DefinitelyDressage.com

Ponichiwa

I am not a world-class level show rider, but I have been reasonably successful when I've implemented the following strategies: 1. Know your test(s) inside/outside/backwards. I visualize my ride via going through the test on foot (usually in the aisle in front of my stalls, which gets some fun looks ...

Ponichiwa

Lovely pictures, all. Heddy-- congrats on the trailer loading progress! Already starting to look like a non-event. Anne-- you and your guy look great. I'm impressed with his balance; looks like a big horse now! Short update on Queso: We've got leg yields. I repeat, we've got leg yields. I think his ...

Ponichiwa

I'm in a similar place with my greenie. We've gotten to the stage now where we're not hitting major milestones every ride anymore-- I guess we're actually starting on some "dressage". What we're doing: - Transitions off of the rail (centerline, quarterlines), including halts. Starting to g...

Ponichiwa

I've been struggling to get across the need to sit and also turn in the canter pirouettes with Kiwi, until it hit me that I can do them towards the wall. Immediate improvement, even though we were easily still 10m away.

Ponichiwa

I suspect this (once again) may be a function of type of horse that you ride. People riding horses that tend to curl may subconsciously push out the neck in the canter to fill the rein. People riding the big long horses will notice that the canter, because of its uphill beat, does put the horse in a...

Ponichiwa

2019: Great start, tough follow-up. In my first week back at work after the holidays, I was a paragon of accomplishment. Workouts before work? Check. Eating well? Check. Riding both horses after work? Check, and also they were great. On the up-and-up. Then all of the leadership got back into the off...

Ponichiwa

I've been on a nonfiction/biography kick for several years now. I've just finished Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Leadership: In Turbulent Times" and really enjoyed how she framed the 4 presidents' path towards channeling their own leadership qualities through their own crucibles (war, economic d...

Ponichiwa

Happy new year, everybody! I'm always in for these threads. I love watching everyone's progress! In the next two months, here's what we'll be working on: Kiwi: - Half steps 2x/month - Transitions between collected and medium or extended trot - Fluency in half passes - Canter pirouette work 1x/week Q...

Ponichiwa

Well, it's very nearly time to wrap this thing up. Here's what I said I was going to do: My crew and I are in. Looks like there may be some new-to-the-thread "faces" around here, so here's a quick rundown of who we are and where we're headed: Kiwi, 2007 GRP, consistently schooling somewher...

Ponichiwa

I wouldn't have even thought of that, Piedmontfields. Pollyanna over here, thinking quietly to myself that PPE results are essentially worth nothing to me once I've had the horse for a while, and certainly worth $0 if I sell the horse, so I wouldn't be especially put off by a request to see them. Th...

Ponichiwa

I'm so very sorry for your loss. Pets take a little bit of us with them when they go.

Ponichiwa

I, too, can chime in with a challenging horse! I've even dedicated a thread to mine (from 2016): http://definitelydressage.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1408&sid=a1ab0c469bb7100fff3177b88b9b0d87#p22093 This year has had its triumphs and nadirs: - We solidified the 3rd level work with Kiwi to the p...

Ponichiwa

Agreed with the above-- would also consider leading with "No vices" instead of "No rear, no buck", but ultimately up to you.

I prefer a more matter-of-fact approach to horse descriptions vs. flowery language. Good video and good pictures go a long way.

Ponichiwa

The answer is to anticipate the upbeat! That's why counting (out loud) several strides before you think about asking for a change is really helpful.

Ponichiwa

Blob-- are you a musician by any chance? I've found asking on the "up beat" of the canter helps clarify the timing issue. By the time you get to the downbeat (ONE-two-three of the canter), it's too late to aid. Counting out loud, even if it makes you feel a bit silly, can help solidify the...

Ponichiwa

This isn't a huge community, so it's a bit of a bummer when anyone gets the boot (or chooses to leave). Drat. Was looking forward to her finding the perfect horse.

Ponichiwa

Did Tsavo ever find her dream horse? Haven't "seen" her around lately.

Ponichiwa

I took my horses to a show on Saturday and am pleased to report that Kiwi broke 60% on both 3rd level tests (although there was plenty of room for improvement thanks to tension), and Queso handled a busy warm-up ring in a strange place like a champ. His scores aren't really anything to write home ab...

Ponichiwa

We're back home from the show, and guess who won his first class? This little cutie: https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/48278067_10156973477595990_7270263855459074048_o.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=460f4ebf7b91ca82580a1c7702b632b5&oe=5CAC8C60

Ponichiwa

I can't blame you... https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/47390665_10156958357685990_3835782910636457984_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=ec00b98963e103891d8d253a31b706de&oe=5CAF7EB5 I honestly have never had a horse that had perfect conformation for dressage (even...

Ponichiwa

Sidebar. Why are so many top stallions nowadays black? I noticed that too. A lot of imports coming from Europe are black as well. I think black horses are more of a "dream horse" color, intense, etc. Could be trendy or just genetics playing out-- I don't have anything to do with it so it'...

Ponichiwa

MC, how frustrating! I've got Kiwi in an Obrigado (sigh) and love it, but it seems that the Schleese experience really is regionally sensitive. That said, you may have better luck getting in touch with Schleese central vs. the local saddlefitter re: getting on a fitting schedule. If you can get a he...

Ponichiwa

If you're not already, you might want to get in touch with the COTH poster Xctrygirl. She's imported 2 horses in the last yearish from the UK (jumpers, not eventers) and may have some tips for you. Potentially both contacts and logistics. https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/hu...

Ponichiwa

Well. Signed Queso up for a local schooling show. Fewer than 50 rides under our belt-- time to go show!

Ponichiwa

Sidebar. Why are so many top stallions nowadays black?

Ponichiwa

I got a little Texas young-horse training help by way of a botfly over the weekend-- broke Queso right out of his "this creek bed is scary" balk right when I put my leg on to ask for one more step forward. I'd rather be lucky than good any day. His Cuteness before I cleaned him up: https:/...

Ponichiwa

I'm sorry for all those out of commission due to injuries. Heal up and get well soon! Queso and I have been alternating "real" work days (with all that bothersome baby-bending and arena work) with just happily hacking around the property. Things were going well, as we admired the work of t...

Ponichiwa

Oops! Shame on me for not reading. Good luck!

Ponichiwa

Re: Dressuer-- you could also bridge your reins and get a similar outcome as the bucking strap. Chisamba-- the difference of leg vs. seat aids may be an entirely mental game for me. I know when I was focusing on my leg aids, I tipped forward or rocked side to side more. When I think about minimal le...

Ponichiwa

walking each new hip bone straight forward Ponichiwa - talk more about this! We're working on sequence changes with not so much counting, just asking when organized. I feel like I've got a bunch of little niggly things interfering with our progress (which I won't bore you with) and your comment is ...

Ponichiwa

Congratulations! What a beautiful backdrop for your photos. Flat-lander envy over here.

Ponichiwa

Some of the tempi-machine type of horses can do some version of clean changes even from suboptimal canters. I'm not sure if that's the case here. But it is "easier" to get crooked from a canter that's a bit too on-the-spot (vs jumping forward with gusto). I can say is that keeping my chest...

Ponichiwa

When I have had tempi straightness issues in the past, it's because instead of walking each new hip bone straight forward, I have collapsed laterally. I've improved it by sitting on the floor and walking my seatbones forward without swinging my upper body-- takes a lot more core stability than I was...

Ponichiwa

My barn held a Ride-A-Test clinic on Saturday. Kiwi and I served as the demo riders for how to (and how not to) ride the intro through 1st movements, and also took the chance to run through 3rd 3 while we were at it. It actually felt pretty easy! I'm glad all the work we did this year to improve the...

Ponichiwa

Happy thanksgiving (American thanksgiving)....to everyone!!! Agreed! Happy Thanksgiving, all, even if you celebrated it one month early (looking at you, Canadians) or not at all. I'm hosting dinner this year and am trying to sneak out for a couple hours to ride before this day gets away from me. Ta...

Ponichiwa

If it helps, Rosie, we all go through the same steps. This year, I've spent the majority of my canter work with Kiwi establishing that yes indeed we can be round and honest in the canter (even when we're going sideways or doing changes). Kiwi has the opposite reaction to increased engagement w.r.t. ...

Ponichiwa

^^ Agreed, although it does beg the question: what kind of mob is organized? Ok, so while we're strolling around grammar land, I'm going to take a side trip into usage land and tell you that it does not beg the question; it raises the question. Here's an explanation of what "begging the questi...

Ponichiwa

^^ Agreed, although it does beg the question: what kind of mob is organized?

Ponichiwa

If you're on COTH, might want to ping FatCatFarm. I don't know her personally but she seems to keep finding Clyde crosses (usually Clyde x Saddlebred or similar). Looks like she's based in GA.

Ponichiwa

Exciting, Flight! What a neat experience-- I'm glad you went. For us, it's the same story as many above. Rainy/cold weather converged with some sort of flu = I haven't done a whole lot of riding this month so far. Last week we had a couple days in the high 80s/low 90s, and today I woke up and it was...

Ponichiwa

Some nice looking horses coming into this thread. ZinniaZ-- that's some scary stuff. Glad you two have pulled through! Queso and I are trucking along. He spent the first ~5yrs of his life in a stall or roundpen and I suspect he grew accustomed to circling in just one direction. As a result, he's pre...

Ponichiwa

Huh, weird, I thought Graham said that there would be Holy Hell to pay if he fired Sessions? No? So, it's a good thing these dudes don't run a daycare or rehab 'cause they know nothing about setting a boundary and sticking with it. https://nowthisnews.com/videos/politics/lindsey-graham-said-thered-...

Ponichiwa

Saw this one pop up. $24.5k, WA.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/300865666 ... 0447268974

Ponichiwa

The canter is the most like riding a bike of all the gaits. Once you learn, you never forget it, but more importantly: you need to have enough energy to keep everything upright. It takes a lot of power to collect the canter properly (without breaking the canter rhythm by taking out the moment of sus...

Ponichiwa

if the handler is behind the horse its ground driving, perhaps its a linguistic thing, a not being american thing on my part but i did google double longing and got a lot of religious stuff, and nothing to do with horses, and i googled long lining and saw a lot of people longing from the center in ...

Ponichiwa

I'd like to think they are, but if the video was better quality, or you were there in real life, you'd be able to see them clearly enough. In fact, you can see when I push him to stay in canter because he flips his tail. The harder I push, the bigger the tail flip. Trouble is, all the pushing in th...

Ponichiwa

Correct bend requires more energy than the horse's natural crookedness, so if you're going to ask for more bend I recommend also asking for a bit more power. Otherwise, the horse slows down or gets flatter as the work gets harder.

Ponichiwa

On the walk topic-- may help to keep in constant shoulder fore or shoulder in. If you have half pass at your disposal, feel free to use that at the walk. Very hard to jig in half pass. For me... I'm never going to be a jumper. I just do not have it in me. And I may never be able to use a whip on Kiw...

Ponichiwa

So, my bias is always to have my butt in the saddle vs. longeing, but that's because I am a) lazy about carrying extra equipment around, and b) generally barn-time-limited on any given weekday. That said. I like sidereins for green horses as a non-confrontational way to teach them the boundaries of ...

Ponichiwa

Tsavo wrote:
Ponichiwa wrote:Me, ahem yrs old, who even knows what level I am:

You are FEI. You took a fourth level horse and brought him up to GP.

2nd when I got him, but that was ~10 yrs ago.

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