I have been focusing a lot more on Tillie - partly because she needs it and Kiss is way easier to maintain - but also because we have lots of holes that need fixing with her being off last year.
I took her to Windurra and attempted to try a waterford bit on her and well, lets just say, she HATED it.
You can see how she is practically running through it - sure her head is up, but she was pissed.
More in the waterford...you can tell she's just rushing and unsettled. So we only did one more set of jumps before Dom had us change back to our original bit because our steering was a bit altered from how distracted tillie was:
She settled down a little but still was holding a bit of a grudge...however Dom upped the difficulty to get her thinking which helped throw her a curve ball and get her mind off being mad.
She was being a super finicky ride at this point but the good moments were starting to come through. She surprised me with how straight and confident she was to to the skinny...which tend to be her nemesis when we havent seen them in a while:
Then we moved on to the water which really showed my lack of trusting to start this season...and learning to need to stop wanting to always do the add:
ANNNNNDDD the blooper of the ride...our first attempt at this corner combo. Which was hilarious...and took me off guard because Tillie's approach was good until the last stride when she decided the grass was horse eating and she wanted nothing to do with it.
Dom wanted us to keep going to the jump into water and im pretty sure my pants matched the first time through (Remember my fear of downhill?!)
But we scraped through it and of course had to do it again:
So I felt good going into fair hill last weekend. But more to come on that soon.
So the first show of the season has since come and gone, but I am playing catch up again.
Last week I took both my girls to Windurra to get another good xc school in. I felt like Tillie's first one of the season was a bit rusty, and Kiss' was less than confident with the wet footing.
I rode Kiss first to tire her out so she would be happier about standing on the trailer. She came out feeling a lot more confident even if I wasn't. My biggest issue starting out this season is riding a bit timid/not brave enough up to jumps. Once I do, both my horses shine...but when I micromanage and shut them down...well they shut down.
Dom decided to have us tackle the water right away, discussing the order of jumps and questions and why we school in that order. I found it interesting since usually we wait for water later. But for him he wanted to put some "money in the bank" for later in our school.
She did well going right in and we got right to doing the bank out. We attempted to do her first ever bank into water and her confidence wasnt quite there, but here is the succession of getting through it!
and finally much more confident:
I was really proud of her working through this. Dom also said it was a great schooling experience and reassured me her initial reaction is very normal for a first attempt.
From here we went to the dry banks and the confidence building paid off:
Usually kiss will look at the down banks and hesitate but she felt good and confident...and i am getting much less worried about them myself! From here Dom kicked me in the butt and said lets ride FORWARD...get up to the jump.
We ended at the ditches and Kiss handled this like a pro too!
Our aim is Loch Moy BN this weekend...I am hoping we are ready.
I am so very excited to be writing this post because I am almost still in utter disbelief it happened! But Tillie and I did it...we completed our first PRELIM! What's more, is it was a cold, rainy day with less than ideal footing conditions (which I won't lie had me questioning if I was going to withdrawal). I was already super nervous and the added rain really made me question if I was insane enough to give this a go...
Tillie and I in our stadium round
The dressage arenas were the worst, followed closely by stadium, but shockingly the XC course was holding up nicely so I chose to give it a go and if things felt uneasy to retire. I had to ride our test off the muddy worn in paths so it hurt our score a bit, but I was so elated with how relaxed she stayed. Not to mention the fact I remembered the entire test was truly a feat in itself.
I was tearing up after our dressage
I walked the XC course after dressage which was good so I could see how the footing was holding up. Seneca did a great job patching what needed patching and keeping us safe. Some of the other levels they removed jumps or provided options because of the footing.
Intermediate actually ended up sharing about half our jumps...which made me feel even more bad ass (lol yea....).
Movin up to those ditances
Tillie warmed up like a beast for stadium and I felt really confident going into the ring. The first three fences rode well and Tillie was on point. We came into a two stride which Tillie slipped at the second fence nearly taking the entire thing down but the top rail popped off.
I got a bit greedy and too careful at this point...Tillie learned and took off huge over the next fence but this is where I got a bit too addy with the first slippage and rail in my mind and got her in a bit too weak (it was a triple bar oxer) and she barely took to top rail and then got flat and misread the related distance to the next fence.
After that she sat down and rode the triple combination and final bending line like she was born to jump this height and higher...so I know the rail issues we will iron out.
Soaking after the show...Goose totally convinced he can join me
I felt pretty darn proud we did it and I walked out of there knowing exactly what I did and how we can fix it in the future. But my mind immediately went to XC and I got my game face on.
Dom insisted that I warm up when we talked game plans before the day. He wanted me riding her to the base a few times and then a few more open and back to riding the base to really make sure both my eye and her adjustability were on point.
I didn't want to over do it too much as Tillie already was feeling a bit more tired than usual with the cold rain wearing on her but we did enough to make me feel ok. I set my watch, even though I was told to not look at it, and I was called over to the start box.
At this point I thought I was going to be way more nervous, but I suddenly felt...prepared. I don't know if that is the right word or not.
There were a few jumps on course and combinations that made me really have to think about how to ride into them, what my plan b was if it didn't go according to plan etc. But at that moment, I just took a deep breath, gave Tillie and pat and said, " lets do this."
For the first time I came out of the start box kicking...ok not exactly kicking, but I was ready. Usually I am ok with the slower canter to start, but I remembered Dom's advice about how I better ride up to fences because this itty bitty canter wouldn't cut it at this height.
The first combination on course had me the most worried...it was a big, and I mean BIG double brush table to a roll top skinny with brush. I knew I had to come in with some speed with that height, but didn't want to come in too hot and miss the B element. I watched the intermediate ride through it and it was seeming to ride ok, but quite a few horses did exactly what Tillie did and REALLY overjumped the brush, so I am glad I was prepared for that.
Once I finished that first combination I breathed out a small sigh...Dom warned me about the first combo saying it was a confidence test and would set the tone for the rest of the course. So I felt a very small iota of relief.
We shared the next jump with intermediate and had a open oxer galloping fence just before our next combination. It was a ramp to a 5 stride bank up to a two stride, ramp jump with a massive drop. I don't like drops typically and it did cause my some trepidation walking it, but I just reminded myself to keep my eyes up since woods were just over 8 strides on landing....I didn't need to end up in a tree.
Then we had some galloping tables and space to gallop but I took it easy. The footing here wasn't the greatest since we shared this portion with intermediate and I tried to stay on the outskirts and avoid as best I could. Then it was our next combination which had me slightly worried because it was a pretty big table bending line to a chevron brush - which if Tillie has any jump she might look at, its those.
But I breathed deep and thought back to all the schooling knowing she would do it so long as I had her straight, rode her shoulders and kept a good canter. And I was so floored that despite needing to slip my reins over the table...Tillie hunted the shit out of that chevron.
I had to control my emotions here, but swapped my crop told her how great she was and started preparing for the next combination shown at the early part of the video here:
It was another rolltop with brush but this time a skinny made out of how the brush was cut. It was flush up against a tree on the right side which is why I switched my crop left just in case she glanced off left. It had a down hill landing bending line to the B element: a narrow corner.
Again I had to let me reins slip on landing and a tad more slipped than I wanted with it being so wet and raining...but damn if she didn't lock into that corner and got us there in the perfect striding.
We had one table we shared with intermediate again before coming to the water...which made me fret so hard.
It was a very LARGE tree just before a log/bank drop into water with a roll top out. I saw many horses refusing this log and have seen refusals with this combination when it was set like this in the past (yay for youtube and me stalking old courses lol)
I knew I needed to compress coming in, but not lose the power. Tillie once again took care of me and did the entire combination like a pro.
We had one more galloping fence, another table...and we had our final combination on course: a full coffin. It walked tighter that it rode, so thank goodness Tillie isn't ditchy because we had to add a stride to make it work - which benefited us in the end because the footing here was slick and had a fall earlier.
After she came out of the coffin I sat up and told her YOU GOT THIS only one more fence!! And it was a large trakhener we shared with intermediate....so I came around the corner and told myself don't grab her, let her go at it.
She of course soared over it and when all four feet his the ground I choked back a huge sob.
I think its time to upgrade to real ice boots
People likely thought I was insane because the walk back to the trailer I was crying not so silent tears of pure shock, joy, elation and a whole medly of emotions.
I just coulnt believe we did it. This horse just shocks the hell out of me!
So I am debating on letting her end the season here to keep her confidence strong and ending on a good note. So I guess Ill touch base with my professional team and seek input on whats next!
NeI have a bit of catching up to do on sharing videos with you all so I am combining this post of my xc schoolings from last weekend and last evenings. We have been a bit busy with me wanting to really feel confirmed at prelim stuff going into the weekend.
Brother and sister stare down
Last Saturday, right from the start Tillie came out warming up super relaxed and waiting on me. It felt super comfortable and set the tone for the entire schooling. Its nice when shes like this because then I ride her more confidentially and forward like she needs to be for this level. This also was my first time schooling without a trainer there pointing at things telling me to go do it.
So picking and choosing was definitely something I had to think smartly about and feel out Tillie.
Here is some of warming up over some of the smaller stuff, but we finished off with the big table at the end! It felt nice and gave me more confidence to try the prelim stuff on my own.
This was pretty early into schooling after warming up. Tile came right up to this very confident. It was the first skinnier test of the day and she came in nicely without any worry. I knew I needed to keep my shoulders up with the terrain question.
Next we moved on to this bending line with corner/brush type fences. I knew my ride in needed to be accurate without drifting. We got a bit of an add to the second fence and it really should be a 4 stride not a 5 but we worked on this with Dom yesterday.
From here we moved on to the keyhole combo. I was very proud with how much Tillie hunted out the final skinny.
This was a fun combo to try! The first time through I came in too forward of a ride so came back and learned that I needed a better, deeper approach to the first log so we could be ready for the bending line out over the final log. It rode a lot nicer that way!
Then I felt brave and decided to give the big trakhener to the skinny a try. I knew we needed enough power to get over the trakehener but then be able to rock back and focus on the skinny. I was worried Tillie might land from the first and get too wooden before the second, but she shocked the hell out of me and coasted right along to the skinny.
Next up we moved onto banks...the dreaded banks. Its no secret that I dislike riding them despite down banks being fairly easy so long as you sit up and let your reins slip. Sounds so simple right?
But I knew I needed to conquer this because prelim drops, well, are much larger and more prominent on courses than previous levels. So I started with a bank down I did before so had that in the back of my mind to boost my confidence.
Tillie is super keen and has no issues with banks, so of course it rode just fine.
So I ran the house to bank down in reverse to add that shorter combo and timing to make sure I didn't anticipate too much and was able to keep my shoulders up. I knew I needed a deep distance into the house so she landed softly for the bank. Then we circled around to give the skinny a try that we have had issues with last year. Tillie jumped it cool as a cucumber.
We stepped up our game and did this bank complex. I remember looking at similar combos here before (they change jumps around but typically have similar questions around) and thinking wow that looks really scary. Tillie made it feel effortless. Riding this definitely turned a corner in my mind about riding banks!
Last but not least we moved on to water so I started with this slight bending line. Tillie came in a bit powerful to the log and I didn't let my reins slip enough. Luckily I sat up and recovered in time to direct her to the skinny out. NOTE TO SELF: Slip the reins!!!
I knew next I needed to conquer the larger bank into the water. At prelim there will be a combo there so I pulled up my big girl pants and gave it a try.
With that I ended our schooling for that day. Tillie gave me such try!
My kiddies
Up next (below) is a recap of our schooling last night. I don't have as much footage but will walk through the footage I do have. I wasn't feeling super great physically going into this schooling so came out of the gate riding more like a weenie. Which I believe caused Tillie to be a bit more keen to lean on me and be up to some old tricks to start like taking the bit any time she had a moment.
Dom reassured me its normal, we all have those days its just about getting the rideability you want before you go onto course. So it was actually nice it happened here so he could walked me through my XC warm up for Saturday in case she was more like yesterday's ride. He really implored when shes like that not to get too backwards. That I need to learn how to keep the forward and get her more rideable out of that forward canter without shortening it too much.
The first footage I have is this corner which she jumped great after this, but I only have the first attempt where I left her drift so she dropped her shoulder. She was still being a bit wooden at this point in the schooling but Dom talked me through it.
Up next we did the skinny brush bending line. This was the second attempt since the first one was nice and quiet, but he wanted me to come back and do it out of a more forward canter. While Dom agreed it wasn't as pretty, that's the canter we need to get smoother in these combos.
At this point I was still feeling a bit defensive and coming into this exercise was able to over come and ride it forward, but as we came to the table with it feeling a tad down hill I got a bit too greedy causing the dreaded gappy distance. We did finally manage to get the right ride, but no video footage unfortunately. This is the point in time we talked more about doing the homework of that forward ride...which until today has been better. He told me not to fret, just try to not make this the habit for Saturday which will likely be my go to with my nerves.
At this point she got much more rideable though and we gave the roller coaster complex a try. I was fully expecting issues from this one. This is the better take on it, the first one wasn't caught on film...but as a learning experience: I misunderstood Dom and rode the first time on a deep approach to the first jump causing a need to push to get to the second making the third jump just a tad less approachable.
So instead you want to come into this out of an open canter off the first with a longer take off so making the distance to the second you get that deeper ride. That way the second one backs them off on the landing so you have the adjustability to the final jump. My nit pick is I still got a bit forward in my shoulders here.
To end we went to the water like usual and we ran through this combo and small bank down. We refined my shoulders for the down bank before moving on but it felt pretty good!
Finally Dom laid it on us and had us finish with the big brush out. I was extremely skeptical we would get over the big brush at the end the first attempt but Dom confidently said as long as I got my right line, didn't let her drift and had the right canter she would do it.
Of course he was right!
So here's to hoping she feels ready and I feel ready on the big day.
Fair warning...I had a major fan girl day yesterday so there will be lots of name dropping and gushing to make up for the lack of media from our outing.
We made the hike back up to Windurra USA for a lesson with Dom Schramm again in the hopes that we would XC school this time since last week we only had time to jump school in the ring. Dont get me wrong, that was pretty awesome too since the footing was like riding on a cloud.
Oh nice footing, where have you been my whole life?
This time we stayed out in the XC field to start and went right into warming up on the beautiful track (also equipped with the lovely cloud-like footing). Dom also sent us around the fields to expose our horses and get them listening a bit as well.
While cantering around, I realized we were cantering around Boyd Martin taking a lesson with Lucinda Green **GULP** - Like seriously, eventing legends watching me and Brita canter around. I had a bit of a pep talk with Tillie in that moment and asked her to please not make me look ridiculous once we started schooling.
Oh hey! We are here!
Dom sent us off to warm up over some logs that followed the perimeter of the galloping/exercise track and told us to start off with a smaller canter and then develop a bit. If that went ok he said to continue on to pop over a novice-sized coop to a novice roll top looking thing and around to a pretty large table. Tillie ate ALLLL of them up and did so calmly - thank goodness!
Borrowed from the website...but this was one of the jumps we jumped warming up...man its big!
I asked him about the difference between chipping into a fence vs getting them to wait and come in deeper to a fence since that was one of our goals for some of these to prevent her from getting flat and landing on the forehand. His answer was simple and sort of made me feel silly for even asking but, a chip is when you approach a fence coming in a 12 ft canter stride but the last stride turns into a shortened 10ft or less stride where as a waiting distance or one when you ride to the base is approaching in a 12ft stride but then you adjust to a 10ft stride the last few making an even striding for a few strides rather than the last second.
Mare glare and not enthused at all
We moved on the banks...which I promptly warned Dom about my ridiculous phobia of down banks which he reassured me and said well its because youre worried about her landing too downhill and yanking you out of the tack - no worries, we will work on your position and letting the reins slip even if it takes 4 laps around the field to get her back.
Fortunately for me, Tillie listened to my pep talk and was on her A game and didnt land taking off ever or get too strong...the mare knows when that pelham is one and respects it.
We talked about how to ride both up and down banks:
Up Banks: Horses like up because they naturally are inclined to want to go up so instinctively its an easier question for them to answer. You want to come in right to the base and not get too long, stay tall and grab mane so you dont accidentally catch your horse on the way up
Down Banks: Look up at the horizon NOT down and stay really tall with your shoulders...many riders make the mistake of tipping forward before the horses shoulders leave the bank and then they may hesitate, launch off etc which causes the rider to teeter a bit and cause a potential issue. Think of staying perpendicular to the ground so if you remove your horse from under you, you would land on your feet.
Tired Tillie
We started with going up the smaller banks then tried the double bank up which went swimmingly. Then we did the down banks the same way...shockingly it wasnt so bad! Tillie totally didnt bat an eye at the double banks and Dom had me trying to stay more in my stirrups rather then sit on her back so much. What do you know, they felt pretty darn smooth!
Then we went off to the ditches. Dom had Brita and Rachael do a few things since both their horses are not fond/green with ditches and I loved how they both were able to do them without any issue as a result!
Then we went. Dom had us trot the smallest ditch, keep going and canter the second, larger, ditch then land and keeping going to come back to the third even larger ditch to a one stride to a roll top. He said to stay tall, allow and be soft but to keep her straight. We did it 2x without any issue :) Yay Tillie!
Again borrowed this from their website...it isnt quite up to date but you can get the idea
Finally we headed over to the water. We splashed around a little to start and then Dom had Tillie and do a bit of a few jumps together coming in and out of the water a few times.
He had us start with jumping a line of two roll tops with brush on top which as we got closer got larger and larger...lol. Tillie sort of questioned the first one, but I sat up tall closed my leg and she did them alright. We landed frm those came cantering through the water, made a right hand turn and jumped the log (you can see in the image) down into the water...made a left turn jumped the rolls tops the opposite way (which Tillie did much softer and more relaxed) and jumped the bank down into water.
Soooo exhausted
Dom was pretty happy with that so that is where we ended. I couldnt be more thrilled with her! I was also super happy with how positive it was for my barn mate Brita :) We just have the best horses.
See I told you guys I would gush!!
Bath time once we got home...much to Tillie's dismay
The last few days has been a flurry of activity for Tillie and I, mostly because I reached a point of no return and simply needed a lesson before I rode again without eyes on me....At least I felt that way. Riding alone has been frustrating to say the least - Not to any fault of Tillie's, but rather me trying to recreate what I learn and feel in a lesson. It is so hard to do when someone isn't there nagging you pushing the limits (but really shouting at me to correct my rouge right hand).
It started Thursday evening when I rode and just got so in my head and frustrated I had to stop. We suddenly lost our downward transition from canter to trot...We have been really drilling doing these just off my seat and staying through. Instead, she reverted back to doing the tightening spinning top thing and not stepping under herself. She would just canter this itty bitty (albeit lovely) canter instead.
So I just threw one of my students on Tillie in a lesson afterwards. Seeing her go sometimes helps me (don't worry it was all for selfish reasons, this student really learns a lot off Tillie)
My fire breathing dragon trucking around a kid over fences just as cool as a cucumber!
And to my pleasant surprise Tillie stepped right up and told on my student's mistakes without being mean or malicious or scary or sassy...etc and the many more things I could list she has done in the past. She even popped over a small vertical without running, diving or bolting. Yayyyyyy Tillie!
That at least made me feel a little better. Nothing like seeing some buttons we have been working on actually working with someone other than me.
Lesson #1 - Dressage
So I promptly scheduled a lesson for myself and Tillie to solve this mental block and frustration for Friday the next day. I trailered out to C (just using first initials of trainers here) for a second try with a lesson with her after feeling slightly disappointed in the first.
I was not disappointed this lesson and got some really nice and soft moments where Tillie felt really just unlocked. The goal is to start getting her activating and unlocking the muscles at the base of her neck and withers. It was also nice to hear her say she did see some improvement since the July 4th lesson and could tell an overall difference in both Tillie and me (Especially my lower back).
She had me ride with a dressage whip since Tillie was a bit more dead to my leg and shockingly better tracking left and softer that direction. Silly horse...anyway the whip really pointed out and helped me with my right hand issue. So homework is to ride with a whip (to Tillie's dismay I am sure).
Tillie was quite please with herself after our dressage lesson.
I still need work on keeping my leg down and long when using it which seems to be the next thing on my list ;) We did a lot of work on the canter transition and getting her to JUMP into it. We also did basic leg yielding really focusing on keeping her straight in them and coming out of them with more step in the trot and not just losing steam in the process of doing them.
Lesson #2 - XC Clinic
D riding one of the horses in the clinic to help get a point across to the horse.
Saturday we geared up and drove to this gorgeous facility for my other trainer D's XC Clinic. I was nervous all morning watching the others go dreading if Tillie would pull her old antics, cross her jaw and just dive and be silly after fences. The last time I did a XC lesson with D, I fell off twice. Yes you read that correctly - TWICE in an hour. I wanted to die of mortification.
Anyway, the first few warm up fences, she absolutely was bracing and diving after fences and I felt myself sort of go "oh crap" as D kept hollering to let go, use less hands and more leg. UGH the dreaded more leg fixes all...except leg on doesnt always make Tillie soften yet. So after a very enthusiastic finish that involved bolting up the hill after the first set of fences D sent us away to time out and just go let her run it out.
So we came back and with each fence we started to get a groove. We schooled some bending lines over roll tops, canter down hills (did I mention how much I HATE downhill?!), ditches, banks - up and down and finally water jumps.
The water was by far my favorite!
Lesson #3 - More dressaging
Sunday morning companion.
So Sunday I went ahead and had the other C come for a lesson as Tillie was barely winded after XC schooling and figured some dressage the day after a hard day would help us push through her limits.
Right away she commented how much improved Tillie's walk looked and overall seemed happy, relaxed and had better improved muscling in more correct areas. She kept reminding me to carry my hands and watch that silly right hand which gets grabby both directions **sigh**. Homework - work on giving with the right rein only without locking the left.
We also rode with a dressage whip which Tillie instantly changed her demeanor in good and bad ways...but decidedly went OK and worked well. We worked on the walk to trot transition and did some leg yielding in the canter to work on softening and getting a bigger step. VOILA our canter to trot transitions were back!
The most interesting exercise we did that helped unlock Tillie's withers and shoulders was to ask her on a small 15m circle to bring her shoulder in (trying not to use the inside rein - guiding only) with the outside rein but pushing and using the inside leg to get her to step over and fill the outside. I needed to be better about closing and supporting the outside rein and once I did she did it well.
It decided to downpour in the middle of the lesson despite no clouds to be seen in bright sun. Very odd, but kinda cool outside the getting soaked part. Trainer commented it would prep us for our first 2* at FH! Not that we will ever get there ;)
My looming Lameness worries
The only slight worry I have is she kept tripping up/mis-stepping on her right hind in the Sunday lesson a handful of times. She was sound in the lesson, but C commented to watch that....and that is all I need to hear to get worried and frantic.
I always worry about her soundness and that leg is the fretted cellulitis one she protects and had residual higher lameness issues last year as a result. Strengthening work helped it go away and be nonexistent - until yesterday.
I am hoping she was just a bit tired from the sudden burst of lessons which are making her work correct and she was just tired. I did some stretches with her and today she gets a well deserved day off.
Conclusion
Tillie has blossomed this summer and, dare I say it, finally grown out of the terrible toddler phase of protesting, sass and just silly nonsense she used to pull under saddle. It quite definitely is still in there, but our rides lately has been more on the spur and kick ride. She is very much a pull ride majority of the time, but she's finally learning running around and speeding through aids gets nowhere.
I actually the last two rides in the sandbox have need a dressage whip!!! Oh boy does tillie not like that!
Between the clinic and lessons I realized I had pleasant rides from her without needing to push buttons too terribly hard because of protesting. She went on and off the trailer each day nicely, stood nicely on the trailer and just in general acted like a seasoned show horse.
