Nothing like taking a riding lesson from your trainer while her dressage instructor hangs out at the barn. My trainer is taking dressage lessons from a notable dressage instructor, who only works with professionals. So I'm trying to ride like he is not sitting near the arena, soaking in the sunshine, watching me...he was probably watching her teach.
So I learned a new concept today. Previously, Kelsey showed me how to use my hands in a zig zagging motion, not sawing on the reins, so that the horse's head goes side to side and back and forth -- which looks atrocious and probably feels the same -- I gently squeeze the reins with my hands. Right hand, squeeze, left hand squeeze half halts to remind him, I'm up here and hey, are you listening...don't look at the woods at the end of the arena...listen to me, no, don't speed up...
Today, we took it a little more extreme, still not see sawing his mouth, so that his head swings from side to side but that he listens to me and drops his head and engages his behind. Really listening to me. I heard her ask if I could feel anything in the reins. Why yes, and I'm gently squeezing one hand and then the other - I think I'm doing great. But she says she can't see my arms move. Why would my arms move? I'm just using my hands.
Then she says, to squeeze and pull back on the rein for three seconds, release that hand and repeat on the other side. Well, that made a big difference in our riding! He really collected himself, especially when I applied my calves to his side while doing the 3 second half halt. Total control. He was not going anywhere I didn't want him.
Then we did some canter work and it was fabulous! He really has a lovely canter. I felt like I was out cantering across a pasture at my family's farm. It was that much fun!
We are using yet another bit, the Kimberwick Uster Snaffle bit gives me a lot of leverage and control without head tossing like the Dressage-Pelham-Bits/FES-Snaffle-Elite-Pelham/ used with double reins. The transition from canter to trot to walk was smooth and almost seamless. Wow! This is how it's supposed to happen!
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Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
post schooling show
My first time back in my new saddle since the horse show I participated the day after my birthday. I placed twice. I think Nathaniel liked that I had actually gotten a green ribbon. He loves the color green. He immediately took my ribbons and hung them in my closet with my ribbons from the Hidden Lake show in October.
I got 5th place out of 6 even though my horse trotted instead of cantered to the left. My choice. I wasn't feeling it. The horse that placed 6th apparently, cantered/galloped around the ring at break neck speed. I did get my right lead canter and it was a nice, pleasant pace. And I didn't fall off - that was a big plus.
My last class, was my best ride of the day and I didn't place. I'm not too chapped about that. It was an open equitation class: I competed with western, hunt seat and saddle seat equitation riders. The riders who won all rode Arab/Half Arab horses. Guess who didn't win? The rider on the Thoroughbred.... Nevertheless, Silver gave me a great canter in each direction and he was truly fun to ride.
So my trainer told me, we were going to start cantering in lessons. I have cantered about 3 times since my accident in late July. Not out of fear, not at first, but for pain...in the back...can't feel my left leg...ouch.
so today, she had me ride in the round pen because I was using a new bit, a full-cheek-copper-dr-bristol and we needed to work on transitions before cantering. Also, the smaller ring would instill a bit of security for me at the canter....or so she thought.
For a horse who won at the track, he is not a fast mover, except in the show ring. So I'm in the warm up area at the NTC show and she is yelling more leg, more leg. And we get into the ring and it's Katie bar the door, whooshing around the ring, and she's yelling "sit back, sit back" because I have totally freaked out and I'm sitting too far forward. I thought I needed to sit in line with my stirrup bar. Once I actually sat back, I rode tremendously better and my horse was easier to ride. I no longer felt the need to revise the lyrics to Amazing Grace:
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me,
I pull at the reins, you're driving me insane,
when will this class end...please slow down,
you get the picture...and only my horse and the show photographer can hear me...But I AM BREATHING...
if ever there was an example of what not to do, I did it. Certainly not balanced riding. Once I got my posture correct, everything else, just fell into place.
Back to today's lesson in the round pen. Pushing Silver at the trot to encourage forward momentum can be a very tiring thing. Usually, I ride with a crop to enhance my legs efforts. It's hard to imagine this creature actually won money at the races -19 starts, 11 placings-. So after trotting in endless circles, we started to canter. Except that I felt him slipping in one corner - do circles have corners?- and then after cantering a full rotation, I felt unbalanced. Was it the size of the round pen? Was it my slippery leather saddle? So, we moved to the large arena. Oh, yes, that's the place to canter! Silver felt great! He has a lovely canter. So in control, even when he was on his left, troublesome lead. He felt good. I was sliding all over the place, but he felt good. This is my happy place, a nice, collected canter with plenty of space to move.
Today's Concepts: we worked on zig zagging hands when stopping or performing a half halt while cantering and pushing forward with the legs. Pushing the horse onto the bit, keeping his back round, with his back legs under him which keeps him collected and balanced. The left lead left me a little unbalanced, I was slipping all over my saddle - he had lots of energy - but once I sat up and put my shoulders back, he became engaged, collected and I became centered and balanced. Beautiful!
I got 5th place out of 6 even though my horse trotted instead of cantered to the left. My choice. I wasn't feeling it. The horse that placed 6th apparently, cantered/galloped around the ring at break neck speed. I did get my right lead canter and it was a nice, pleasant pace. And I didn't fall off - that was a big plus.
My last class, was my best ride of the day and I didn't place. I'm not too chapped about that. It was an open equitation class: I competed with western, hunt seat and saddle seat equitation riders. The riders who won all rode Arab/Half Arab horses. Guess who didn't win? The rider on the Thoroughbred.... Nevertheless, Silver gave me a great canter in each direction and he was truly fun to ride.
So my trainer told me, we were going to start cantering in lessons. I have cantered about 3 times since my accident in late July. Not out of fear, not at first, but for pain...in the back...can't feel my left leg...ouch.
so today, she had me ride in the round pen because I was using a new bit, a full-cheek-copper-dr-bristol and we needed to work on transitions before cantering. Also, the smaller ring would instill a bit of security for me at the canter....or so she thought.
For a horse who won at the track, he is not a fast mover, except in the show ring. So I'm in the warm up area at the NTC show and she is yelling more leg, more leg. And we get into the ring and it's Katie bar the door, whooshing around the ring, and she's yelling "sit back, sit back" because I have totally freaked out and I'm sitting too far forward. I thought I needed to sit in line with my stirrup bar. Once I actually sat back, I rode tremendously better and my horse was easier to ride. I no longer felt the need to revise the lyrics to Amazing Grace:
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me,
I pull at the reins, you're driving me insane,
when will this class end...please slow down,
you get the picture...and only my horse and the show photographer can hear me...But I AM BREATHING...
if ever there was an example of what not to do, I did it. Certainly not balanced riding. Once I got my posture correct, everything else, just fell into place.
Back to today's lesson in the round pen. Pushing Silver at the trot to encourage forward momentum can be a very tiring thing. Usually, I ride with a crop to enhance my legs efforts. It's hard to imagine this creature actually won money at the races -19 starts, 11 placings-. So after trotting in endless circles, we started to canter. Except that I felt him slipping in one corner - do circles have corners?- and then after cantering a full rotation, I felt unbalanced. Was it the size of the round pen? Was it my slippery leather saddle? So, we moved to the large arena. Oh, yes, that's the place to canter! Silver felt great! He has a lovely canter. So in control, even when he was on his left, troublesome lead. He felt good. I was sliding all over the place, but he felt good. This is my happy place, a nice, collected canter with plenty of space to move.
Today's Concepts: we worked on zig zagging hands when stopping or performing a half halt while cantering and pushing forward with the legs. Pushing the horse onto the bit, keeping his back round, with his back legs under him which keeps him collected and balanced. The left lead left me a little unbalanced, I was slipping all over my saddle - he had lots of energy - but once I sat up and put my shoulders back, he became engaged, collected and I became centered and balanced. Beautiful!
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