Dressage Day by Day

As the year winds to an end, I start thinking of my goals for next year. Some goals are almost too tentative to speak aloud, so they usually end up on legal paper in my desk drawer.   In 2012 I was able to check off the goals I set early in the year: 1. Confirm 2nd level 2. Achieve 2 scores of 60% at second level (We got both scores in June at one show) 3. Win year end award at second level (WPDA Reserve Champ) 4. Confirm flying changes (They are not perfect, but he understands the aids) Some of these were achieved by the skin of our teeth, but it's good enough for me. For 2013, I'm a bit conflicted. I do not want to show at 2nd level because I want to continue regularly schooling the flying changes (and because I now hate 2nd level). Although Gadget should be able to listen to my aids for the counter canter and simple changes without anticipating the flying changes, it will still require me to stop schooling the changes before each show. Although I don't...

With a busy work schedule and the holidays this month, Gadget has been in fairly light work. I usually account for December to be light  for him with the intent to get back to serious training after the first of the year. On Saturday I had a fun and very brief ride in the falling snow. Here are a few photos from the day:  

Clinic with Kenny I had the opportunity to ride with Kenny today in a clinic about 45 minutes from where I board. Hani stayed home today, so I trailered Gadget up myself. He loaded and behaved like a pro for the entire day. It's a shame he pulled a front shoe earlier this week, as he was definitely a bit off without it. Ken immediately picked up on my left hand, weird contact issues. To the right, he suggested counter flexing, which immediately changed my left hand from dead weight to active hand. It also added needed starightness that direction. To the left, I need to use an opening inside left rein. Gadget is stiff on the left, but by taking an softening, taking and softening and overbending him a few times, he loosens. In the trot, I tend to post with my hips landing to the left. I need to think of bringing my right hip forward. Throughout the lesson, using more active hips to help Gadget was a theme. On a 10M circle in rising trot, tap with the whip in up phase of the ...

So after a miserably bad ride yesterday, Gadget worked fabulously today. He had a lot of factors working in his favor today: it was a balmy 55 degrees, the outdoor dressage arena footing was glorious, and it's a weekend so maybe I did not drag my work tension to the barn with me. As planned, we started out with stretching and suppling and making him quicker to the leg. This took some time in the trot, but he finally started feeling pretty good. The walk was uncharacteristically good today, too. A good walk for Gadget is nearly any walk where he is on the bit and forward at the same time. I am focusing on keeping the reins forward-thinking without giving away the contact (a la my favorite Lilo Fore youtube videos). In the canter, I focus on keeping the reins quiet and riding him up to the reins. I must break the habit of pulling back in the canter, and simply learn to allow the canter to develop, SIT UP, and canter up to the contact. However, the most amazing working ...

Some rides just suck, and I hate that. It's especially bad when it feels like an old problem creeping back into the routine. Tonight felt like the canter of 2011 was back -- not round, not rhythmic, not forward, not good. As a result, I rode longer than I intended (a full hour, with a good portion at the canter). I could blame it on the indoor arena, which has inherent difficulties. Gadget is less forward inside and he is a bit tentative on the footing because its not completely stable.  However, I think this was more than our location. Gadget was stuck and it was just harder to work through in the indoor. Tomorrow is a new day, and I'll try again outside. I just re-watched clips from past clinics -- the good and the bad, to try to remember how to fix this canter. Plan for tomorrow is to stretch and supple him until he feels like a rubber band. Then, we'll yeehaw the canter back into shape. I think nearly all of our issues stem from a lack of forward. I ne...

I had my last Ryan clinic of the year, and it was fantastic. I am so sad to see Ryan go, but he has promised to come back earlier next year and begin in April. Because I was out of town most of the week, Gadget had 3 days off before the clinic. He felt a bit distracted on the first day but he felt forward (hooray!). The collected canter felt solid today as did the collected trot. For collected trot, I need to start asking for more from Gadget. After a proper warm up, I need to get him in the proper frame and ask him to work through his back while carrying himself in a higher frame. Right now, giving a forward aid (pelvic tilt back/scooch forward with seat) from my seat seems to get the best trot, then I can mold him a bit more with some half halts. I have been struggling with halfpass in trot and canter lately and Ryan reminded me to carry him up and forward with the inside leg. Perfect solution. Also, work in counter canter on left lead pushing Gadget's body to the lef...

Sometimes I feel like the progress is so slow that I can barely tell the difference from year to year or month to month. Yet, every now and then, I have a ride where I finally FEEL the difference I have been trying to achieve. Tonight was one of those rides. I have been riding in the indoor arena, and the last couple rides have felt very underwhelming. Overall, I have struggled to get Gadget truly in front of my leg, which means I never quite got him through his back and soft in the bridle. It wasn't horrible work, but it wasn't great -- particularly in the canter. Tonight, I went in with the goal to MAKE IT HAPPEN. Whatever I asked, I was going to make it happen, quickly. After a bit of forward walk, I asked for the trot. It felt sleepy and sloppy, so I immediately gave him a couple strong gooses with the leg/spur and got him moving. His head popped up, but I just kept asking for more. Then with a bit of soft counter-flexions and true flexions, he rounded and started tro...

Last weekend I had another clinic with Ryan, and I rode all three days for the first time. Friday, Gadget felt forward, light and happy. Even Ryan remarked how he was happy in the contact and working well. It was a bit of an ordeal to make it to a 6:45 ride time aftr work, but totally worth it. We did forward and back in the trot, but later moved into a new exercise to get him softer in his back. At the trot or canter, take Gadget deeper and rounder. Half halt him back on the outside rein to try to sit on his haunches, then send him very forward and then half halt back again. This doesn't sound earth-shattering or new, but because Gadget is lower and rounder, it really helps get his back swinging. Ryan said he would use this exercise about 3/4 through the ride when Gadget starts to get a bit stuck. Here's a clip of this exercise from the end of our ride: Saturday was a cold, wet day and neither Gadget and I put in our best performances. I don't have any video of the ...

So lately I've had a mix of really good and really bad rides. Last week I watched some Lilo Fore clinic videos on youtube.com, and I tried to ride with her words in my mind. Particularly, she would say to half-halt then be quiet with the hands. Also, hands forward. She wanted a powerful trot, but not quick and she emphasized the reactivity as being very important. Last Sunday I had a wonderful ride with all of this information in mind. When Gadget would get stiff in the jaw, I would gentle flex left and right. I was able to ask for canter, let him develop a rhythm, then insist that he not make the canter bigger. It was a combination of soft half-halts on the outside rein, and some collecting seat aids. (I don't really know how to describe what it is i do to collect with my seat. I try to sit up and think of almost lightening my seat.) I had great canters both directions that felt round, rhythmic, and balanced. I was able to get some great flying changes and really good half-...

Work has picked up for me with more traveling lately, so Gadget has not had the daily, consistent work that I would like. However, the little bit of down time seems to have come at the right time. My last few rides have felt really good. Maybe he needed a few days off. I am finding a collected canter that feels strong, 3-beat, and balanced. I usually find it toward the end of the ride when I begin to really sit in and use more upward-thinking half-halts on a small circle. I am flexing softly left-right to unlock his jaw, then asking him to step up. He is staying soft in the neck and maintaing a nice canter rhythm. With more strength, this may be the collected canter I need for 2nd level. I'm interested to get Ryan's feedback in a couple weeks. The weather was crisp and beautiful today, so I rode in the jumping arena outside today. After warming up lightly in all three gaits, I started asking for flying changes while changing directions in different places. Gadget gave...

I ordered myself a pair of euro-star plaid, blingy breeches from Smartpak that I have been drooling over for months as a gift to myself for my birthday. Can't wait for them to arrive. Hope they fit! (I keep meaning to drop this extra 10 pounds!) Gadget gave me a little gift, too -- 6 flying changes with no bucks, leaps, or other acrobatics. Just changes. The key seems to be straightness (go figure). By collecting from the outside rein, cutting across the center of the ring and barely changing the flexion while giving half-halt on new outside rein, I got some nice changes.

Last weekend I rode in my monthly clinic with Ryan. As usual, he worked his magic in his quiet, methodical way. I have been working on getting Gadget rounder over the topline, but I have been worrying that I am just dumping him on his forehand. (After this weekend, I'm quite sure that's exactly what I have been doing.) Ryan had me warm Gadget up in his working frame where he is round and fairly level. To the right, I tend to overbend. I have been told this by so many trainers, yet it's a habit that is hard to kill. Ryan had me actually think of slight renver in the trot to move Gadget's shoulder's in front of his quarters. The key seems to be thinking of moving the shoulder and not necessarily moving the neck. Genius. I could see the difference instantly on the video. We went back to our "quick leg" exercise, which requires me to be very quiet with my aids and then get Gadget to get quicker from my legs. The goal is to get power from a quick hindle...

On Sunday, I had a really nice ride. I worked in the jumping ring keeping Gadget very forward and even in both reins. I think I am getting better about keeping my left rein light and playful. That change alone has been monumental. With the canter feeling forward and connected, I threw in some flying changes by doing a big change of direction through the middle of the ring while weaving around the jumps. Gadget seems to understand the aids for the change, but they are still quite a production. I am just glad he changes when I ask. The footing was soft since it had rained earlier in the day, which was a nice change from the hard, dry footing we've had for the last month or so. After a long walk break, I wanted to finish with some trot work. I asked for a trot and instantly felt Gadget take 3 lames steps. My heart turned cold. We walked then I asked one more time. Again -- lame. I hopped off and walked him back to the barn to find he had pulled his front left shoe half-way of...

On Thursday it was around 90 degrees, so I decided to wait until late evening to ride. It the perfect temperature and Gadget worked really well. I thought about lowering the neck and bring the hocks under to help keep Gadget round, but stepping up to the contact in the canter. Overall, I think it worked. I am mostly schooling on a 15-20 meter circle right now without much schooling of other movements. I am really focusing on keeping Gadget softer over the back and in the neck. Then by adding impulsion and activity from behind, I am hoping he will naturally come back up in the shoulders and neck. As we schooled in the large jumping ring this evening, Gadget gave a jump with new decorations the evil eye. However, aside from giving it a sideways glance and bit of a sidestep the first time we passed it, Gadget never gave it another thought. It reminded me that at nearly every show we have attended this year, Gadget is mostly described as a "trooper" by me and my friends. We ma...

As I have mentioned before, I have issues with my left rein -- mostly that I have a death grip on it. In July, I rode in two clinics and both clinicians really zeroed in on my contact issues in different ways. The first clinic with Bent really pointed out my over-active right hand and dead-weight left hand. Bent also explained that when I get stuck in the left rein, Gadget gets stuck in his back. I need to be more playful and giving with the left hand. A constant reminder through the lessons was to steady the right rein and give on the left. Bent rode Gadget the first day and proclaimed that "he's not easy." However, Bent really stretched Gadget in a long contact to get him loose and moving through his back. He did lots of changes of direction to supple him, but he pushed him forward to a longer, round contact. The next day, I warmed up for about 15 minutes with Gadget long and low in this way. I think it really helped get his back moving. I have incorporated the stret...

With the realization that I don’t really know what I am doing at this level comes the decision of whether to keep plugging on my own or hands the reins over to someone who has a clue. Last year I sent Gadget to a trainer for about 10 weeks to help improve his canter. Kristin did a remarkable job in the short time that she had Gadget. Although I took about 10 lessons during the course of Gadget’s boot camp, I was unable to maintain or replicate the collection or self-carriage she started. I would not hesitate to send Gadget back to Kristin except for the fact that I missed him terribly during that time. I look forward to my ride at the end of each day. In a job that is often fraught with tension and negativity, I look forward to spending the evening at the barn working on shoulder-in and simple changes. I may try to do clinics with Kristin and others through the winter to see if I can make progress on my own. This winter I would like to improve the quality of our connection, c...

It was not the best weekend for me and Gadget. We arrived at about 6:00 p.m., and had time to unload, unpack, and tour the beautiful show grounds. Gadget warmed up very nicely. He felt loose, forward, and soft. In retrospect, I should have probably put him together more and tested the collection. However, not wanting to pick a fight, I chose to use the evening to loosen and build his confidence.  Gadget snacking during an early morning walk at the show. We rode late in the day on Saturday in front of Judge Lowey. The test did not feel great, and I anticipated scoring around a 57%. Instead we got the lowest score of my career with a 50% and last place. I was devastated. It didn’t help that my next test, second level test 3, scored only marginally better with a 53%. I was able to rationalize the score for the first test because we always struggle in the first ride – a combination of both our inexperience in the show rings and nerves. However, the second low score hit ...

I am days away from my last show of the season, and I am seriously stressing. Of course, the collected canter occupies most of my worries, but it has been making room for worries about the turn on the haunches and trot lateral work in general. According to every trainer that has ever seen me ride, I have a rogue left hand. I used to argue that I didn't feel any contact in the left rein, so I NEEDED to take more on that rein. Obviously, I was wrong. I am crooked from hip to shoulder in that I twist too much to the left and collapse that side. Unforunately, my crookedness and rogue left hand have resulted in a crooked and blocked horse. I am slowly breaking this habbit, and the difference in Gadget is noticable. Once I let go of the left, he is softer through his whole body and is able to step through with the hind end. I wish I had figured this out years ago! With this new-found freedom on the left, Gadget feels a bit more bobbly in the contact. I am trying to figure out how mu...

By nature I like to jot down my thoughts -- I always have. After a great ride, I reach for a pen and paper with the hope that I will be able to break down the elements that led to a successful ride. Because horses are living, breathing creatures with minds of their own, what works on one day may fail miserably the next. It is the day by day struggles and triumphs of dressage, and horses in general, that I hope to capture in this blog.