catch up post

Wednesday: back from week away. Groomed, bathed both Try and Keystone
Thursday: light hack for both Try and Keystone--no pressure, no task, no new learning--just easy freestyle.
Friday: lesson with Kathy and Keystone as he most needed the exercise. It took awhile before he decided to play along but then he really rounded up through his topline and I was able to ride on the buckle while he maintained. SO VERY COOL!!!!

Wednesday

Day off for Keystone, except cleanup and graze,dwell. etc.

Try: liberty games as warmup then BIG riding lesson with Kathy. Worked on HQ/FQ isol i.e. swing shoulder to turn or diseng HQ to turn (in corners) Then leg yield pattern straight/sideways and forward which I really did not get! Canter with contact day 3 and some improvement.

Tuesday with Alie and Keystone

1. Foot falls at the walk: yes cue at 2 to cue HQ at 3.
2. Steady hands are harder at the trot and I learned to keep elbow to bit line--connected energy--when my hands are too high I loose connection.
3. Coming up from stretching--slide one hand etc
4. Outside rein--yes away from the neck
5. Yes energy first, then outside rein then inside rein
6. If Key leans on the bit--lift 2 hands and urge forward with ??leg (which leg//outside??)
7. trot urge on same
8. turns: cue with inside rein and use outside leg to go forward

Lots of improvement today--I was very excited and pleased!!

what we did Monday

Try in the field. Started in round pen because she was cranky tho obedient. Played a few games and when she said no--game on with circling, catching game, some fun sideways and sticking together.

Then very steam of consciousness/moment to new moment riding in western saddle walk/trot/canter. Patterns, transitions, loose rein, with contact but no flexion, with flexion, transitions etc.

Keystone: light hack in the ring, warmup, walk, trot--2pt and posting, contact practice, simple lead change practice BEND SHIFT LEG then back to a little contact practice.

Friday flying changes

Friday:  Mostly freestyle: warmup then played with flying changes using method from May mastery dvd but setting it up with simple changes for my learning. His changes are awesome--the only issue has been his doing them before I ask, which was not a problem when going straight thru the question box. My new habit--bend, shift, leg to ask. Plan to practice in both ? box and big bowtie patterns. I want to remember that a strung out lope will not help--use an effective phase to ask for a more collected canter--bending in the turns helps. Also he was awesome at riding with contact for just a couple minutes: walk/trot/sitting trot with no stirrups and back to walk with changes of direction. Also good workout for us both. Try was neglected--did visit and give her a carrot.

Sunday: Got Keystone out and cleaned him up and went for a long walk together where ever he wanted to go. Try and I spent 30 minutes at liberty in back paddock--dwell time.

Thursday

Keystone: a second tumor is draining, with big opening--I think he may have rubbed against something to open it like that. Cleaned it up three times. Also light hack following up on lesson with Alie Tuesday and no stirrups for me.

Try: day off after two riding sessions Wednesday including lesson with Kathy that included canter for the first time. I want to repeat that on my own in the western saddle as Try's canter was really rough in places and the dressage saddle makes it difficult to be on my balance point.

I did go to Try's field and we played catchme game, sticking together and then push the ball to me. I was impressed that she wanted to come and play given that Ollie and Try's new buddy Dreama wanted her attention. Also I was struck by the extent to which she knows and recognizes me compared with Keystone.

Watched some of Rider Biomechanics in am and considered that in ride with Keystone also. Later watched Linda's dvd on flying changes.

Freak accident at the barn

Tuesday after riding lesson with Key and Alie, vet came for Molly's Chance. Freak, scarey accident--was there for several hours leaving after he was stable in his stall. Wednesday I got there hoping he was ok and found that he had to be put down shortly after I left yesterday. So tragic and everyone affected--humans and horses.

Tuesday with Alie

Alie McGraw, June 12, 2012, with Keystone

For me

·       Practice riding with short reins

·       On the rail, close my eyes and practice following horse’s movement with my elbows, walk and trot

·       Study footfalls at the walk 1234 ??leg on ct 2 for opposite side?? i.e.2 is left front add my right leg to cue right hind???

Suppling for Keystone

·       Triangle for vertical bending

·       On the rail bend side to side for lateral flexion

Asking for flexion

·       Contact is impulsion, outside rein, then ask with inside rein

·       For contact—hold more, ring finger on inside of bend

·       Figure 8 trot with bends/change diagonal in the middle        

Try was awesome today!!

My weekend of resting and study and visualization paid off.
Got to the barn and heard that Try was truly not happy with her new roommate.

We went to her pasture and I turned her loose so I could fix a loose hinge on the shed and set up tarp/ball/toys etc. She was upset with Ollie calling to her so we played the catching game as Dan taught it and by reducing the area where she was cantering, offering the invitation--she happily came to me. Played circling game just a bit with change of direction and she settled nicely.

We played with toys--touch it--pedestal, ball and tarp. I stood 15-20 feet away and pointed and she went to pedestal, I waited and she stood on it. I pointed to the tarp and she crossed it several different ways, then pointed to the ball and she pushed it for awhile. She got a carrot slice or two.

Then went to the shed to tack up and played games to allow tightening the girth in stages. i.e. sideways to and fro, HQ yield, sideways from zone 1, etc.

 Then softly took a little contact and followed her movement and released a couple times at a walk. Then played with tarp and ball--took awhile for her to get the idea about the ball but when she got it she really got it. Tarp a non issue. Then back to contact and she really offered to stretch then picked up the trot and powered up while stretching. Finished with big loose freestyle trot and canter.

Then clean up/shower/rainrot treatment and carrots.

Next Keystone: brought him up to the barn for rainrot and cleanup/shower then grazed on the way back to his barn.

Saturday/Sunday

I spent time thinking/processing and preparing to take what I have learned intellectually and make it mine.

Process of beginning GoC/dressage study

Background on learning to ride with contact:

·        Spent years learning to ride without reins and NOT wanting to touch Try’s mouth, resisting even riding with shorter reins.

·        Saw Linda Parelli do a before and after with her horse at tour stop in Lex VA—going well, then with her horse happily taking the contact FROM her and powering up like crazy.

·        I knew the powering up would be good for Try physically.

·        Studied some dressage texts/dvds/watched some local shows etc to get some idea?? Of what this is all about???? Overwhelmed and lots of confusion.

·        Linda taught class on contact that I audited in Ocala FL—handbook and later she put out dvd series.

·        Studied this and was able to ask Try for contact and keep for a few strides walk and trot without a negative reaction/release/lots of licking and chewing. Felt I need one on one help.

·        Met Kathy Glielmi, dressage instructor from Jax NC who is beginning Parelli natural horsemanship study and has studied Linda’s GoC pack--have now had 12 lessons. Both Try and Keystone are beginning to not only take the contact but power up thru their topline etc for a few strides.

·        I still have confusion and am studying to make what I am learning mine and to begin to change old habits and create new ones in myself and to see if Try and Keystone can maintain longer and longer what we are learning.

I have put together visualization and notes to help learn:

Riding with Contact

1.   I am relaxed with soft eyes and long loose thighs.

2.  I slowly lift the reins to softly take contact.

3.  I have a lovely elbow connection with resting wrists and jelly fingers.

4.  I close my eyes and enjoy following the movement.

Stretching

 1.   I practice following my horse’s stretch with elbows extending along the crest first, then sliding bits of rein.

2.  I practice softly inching in more rein as the horse comes up…gently, maintaining steady, light, even contact.

3.  I practice maintaining with both reins in one hand stretching down and coming back up.

Who has the contact? Both—I take and then horse decides to take it from me. Remember: Biceps and Triceps.

Posting Trot

·      Relaxed legs

·      Forward from the waist

·      Pendulum

·      Shoulders open

·      Coming down forward on crotch

·      Follow the movement

Asking for Flexion

·      May need to ask for small bend on the large circle—generally on the stiffer side for the horse

·      Outside aids say go forward with power (power and speed are not the same thing)

·      Inside aids keep the horse from falling in on the circle.

·      Can close my eyes to learn the feel of this

·      Allow and follow stretch

·      Maintain steady, soft, even contact with BOTH reins and elbow connection.

Something of interest

1998 Lucky
2000 Try
2001 Lucky goes to Gastonia
2002-2007 Amy Haire (4.5 years)
June 2007-2012 back at Rollover

So I have had a horse for 14 years, 4.5 years at DD with Amy, 8 years at Rollover and Try and I are in our 12th year!!

how to learn?

Well now that I am understanding a lot of elements of asking for/riding with contact, how do I make it an unconscious physical habit in my body? And--the answer is--lots of repetition--i.e. daily one horse or the other not necessarily for more than a couple minutes. ??Try and carrot reward??

More on Wed plus Thur filming and Fri followup

More on lesson with Kathy on Wednesday:

·       Key—great result—big huge low rounding up.

·       Try—also good rounding up thru her top line

·       Key is better at free swinging trot and more experience with contact

·       Try is better at stretching and broader experience—need to take more contact and follow her less

·       IMP is both reins maintain contact in bending!!!

      ·       Hands do not dip low, nor wide

      ·       My relaxation and posture, tendency to fall forward

·       Kathy said that both had moments that at a training level would be judged a 7 or 8. Long ways to go to maintain those moments thru a patterns and transitions!!

Thursday:

Try: groom and passenger ride in the field.

Keystone: filmed our efforts with GoC. Issue 75% of my effort went into keeping him going as I did not have the crop and Kathy wasn't there to coach. Keystone had some beautiful moments. My equitation went out the window:

o   Forward, hump back

o   Overriding without the crop

o   Elbow connection/resting wrists, jelly fingers lost

o   Post on crotch not derriere

o   Global relaxation, long thighs

o   Over posting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F1W-vl7pPM&feature=g-upl

Friday: I explored with Keystone my asking for contact and forgiving myself for the as yet inability to keep all of the above corrections made. Also we did basic hack, no stirrups posting trot, and played with canter and simple changes. Try: in her stall, gave her carrot pieces.

Wednesday lessons with Kathy

Both Keystone and Try today in Try's field.

Keystone: Not only flexion but just a bit of really powering up. Kathy and I were excited. I like Keystone's big trot and it is easier to follow the contact on one side.

Try: we also got good results. It is harder to follow Try but she really has the idea about stretching. When we finished Try hung out with us for 15-20 minutes!!

I am getting so I can find this on my own but much easier with Kathy's coaching.

I'm the one who has to apologize!

Yesterday Try was the crankiest, meanest since I was all direct line several years ago wanting to pass my L3 Liberty. HMMMM. So at least part of yesterday was Try reacting to me. So today I chose 30 minutes of dwell time, treats, she was curious to come to me and hung out near me eating grass.

Keystone: pleasant hack with Molly and Chance followed by review of contact and flexion for lesson tomorrow with Kathy.

Try was cranky today!

and, worse, I don't know why!

She was pleasant when I first saw her in her stall, she came to me, then pinned her ears when I put the bridle on. She did not like being groomed or even her forehead and ears rubbed. She was in an ugly mood when we got to her pasture so we went to the round pen.

I asked Try for something and she figuratively stuck her tongue out at me so I asked her to leave. She circled a while and then I invited her to come and she came licking and chewing--did not take long or much intensity. Then asked again and she sidepassed away to avoid it so game on again--this time with some temper on her part. Finally she was great--nice figure 8s at liberty walk and trot and sideways to me so we headed out.

On Line: asked for sideways from zone 1 and realized that requires not only bigger steps from HQ than FQ BUT also Try needs two eyes on me. This was really improved.

Then long line driving from zone 5 from one barrel to another with treats on every barrel and she got cranky again.

Riding freestyle: trot to get rid of some energy then played with a little riding with contact and stretching/fluid rein to get ready for Wednesday.

Finished with a big soapy bath and Try was again swishing her tail at me and pinning her ears when I touched her belly, etc.

Good thing tomorrow is a day off for Try--perhaps some dwell time in the round pen, me with a book and Try eating grass????

Keystone: Got BA to check him and he is doing better. Stopped and visited and gave him some carrot slices as I was leaving.

Sunday

Checked Keystone in the field and he needed cleaning up so figured might as well ride. Rode but not much as he was really RB over ??some animal in the woods?? Then cleaned him up/used the hydrogen peroxide and all looked much better.

Then Alli and BF arrived. I offered Alli to ride Try so they would both have a horse. I thought that would be fun and something different for Try as well.

Saturday in the Field

Lots of on line and liberty all mixed up from moment to moment. today I was rested, and had a good plan and mostly stuck with it. Try was in her pasture instead of her stall which gave us the opportunity to check out the new play area and tack/toy storage area in the shed in her pasture.

Started with catching game--glad to have the opportunity to play. But, Try wasn't playing--she kept eating and I went to her and she came. Later tho we were able to play with Try looking up, my approaching and a little stick/string and Try coming to me.

Next was yoyo and sideways from zone 1--my object was to ask only once or twice. Well yoyo required intention alone. But sideways from zone 1 improved but I really nagged not finding an effective phase for the lagging derriere.

Next circling--started slow with walk then trot 10 laps each way, then canter 5 laps each way then back to trot and by then rhythm was really improved but relaxation only somewhat--she did blow at the canter. Contact: when she wanted the game to end.

Then HQ/FQ isolations: swinging shoulders from zone 1--her right side is great but not the left. Some falling leaf/sbend--she just wants to come in and face up.
Riding: leisurely, rest stops, walk til blow, transitions and patterns, casual and steady rein, fluid rein for stretching, HQ/FQ.
after riding we went into the barn for shower and back out to pasture.

Keystone: After two hours with Try I was out of energy BUT needed to check Keystone and sure enough he needed to come in and be cleaned up and treated. We did get a lot of dwell/friendly time and grazing time. I am seeing more trust and connection.

Update

Monday: Memorial Day--did not go to the barn.
Tuesday: good lesson with Kathy and Try just before the downpour. Homework--close my eyes and feel--i.e. need for more power, falling in etc. Rain prevented ride time with Keystone so spent hour or so together grooming/showering etc.
Wednesday: rained out with Tropical storm Beryl--6 inches of rain.

Thursday: Keystone: usual hour of on line--groom, treat, shower, lots of grazing time, some z4.5 passenger/driving, etc. Riding: warmup then played with flying lead change progression and he really has em! Next time I will see if I can prevent Keystone from anticipating and giving me the change too soon. Finished with contact and flexion and it was the best ever--several laps on inside track (ring muddy)--sitting trot, posting trot and changes of direction.