More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

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khall
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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby khall » Sun Jun 24, 2018 3:35 am

Flight I'm glad something I suggested helped you with Ding. Way different video of piaffe/passage much more active!
Chisamba sounds like Kimba and you are going nicely! I find the half steps really helps with their engagement and carrying. Which helps everything.
Demi glad you are on the mend and Rocky back in work.
Piedmont I too enjoyed your clinic notes some interesting things to ponder there. I need to print them out so I can study them a bit more thoroughly. Curious as to why you were surprised Cesar did well at the show. Is it the JP thing or Cesar herself?

I had an interesting ride today on Rip. First time with the spurs and I liked it. Don't really know why I had not used them before other than my pair went missing over the years, so I had to buy a new set. Rip can lock his left side, not really a bit thing though I've worked with releasing the left side but it has always felt more shoulder and ribs to me. He will block me on that side. So today went to go work some CC, where I ask for CC from walk on long side coming into half circle, he was trying to blocking me on left side and not wanting to canter. A bit of spur left side and he stepped nicely into CC several times. Felt good. Don't have the problem left lead CC. Anyway, going to be new equipment for me for awhile.

Not much else other than hot and humid. Got our hay up and we all were wiped out, hot hard work.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Tsavo » Sun Jun 24, 2018 4:35 am

I am about 4 months into an arthritis (ringbone) rehab after having been rested for 5 months. He limps when in the stall too much but is sound even skipping a day if he is out, with or without goats. I wish, when he started limping last August that I just worked him more. Then this whole episode of resting/retiring/rehab could have been avoided.

I am doing trot and canter on hills and lateral work in walk which is easy for him. I have regained control of the shoulders and haunches. The stride length in trot is close to normal now and I get left occasionally when he takes a longer stride that I don't expect. i need to grok that he can take a normal stride length so I don't get left.

I don't go in the arena. I ride on the grass surrounding the arena because the footing is firmer. I let him put his head anywhere he wants except up. He is willing to work long and low by himself which is building his back muscles. I take half seat in the hill work but I sit lightly on the flat.

As long as the heat allows him to be out much of the day, if I can continue to ride 5 days a week on uneven terrain, I think he will stay sound. This is a very bizarre state of affairs given his radiographs in my opinion.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby DJR » Sun Jun 24, 2018 7:51 am

I appreciate the perspectives people have offered re: my "slump."

This weekend I was going to show my daughter's large pony QH, Sawyer, but he came out of the paddock lame in the LH. He doesn't want to put the heel down so I'm thinking/hoping it's just an abscess. If it isn't that, it's higher up. Time will tell, but major bummer because he's fun to ride and I was looking forward to showing him.

He was also entered in a schooling show on Sunday, so we're pinch-hitting his ride times with Jet! Yep, my little 10 yr old daughter will be riding my 17h Third Level boy in Walk-Trot tests -- LOL. We'll see how that goes, but Jet is a good soul and will look after her.

Meanwhile, I've decided to make some changes this summer. I'm sending Jet to the trainer who has put the in-harness training on my 4 yr old Hano/Shire, Finn. Finn is done as of the end of next week and will be going to another trainer to be restarted under saddle for July & probably August. Jet will be with the harness trainer for the month of July getting a refresher. He already has been trained to drive single & double, but hasn't pulled anything for at least six years (which is when my draft wagon fell into disrepair so I no longer drove my team after that point). I'm doing this because I bought a harness & marathon carriage so that I can keep driving Finn, and wanted to be able to take Jet out with it, too. I think the daily road work will help Jet's conditioning, too.

This takes the pressure off for me. In July, I'll focus on Sawyer, and also on Panache who has been sitting unridden for the past two weeks.

I'm hoping to sell Panache to further take the pressure off, but it seems that it's hard to move horses in the market these days as I've advertised him (non-aggressively) a couple of times with lots of frivolous interest but nothing serious.

I'd like it if I just had Jet, Finn (who I can start riding in the fall I hope), and Sawyer (with my daughter being his main rider) to focus on.

I'd better get to bed. I'm writing this at 3 a.m., which seems to have become my new "witching hour" where I wake up & it takes me an hour or two to get back to sleep. Life in one's 50s sure can be interesting ...
formerly known as "Deanna" on UDBB -- and prior to that, as "DJD".

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby DJR » Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:01 pm

I rode Jet last night after dark (I'm SO glad I had outdoor lights installed for my outdoor ring!). It was cool & breezy, perfect conditions for him. I had quite a nice ride so worked on his changes and canter HP. He felt really good so I tried the 3-change diagonal line that is in the Fourth Level test. Nailed it!

So he got lots of pats, praise, and a stretch break, and I thought, "why not try the 2s?". So I did. No problem! I was astounded how eager he was to do them. I only asked for 3 or 4 and then big praise & another stretch break.

So I got greedy and tried again for 1s .... and ... he got 3 in a row!!! Wowsa. I guess this horse has figured out flying changes!

I quit on that note and went to bed with a HUGE grin on my face. :mrgreen:
Last edited by DJR on Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Dresseur » Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:25 pm

That's awesome DJR!! What a great update!

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Ponichiwa » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:42 pm

DJR-- good for you! I love breakthrough moments.

Speaking of, I got greedy with Kiwi's changes and asked for changes on a 20m circle. And they happened. And they weren't dramatic. And we got 3 of them on a 20m circle. Tempi changes, here we come!

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby piedmontfields » Mon Jun 25, 2018 3:34 pm

You all are so inspiring! I got an accidental good change over the weekend. Maybe soon I'll be sorted enough to get back to work on purpose :lol:

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Moutaineer » Mon Jun 25, 2018 4:49 pm

I've had some good rides in the last few days...I worked with our visiting trainer on Thursday and we are "rebuilding the bridge." back to the basics of working on the connection issues at the trot that have cropped up with adding more forward. I think I did too much too soon and caused too much tension, probably in both of us. So I'm dialing it back, asking for something a bit deeper and rounder with more "boing" than forward, and things are improving--but they always do at home!

I talked to her about the show performance issues, and she of course said what I know to be true, that we've got to just get it done and go down centerline on every opportunity that presents itself. So, I guess that's my summer!

Question for all you flying changers... we've got it down pretty well in one direction, but the other tends to be late behind and needs some work, for which I probably need supervision! But I'm also tending to leave them alone as we have so much emphasis on counter canter in the 2nd level tests, I don't need him to start volunteering them. Do you find that this is an issue or am I overthinking it? My own canter position is pretty solid (made so by all that bloody counter canter) So I don't tend to wiggle around up there and can make a deliberate aid, if that makes a difference.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby musical comedy » Mon Jun 25, 2018 5:04 pm

Moutaineer wrote:Question for all you flying changers... we've got it down pretty well in one direction, but the other tends to be late behind and needs some work, for which I probably need supervision! But I'm also tending to leave them alone as we have so much emphasis on counter canter in the 2nd level tests, I don't need him to start volunteering them. Do you find that this is an issue or am I overthinking it? My own canter position is pretty solid (made so by all that bloody counter canter) So I don't tend to wiggle around up there and can make a deliberate aid, if that makes a difference.
It can be an issue. For example, in tests where you half pass to the rail and need to stay in counter canter a few meters before the change, some horses anticipate and can throw one in early. In the psg, after the pirouette, and then cantering around the corner to change at C they can get anxious to throw one in.

From what I've seen, once horses know how to do the 2's and 1's, changes can become problematic with the horses being so tuned that one wrong move and they're throwing in a change. My trainer has the thinking that during the show season, he doesn't introduce new stuff. He works on that during the winter.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby DJR » Mon Jun 25, 2018 5:10 pm

I don't have a lot of experience with the FC, but my experience in the 3-yr odyssey of teaching them to Jet was that it sent the rest of our canter work to crap here & there. Not all of it all at once, but here & there, sporadically, just related to him going through the process of figuring them out. Even now he gets anticipatory when we canter a simple diagonal line. His canter gets all humpy and funny, and he seems disappointed if we go all the way across and stay in counter canter! LOL.

Anyway, expect some "two steps back" in other canter areas as you work on changes. At least, that's my experience.
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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Flight » Mon Jun 25, 2018 9:12 pm

Yeah, my guy chucked in lots of extra changes when I started doing medium level. They just start trying a bit hard and offering it when you don't need it :) I didn't practice them too much leading up to a comp.
As for the late behind, I was having trouble on one side and it was my instructor that picked up in the prep what was going a bit wrong.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby heddylamar » Thu Jun 28, 2018 12:57 am

Today's takeaway: my butt didn't budge :)

Yeah.

Maia bolted 3 times. The first was amusing, the second was nearly handled, then she spooked herself and tried to loose her mind and me. I stuck. I'm not sure about her mind :roll:

I'm going back to a tad bit more pre-ride groundwork!

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Anne » Thu Jun 28, 2018 6:38 am

Geez heddylamar, well done for staying up top, you sound like one tough lady!! Hope Maia is more biddable tomorrow.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Chisamba » Thu Jun 28, 2018 11:05 am

Well done heddy!. Unlike Ingrid, I try to stop a spook as soon as possible. I hope you are able to calm Maia.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby heddylamar » Thu Jun 28, 2018 4:14 pm

I am a "stop now" rider too. I've ridden horses who you can ride through a spook to good results, but mine are all of the escalate variety. I've figured out the "off" switch, so Maia calms down pretty quickly.

It was a good reminder of why I wear a protective vest, even in 90+ heat!

Normally I catch her before the launch even happens, but Maia was apparently VERY energetic yesterday! We'd had a great ride, up until we started canter work and she kept getting stronger and stronger and more off balance. Then something startled her, and she spooked herself. It was just all too much to handle! :lol:

She's got today off (I'm in DC for work all day), fingers crossed for a better frame of mind on Friday.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby khall » Thu Jun 28, 2018 4:44 pm

Not a fan of riding out spooks! Rip's are of the 180 variety and can be very difficult to stay on top of! Here's hoping Maia minds her manners and find her inner Zen:)

DJR and Ponichiwa AWESOME!! I'm very jealous and also very inspired. I've just been working on Rip's CC right now and doing some trot sets, canter sets in this heat. Temp today 87F with feel like 99F:( We leave for vacation (Maui here we come!) Saturday and won't be back until 7-9. So am just biding time riding and having fun riding out in the field. Will buckle down when I get back (I hope! DS has wisdom teeth out then off to college in middle August and I am getting back a mare that I bred and raised after many years, she is 18 now) and I am losing my barn help. But hopefully Gaila will be off to the cowboy and please jingle my foster dogs get adopted, I need to back off on some of my responsibilities.

We changed the configuration of one of my pastures because Gaila kept getting her grazing muzzle off, so it is forcing me to ride in it a bit differently but I really like it. Two long sides fairly flat and two short sides with slope, so I can WTC up hill either direction which is great for Rip.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Imperini » Fri Jun 29, 2018 4:50 pm

I'm lucky that P mostly finds spooks to require too much effort. She can sometimes be looky but typically no gigantic shenanigans. We had an entire sheet of ice and snow fall off the indoor right next to us (with windows so it could be seen too) one winter lesson and she just cantered extra fast down one long side and then it was back to business. Glad you were able to stick for Maia's bolts heddylamar!

Our big move is this weekend and it's going to be super hot and humid! I don't think we'll be doing any riding over the next few days. I guess that gives P a few days to adjust to her new home so it's not so bad although based on our previous moves I almost think she prefers going straight back to her work routine.

My exercises for my hips are doing their job I think. I have had a couple of rides that almost made me want to cry tears of joy because I haven't felt so good during a ride in years. Of course I missed a couple of days recently due to work, life, and a bit of laziness and my last couple of rides haven't been quite so comfortable so missing days isn't really an option if I want to keep up the benefits it seems.

One of my goals was more lessons and while I didn't have as many lessons as I would have liked but I did manage a few and it's been good. Will definitely have more opportunities after our move. We added in a small bit of half pass during my last lesson and I let that brew in Pal's brain for a few days, came back to it yesterday and she was like "oh yes, I know how to do this." She's such a cool and fun horse :)

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby StraightForward » Sat Jun 30, 2018 4:01 am

StraightForward wrote:1. Figure out what's up with Pickle and potentially put her up for sale
2. Work on Annabelle's transitions, elastic contact, keep improving bend
3. Run 2x a week and hit the gym 2x a week
4. Maybe show in June
5. ETA: Jump once a week
6. Video 1-2x per week


I can't believe this two months is drawing to a close already!

I've been riding as much as possible given that this is my time of year for crazy work travel. Annabelle's transitions are a lot better, and we are getting some decent 10m circles at times. She's quite a bit more accepting of contact on the right rein now, but a little tough on one rein or the other (it switches) lately.

Have been using the SoloShot, and did tonight, in fact. She feels a lot rounder than she looks in the videos. At least I know I'm not pulling her into a frame. Canter is a lot more balanced and adjustable than two months ago. I had a productive lesson last week that helped me with contact and straightening in the right lead canter.

We didn't manage a show in June, but I am signed up to ride T1 and T2 in opportunity classes next weekend.

The gym thing - work got in the way and I'm feeling like a fat lard now, after possibly losing a couple pounds in May. Work travel is over now though, so back at it and tightening up the core.
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby demi » Sat Jun 30, 2018 11:36 am

demi wrote:
So I have just two things to add for May/ June:

1.) Video at the end of each month.

2.) Enjoy my riding.

I will also continue to enjoy everyone else’s progress! I do enjoy the variety on this board :)


I agree with Straightforward, the last two months have just flown by!

I had a few unplanned circumstances that slowed my progress but at the least, I :

1. videoed at the end of each month (even tho the end of this month was a lunge video and not a riding vid as I had hoped.

2. I enjoyed my riding and especially everyone else’s progress.

I plan to ride today after 5 weeks off with an injury. I have mixed emotions. Part of me really wants to ride but I think it will take time to gain trust in my body again. I plan to just get on and see what happens. The PT i’ve been doing, and the SvD book i’ve been reading will help me through.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby piedmontfields » Sat Jun 30, 2018 11:55 am

My update: Despite heat and torrential storms, I did get a lot of riding in this month (5x week except for this last week, which was 4). Tomorrow I get to take Em to a clinic and will report on that separately.

On other matters:

May-June Goals

Me:
-Continue with spin cycling 3-4 times per week. It is such a help to have a cardio base to draw on when the riding work gets tougher.

I was really good about this until early June when it became brutally hot and yard work intensity increased. So I feel a bit slack but not totally out of range.

-Explore photo/video options. I'm not quite ready to buy a Soloshot but I'm close.

In progress. Probably will bite the bullet.

Emi:
-Build Emi's hot weather fitness deliberately. She is such a worker that I need to be mindful of offering a good mix of work, rest and recovery. It has been in the 80s this week for ex. I felt I worked her a bit hard yesterday, so today we just hacked and included more deliberate pauses in shade than usual.

She has been doing great with the heat. I am trying to ride early on the super hot days.

-Keep sharpening canter depart.
-When it is super sharp, try a change. (I now understand how that CC on a circle to a FC works + how it would work for us, and will use that exercise when possible for clarity).-

I'm still on top of this. Haven't tried too many changes, but it has been much quicker to correct any "lag time" in the trot-canter transition and she is staying more through in the transitions.

-Manage that right to left bend change more deliberately.

This was an obedience and clarity problem. It is much improved, although I have to touch on it each ride. A few chiro sessions also helped.

-Keep being super clear about expectations. I am not that much of a slacker but upping my leg = forward (or there be consequences) game this past month has made a big difference. I am basically a lazy rider who wants my horse to shoot forward from the leg! And Emi is basically a horse who wants the legs to be super soft and quiet---or she holds her breath and tightens.

The Susanne von Dietz exercises are really helping with this, along with my commitment to get after her in walk if I feel any non-reaction to the leg at the get go.

-Do the trot homework (which is always mediums and transitions).

I no longer dread or post-pone this (due to improvements in my seat from the von Dietz guidance). I have had some of the best trot work from Em since I've owned her in the past weeks.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Ponichiwa » Sat Jun 30, 2018 1:13 pm

Ponichiwa wrote:Thanks for kicking this off, Tuddy!

The long days are really helping my goals this year. Next threat: Texas summers. Time to hydrate.

Goals this month for me and Kiwi are:
1. Up the ante on the changes by asking for changes to counter canter from true canter at least 1x/week.
2. Build power in the trot. Weekly drill team rides with barnmates have opened my eyes to the fact that I've been really underpowering Kiwi's trot; time to build a bit more oomph into our trotwork with halfsteps to medium trot to slightly less than medium trot while keeping a bit slower tempo than is currently our practice at least 1x/week.
3. By end of 2-month challenge: be able to execute 20m square exercise with 1/4 pirouettes in each corner.

For just me:
1. Work out 4x/week prior to work.


Wellllll... things went a bit off the rails in June. I have done quite a bit of powering up the trot but at expense of the canter work— it’s too darn hot to do too much work in the evenings, so I’ve had to focus on just one thing. Will have to revisit the 1/4 pirouettes next challenge.

However, the changes are much improved. Now it’s time to straighten them out and get them ready for tempis.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Kyra's Mom » Sun Jul 01, 2018 4:30 pm

My goal for the month...Get on 10 times.

I lost count but I am pretty sure I got my 10 rides in. Amazing as life has gotten in the way again. Last week and this week, I only plan on 2 barn days :P .

I got Kyra on a trail ride twice :D . Both times lovely weather and uneventful. I am trying to ride twice a week and ground work twice a week but of course only getting to the barn 2x/week doesn't quite allow for that.

I am going to bow out for the next two months with my surgery coming up. I will keep diddling around with the same old thing until my surgery week as much as time allows. Work is really busy, Mom needs help and my back depends on the day as to whether I can do anything with the pony.

I have however, finally seem to be kicking in with getting some of the lard off (of me :P ). So far so good with 4.5lbs gone since June 1. I just have to get myself in better shape. Mainly to take some of the strain off my back so I will continue. I am doing the 5:2 diet where you semi-fast (500 calories) on two non-consecutive days a week. It is pretty easy. I can do anything for 1 day ;) . I just have to pick that 1 day twice a week. I am continuing with the pool exercise until my surgery...that also eats into horse time but as I told Straightforward, with as little as I can do on the horse, it is time well spent to work on me. It will make the surgery recovery go better.

Happy riding all.
Susan
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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Moutaineer » Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:16 pm

Moutaineer wrote::

1. The overarching one is to continue to work on forward, collected and connected.
2. Lose 5lbs
3. May 11th /12th ride with Mette Rosencrantz, yippee! Really looking forward to this
4. Go to a show in mid-June. Pondering setting sail for darkest Pocatello Idaho for this venture rather than showing one more time at the same local venue that always seems to generate drama and stress somehow. It less than 3 hours to Pocatello and it might be a nice weekend away!
5. Get my lovely spotty boy back to work now I've got his saddle situation figured out. Retirement is not entirely suiting him and he's getting a bit big for his britches without regular work and handling...



1. Work in progress, of course, but it gets better.
2. I lost maybe 2, so 3 to go...
3. This was great, very helpful.
4. Did this, went local, went for the day, avoided most drama, had a couple of informative rides
5. I've ridden him twice. The PITA neighboring ranch's cows and calves are all escaped on our mountain, again, and it's just too hazardous out there at the moment.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby DJR » Sun Jul 01, 2018 11:14 pm

DJR wrote:My personal goals:
-ride at least 4 times a week
-go for morning walks more days of the week than not
-cut back a bit on carbs


I unfortunately did not achieve any of these goals. I'm still struggling with all of them.
I did join a 6-wk challenge at a local gym that is within a 3 min drive from work. That was two weeks ago, so far so good (sort of).

With Jet:
-show at Third Level in June
-in order to do that, keep him in work and improve his fitness
-insist on connection from inside leg to outside rein

With Pan:
-show at Second Level in June
-continue to work on throughness at trot (so I have a place to sit)
-introduce flying changes here & there


Neither horse is being ridden regularly enough for this. Frustrating but true.
Jet has gone for a 1-mo driving refresher for the month of July. Maybe I'll get him in the show ring in August. Who knows.

With the other horses:
-Finn: he will continue with the trainer the next two months
-Sawyer (daughter's QH pony): daughter has an injured wrist so will see about finding someone else to ride him to keep him from being the devil when she's ready to ride again
-Dante & Aggie: find them new homes


Finn is on track, and now moved as of this weekend from the harness trainer to the under-saddle trainer. He'll be there for 60 days.
Sawyer is on track except that he was lame the last 8-9 days due to a LH abscess that finally came to the surface on Friday. I'll be getting him back in work in the next week or so. I also did find an exercise rider for him which is working out well.
Dante & Aggie were sold to an excellent home nearby (where I re-started riding back in 2009). I can visit them whenever I like, and they will be in regular work which will suit both of them.
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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Dresseur » Mon Jul 02, 2018 12:56 pm

For Miro and I - this will be the month of the canter. We've found our trot, and his lateral work is going swimmingly. Overall, I'm really happy with the feel of it. The canter is lagging. He doesn't move through the back the same way that he does in the trot, and as others have noticed, he wants to retract the neck and pose. We have a large outdoor ring at our disposal - so we're going to do longer sets of canter, with lengthening down the long sides to get him to open up. We're hoping that will help him connect up and push his shoulders up and out of the way so that he can develop a better connection in the bridle. In Andrea's words, he'd be a prime candidate for a galloping track to just get him to open up.


This was my goal and over the past May/June, I'm feeling really good about where the work is going - the canter in particular. It's much more open, we are back to schooling counter canter loops and a few bits of canter hp into the CC, he does a true lengthening and I'm feeling his shoulders come up and he's no longer slapping his front legs down as fast as he can. The trot work has also progressed, he's now doing all lateral work through the trot, including hp. In fact, so much has improved that we are now looking at prep work for the changes - I'll add to that in the July/Aug thread!!!! :o :D

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Tsavo » Mon Jul 02, 2018 1:07 pm

Hey Dresseur, do you think is would help to just do more work in f/d/o?

You are no longer rehabbing but I use willingness to go around in f/d/o in canter as a barometer to how my horse feels in his back, his overall strength, etc.

I have some experience with posing... my horse did that for quite a while. I think if you hit him with the double whammy of CC plus f/d/o he would have to stop posing. I don't think it is possible not to lengthen his entire body and do f/d/o CC.

The other thing that I have to work on in the lessons I take with the other horse I ride it is get the horse into the bridle and stay there. We do halt-flex left-flex right-walk without backing up all attempting to stay in the bridle. This took a few weeks for me to get anywhere near consistent in the response. The point is if you have Miro in the bridle he should lengthen his neck on command. Maybe a series of forward HHs until he get it... pause the body and let the neck continue forward in the motion.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Dresseur » Mon Jul 02, 2018 2:07 pm

I'm saying he is no longer posing.
Part of how I got him to stop posing was to ask for him to stretch FDO every time I took a hh. So, hh, request a stretch. If nothing changed, I repeated the request. He now lengthens his neck when I ask. He also doesn't get to do a canter transition unless I can ask for FDO with response in the walk or trot before the transition. However... asking a horse to do something new with his body - like collect to that degree is going to bring back old habits. Which is why I need to always go back to basics and make sure that he is staying honest.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Tsavo » Mon Jul 02, 2018 2:37 pm

Oh okay. I probably misunderstood.

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Re: More Leg! More Leg! - May and June Goals

Postby Sue B » Mon Jul 02, 2018 4:32 pm

My goals were simple these last 2 months.

Ride both horses at least twice a week--sometimes I get in as many as 5 rides, some weeks i get nothing at all; so I guess on average I may have gotten in those 2 rides.

Find a saddle that Tio AND I like. Bingo!

Work on telescoping Rudy every ride, every time. This is very difficult for me to do--since literally no one else has ever been on his back, I don't know how to change myself to change him. He is by nature a shorten-the-neck, drop-the-back kind of horse but i know we can do better. At least lately, I can get him to consistently reach forward to the bit as well in the arena as he does when we are cruising the roads.

Jump Tio and take him to a derby. Well that didn't happen due to foot issues and farrier issues. I am currently searching for someone who can put front shoes on as my farrier broke his hand badly. So, for now, I just do "flat work."


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