Work, work, work, leg yields, turns on the forehand, controlling spooks, more work on transitions between gaits, within gaits, spiral in spiral out, what a way to turn a hobby into a chore. All last summer, work, work, work. All winter indoors, work, work, work. Once in a while a pleasant time on the trail, but mostly: work.
Now I a seeing a payoff. (Not that I doubted, but still it can be dreary at times.)
So: yesterday my boy had impulsion (well, he still isn’t speedy, but sometimes the track of his hind hoof now reaches beyond the track his front hoof just left). My boy will come to a halt just from my seat and legs, no rein pressure at all. He canters on demand (well, he didn’t canter at the first ask going left, but got himself ready to respond at the second ask) and cantered on the first ask going right. He cantered on a 20 meter circle turning right without attempting (very much) to go straight. He is reading my leg and seat cues for the leg yields, and I can move him over just with my heel.
I had a small taste of that “one with the horse” thing; as if I myself had four strong legs and a huge heart and lungs, making running effortless. Just a taste, just for a couple of seconds, but what a trip!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Lightness of being
Nothing feels as good as finally having success at something you’ve struggled to do for a long time with many setbacks and side tracks and feelings of not being good enough. When you do break through it’s like sunshine and brisk air blowing in after a torrid muggy heat spell. Everything sparkles.
So that’s what it’s like now for Champagne and me. Every ride we have a good rapport, nice implusion even at the walk (with a few reminders), canter each way on demand (even on a 20 meter circle), spiral in, spiral out, nice leg yields at walk and trot, backing up, turns on the haunches, turns on the forehand; all just as if it was easy, natural, and the simplest thing in the world.
Part of the change I attribute to me finally getting a better seat, being much more quiet in hands, legs and feet, and in general having more confidence about not falling off. Part of that is having survived a few spooks of medium intensity and retaining my seat and regaining control. Part of it is also Champagne learning to trust me and listen to the aids, which has come after pretty much a year of practice. Cath says I am now an “intermediate” rider (whereas for the first two years I was a beginner: apparently learning to ride is a long process).
However, I am wondering if some of it is the change in Champagne’s diet. When I got him, I was warned that he was an easy keeper, which means insulin resistant and prone to colic and hoof problems. He ate hay, was not allowed much grazing on grass, and instead of grain he had a concoction of rice, flax and wheat brans, sunflower seeds, and various vitamins, hoof health stuff and easy keeper supplements.
The vet changed all that. He still gets the vitamins and hoof health stuff, but now eats a special low-carb grain. He loves it. Previously he would take a couple of mouthfuls of his soupy mash, but turn to his hay flakes pretty early in his meal. Now he rattles and roots in his manger just like all the other horses, and cleans up every crumb of grain before he eats his hay. He’s like a vacuum cleaner. He isn’t gaining weight, at least judged by the saddle girth, but I’m thinking he is feeling more energetic as the added protein builds him up a bit. The proverbial “feeling his oats”, I guess. Plus he is off the thrush meds and his hooves look great.
The two of us are happy, happy campers right now!
So that’s what it’s like now for Champagne and me. Every ride we have a good rapport, nice implusion even at the walk (with a few reminders), canter each way on demand (even on a 20 meter circle), spiral in, spiral out, nice leg yields at walk and trot, backing up, turns on the haunches, turns on the forehand; all just as if it was easy, natural, and the simplest thing in the world.
Part of the change I attribute to me finally getting a better seat, being much more quiet in hands, legs and feet, and in general having more confidence about not falling off. Part of that is having survived a few spooks of medium intensity and retaining my seat and regaining control. Part of it is also Champagne learning to trust me and listen to the aids, which has come after pretty much a year of practice. Cath says I am now an “intermediate” rider (whereas for the first two years I was a beginner: apparently learning to ride is a long process).
However, I am wondering if some of it is the change in Champagne’s diet. When I got him, I was warned that he was an easy keeper, which means insulin resistant and prone to colic and hoof problems. He ate hay, was not allowed much grazing on grass, and instead of grain he had a concoction of rice, flax and wheat brans, sunflower seeds, and various vitamins, hoof health stuff and easy keeper supplements.
The vet changed all that. He still gets the vitamins and hoof health stuff, but now eats a special low-carb grain. He loves it. Previously he would take a couple of mouthfuls of his soupy mash, but turn to his hay flakes pretty early in his meal. Now he rattles and roots in his manger just like all the other horses, and cleans up every crumb of grain before he eats his hay. He’s like a vacuum cleaner. He isn’t gaining weight, at least judged by the saddle girth, but I’m thinking he is feeling more energetic as the added protein builds him up a bit. The proverbial “feeling his oats”, I guess. Plus he is off the thrush meds and his hooves look great.
The two of us are happy, happy campers right now!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The Smell of a Horse
Why is every aspect of a horse so pleasing?
Yesterday I was especially enjoying the aromas. Of course there is the subtle scent of leather, which many people enjoy, and the fresh, clean smell of the flakes of hay. That’s probably best enjoyed by those without allergies.
But yesterday I was aware of Champagne’s lovely personal aroma. He smells like, well, a horse. I really can’t put words to the scent; I suppose if I were a wine connoisseur I’d learn how. It isn’t earthy, exactly, but it is warm and rich like soft velvet, and lustrous like a perfect sheet of dark silk.
And then there is the other scent: the billows of strong, sharp almost musky smell streaming up from a pile of fresh manure. I love that, too. Not that I’d want to be in a small closed space with it, but for gathering up and putting in a bucket, it is quite a treat.
Speaking of treats, yesterday after I gave Champagne his dinner (real, low-carb grain!) and he chomped that down he licked his salt block, and then came over and licked my arm! Maybe I tasted salty after riding. I was charmed. He may not be a people-centric horse, but I think I’m growing on him.
Yesterday I was especially enjoying the aromas. Of course there is the subtle scent of leather, which many people enjoy, and the fresh, clean smell of the flakes of hay. That’s probably best enjoyed by those without allergies.
But yesterday I was aware of Champagne’s lovely personal aroma. He smells like, well, a horse. I really can’t put words to the scent; I suppose if I were a wine connoisseur I’d learn how. It isn’t earthy, exactly, but it is warm and rich like soft velvet, and lustrous like a perfect sheet of dark silk.
And then there is the other scent: the billows of strong, sharp almost musky smell streaming up from a pile of fresh manure. I love that, too. Not that I’d want to be in a small closed space with it, but for gathering up and putting in a bucket, it is quite a treat.
Speaking of treats, yesterday after I gave Champagne his dinner (real, low-carb grain!) and he chomped that down he licked his salt block, and then came over and licked my arm! Maybe I tasted salty after riding. I was charmed. He may not be a people-centric horse, but I think I’m growing on him.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Canter right
Sunday I learned some new techniques to get Champagne to canter right on a 20 meter circle. When last I tried, he cantered left very nicely, and would canter right but not turn except to follow along the ring at the edges.
So: Cath had me trot in a 20 meter circle around her, and then slowly spiral in closer and closer until we were trotting on an eight or ten meter circle, then spiral out until we were back on the 20 meter, then in again. She also had me brace my arm against my side at the elbow and really sit back in the saddle so I can get a strong left rein (he is “running through my hands”) to control his left shoulder.
Cath also said to never allow him to go straight when I ask for a turn, but to stop him, then turn him. Otherwise he’ll think he can get away with choosing the direction.
With all the corrections, I did finally get a canter right on a circle. It remains to be seen if I can get him to do it when I’m there by myself, but at least I have things to try.
The good news is that I am getting a stronger seat all the time. Saturday during our customary cool-down walk around the perimeter of the property Champagne spooked three times at the wild turkeys, and I kept my seat each time and controlled the spook. A year ago I would have been on the ground; well, a year ago I was on the ground!
So: Cath had me trot in a 20 meter circle around her, and then slowly spiral in closer and closer until we were trotting on an eight or ten meter circle, then spiral out until we were back on the 20 meter, then in again. She also had me brace my arm against my side at the elbow and really sit back in the saddle so I can get a strong left rein (he is “running through my hands”) to control his left shoulder.
Cath also said to never allow him to go straight when I ask for a turn, but to stop him, then turn him. Otherwise he’ll think he can get away with choosing the direction.
With all the corrections, I did finally get a canter right on a circle. It remains to be seen if I can get him to do it when I’m there by myself, but at least I have things to try.
The good news is that I am getting a stronger seat all the time. Saturday during our customary cool-down walk around the perimeter of the property Champagne spooked three times at the wild turkeys, and I kept my seat each time and controlled the spook. A year ago I would have been on the ground; well, a year ago I was on the ground!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
It's always something
Here’s what I’ve learned about getting a nice canter:
1. Be sure to warm up for half an hour before asking, with some nice long trots and some practice getting sensitive to my aids.
2. During the warm up, do whatever it takes to wake Champagne up; try new patterns of requests, try transitions between halt/walk, speeds of walk, walk/trot, speeds of trot, try backing, leg yielding at the walk and trot, turns on the forehand, serpentines; always change the sequence to be sure he is really listening.
3. Keep my expectations high; don’t settle for half hearted responses but don’t always be nagging him with my legs.
4. Be sure to get him into a frame, and remind him when he drops out. It helps his back lift and his haunches get under his body.
So now I am getting such a pretty collected canter . . . on the left lead. That’s his easy side.
My horse is not only long-backed, he is also built a little crooked. Cath and I noticed it especially on Sunday while Ken was riding, but we’ve known it for a while. I am forever having to straighten him even when we are trotting up the long side and there is no need for any bend. So it is harder for him to turn toward the right or pick up the right lead.
Yesterday all the elements were lined up, and we had such a nice canter on a 20 meter circle turning left. Canter when I asked, stop when I asked, canter again when I asked, and far fewer times when he decided on his own to stop cantering.
I also got a nice canter going right but no 20 meter circle. He turned properly along the short side of the ring, but as soon as I asked him to turn across the non-wall part of the circle he would break and canter straight. I stopped him, backed him up, cantered again, and same thing every single time. He was getting so he would stop after going straight and prepare to back up, like that was some new game. Yikes. It’s always something! How am I going to solve this one?
1. Be sure to warm up for half an hour before asking, with some nice long trots and some practice getting sensitive to my aids.
2. During the warm up, do whatever it takes to wake Champagne up; try new patterns of requests, try transitions between halt/walk, speeds of walk, walk/trot, speeds of trot, try backing, leg yielding at the walk and trot, turns on the forehand, serpentines; always change the sequence to be sure he is really listening.
3. Keep my expectations high; don’t settle for half hearted responses but don’t always be nagging him with my legs.
4. Be sure to get him into a frame, and remind him when he drops out. It helps his back lift and his haunches get under his body.
So now I am getting such a pretty collected canter . . . on the left lead. That’s his easy side.
My horse is not only long-backed, he is also built a little crooked. Cath and I noticed it especially on Sunday while Ken was riding, but we’ve known it for a while. I am forever having to straighten him even when we are trotting up the long side and there is no need for any bend. So it is harder for him to turn toward the right or pick up the right lead.
Yesterday all the elements were lined up, and we had such a nice canter on a 20 meter circle turning left. Canter when I asked, stop when I asked, canter again when I asked, and far fewer times when he decided on his own to stop cantering.
I also got a nice canter going right but no 20 meter circle. He turned properly along the short side of the ring, but as soon as I asked him to turn across the non-wall part of the circle he would break and canter straight. I stopped him, backed him up, cantered again, and same thing every single time. He was getting so he would stop after going straight and prepare to back up, like that was some new game. Yikes. It’s always something! How am I going to solve this one?
Monday, May 4, 2009
The good lesson
Sunday the riding was excellent.
A lot of things came together. I was able to get some animation out of Champagne by keeping after him consistently. He hasn’t been sustaining the gaits by himself, so I am always using my leg. No wonder he ignores it. After a few targeted corrections, he began to walk with a bounce and be ready to change gaits or speeds within a gait as asked.
I also worked on keeping my elbows at my waist, and sitting up and back even more than usual when asking for and sitting the canter to help my long-backed guy get his hindquarters under him and lighten the load on his front end. By the end of the lesson he was cantering nicely on request, all rounded up and pretty, and I must say he has a canter like a rocking horse, so smooth and pleasant it is like physical therapy to ride.
I hadn’t had much chance to ride last week, with lots of meetings after work and even a meeting all day Saturday, so it was pleasing and liberating to have such a great time with Champagne.
Ken’s lesson followed mine, and he is doing very well too, and now has even agreed to meet me at the barn after work on Wednesdays so he can get a little practice ride in between lessons. Nothing could be nicer; my two guys together on a pretty spring day with lots of birds flying around, wild turkeys gobbling in the woods, flowers or clean new leaves on every tree, the scent of newly mown grass in the air, and a feeling of strength and competence in my body.
A lot of things came together. I was able to get some animation out of Champagne by keeping after him consistently. He hasn’t been sustaining the gaits by himself, so I am always using my leg. No wonder he ignores it. After a few targeted corrections, he began to walk with a bounce and be ready to change gaits or speeds within a gait as asked.
I also worked on keeping my elbows at my waist, and sitting up and back even more than usual when asking for and sitting the canter to help my long-backed guy get his hindquarters under him and lighten the load on his front end. By the end of the lesson he was cantering nicely on request, all rounded up and pretty, and I must say he has a canter like a rocking horse, so smooth and pleasant it is like physical therapy to ride.
I hadn’t had much chance to ride last week, with lots of meetings after work and even a meeting all day Saturday, so it was pleasing and liberating to have such a great time with Champagne.
Ken’s lesson followed mine, and he is doing very well too, and now has even agreed to meet me at the barn after work on Wednesdays so he can get a little practice ride in between lessons. Nothing could be nicer; my two guys together on a pretty spring day with lots of birds flying around, wild turkeys gobbling in the woods, flowers or clean new leaves on every tree, the scent of newly mown grass in the air, and a feeling of strength and competence in my body.
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