Time to Go

 There’s always that moment when you’re getting ready for horse show and you stop and wonder ‘this is a lot of work. Why am I even doing this?’ 

But it’s too late. The horses are bathed, the truck and trailer are packed. I’ll have fun once I’m there. 

Why yes I have packed like FIVE saddle pads

It’s time to do the thing. 

Answering Questions

 One thing I love about my lessons is taking what I learned and seeing how well I apply it when working on my own. Having a rapidly approaching show also lends a little motivation.  Last week lessons were cancelled so my friend Tanya and I decided to work together. She came to my place and gave me her observations and coaching on Carmen and I then went to her place and did the same. It was a lot of fun and very useful.  

Riding with a loose rein was a game changer. However, Carmen came into heat last week and that made her more challenging. It quickly became apparent that she was taking total advantage of my loose rein to careen around and blow off any half-halt. I decided to take up my outside rein and give the inside when I can and, as she settled into the work, giving both.  When I explained it to Jane at our lesson this week she agreed with me and said 'you need to ride the horse you have not the horse you had yesterday'. 

pretty girl standing almost square

I really like how Stacy Westfall talks about horse training. She doesn't use terms like disobedience or resistance. Instead she likes to frame it in terms of horses asking questions. What I like about this approach is that it helps me to reframe my response from 'winning' to finding the answer for the horse. I'm not sure if that makes sense so let me give an example:

Today in my ride Quaid was definitely bending to the outside and resisted my attempts to bend hin. I could definitely use my rein but that really just moves the neck/head. His body was staying pretty hard against my leg. When I put my inside leg on he simply went faster. So I wondered if he really wasn't understanding that one leg means 'move away' and two legs are 'go forward'. He wasn't being disobedient, he was giving me the response he thought was correct.  I did some work on the circle and it was better but still felt like I wasn't explaining it well. So I went to a walk leg yield. After our 3rd one I could feel him go 'ooooh, I get it now'.  Not that I think we're done with that lesson but I like to get something better and then leave it. 

his trot is really coming

Carmen asks lots of questions, lol.  In our lesson yesterday we focussed on half-halts and getting her off the inside leg (the theme for this summer I believe). Jane helped us by having us do lots of leg yields that are more sideways then forward. Then when we were on the rail she would tell me to do a small leg yield and I felt Carmen shift right over. 

I had one ride where Quaid was quite spooky at one corner. Like 'nope not going there' spooky. I almost dismounted but realised that was because I was worried about him acting like Carmen 5 years ago. He's not like that. Instead he was just telling me that something there made him uncertain and do we really have to go there? So I took a breath and just did what I know: work elsewhere, use that to rest and gradually get to work in that corner. The next day you wouldn't know that there was even a problem there. I was glad to work though it because at our show I'm sure that he'll have a few worries.  

I didn't canter on the spooky day but did the next because he felt far more ready. I love this video (thanks Julia) because he's just so soft and trying so hard. 

Carmen and I worked really hard in our lesson on Friday. She was feeling less challenging but still a bit spicy. Nothing too horrible but our half-halt in the canter was non-existent. Which really impacted our counter canter. Jane was having us ride a 3 loop serpentine with the middle loop being counter canter. I realised that I had to half-halt strongly as we went across otherwise she would get heavy and pull on the forehand.  After a few on the right we went to the left and it was effortless. Unfortunately my phone ran out of battery power but I did get some footage of some earlier work. 

To be completely truthful I am a little worried about showing 2 horses next weekend over 2 days. But Julia will be helping me.  For Quaid I am just looking to get hin in the ring and answer his questions as he learns about his job. We can definitely do the two intro tests (which are just walk/trot in the small dressage court). What is new is the location not the work. I fully expect that thee will be bobbles and will be happy if I can give him a positive experience. 

 I will happily take a last place ribbon because it means we answered all the questions. 

Look Ma, No Hands

 Summer is speeding along and the weather has been mostly nice. Ed and I went away for a week to Newfoundland. It was a great trip, I highly recommend everyone go. We ate a lot and hiked a lot and explored. It was lovely to get away just the two of us. 

The view from a hike just outside St. John's

About a week before we were to leave I saw a juvenile rooster at the end of our driveway. I suspect he was dumped. I started leaving food out for him and set out a live trap but he was too canny for that and every night he would disappear into the ditch. I tried to find his roosting spot at night but was unsuccessful. Everyday he spent a little more time with the girls. Right before we were to leave I spied him with them in the run and I quickly and stealthily snuck up and shut the door. I had the farm sitter leave them locked up for a few days so he got used to his new home.  I have to say he's settled in quite nicely and appears to be particularly fond of Thelma. We never wanted a rooster but what can you do? 

From left to right: Henry, Natasha and Thelma

When we got back the horses and I picked right up where we left off.  After such a successful clinic I decided to take the plunge and entered Quaid into the show at the end of the month. We're signed up for Intro A & B, which are walk-trot tests in the small ring (20x40). I am okay to scratch if things feel like too much but I think we can do it. I'm not fussed about the score or satin, it's really just to show him his job. 

Last Sunday I was able to sign up both horses for a lesson with Jane. We started with Quaid and it was amazing. I don't have media because my phone only has enough juice for about 90 minutes recording so I decided to save it for Carmen's. 

Jane was clear that I tend to freeze when I ride Quaid. And she's right, I worry so much about doing the wrong thing that I do nothing. Which isn't, surprisingly enough, helpful. Jane had me ride Quaid forward. Which was a lot faster than I thought. Our trot felt really fast but it wasn't.  Jane was on me to use my feel so when I ask him to go forward I don't push too much. I, of course, screwed that up a few times but Jane just had us roll with it. We did a lot of canter and, because he was forward int he trot,  it felt more balanced than it has.  I was in a light seat and kept my hands down and it felt good. I was actually sorry that I didn't have video. 

the best boy

Then it was Carmen's turn. This lesson blew my mind a little. Jane wanted me to ride with little contact and use my seat and legs to bend her. It was hard to not take the inside rein. Like impossible. I don't know why Jane doesn't get really frustrated with me but she just keeps reminding me. At one point I actually dropped the reins to prevent myself. But Jane told me not to do that, I needed to have the reins and keep my hands forward. 

look at her carrying herself with a loose rein

Carmen was really intrigued by this lesson and was really good. I doubt we could have done this last year and definitely not two years ago. She'd have taken the loose rein as permission to dodge all over the place.  Transitions were to be without pressure on the reins.  in the photo below we were coming from canter to trot with the loose rein. Look at her going forward and reaching under. 

Here are some videos if you want to see:

I get such a kick out of Jane's triumphant 'HA' when Carmen just gives these lovely transitions.  Once again we jump forward in our work and it feels so good.