I finally got to ride him again, and it was twenty minutes of pure bliss at 9:30 am on a Sunday morning in temperatures quickly approaching unacceptably hot. So I am finally able to ride my horse again and a heat wave hits the east coast. I made the most of this short ride, but now I am as eager as ever to get back in the saddle and start conditioning Harley (and myself) back to the wonderful level of fitness and dressage oneness we were enjoying last fall. The flying changes have been put away since I found out that I was expecting, so I am/Harley is excited to take those out again. Unfortunately, the weather is not cooperating with my fun and getting away to the barn is very difficult.
Please allow me to rephrase that...VERY, VERY, VERY difficult.
I am breastfeeding our daughter who demands sustenance about every two hours, even as we approach the two-month mark. Of course, feeding is only one element among the myriad of activities that surround our daily lives at the moment. Exhaustion has become a permanent resident at our house, but that has not made me want to see my horse or ride him any less. It is the logistics that are a problem. He lives a mere eight minutes away, but trying to fit anything horse-related into a two-hour window (which has to include me cleaning up when I get home) is next to impossible for me. It doesn't help that the July climate absolutely requires that Harley have a shower after we work, even if all we do is walk in the shade and trot for five minutes and this leaves almost no time for hand-grazing, about which Harley has already expressed his displeasure. The summer months usually afford him thirty minutes of grazing after a workout, something that he counts on as part of his "Val-time".
I also have to try and fit other horse-care requirements into my "Harley-time" like replenishing fly spray, detangling his beautiful tail and now-partially-rubbed-out-mane (HARLEY!?!), washing tree-sap out of my horse's coat (a very messy two-step process), and the most-time consuming of all: trimming his feet. For the first time ever, I wish that I wasn't trimming his feet myself. It is extremely time-consuming and when all I can think about is a few minutes in the saddle, an upcoming trim becomes a figurative killjoy. BUT I have made a commitment to my horse's feet. Just add it to the long list of commitments that I am trying to balance right now and I am not even back at work yet.
Have you ever noticed that every horse chore or activity takes at least ten steps? What is up with that?
Let's just say that Harley's bridle will remain moldy for the near future. Thank goodness my saddle has a cover!
In the meantime, I will be banking as much Harley-time as possible, but the deposits have been slow-going so far. Once or twice a week just ain't cutting it!
Harley and I enjoyed a second riding lesson in November on the last day of the month. My teacher had something unusual in store for us. I think her teaching techniques should win some prize for originality, but I will let you be the judge.
On this day, my teacher brought a new (to me) teaching accessory: a stretchy, tan bandage. It was exactly the kind of bandage that a person might use to wrap a sprained ankle. Extra props were in order for selecting a cost effective instructional aid and for making me scratch my head as to what was coming next.
Disclaimer: Don't try this at home. Harley was nonchalant about the exercise that follows, but I am sure that not all horses would respond in quite the same fashion. Always use a healthy dose of caution and keep safety first!
The first phase of the exercise was to place the bandage over the bridge of Harley's nose, securing it underneath spare leather from his bridle. I held the ends of the bandage like reins. This was reminiscent of a bit-less-bridle or hackamore, but with one distinct difference: the bandage felt very fragile. The fabric is probably stronger than it feels, but there is so much elasticity that it feels like you are holding nothing. I kept the reins attached to Harley's bridle in my hands, but with a lot of slack in them. Then I asked Harley to walk on.
The sensation of my horse pushing against the elastic bandage was positively delightful. It made me laugh. I could feel every little movement of his face and neck. My teacher offered this exercise so that Harley might be encouraged to reach and stretch into the elasticity of the bandage. Surprisingly, he did and almost immediately. I used my legs to keep him moving forward and to direct him around the ring. Once or twice we got a little mixed up with our signals, but for the most part it was smooth sailing.
Even though this activity was meant for the horse, I found it really interesting, too. With nothing to hold or brace against, it felt like my shoulders were part of the elastic. I could feel them moving with Harley's nose. Each of my shoulder blades felt independent. It was really cool and so silly that it made me laugh out loud! This was a great exercise for me, because I tend to hold tension in my shoulders, although I must say that those days are melting away. This activity just added to my awareness.
On a whim, my teacher decided to try moving the bandage up to Harley's forehead. This time she secured it through the browband on his bridle, which was a good idea because I dropped it more than once. Again, this was something that did not bother Harley, but might upset another horse. The new position of the bandage had an interesting effect. Harley starting pressing his forehead into the elasticity of the bandage since it was higher up. Can you imagine what that would do for his neck? He stretched his topline and advanced his poll forward. What a lovely ride that was! And guess what, there is video:
In the last segment of the video, I dropped one side of the bandage by accident. Harley hesitated and then continued on with a lovely posture. Shortly there after, I let the other side of the bandage go and just held the reins at whatever length they were already at. My teacher marveled at the freedom in his shoulders. You can see it especially in this final segment of the video when Harley is in the frame of the camera, that is. Harley demonstrated self-carriage and a winning attitude as the bandage dangled next to his face. He is one cool dude!
I was excited to share this lesson, because it was so out of the ordinary. I do not practice these exercises without my teacher present and she is so eclectic, that I imagine we may do something completely different next time. I have enjoyed my rides on Harley since then and I think that we both have a better understanding of the type of elastic connection that can be possible between us.
What unusual exercise have you practiced with your horse?
Yesterday, Harley and I had a riding lesson. Our progress was reviewed, we learned some new exercises, and we experienced some really wonderful moments of self carriage and softness between us. I wrote a rather long and detailed post to record what I learned and to share with you. There are two short video clips at the end.
Improvements since our last lesson:
Harley's neck muscles and posture
His straightness and forwardness
His willingness to seek the bit on his own
I am finding the center of my horse more quickly
My legs are staying forward more consistently
My seat is closer to my horse and I am staying upright more consistently
My arm and hand position have improved
Things to continue working on:
Strengthening Harley's hindend
Stretching the base of his crest just in front of the withers
Allowing Harley to make the connection for me
Keeping a bend in my elbows and an upward feel to my forearms and hands
Keeping my shoulders down and loose even when I raise my forearms
Encouraging mobility and flexibility in Harley's ribcage by keeping my leg muscles loose and mobile
My teacher prescribed some interesting exercises in this lesson. She could see the effects of our work since the last lesson. She also liked my image of Harley's hindlegs stepping forward through my stomach, which has, no doubt, helped my posture in the saddle. The typical way of beginning a lesson is she tells me to ride and then sees the next thing that she wants to work on with us. This usually takes all of thirty seconds and this lesson was no different. Even though I have been working diligently to keep my forearms light and up, there is still a downward tendency in my inside hand, particularly the left side. This downward tendency goes "hand-in-hand" with collapsing left, my natural inclination. One of my teacher's strategies is to exaggerate the postural correction, so that the rider's body must abandon the original habit and recalibrate. I like this technique very much and find it to be quite effective.
So my prescribed activity, was to bend my elbows so that my hands were tapping my sternum; she wanted my hands moving. This means that I had to let the reins slide almost to the buckle. She called this "praying mantis". This position kept my upper arm parallel to my sides and helped my shoulders stay down. Since I was totally unable to "make" any contact with the rein, Harley had the opportunity to initiate the connection. In this position, it was also basically impossible for me to tighten across my shoulder blades when Harley did pick up the bit. This was the recipe for recalibrating my riding habits.
So while riding around with this rather silly arm position, I also had to stay in the middle of my horse and keep him traveling straight around the circle. No rein aids allowed! I figured out how to shift my weight and ask Harley to follow my center of gravity around the circle. I ride like this, to some extent, all the time, but the experience is amplified when you are prevented from using the reins for guidance. Remarkably, I felt Harley straighten and rebalance himself very effectively using this technique. He also tuned into his hind end in some startling ways. All the rein supports had been removed and this was very challenging for me to ride at times. When he shifted back and powered off of his hind feet, it felt really unsettling, even a little out of control at first. I was pushed and tipped off center many times. It is difficult to have been a rider for so long and just allow this to happen, especially when I know that I could hold everything together if I made the contact instead. Thankfully, before too long, we found our rhythm and our balance. Harley demonstrated some genuine self-carriage. No half-halts, driving, or holding required. Years ago, I would not have thought that possible without more boundaries and control from me. It was so cool.
Once Harley picked up the connection, I was allowed to let my forearms lower toward his mouth, but I had to be very careful not to let my shoulders tighten. The next exercise was in two parts. "Part 1" was to push my hands forward toward his mouth. I had to try to keep some bend in my elbows and not lean forward with my arms. To compensate, my teacher told me to lean back. This directive kept me straight in the saddle and allowed me to support my horse with my posture as I offered for him to follow the bit forward. This was really tough at first and moreso to the left. Everything is easier going to the right, which interestingly, is Harley's less bendy side.
Once I was able to push my hands forward without surrendering my position, I kept my outside rein for tempo control and "stirred" my inside hand toward his nose. This was "Part 2". Again, this was more challenging to the left and Harley seemed to be working against me by rooting forward abruptly. This was frustrating for me, because I felt like it was preventing me from offering him the rein. My teacher said that he does this when he feels my shoulders tighten. If my shoulders stay soft then he is less likely to push against them. There was no need for him to force his nose forward, because I was inviting his nose forward by moving my hands toward the bit and moving the inside rein in a circle toward his nose. I wish that I could tell him that! Eventually, he became steadier, but that habit is going to take a long time to dissolve. Putting more responsibility on him to make the connection with me and carry himself should help.
By the end of the lesson, we had changed directions a few times in big loopy figure eights. I was completely absorbed in my position, when my teacher brought to my attention the softness we had achieved. Every muscle in my body and every muscle in his body felt quiet and without tension. I looked at his neck (which means I had not been staring at it already, yay!) and he was very clearly stretching the base of his neck in a beautiful "bloom". I could feel our center beneath us. I could feel my shoulders soft. I want that again! I want to ride like that all the time! And now I have some insights and exercises to get us a little bit closer to that magic.
My teacher took these video clips and very kindly sent them to me. It was late so the lighting is not great, but you can get a little taste of what my lessons with her are like. These clips are of the "stirring" exercise going to the left. You can see us both struggle between figuring out the exercise and experiencing its effects. The exercise looks simple, but it was very challenging!
I filmed a short video to demonstrate how I check for girth tightness at the horse's sternum starring Harley, of course. I hope you enjoy it and remember, safety first!
The local newspaper stopped by our farm to speak to us about our new therapeutic riding center, HeartsTRC, LLC. The news is no longer just print on paper. In the time of the internet and multimedia, the reporter wanted a video clip to post on the news website. Although many people are reluctant to speak on camera, I have to speak in front of a room full of students on a daily basis and giving an impromptu speech happens to be one of my specialties (or so I am told), so I volunteered to take the plunge. After a few minutes preparing what I wanted to say, I was ready to accept the challenge. My students would probably tell you that the real challenge is getting me to stop talking! I am not one for chitchat or idle conversation, but if it is about science or horses, I have a lot to say. Enjoy!
So how long does 15 minutes of fame last in the era of the internet?
Is it sped up to 15 seconds or extended to infinity?
Let's hope for positive feedback and comments and a limited number of observations that mention that I look or sound like I am twelve. Wouldn't be the first time!
Related links:
http://www.shorenewstoday.com/snt/news/index.php/egg-harbor-twp.html
Flying changes anyone? Harley loves them. Maybe a little too much, if that is possible. I have regularly seen him switch leads while cavorting around the ring at liberty, but once he figured out that he was allowed to do them under saddle, he has never looked back. I have spent the time since then trying to tame his changes without squashing his enthusiasm. He used to literally throw changes in whenever he pleased and anywhere in the ring: on a circle, along the diagonal, or down the long side. Of course, I also school them from time to time, asking him to change when I want him to and in a respectable manner, however, too much flying change training often leads to more impromptu changes from my horse. I like the figure eight or short diagonal to practice swapping leads midair and, with Harley, sometimes it really is in midair!
I remember the first time that I wanted to show my Mom that he could switch leads in the canter. This was September 2010. He had just started offering them in response to my leg. I knew that my Mom was watching, so I wanted to impress her and ride as correctly as possible. I also wanted to set Harley up for the best change possible. I sat up really tall and made sure that he was really balanced on his hindend...
...BANG!
My horse threw the largest buck I have ever, EVER, ridden in my life. I had no idea he could buck like that. He completed the change, but with way too much fly. I did my best to remain calm, and like a good trainer, returned to the same spot, asking him to repeat the change nicely...
...DOUBLE BANG!
Somehow he bucked ever harder! I was literally thrown onto his neck and I watched in slow motion as both my feet flew forward toward his nose. I have no idea how I stayed on. Thankfully, he did not seem to care that I was now riding his neck and cantered straight ahead on the new lead as I shimmied back into the saddle.
By this time, my Mom was rightfully concerned. She asked what was with the "bronco stuff"? I promised her that he had never done that before. Sure he can bunny-hop and dance around from time to time and he used to buck into the canter when he was learning his balance, but nothing like this. Nothing that unseated me. Unfortunately, I had to keep riding and I had to return to the exercise that was causing the problem. At this point, I realized that I was most likely the cause of the problem, although it could also have been partly my horse trying to figure things out. I had to quit overriding, but that is so difficult to do, when your horse is trying to send you to the stars!
We took a break from the exercise by going really forward in the canter. When we returned to the flying change, he still bucked so we did it again. He bucked again, although not quite as badly and I think that I called it quits then. After some careful thought, I decided to abandon the changes temporarily and get more control and throughness in the canter. My teacher advised me to work on the canter transitions from the trot and the walk, as the flying change is really just a canter transition from the canter itself. Leaving the flying change for a couple months felt like giving up and it was a bit of a hit to my ego. I was so excited that my horse had a change in him, but I had to let it go for the time being. That was in September of 2010.
By November, I was ready to let him try to flying change again. Sometimes a buck emerged, but it was a small buck, similar to the ones he used to throw when he was figuring out how to transition into the canter. About half the time, he gave me a smooth, buck-free change. I remembered not to override and discovered that the less I did, the more smoothly he changed. He showed me this by changing on his own with absolutely no buck. He had the skill and balance to change nicely, I just needed the finesse to ask him without disrupting that balance and harmony.
Without a regular trainer, it has taken a very, very long time (years!), and I have learned so much throughout the process. I would not call his flying changes completely tamed at this point, but we are getting there. Less is definitely more, but I still need him to be obedient to my aids. My goal is to have enough influence over his hindlegs that he no longer changes when he wants to and changes cleanly when I ask, where I ask, and without popping his hindend! When we have that much harmony in the changes, I think that riding changes in sequence may be possible. Maybe. That would be a dream come true.
My husband captured some more of Harley's exurberance on video. This is during our warm up and shows the very first canter transition. Notice the defiant head toss. He was really full of beans that day, but it made for some exciting video (The Big Trot On Video). I intentionally did not praise the first flying change, because it was "unsolicited" although very smooth and nice to ride. The second one was requested by me and was in his more difficult direction. He does not always change cleanly going left to right, so that was worth a big "Good Boy!".
Health Note:
Caring horse people will notice that Harley coughs a few times during the video. He also coughed in the previous video from the same ride. I mentioned it before on this blog, but it bears repeating that Harley has allergies, which have flared up this year. He coughs from time to time, especially in the beginning of the ride. Unfortunately, he was having a particularly noisy day (as was the whinnying horse!) when my husband was there to film and photograph. Please do not worry. He is under the care of my vet, has been tested, and is receiving allergen-specific immunotherapy, which is as close to a cure as one can get for allergies. The allergies have not seemed to affect his desire to work or ride, but if he ever tells me "not today", I will listen to him. His symptoms are variable, but seem to lessen when he has more regular exercise.
Back to the riding...
...I find that I experience an overwhelming need to lean during the flying change that I request. I am nice and straight for the first one, but I lean horribly for the actual requested change. I am surprised that he was able to complete it so nicely. My loss of balance is also evidenced by the icky downward hand pull that I commit in the transition to walk. This is precisely the reflex that I been trying to retrain in myself. This video was from June 2012 right after my lesson. Although riding has been sporadic due to the weather and heat, I have been working dutifully to correct my hand position and reflexes and straightness going left. Old habits die hard, but I think we are making progress, because Harley has not been bouncing his hindend around, tossing his head into the canter, or throwing in impromptu changes. He has been cantering much lighter on his feet and with better rhythm. The real test will be requesting a flying change again.
I wrote a memoir post a little while back about my experience learning to ride lengthenings and Harley's newly-offered big trot. Just to sum it up, my riding education has not directly included lessons to ride a big trot beyond a First Level lengthening. Fortunately, I have an amazing teacher who focuses entirely on the basics and my position and encourages me to be a thinking rider so that I might apply the skills that I learn to my love of dressage. Combine this with my horse's generous nature and my belief that he can do just about anything, and you have a recipe for some exciting things to unfold. When my husband offered to take photos and video at the beginning of June, I felt obligated to take advantage of the opportunity to "see" what Harley and I were doing when we accomplished his new, bold trot. Video is an immensely helpful training tool. This cannot be understated when one embarks on training a dressage horse and mostly solo.
I like the videos which I have posted below, because you can see Harley and I working toward the objective. This is a snapshot of our training. You will not see perfection in either of us. This is about the third time that I have asked Harley to produce his big trot down the long side after a bit of canter to put his weight over his hind end, so the process of getting there is quite rusty. When everything falls into place, Harley powers forward with longer strides and I just try to stay in the middle of our balance. I am happy to report that the photo below reveals that what I thought I was feeling is exactly what Mr. Harley was doing. Check out the elevation of the diagonal pair. Please also notice that there is a slight loop in the rein. Although I had to increase the rein pressure to show him that I wanted him to keep his weight off his shoulders before the big trot, once he finds his balance he pretty much does it himself. The feeling is exhilarating! This is one of those things that I was not sure that I would ever get to experience. I am thankful for my generous horse.
Go Harley!
In the videos you will see that my priority at the beginning of each long side is to remind Harley to keep his weight back. His head will be up, but this does not bother me. When he finds his balance with the power to open up his stride, his frame "snaps into place" all on its own. No fiddling, flexing, or driving necessary. In fact, my legs are passive at this point. He is supplying the power and I am just directing it and suggesting where it should go. His personality is such that he loves anything where he really gets to push off with his hind end so he accepts the invitation. You will also see this as he displays some bouncy shenanigans and a flying change or two. You may also be able to see that we do not have great control of the power of the big trot at this point. We have improved since the time of this video (early June), but the corners here are a bit precarious. I especially dislike a couple strong inside hand pulls that I commit in the far corner of the ring, but if my memory serves me, it felt like we were about to careen into the fence! You will also see a mega-half-halt before that same corner. I needed Harley to curb his enthusiasm enough to acknowledge the turn ahead. Harley's best efforts are the ones when he approaches the camera. The last effort is conservative, but I wanted to end with a controlled corner. In later rides, we got much better at maintaining balance and control after the big trot and practiced it across the short diagonal as well as the long side.
So for your viewing pleasure:
My 15.1 hand quarter horse big-trotting his little...scratch that...
...BIG heart out. Enjoy!
Here we are going to the right. Harley had lost most of his steam at this point, but he still offered a nice effort the second time around, so we ended with that. His elevation in front was not as impressive, but his balance in the loading diagonal pair was very good to my eye and something to strive for in all his big gait efforts.
During spring break, I wanted to do something fun and exciting with Harley. A change of pace required a change of tack and some arena prep-work. I brought out the jumping saddle and set up four small jumps, making a cross in the center of the riding ring. I had already done my homework. I thought it might be more fun to try a pattern then to just casually hop over a couple jumps.
Enter the cloverleaf.
I am not promising amazing success or tremendous obstacles, but I think that you will still find the video entertaining. Harley certainly was game, even if his pilot was feeling a little rusty in raised stirrups.
Enjoy!
Just in case there is any confusion, we are normally "dressagers" not jumpers (I am sure that was obvious!). Except for a couple inviting cross-rails left in the ring this winter, this was the first time that we have jumped since last summer. I like to jump once in a while to mix things up a bit. Harley seems to like jumping and can get pretty excited. You may have noticed the wind pick up as he approached the jumps a couple times. That was all Harley and his exuberance. He is really fun to point at a little fence, because, win or lose, you know he is going to go for it. Unfortunately, rushing at the fence does not do very much for our form and this is when he tends to knock things down. I do my best to keep him in a steady pace and stay with him.
The cloverleaf turned out to be a very challenging exercise for us. I am not sure if it qualified as a "fun" alternative, because it required so much focus and concentration. The turns come up really quickly. There were a couple times where I got stuck circling the jumps just trying to figure out how to get into the exercise. Where do I begin?
We sort of completed a cloverleaf going to the right. We tried it going to the left after this video clip, but we were not very successful. Harley also seemed to be getting a little stressed out. I think that we were over-faced. The cloverleaf looks simple (just loop around to the next jump and keep the direction the same the whole time), but in practice, simple it is not!
If you happen to be a rider who goes in jump tack on a regular basis, I have major respect for what you do. I am used to long stirrups and relaxed leg muscles. I rode with shorter stirrups in my jumping saddle, but, in hindsight, I realized they needed to be a hole or two shorter. I felt like I had to keep pushing my foot forward and my seat back. The cut of the saddle is completely opposite to a dressage saddle, so my body was totally confused! In fact, I think that I had an easier time hopping over those cross-rails this winter, because I was in my dressage saddle. How are you supposed to use your leg when riding in jumping position? I kept wanting to move my legs around to steer or rebalance Harley, but this just unbalanced me! To be honest, I felt handicapped. Any tips from the jumping folks are welcome.
This is a concept that my teacher has been working me towards for a long time. Like most things in riding, I am able to get closer and closer to mastering the concept in small increments. Sometimes I take a few steps back before I can improve further, but the overall progression has been very positive.
"Riding between the shoulders" is a goal for any rider, but especially the tight-shouldered rider. That's me. Or at least it used to be me. I feel that I can say that now, even if I am not perfect. Unlike the many years when I tooled around the dressage arena with insanely braced shoulders, I am confident enough to say that many of my riding minutes are spent with mobile, dropped shoulder blades. I am also able to now recognize times when my shoulders have become tense (left lead canter tends to be a habit for me) and I am able to release them. Before I had my wonderful little quarter horse, I used to ride a large Hanoverian/Thoroughbred mare. I loved her and she was, in many ways, my (unofficial) first horse, but she could be wickedly heavy. I learned to prop her up using my upper body strength and leverage, which included the dreaded hollow back. That's right, leverage. I sat back, a lot. In fact, my instructor at the time liked this about me and this mare. This mare got me to really sit back. And I learned a great many useful things from riding her and I certainly do not regret riding her (it was a gift for which I am grateful), but sitting back like that became ingrained in my muscle memory. I was not really leaning back, at least not dramatically, but I definitely had developed a brace in my shoulders. This was different than the brace I carried in my shoulders when practicing jumping, but a brace nonetheless. With the riding discipline change, I just obediently traded one type of shoulder brace for another and I was praised for this change in position, even though there was still a great deal of muscular tension present.
Assume the dressage rider position while standing in front of the barn aisle wall. Softly rest your fists against the wall. Be sure to keep your fists level and turn them in slightly to face each other. The rider's wrists should not be bent to the outside, which is called "broken wrists" and interrupts the straight line from the bit to the elbow. The wrists should be softed flexed in, like you are hugging a stuffed animal. This makes your wrists straight, even though I am using the word "flexed". Does this remind you of bending and the straight horse?
As you rest into the wall, only allow a slight bend in your knees and try to stand centered over your feet. For me, this required that I step my feet back from the wall a good foot and a half to two feet, while letting my upper body shift forward (i.e. I was leaning back.). Once I was straight, I pushed my belly button back and up toward my spine. This required muscular effort which was tiring with repetition. When I corrected engaged my core, the hollow was gone and my back was in a healthy, centered position. Again, this makes me think of the horse, who must also engage his abdominal muscles to correctly lift and support his back. The biomechanics of horse and rider are truly mirror images of one another.
Once I found this centered position, we added movement. I was to gently press against the wall with my fists and feel that my shoulder blades were separated and dropped. This little bit of pressure and movement helped me release tension and feel the looseness in my upper back. Then my teacher asked me to rotate my upper body slowly to the right and then to the left. The challenge was to maintain the same, steady, even pressure against the wall while I rotated my upper body. If you try this exercise, you will feel its benefits immediately. The exercise will reveal if you tend to take on the inside rein and drop the outside rein in a turn. The exercise will demonstrate how independent your aids and movements in the saddle must be, and how your upper body affects the balance and muscle groups in your lower body. When I found the coordination necessary to remain centered and connected to the wall evenly, we added a very slight raising and lowering of my knees as would be experienced when on the moving horse. To have success in this exercise is to "ride between the shoulders". I found it very interesting that I needed to send my fists forward to meet the wall in order to be centered. This is a very different feel than pulling back to create the contact on the rein, but the connection is still present and very allowing of forward movement.
Video of me trying my best to ride between my shoulders:
I have selected a short segment of our first ride following the grounded riding lesson. We are traveling right in trot and have only been trotting for a minute or two, so this is still our warm up. If you look carefully, you will see me rotate to the outside and the inside a few times on the circle. Notice that Harley continues straight and that we are sharing a nice connection even though my upper body is mobile. My lower legs are active, asking him to engage his core as I engage mine. Although I am wearing a fleece, I think that you can still see that there is no hollow in my back and my shoulders are soft. I am imagining the barn aisle wall infront of me as we move forward. I am sending my fists forward against that imaginery wall. Harley's pleasing frame, hindend engagement, and lifted back indicate that I am making myself an easy passenger. The visible looseness in his crest just in front of the saddle makes me particularly happy and has been hard won.
...you wear a jacket with your horse's name on the back!
My name is on the front, which comes in mighty handy at a barn. No misplaced jackets here! I thought that I would get made fun of (playfully, of course) for wearing my horse on my jacket, but most people just exclaim that they want one and ask where they can make a customized jacket brandished with horse personalization. My husband found the design and ordered it at Superior Stitch Embroidery. My favorite jacket is surprisingly warm for the lightweight material and serves me well for all the cold weather months. It is also machine washable. A must! The "Harley Jacket" was my birthday present a couple years ago. This year my husband ordered me this:
Yes, that is a matching "Harley Hat". I love it! My husband is awesome!
Now I am completely surrendered to Horse Dorkdom and it was mostly my husband's doing. I find this to be terribly amusing, since he does not like the funny looks that we get when I wear my breeches and riding boots for a couple quick errands. I have yet to transfer my school things into this messenger bag, because I do not want to ruin its newness. The horse is so pretty!
Practicing a few Spanish walk steps
The beginning of a nice soft turn with only implied pressure. See that my feet and shoulders have started the turn?
Turning our feet some more.
If you compare his stockings to the summer photos in the right side bar of the blog, you will see how much light-colored winter fur has replaced his dark stockings. His nose is also black, now. Harley is becoming a polar bear again.
Harley takes his carrots very seriously. He can fit an impressive number of baby carrots in his mouth at once, although I have never counted. I do not want to throw that challenge down or I may be facing a buckskin chipmunk cheeks.
Guess what? Harley is a prize winning trail horse. What does this mean? Well, on Sunday we went in the 13th Annual Turkey Trot pleasure ride/drive at the Horse Park of New Jersey. We were entered in the open division and rode the long course which is about eight miles through Assinpink Wildlife Management Area. The Turkey Trot is a very casual/fun competition and certainly not a competitive trail ride, but there is an undisclosed optimum time and we were only 2 minutes and 49 seconds off the optimum time of 2 hours, 12 minutes and 25 seconds. My team mate and I were awarded third place!
Go Harley!
My husband jokes that this means we were the third "most average", but I will take third out of 28 teams any day! This was a repeat performance as team Harley and team Winston (our trail mates) were also third last year, but out of 41 teams. Can you imagine that many competitors in a dressage competition? Well, I cannot, but maybe you can!
Since the optimum time was not disclosed and we were not armed with any kind of GPS or odometer, we could not really try to keep pace, although we guessed that the optimum would be close to two hours like last year. I used common sense and my horse's well-being as my barometer, walking in the wooded areas, trotting along short, open sections of trail, and taking advantage of fields for a nice canter. This is exactly what we did last year, which leads me to believe that whomever determined the optimum time uses the same horse-centered pacing strategy. I think that many riders are more interested in having fun and finishing quickly than trying to hit an optimum. In fact, maybe they are trying to get as far under the optimum as possible! We had fun and made it back to the trailer with plenty of spunk. In the picture above, it looks like Harley is ready for round two!
FYI: I may have been wearing my new helmet camera...
My husband was kind enough to play videographer today. Since we are always chasing time and now the setting sun, this was a special treat. Thanks, Honey!
A horse girl's favorite combination
This video reminds me that I am fortunate to have a thinking horse. Harley never ceases to amaze me with his versatility. When the teeter-totter was newly constructed, everyone on the farm brought their horses up to the new toy to see how each horse would react. We get really excited about those sorts of things. I must say that I have a very fun-loving barn family!
We have several level-headed trail horses, so more than one successfully "walked the plank" with little encouragement. I am proud to report that Harley was among them. After allowing me to lead him across the teeter-totter in both directions, we tried it under saddle. This was no problem at all, and I actually felt a lot more comfortable on his back. I do not want to lose a toe should I step too close to the plank from the ground. Even under saddle, I must admit that the drop of the teeter-totter does unnerve me a bit. Thankfully, Harley does not feed off of my hyper-cautiousness. After-all, he is a reformed "yahoo horse". ;)
Well then, let's go!
YA-HOO!
How about another perspective?
My husband also never ceases to surprise me. He gave me a helmet camera for my birthday, which was why we could not resist heading to the barn to try it out! Now that is my idea of excellent birthday plans. I am easy to please, as long as you disregard the super expensive pet and riding habit. My husband is so understanding.
I love you, Honey. Thank you for a great birthday!
Schooling Show Video: First Level Test 3
Many thanks to my husband for this lovely video! Even if Harley and I are not professional, my husband sure does a nice job filming our ride. He immortalized all of our successes and our mistakes. ;)
I hope you like it!
(P.S. This is the same show referred to in the October 2011 posts.)
A Humorous Look At Our Humble Performance
My favorite parts of the ride are our canter lengthenings and the counter canter. I lost my seat in counter canter left, but that is because I was repeating a silent mantra with hyper-concentration. If you look really closely, I think that you can see the "thought bubble" floating over my head. It reads "stay in left canter, stay here, stay here, stay here..." The brain does not understand the word "no", so I avoided repeating "do not change, do not change, do not...DOH", because that is what would have happened! Counter canter right was a good example of how easy it is for him. He actually stretches into the movement. Good Boy!
I always like the little 10m figure eights in the First Level tests. Back in the day, test 1 had two 10 m half circles followed by a short diagonal. We called them "teardrops", and I still enjoy using them as warm up figures. As for test 3, leg yield left out of the corner is deceptively difficult. We can leg yield towards the track until the cows come home, but there was very little time to swap the aids in the corner and leg yield away from my left leg. I was very happy that he pulled through for me, although I felt the need to switch to rising trot because we were seriously losing rpm's.
Warning: I am about to complain about the footing. I promise that I am not a dressage diva. Remember, my love is classical dressage, but I ride a quarter horse, I rarely show, and I am not accustomed to fancy footing, by any stretch of the imagination. We have sand, rocks, and more smaller rocks at home.
Speaking Of Cows...
The footing was. too. deep. Especially down by the judge. I did not post the test 1 ride, because Harley tripped badly at C during a trot to walk transition and almost got swallowed up in the corner when starting a canter lengthening leaving M. I might have to make a "blooper" reel sometime. Those two moments would certainly qualify. We also broke gait in the canter (this almost happened in test 3), which I was very disappointed about. I made a special effort all summer to teach Harley to be responsible for forwardness. Part of my motivation was the May dressage show. Harley broke gait more than once during the canter marathon. At home, he can complete both tests, back to back with a tiny walk break, and not even think about breaking gait at the canter. With a whip, without a whip, it makes no difference. In our warm up, I was very pleased, because he felt excellently forward, on the aids, and smooth in the transitions. His relaxation was not at its best, probably because he is not used to showing, but he was definitely attentive and listening. There was a 20 minute delay between our test and the warm up, so he felt like his normal self by the time we entered at A. As soon as we entered the show ring, my horse's momentum died. It felt like we were riding in sludge and my horse's feet were being held down with each step. Even trotting around the outside of the arena was not that bad. He was motoring along with a gorgeous forward trot before we entered at A and then, quite suddenly, I was driving with the brake was on. I learned that the footing was donated by a traveling rodeo and I heard other riders talking (read: complaining) about the depth. Oh dear. Now that I have ridden in it, I am not sure that rodeo arenas and dressage arenas have very much in common. Also, I did not notice any cattle hanging around R for rope 'em.
Improvements! Get your dressage improvements, right here!
There are many, of course. It would not be dressage without the need for improvements, but I figured that I would mention a few that I noticed outside of the advice given by the judge.
Figure geometry: My 15 meter circles looked like 20 meter circles. Sigh. Like I have said in an earlier post, we usually score reliable 7's for circles. In May, I believe that we scored almost all 7's for the trot and canter circles, 10 m and 15 m respectively. Not riding in a 20m by 60 m dressage arena is catching up with me. I have not had the luxury for ten years. I have a wonderful, large riding space, but any sort of lettered ring is always estimated and temporary. Since we basically score straight sixes, we need all the 7's we can get!
Tempo Consistency: We are always working on this one. The lengthenings are getting better. His trot lengthenings are not terribly impressive in this test. He makes a more exciting surge in test 1, but our balance was much more preserved after we adopted the judge's suggestions. She gave us a 7, probably to encourage our attempts at improvement. Harley also really got quick after counter canter left, which was not helped by my dislodged seat. Did you like how I kept him in the ring? Hello outside aids and some serious tail action. This rendered the next important canter-trot-canter transition inadequate. Shame. We totally own canter-trot-canter these days. He gave me an absolutely steady practice change in the warm up. Unfortunately, we lost our preparation in the actual test. Oh well. More half halts and a rider position check are in order. That is part of competition.
Survey Says....61%
The judge gave us almost all 6's, two 5's (Medium walk and the last halt. Bummer, because he earned 7's for both halts in test 1.), and four 7's (stretchy trot circle, left canter lengthening, counter canter right, and the last trot lengthening). If we had been able to earn 7's for both halts and one canter transition, like we did in test 1, we would have had a very respectable score, even with all 6's for the collective marks. If we had been able to earn our usual 7's for the circles, we would have been pushing past the mid 60's! Wow! Theoretical horse showing is so much fun!
Nothing But Love For Harley
Just in case there are any worries, I am very proud of Harley and I am pleased with our score. Considering how little we show, how little we practice tests, and our lack of professional tutelage, I am more than happy with our humble performance! Since this show also turned into a wonderful learning experience, I am faithfully practicing our homework, seeing and feeling the results, and repeating the judges words in my mind "You are on the right path" and "You have so much potential". Thank you Madam Judge, for making my day!
And, I love my horse!
Harley and I went for a lovely ride yesterday. Afterward, Harley had what may have been his last shower of 2011. Such is the case when one does not have heated water or an indoor wash stall. I saved his morning hay for after our ride. His paddock buddy, Cisco, had already finished his morning hay, but this did not stop him from trying to convince Harley that he was ready for more. I love how expressive Cisco's eyes and "eyebrows" are in this short film.
"Pretty please, Harley?"
It seems that the news is always highlighting new discoveries in animal language. You mean animals can talk to each other? My family and I have always felt that the fact that animals could communicate with one another was an unspoken truth. People who enjoy observing animals, wild or domestic, will quickly attest to this. Just because we do not always understand them does not mean that they do not communicate. And isn't it the best when they choose to try and communicate with us?
This is a companion video to the July 2011 video about Contact, Sitting Trot, and Connection. We are playing around with rein length and energy in his trot after our stretchy warm up. I allow him to give input regarding the length of rein that he wants. When he finds a comfortable length, you will see his topline stretch and his poll reach forward over the bit. This gives him room to move freely, keeps his throatlatch area open, and encourages him to chew and swallow as he trots along. This is very different from drawing the bit back to "set his head", a phrase which I consider bad words in riding and dressage.
Harley's power trot!
The optimum rein length also allows him to move freely forward and add more power to his trot. There is a positive feel in the reins, but his head placement is not static. He adjusts his head carriage to suit his energy level or way of going. I like to allow rather than prescribe this for the horse. When we have a working conversation down the rein I can feel the hindlegs in my hands and seat. This is an amazing feeling of energy, power, and delicacy all at the same time. Too much hand or seat will squash it, too little connection will leave him hanging with the energy spilling out every which way. We need just the right balance of leg and hand, a touch here, a release forward there, then a holding again. Like a kind yet firm handshake with a friend. Maybe you know what I mean?
Every moment of this ride is not perfect, but there are segments here and there where I really like the connection we are sharing. I believe that we have improved our ability to hold this conversation with more consistency since July. You may find that I am a little more forgiving with my arms and elbows than strict equitation dictates. However, my priority is to allow my horse to move with a long neck and stretch to the bit. He used to be and still can be very tight, so I like to err on the side of too loose. Since his confidence in the bridle and suppleness has improved, I have been able to keep my elbows for longer periods of time without feeling like I am blocking him.
I decided to document our fourth attempt at training canter to walk. I am very glad that I did!
I placed the camera close to the rail, so that we would be riding closer to the camera than in the June 2011 video. I knew that we would be off camera for parts of the ride, but this was a compromise with filming distance. I tried to work in front of the camera as much as I could, without putting too much pressure on Harley to be accurate. Accuracy is the finishing touch on a transition, not the first step, so I had to be careful not to focus too much on when we were in the camera's eye.
I am very happy with the progress shown in this video. I also appreciated the opportunity to be a ground person for our ride, even if it was post ride. Some things that I am now working on in our rides include asking him to stay released in his neck during the upward transitions. I do not want to hold his neck in place, but I do have to be careful that I am not dropping the support if he needs more from me. I am also using toe-touching exercises to increase suppleness and flexibility in his neck, back, and rib cage. Hopefully, this will also make him more comfortable so that he does not feel the need to root against the contact after a downward transition.
As for myself, my right side is tighter and I tend to raise my right arm and shoulder and drop my left arm and wrist. It was good for me to see this on camera. My personal brace is in my shoulders. It is a real challenge for me to not tighter up across my shoulder blades, which raises them and make the contact hard rather than forgiving. I am sure that this is also contributing to Harley's desire to jerk my elbows open or tighten his neck. He is trying to unlock my shoulders for me! Thanks, Harley. I will try to keep my shoulder blades loose by purposely moving them from time to time, even in the transitions. As all riders know, position and effectiveness are a constant work in progress, so although I write a lot about training my horse, I am training myself just as much. My stability in the saddle and a neutral pelvis have been my focus for a long time. I need to remember to move my awareness up my spine and think about my shoulders. "Trying too hard" is the death of soft, dropped shoulder blades in the rider, which further complicates my attempts to fix myself. But I will get there. It only takes 10,000 repetitions!
I like observing the conversation between horse and rider. I hope you will see that I praise often, give breaks often, and forgive things like head tossing or abruptness as we work on a new skill. I also talk to my horse out loud, although most of this is not audible in the movie. As he gets stronger, he should stop throwing his head up in the transition. He does this more if he gets tired, so I have to be careful not to work him to the point where he starts using the wrong muscles to do the walk to canter and canter to walk transitions. Now that he knows the exercise, I am going to limit canter to walk practice to three to five attempts per direction. I do not want to tire or bore him. Even attempting the transitions without perfection will benefit his balance, which should increase our frequency of success! I have already felt the positive effects on his canter and downward transition to trot. Continuing to practice this easier transition will help gently strengthen his muscles and coordination for the canter to walk, just as the challenge of canter to walk helps the canter to trot.
Dressage is an iterative process for horse and rider.
He also has one super electric tail. Let me assure you that I am not wearing spurs! In fact, I am not using much leg except to support the downward transition. Harley's expressive tail is a sign that he is being challenged, he is engaging his hind end, and that he could do both of these things with even less physical aid from me. He is a mind reader, big time. Once he knows the game plan, I find myself trying not to think about what we are going to do until the moment arrives and then I allow him by releasing the aids (physical, mental, vocal). Harley and I have ridden with a number of professionals, including my wonderful teacher, and all of them have said the same thing:
"This horse is sensitive and smart."
I just keep trying to live up to his standards! Thankfully, I am loving the journey.
If you enjoy watching a horse and rider school together, you will probably find this video interesting. If you find watching dressage akin to "watching paint dry", than you might want to skip ahead to the canter parts and then call it a day. Personally, I love watching horses school at home, in clinics or lessons much more than I like watching test rides. I like to see the incremental progress and the conversation between horse and rider. Unfortunately, the video was shot from a stationary tripod so we are far away, but I think you will still be able to get a feel for how Harley and I work together.
This schooling video is mostly about transitions and the canter. I am happy with Harley's willingness and try in this ride, because, as I state in the video, he dislikes canter-trot-canter practice. He used to shutdown and become a ball of tension after a couple repetitions, so the fact that we can stay on the circle and he maintains focus and relaxation for many transitions is a big accomplishment for my horse. Our schooling sessions are not always glued to the circle, but I felt that it would be easier to see us on the camera if we stayed close to home. Sticking to a circle also helps me evaluate his suppleness, balance, and attention. And I get to work on myself, since he pretty much auto-circles. I am very proud of my horse's work in this schooling session and I feel that we have continued to improve since June.
