Dressage Day by Day

With all of the throw back Thursday posts on facebook, I started looking through some of my old pictures and videos. I found videos from my first recognized dressage show, which was also Gadget's  very first show at Grand Haven. I planned to ride all training level tests, but when my good friend had trouble on Friday with first level, I gave her two of training level spots and took two first level spots. The improvement from day one and day two shows that my nerves were probably playing a huge part in Gadget's performance, but it's so neat to look back and think how far we've come since 2010. (The narration from my coach at the time is pretty funny too.)

I'm still trying to figure out to ride Gadget up and not lock up his neck in certain movements. Our nemesis is the shoulder-in currently, particularly to the left. So hard for me to remember how to not screw up everything about the shoulder-in. What seems to work: Do not pull back! Position lightly and keep hands up (like puppeteer). Move  shoulders first, but do not let him lean on your hands Remember to keep legs wrapped around to keep him stepping Keep seat moving - think of bouncing and actually pushing with the seat a little more. This also keep my hands/elbows a bit looser

I finally feel like I am getting back into the swing of things. Last week Gadget was acting sluggish and generally unenthused about any of his work - even his changes, which always perks him up. This week, we are both working so much better. I put him back in the double and decided to really work on getting him more uphill. I, unfortunately, can't really tell whether we look like a saddlebred or a dressage horse, but it feels better. I figure I can always make him a bit rounder once he learns to carry his own head. He still likes a lot of contact in the snaffle, but about halfway through the rides, he becomes softer and more through. I've been able to work him outside the last couple days, which makes all the difference in the world for both of us. Yesterday, he was full of himself and he basically blew through my aids. I was sharing the ring with a hunter rider, two ladies picking stones from the ring, and about 15 jumps. I decided it wasn't the day to pick a fight. So ...

I've been feeling a it down lately about my own riding and Gadget's struggle with this dressage stuff. I've not been riding as often as I would like and then when his back got a little sore, it was one more reason not to ride. I really think he becomes more sensitive when he starts shedding out as the sensitivity seemed to go away even before he got his hocks done. Regardless, he had his spring maintenance injections this week, and I've been doing some light lunging and serious grooming, which is a nice change of pace. After our last lunge session, I let him loose in the outdoor to roll. Instead he headed for the small pile of hay in the corner. After shooing him away, he wandered up to my cavelletti, which are set up in the grass beside the dressage ring and walked through them, then turned around and trotted through them. This is the horse that reared two weeks ago to avoid going through them at the trot at the medium height. I'm thinking maybe he is actually f...

It's been one heck of winter with lots of snow and frigid temperatures. The horses were not turned out for weeks, so I tried to make a point to keep Gadget working so he would not go completely stir crazy. We really had some breakthroughs! I think I am finally finding the way to ride him uphill in light contact while still keeping an active seat. The trot and canter quality has much improved. Yesterday after my ride with Kenny he said it was the best he has ever seen Gadget go. It made my heart sing to hear that! The video confirms that Gadget is looking more elastic and generally happier. He worked so hard yesterday! It was so much fun! We worked on medium trot and canter: In the canter, cut the corner by a step and leg yield him that last step on the rail, then start the medium. To bring him back, tap him lightly on hindquarters. Reacts well to this by becoming very active. In the trot, train the medium from quarter line to quarter line on the diagonal. When you turn on to diagon...

This past year was a great year for me and Gadget. Although we had our ups and downs, I've learned a lot this year. We made our third level debut, earned our bronze medal in only two shows, improved the flying changes dramatically, and earned Champion for Adult Amateurs at third level in my GMO.  For 2014, I have several goals: Keep Gadget's back feeling good. I think I have found a good combo of chiro, shoeing, saddle fit, and vet maintenance to prevent him from getting sore rather than waiting until he's in pain. Hopefully it works this year. Continue improving Third Leve l. Last year was a great intro to third level, but I am finally learning to ride Gadget more uphill, which is improving everything. This year I want to try 3-2 and 3-3. The canter-halfpass is still tough for us, but it's looking better. I am going to work to fix things that are easy points -- halts, turn on the haunches, transitions, and good centerlines. I am going to focus on the quality o...

I started this blog thinking that if I could chronicle my rides, I could go back and read what works and what doesn't. What I am learning is that what works one month or week, may not be the same approach the next day. And maybe that is a more important lesson for me. Gadget is becoming more and more fun to ride as we figure out some of this collection in the canter. I really can't believe how much we have progressed over the summer. The thought of competing at fourth level with him NEVER occurred to me previously. I really thought that third level was a lofty goal. So the fact that I am now thinking about fourth level with Gadget is exciting. I am trying to do a longer warmup with lots of long and low and very forward work a la the 2012 Bent clinic. I bend him around my inside leg, push him a little sideways, and give him even more rein on the inside so he stretches. The key to the stretching warm up is to get him moving forward so he actually loosens his back. I have a...