I discovered runmap.me and I’m hopelessly hooked- I can map my trail rides and measure how far we rode. I’m sure I could do the same thing with a smartphone, but that would require me to get a smartphone (I’m stubbornly avoiding it).
On Saturday, Wizard and I rode for 4.68 miles. We rode past the log cabin, out the side field, and trotted up the “bowling pin” hill. Wizard was so fresh and happy to be out that he was purring/”truffling” LOUDLY- he was so snorty it made me laugh. He sounded like the racehorses when they step out on the track for a morning jog. We rode across the fields in a serpentine pattern as a schooling exercise. When I crossed my own path, I could feel Wizard nudging me to head back to the barn. He listened, though, when I told him to go on. He was very good when we rode through the Horse Park, and spooked once for good reason when some clumsy creature crashed through the treeline. Wizard was able to hold his trot on a variety of terrains without breaking to a canter. He stumbled a few times in the beginning of the ride, but as he warmed up, he felt more surefooted. When we returned to the barn, he was sweaty under the saddle, but cool otherwise. I cleaned my tack while he enjoyed some fresh spring grass. His weight looks just about perfect now- the grass really filled him out nicely.
Sunday, 5/19/13
Kris and I took a walk in the Assunpink for about 1.8 miles, followed by a short ride in the outdoor arena. I only had about 12 minutes to ride in the arena, so we did some trot, walk, canter transitions. After a few attempts, we actually got something pretty nice at the canter. I brought him right back down to a trot, and we took a tiny cross rail a few times at a walk and trot, followed by a leg yield to the rail. When he tried to rush it at the trot, we walked to it. For a quickie ride, we got some nice work accomplished.
After work, Wizard and I went for a ride in the Assunpink for about an hour. I focused on “equitating” during the ride, keeping contact instead of dropping it, and being more aware of my seat and hands. We did little trot sets for a few minutes at a time, and even got brave and walked through the edge of the Horse Park again. Wizard was a little looky, but behaved throughout the ride. When we returned, I rode him in the arena for about 20 minutes, doing a little canter work and working on our bending exercises in preparation for Friday’s lesson.
The slow turn from spring to summer seems to be starting here in New Jersey. The grass in the fields is springing up, and the TICKS are out in full force. Baby rabbits are everywhere, and the twilight lasts just a bit longer each day.
Friday, 5/17/13
Before work, Wizard and I had a lesson with Lisa. I had him warmed up at a marching walk when Lisa arrived, and we picked up contact and began our work.
All my homework of bending my elbows and sitting in the saddle instead of hovering seemed to help, because Lisa did not have to remind me about either of them much during the lesson. We started out where we left off in our first lesson on about half the ring, establishing a rhythm in the trot and asking for softness with the inside rein while keeping the outside rein steady for him. Once we got some moments of good bend and contact, we opened up the trot work to the entire arena a few times, keeping our 20-meter bend around the entire ring, followed by walk-trot transitions. When we transitioned to a walk, Lisa was clear that we should go “forward into a walk,” in order not to fall into that bad habit of sort of slumping from a working trot into a lazy walk. We also worked on the walk-to-trot transitions, oozing up into a trot instead of jolting out of balance.
We did a few smaller circles at a trot in each direction, transitioning to a walk when we reached the rail at the end of the circle. The transitions got Wizard engaging his hind end more, and took him a little off his forehand. In the beginning of the ride, he tripped once or twice, but I felt nothing clumsy for the second half of the lesson as he got more supple and balanced.
When our trot work was looking good, Lisa asked us to do a canter transition. We did the left lead first, and it was not pretty. All the nice bend and engagement that we had at the trot flew out the window. Wizard reverted to his nervous habit of curling behind the bit and slinging his neck downward. I sat up, continued my conversation with my inside rein while using my inside leg to get him back into some sort of bend. Lisa was more interested in the transitions, and not as much in cantering around the arena a zillion times. We picked up the right lead on the second attempt, and although it was less pretty than the left lead, I had a plan, and was able to keep him together a little better. When we transitioned to the trot, Lisa had us do a circle at the trot. All the little pieces and patterns helped both me and Wizard. We were not just floundering around the ring aimlessly. We had transitions to keep us balanced, circles to keep the shape, and the tools to work on this cantering stuff.
We ended the lesson with trot work, trying to get Wizard to open up his throatlatch and soften his trot, like he did in the beginning of the lesson. Often times, it’s tempting for a rider to end with the “exciting” stuff, like cantering or jumping, but it’s helpful for a horse like Wizard to have a cooldown period to get back into the happy trot work and then cool down from the ride. He wanted to ride behind the bit, but I used my leg to push him up and forward, and gave a little flick of the outside rein when he slung his neck down. Stretching into the bit is good, but when he slings his neck down or swings his haunches to the inside, he pushes through the aids. It took a few minutes, but he softened and we ended the lesson with a nice trot.
Our homework: Work on the transitions at all gaits. At the trot, go “forward into a walk” for four steps, and ooze back up into a trot. Use the circles to work on bending. Keep tackling the canter work in small pieces as movements and components, like a dressage test. Do the excellent exercise of a leg yield at a trot and transition into a canter when we reach the rail (great way to get the horse on the inside leg and outside rein). Incorporate jump and pole work into our rides. Trot a cross rail, and then leg yield after the jump. Don’t let him get into the mode of ’round and ’round the arena. Use the exercises to keep Wizard keen and balanced. Work toward being light and lifting the withers. In the words of the great Walter Zettl, ride up into heaven, not down into hell.
After watching part of Kris and Sunny’s lesson, Wizard and I had a lesson with Carole. I had him warmed up before the lesson, so we got right to business. First order of business was my position and how it was affecting Wizard at the trot. The big things I had to remember for this lesson were: roll my left thigh out a bit, stop leading with my left shoulder, lift my hands and soften my elbows, and focus on the tempo of Wizard’s trot. Carole said that she asks her young riders to sing their A-B-Cs to regulate the speed of the trot, and I was worried that she was going to make me do it, ha ha! Thankfully, I just sang it in my head and it actually helped to keep Wizard at a regular pace.
I explained to Carole that Wizard and I had been struggling with canter transitions, so she really took some time to work on them. First, she asked for a walk-to-canter transition. What? But ours is terrible! Just do it, she asked. And so we did. And it was actually really good! I have not asked for one in forever because they used to be so awkward. With some careful timing and balanced riding, we got a decent one in each direction. We really worked on the leg aid being part of the walking motion, rather than an awkward tap on the side with my heel (bad me!).
At the trot, we also worked on canter departs. It turns out, I was over-thinking them and we did a lot better when I did not take half the arena waiting for the perfect trot. We did not rush, but we did not dawdle. After just one transition, Wizard began to anticipate, and after a few more, he was doing his war dance. Tempo, count the steps, ask for my trot, and influence him with my posting.
Once we were cantering, we worked on getting me to soften my hands and ask Wizard to stretch his nose out instead of curling it to his chest. Every other stride, I gave with my hands without throwing the reins away.
The plan was to do some jumping, but with all the intense flatwork that we did, we decided to jump next time. It was a very productive lesson. I always get my money’s worth with Carole! We discussed my “homework” for future rides, and I asked how I should approach jumping. Carole agreed that doing small jumps and sets of trot poles during flatwork was a good idea. Do a figure 8, trot a cross rail. Ask for a canter, hop a little jump, and keep riding. Don’t get too serious about the jumps. Let him settle and learn that they are not the most exciting things in the world.
It was a HOT July day. Wizard and I took it easy and did not do any jumping and instead continued tuning up our flatwork.
We warmed up at the walk and trot. Wizard was distracted by the flies, and was not listening to every half halt. I understand that the flies are a bother, but he was tuning out my leg and seat and I did not want him barging through the aids. We trotted and walked every twenty steps. I half halted before the walk, and if he did not respond to it, I held the bit firmly in my hands so he “ran into” it. This took only a few tries before he was once again tuned in to my riding. It really is a joy riding him, most of the time, because he is so responsive. When he gets too wound up, he goes behind the bit, like he did in the photo above, but a little leg and softer hands gets him back into his forward mode.
We then worked on canter transitions. I found that giving him a half halt and then stepping the trot down a notch right before the canter really improved his trot to canter transition. It also helped him to avoid running into it. I worked hard on my leg timing and we only missed the correct lead twice. We did a few walk-trot-canter transitions in each direction.
At the canter, I asked for a hand gallop each way. The second he feels me let him out a notch, the Thoroughbred in him takes over. I love how his tail is out in this photo, and he’s straining against the bit- “Let me go! Faster!”
I cooled him out in the shade of the indoor arena, and hosed him off and parked him in front of a fan until he was totally cool.
Looking back on old photos, I see some good things about my riding. The shorter stirrups have really helped my leg. I’m sitting more securely and Wizard is rounder. Hooray!
I warmed Wizard up in the indoor arena in the evening after work. We worked mostly on a large circle, working on engaging his hind end by practicing walk-trot transitions. Once he was on the bit and listening to my leg, we ventured outside and continued our transitions at the canter. Wizard is improving, slowly. After I looked back at the blog, I realized that I’ve been taking it a little easy the canter departs for the past, ah, year or so. Time to move forward.
Took a nice walk out on the trails with Kris and Philly, and returned as it was getting dark. The horses were great on the dark trails, in spite of the awful flies and gnats. Once we returned, I did a little relaxed trot with with Wizard in the outdoor arena. He was very quiet on the bit- not very “chompy”- YESSSS. I wonder if we could do a little dressage schooling show this summer… Hmmm.
Monday, 5/30/11
Did a little arena work with Wizard indoors, and showed him off for my friend Cathy. She had not seen him in a while and was really pleased to see how much muscle he has developed and how nice he is under saddle. We did some basic work, but kept it light since it was so hot outside (close to 90 degrees). Mostly trot work and a little cantering.
After our arena work, we took a trail ride with Philly and with a big young warmblood. It was his first trail ride and he was a star. Of course, he was out with two very solid trail horses: Wizard and Philadelphia :^) We did the bigger loop and were out for about 45 minutes.
Sunday, 5/29/11
I got back in the driver’s seat for this ride and worked on a plan. We rode indoors, and did a lot of work with transitions: walk and trot, as well as transitions within the gaits. I could feel a true connection on the bit in some parts of the ride, and it was lovely. Wizard is becoming a more educated ride now. We also worked on some lateral exercises. Leg yield and shoulder in to the right are fine, but Wizard and I are both weak to the left. Our next goal is to improve our canter departs- he is still loosey-goosey and rushes if I push too much or don’t hold him together.
Wednesday, 5/25/11
Rode outdoors, and succumbed to my worst riding habit: riding without a plan. I should have worked on more transitions in order to improve our canter departs, but I did not, and Wizard was rushing a little bit. His lateral work needs practice as well. Time to get with the program again…
Don’t throw away the reins! I need to tattoo it on my forehead. The first thing I want to do when Wizard takes contact on the bit is to feed him a little more rein, and I know it’s the wrong thing to do.
Onward and upward! We worked in the outdoor arena, on a beautiful spring morning, for about 40 minutes. We warmed up at a walk, stretching and moving into a nice marching gait. Our warmup continued with trot work on a large circle, doing a stretching/contact exercise. From there, we worked on transitions, moving from walk to trot and back to walk at each arena marker until Wizard’s hind end was engaged. Then at each marker, we did a different movement, either a leg yield or a shoulder in or a transition or a smaller circle. I then asked for some canter work. Wizard picked up the right lead perfectly the first time but the second time, it took a few tries. We hacked around the property as a cooldown and then I left the barn and headed to the office for a day of work- a nice way to start a day :^)
Muggy, sticky, humid. Blech. I rode Wizard indoors for a change of scenery. After our warmup, we continued our work on transitions. Walk, trot, walk, halt, etc. We did transitions on serpentines, on circles, and on straightaways. I re-introduced shoulder-in and we practiced it on the long sides in each direction. Right was far better than left, but that’s because I ride way better to the right :^P When I got him nicely engaged, I asked for a canter. On the right lead, it took several tries. On the left lead, he picked up the wrong lead as well, making me wonder if I need to keep tinkering with my signals.
On a lark, I rode Training Level, Test One. OK, it was a loose interpretation! We did not exactly stick the transitions, etc, but I was thrilled that he can ride the basic shapes and perform the basic tasks. Of course, we would have gotten the lowest score ever, but it was a fun exercise.
After the ride, I hosed him off, gave him some alfalfa, and put him to bed.
Wizard had a visit from the farrier on Thursday. He remarked that Wizard was far more flexible in his hind end than he was the last few times. This makes me think that the chiropractic appointment last week had more benefits than just the ones I felt under saddle.
I rode Wizard in the dressage court outdoors, again with our stripped-down bridle and also an ear net to keep the flies away from Wizard’s delicate noggin.
Forward and sideways were the name of the game. We worked on leg yirlding at the walk and the trot in both directions. In order the keep his impulsion up, I also sprinkled in some big-trot-little-trot exercises. We were able to leg yield with the correct amount of bend from the center line in both directions. I’ve never tried that before- we usually use the quarter line as our marker. He was great! And he was also greatly improved at his transitions within the gaits, moving smoothly into a very big walk from a regular walk and also a great forward trot from his working trot. I used to do a lot of forward trot work with Alibar and I think it has a world of benefits for a horse.
The best part of the ride came when we were doing a forward trot across the diagonal- my reins were soft and giving to allow him to stretch his neck and head, and he pushed himself onto the bit, stretching and also taking contact. For just a moment, we had ourselves a pretty fancy little trot :^) Onward and upward…
Wizard is fine- the glutton would be your fearless narrator. So even though I threw out my back and it was just starting to feel better, I foolishly rode two days in a row. My back was fine after Monday’s ride (long trail walk with a little trot work at the end), but it was quite sore after Tuesday’s ride.
But it was a great ride! I rode in the large outdoor arena after dark under the lights. The weather was warm and heavy and Wizard was a little slow to get going, but still responsive to the aids. We worked on some simple bending exercises as well as transitions within the gaits (small trot, big trot, small trot). Wizard always perks up and really seems to get into that exercise, snorting and throwing his ears around.
Once he was responding well to my leg and hand, we worked at the canter. I rode him on a half circle and we did about 5 or 6 rotations in each direction. His right lead was a little sticky and it took a few tries to get it, but he held it once he got it. He starts out a little tense and unbalanced with each trot/canter transition, but the softer I ride, the softer he gets. I usually like transitions for rebalancing, but right now I am just doing half halts since his trot-to-canter is still awkward. As he continued in the canter, I was able to soften my hands and give, give, give with my hands. I was able to sit a little deeper and use my seat. It was a lot of work, but it felt great. And my aching back reminded me exactly how much work it was. Argh. More time off until I am 100%. At least the horse is going nicely.
Rock and Racehorses: Sarah K. Andrew 