May & June Goals & Progress

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Ryeissa
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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Ryeissa » Sat Jun 15, 2019 2:59 pm

Awesome!

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Ryeissa » Sat Jun 15, 2019 3:01 pm

.
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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Chisamba » Sun Jun 16, 2019 4:06 am

Jingles Rye, for your show and everything

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Sun Jun 16, 2019 10:48 pm

Ryeissa wrote:Schooling show for me tomorrow! Riding the first level test. Of course it's going to rain tonight and I have a white legged horse.

Send me some Jingles as I plan the rest of my year. I don't want to see too much on a public forum but I've had some behind the scenes boarding barn stress


I just now saw your post so you’ve probably already ridden your test. I hope it went well. You are Riot seem very prepared to do a first level test.

Sorry about the other stress...I get the part about posting on a public forum.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby chantal » Mon Jun 17, 2019 11:10 am

Moutaineer wrote:Chantal, I feel you!

Laddie was sound today, so I've just drunk half a bottle of wine and done my show entries for next weekend. I'm ridiculously superstitious about this stuff, sigh.


Is that what I'm missing? The half bottle of wine?

Yes, we had a poles clinic and I'm ready to start the jumping phase. Shouldn't have told him. I'm convinced he's out in the field, "Hey Clay, I don't wanna do the clinic. Kick me, just hard enough to cause swelling, but no lameness. OUCH!!! Too hard!! Oscar, you do it next time..."

It's still more swollen than I would like 7 days later. Though BO says it's tight int he morning. I'm going out in 30 mins to see, and if I don't like it, will call the vet today.

Jingles for your plans Rye. How did your show go?

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby exvet » Mon Jun 17, 2019 1:27 pm

The Arizona weather has returned and is 'normal' for this time of year which just means HOT and DRY. We're watching several fires around here but so far nothing that has directly threatened us. The air quality is pretty bad as a result. This means it's early, early morning rides. Junior and I are still working on much of the same. I think we've established our working trot and canter now with quality and consistency. The ongoing issues are the same - surprise! LOL. I'm doing a lot of 'baby' serpentines at the canter to try and establish a genuine contact and finishing into the right rein. This has always been an issue with his hollow side being the left side. He is still giving me the middle hoof when I really insist - 'cause he fakes it so well. Sooooo lots of exercises to get him to elongate and stretch his left side and lots of exercises to get him to accept POLITELY the right rein and stay there. We're working a lot of shoulder fore and shoulder to the left especially. Junior likes to avoid using his left hind and even a bit of renver. While I'm still not happy with where we are with the canter in terms of connection (love the achievement we've made with the proper momentum), our sitting/working trot has really developed with nice swing, spring in the step and elasticity........well until we realize just how hot it is and realize we must call it quits and wait for another day. Hope everyone had good rides this weekend and enjoy the week ahead.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Ryeissa » Mon Jun 17, 2019 4:01 pm

ohhhh! I surprised myself at the show....
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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Sue B » Mon Jun 17, 2019 5:58 pm

Congratulations Rye! Showing is so much more fun when your horse is truly your partner, isn't it. :P

Glorious weekend weather (maybe a bit on the hot side) and week, so I rode both horses 4 days this past week! Oh yeah, they also both got new shoes which helped a ton. All the rain we had earlier made their feet pretty tender, and so even Rudy is shod all around.

Sunday I took Rudy on a 3 mile walk/trot jaunt on farm "roads" before working him briefly in the arena. Arena work was to just have him be all the way "through" and forward at all 3 gaits, since he spent quite a time bracing at the base of his neck on our fun ride. He loves those rides out and spends most of his time gawking with his head up in the air. The first day I rode him after getting shoes, he was so happy that he "took off" in a huge trot when I brought him down by the rr tracks. I just let him fly, eventually getting to the point that he felt like he wasn't even touching the ground. The boy loves his road work, that's for sure! Anyway, this week has been all things canter, including cc, hp and fc. Shoes have brought back Rudy's "good" canter--it was a clear 3-beat with plenty of jump and a lovely soft back/neck. Now all I need to do is to find someone to reflock his saddle and we're golden.

Tio also got put in canter week, culminating Sunday with him being able to maintain a balanced L canter through 2 20m circles, 3 sets. I got to that by doing a lot of t-c-t 6-10 strides each. To the right (his awkward side) I finally managed to get him to complete 1 20m circle without falling in. In the trot, I have introduced 4-6 strides of shoulder-in to help him engage his hind end more. It's a bit of a struggle for him to maintain forward AND si, but he seems quite pleased with himself when he accomplishes it, and gives me a pretty nice trot in the end. He too got to go for a longer ride out on Sunday, but his was after arena work. One road I took him on goes along an irrigation ditch, so he got to experience the thrill of ducks flying up out of the water all of a sudden. Lucky for me, he is not a drama queen and doesn't spin or leap sideways like most horses would do. Like Rudy, he too preferred to trot most everywhere, but his trot is more like a big jog--very easy to ride.

I love horses. :D

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby blob » Mon Jun 17, 2019 7:31 pm

Congrats, Rye! What a successful outing!

Had lessons on both of mine yesterday after not having lessons for a few weeks (my schedule and instructors schedules just couldn't line up).

With MM, i am working on more precession with my aids. She is both tolerant and smart, so it's easy for things to get a bit fuzzy (esp over time). I am good at staying quiet, but often my aids for specific things aren't quite as crisp and clear as they could/should be. I'm feeling this especially right now in the changes, where my aids for changes sometimes feel more like: 'let's do a thing!' instead of: "Let's go from x lead to y lead...right..now'. I am honestly feeling a bit out of my league on how to get both my brain and body on board.

RP is doing well at the moment. Back in a good progress spot after a rough patch. His body condition is continuing to improve--more muscle! And the last week or so of rides have been consistent building blocks. In the lesson we worked on finding the right moments for releasing the inside hand forward to build confidence in that self-balance and as a reminder to me to give him opportunities to free up his shoulder. We also worked on going from stretchy trot back to working trot. He does a great job of stretching down and out, but when I go to pick him back up he can get a bit tense and rushy--so we practiced a baby-variation where I did not change my rein length, only my arms. And then built it so that I gave some rein but mostly arm. It's something we'll have to practice a lot. I think the changes in frame are good for him and his balance.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Wed Jun 19, 2019 12:09 am

Nice reports from all. Congrats Rye and Riot! I think I’d like to trot down the road with SueB. And Blob, You said something about getting both your mind and body on board and I felt like that in my lesson today. I don’t know why it’s so hard to put the two together, but I wonder, if it’s because the mind goes faster than the body.

In my lesson today we just trotted. We were doing really nicely and then started to fall apart with right shoulder-in. We spent the whole rest of the time sorting through this. It was/is really a mind/body issue. First we sorted out my body. Going to the right, Rocky’s shoulders drifted out to the left. I had to bring her shoulders to the right, by leading her in with my right rein. Ha! No way. So we went from trot to walk, and dissected the movement. Trainer was on a horse riding in front of me, so I could watch and copy as she explained exactly what she was doing. The right rein had to be soft, leading, but NOT pulling. My left thigh needed to move the shoulders to the right, and my right leg needed to bend/flex her right and move her into the left rein. My weight needed to be more on my right seat bone, and I needed to step into the right stirrup. While still moving the shoulders right with my left thigh. Trainer said my seat bones might feel like they were both on the right side of her spine. And both my hands could move together to the right, as long as I kept the right hand low, and kept the left hand just short of crossing over the whithers.

I actually got some really good steps but as soon as I did, trainer wanted trot! It was just too much for me to keep together at the trot. I wish she would have let things solidify at the walk before moving to trot, but thinking through it now, helps, and hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to remember everything.

Oh, and part of getting the mind and body both on board: I think that I should know how it feels when my weight is on the right seat bone, but I need to just feel it, and not think about it too hard. I think it’s like looking at microorganisms through a microscope, where what I’m looking for is so tiny that when it’s out of focus, I dont know whether to zoom in or out and I start turning the knobs helter skelter. The fine adjustment isn’t getting results (or so I THINK) so I switch to the coarse adjustment and then just have to take my eye off the ocular and actually look to see where the objective lenses are in relation to the slide.

Same with seatbones. I found out today how little it actually took to move her from my right seatbone. I don’t need to push so hard, I just need to WAIT for the response. Slow down my thinking, and give a little time for my body. Of course, all the other stuff needs to be in place for her to respond....

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby musical comedy » Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:13 am

Duh on me. Got my left and right mixed up.

Thanks Anne for catching my error.
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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Anne » Wed Jun 19, 2019 6:00 am

MC - I read that Demi was in right-shoulder-in, and was weighting her right (inside) seat-bone, and getting the bend around her right leg, is that what you thought?. Demi, I appreciate your detailed explanations, particularly as I'm trying to teach the young-one SI at present, it is a good reminder for me.

Enjoying reading about everyone's goals and progress.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Ryeissa » Wed Jun 19, 2019 11:37 am

thanks all, I got a lot of good info lately on my situation behind the scenes. Jingles worked :)

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:33 pm

Anne wrote:MC - I read that Demi was in right-shoulder-in, and was weighting her right (inside) seat-bone, and getting the bend around her right leg, is that what you thought?. Demi, I appreciate your detailed explanations, particularly as I'm trying to teach the young-one SI at present, it is a good reminder for me.

Enjoying reading about everyone's goals and progress.


You’re right, Anne, or should I say “correct”! I’m glad you appreciated my explanation because it’s not easy for me to explain. I like it when others make the effort to explain things so I try to do the same. The good thing is that if I try to explain it in words, it makes it more clear in my own mind.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby piedmontfields » Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:46 pm

demi wrote: Trainer was on a horse riding in front of me, so I could watch and copy as she explained exactly what she was doing.


That is such an awesome help! I would find that kind of teaching very helpful. I've often thought that I would enjoy a semi-private lesson with a similar student or two just so I can get a mix of visual and oral inputs. Plus then we could do cool things like shoulder-in down the long side in a pretty pattern :-)

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Ryeissa » Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:47 pm

oh! and I got a 9! :) on the stretching circle of all things.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Thu Jun 20, 2019 6:57 pm

piedmontfields wrote:
demi wrote: Trainer was on a horse riding in front of me, so I could watch and copy as she explained exactly what she was doing.


That is such an awesome help! I would find that kind of teaching very helpful. I've often thought that I would enjoy a semi-private lesson with a similar student or two just so I can get a mix of visual and oral inputs. Plus then we could do cool things like shoulder-in down the long side in a pretty pattern :-)


Yes! I really like it when she teaches me that way. The mirrors are even more effective when I can look at her and then look at me. Once in a rare while, we ride side by side while cooling out and talk about the lesson. That is also very helpful.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Sat Jun 22, 2019 10:38 pm

Reporting our first successful trail ride in years. Yes, he was druggd, but I have been riding him around the pasture (which runs parallel to a road and residences and is populated with deer and wild turkeys) undrugged. The last time I tried to go further, back before we changed barns, I gave him 1.5 cc of ACE, and he blew right through it, so I had to get off and lead him home. Today, with the same amount of ACE, we walked down the road from the barn (about 3/4 mi), into the catch basin and back. Two minor spooks, flat footed walk 97% of the time, ditto for loose but not long rein. It only took about 35 minutes, but I quit while I was ahead and praised, petted and rewarded him with peppermints, a nice roll in the sandy round pen, and a shower, followed by an apple and carrot rich lunch snack. :) :)

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby PaulaO » Sun Jun 23, 2019 1:56 am

I rarely post here because I am such a beginner after all these years. A few weeks ago I dropped my stirrups one hole which gives my leg length to wrap around her sides, and allows my hips to open. I now sit straight and up on my seatbones. We had our lesson grass today and she was perfect. Coming from behind, staying between my hands and legs, leg yielding at the sitting trot, bending her body through corners and tracking up. Major breakthroughs. Who said an 18 year old TB can’t learn dressage?

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Flight » Sun Jun 23, 2019 8:29 am

Love all the photos! Mari, I think I have a few of me and Dingaling doing similar kick up, show us your belly button type photos :D The other pics are lovely. It is hard staying relaxed and "normal" in front of a judge, I struggle with this too.
SF - your position looks really good here, it looks strong and correct to me.

Norsey went through a phase of trying to kill me doing left to right changes, he has stopped that (thankfully) and now is just doing late ones so it looks like the way I'm training is just going to have to go the same as the other side (which are mostly clean now).
Ding's going good, tried some 1x tempis and he did a pretty good effort!

https://youtu.be/eN4OZBq2vlE

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Rosie B » Sun Jun 23, 2019 11:44 am

Congrats Rye! Those are great scores. Are you planning to show recognized anytime this season?

Flight - looking good!

Bliss is getting more consistent with the new standard of canter. It’s still very much a work in progress and my position has suffered a bit but here’s photographic evidence:
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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Sun Jun 23, 2019 12:27 pm

Hot4Spots wrote:Reporting our first successful trail ride in years.......I quit while I was ahead and praised, petted and rewarded him with peppermints, a nice roll in the sandy round pen, and a shower, followed by an apple and carrot rich lunch snack. :) :)


Thanks for posting. I love the way you take care of your horse. He’s half Arab, right?

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Sun Jun 23, 2019 12:37 pm

PaulaO, I think you’re doing super with MissA. TB’s, especially red mares!!, require lot’s of patience and understanding. I hope you post more often.

Bliss looks great! How are things going in your lessons? Will you try to ride with the clinician that comes once in a while? I watched the lessons you posted with her and really liked them. I think it was Cindy Ishoy but would have to look at back posts to know for sure and I don’t do searches very well.

Flight!! 1 tempis !!! Thanks for sharing. You must be very proud of Ding. I’m proud of you both!!! I feel a connection to the regular posters on this forum. It’s like we all board at the same barn or something....

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Ryeissa » Sun Jun 23, 2019 1:15 pm

Yeah I hope to show recognized. The issue is our showgrounds is not very good for the footing. That's why I haven't shown recognized in the past. Luckily we have a few more options now

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Sun Jun 23, 2019 8:11 pm

demi wrote:
Hot4Spots wrote:Reporting our first successful trail ride in years.......I quit while I was ahead and praised, petted and rewarded him with peppermints, a nice roll in the sandy round pen, and a shower, followed by an apple and carrot rich lunch snack. :) :)


Thanks for posting. I love the way you take care of your horse. He’s half Arab, right?


Yes. He was sired by Aul Magic, a Trakhener-approved Arabian stallion (Crabbet line). He has a full brother, a chestnut leopard, who is 17 hands. My guy is 16.2.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby goldhorse » Mon Jun 24, 2019 12:02 am

I never post on these threads. Maybe because I'm too intimidated being a lady of a certain age, overweight, fearful, and perpetually at training level. But here goes. I partially sponsor a Grade 2 paradressage rider (that's walk/trot) as she's dipping her toes into the world of competitive paradressage. I let her ride my Morgan gelding no charge and transport her to shows and serve as the sacrificial lamb warm up rider. Our warm ups ALWAYS coincide with the warmups for the FEI level horses so I'm stuck trying to stay out of the way of some pretty big and powerful warmbloods while I'm on my little 15 h guy. But we survive :D Today, the para rider showed a new test for her and had some great feedback from an FEI 4* paradressage judge. The accuracy is there but she needs to go more forward. So that's my job for the rest of the summer. School that little guy so he knows that go means go and do it from your hind end.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Flight » Mon Jun 24, 2019 12:21 am

Goldhorse please dont be intimidated here! It's like Demi said, you form a bit of a connection with regular posters and it doesn't matter what they are doing. I enjoy catching up with what's going on for people.
That is pretty special sharing your horse like that too :)

Thanks for the support Demi, I think I shared my flying changes woes with Ding on here when we first started, so yep I'm pretty pleased with him.
Interesting reading your shoulder in lesson. I had a lesson on a andy stallion a couple of years ago, he was so sensitive and tried so hard the feeling was amazing. Anyway, I kept fiddling trying to get a SI to happen and the instructor/owner said just make the position with your body (as you've described) sit there and wait for the horse to come to you. And it worked really well.

Nice scores Ryeissa - next show Novice?
Chantal how is your horse's leg?
Hot4spots, glad you had a successful trail ride!
Rosie, looking really good, getting that collection/lift in the canter.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Moutaineer » Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:22 am

We survived our first show of the season!

We showed 2nd level test 3 on Friday and Saturday, attempting to knock off two qualifying scores for Regional Championships in one weekend.

Of course, these things never go according to plan.

Friday was disappointing--(I wasn't the only rider who felt that way showing under this particular judge.) Laddie does get rather tense at shows and it makes him hard to get truly through, which tends to be reflected (as it should be) in our scores, but I've never had a score sheet with so many 5.5s on it--and the class winner was only on a 60%... I didn't have a perfect ride, but it wasn't a total trainwreck, and there were some comments that left me scratching my head a bit. It didn't help that there was someone in the indoor warmup who felt that it was perfectly reasonable to warm her horse up by galloping it in large circles for 20 minutes while loudly encouraging it to go forward, either. (Folks, you have to share this sandbox!)

So, it was a question of giving up competitive dressage forever and finding a more entertaining way of spending my money (I had this conversation with my bestie on the way home from the show) or working out a different strategy for Saturday that would allow him to be more relaxed and supple.

So, I was out at the barn at the crack of dawn on Saturday, dragged Laddie out of bed, fed him his breakfast, groomed and braided him, and then lunged him for 20 minutes before I loaded him on the trailer, just to get him warmed up and loosened up a bit. I planned out a much longer warm up, and fortunately yee-haw lady didn't coincide with me in the warm up arena. I took him out of the indoor a ride before ours, so he could acclimatize to the brighter light and the activity of the outdoor competition rings.

We were doing pretty well, and he was feeing far less frenzied than the day before. We were walking round the ring, the judge rang the bell, and at that precise moment, two children in neon shirts waving papers who were acting as runners suddenly popped up above a berm right beside us. Poor Laddie about lost his shit and I ended up hanging on to his ears in front of the judges box... she was very nice about it, we got ourselves back together and got on with it, but we were not as relaxed as we had been!

However, things went pretty well according to plan, and I was a grinning fool... until the last canter serpentine--we blew it big time. He was bound and determined to change leads, and while I managed to stop him changing in front, he swapped behind, broke to a trot, picked up the wrong lead, blew the simple change, and we generally effed it up royally. Ah well :)

But, even with that string of four 5's, we ended up on a 63.6% and won the class, so I was pretty darned happy. It's a high class problem that's pretty solvable, I think.

And here are some pictures to prove we did it :)
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sage Creek 2 2019.jpg
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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby mari » Mon Jun 24, 2019 7:50 am

Well done Moutaineer! I think we are currently serpentine sisters, mine sounds exactly like yours :D
The aim of argument or of discussion should not be victory, but progress. ~ Joseph Joubert

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Borrowed Freedom » Mon Jun 24, 2019 9:33 am

Had a lesson this morning on Delilah and wow. All our hard work is paying off, especially in the canter. This is a mare who even just a year ago had what I referred to as a steam train canter. We would pick up the canter and she would just go, A LOT of work was put into getting her to collect in the canter and doing hundreds if not thousands of transitions from canter into either walk or trot. In my last lesson, we were also doing quite a bit of lateral work to get her even lighter in front.

We decided to go through elementary test 1 just to see what she would do, especially with the canter work. Apart from a bum downward transition where she broke early, she was amazing. She was calm and balanced in the 10-metre canter circles, even the one that happened after a lengthening. So we are seriously now working towards competing in graded elementary by the end of the year, and I'm going to start looking out for training elementary that we can alternate with graded Novice.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Mon Jun 24, 2019 1:35 pm

Good job Mountaineer! And the scenery in that second picture is beautiful. I always enjoy your posts. Good descriptions and good attitude.

Part of me really wants to do some shows but I know I will have to work at keeping the right attitude or it wont be fun. I did some showing with an Arab gelding many years ago and it was truly fun. He was DH’s trail horse. We lived in CA so there were lots of recognized shows within 2–30 minutes of me. Until just recently I would have had to trailer at least an hour to go to just one show, but recently the local club has started to have shows at three new venues, and one is only 30 minutes and an easy drive. It looks like a nice place to show and for me, that makes takes a lot of the stress out or showing.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Mon Jun 24, 2019 1:45 pm

Glad you posted, Goldhorse. Your journey is just as valid and important as anyone else’s! The only requirement here is that you must post pictures! (Just kidding, but I do love horse pics no matter what level the horse and rider are!)

Also nice to hear from Borrowed Freedom. (Pics, hint hint!!)

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:02 pm

Flight, I remember when you started changes with ding. You posted a pic one time and prefaced it with “Don’t laugh!”. I laughed because I thought if had riding him I would have ended up on the ground. I am pretty sure when Rocky is ready for FC’s I’ll have my trainer teach her!

The shoulder in thing was an eye opener for me. I have done SI with other horses but it always felt forced, even though I had trainers tell me they were good. So when I start with Rocky, I read some descriptions by BNT’s but still just couldn’t imagine being able to lead the shoulders in with the inside rein. It wasn’t until my trainer showed me at my last lesson, how she used her body and how easy it was to lead the shoulders in. When she exaggerated the movement, I was able to see it, and then get it to work on my own horse. In the back of my mind I thought this is just a fluke, but i was able to reproduce it at home the next day, and the next.

I think part of why I had a hard time finding the “right” trainer, is that so many of them just say “that’s good” when it really isn’t. MC mentioned something to that effect in the “trainer riding through you” thread.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Sue B » Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:43 pm

Huge congratulations H4Spots--that's a real accomplishment. I bet you were grinning ear-to-ear when you got back.

Excellent Moutaineer, just one more score like that and you'll be at Regionals.

Goldhorse, so happy to hear from you and love what you are doing with your horse and pararider. Can't wait for the next installment.

Great viv, Flight. Are you enjoying the cooler weather?

BF, great news about Delilah. So much fun to actually see/feel progress isn't it?

In keeping with my goal of losing weight and increasing fitness, I have continued to up my distance and speed on morning walks. I now average 3.5mph and cover roughly 2 miles. I only weigh myself on Wednesdays, so I can't say if I've lost any more weight; so far I've only shed 2 pounds but son's lab is really starting to buff out.

Equilab is having trouble telling what gait my horse is in. Yesterday, Rudy was doing his "flying" trot down along the rr tracks and through the beet field; Equilab registered that as cantering. :lol: Later in the arena, when I was doing some super collected canter, that came up as trotting, and when I collected the trot it showed walking. No matter, what I really care about is time and distance.

So far as training stuff goes, here's what I think I know.
1) Rudy is unbelievably fun to ride out in the country side and takes really good care of me out there. Case in point, while trotting down the road, we spooked a duck who flew out of the irrigation ditch and almost collided with us. Naturally, Rudy slammed on the brakes, half jumped off the road, then stopped completely and chilled while my body caught up with him. Then off we went again in a full-bore roadster trot. On the way back, as we approached the area, he slowed to a nice easy trot, keeping an eye on the ditch. When the duck once again jumped up out of the ditch, he nodded his head, took a great big sigh and then back to roadster trot. So. much. fun.
2) In the arena, Rudy's canter has suddenly reached another level of quality. He has a tendency to pop his croup up and lateralize when asked for collection. Lately, his canter has stayed very clearly 3-beat with a lovely jump no matter the level of collection or extension, even to the right. This has made hp so much easier and more flowing both directions. He still struggles a bit with si on the right lead but again, it's because he doesn't "sit" as well that direction. Every week that is getting better and better though.
3) I bought a new show coat to match my blue helmet with bling, but I have yet to enter any shows. I have soooo much fun with my horses, I really don't want to deal with having my happy bubble popped. Does that even make sense?
4) Tio is still getting the "forward" button installed, so that it works even on days he not "into it." What has changed there, is that I can really be insistent without fear of being bucked off. Even yesterday, when he was really quite obstinate, he wasn't in the least bit scary and he acquiesced pretty quickly. Once he made up his mind to "go", he really buckled down and gave me some nice work in the sitting trot no less. Lovely ride out, trotting around the hay field afterward. He too, loves a good adventure out of the arena.
5) Trotting Tio out of the arena can be a bit of a challenge because he tends to lean, sometimes quite strongly, on the bit. I could sit the trot and use my core and seat to lift him but I think that's asking too much of his back right now. I have, intead, revived what I learned from Scotty, and I keep my elbows right by my hips and use my core strongly to secure my position in the rising trot. Takes about 2 minutes for him to realize I am NOT going to hold him up or give him something to pull against and then he carries himself. Lovely.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Rosie B » Mon Jun 24, 2019 5:15 pm

Sue B - sounds like you're getting some good work from both your boys. :) But if you don't sign up for shows, you won't get to wear your lovely new jacket! ;)

I got the video from Saturday organized and I think it shows some of the "new standard" in both trot and canter. I would still like it if he were a touch more active, and there's lots of room for improvement yet, but I'm quite happy with this. I think it shows good progress from a month ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXJq6JqH5Ss

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby chantal » Mon Jun 24, 2019 10:26 pm

Way to go Moutaineer! There are always challenges, it's riding through them that makes or breaks us.

Flight, Mikey's leg is better but still slightly swollen and a little heat today after a 35 min trail walk. So I called the vet and he'll be out tomorrow. I'm hoping he'll say it's residual swelling and just needs time. I don't like it being around the tendon.

We had a great lesson, albeit short on Friday. Got my new saddle back, they made the tree smaller and it fits him really well. I wish the tree was narrower and the seat as well so we'll see when the fitter comes on Friday. There are many more plusses than minuses but if it causes me pain, it's a no go. But I didn't have to fight to hold a position and that was really wonderful.

He was moving really well and we've had a huge break-through with working on no pulling and just using a squeeze of the hands as a half half for circles and serpentines and changes of direction. And pushing the outside hand forward to allow him to fill the outside rein with his neck (I'm not explaining correctly) around turns. This has been since I got him but he's really solid now and it's so rewarding when the subtle cue works. But that's on me as well with not reacting to his shenanigans.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby goldhorse » Tue Jun 25, 2019 2:43 am

demi wrote:Glad you posted, Goldhorse. Your journey is just as valid and important as anyone else’s! The only requirement here is that you must post pictures! (Just kidding, but I do love horse pics no matter what level the horse and rider are!)

You wanted pictures, you got them. What horse person doesn't like to brag? :lol:
Natalie and PIglet in their second rated show ever. They got 68.5%!!!
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Warmup yesterday at her 3rd rated show.This little 15h Morgan has an ego and likes to mark his territory. Her test was in front of an FEI 4* para judge who gave her wonderful feedback and encouragement when it was all over. Horse decided to spook at the judge's stand and he mistakenly rang her for being off course when she wasn't. Neither thing helped her ride her best but she ended up with a respectable 59%. I was urging her on so strongly from the sidelines that I didn't get any pictures :? Natalie is not concerned about her scores but wants the feedback from the judge's perspective so it was fantastic that we had the opportunity to show in front of an international para judge.
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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Wed Jun 26, 2019 4:04 am

Thanks for the pictures, Goldhorse! He’s a handsome boy, and that tail!! I will enjoy watching that team on their journey.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby blob » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:47 pm

Congrats Mountaineer & Hot4spots--good things building!

Goldhorse, thanks for sharing pictures of your handsome boy--what a looker!

Flight, glad to hear Ding's changes are going so well and that Norsey is also making good progress.

RosieB, thanks for sharing the video, some really lovely work. Your boy is a lovely mover--what's his breeding?

I'm feeling very discouraged about my changes with MM. I just can't get them right. And I'm certain that it's not at all her. Meaning, I think she understands the ask and has the strength, balance, and ability to do lovely clean changes. I just can't ride a lovely, clean change. I'm feeling frankly very out out of my league with this third level work. And I'm wondering if it's just not in my skillset to do higher levels of dressage. I feel good about my ability to take an un-started or very green horse and develop it to a solid, steady, rideable training/first level horse. But I think that's where my skills probably stay. I just don't think I have the precision or strength to get MM where she could be. I just feel sloppy and unqualified.

I've been feeling the sloppy lack of precision for sometime, but it's only gotten worse in the last several months. I'm on new medication for a chronic pain condition I was recently diagnosed with and the medication is causing some unexpected weight gain and I'm just not used to the body I have. It's leading to added frustration.

On the plus side, both MM and RP are doing well with the high heat/humidity and MM's summer allergies are looking better than usual (knock on wood!). RP has done well with his diet adjustments. Both have a new farrier and I think their feet are better for it. They're just about to get their second trim, so I'm looking forward to seeing how their feet continue to improve.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:54 pm

demi wrote:Thanks for the pictures, Goldhorse! He’s a handsome boy, and that tail!! I will enjoy watching that team on their journey.



I should add that Goldhorse is a big part of “that team” :)

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby demi » Wed Jun 26, 2019 1:02 pm

I cant seem to get away from this board this morning! I have two minutes left before I have to go, but I read Blob’s last post and I wanted to tell her not to worry! You are not out of your league. I know this from your posts and pictures. I have more to say but no time now. I am sure others will chime in with encouragement for you and your lovely horses...

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby exvet » Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:53 pm

I too found third level to be very frustrating and knew it was more me holding the horse back than the other way around. For some of us that is simply the path we must travel before the timing of the aids develops correctly. I would suggest hanging in there but perhaps take a break from the FCs for a while and continue to develop/build on the suppleness, throughness and quality of gaits. I have found that if I did that in the past often coming back to the FCs found even me to be a bit better. I also had to find a method to get my timing improved. For me it was finding music that matched my horses' canter gaits (wasn't the same for each) and I was better able to keep the proper timing in my head. I still had to manage the stride and know which foot was where in order to develop my timing (really just understand when I had the most influence) but using a method (music) that allowed me to 'think less' and felt more really helped me..............but then again I think most have already established that I don't take the most 'normal' path or conventional approach LOL. You are definitely not out of your league, actually you're a qualified member of the club. I'm sure someone here was born with the innate ability to produce flying changes; but certainly not the majority.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Moutaineer » Wed Jun 26, 2019 5:59 pm

Blob and Exvet. Your posts both resonate loudly with me.

I'm finding that the work demands a significantly different level of skill, body awareness, fitness, accuracy and focus than at previous levels. I think this would have been much easier at 20 years younger and with fewer miles on my personal clock!

But then again, I seem to remember saying that about second level. Maybe it's like childbirth--we forget the pain so we will be prepared to do it again!

I like the thought of the music approach. I'm a terrible dancer with no natual sense of rhythm, though... and I suspect that's one of the reasons I struggle with this stuff.

We will get there, Blob. I think nowadays we put so much pressure on ourselves because we see all these successful people online, on Facebook, etc, and think that if we aren't on the same timeline as them we must be failing. We forget that they aren't posting their challenges, just their pinnacles. And their circumstances, priorities, physical abilities, age, etc, are probably completely different to ours.

I realized this last weekend that I was probably the oldest person showing, and that I've reached the point where people think its notable that I'm still out there doing it. How in the heck did that happen?

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Rosie B » Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:03 pm

Mountaineer - you should move to my neck of the woods. We had one lady showing well into her 80s although she's quit showing within the last few years. She was doing 3rd/4th.

The average age of the true adult amateurs around here is probably between 55 and 65, so you'd fit right in. :)

My mom is still showing at 72.

Blob - thank-you! He's a German Hanoverian, by Belissimo M (same sire as Isabell Werth's horse Bella Rose).

Goldhorse - he is BEAUTIFUL. Even when he's peeing. :lol:

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Hot4Spots » Wed Jun 26, 2019 10:34 pm

Well, I guess my happiness at getting an actual trail ride done without any issues was a bit premature. Sigh. I went to ride out in the pasture last night (which I have been doing for about 10 mins. at the end of every ride for the past several weeks, with no drugs, without incident). I had just started, when a fellow boarder came riding up from the barn, intending to either join me or go down the road. My horse went on high alert (she was only walking her horse, for dog's sake!). I asked her to halt and I would either join her or go back to the arena. She stopped. I turned him toward her, when suddenly he was transfixed by the three ducks (that he has seen many many times) in the fenced garden next to the pasture. The ducks, all 3 of them, "stampeded." He passaged, he piaffed, then he started plunging/bucking. Sigh. I held for about five huge leaps, but it was becoming apparent I wasn't going to stay on much longer when he managed to pull me forward, so I put my arms around his neck and half vaulted/half fell off. Landed on my feet, but fell onto my a$$. Tried to hold on to him since we were near a road (though it is a fairly quiet one), but he managed to pull away. The other boarder was between him and the road, so he galloped (!) back to the barn and ran into the grooming area and just stood there. The BOs and I ran after him, but he was just standing there, like "why's everyone so upset?" The pasture was plowed for fire prevention purposes, so it was a fairly soft landing. Not particularly sore or stiff today and a blood blister on my arm (from the rein?) is the only "damage" I can find. I'll see how HE is tonight, but I did get back on and walk him for another 10 minutes in the arena last night and he seemed okay (no peppermint for you tonight, Mark!). One step forward, two steps back.

Here's a picture of the miscreant after I put him "to bed." He doesn't seem particularly repentant.
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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby piedmontfields » Thu Jun 27, 2019 12:29 am

Mark mark! You simply have no idea how lucky you are to have Hots4 as your human. Oy!!

I audited a Susanne von Dietz clinic again this past weekend. Lots of great insights, but I am not yet at the point of putting it into words. Have been having great, responsive rides on Emi, although she has been a bit hot to trot (just cycling during a HOT week) lately. She is not that bad during these times, just rather pumped and quick so I need to pay attention! :lol:

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby goldhorse » Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:21 am

demi wrote:
demi wrote:Thanks for the pictures, Goldhorse! He’s a handsome boy, and that tail!! I will enjoy watching that team on their journey.



I should add that Goldhorse is a big part of “that team” :)


Thank you Demi. There is a very large team of people behind this pair: owner (me), trainer, a few fit teenagers that can keep him fit, farrier, entire lameness staff and farrier at UC Davis. It takes a village :)

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Flight » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:52 am

Goldhorse is his name really Piglet?! That is so cute and he does look adorable :) I really wanted a Morgan but they tended to be a bit small for me.

Rosie, looking good with the changes you are making! You 2 always make a good picture though.

Chantal, let us know what the vet says about Mikey's leg.

Blob, sorry that you are feeling like that. It's a bit depressing when it's not going easily but if it helps, I don't find it easy either. But you have to keep chipping away - small bites! That's what I do. You will come through the other side.. and then there's more to achieve :? But your horse gets much nicer to ride. I'm happy to share my sh#t vids with you of me still struggling to get clean changes with Norsey.. I nearly fall off half the time. I don't post them here because it's not really the done thing is it. But I don't mind sharing that stuff individually because the struggle is REAL!

Hot4spots, that's not good about your fall. Yes, he looks cheeky enough sticking his tongue out at you :lol:

Forgot to add Mountaineer - really enjoyed your show report and photos! Not that I enjoyed that you were disappointed in your first test, but great that had a better second day. It's interesting reading other people's show experience, because FB and the like can make it look like people have the best time at shows, meanwhile my day is a just a poo fight!

At my last clinic the instructor was getting me to do trot pirouettes, which were quite hard, but using them to get Norsey to step under rather than him pushing out forwards or sidewards. I'm so glad one of the other participants took some video, so I've been able to go back and keep watching to help understand it more. Well, I think I finally made some progress and now when I do it, I can see (on the soloshot) that he is not making big steps forwards or sideways and I can feel his back coming up, it's like someone widening the saddle under my backside.
It's another month until my next clinic with her, so I'm hoping I'm on the right track and that she doesn't have to undo what I 'think' I'm dong right!
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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby goldhorse » Thu Jun 27, 2019 4:13 am

Flight wrote:Goldhorse is his name really Piglet?! That is so cute and he does look adorable :) I really wanted a Morgan but they tended to be a bit small for me.


His nickname is Piglet after the Winnie-the-Pooh character. He's usually known as Pig, Mr. PIggles, or Piggly-Wiggly or anything else undignified that slips off my tongue. His registered name is Icon Golden Farceur and I couldn't shorten that to anything meaningful.

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Re: May & June Goals & Progress

Postby Chisamba » Thu Jun 27, 2019 11:25 am

Mountaineer, Blob ..on Kimba I am also having to work to get 3rd level. Now in the history of my life, I used to skip second and go straight to third. I find third much easier to ride. I honestly believe you will too, as soon as you have "all your ducks in a row".

But my current horse is a very different type from my previous beauties. Maybe there is a ceiling for her. Maybe teaching a pacer to canter us one thing, and being able to manipulate the canter fluidly is another, but imagine how much this journey will teach me!!

I think you will both be fabulous !

Now out little struggles make show how much if a genius Flight is. Damned well done flight.

Rosey B. You have him coming into his own!

Hot4spots, does you overvigilant guy know a "one rein stop". Not dressage and no value in training but can help with disarming an over tense situation. But it has to be trained and reinforced as a relax you are safe technique. Just a thought . Glad you are ok.


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