Dressage Day by Day

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.