It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

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Ponichiwa
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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Ponichiwa » Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:28 pm

I bought Kiwi some bell boots because I noticed she's clipped her heels a few times if the extensions get a little... too dramatic.

I failed to remember that she's never worn bell boots before.

There were legs everywhere.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby piedmontfields » Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:18 pm

My very humble update given a week of torrential rain is that I still managed to ride 6 times. Mostly walking in a soggy outdoor arena (to keep the mare loose during a week of increased stall time), but we did some real work today. I did appreciate the reminder in another thread about the shoulder tap in walk when it gets funky--that is so effective. The sun is supposed to be out tomorrow!

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Dresseur » Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:35 pm

Lots of good stuff happening in this thread! Hots, how are you holding up with your recent setback :(

I'm having some really good rides on my group of horses. What I find fascinating is that I'm feeling nuances that I didn't before. I can't really explain it. I'm not sure if it's the positional tweaks, the different way that I'm moving my legs or what. I do know that I decided that I'm using my hands backwards too often. Primarily in the canter - especially when I'm having a bit of difficulty when the horse is not quite in front of my leg or not quite collecting up to it's ability. So, I've made a concerted effort to keep pushing my hands forward, even when the going gets a bit rough. It means that I really, really have to pay attention to my shoulders, because if the horse is behind me, and I ask for more (activity, impulsion, get up and go... whatever is needed), If my shoulders are not down and back, my hands try to deal with the extra forward that I've created by coming back. What I find interesting is that I know this, I don't consider myself to be a backwards rider, but I'm finding lots of room for improvement.

Another nuance that I'm feeling is really nailing down the bend in the body and when the horse isn't staying soft in the jaw. This happened as a result of Miro wanting to lean on circles. I finally put two and two together and thought that if he's leaning, he's not bending, no matter how pliable his neck is (the answer to that is VERY pliable - think pool noodle). So he never gives the "locking" feel in the bridle, and because he is so bendy, it's a bit deceptive. I thought he was OVER bending and collapsing to the inside, but nope. Just a classic motorcycle. So, now that he's bending (we had a 2-3 ride discussion about that) he's no longer leaning, and magically my steering is better (he tended to drift out of every circle and lose the drive from behind. What I found VERY interesting is that the second I addressed the bend, I suddenly felt a slight bit of deadness on the left rein. I can move his head and neck on the right rein where ever, at any point, in any direction, but the left - it has a bit of a delay. So, this week I've been working on getting the same malleability there. I especially feel it in the canter, so I'm asking him to follow the bit down constantly in a bit of a stretch since the delay is usually because he stiffens the neck back a bit. After those adjustments, I've had a series of amazing rides, where my half-halts are going through, and he's soft and lovely and pushing forward to the bit and telescoping out whenever I ask.

What's interesting is that I took that feel into the horses that I ride at Andrea's and I was really able to use the bend and those gestures to get really nice work out of even the stiffer horses - meaning, it felt more like I was creating the feel in the horse Andrea gives to me after she's schooled it. And, in the lateral work, I was really getting the feel of the targeted hind legs coming up and under - so it felt more gymnastic than me just getting the tracking right, and on the horses that are new to lateral work or a bit stiffer, I wasn't having the bobbling in the first few strides of it that I usually get, which makes me think that I was doing a better job of truly bending and managing any stiffness in the bridle.

The other thing that I'm finding very gratifying is that I feel like I'm thinking more like a trainer. Meaning that, I'm able to adjust what I'm doing based on things that I'm feeling, and I'm sticking with the changes long enough to see if they work. And, I'm having steady improvement in feel and way of going with Miro as a result of those changes. I'm also paying way more attention to the quality. The old me would be so excited that I'd have gotten a full counter canter loop on a green horse, that I'd be down the diagonal on a spread apart, on the forehand horse before I realized that I'd only gotten the counter canter at the expense of putting the horse out of balance. The goal was the counter canter. The new me is accepting breaks in the gait because the goal is to keep the canter quality first and fore-most and THEN get the counter canter. So, if the horse breaks, it's no bother, we just pick it up and try again, but I'm making sure to keep the balance right and to keep the horse from spreading out, speeding up, whatever. So, boring, but very exciting stuff. And, as per usual, I keep finding out that I know NOTHING. sigh.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Imperini » Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:36 pm

New strategy for adding energy to our rides:

Step 1: Warm up with Pal's favorite pasture buddy in the arena with us
Step 2: Have said buddy leave the arena
Step 3: Canter immediately
Step 4: Enjoy having a lot of power to work with

:lol:

This happened today and she actually surprised me with the power she put into that first canter depart and the actual canter that she gave me. She was not naughty just very exuberant.

In all seriousness we've been having some really good rides recently, with a few less than stellar rides once in a while but certainly getting fewer and farther between. I just have to figure out different exercises that help add energy and then once she powers up we have a really good time. My biggest take away from the last few months of work is keeping my reins short enough and my hands in front of me so I don't get fiddly but I maintain contact without holding and/or blocking. I feel that our canter has improved quite a bit since I figured that lesson out. It's easier for me to let go at the trot which I guess is probably why I've always had better trot work on any horse but once I started just being there but not holding it was a world of difference.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby khall » Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:50 pm

dresseur as painful as it is I'm glad you are having these ah ha moments! I think that is mostly what dressage is all about for riders, the changes we need to make and to be aware of in order to ride more effectively and efficiently. Not always easy. It was drilled into me early on that the quality of the gait must be preserved and if lost abandon whatever exercise you are doing and go back to gait to refresh and repair it.

Impernini we need to co ride! I ride the canter way better than the trot on Rip at least. I am way better about keeping the energy and engagement in the canter than the trot. Rode in the field Sunday (have not been able to because of the rain) and worked on medium canter to collected canter. Rip was spectacular! Best medium C to collected C I've ever ridden! This was WAY easier for me than medium trot to collected trot with Rip. I have got to get better at keeping the trot engaged and active and up, which is my need to work on issue. I'm leaning more and more for Rip it is going to have to come from my seat just like the canter does. It would be so much easier if Rip was a more naturally active horse!

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby demi » Wed Feb 21, 2018 12:41 am

StraightForward wrote:Demi - I keep some sand handy and sprinkle it on the ramp when it's wet. Helps a lot (not sure if you have a ramp). But if you are still concerned, it probably isn't worth a setback.

The sand is a great idea. I don’t have a ramp, but when it’s really wet, water condenses on the inside of my trailer, and it gets slippery. Anyway, I got myself a bucket of sand which is now a permenant part of my trailering stuff. Fortunately, the rain didn’t come till an hour after I got home from the lesson!


I am going to post some pics of Annabelle in her thread this morning. She is starting to look and feel like a riding horse, and her topline is starting to plump up; I'm excited to see where she'll be in another six months.

The pics were remarkable!!I’m also looking forward to where she’ll be in six months!

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby demi » Wed Feb 21, 2018 1:05 am

Rocky had another lesson yesterday. I am really happy that she seems to be settling into the trailering. She loaded right up going, but on the return, she said “NO” and backed up a few steps. I then backed her several more steps, and she decided that she’d just jump right in after all!

The lesson was very good for her. The wind was gusting to 35 mph and there were men laying pvc pipe right outside the long open side of the arena. Their stuff was blowing around and pvc was clattering. Also right out side the open side someone was washing a horseblanket which was blowing wildly while she was spraying it with a pressure hose (loud!) And then, there was a new baby out with it’s mom. I am GLAD the trainer was riding! Rocky did some very athletic leaping but the trainer never lost a beat. I was impressed. She thanked the woman that was washing the blanket for the training opportunity!

I am glad she is getting this experience and am looking forward to spring. I am keeping up with my riding at home, 4-5 times a week, plus weight training and aerobics (Jane Fonda routines...I am old!). I am feeling lots stronger so am doubly looking forward to spring.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Dresseur » Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:36 am

Miro and I had a lesson today. It was delightfully uneventful, and it was an actual lesson - not just me asking if Miro still looks sound every 5 seconds lol.

The general overview was that he looks stronger, more mature, and more connected. His movement is starting to evidence itself again as he continues to get back into the swing of things. The one major thing was that Andrea felt that he looks ready for shoulder in, so my instructions are to add 2 shoulder ins each side, each ride for the next 2 weeks. Then the following week or two, add one more each side, and then the following week or two after that, add haunches in if all is well and repeat process, so basically, we are not ever adding reps or new movements during the same week. Every time something is added, I get nervous that he'll re-tweak the injury, but so far, so good.

One thing that I found incredibly interesting is that Miro feels more long in the neck (in a good way) and more correct and out to the bridle in all things, especially transitions. Andrea and I discussed that the old protocol (before she moved and got her own place) would have been to get into trot/halts quickly to correct heaviness in the bridle etc., and walk/canter/walks asap to build strength, but now that she's on her own, she's been going back to basic basics with all of her horses (more simple trot/walks or canter/trots) and she feels like all of her horses are going much better and are much longer in the neck. I think that for her as a trainer and teacher, she is undergoing an evolution as well now that she is making decisions about training programs on her own.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby greenholmeshandy » Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:23 am

Its lovely to read how every one is progressing. I have a bit of a sad update really so tea and biscuits for those who manage to read through this. I was looking forward to posting again as had booked instructor to accompany me to a competition and took the day of work. I had a lesson the night before and it was like we had gone back some months, no outline, no swing, no left lead canter. I sat there thinking why am I bothering I would rather do long distance. The instructor said "I bet you are thinking Id rather do long distance ho ho" as she thinks I am a bit potty and knows I think this every time something goes wrong. So next morning I prepared Shandy she looked stunning with her tail and feathers brushed out and mane in a Spanish plait. But I pottered and dithered as I really didn't want to go. Got to venue a half hour late (instructor had called to find out where we were!), giving 14 mins to warm up when tacked up but classes were running late so had a half hour warm up. Instructor had ear mic gizmo so talked me through the warm up which involved sharpening up transitions whilst every one else zoomed round me, rode at me, did sumersaults passed with pony just focusing on me and winding round other to avoid crashes, bless her. Test was awful I rode like crap, no rythem and pony went round with head stuck out and no swing, did have correct leads. Result 62% and last in class. Instructor said don't focus on score just look at comments which were same old same old, needs to be supple, needs swing.

https://youtu.be/ZJwWbTwSA4E

I drove home in tears as I really didn't enjoy any part of the day and I have come to the conclusion competitive dressage might not be for me. Its not the pony that's the issue, being honest with myself its my riding and I just don't cut the mustard in this environment, I ride competently out and about just crap as a dressage rider. So...
I think the reason I always think I would rather be out long distance riding is because that's what I really want to do in my heart of hearts. The issue for me is I have tried long distance in the past with Shandy and she found it very stressful as an environment so much so that she ploughed over my husband at a venue. Also I would need to strip all the fat and weightlifter muscle built up for dressage of her and basically de shandyfy her to do long distance. The sensible thing would be to get something lighter built but I don't want to sell her. Then as a friend commented she would probably be someone elses horse of a life time I really want to say she is mine as I really love her and she has ticked off so many things on my bucket list:
Placed at a National Championship (trec)
Lovely shirt with names of all competitiors including us at a championship (trec)on it as I wanted one with old boy but never got to buy on in endurance with him
compete and place in a breed show
First ever rosette in affiliated dressage
First ever first place in prelim. affiliated dressage
So I feel bad that I keep looking at adds for other horses (a bit like going on Tinder if you are happily married!), I don't have the time and the money to keep two.
So where we are now is that I am planning to do some short pleasure rides with a view to doing long distance but aiming for cumulative mileage awards gained over say 30K rides rather than 100 miles in day. Having decided all this I instantly want to do another dressage class at the other venue we go to and I feel like I am slowly going mad. I just don't want to sell my pony but don't want to start resenting her or asking her to do a discipline she might not enjoy, she likes schooling a lot.
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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby khall » Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:27 pm

Wow greenholmes, I'm sorry you are in such a turmoil over your journey. I do have one piece of advice that might help you: find a place you can ride higher trained horses and take lessons. See if that would help you in your dressage journey.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Dresseur » Fri Feb 23, 2018 2:01 pm

Greenholmes, I feel for your struggle. The terrible, but wonderful thing about dressage is that we often feel completely inept, and breakthroughs are fleeting. You figure something out and the benchmark gets moved, which makes it constantly feel as though you are never good enough. It's a very masochistic sport in that way.

I do think that you and your Shandy are a lovely team. She has 3 nice, clean gaits, and she can absolutely do what you are asking of her. What I suspect is that you don't know how to create a connection with her to help her be on the bit. It sometimes takes more effort that you think to create enough energy to channel it. That's not a criticism, it's just where it appears you are at looking at the video. I would echo Khall's suggestion, if you have access, take a lesson or two on a school master so that you can feel that connection.

Dressage isn't always light and happy, it takes some serious effort and work to get there, on the rider and the horse's part, and where I find people get hung up is over the perception of what they are doing vs what they are actually doing. In a sympathetic rider's mind, a small hh feels like they are pulling the horse's teeth out. A bump with the leg to ask the horse to bend feels like they are cowboy kicking the hell out of their poor, faithful companion. In any case, I think that you can both do it. But it's easy to get down on yourself - give yourself time to wallow and then get back out there - pleasure rides, arena rides, whatever it takes - but you have to get out of the mindset that you are letting her down and that you aren't good enough. You just are where you're at... nothing more, nothing less, and there's no where to go but up - even when it feels like you are backsliding a bit - with the right mindset, you can learn from those tough moments too.

Good luck!

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Chisamba » Sat Feb 24, 2018 2:16 pm

Greenholmeshandy, happiness, effort and satisfaction are things that come from inside you. There are times when your reports to us are upbeat and happy and times when you decide that you want a new horse a new sport and a new beginning. No matter what you choose to do, i wish you success, but a new horse a new sport and a new beginning will not be successful if you do not learn to weather the good and the bad with a positive attitude and an inspiration about how to handle your less inspired days and less successful attempts.

Dressage may be a little more detail oriented and obsessive, but having done endurance riding, there are many reasons why that too can be difficult. unexpected unsoundness, falls, horses around you going crazy and your horse hot enough to be thinking about doing many miles.

I did dressage on my endurance horse to keep it fit, balanced, more easily able to change leads and carry itself and rider in a more balanced position. If you cannot pick up a correct lead on a twenty meter circle, getting your horse to switch leads to keep it sound over a straight many miled trail is not going to come easily either.

i recommend inner peace no matter what path you choose to take.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby demi » Sat Feb 24, 2018 7:58 pm

Well, Greenholmeshandy, I think all of the above advice is applicable to most of us at one time or another. I got a lot out of reading what the others have written to you, as I could EASILY become negative about trying to do dressage at 64 years old. Dressage, as Dresseur pointed out, “isn’t always light and happy and takes some serious effort”, and sometimes I wonder if I my body is still capable of that kind of serious effort. I just don’t let myself think negatively for more than a few minutes, because it is a waste of time and energy. Better to spend that time and energy on my exercise routine.

Really, you’ve done SO much with Shandy. With all those accomplishments behind you, it seems to me that you are on an upward spiral.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Moutaineer » Sat Feb 24, 2018 9:39 pm

I haven't anything more to add than the others have said, GHS. We all have bad days.

It's about ten degrees outside, and while the barn and ring are heated, they aren't exactly toasty. I'm trying to motivate myself away from sitting in front of the wood stove in my nice warm house to go ride for the first time since Tuesday. I've had a miserable bladder infection and am still feeling crummy, but at this point I think it's the abx kicking my butt rather than the infection. I think a little fresh air and exercise might do me good. Or it might not...

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Flight » Sat Feb 24, 2018 10:07 pm

Greenholmeshandy, I like what the others have said to you but I'll add that it depends on what you really want. For example, if you really want to ride dressage and do well now, get a schoolmaster type horse. But if you really love your pony and can't sell her and it sounds like this is the case, then keep learning how to manage her. I also did a heap of horsemanship type training with mine, and (as long as you find the right trainer) this has really helped me understand how horses react to us etc and that in turn has really helped my head space and control frustrations and emotions with dressage training.

My big horse had some xrays of his hoof as he's been lame. Bad news from the vet, she said there was sidebone developing, start of changes in his joints, something not good with his navicular bone and sclerosis on his pedal bone. She sent them to an equine centre and they were very vague with what they saw, so I have to get him down there for more imaging and some help with what to do with him now. Sounds like he might end up a paddock ornament, but I'm not going to get too depressed about it yet until we've been to the equine centre.

I had a day off so I went and watched a dressage competition that is held at a beautiful venue. What I found is, no one was perfect and most had a few mistakes in their tests. People post pics on FB and bits of video and it all looks like it's perfect. So, it was actually a bit relieved and I've entered advanced for my next comp :D

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby piedmontfields » Mon Feb 26, 2018 2:45 pm

This is such a thoughtful, earnest group of riders/trainers. I really appreciate the thoughts and updates that everyone shares.

Despite an incredibly soggy month, we have kept up our work. I'm still not "going after" the changes yet, as I am trying to really solidify my mare's understanding of how much a reaction I want in *every* canter depart (i.e., please bound into canter) and 2. I am still mentally practicing FC aid timing (without asking for the change), as I need to to be fairly quiet and automatic in me when we get back to it. At least the canter keeps getting better with this work! :lol: Trot lateral work has also been powering up as a result. When we have damp/cool days, Emi struggles more (PSSM) to get really loose, so on those days our focus is to just stretch and feel better.

I will say that this process is again showing me how incredibly forgiving horses are of us. Emi is not resentful of the re-training and it is really me who is most disappointed in myself--not her disappointed in me!

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby PaulaO » Mon Feb 26, 2018 3:48 pm

I'm going to jump in the fray. As most know, Miss A. and I came together about a year and a half ago. She was a school horse and knew walk, trot, canter, trot over poles. No knowledge of dressage. We did "hunter" until about 4 months ago when we switched to dressage and she (and I) have been loving it. The last few weeks I have felt her back when we ride, so she's learning to use herself. We are working on leg yields at the walk and trot and almost every time we do them, she does them perfectly. She's very happy to learn and tries her heart out. Saturday's lesson was learning what my instructor calls zig zag but it isn't a dressage zig zag. Four steps straight, quarter ToH, 4 steps straight, quarter ToH. Very confusing for me but at the end I was getting the aids timed. And we did a bit of canter work, which consisted of me being able to canter a circle.

I'm very proud of my red head TB mare.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby khall » Mon Feb 26, 2018 6:53 pm

Flight, gosh I am sorry about Norsey. I hope it will be better news and some hope at the equine centre. Yeah for going advanced!! Fun for you and the little black horse:)

piedmont, the ritters just had a FB short course on FCs, meant to shout out to Chisamba as well. It was mostly about lateral work and mobilizing the shoulders and hips of the horse. There are some interesting exercises that they use for the approach. I've jumped into the fray with Rip, it is kind of fun. They are also offering an online FC course, on line horse courses just don't work for me so much.

PaulaO Glad you are joining us and yes you should be proud of your chestnut mare! Nothing better than a good TB:)

It has been hot here, 80s and my poor horses are shedding but still covered in lots of winter hair. Except for my Lusitano filly, all of my other horses are yacks. I did not reclip Rip this year like I usually do because we he was due it was freezing cold and now he is shedding so I don't want to mess his summer coat up by clipping at this time. Thankfully we are back to more seasonal temps after the cold front, so at least they won't be sweating just standing out in the pastures! Heck my bermuda grass is popping out!! I've been trying some of the Ritter exercises, have not found anything that is overwhelming for Rip. Have a couple of more to try out, going to go hop on today now that the rain has moved out. Maybe just at the walk because the arena is probably pretty sloppy with as much rain as we had.

Good riding all! Hope everyone is enjoying the longer days, I know I am.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Flight » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:08 pm

PaulaO, nice to see you in here :)

Thanks Khall, yes it's a bit sad about Norsey but I always feel eventually your luck runs out with horses at some point. Hopefully little Ding stays sound and well.

Piedmonfields, my instructor has me thinking piaffe to canter to get my horse to stay together and engage into the canter. Or actually, probably to get me to engage properly into canter!!
The clinic I did the other week had me realising I don't prepare correctly for FC. He had me doing 4 and 3x and I tend to just do the aid for the change when I want it. So he had me change my legs the stride before and then put them on for the actual change. Probably what everyone does, but because Ding used to anticipate I'd hold off preparing for the change. Also highlighted that my timing is pretty poor.
How do people prepare for changes? Especially the tempis.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby DJR » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:22 pm

We (my daughter & I) haven't ridden our horses since before Christmas!! Between very cold weather from mid-December to mid-January (down to -30C), then my atrocious work schedule coupled with weather, it's been a non-starter.

But this will change in March. If I get home early enough today we'll be moving my two (Jet & Pan) plus my daughter's lg pony QH gelding (Sawyer) to an indoor for a month or so to get a good start on them before my outdoor sand ring is rideable again. It's gorgeous weather now for February with above-zero temps and the snow/ice is melting, but not enough to make the sand ring safe & the footing adequate. I'm SO excited to get back in the saddle! (My hips may not feel the same way, but they'll come along after the first few rides.) Yay!!!
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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Dresseur » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:26 pm

Flight, that could probably be it's own spinoff lol!

There's rider prep and horse prep. Rider prep, I've never been taught to switch legs. What serves as part of the change prep for the horse (with the way that I've been taught to do changes) is to collect the canter. The horse has been taught at this point to follow the hip, so I collect, half halt, switch my hip for a single change. In the tempis, you collect the canter, hh, switch, hh, switch, (whatever number of strides in between, the hh is just before the switch of the hip) but the canter stays collected throughout - it can't get progressively more stuck, or as I love to do, become progressively more open and bigger. There is also a different level of collection for the 3s than there are the 2s or the 1s. Doing it this way allows you to stop the changes or change the count at will. In any case, the collection of the canter becomes part of the aids for the changes.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Sue B » Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:36 am

I think I have not ridden in 4 weeks now, and it has been snowing off and on for 10 days so whatever. :cry: Naturally, right before weather and life banished me from riding, I signed up for a clinic March 10. I should probably cancel but I keep hoping I'll be able to start up again. All I need is a couple of days where the wind isn't howling, it isn't pouring rain or in the single digits. The worst was when the high was 15*F with 30mph wind; that was right after it was 50 and raining! This has been the nuttiest winter evah!! And of course, the one time the weather was nice and I wasn't working like a crazy person, I got a bad cold(maybe the flu?) and couldn't stop coughing long enough to tack up, let alone ride. Sheesh. Oh, did I mention that I have been tasked to finish emptying my mil's house in time for closing on Mar 1? Nothing like clearing out a whole house belonging to a collector who lived there 30 years. Lol Family descended on the place over President's Weekend, cleared out what they could and left the rest to me and the cleaning lady. Wish us luck. :lol: Ok, done whining.

PaulaO, glad you joined us!

I am jingling for the big horse, Flight. I hope it all works out well for you.

GHS, read back on your other entries and see just how far you have progressed. Do know, however, we have all been down on ourselves at some point in this crazy journey; I know I have felt like giving up more than once with other horses in the past. For those of us who love the challenge, though, giving up just doesn't seem to happen (taking a break, yes, giving up no). So cut yourself some slack, have a little wine and cheese, go for a lovely trek and come back to the arena refreshed and ready to go!

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby piedmontfields » Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:56 am

Flight wrote:PaulaO, nice to see you in here :) Piedmonfields, my instructor has me thinking piaffe to canter to get my horse to stay together and engage into the canter. Or actually, probably to get me to engage properly into canter!!


Flight, your comment is sparking lots of lightbulbs. Thank you! Piaffe is easy for my mare, as is rein back (related to piaffe)-canter. I can think about what my body does in those moments (e.g. a lot of tone). I was previously expecting the change "instantly" which only worked when everything was perfect (maybe for better pairs than us it could work when less than perfect)---but there is an obedience element to the change that I was missing--and I am realizing that for a single change (not tempis), we might need a little bit of warning. I assume one would then want to wean off that warning, but that is way above my pay grade! :D :lol:

Thanks, too, khall, for the tip about the Ritter online learning. I am trying to pick a method, explore it thoroughly, experiment, and work before I go to the next. But clearly great trainers have lots of approaches for clarifying FC for horses!

p.s. I do wish I had a skilled FEI trainer/instructor to help me through this, but that is not a current option 1. where I live plus 2. with my timing (day to day availability, due to a day job!)

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Moutaineer » Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:43 am

Oh, God, the flying changes. Yes, please, let's talk about them! I'm just on the cusp of attempting to re-introduce them to Laddie after a year-long hiatus. We're working on crisp walk-canter transitions again now. While the canter walk transitions are actually pretty nice, we've got mixed up somewhere along the line and the ups aren't what they were--I think it's my timing, and that I'm trying to ask more with my seat than with my legs as he's inclined to get crooked, and he hasn't quite worked out what the heck I am asking for and it's probably imperfect enough to be confusing anyway. I really like the piaffe to canter engagement image. It'll make me "organize my body cabinetry" as my trainer says. I'm going to try that tomorrow.

Sending out good vibes for Norsey, Flight.

Paula! Good to see you.

Well, lesson tomorrow, first ride in a week what with bad weather and feeling iffy--I rocked up at the barn on Saturday still feeling rather green around the gills, it was freezing and the snow was crashing off the roof, and Laddie was about foot taller than normal and snorty and had apparently uncharacteristically piaffed his way in from turnout and all over my trainer, so I'm afraid I bagged riding, fed carrots and watched my friends get bolted with... good decision.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby StraightForward » Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:14 pm

Piedmont and Moutaineer, the Ritters did a 3 common mistakes in flying changes FB live yesterday. If you follow Ritter Dressage, you can access the recording. They probably have some additional flying change material in there for free; I know I have a few PDFs saved for later on.

Yes, riding this time of year is sketchy. We hauled to the indoor yesterday and I was glad it was empty when I got there, because turned Annabelle loose and once she got done rolling in the nice soft dirt, she demonstrated her ability to accelerate and then throw in some bucks at top speed. Sunday it was rearing straight up to do rollbacks in the roundpen. We have a lesson scheduled for Sunday, so I'm just hoping I can keep her energy level in check enough to get something out of it and avoid a circus.
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby demi » Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:53 pm

demi wrote: ...

So goals for Jan/Feb:

* work on relaxation in the trailer

* work on relaxation under saddle via 1. Transitions and 2. Keeping myself relaxed

* ride 3-5 times a week weather permitting


Hopefully we will be back to normal Central Texas weather very soon and the temps will be in the high 40’s low 50’sF. Rocky may be “too much horse” for me in the low 40’s so if that occurs on a lesson day I will just have my trainer ride her.

...


I am happy with how I met my goals for Jan/Feb, even tho we never did get back to “normal weather”. One goal that I didnt even list, was perhaps the most important. I started (once again) an exercise program for myself, in Jan. This time I think I may have finally refined it to something that is working for my own personal fitness. The result is that i have more energy overall and I am feeling much more fit in the saddle. As a result, I am gaining back some of the confidence I have lost over the years.

So fitness, as we already know, is very important for dressage, but it is HUGELY personal, and each person has to figure out what they may or may not need in the way of extra workouts. And it can change over time, as it did with me.

On to the next two months!

Glad your in PaulaO!

Hoping for the best with Norsey.

Good luck in your lesson (today?) Mountaineer. Laddie is having to deal with the winter riding problems, and he is really still rehabbing, so be extra careful.

Piedmont, I am so happy with having found a highly qualified dressage trainer. It is making all the difference in the world. Once you get a chance to start videoing you may decide to go with a robot camera man and that would make online lessons a real possibility for you. Whether live lessons, or sending in a vid to someone, it could be a big help. Not that you aren’t already doing a great job, because I appreciate how thoughtfully you are going about your training.

I am no where near doing FC’s but am really enjoying the recent bits of discussion. I hope some one does start a thread about it....with vid.

I plan to revisit what has recently been posted about teaching trot lenghtenings. Some really interesting stuff was posted (I think it was from the baby trot thread) and I am excited to use my videoing to get a better look at the situation.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Chisamba » Tue Feb 27, 2018 3:03 pm

So, I thought about Musical comedy ( and my) disagreement on what should or could be done in warm up, I interpret it that MC believes you have to do at least ten minutes of trot before you do lateral work, and I tend to warm up in walk, and include lateral movement in walk as part of the warm up.

So in light of experimenting on the experiences of others, i spent this past week warming up in the trot on a longer rein, allowing the horses to stretch down and over the top line. ( i have always included stretching in my riding repertoire, but usually as a reward for work, every five minutes or so. Then after the warm up I returned to my walk work, using lateral work to establish uphill balance and self carriage and then on to my more collected trot work, and canter. To be honest, it is probably because of what i am accustomed to, but i felt the ten minute trot warm up just put the horses on the forehand, running in tempo, and less in tune to my weight and leg aids. ( as i used to teach class rooms, i will say it was like trying to teach to the back of the room, rather then the kids sitting in the front row keeping eye contact). However, still ready to explore the possibility that a ten minute trot warm up is more beneficial for the joints. ( again thinking scientifically, knowing there is not blood flow to joints, i think ten minutes of walk is just as beneficial to the joints as ten minutes of trot. the horse still bears weight, and lifts its legs using the joint fluid as a pump) anyway, still wishing to explore the trot warm up versus the walk warm up, i tried ten minutes of lunging first, then once i get on, i still ask the horse to walk, do laterals and develop self carriage in posture as I usually do.

I am not sure how long i would have to adopt this schedule to see if there are any real benefits over my old way.

However, since i have two horses recovering the vet requires ten to twenty minutes of walk, to heal them, i am still unconvinced about the theory that only trot works heals . However it will be interesting to see if the more forward trot work might have an emotional / psychological benefit for my horses. I think if there is a benefit, i believe it would be more along those lines .

However, my GP trainer used to say that you had to have a GP horse to ride a training level test well, and it is interesting to observe that the higher trained horses definitely seem to do better in the longer more forward frame.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby StraightForward » Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:05 am

StraightForward wrote:In-hand LY at trot
Honest TOH in-hand (not stepping out with hinds)
Walk half-pass in hand
Steadier SI in-hand
Ride exercises from Ritter course at walk and trot as possible (I am woefully behind)


I sort of forgot about IH LY trot; I think I'm too inept/clumsy to really make it work anyway :lol:

TOH in-hand definitely improved, as did SI. We can do a little walk SI under saddle now too.

I've dabbled with the exercises, but can't seem to find the focus to move through them methodically. On days I do plan to work through a specific exercise, it seems like something happens to throw me off course. We did do lots of 20m circles with cones though, and can canter a 20m circle right now, and most of a 20m to the left.

What I didn't expect, is that we've made a lot of progress on canter. Some days are still kind of hairy, but I found that stirrup-stepping on the outside front has helped a lot to stand her up when cantering left and she's falling in.

Overall, pretty happy with our progress for two of the toughest months of the year. I came home covered in red hair today, so spring must be right around the corner.
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Flight » Thu Mar 01, 2018 5:45 am

My goals - to do well at a working equitation comp this month, and if I can get to a training day, have a crack at an advanced test. Not strictly horsey but to lose that pesky last 3kg or so I want gone.

They were my goals, so got one done, and half the other! So for the next one will be my advanced test and 1.5kgs off.

Chisamba, interesting about hearing you experiment with the warm up. I've played around trying to work out which is best for me and my horse too and so far I like the first 5 - 10 mins in lateral work in walk, then a bit of stretchy trot then normal trot/canter. I find whatever I do it's still a good 15 mins before my horse is starting to work properly.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby khall » Thu Mar 01, 2018 1:12 pm

I had so much fun yesterday! I was pressed for time so just did some in hand work with Rip. I've been doing more and more WIH at the trot and also working on half steps/piaffe in hand. So we did our warm up (which started with just a bit of medium walk then went into lateral work at the walk) then did some WIH at the trot. More forward trot not half steps. SI in hand at the trot has been pretty easy with Rip, but I've been inspired by Marijke's straightness training in hand work to ask for more lateral work in hand at the trot. So we've been also trying renvere with varied success. But yesterday Rip had no trouble moving from SI to renvere in hand at the trot (walk has been very good for awhile now) so I decided to push the envelope and try HI in a draw, we got it! I was so excited, huffing and puffing a bit (try jogging backwards while handling 1300 lb + horse who was trying to eat the reins, Rip's mouthy especially on the left side) but the quality of the HI was very good. I do believe all of the half step work has really made such a difference in his balance and engagement making this work so much easier to get now.

So having said that, now that we are staying in a more uphill balance I'm trying to decide how much time to work in a more lengthened frame, which is Rip's preferred MO. What do you guys do?

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby DJR » Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:12 pm

All three horses - Jet, Panache, and my daughter's large pony, Sawyer - are now at the indoor facility. I'm looking forward to getting them & myself going again! My hip adductors may not be, however ... LOL.
formerly known as "Deanna" on UDBB -- and prior to that, as "DJD".

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Sue B » Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:06 pm

So far as my goals went, I failed at the riding at least once a week, but oh well.

The last day I posted (feb 27), it was in the single digits and there was about 5" of snow on the ground, but it was also my birthday. So when the sun finally showed up that afternoon, I played hooky from work and rode both horses. Rudy and I did a little work out in the hay field, taking advantage of the snow to work on cadence in the trot, and then went for a lovely hand gallop. I LOVE galloping in the snow. :D :D :D Tio had to be lunged in order to be safe to ride, but then he was a very good boy. After a couple tours of the arena (which is snow filled and has some substantial drifts as well), I took him out for a walk down the road. Such a lovely afternoon and a perfect birthday gift.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Chisamba » Thu Mar 01, 2018 5:56 pm

khall wrote:I

So having said that, now that we are staying in a more uphill balance I'm trying to decide how much time to work in a more lengthened frame, which is Rip's preferred MO. What do you guys do?


This is a little bit what i was experimenting with this week too. I still think that offering the more lengthened frame as a reward for correct work, every five minutes or so is what i am comfortable with. A horse that wants to be very up, ( like my saddlebred x, and my friends friesian, we work more in a lengthened frame, horses that want to be in a lengthened frame, i tend to work them more in the uphill frame. However, i really do believe in adjust-ability so i would like to be able to experiment with changing this often in the course of a ride

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby khall » Thu Mar 01, 2018 7:26 pm

Chisamba, exactly! It all depends on what type of horse you are riding as to how you approach their training. Try to spend more time on what they find not as easy or comfortable on than what they find easy. Rip finds longer frame and slower tempo easier, so I try to ride him more up and more active, more active BTW gives me more up. The PRE I rode in Spain that I liked so much I had to ride in a longer frame and much quieter than I do Rip but still forward thinking because he would get hangy in his gaits.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby piedmontfields » Fri Mar 02, 2018 1:38 am

My summary from Jan/Feb:

I rode 18 times, lunged 1 time. Pretty good for a short month when I have monthly goal of 20 rides! Especially with torrential rains.

Strength is improving in canter and also trot. It is quite a lot easier now to do renver(ish), travers and shoulder fore/in at canter. Trot HP has more lift and flow. It was also good for me to spend a week with active good walking (due to rain). On one 80 F day, we did 40 minutes of hills (with downhill walking breaks). Em was tired at the end, but overall felt fit and strong, so I am pleased with how she is feeling/looking coming into spring.

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Re: It's thermal underwear time - Jan/Feb goals and progress!

Postby Ponichiwa » Fri Mar 02, 2018 3:34 pm

Reflection time. In January, I'd said I would:

Ponichiwa wrote:- Ride 4x/week
- Expand the no-change zone in the canter with serpentines, leg-yield, and shoulder-fore in true and counter canter. Commit to only asking for changes when the canter feels very relaxed to improve the anticipation issues.
- Touch on half-steps and medium trot in the same ride, at least 2x/month.
- Build cadence within the slower tempo trot work we've been schooling.
- For myself: 30+ min walk/bike/yoga/pilates/etc. workout on days without riding; try for at least 3x/week.
- Start and maintain food journal.


1. Rode between 4-6x/week except when weather prevented it (early Feb).
2. Progress here but still a ways to go
3. Check
4. This comes and goes, but is starting to pay off in the quality of the lateral work (half-passes especially).
5. I've averaged 6d/week of walking/biking/yoga/etc. workouts in February.
6. Uh.... no progress here.

See you guys in the next thread!


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