Staying Committed: finding lines

Lesson with Erin about finding jump lines and staying committed even when Deuce is a little wobbly on the approach. Keep  leg on and send forward.

Baywood Pony Club One Day Horse Trials at NWEC

First 3 phase horse trials of the season, for us; a schooling 1 day at Northwest Equestrian Center put on by Baywood Pony Club.

So proud of Deuce, we get there and he is totally chill and comfortable with the program of arriving, hanging out and eating hay with commotion going on, etc. He's just chill and relaxed and happy to have activity going on around him. After just one one season, he really has settled into his career as an event horse!

I get him all settled and strike out to walk the cross country course and am happy to learn it is the same course as the recognized that happened a few weeks before (which I walked twice already). So its a straight forward and fun ride complete with a true ditch and a nice big run down and up a long hill. Yay!

I start getting ready for dressage and Deuce continues to be mister cool, confident and collected which helps me stay calm cool and collected too.  We start warming up in the grass field and then are shuffled up to the brand spanking new upper arenas for warm-up and then our dressage test.

Erin had her hands full coaching a few other riders so she sent Marc over to help with my warm up, which was great because I was getting quite flustered with how to ride in the deep sand arena. Deuce wanted to power through it and I got all stiff and braced and that just makes things worse for everyone.

Thankfully, Marc knew just what to do to get a nervous rider actually riding her horse; he had me focus on just getting forward and then half halting back almost to a walk and then moving forward again on a circle. It helped tremendously on control and focus and we were able to find a nice steady in between tempo. Then it was our turn to go... bless his heart, Marc tried to help me with my nerves up until I was waiting for the bell right outside the dressage court. But as soon as I was on my own in that deep footing again I froze up and forgot everything we just worked on... and Deuce stiffened up and we went into the arena bracing against each other and rushing and me all scrunched up. The test was accurate, but it wasn't where I thought it could and should be and I knew it.  The plus of the whole ride was that even though cross country course went for a long stretch with jumps right behind C, Deuce did manage to keep himself and his mind in the dressage arena. He dearly loves to be running and jumping and when he sees others, he gets a bit distracted.

After dressage, we had a short break, to clear my mind of the icky dressage ride and start thinking about stadium. The course was fun, loopy and good footing... but there is that darn raised office and covered spectating area in the far end. Deuce spooked like crazy both directions in that corner last fall. There are always people there and its dark and creepy in the shadows and the course is always arranged so there is at least one approach to a jump at that end. So as I walked the course, I reminded myself that I really must remember to ride those turns and stay focused.

Stadium warm-up was great. He so loves to jump. We were forward, relaxed and straight and feeling good about our ride. When it was our turn, we trotted in smartly, acknowledged the judge started our warm-up circle and on whistle we went.
First jump was easy, then it was a little bit of a bendy line to two. I did not half halt quite at the right time so he was a bit rushy and caught a rail when he got flat over the top. Darn it! So we fixed our mistake, I sat up and half halted, found our lines and kept him straight. He was wonderful! The scary far end came up quick and I kept looking at the jump, and while Deuce did look at the scary corner and side stepped just a bit, he did come back to the task at hand, made the turn for our jump and cleared it with no problems. So one rail, but we were straight and over all a good ride. I was pleased.


We had a bit more down time to munch some grass and then it was time to get ready for cross country. The course looked fun. No banks but yes to water... and a ditch option. We had schooled it before so it was not too intimidating to take it.

1/1/ 2016 - did not finish this post, but wanted to get it up on line. - LS

Jump Derby at Aspen Farms

Aspen Farms had a jumper derby this weekend. Since we are planning to go to Aspen for our first recognized Horse trials in June, I wanted to take the opportunity to get up there and get familiar with the surroundings  (again). 

We only entered in one class, so it was a one shot deal. Ride the derby course for time and accuracy. The course looked really fun; lots of cross country jumps; up and down bank, water,  coops, table, kayak and only one stadium fence... good stuff! 

Deuce was  most distracted in warm up and I did not do a great job getting him on task. (another something for me to work on!!) He wanted to go, go go and be stiff in his neck and jaw. Erin came to or rescue and helped us get better focused and then we headed off to the field. Deuce stood quietly waiting his turn to go and studied intently all the others horses as they were on course.  I am always amused how intent and interested his watch is on course. Its not like he gets excited anxious or worried, he just stands quietly and watches and waits until its time to go. What a poised eventer he is coming to be! 

As it got closer to our time, we warmed up a little more and then into the start box for count down and off we went! Deuce popped out of the box with slightly hesitant energy so I encouraged him on though as soon as we turned to our first jump, his lighter caught and he was on fire! Jump the log, turn back through the field, long canter to coop, along the hillside, up and over the box, up the bank, down the bank (weeee, one of his favorites!) roll top, and then around to the water and out to the beautiful carved kayak, another airy looking roll top, around to the stadium fence, a vertical, and finish line! What a fun ride! I could feel Deuce grinning! He was a little strong, I did not use my half halts as effectively as I could, but we were straight and forward to everything and I even remembered to breath! Fun! So we are ready for our first horse trials now and really looking forward to coming back to Aspen for our debut to recognized! 

Cross country schooling at NWEC

A group of us went up to Northwest Equestrian Center for a cross country schooling since the course is now open with all the good weather we have had. It was an overcast afternoon, but not raining so we were feeling good.

Deuce is such a champ. We got up there, tacked up and road around to warm up. There were not a ton of jumps set out yet, but there were a few things and it was really good to just be in a new place out in the open. He was ready to go an looking for things to jump!

We warmed up in the field then over a few Beginner Novice height logs and bench. Then I got bold and we hopped over the novice heights. Straight and softening are the continued themes for a rides. After we had worked the front field, we went out to the water complex to play. Deuce was eager to get in and gallop through and splash, as usual.  We went in and out of the water at trot and canter at all the various approaches. Then road the Beginner novice line, into the water, a few strides over a log then around to another log on the outside of the water complex. Fun times! Deuce was completely game and ready for the next fence! He's so much fun!!!

Getting outside at last!

We have been having such a glorious early spring with sunshine and warm weather! The fields are drying out and if the weather holds, we will be able to get out on the cross country courses soon!

The cross country field at the barn is partially mowed and we have been about to work on the flat outside. It has been so wonderful to be out of the confines of the arena. Deuce and I need to practice riding out side. He is not spooky by any means, he just likes to look around at the horizon and gets distracted very easily when there are no walls to obstruct his view.

Hello Dressage saddle!

I was so focused on preparations for the jump show that I had not spent much time (okay, no time) in my longer flap, longer stirrup dressage saddle. Well, I road in in today. I really felt like I had forgotten how to ride! I could not keep my leg on and cantering was a sloppy and bouncy nightmare. I focused on getting my lower leg stretched down and around and finally came to some sort of organized seat and felt better about my ride. At last I could work on maintaining forwardness and roundness at the trot while softening my elbows and stretching tall at the canter.

Jump for Joy!

I entered Deuce and I into 2 classes at Fox Hills Pony Club annual Jump for Joy show this weekend. Most of the weened encompassed volunteering and helping out since I am also a club member as a Horsemaster, but there was still enough time to get a few rides in too.

The plan involved taking Deuce over to the fair grounds so we could practice Friday night, after we got all the jumps hauled over and the course set. Then Deuce spends the night at and I ride my two classes Saturday mid day and then Deuce goes home while I continue to help out. 

The plan went quite smoothly and for not having been out hardly all winter, Deuce was very well behaved and comfortable. 

He arrived Friday evening calm cool and collected; looking happy to be in a new venue and interested in his new surroundings. 

In the warm up arena, Deuce was firey and quite forward! I had some help from Erin on sending him forward and back to establish some half halts and get a more responsive horse who was not leaning on the bit and running through my hands. Once I had a more of Deuce's attention and cooperation, we found a few lines to jump. Finally! that is what he wanted to do all along! I worked on staying light with my hand sand softening and keeping my leg on.  It was busy in there!! Horses going every which way and finding a line and taking it proved to be challenging, but Deuce was keen for any and all and quick to respond. . We jumped everything with no problems. Fox Hills has always been known for their creative jumps at their shows. This year was no exception, there's the big playing cards, Christmas, Eater, the skinny roll top, the beautiful stone wall, the moon/orange slices, and of course the road closed/American flag. Lots to look at and jump over!

Back in his cage of a stall, (all enclosed, with only a big screen to look out of - not very horse friendly - but quite spectator friendly when the county fair in is progress) Deuce was actually pretty content to stand in the corner and look out his window quietly watching all the traffic go by. I was relieve to see him munch hay and not be flustered about his confinement in such a new and exciting place (there were lots of horses arriving and being talkative by that point). 

Saturday morning came early and I found Deuce well rested and ready for the day.  I helped jump crew in the morning then it was off to get ready to ride. Deuce's patience continued to persist into the day as I saddled and got ready to ride. He's such a cool horse!!!

Our first class was the 2'3- 2' 6" open class. In warm up, Deuce as much more settled and ready to go to work. We focused on getting quality half halts, big forward canter and jumping straight. Then it was our turn to enter the arena.We had an okay ride, he made the corners and jumped straight though I did not have him forward quite enough and I could have done better about getting his lead changes.

Had our ride video taped:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ6EBgx7Yjg

Our second class was 2'6" Adult.  We bopped into the arena and picked up a canter when the whistle blew. Nice big circle around to our first fence, the cards and dice, no problem, then a nice big left turn around with a fix of the lead to the American flag and a turn right around to the Christmas oxer. I was a little late on the turn and so we were not quite lined up,  but he was honest and went to it and jumped cleanly anyway. good boy! Then a straight line to the skinny roll top. I did not stay strong with my left leg so there was a slight drift left again, but he still went over. Then another turn left at the far end to the orange and purple then a bendy line to the Chinese. I did not find my line soon enough to was a late turn to the orange an purple, then was out  of whack and not forward enough or on the right lead for the Chinese so we pulled a rail there. Darn it! Then a right turn, headed towards the gate, which is the recipe for his notorious popping out of the the left shoulder and running though (with jump crew right in his path). To prevent that scenario, I half halted a bit too much to balance to make the turn so he broke to a trot and then when I cued for the canter, he was no balanced and he picked up the wrong lead to head around to the blue oxer so I tried to fix it again and micro managed too much and we so we went over at a disorganized trot. We landed in  canter to head to the wall but I did not send him forward so we pulled a rail there too. Then I finally stetted down again and sent him a little more forward around the right hand turn to the two stride line on the out side and he took the last two straight and clean. 

Here's  another video of our ride:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ6p6zSEFuI

Fun day, really pleased with the big spotted boy, but I have more work to do. My focuses will be to not manage him so much. Get him straight and then soften and leave him alone... stretch tall, hands together and leg on. and let him go forward.. big strides!

Splash!

Every winter, there is a big puddle that forms in field. I caught the boys running through it instead of going around it this afternoon water spraying everywhere!!! SPLASH!!

Outfit fun!

So I found this pink and green polo that is super cute and I got it in my head that a pink and green saddle pad to match would be equally cute. So my co worker helped me design and put together an outfit that debuted at our lesson. It was too cold to wear the short sleeve polo, but it will come out soon enough. I am a dork. Deuce tolerates me... :-)  but we have fun!

Pony Club mounted meeting - Jump lesson!

Today was a pony club mounted meeting with a guest instructor, Anna Collier. Since the Jump for Joy schooling show is rapidly approaching, I was looking forward to working on our jumping in another arena of different jumps. Deuce was fantastic! After warming up, we first trotted and cantered over 6 canter poles placed 10' apart down the long side of the arena. This helped all of our horses lengthen and regulate thier stride so we could get better rhythm to the fences. Then we put a course together that incorporated going through the grid both directions. This made a huge difference in Deuce and I's ability to go forward and come back and balance.There were some difficult tight turns and some biger (novice height?) verticles and an oxer in a 2 stride, but Deuce did great with all of the new fences. He was focused and ready for jumping. What a good boy!

Ah sunshine!

There was another break in the weather and the fields are starting to dry out so I headed up to the hay fields for a stroll up and down the hills. It felt so good to both of us to be out of the arena!

The progression wave.

Just when one riding skill is improved and coming together, another training opportunity arises.  That is why we ride, right? There is always something new to work on. Sometimes its frustrating though.The roundness is coming but the consistency is not there and now he's developed a tendency to be stiff in his neck and especially going left. Of course, I don't help matters any as when he gets into his locked state, I get rigid in my elbows and then he goes around leaning and braced. Argh. I am working on softening my elbows and then sending him forward when I feel him lock up. More to work on...

Coming together!!!

The past week I had another jump lesson and have been working hard at riding inside leg to out side shoulder and pushing Deuce into the bridle with my seat and legs and its been going great! I am starting to feel him move more consistently and easily off my leg. Yay progress!

At our Jump lesson, last Wednesday, it was more practice on the diagonal jumps, turns and straightness  It went rather well. Again practicing the counter bending and now keeping my knuckles together as I approach so I can feel if he is drifting and correct it quicker.. I also came to the realization it is time to put my stirrups up at least one hole. I could go up maybe 2, but I  am going to go gradual. I also decided it is really time to commit to lots of two point to strengthen those lower legs. So in warm up trotting and cantering in 2 point and cooling out walk in two point. I can feel a difference already!

Conterbend for jumping straigntness

It was another Fox Hills/ Vineyard Hunt mounted meeting day. (I LOVE Pony Club!) My ride was not scheduled until later in the day so I hung around at the barn all morning to wathc the other rides and then sit in on the unmounted lesson in safety and turn out inspections (we have lots of ne w members and this was a needed lesson for every one to be on the same page).  

Deuce and I had a lesson with Lea and Special and the subject was again, jumping. Yay! We are getting ready for the upcoming season so instead of simple grid work, we are starting to think more about riding courses. However today  it was just two oxers set on the diagonals so we jumped in a figure 8 around the arena. It was a great opportunity to ride between fences, jump and turn  and find the line to the next fence. 

Deuce and I had to really work on our straightness  (that drifting left tendency has appeared again) and when I don't keep him straight  the distance gets crewed up and he gets a bad take off. He never pulled a rail but we did get an awkward ride a time or two.  Since he really wants to pop his shoulder left; Erin said couterbend him though the corner and keep almost that counter bend to the fence. Hey guess what!? That really worked great, he was actually straight to the fence and we had a great ride afterwards too. He didn't even dive and fall around the corner at the other end. We were able to bend!  

Fooooorrre!

It was a bright sunny day so I decided to take Deuce out for a little trail ride down the road, up the hill and to the big field.So off we went. Deuce was pretty happy to be out, too. As soon as we left the Christmas Tree farm and headed up the hill, he was on high alert. When we got to the road crossing to the hay field, he locked on the activity at the golf course.  He found the clinking and flying and plunking of the occasional golf ball to be disconcerting.
I insisted on him keeping his feet moving, but not racing forward so we ended up doing some low grade nearly passage movements. I am sure if the golfers noticed, they'd wonder what this one horse parade was doing prancing up and down the road.

When we go back to the Christmas tree farm, Deuce finally managed to get back into a normal walk and we went back up to the arena for some quite flat work. Good ride we had. Our bending and roundness in the bridle is improving.

Hey what about ME!??

I was tacking up Deuce and left Flash's stall door open as he was seeming to not cause any problems... but then he started insisting on some attention. Pretty funny series of pictures: 

Flash:  "Hi, Deuce! Wacha doing? What's this do??? I wanna eat it. What happens if I pull on it?? Wee this is fun, huh, Deuce!?

Deuce: "I am ignoring you and Lisa... why are you staring at me?"

Flash: " HEY! DEUCE!!!! I am here!! Look at me!!!! HEY DEUCE! DEUCE, DEUCE, DEUCE DEUCE, look at me I am making funny faces! Look at me, Look at me! DEUCE DEUCE DEUCE DEUCE!!!"

Deuce: "I am trying to ignore you"

Flash: DEUCE DEUCE DEUCE DEUCE DEUCE DEUCE!!!! Look at MEEEEE!!!!!

Deuce: " ARGH!!! WHAT do you want!?!!!!"
Flash "Oh....! Deuce....!! HI!!! This is fun, isn't it pal!?

The golden rule; Inside leg to outside rein.

Had another lesson with Erin tonight. Deuce gets stiff on his left side. I don't do him any favors with my locked elbows and stiff hands. When our left circles start to fall apart and he locks his jaw; he leans on me, I do something super counter productive with my hands and reins, and he typically things its some weird half halt attempt and then slows or stops and I get after him to go forward and he flattens out, nose shoots into the air and he and scoots forward and argh. Then I panic and try to muscle him back into a frame again. Its a vicious cycle   
So we had a good focus and practice session on riding my inside leg to outside rein. I know this... have heard it over and over in my riding career  read it over and over, and have even accomplished it on some horses that are well schooled..... but darn it all if I can't get my legs and hands to work right on Deuce. Ergh. So we practiced and practiced (Erin reminded me lots and lots with the broken record technique) and finally I started to remember to bend his frame with my inside leg and support with my outside rein. and Whalla. Deuce came up and got super supple bendy and round. That's what we are talkn about! So after  a few more practices and feeling the right technique  we did a bit of canter work with the same principles and went on to a little bit of jumping on a circle and practicing the bending and roundness before and after the jump. Again it took some work and I have to be honest, I was getting a bit tired. But we are making head way. And I have got to hand it up do Deuce. He has such a great attitude about all of our lessons. I know he loves to jump the best but he seems he is a really good sport about working through our challenges of the on the flat work too.

Jumping straight!

Today was the first mounted pony Club meeting of the year and being a Horsemaster (adult pony club member)  I am able to ride with the regular mounted meetings/lessons.

So today Erin was focused on jumping courses and practicing straightness before and after the jumps.  The warm up included a warm up with 10 meter circles in the corners to get our horses bending and moving off our legs. The on to jumping. We started with one cross rail with and cones placed about 4-5 feet apart about 2 to 3 stride before and after the fence. It gave us a visual of where center is located and a way to line up and get there. So we worked on a straight line then did a fence on a diagonal and then off the rail and diagonal but not on the center diagonal (which was pretty tough, because the natural tendency is to find the center straight across diagonal and ride the line, but if you did that, you would come off the rail too soon and not be straight to the jump. After getting that down we put a course together and jumped a series of 6 jumps about 2'3" all with cones to keep us thinking straight on the corved or off center approaches.  Deuce and I had not done a course in a quite awhile, and wowsas, we had a good time! While he did get a little wuick, he was very responsive too and  I was able to get my half halts throguh the jumps and make the corners and straight lines too. Yay!! Jump for Joy show is coming up towards the end of March so we need to start getting more of our jump on!

We are getting there!

Deuce and I are starting to get the bending and the rounding in better consistency  We still have a ways to go but... I can see the progress now and its good.

Tonight was another lesson with Erin. She first had us work on some flat and she started getting after my position and getting quite technical! Ah! I am a member of the Horsemasters - an adult member of the United State Pony Club and one of our goals this year is to work towards certifications .. which have certain riding and horsemanship standards. So.. riding position is one of those and she's helping us get it right!

But honestly its a really good thing. I have gotten into some bad habits and a better position and technique make a better rider... and a better horse! And that was the case tonight for sure!

Hands up, elbows bent and soft.... Heels stretched way down, chin up, shoulders back... and tah dah! Deuce is round, soft and lovely!!! Now if I can do it all by myself for more than 2 strides... haha. We'll get it...

Then we did some jumping in the grid. My goal was to get Deuce manageable 2 strides after the last jump. He has been taking off and diving into the gate at the end or sorta scrambling around the turn and struggling to balance. Not so good.

We have been working over a  small cross rail on a circle the past week and I think that has really helped us develop our half halts and balancing before and after a jump.

So back to grid... it totaly worked! 2 - 3 strides after our landing off the grid I looked left or right and used a bit of outside rein and inside leg and got a nice rocked back controlled turn! Now I have to remember not to anticipate the turn and inadvertenly back him off his forward momentum through the grid. And still keep my elbows soft, chin up, shoulder back, hands up, etc.... we are getting there!

Acck Clippers!!!

Deuce has really taken everything I had introduced to him this past year in stride, the jumping, the trailering  the lessons, the dressage  the blankets,  the mane pulling and braiding....  He really has stetted into the event horse life quite well. However there is one thing that he has not wanted any part of  whatsoever and that was CLIPPERS! (insert dismal sounding music here)

I learned early on that the sweet, mellow easy going horse became a very worried, very alert 'fraidy pants as soon as the clippers clicked on. In fact, the first time I showed him clippers, he through it in reverse and ran backwards down the barn isle and out the door. Poor guy! So.. I slowly oh so slowly started introducing the noise to him on and off early last year. Then I sorta stopped for awhile. He had gotten slightly better about being in the same space as the clippers but he still was a loaded canon waiting to exploded if I got near him with the buzzing. So I put clipping on the back burner and figured I would do his whiskers and other long hairs with scissors and if we went to body clipping we'd slip him a little cocktail to take the edge off.

Well, I didn't get around to body clipping this year. He's actually got a thinner coat and my routine of riding him first then working with Flash while he cools out and dries off under a cooler works out pretty well.

Anyway... tonight...was salon night. I was doing some mane pulling and braiding practice and then I decided to cut his bridle path. I went to get my scissors and saw my bag of carrots sitting on top of my clippers box and thought  "hmmm maybe tonight I'll try clippers and carrots and see how far we get".

Deuce LOVES carrots so my plan had potential to work.
On the clippers clicked...  He gave the spooky eye and thought about backing up a step but I presented a carrot and the carrot won over the fear of clippers. So while he munched I turned the cliipers off then on again and got them closer to him... and another carrot he got. I did this over and over as my bag of carrots got smaller and smaller and Deuce was getting sorta happy when the clippers came on. Then I was touching him with the clippers. Once they were on him, he was totally fine. So I proceeded to clip his whiskers and trim up the winter wool around his head. He's so tidy now and over his fear of clippers! Woo hoo!

Mission: Consistency

I still have lots and lots of work to do to get our dressage halfway decent. The most recent focus is to get Deuce to move off my inside leg and into consistent roundness.  The trouble I am running into (well one of many many many issues) is that he will get nice and round and bendy for a few steps and then I lock my elbows and have no softening in them.. So Deuce locks his neck and braces and then slows down; thinking I am asking him to slow... so then I get after him with a big kick to go forward and in that moment I tend to completely drop contact, so he pokes his nose up and out and gets flat.  Argh. Then I get back into a battle of getting him back to round again. Its a viscous and frustrating cycle.

So the past few rides, I have really tried to focus on using my lower arm and fingers to work the reins with a subtle tickle of the rein and stronger inside leg to encourage bend. (while feeling if his shoulder flexes to and remembering to use a supporting outside rein and a outside leg.
I also started riding with a dressage whip and the first time he slowed, instead of getting after him with a kick, I closed my lower legs and then reinforced with a light tickl on his outside haunch with the end of my dressage whip ever so slightly, and woosh that woke him up! He swished his tail in irritation and went forward. I think that little tickle offended him, because after that he was uber responsive to my legs and seat and every trot stride was big and forward and springy. Wowsas! Now I just have to figure out how to ride all of that consistently. Still working on it... lots of issues to imporve on..... but we'll get there.

2013 here we come!!!!

We are going recognized!  Beginner Novice at first but by the end of the season, we will be looking at moving on up to Novice. We are so there. He's bold, confident and ready. I am getting there. After a few more good novice schools, I will be there too.

We are also going to work on our dressage. And I want to get out on the trails more. Maybe some camping with both horses... and the beach! I wanna get to the beach this year!!

So lots and lots of plans and fun things for 2013... here we come!