A Study in Transitions

I have been poring over the Karen Rohlf training videos in her video classroom searching for all things transition related. Savvy and I have been in a bit of a see-saw pattern of her being either too reactive and me tightening instead of relaxing or her shutting me out and me being too quick to skip phase 1, 2, 3, and going straight for phase 4 and feeling like a terrible rider.

I knew that I needed to step up my game and be more aware and thoughtful in my reactions: soft, consistant and proactive instead of reactive.

There were many videos I found helpful, but specifically the December 2014 video titled "Walk canter walk transitions" left me wanting to run out to the backyard and start practicing.

First, the concept of preparing the walk (or trot in my case) to the point where you do not have to push for the canter. This involves creating an active walk that is engaged and capable of doing what ever you ask such as half pass, or shoulders in, extend or shorten. Once your horse is in this actively engaged place, the canter transition will be more physically and mentally possible without running into it or flailing - both of which is my current state of affairs.

Karen talks about the balancing act of creating enough energy for the horse to physically be able to move into the canter, yet relaxed enough to be soft, using the correct muscles and not getting stiff or rushing.

I have ridden three times this week focusing on not just getting a canter, but spending a bit more time on thinking about the quality of each gait and playing around with my position and seeing how it affects Savvy's way of going and attitude.


What I usually do - the ever popular lean/grab/chase maneuver

In my playing around I found some facinating things that would happen. First, when I would sit up tall and specifically look at a point ahead of us rather than down at her (um, yes like we all know we are supposed to...), Savvy seemed to have an easier time with difficult tasks like shoulder in. I am not quite sure at this point if it is a result of me consentrating more on my body thus resulting in a better ask, or if her usual 'not quite right' just simply looked a bit better out of my peripheral vision...



What Savvy sometimes thinks of the idea.

Second, as I was looking up and feeling my seat bones and concentrating on using my inner leg rather than the back of my calf, I could get a much more active walk and the transition into trot was improved. This is all stuff I have been working on already, but I was really tongue-sticking-out type of concentrating on it for these rides.

Third, I found when I opened my hands a bit wider and higher and paid attention to keeping a following contact no matter where her head moved, Savvy was much more willing to reach into the bit and stretch over her top line. This resulted in a longer stride and a general feeling of more relaxation.

So then for canter, I tried so, so hard to keep myself unchanged in the ask. This is so hard for me. I want to tighten the reins, lean forward and chase - ugh.

After about three attempts, staying quiet and regrouping, I had the best canter depart from Savvy she has ever given.

Don't you love it when training advice works?

The Big Day for Shiraz

After a rough past few weeks of stress coming from all directions, a sweet dark bay horse seemed to be just the thing to take my mind off of my troubles.

Wednesdays are lesson days where I trailer over Savvy, but this time I asked if I could bring Shiraz along instead.

I have been wanting to take her over to the indoor all summer and it just never seemed to work out.

She loaded sceptically but politely and proceeded to paw while I loaded up the kidlets in the truck. On the highway she was a saint - I didn't feel her move a hoof the entire way there. Refreshing difference from Savvy who trailers like a wind-up monkey toy.

Once there, she had to stand in the trailer while I took my equipment and kids up to the barn and she was fantistic. No pawing or stomping around. Her walk up to the barn was a bit snorty, but nothing terrible and then we headed into the barn for grooming and tack up.



When you give your phone to an 8-year-old and ask them to take pictures of your ride...

I brought my saddle, lounge line and horsemanship stick. My plan was to do a full groundwork sesion with the saddle on. I wanted to give her a positive first outing with tons of carrots and keep her focused on me to show her I was her leader no matter what was going on around us.

She was a star! She was interested in her surroundings, but completely capable of focusing on tasks and calm about the whole thing. Coach was there so after half an hour of awesome, I asked if she could give us a mini lesson and I hopped up!

We did simple small circles, figure-eights, stops and turns on the forehand.

 

If this is how she is at 3 years old her first time on an outing, I do believe I have one amazing horse.

Complete with 8-year-old commentary.

All in all, it was the kind of day I really needed and I can't wait to take her out again. :)

When doing the right thing hurts like hell

Letting go of a heart horse is no easy feat. My heart hurts.

Miss Tea was my 'Babygirl'.

When my husband and I first bought our little farm, I rushed back in to horses and bought two geldings. Little did I know what we were about to face.

One of the geldings had a problem no one knew about - There had been an infection in his gutteral pouch and had left the main artery damaged and prime for a bleed at any time. Two months after I purchased him, that happened and we lost him.

Now in a position of needing a companion for the other gelding, the search began. I was adamant to be more careful this time. No hidden illnesses or dealing with other people's bad training, I wanted a weanling I could raise and train myself. And what better place than the breeding farm where my mom got her Quarter Horse mare from when I was a little girl?


My mom's filly, Princess

So we found our Miss Tea there.
She was there through my struggle with anxiety. We walked through it together and both came out better on the other side.


Miss Tea's first day home

She was my teacher. I learned to listen to a horse from her. Although I had ridden all my life, it had always been about what I wanted. The idea that you 'make' your horse listen was the common training approach I grew up around.

First run in her paddock

Miss Tea forced me to stop, see her as a being with actual thoughts and opinions that mattered. There could be a conversation if only I slowed down to listen and partake. And what a fabulous conversation there could be! This opened the door for me. The more we learned together, the lesser my anxiety became.

Miss Tea with her grumpy big brother

She saved me in so many ways.

But she kept telling me something that I did not want to hear. She simply could not take the shape of my hunter/jumper dreams. I tried for so long to help her reshape her body, build different muscles to hold a frame and canter without tripping (*sigh*).



Our solo horse show adventure 2014.

Last fall I finally came to terms with letting go of that dream and I was okay with it. As the weeks of not riding her turned into months I could see this may have been the best choice for us, but was there something out there better for her? Was a life in a rectangle pasture good enough for her?

 

Adventures in trail riding

I made an add for her and posted it several times, and several times promptly took it down before anyone could respond. 

Learning to jump, together

Then, three days ago I placed another add, more plain than any of the previous ones, with just one picture and a brief description. And someone responded immediately. Shit.
 
A young woman, with her neighbour who was going to help her with learning to ride. She just wanted a horse she could ride in the field and help him with cows, trail ride, toodle.

Our first fun show

A life without collection and correct leads and letting her be long and straight and happy? Hu. Maybe.
 I handed her Miss Tea's lead rope and I was walking away from them both to get the brushes. I looked back over my shoulder and the lady laid her head on Miss Tea's side and wrapped her arms around her. Hu. Possibly.

I told them more information about her than anyone would ever want to know; how she likes to stop, look and think when she is worried and this works best for her, where her favorite scratch spots are, how much she hates being out in the rain, and her favorite treats.



Our best moment

I was passing on to them my dearest friend.

I hope it was the right decision.



Give-It-A-Go Clinic - Day Two

How many coffees does it take to move this 41-year-old ass at 5:45 in the morning? One chugged like a frat partying 20-year-old and then two more as I sat drooling on myself, waiting for them to kick in.

I am not a morning person.

My ride time was 9:30 but I wanted plenty of time to let Savvy have breakfast, clean stalls and then get to the warmup area.

We were going to be doing Training 1 and I only half believed the cantering would happen. In our warmup Savvy was feeling much more relaxed than the day before. She was still very looky, but I can't blame her - so much new stuff to see. I really must make an effort to take her out to new places more.

I was pleased that Savvy was listening well and even canter depart was lovely - only about two strides out from my cue which is good for us at this point. Unfortunately there was no right lead. We have been struggling with it at home. I decided I would be okay with what ever happened in the test. I would set her up as best as I possibly could and if it didn't happen, try once more to get it then carry on and not get frustrated about it.



By the time it was our turn, Savvy was as ready as I could expect of her. We had a fabulous halt at X and her trot was excellent throughout the test for the most part. We had really good comments for our free walk, but personally I felt like I nagged her along for it (she is convinced walk means done working). First was canter to the left which was a bit rushed and unorganized but got it done. Then canter to the right -- she got the lead!! I was so thrilled with that I was praising her like crazy and saying 'good girl' the entire circle. By final halt I was just beaming and really felt so proud of the test.

Right lead canter! :)

The judge came out and had much to say about Savvy's on and off connection, which is just where we are at right now. She gave me a few suggestions and then I got to ride the test again using those techniques. Unfortunately our second ride was not as good, but Savvy still got the correct lead again going right.

Lost the contact and leaning in corner. :/

Packing up, I mulled over the usefulness of such a weekend. It really was good motivation to ride more in the weeks before hand to prepare. I put in a lot of work on canter depart and transition work and the difference in Savvy is quite remarkable. Also, it is obviously good for Savvy to be at this venue as much as possible, because if we are going to show for real in the future, this is the venue they will be at for the most part.

Calm, willing and focused pony.

 Finally, it was good to open my eyes to the reality of dressage where I live. It is a competitive sport and there will be training and riding techniques I disagree with, not to mention judges who favor those techniques. I need to stand firm in my own methods and remember to put Savvy's wellbeing first. She has a natural talent for this sport and I think if I keep training on the path that I am, we can really do well.

 

Give-It-A-Go Dressage Weekend Recap - Saturday

Coming into this dressage clinic I had:

• Two brand new shiny tires for my trailer
• One beautiful pony who was approaching maybe cantering in the same zip code as the cue for it (so if course I was doing a test with cantering!)
• One great friend just as (un)prepared as me also participating and a cooler full of booze
• One shitty forcast for 90% chance of rain

Saturday morning did not disappoint. It started raining around 9:30 a.m. My ride time was 1:00 p.m. so I remained hopefull as I arrived, settled wonder pony in and sat down to read through Walk/Trot B test for the first time in a year.



Wonder pony is so little! She can barely see out of her stall! :)

 

By 11:00 I had to get out to warm up. It was still raining of course but Savvy was good about it, although sceptical. We had a decent warmup. Savvy was very looky - a peacock kept shreaking from a nearby farm and cars going by were suddenly terrifying for her, but overall she handled it all well in the pooring rain and never felt unsafe to ride.

A took her back to the barn for lunch and to my surprise the rain stopped (thank you weather gods!).

My goal for this walk/trot test was just for Savvy and I to get used to the venue again and I wanted to see if I could pay more attention to quality rather than just 'showing up in the right spots' - if that makes sense?

Savvy had other plans. As we came to the outside of the ring to do the typical walk-around waiting for the bell, Savvy was a bit overwhelmed by the new area we were now in, the trees with sounds of a horse banging in the barn behind them, a still distant screeching peacock and a hyped up rider on board. She was just about prancing on the spot and grinding the bit. Surprisingly, I was feeling a bit meh, what ever, lets do this!

The judge had better ideas though. She called me over and promptly suggested we lesson first, test second. Brilliant idea!



Working on riding with a 'bridge' in the reins to ride with the
 hands as a team rather than two independant entities.

 

I won't bore you with the details but I will say it was all very different from how I ride. I played the good student though and tried all the things with an open mind and enjoyed her coaching style. She was a fun lady that was very direct but kept a sense of humor about things.

Savvy did settle finally and our test in the end was decent. Our main issue was consistancy on the contact at a trot. (Her shoulder balance was actually good though!) This has been a longstanding issue, made worse when Savvy is nervous. Her mind can get so busy and it comes out in her body all over the place, but it is getting better.

I did catch a glimpse at dressage as a competative sport and could see how some riders might end up on a path of trying to get results from the horse for the points, and just how easy it would be to lose sight of the horse's mental wellbeing.

I am a ridiculously competitive person, but knowing better means an obligation to do better. And lucky for me, my competitiveness is within myself. I know what I am looking for from Savvy and will know what a successful test will feel like for me - actual scores be damned.

I know Savvy's training is progressing at a snail's pace, but she's doing great! She is happy, healthy and we like each other. For me, that is winning.

Stay tuned for day two!



Whine and cheese party for one

Many things are just getting to me and the overall feeling I am dragging around, chained to my foot is saddness and disappointment even though I should be grateful for all the good things. Sigh.

First of all, rain. It hasn't stopped in over a month. Everything is always wet. My arena is a mess. The paddocks are slop. I am sick of curly hair.

Second, trailer. My trailer is shit and I have spent a few years denying this, but really, it is shit. Nothing dangerous, but an ever so slightly bent axil has resulted in many flat tires because they wear unevenly. I am too broke to buy more tires, not to mention a new trailer. I am feeling just done with it and dream of pushing it off a cliff or something.



Or this. I would love to do this to my trailer.

Finally, dressage shows. They are expensive. I haven't done a single show this year. My first event is July 23 and 24, and even though it is more of a clinic (ride a test like it is a show then be evaluated by the judge and mini lesson) I am calling it a show in my head. There are many dressage riders that train exclusively and never show. I just cannot comprehend. I love the excitement of show day--everything about it--all the prep and packing, cleaning up my pony, that rush of excitement first entering the ring, and the focus and drive to be my absolute best in this one moment.

 

So after half a summer of getting it done and looking on the bright side of things, I need to stop and have myself a pitty party. Hopefully it is a short event. The rain can't go on forever (can it?!!), I will get more tires somehow and maybe I will have to open my mind up to hunter show flat classes for my fix in the future--at least those are affordable and there are more of them to choose from.

In Between Spaces

Sometimes the quiet times are the best.

I haven't really been working on anything liberty per se, but our relationship is just so great right now. I took off all the tack to let her roll and ended up playing around.

It is humbling when they don't run the other way when they have the chance. Nothing amazing, just some stops and circles, a bit of front and hind end yielding, but it made my day!

Please ignore my lack of finese. I am not good at this stuff, but I still like to try. :)