Okay not so much a dirty jockey or a Mr. Grinch here.. but a crooked jockey on a crooked horse; yes indeed! I am so much more aware of it now and it is my focus in dressage.
I have had several Dressage Clinics with Heather now and she has really focused on my position. I have a tendency to fall/cave left. My hips fall left, my shoulder falls left and I pitch forward and down to the left. While all of that is happening, guess what Deuce does? He pops his shoulder out to the left when going right and falls to the inside when going left ergo no bending and a crooked jokey riding a crooked hoss.
But the great news is; I can fix it and already have been!!
Heather is having me think of something poking me in my left side and hip to move my weight over center and really focus my attention on shifting those hips right. I also need to keep my left elbow still and by my side. When all of that comes together for a few moments, Deuce is actually able to to stay straight and up in his shoulder and move through his body and push from inside hind to outside shoulder. His trot gets big, bouncy and fancy! The leg yields become straighter too!! How about that!? So I am working on sitting even, tall and straight so I can have a straight horse.... ahh dressage... so subtle.... so technical...
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Training Level Horse and Rider!!!
Well I have been an absolute lameo about doing ANY posts this year about our adventures, training, successes and failures.... so here's a quick run down:
DEUCE IS A MIND BLOWING ROCK STAR and SO MUCH MORE THAN I EVER IMAGINED.
the end.
Mic drop.
....Well.. okay... I have to gush more than that. I LOVE THIS BIG SPOTTED HORSE and I know the feeling is mutual. No matter what we are doing, we are completely comfortable and content in each other's company. We have a true connection and partnership full of trust, respect, devotion and love to the core and it is purely awesome.
Jumping beast, dressage talent a plenty(and when I get myself together and get out of his way, he can actually shine and show off what he's got!), super sweet. easy going, funny, friendly, personality plus around the barn, confident and fun on the beach and trails. Yep, he's all that and a bag of chips.
You know, I feel like I am in a fairy tail with this horse. - dare I call him my spotted unicorn? (It seems to me this comparison is getting to be cliche a bit in the horse world, but it does have some undertones of accuracy to the notion in our case) - maybe I will delve into this more later.
Back to this year: I asked both of us to step it up in all departments: jumping, dressage, training, expectations, endurance,etc. Deuce has consistently responded with the purest and most enthusiastic "OOOOH YEAH, BRING IT ON"
We had a phenomenal season with our move up to training - we have had 3 successful USEA Training Level events this year - double clear xc at all of them, 2 stupid rails (totally my rookie mistake!!) at our first event in stadium, but no rails at the last 2. (Rookie no more! I learned my lesson).
My eyes are focused on the T3D at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalipsbell MT in 2017.
Next posts will be covering details of each of these and have more pictures - it will be my winter project.... but to wet the appetite (and really to keep my memory jogged and hold me to getting these done); here's a quick summary of some of the year's highlights
Jan - Jump for Joy Schooling show -
3'3 courses felt HUGE but amazing - triple combination was breeze and he loved every bit of it. Pirates Theme Song :-)
Feb - Cold XC schooling weekend at Tulip Spings in Kennewick
Jumped some training level coffin lines - had to fix the run outs - but once I got more committed and supportive about the goal, he was solid.
March - trail riding, pony clubbing, jump lessons with john Camiln and Dressage with Eileen Parent Jumping straight and with power fwd all the way to the base. Dressage - BENDING - my position, trot lengthens, 15 m circles, free walk, stretch trot, canter lengthens...
April - Eventing Camp in Spokane with Full Gallop Eventing - TRAINING LEVEL fences! FLYING! (but not too much different than novice, really) big box after ditch line -
May -Pony Club Tetrathlon Rally - such a fun horse to rally with!!!
SHOES!!! - EEEEKKKKK!!!!
June - Aspen Farms HTS - Novice
Nailed it - (literally, long and flat - super excited on course - took home 4th)
July - Willamette Valley Sporthorse Camp at Caber Farm - Mark Grandia and Brook Philips helped us gain our confidence on training level fences. Ditch and wall, coffin, tables, tiger trap, up and down banks - then first training at Caber 1 Day - double clear jumps and good dressage 2nd place behind Brooke!
August- Beach trip to Seahorse acres
First recognized Training at Young Riders Benefit Lincoln Creek.
Dressage was tense and pissy - mid 30 score, show jump I let him get flat - pulled 2 stupid rails (my bad) jumped liverpool like nuthin. Major star. X Country was awesome. Fast Solid slight surprise at coffin, but I sat up, kept my leg on and he did it with no prob. Always looking for the next jump - 8th place!
Caber HTs Recognized - tense dressage test but still improved. AMAZING XC ride! Got dirt in my eye on the long gallop, had to ride with one hand to clear it in the woods. did not prep soon enough for fence coming out but he saw it and did his job! Awesome ride - felt great. Double clear even a bit fast -
Stadium, I let him down to the first fence but got myself together and road the rest (on the right lead (needed left!) and double clear again. Lots of complements and fans through the weekend (and shared stories of the appys in their lives).
September - Aspen HTs! Training - Mom and Dad and Russ were there. Was not the best dressage ride, but scored a 32.3!! Tied for 8th. Double clear SJ round (which I thought went super fast - thinking I missed a jump by the second to last fence so did not set up well for last fence - rubbed it but rails stayed up). XC rock star again. I got all worried about my stamina - felt great 3/4 of way though then stared getting tired - by 3rd to last fence (#17) my legs were jelly. Pace was fast but good. Had to take whale tail at an angle with brush in way. I showed him line, he took me to it with little support! Such a good boy!!! Ship to big table with brush to end took off long b/c I did not ask for good gallop. Overall, AWESOME double clear and 20 seconds faster than optimum (but no speeding tickets!- 5th place!)
DEUCE IS A MIND BLOWING ROCK STAR and SO MUCH MORE THAN I EVER IMAGINED.
the end.
Mic drop.
....Well.. okay... I have to gush more than that. I LOVE THIS BIG SPOTTED HORSE and I know the feeling is mutual. No matter what we are doing, we are completely comfortable and content in each other's company. We have a true connection and partnership full of trust, respect, devotion and love to the core and it is purely awesome.
Jumping beast, dressage talent a plenty(and when I get myself together and get out of his way, he can actually shine and show off what he's got!), super sweet. easy going, funny, friendly, personality plus around the barn, confident and fun on the beach and trails. Yep, he's all that and a bag of chips.
You know, I feel like I am in a fairy tail with this horse. - dare I call him my spotted unicorn? (It seems to me this comparison is getting to be cliche a bit in the horse world, but it does have some undertones of accuracy to the notion in our case) - maybe I will delve into this more later.
Back to this year: I asked both of us to step it up in all departments: jumping, dressage, training, expectations, endurance,etc. Deuce has consistently responded with the purest and most enthusiastic "OOOOH YEAH, BRING IT ON"
We had a phenomenal season with our move up to training - we have had 3 successful USEA Training Level events this year - double clear xc at all of them, 2 stupid rails (totally my rookie mistake!!) at our first event in stadium, but no rails at the last 2. (Rookie no more! I learned my lesson).
My eyes are focused on the T3D at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalipsbell MT in 2017.
Next posts will be covering details of each of these and have more pictures - it will be my winter project.... but to wet the appetite (and really to keep my memory jogged and hold me to getting these done); here's a quick summary of some of the year's highlights
Jan - Jump for Joy Schooling show -
3'3 courses felt HUGE but amazing - triple combination was breeze and he loved every bit of it. Pirates Theme Song :-)
Feb - Cold XC schooling weekend at Tulip Spings in Kennewick
Jumped some training level coffin lines - had to fix the run outs - but once I got more committed and supportive about the goal, he was solid.
March - trail riding, pony clubbing, jump lessons with john Camiln and Dressage with Eileen Parent Jumping straight and with power fwd all the way to the base. Dressage - BENDING - my position, trot lengthens, 15 m circles, free walk, stretch trot, canter lengthens...
April - Eventing Camp in Spokane with Full Gallop Eventing - TRAINING LEVEL fences! FLYING! (but not too much different than novice, really) big box after ditch line -
May -Pony Club Tetrathlon Rally - such a fun horse to rally with!!!
SHOES!!! - EEEEKKKKK!!!!
June - Aspen Farms HTS - Novice
Nailed it - (literally, long and flat - super excited on course - took home 4th)
July - Willamette Valley Sporthorse Camp at Caber Farm - Mark Grandia and Brook Philips helped us gain our confidence on training level fences. Ditch and wall, coffin, tables, tiger trap, up and down banks - then first training at Caber 1 Day - double clear jumps and good dressage 2nd place behind Brooke!
August- Beach trip to Seahorse acres
First recognized Training at Young Riders Benefit Lincoln Creek.
Dressage was tense and pissy - mid 30 score, show jump I let him get flat - pulled 2 stupid rails (my bad) jumped liverpool like nuthin. Major star. X Country was awesome. Fast Solid slight surprise at coffin, but I sat up, kept my leg on and he did it with no prob. Always looking for the next jump - 8th place!
Caber HTs Recognized - tense dressage test but still improved. AMAZING XC ride! Got dirt in my eye on the long gallop, had to ride with one hand to clear it in the woods. did not prep soon enough for fence coming out but he saw it and did his job! Awesome ride - felt great. Double clear even a bit fast -
Stadium, I let him down to the first fence but got myself together and road the rest (on the right lead (needed left!) and double clear again. Lots of complements and fans through the weekend (and shared stories of the appys in their lives).
September - Aspen HTs! Training - Mom and Dad and Russ were there. Was not the best dressage ride, but scored a 32.3!! Tied for 8th. Double clear SJ round (which I thought went super fast - thinking I missed a jump by the second to last fence so did not set up well for last fence - rubbed it but rails stayed up). XC rock star again. I got all worried about my stamina - felt great 3/4 of way though then stared getting tired - by 3rd to last fence (#17) my legs were jelly. Pace was fast but good. Had to take whale tail at an angle with brush in way. I showed him line, he took me to it with little support! Such a good boy!!! Ship to big table with brush to end took off long b/c I did not ask for good gallop. Overall, AWESOME double clear and 20 seconds faster than optimum (but no speeding tickets!- 5th place!)
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Quick Ride
Deuce got a few days off due to weather.
Today was a late night at work for meetings so got out to the barn a bit later and hopped on for a bareback ride. I love that I can get on my horse bareback after a few days off and he is completly sane.
His walk is developing; I have noticed the last few weeks that is is more energetic and he is pushing from behind more.
We worked on moving off leg to the right and left; turn on haunch and fore and also leg yielding and staying straight mostly at the walk and some trot.
We also did lots of trot work; I focused on keeping my hands together and up and sitting on my seat bones,
Downward transitions in the seat, legs and core. Over all a very satisfying ride with positive outcome.
Today was a late night at work for meetings so got out to the barn a bit later and hopped on for a bareback ride. I love that I can get on my horse bareback after a few days off and he is completly sane.
His walk is developing; I have noticed the last few weeks that is is more energetic and he is pushing from behind more.
We worked on moving off leg to the right and left; turn on haunch and fore and also leg yielding and staying straight mostly at the walk and some trot.
We also did lots of trot work; I focused on keeping my hands together and up and sitting on my seat bones,
Downward transitions in the seat, legs and core. Over all a very satisfying ride with positive outcome.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Surprise Snow!
Sure its been cold - like mid 20s at night and 30 during the day the past few days.. but its been clear and windy. There was no snow in the forecast... at all. I woke up this morning and it was WHITE out and 1/2" already on the ground and fat flakes still falling.
Deuce had a farrier appointment at 2:30 so Russ took me out to the barn since I still maintain my southern roots and refuse to drive in the wither weather.
Deuce was enjoying his day out in the snow. He really wanted me to chase him.
Rhythm, Track, and keeping front end in front of hind end.
Pony Club Mounted Meeting - Jumping lessons with Juila Kubicek at Hillside.
Cold, super hot and jump happy Deuce in big, open arena.
Weird things to jump.
Out front end in front of back end in the turns (think turn on the haunch) keep outside rein over wither and supporting to help with drift.
Leg on to the base of big fences
Cold, super hot and jump happy Deuce in big, open arena.
Weird things to jump.
Out front end in front of back end in the turns (think turn on the haunch) keep outside rein over wither and supporting to help with drift.
Leg on to the base of big fences
Friday, January 1, 2016
A NEW year!!
We started the new year with a nice ride in the cold, windy morning. It was sunny, but man was it brutal. I am super thankful for fleece pants and indoor riding arenas! (there would have been no riding outside - the ground was an ice cube!) Deuce warmed up his usual self. I did turn on the fore squares to get him responsive to my aids and focused on using my seat and keeping my knuckles together.
Now that I am more committed to improving dressage, it has become clear that my poor Dressage saddle of 15 years or more is not doing me any favors. In fact, I am actually fighting with it to maintain the correct position. Eileen had me ride in one of her saddles last week and what a difference! I could stay back and out of Deuce's way and low and behold he could move! He actually was up in the front end more consistently and moving beautifully!! Needless to say, I will be saddle shopping in the coming 6 months. In the mean time, I am playing with towels to get the saddle position a little more correct to help with my balance. (Which I did today - and made a difference).
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