I had a lesson booked for early Saturday morning. Shanea came for dinner Friday night and and stayed over so we could have an early start. It was nice to have time to chat and catch up. I brought her up to speed on the clinic and what we'd been working on. She was in agreement that I needed to be more clear and that Carmen's issues were behavioural and not physical.
Saturday dawned with blue skies and warm sun with the promise of heat later in the day. I was happy to be riding early. Truth be told, morning rides are my favourite anyway.
Carmen was pretty chill in the barn getting ready. This has been the case since we were away- she's quiet and not being at all pushy. I went through my groundwork checklist and then did some lunging. The task is simple- she's to stay in the gait I set for her and I leave her alone unless she breaks. Carmen has caught on to this pretty quickly. This time, at the canter she started to break and then was 'oh right, keep going' and then self-corrected. That made me happy.
I mounted and, you guys, she was so soft and easy.
screen shot from video
Shanea even commented that she'd never seen her start so soft before. I have to say that Carmen seems to be really liking this new bit. I find I can be a lot more refined in my cues. Also, interestingly, she's not opening her mouth or gaping. Look at how soft and happy she is here.
The lesson itself was nothing earth shattering but it was soooo nice to be working with a forward, happy horse rather than a bolting, spooking mess. Not that she wasn't tense at times- she was, but everything was so much easier.
remember when Carmen couldn't go in this corner without bolting or rearing? yeah, me neither. Carmen has no idea what I'm talking about....
We made sure to give her breaks and rewards for when she was really good and kept working when she was resistant. She's definitely figuring that out.
Shanea focussed on me keeping her underneath of me and stepping from behind. She definitely
felt less heavy. And she wasn't leaning on my hands and trying to steamroll around the ring.
so could I stop leaning forward? but at least my hands are soft....
We did lots of trotting and walking. I didn't hear a lot of Shanea telling me to let go of the inside rein, so that's good. I also found that I was able to not be so heavy in the stirrups.
yup, this corner is good too
It is amazing how much better you can ride when you are not worrying about being lawn darted into the ground.
I just love this photo, everything looks so soft and happy.
We worked on some leg yields with me keeping her on the outside rein. It was fun, even though it was starting to get hot.
We finished up with some canter work. Carmen was starting to tire and began to demonstrate it by being a bit spooky at B. I know that this means she wants a break but I can't give her one for this behaviour. So we worked through it and then gave her a break.
I was so happy with this lesson. It was awesome to be able to go to work and learn things without arguments. I know Shanea was happy and I'm pretty sure that Carmen is too.
I know I have to continue being diligent but it feels wonderful to be on this path.
reaching under with her hind leg and I'm actually sitting up.
It's been really warm the past few days with high humidity.
how to tell if it's humid out......
Carmen and I took Monday off. I used that day to catch up on a ton of chores: emptying the manure cart, cleaning tack, playing with Guinness (clearly the most important thing).
so much joy cannot be contained
I also spent time thinking about the clinic and my conversations with Nikki and Mike. My main take aways were that I needed to be really clear in what I was asking Carmen to do. I couldn't be distracted by other things. Which is easy when you are going over a narrow bridge. When I'm riding in the ring it's easy for my thoughts to wander.
I also need to have expectations that Carmen listen to my aids and follow through. I'm pretty sure that I have been accepting of sloppy answers, which would make everything negotiable.
also gardening- my hollyhocks have started blooming
Tuesday I wanted to ride early to beat the heat. It was still hot but not as much as it was going to be later. I wanted to use some of the advice I had from the weekend. AS always, I started with groundwork and she was so soft and quiet in every spot of the ring. I mounted and she was fine again. We walked around and I made sure that I was being clear with my aids and to have a strong vision in my mind about what I wanted to do (walk the quarter line, bend through a 10 m circle etc).
At the walk all was good. She had one spook in an area and I followed the advice to make that spot a work spot and when she began to try/listen reward and move on. Carmen was clearly a bit unsure about this but it went fine. Then I asked for a slow trot and the wheels began to come off. I won't bore you with the blow by blow but she began to ask me all sort of questions about my intent and whether it was reasonable.
I stayed on task and she began to escalate. I found myself in a full on bolt. She was not scared, nor was she running from anything. I think she was doing what normally works to get me to back off except this time I didn't. It was actually a bit frightening- I had zero control and she was just leaning on the bit and going. Since getting off was not an option I sat up and put my leg on steering her in a circle. I don't know how many circles we did (5? 10? 732?) but finally I pulled her up. I almost hopped off but didn't.
I took a deep breath and went back to work. It was, frankly, a bit of a shit show but I gritted my teeth and was clear that this was what I wanted and that was not the correct answer. The tricky part was to reward when did soften. And over the ride she began to soften again. When Ed asked me how my ride was I said 'great in the beginning, sucky in the middle and great at the end'. Which was accurate.
That night I changed out the bit to one that is a bit thinner although still a broken snaffle with a peanut in the middle. I just need something with a bit more leverage because clearly she has no respect for the Stubben golden wing.
Today I headed out early again. There was a plane circling around us for the whole ride (they were looking for an escaped fugitive but that's a different story. 2020 I am so fucking over you). I started with groundwork, except this time instead of focussing on getting her relaxed I focussed on her working. I wondered if the groundwork was not translating to under saddle because the GW was all about relaxation and the riding was about work. So I asked her to work. Nothing major- just if I put you on a trot or canter on the lunge keep going until I say stop.
tuesday's entertainment
This time mounted I felt much more focussed and aware of what I was doing. I made it crystal clear when it was what I wanted and when it wasn't. Listening led to a break (standing with a long rein). If she moved when I asked her to whoa I simply put her back. And then back. And back again until she would stand.
Here's the interesting part- she spooked at nothing. I was paying particular attention to her signals that a spook might be coming and reacted immediately. I'm sure you wondering how I reacted? It depended- it usually starts with a stiffening so I asked her to bend and would not give up until she did. As soon as she bent a teeny bit I released. Timing of the release is so critical. I visualized the straight line I wanted and made sure I got it.
It was a completely different ride. I also noticed that she responded well to the new bit too. If I asked for a downward transition she was much more respectful of it. I was standing at G after doing a walk half-pass giving her a break on a long rein. We heard some children shouting next door and she tensed and lifted her head. I simply picked up the rein lightly and she immediately dropped her head and softened. With that I hopped off and gave her a pat.
Clearly I have been too wishy-washy. Which I forgive myself for because I was worried that there was a physical issue. But now that I know that there is not I need to work on myself.
I didn't take a photo during the ride but she could have cared less bout the plane circling overhead- even when it came quite low over top of us
My rides recently have been a bit, well, mercurial.
I've had rides where she's been sweet and calm and rides where you would think her tail was on fire.
Now it's not unusual for Carmen to get a bit anxious when all the grass and leaves are in and start blowing in the breeze.
I also know that her nature is to be reactive and sensitive. I have zero expectations that one day she'll be completely zen and relaxed. To me, that is as unrealistic as expecting an person with anxiety to 'just get over it'.
from my lesson last friday- starting off tight but trying
That said, I also do not put up with her being a completely irrational during our rides. The trick, of course is to find a balance. I try to figure out where she's at and meet her there so we can work through it.
That works the majority of the time.
better
My riding has improved quite a bit- I say that without arrogance or pride, it's just a fact. So the things that would unseat me or frighten me don't so much now. Shanea tells me to keep my legs on and not back off- that's when she gets me. Carmen has a powerful neck and shoulders and she knows how to use them. It used to be impossible for me to stop her but not so much. Not that she doesn't get away but it's much shorter lived.
This week I had a ride that was lovely and then a ride where she was a complete and utter cow. And I don't say that lightly. She was fixated on the far bushes and everything I asked was just too much. She was hanging on the bit and using that for leverage to cart me all around. I had to get quite harsh at times to get her to stop (like I'm glad there's no media harsh).
not hanging on the bit
Before you start thinking that I was picking on a scared horse, let me stop you. Carmen has three spooks:
#1. genuine startle and frightening. When this happens so looks to me ' OMG, what do we do?' And when I say 'just this' she settles and listening.
#2. I'm tired and want to stop working. This happens because in the past her behaviour made me back off. It doesn't now and this rarely pops up and, when it does, we work through it pretty quickly.
#3. Anticipatory: it's like she comes out looking to worry and then, when something happens (like a goldfinch flying by) she will give a big spook and then bolt. In this mood she can become 100% fixated on an area and becomes quite unrideable.
#3 was what I was dealing with in that ride. I wasn't even trying to get her to go near the area of worry. I was simply riding her in a circle but she was so fixated and I had zero attention. When she couldn't spin and bolt she would hang on the bit.
From our last lesson, working on half-halts
I picked up a canter on a 20 metre circle and every time she became strong and tried to cart me off I would turn her in a 10 metre circle. After numerous circles (omg, so dizzy) she finally breathed and softened and we could ride.
I halted her and she waited for me to dismount. When I didn't right away she began to paw. I took my dressage whip and every time she pawed I snapped her on the leg. She stopped and then began to try to pull the reins from my hands. I bridged the reins and still sat. Finally she sighed and cocked a foot. I sat a little longer and then hopped off.
In the barn I had her ground tied while I got the hose ready. I saw her looking out the open door.
Go ahead I said, if you leave I'm not chasing you. You are welcome to go find someone else who will look after you better than me.
She breathed and then said fine, I guess I'll stay.
What I realized was that our issue was one of attention. Carmen was attending to me when she chose. When she was interested in something else I was far down the list of things to attend to. It was like I wasn't even there anymore.
The next day I took her up to the ring to do a groundwork session. The goal was simple- to have her attend to me and, when distracted to respond to my request to me. I used her ears as my cue. If the nearest ear flicked to me when I asked I would stop my demands. If she didn't respond I upped my ask. As Tristan would say 'ask a question that deserves an answer'.
It was pretty simple, I had her on a circle. when she fixated on something I gently lifted the whip towards her. If her ear flicked, it went back down. If it didn't I immediately stepped towards her, disengaged her hind end and then sent her back.
It was hard work. I had to be really consistent and very very clear. I played with increasing the pressure but that seemed too gray. So I had it very simple- ask soft, ask strong, get response, stop, rest, repeat.
Today, before I rode I repeated the work from Monday. Clearly she remembered- her shift of attention to me was immediate and fast. When I rode I kept my crop with me so when I needed her attention I waved it and her ear flicked back immediately. The one time it didn't I disengaged her hind end and that was that.
The nifty thing was that by the end of the ride I just had to gently squeeze a rein and her ear would flick back. Even when worried about things, by having one ear on me her tightness and stiffness was not as bad. That's because horses are not good multi-taskers. Of course neither am I.
It's nice to know that she realizes I'm up there.
even when watching out for trip hazards
And one more thing: My son returned from the middle east earlier this month. He had to quarantine for 2 weeks but that was over last week. He and Ripley were reunited and it was so sweet.
If this doesn't warm your heart you need to seek help
this is from last week- the trees are now leafing out nicely
Spring is turning into summer. Our weather has turned warm and with it the black flies have come out. I don't know if it's because of the mild winter but they seem to be especially fierce this year. I had a lesson booked for Thursday evening and I got ready as per usual. I coated Carmen and I in fly spray and there was a nice breeze. I figured it would be okay.
It was not okay. Carmen was being driven mad by the biting, swarming little demons. And frankly so was I. I lunged her to see if that helped. Finally I looked at her, she was trying very very hard but was barely keeping it together. I decided that it just wasn't worth it. It felt more like torture and I couldn't see what value we would gain. So I cancelled. Shanea was very understanding. We decided that, until the flies calmed down, we'd have to ride in mornings.
the old apple tree at the edge of the field is in bloom. the smell is heavenly.
Friday we did groundwork. I realized that it had been a while since I had done a session of just groundwork. When I was done, I slipped her halter and let her graze while I sat in the ring enjoying the warmth. Saturday I awoke with a massive headache. Fortunately the weather was dreary and drizzly so I spent the day in idleness, doing a few chores and reading.
Irish amuses me- he's been coming with his flymask askew. What really makes me laugh is that he has his left ear in the right ear cover. Not even sure how he did it.
Sunday morning Julia wanted to ride early after her night shift. That worked for me and my head was 100% better. I wanted to try on her new fly bonnet I bought to match my black and blue saddle pad. It was made by Fun Bonnets. I had order from her in the past and really like her work. She did not disappoint.
When I mounted and we walked off from the mounting block Carmen began to pin her ears and hump a bit. I was surprised because she just doesn't do that. I gave her rein and let her walk. She kept her ears pinned and shook her head. I stopped her and did some thinking. I wasn't sure what was going on but decided to head into the woods to see if she improved. Which she did. Our hack was lovely.
Back in the ring I found her to be forward and responsive. In fact, I found her to be a bit 'noodley'- which was better than being hard sided and stiff. Despite our start she was actually stretching out over the back and really reaching for the bit.
random photo of Ripley trying to get her stick into her pool
We worked on straightness and her adjustability. To the left is was easier to get her forward and back in the gait. On the right rein she wasn't so adjustable so we practiced with trot-walk-trot, gradually shortening the walk steps until it was trot-almost walk- trot forward.
I know that Carmen's saddle needs to be adjusted (soon) and the saddle pad I used was thinner than the one I had been using. I wonder if she was feeling the difference and, at first, not liking it but then discovering it was more comfortable. Or she was being stung by something. I don't know.
What I do know is that we had a ride without any fights or blowups. We finished the ride in a happy place and that has been my goal. The sun came out during our ride and the day ended up being a beautiful summery day. I spent the whole day outside enjoying the warmth. When you live in Canada you really appreciate it when things warm up. Even with the bugs.
