh straight, but it is pretty amazing how straight and how far back they go. It is still taking some getting used to with my seat though, when they hang directly under me. But from the beginning (knee bent up in front of the saddle flap) to now - wow.
2. Rein pressure is "cradling a baby". It is both heavier than I am capable of remembering in between lessons, but if this makes any sense at all, with a soft hand. I pull back (thinking the classic elbows to hips) and when he gives with his head (which I can feel! yay!) I praise him.
3. Keep improving my position from my last lesson: butt wipes the saddle in the canter, and the slightly different but similar for the sitting trot. I also need to lean back a little more. Work on sitting the trot with 1/2 the finger strength (which is, entirely, Dumbo's feather).
4. Ride a stretchy circle - play with my reins as I let them out so the contact stays there.
**5.** (What made this the best ride of my life.) Mike had his saddle out (a custom-made Ryder (?) for his super nice horse, Pablo) for the lesson before mine, and we had been doing quite well and I had finally proven that I am capable of actually practicing what he is telling me in between lessons (like keeping my &*#&* heel down), and so he said that I was doing well, let's see if the saddle was holding Willig back any (he said, in the very first lesson, that it didn't fit him properly). I'm not sure it was holding Willig back, but let's just say it was - fireworks - stars in my eyes - a 100x improvement - and oh, uh, yeah - the best ride of my life. I just SAT in Mike's saddle and was like "oh". I have never - in my entire life - sat in a saddle that fit properly before. The light bulb went off. The saddle was comfortable. It helped me. I didn't have to fight it to ride.
As a result, we could do anything. I could sit the trot. I could lengthen and shorten his stride with just my seat. I could bend him. I could get him up on the bit. I didn't have to fight my legs or my heels or my hips. It was completely eye-opening.
And of course, now I have to come up with the money (we are definitely going to have to do used) and find the right saddle for Willig, because I don't even want to ride again in my sucky non-fitting saddle and lose the feeling of riding in Mike's. I could have ridden in it all day. I don't even know why I'd jump - it was so amazing to just ride in it. I wish I had one for work, to sit at my desk.
Oh yeah, and Willig? Once I quit flapping around up there, he just responded beautifully. Like a Ferrari.
Why in the world would I have been making something I'm not particularly gifted at, on a horse who is relatively sensitive, doing things slightly above my level, mostly by myself, 500 times harder by poorly fitting tack?
So Step 1 - new dressage saddle.
Step 2 is tied between the new (light weight) trailer or a new jump saddle - because if it even makes 1/2 the difference, it will be totally worth it to feel solid over the fences.
Mike has my undying devotion now. He has been right on about everything (like to just wait to jump until we reached a certain point in dressage, and lo and behold, that worked too once I quit jumping for a couple months and focused like he suggested), and has, in 6 months, made me a better rider than all my experience in my life so far.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Misc
From my last lesson - more transitions = more listening to my aids. Willig responds really well to this.
And Mike has an article about judging dressage in the January Flying Changes:
http://www.flyingchanges.com/
And Mike has an article about judging dressage in the January Flying Changes:
http://www.flyingchanges.com/
Sheath cleaning
For my records - Willig's sheath, tail, and lower legs got cleaned during the surprise nice weather we had yesterday. His tail was pretty dandruffy and his sheath had a surprising amount of gunk - no big beans, but still, a fair amount.
I jumped him today over a little 2' vertical, and he was just as great as could be. I woke up in the middle of the night last night - out of nowhere afraid to jump him - and one of the other evening riders was there with me tonight so I just set up the one pole and jumped it both ways from the trot, canter (2x each, each direction) and then a trot, canter, trot. Not a blip.
Also, we have a "new" boarder at the barn, and she was the prior boarder I heard about who had a horse with hives too. Not good news - she tried pretty much every single thing imaginable and nothing worked.
I jumped him today over a little 2' vertical, and he was just as great as could be. I woke up in the middle of the night last night - out of nowhere afraid to jump him - and one of the other evening riders was there with me tonight so I just set up the one pole and jumped it both ways from the trot, canter (2x each, each direction) and then a trot, canter, trot. Not a blip.
Also, we have a "new" boarder at the barn, and she was the prior boarder I heard about who had a horse with hives too. Not good news - she tried pretty much every single thing imaginable and nothing worked.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Out of order - my December lesson with Mike
December was not my greatest month for riding. At the beginning we were still working on the hives, and then work and the holidays actually resulted in less riding, rather than more, like I hoped for.
So I am about to do something novel, and compare a lesson with Mike to the Biggest Loser. But trust me, it makes sense.
So this lesson, what I heard Mike say during the lesson was: "Do not make me tell you one more time to put your heels down. I know you can do it." This is in a very mild, slightly reproachful tone of voice. One that I know *I* wouldn't be able to keep if I was telling someone something obvious for the oh, 200th time in 5 months.
So the way I remembered it was like this:
http://vodpod.com/watch/1302442-trainer-bob-harpers-meltdown-biggest-loser-joelle
Now, I apologize, the link is very long, but two minutes in you have the full impact of every single time I got on Willig and I thought "put those f**&*ing heels down" (to myself).
What else was this lesson about? Well, that was all I really walked away with. But it turns out, I'm capable of working on one thing at a time.
Mike agreed that the alfalfa diet may be helping Willig, although most of the stuff I read said "no alfalfa-only diets".
He also said to think of Willig as an introvert, who needs me to be assertive about what we're doing. This was hugely helpful for me, instead of thinking of him like an asshole who is willfully disobedient.
I spent the two really cold weeks and another hivey week teaching Willig on the lunge line not to sproing his head up like a giraffe every time we went past the door to the outside. While it was interesting how quickly Willig learned (and applied his new knowledge), especially with the simple addition of treats, my error in this was that I ... taught Willig to run around on his forehand. So thankfully, Mike saw me lunging and corrected that too.
We also "graduated" from draw reins all the time to draw reins when he's having a bobbly head-idiot day. Mike pointed out when it's cold and rainy, sometimes they need that 20 minutes to be an idiot and get it out, then get down to work. (This was also a huge success for the rest of the month before my next lesson.)
We continued to work on a "20 meter" size arena - off the rail instead of going right along the wall.
Mike also suggested that we continue to work our way down to the scary zone, not just shoot right down there, but wait until I've got Willig controlled and bending and working properly, then get a little closer and a little closer. Again, who knows what it is, but most horses develop a fear of it, and Mike said he's been here 10 years and sees them scared of it all the time. It's actually, I can't believe my negative personality is saying this, kind of a good thing, because it is helping me know what to do and how to react, how big to react, how to feel a reaction coming, etc., which will apply really well in a scary show situation. Willig is learning to trust me too. Amazingly, every time I have asked him to go past it, nothing has killed him. It may yet, but he's getting a tiny, tiny bit more comfortable.
Did I mention lots of this lesson was about my heels? Go back to the basics and focus on this because it's very important.
We worked a bit on his eye to the inside and momentum, and me asking for it, not just waiting for him to offer it, and bending and looking ahead and me just ignoring the scary side. (Me looking ahead was also a huge success. Another one from my more recent lesson that I forgot to write about in that post was punish (smack with whip) but REWARD (!!!) when he responds. I am a terrible rewarder.
Finally, at the canter, keep thinking about that bike wheelie. I throw the contact away, which was true. I feel the slight lean forward, and I need to think lean back.
My take away message was more consistency, assertiveness, and back to focusing on some basics. I was happy though that I got permission to graduate from the draw reins.
So I am about to do something novel, and compare a lesson with Mike to the Biggest Loser. But trust me, it makes sense.
So this lesson, what I heard Mike say during the lesson was: "Do not make me tell you one more time to put your heels down. I know you can do it." This is in a very mild, slightly reproachful tone of voice. One that I know *I* wouldn't be able to keep if I was telling someone something obvious for the oh, 200th time in 5 months.
So the way I remembered it was like this:
http://vodpod.com/watch/1302442-trainer-bob-harpers-meltdown-biggest-loser-joelle
Now, I apologize, the link is very long, but two minutes in you have the full impact of every single time I got on Willig and I thought "put those f**&*ing heels down" (to myself).
What else was this lesson about? Well, that was all I really walked away with. But it turns out, I'm capable of working on one thing at a time.
Mike agreed that the alfalfa diet may be helping Willig, although most of the stuff I read said "no alfalfa-only diets".
He also said to think of Willig as an introvert, who needs me to be assertive about what we're doing. This was hugely helpful for me, instead of thinking of him like an asshole who is willfully disobedient.
I spent the two really cold weeks and another hivey week teaching Willig on the lunge line not to sproing his head up like a giraffe every time we went past the door to the outside. While it was interesting how quickly Willig learned (and applied his new knowledge), especially with the simple addition of treats, my error in this was that I ... taught Willig to run around on his forehand. So thankfully, Mike saw me lunging and corrected that too.
We also "graduated" from draw reins all the time to draw reins when he's having a bobbly head-idiot day. Mike pointed out when it's cold and rainy, sometimes they need that 20 minutes to be an idiot and get it out, then get down to work. (This was also a huge success for the rest of the month before my next lesson.)
We continued to work on a "20 meter" size arena - off the rail instead of going right along the wall.
Mike also suggested that we continue to work our way down to the scary zone, not just shoot right down there, but wait until I've got Willig controlled and bending and working properly, then get a little closer and a little closer. Again, who knows what it is, but most horses develop a fear of it, and Mike said he's been here 10 years and sees them scared of it all the time. It's actually, I can't believe my negative personality is saying this, kind of a good thing, because it is helping me know what to do and how to react, how big to react, how to feel a reaction coming, etc., which will apply really well in a scary show situation. Willig is learning to trust me too. Amazingly, every time I have asked him to go past it, nothing has killed him. It may yet, but he's getting a tiny, tiny bit more comfortable.
Did I mention lots of this lesson was about my heels? Go back to the basics and focus on this because it's very important.
We worked a bit on his eye to the inside and momentum, and me asking for it, not just waiting for him to offer it, and bending and looking ahead and me just ignoring the scary side. (Me looking ahead was also a huge success. Another one from my more recent lesson that I forgot to write about in that post was punish (smack with whip) but REWARD (!!!) when he responds. I am a terrible rewarder.
Finally, at the canter, keep thinking about that bike wheelie. I throw the contact away, which was true. I feel the slight lean forward, and I need to think lean back.
My take away message was more consistency, assertiveness, and back to focusing on some basics. I was happy though that I got permission to graduate from the draw reins.
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