Just do it (and questions about stretching)

I have found that whenever I go a certain period without riding, I actually require a lot of motivation to get back on and get back to work. I come up with every excuse in the book to prolong the inevitable. 

When I think about it, its so strange I do this because I miss it incredibly when I can't ride. So why all the angst? Finally it hit me...I am an amateur holding my riding with such high expectations and ambitions to that of a professional. This means I am constantly letting myself down. So I prolong getting back on the horse and experiencing the let down of what happens when your horse hasn't been in work so they forget the last 5 things you worked on. 

Luckily for me, I have the best barn friend, Merideth, who not only rode Tillie for me while I was away, but also to kick me in the butt and remind me of what a great horse I have and just do it. 

Eager and ready to work as always.

So I turned on my favorite Pandora station and turned off my anxieties and then I got on my horse for the first time in over a week. It was a bit eerie because no one was around with it being close to 8pm, but I breathed out a huge sigh of relief as we walked around on a loose rein for a few laps. 

I decided to approach the ride with a KISS mentality of just keeping things simple to prevent me having that "let down" feeling. I also decided to worship the fact I had a quiet and willing horse that wasn't so anxious or protesting any little cue from me like I have had in the past. There was a time not so long ago that walking around on a loose rein would not have boded well for my well being. 

So happy to see my girl after being away.

The next thought I had after starting to put her together was just how grateful I am to Merideth because I had a horse that felt like butter in all three gaits. She knew we were working and, like an old pro, quietly and willingly answered all my questions with crystal clear, definitive responses. Even if they were not exactly correct, she was doing them willingly and genuinely trying. 

I decided within 10 minutes of riding Tillie that I need to somehow convince Meri to school Tillie more for a few reasons:

1. Merideth doesnt have the same baggage I do when it comes to Tillie so she has a fresh perspective on what Tillie feels like. There is no "Normal" or what Tillie usually does, but rather this is how it needs to feel in the universal sense. 
2. Merideth doesnt coddle Tillie like I do and gets after her when she starts to evade, therefore problems get nipped right away before they become problems.
3. Having another rider other then me makes Tillie more educated and versatile so she is more accepting of the aids. 

These late night rides are exhausting

Her canter transitions were on point...relaxed into it, yet sitting and really pushing into the canter without all the extraneous "weeee we go fast now". We did a bit of schooling of the canter to trot transitions as she wanted to fall behind my leg and tense into it (it felt like she would coil and do a itty bitty canter before breaking into an unbalanced trot) rather then seek the contact and step into it.

After one time establishing this isnt how its done, she was much better keeping her spine more relaxed...relaxed for Tillie anyway. 

 I did ride with my reins incorrectly how my last trainer suggested and I must admit, it was kinda nice. I couldn't hang on Tillie even if I wanted to. Holding them that way made me use my reins when needed and leave them alone when not as well as carry my hands. 

I also pulled my stirrups for the last 20 minutes in the name of No Stirrup November and tried to use this opportunity to get Tillie to stretch more into contact and take a longer, lower frame (this is something Merideth started working on in her lesson with her and apparently Tillie was quite rude about jerking down). 

I know she can stretch!! Now how to do it under saddle?!

Trying the new:

Tillie quite happily trotted along not really doing much...so basically did NOT understand what I wanted at all without giving me any answers really at all. Hey at least we had a rhythm down right? So as my legs are screaming at me I keep trying to apply my leg and take it off so I dont nag with it on constantly. I think she thought I just wanted to stay "Here" and that was that.

So I tried getting different answers from her by asking for smaller steps without losing the energy, then, when that didnt work, bigger steps without speeding up. I tried staying on a 20m circle then spiraling larger and smaller to see if she had a preference...Nope. Nothing. 

Tillie's version of long and low has only happened while galloping at warp speed.

I could tell she was getting a bit confused so did some lateral movements shes really good at to build her confidence again and then tried again. 

Damn mare holds her neck righhhht where it meets the withers and just wont stretch at the trot. At the walk, got it. Ask for it at the trot and its like she doesnt trust her own balance. I mmmayyybe started getting a litttttle longer by the end but it was only a few steps here or there and more so tracking right then left. 

This picture is extremely dark, BUT it is one of her from the first few months I had her where she is
 stretching and showing she is capable of seeking contact. 

She just doesnt follow the contact like she should. Eventually as I slowly slip the rein, she will but at a certain point there is nothing and she eventually seems to either get bored or just isnt sure and she comes above the contact again. 

I stayed patient and changed my approach to just asking for any iota of a response, right or wrong, rather then her going around doing nothing. Eventually I did get small responses so I guess that is good right? **sigh** Something I'll need to ask about in a follow up lesson later this week. I also am toying with setting up my mullen bridle again and riding her in that for this purpose to get her seeking the contact again - the trick being not letting her lean or fall on the forehand. 

Countdown to Loch Moy starter Trial - Dressage Preparation

I have so much to post about right now, but Ill do my best to spread it out so I do not overload you all at once.

After concluding a grueling week of CHA certification (I am proud that I received the highest level of certification for english and jumping instruction!) I decided I needed a dressage lesson to get back to business.

Tillie seemed a bit more stiff then usual. This is relatively speaking, I just had to work a lot harder then I was used to. It could very well have been the fact that I was exhausted after logging in close to 40 hours of saddle time the week of. (The good news is riding all the different horses in more basic lessons, I got to focus on my collapsing problems, equitation and lower leg.)

This lesson I felt like we had NO left bend at all. She was willing to do whatever I asked, but just seemed a little bit more effort on my part to manipulate.

I do have a short clip a friend captured...but it is not the greatest quality:

I didnt feel particularly great about it, but after seeing the clip have decided maybe I need to calibrate what feels right and wrong. I struggle with that anyway right now...but be more able to let go "what it usually feels like" because if I always try to recreate that, we wont improve.

Screenshot from our trot circle after the canter.

Her trot after the canter got much more elastic...so lesson learned, warm up faster in the canter!

Giddying up and dressaging

I am beyond excited to report on my dressage lesson with C last night. My posts usually lie on the frustrated, we-aren't-getting-it side...but today's will be just over the top patting myself and Tillie on the back.

I don't brag or have a lot of confidence so I hope this post doesn't come across that way...BUT:

I sadly did not have a wing man to get and footage this time so Ill do the best I can to describe just how phenomenal it was.

Tillie says "I was a good girl!"

Tillie loaded on the trailer wonderfully both times! This is always a bit stressful when going without a wing man, but thankfully Tillie practically self loads. She is always a bit restless when we load at home and didnt settle in or eat any hay until well after arriving to C's. Even still she was looking around and wide-eyed like she never has seen this place before (it was our 4th time I believe?)

We got on, filled in C on our progress, frustrations etc and we picked up where we left off last lesson. We stared at the walk, again focusing on keeping the rhythm as we pick up contact without slowing down. 

Much calmer Tillie after the lesson...munching on hay like no big deal

Tillie was able to achieve this in less time so we moved into the trot. The first transition was a bit all over which is to be expected. We lost the contact and she inverts. C insisted she didnt mind as the main goal here in warm up is to get her going forward without rushing no matter where her head is. We took this opportunity to address my position. 

• C said my spine curves too much, so "suck" in my tummy to flatten out my spine
• Hands are better! The right hand still needs to stay lower and at my saddle pad until it stops going rouge
• I am better about posting and moving with her (C said I am less protective of myself and more relaxed).

Isnt she just the cutest!?

After a few 20 meter circles and we started asking for contact. She started a bit tight on the right (last time it was left). Silly mare likes to change things up. Once we established bend both ways, we did serpentines where we discussed changing the rein and how to ride it. 

Initially Tillie would go full giraffe mode through the change on the straight-away until C explained that even when riding straight, you still need to ride the new direction...so essentially always ride the bend just a little less. Once we did this, Tillie was offering to move into the contact more and when softening would stretch - C was ecstatic over this! 

X marks the spot to change...so simple and ridiculous

We focused a lot on staying off the rail to allow her to balance herself. C was excited at how much less I was doing and Tillie balancing herself better which allowed a more correct contact. We also addressed my own crookedness here and talked about stretching taller through my right side without getting crooked in my spine. What do you know, Tillie magically was more even feeling under me! 

We then moved to canter and the transitions in and out were really spot on. C exclaimed at one point that they were easily 8 quality transitions!!!! WOOO this is where we lose a lot of points in past dressage tests. 

Can we go home and get dinner now? 

We really then focused on throwing away the inside rein and correctly using my seat to turn her of the outside aids. Tillie responded immediately as soon as I correct my weight placement. What a good Tillie! 

All in all I felt like a million bucks. Especially when C said Tillie looked like a totally different horse from our last lesson. She said she was much softer through her back, uphill and carrying herself more correctly. She also said my position has greatly improved since the first lesson with her.

New bits new problems

So this weekend was rainy and chilly - two things Tillie thinks are good excuses to be a bit sassy. We eventers usually dont mind a bit of bad weather, but it was really windy as well which caused me to sit on the sidelines until yesterday. Despite it still being chilly and dreary out, yesterdays ride Tillie chose to remain pretty sane sans sassy (but not totally!)

New Bit:

So my last post I asked about possible new bits to try so Tillie couldn't lean as much as she is now on the shaped snaffle. I opted to try for an eggbutt slow twist snaffle. 

Result:

It didnt make a screamingly huge difference, but it did make a difference in the canter. She was a bit inconsistent in it at first but I let her walk and trot around with a loose rein to get a feel for it at first. I am trying to re-attack the basics and trotting on a loose rein should be something Tillie can do. I know canter should be too, but her excitement levels dont really allow me to trust that right now...

Anyway...I felt I could half halt much better and give back more than the other bit. A few times could get her to sigh or breath out and relax which for her at the trot is HUGE! We will see if it sticks! 

Tillie says, "That was fun!"

One more because shes pretty!

Pot roast and pumpkin beer (Yea we do it fancy in my house) after a cold day! 

Found this gem online today and it sounded so much like tillie: http://www.horsecollaborative.com/15-moments-that-perfectly-sum-up-riding-a-cold-backed-horse/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cold-horse 

Luckily the weather isnt so hot I can start using out BOT blanket to help!

Lessons lessons and more lessons

This post will be long so I apologize in advance.

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.

Who knows maybe we are getting somewhere!

I solemnly swear I am up to no good

The last two rides I have been trying to focus on just going with the flow...not overthinking too much but also not letting things slide either. Tillie is way too smart to let things go. The trick for me is trying to the find the balance between taking it serious enough but also not too seriously. 

I have been trying to ride with music lately and it has seemed to help. I tend to get so in my head I sort of realize I am tuning the music out at times. So I shake it off, take a breath and focus on the beat. It sounds silly, but its been working. 

Between Tillie's attempts to mutilate herself, I have managed to get a few rides in since my last post. 

Look Mom I'm trying to be like Harry Potter

We have also had quite the heat wave here but it hasnt stopped Miss Tillie or made her worse for wear. Ill break down what I have been working on for myself and then what I have been working on for Tillie (I know both relate so I will do my best to separate for the sake of making it easier to skim!)

What I have been working on for myself

• Primarily:
• Even hands - Left hand has this tendency to drop lower and be uneven
• Tucking my butt under myself so my lower back isn't perched
• Stepping into my right stirrup without bracing and skiing on that leg 
• Jumping flaws I've been wanting to fix:



Hunching on landing



Toes out, jumping ahead, swinging lower leg



Not giving enough release

Winging out toes and sitting too soon indicating weak lower leg and core

Some others I cant find pictures of:

• sit too soon on landing http://akdragoophoto.zenfolio.com/p1007580988/e4a20987f
• Hands rise the last few strides to a fence - anticipating
• Hands drop the last stride at a fence (yes both of hand issues have happened simultaneously and its quite the skill) 
• Tip forward/lead with shoulders up to the fence

See told you I am up to no good ;) 

What I have been working on for Tillie:

• Taking the bigger step behind for more push and impulsion 
• Keeping the shoulders up no matter what we are doing (especially after landing on jumps)
• Not bracing on my inside rein
• Canter to trot transitions without needing hand

My ride yesterday:

Yesterday I rode and focused the first 30 minutes just on me. The whole hand thing I listed and all... Then worked on adjustability in our walk and trot...slow smaller steps to larger steps (without going fast and flat) I have tried to get out of our safety zone of the 20 meter circle and try serpentines and changing directions to really test acceptance of the aids. At first she would get a bit tight in her back through the change but by the end was perfect - in relative terms of course.

 Next, I did trot to canter transitions without holding her and really stepping into my inside leg (boy is that hard!). She somehow lost the ability to come back to trot just on my seat which was frustrating since the last few rides shes done them flawlessly. BUT we took a break and I decided to test our jumping to see if our flat work is paying off. 

Jumping from a more forward canter

Lets break it down: 

Approach stayed in rhythm, hands are stable and I am sitting tall. Tillies shoulders are up!!! WOOOO!!
Some tension though in my shoulders and lower back still. 

Hands are the same! But tension in the lower back...at least I waited and didnt jump ahead right?

Good with the lower leg, still see tension though which is preventing a bigger release.
Reins are better and much longer than usual but will become an issue with higher fences if I dont release better.

Siiting too soon still, only slightly hunching though! Lower leg isnt pushing forward
and water skiing as much

ANNNNNND back to tension and hands coming back, at least my upper body is up and tillie isnt on the forehand.

Still with the hands **head desk** but Tillie is taking a nice big stride without being downhill

And just telling her how smart she is

Another "such a smart pony" because the downward transition after this was spot on with no hand!