Lindsay on Pico a couple of weeks ago

Lindsay took a lesson on Pico a couple of weeks ago:

I rode him today and he is much improved over a month ago. He was also a gem in the windy and dark with a storm coming in.
 

Gracie the Wonder Pony

Had a lovely lesson on Gracie today.  We were working spiral-in and -out and the canter.  Shoulder in/haunches out when spiraling in, very straight when spiraling out.  She had one kick out on her left lead, then suddenly came through her back and was perfect.  Seriously fabulous collected canter.  Perfect down transitions. Amazing.  And did I say left lead?  I had to stay tight around her, sitting on both seat bones evenly, balanced in the middle.  It helps to think about tightening my outside hip, although not until I have moved it forward and in front of my inside hip.  Felt like she suddenly figured out how to let go with her back and that made it possible for the left hind to come through and for her to sit. (And am still amazed at how much Gracie can sit!)

To the right it was much  more difficult.  I am still having trouble finessing the outside rein.  Helps a lot when I stay turned to the inside from the hips.  Left lead was so up hill it made right lead feel flat.

Then we went on to shoulder in on a straight line.  Again left was easier.  Right I had trouble keeping my outside hip forward.  When I did we had much better, more through canter.  The exercise was 20 m circle, canter down long side in shoulder-in to middle, 20 meter circle, down long side in shoulder-in, 20 m circle, canter down other long side in shoulder-in, etc.  Pretty challenging to get right, but when the shoulder-in works the canter is fabulous.  I do the same thing in canter shoulder-in that I do in trot - tend to shut her down a bit instead of pushing forward into it.  Need to work on that.

Galloped around with Karen and Demi and jumped yesterday, which might have helped today also. :^)

Lindsay on Gracie

Pico

Time has flown, but I have been riding.  Today it was Pico - time to push him and push him and push him.  I was exhausted at the end of an hour.  We cantered for 10 or 15 minutes before he finally gave in and stopped running away.  The problem is that he doesn't relax his back, he just finally dumps everything and that means he trots instead of cantering while through in his back.  It's going to be awhile before he figures that out.

Obstacle course practice

Lindsay and I set up a rope gate, el to back through, log to jump, and lance to pick up (lunge whip minus the lash).  Pico actually did all of that.  Plus at one point he hooked his rein on the jump standard that we were using as part of the rope gate, pulled it over, and didn't run away.  He's pretty good at the el, fabulous at the jump.  He doesn't like the lance, particularly when I hold it above his head... where I think I have to hold it to hit the quintain.  And we are very slow at the rope gate, but we did it twice, which is twice more than I thought we would be able to do it.  Right now I am picking up the rope with my left hand.  It's going to be more difficult from the right. He just doesn't handle as well on that side.

Rode Gracie this am also - we did some extended trot on the road and a couple of flying changes in the arena. That was pretty much the extent of our work. :^)

Lesson on Pico

It's finally time to pick Pico up just a little.  We worked today on asking him to go through to the bit -- not me pulling back to bring the bit to him, but him pushing forward and taking the bit.  And of course staying relaxed in his back and through behind.  I have to remember to sit up (back really) and keep my legs on.  He requires a lot of pushing with my seat and legs to help him go forward.  

We spent a lot of time on 3 loop serpentines with a canter circle at each end and in the middle.  Then moved on to leg yield right, canter left lead, trot up center, leg yield left (that required a change of bend!), canter right lead.  Every time he threw his head up and stiffened at the leg yield I added a circle and pushed him forward again.  Eventually he figured it out and began to go really forward in the leg yield.  I had to remember not to grab the inside rein and to keep my legs on, not drop him, push him forward into the leg yield and into the down transitions.

Great ride!

Two Rides

A little cold front is blowing through and it's actually coolish!

Gracie:  Canter/walk's were pretty darn good.  I started with the move the neck around exercise at the canter.  She is getting better about it even on the left lead, though she still wants to go upside-down. I never had the behind the bit, through the hear around, drop the back hissy fit. :^)  We tried a few flying changes instead of the down-transition and they were much better also.  If I can hold onto them she can stay balanced.  I really have to think about tipping my pelvis up and tightening my lower belly.  It's hard!  That gives her the room to come through though.

Also did canter squares both directions.  Almost had the hissy fit to the left, but I hung onto it and kicked her through as soon as the thought crossed her mind.    Right went pretty well.  Left was of course more difficult.  

Canter half-pass both directions - not bad.  It's hard to regain straight from left and still keep her engaged. Right is easier.  Also tried canter lengthenings -- not so hot there.

Trot work -- mostly half-pass.  Her medium comes and goes, but is getting  little more consistent.  I think it's just practice.  The extended is still in my imagination only.

Pico:  Carried a whip again and banged on the fence with it.  Also moved the arm of my jacket, which was hanging on a fence post.  My.  He held on though.  He did not want to relax his back this morning.  In the canter I ended up holding him until he gave in.  Dropping him didn't seem to get us anywhere.

In which I ride with a whip

Rode Pico with a dressage whip in hand today.  Not a big deal.  Also worked on backing up.  


Gracie is working on letting me move her head around and switch her balance from her left shoulder. It's a long slow road.  On the happy side her canter/walk is getting really good.  Collected canter can be awesome.  Trot half pass is much better both directions.  

Rides

Lovely ride tonight - around the loop on Gracie and then some arena time.  If we work really really really hard she can do a canter down transition that is through.  She didn't feel sore at all tonight, just fighting her natural inclination to drop her back and prop with the front end.

Rode Pico this morning - he was pretty well-behaved also.  Trotting with a relaxed back, leg yield with a relaxed back.  We can even trot the leg yield along the wall without getting tense.  Lindsey Joy rode him yesterday -- he started out tense, but relaxed quickly.  I'm asking him to move out more and he is able to do that without finding the sewing machine gait again.  

H'mmmm

Lots of riding.  Pico is good.  Gracie has had some ups and downs.  We worked out a good stretchy workout for the beginning of rides, then worked on a new exercise -- canter, piaffe, canter.  The down transitions are getting better, but I absolutely cannot lean forward and I absolutely cannot give any release to her.  So very very hard.  

Lesson Again on Pico - more long and low and you have a left shoulder

Three exercises 

1) Long and low on a circle, leg yield into change of bend (figure 8)

2) leg yield at walk along rail.  Not half-pass.  He needs to be long and low and relaxed through his back going both directions (turn on forehand at end).
3)  Canter long and low on a circle, down to trot staying long and low and through.  This one morphs into circles at ends of the arena with a shallow serpentine in between at a trot.

He is definitely right shouldered.  Going right I need to turn my body in (shoulders and belly button), keep my left hand steady (but lose rein -- he has to have somewhere to go).  Take and give on right. Slow and big.  He does eventually go to the left rein.  Hard to keep it there for him without picking it up to much.

Lesson on Pico - Long and Low

He needs to be a bloodhound for a few weeks.  :^)

Seriously, we worked on long and low -- to get his nose out and his poll down I have to practically be on the buckle.  He really tried hard though, which was a pleasant experience.  We worked on spiral in and out to get him to go to the bit.  Then changed to spiral in and out, figure 8.  

Canter was the same thing.  He drops his poll and raises his back and loses his balance, so we have a few miles yet to go there.

Lindsay was over and rode Gracie this am also.  Sound! I think it is her back and a saddle fit issue.

County Fair

Sat-Mon.  Lindsey rode, I did not.

Reserve Champion both English and Western, but not particularly pretty championships.

Every morning

Really.  Every morning I have sat on Pico.  And, surprise, surprise, he is getting significantly better!

Tuesday morning I had a lesson with Frances -- more of the fight, fight, fight whenever we got close to her.  Not a frightened fight though, more of a planned, let me see, that didn't work, let's try this kind of fight.  Yeesh.  By the end though I could kick him through it and life got a lot better.  

Wednesday Lindsey took a lesson with Frances -- so of course I rode by her on Pico a lot.  He was almost fixed, not perfect, but much, much better.

Thursday Lindsay K came over so three of us rode, still in the arena.  I put an iPod speaker on the rail and blasted music.  Pico though about being frightened, but decided it was no big deal.  And he was faster about giving me his neck and back.

Today he was positively pleasant.  And Demi was fabulous for Lindsey J. (Yesterday Lindsey rode Gracie -- not bad.  She is great to the right and ok to the left.  It takes Lindsey a long time to get to the good down transitions, but she does get there.

Whew!  I have a lesson Wednesday on Pico - we'll see how fixed he really is.

Fair starts tomorrow, so we won't be out of the arena before then.  We will *need* a trail ride next weekend.

Weekend Riding

Saturday was boring -- slouched around the loop on Gracie.  Sunday Lindsay K came over.  She started on Gracie in her saddle and Gracie was awful.  Tense, short behind.  Nasty.  And really odd since she was fine the day before.  We traded horses to see if it made a difference to have me on her -- same thing.  So... we traded saddles.  That was night and day.  Apparently Gracie and Lindsay's saddle do not agree with each other.  Huge difference!   I rode her again today in my saddle and she was fine again.  I want to see Lindsey Joy on her in my saddle this evening to see what happens.

We had Lindsay's saddle on Pico -- that seemed to be fine with him.  Maybe a little high in front, so I don't think it will fit him for long, but okay right now. 

Sunday was a good schooling day for Pico.  Work and worked on long and low.  There isn't any consistency, but we are making slow progress.  It helps to ride him really deep now and then for a few minutes.   

Today was a Gracie day -- mostly an argument about submission when there are people working on the highway.  After the argument though we had some really nice trot half pass.  The argument began with counter-canter - I have to remember to let her neck move over.  She doesn't change lead, but is able to move her shoulders around then.  I want to hold her to bent into the lead.

Older is Better

Rode both Gracie and Pico this morning -- and Gracie is more fun. :^)  I am sure everyone would be surprised by that.  We actually worked on the same things.  We started with long and low at the trot, engage the back, come through from behind, etc.  That of course took longer with Pico.  I did a little rollkur with him - that seems to help him release his back.  It took about 15 minutes to talk him into releasing, once he did he was able to trot most of a circle without tensing.  We worked on a few shallow serpentines and he was able to work through the bend.  Right leg yield was pretty good also -- left leg yield caused tension again.  

Canter work was the same exercise also -- lengthen and collect on the circle.  Pico can lengthen and collect on the right lead, not so much on the left.  Gracie had trouble sitting for the collection.  I was asking for ultra collected, then move forward with head low and back up.  She was very good with the forward, coming back was more difficult. We tried to be engaged enough that coming down to a half was a matter of settling -- never really got there although closer on the left lead than on the right.

Gracie didn't feel off on the left hind this morning.  I didn't work the ulta-collected canter for long (10 minutes) because I don't want to make her sore if there is a problem there.  Her back did come up quickly this am, so maybe most of that problem is really in her back.  

My goal with Gracie is the canter squares (and pirouettes), so I need the ultra-collection.

When warming up the canter I did a few fling changes on Gracie -- she was great right to left, always through and good.  Left to right she was late behind a couple of times, but still pretty good.

Better... maybe

Jannine and Amber came over this morning and rode in the arena with me.  I did a lot of circling near them -- Pico was a little better by the end.  Still flinching, tossing his head up, etc.  I rode him in the pelham again today.  He is definitely sensitive to that bit.  It helps that I don't have to wrestle with him.

It is hot hot hot, so may not ride Gracie this evening.  Demi is spending the day in the barn hiding from the flies.  The sticks her head out and whinnies for the other two periodically, but won't actually step outside. She was in the back stall for the morning.  Around noon she decided to move to the front stall, so ran (ran!) around the barn to get back inside.  And yet she ran away from me early when I tried to put her fly sheet on her.

Frustrating

Weekend:  Lindsey rode Gracie in a 4H Open Show.  Fun, reasonably successful, and an overall good experience.  

Monday:  Rode Pico in arena, working on long and low.

Tuesday:  Lesson with Frances.  This is the frustrating part.  Pico needs to give in and stop spooking at people standing at the rail.  Spent most of the lesson working on that.  I switched to the pelham because I am fighting with that big strong neck of his.  Really he is being a disobedient toad, not spooking.  We went in a lot of circles right at the rail with Frances standing there.  Got better towards the end so switched to shoulder-in up the rail and past the so terrifying Frances.

Today:  Lindsey had a lesson with Frances (bend elbows and knees) where she mostly worked on transitions.  I rode Pico in circles in front of Frances again.  Very very irritating.  I think he was better towards the end, but I can swear he is not fixed.

Tomorrow I have to find someone else to stand at the rail.  I think I will put a chair there with an umbrella on it.

I might want an extra pelham because Lindsey needed Gracie's this morning.  That sounds like an excuse to go to the new Dover store in Parker right?

Lots of Rain

Monday it rained.  Tuesday it rained.  Wednesday evening I finally sat on Pico.

Thursday morning I had a lesson on Pico (that's why I sat on him Wednesday).  We worked on long and low, stretching to the bit, being a little more forward.  Circles, then figure 8 with a diagonal change of bend (not straight across the arena - too abrupt), then shallow serpentines.  He has to manage the change of bend without popping his head up and he has to allow me to put my leg on without squirting forward.  

Today I extended the shallow serpentine by adding a canter circle at each end.  So at the ends of the arena the leg means canter, on the serpentines it means bend.  Very challenging.  

I have to provide the rhythm.  Pico speeds up, my post has to slow him down.  He follows me, not me following him.  

Also rode Gracie last night - she was tense, but sound again.  We worked on long and low also.  Did some walk pirouettes (which turn into pivots when I ask for a back step first).  Canter-walk transitions.  It's all getting better, just tense.  She did come up in her back - we had some nice stretch-chewy trot circles.  Half-pass was still better to the right.  Going left is hard for her, even in leg yield.

Weekend Riding

Thursday was supposed to have a riding lesson, but didn't quite happen.  Pico got a around half an hour in the morning warming up, but that was my riding for the day.  Friday and Saturday Lindsey Joy rode Gracie and I rode Pico.  Sunday Lindsay K. rode Gracie and I rode Pico.  You would think that means lots of training for Pico....  but not so much. :(  We did start working on the exercise that goes -- shoulder-in along long side, trot across short diagonal, leg yield along rail on opposite long side.  The first part is straight-forward, the leg yield is very very hard.  Still playing with leg yield -- he goes over nicely, but there isn't any cross-over.  To work on that I started haunches-in.  That's difficult, but beginning to happen.

Gracie was pretty stiff Sunday and short off her left hind.  She has some scrapes from an incident over-night, so perhaps that's the problem. Lindsey J spent time yesterday working on her showmanship skills with her on the theory she is going to try her Sunday at the buckle show, so she needs to be sound.

Help

So I finished reading Help this morning instead of getting out of bed to ride.  Maybe this evening.  I did read Dressage today at breakfast and look at the shoulder-in down long side, lengthen trot across short diagonal, leg yield along rail down remainder of long side exercise for teaching lengthening/collection.

Thought about Gracie and the canter squares - I think I need to work on canter on the spot for awhile.  Adequate collection appears to be missing for the squares.

Tomorrow am I have a lesson with Frances, but I can't decide which horse to ride.

 

Squares

Pico

 

Started the morning on Pico.  We worked on walk squares - first Major Lindgren's "Wash Sponge", turns on the forehand.  Any thoughts out there on why he calls them Wash Sponges?  Then changed to turns on the haunches.  Huge difference between Pico today and Pico a month ago.  He can move his hindquarters over without squirting forward. (Maybe that's the genesis of the wash sponge -- no squirting allowed).  

At trot we moved to simple serpentines - good change of bend and steering is improving.  Then a clover leaf or two with emphasis on bend.  

Next - leg yields down the long side.  Tried to do the diagonal exercise again, but it's very difficult.  Leg yield in general was better today, but I still find myself restricting the outside shoulder to keep him from leaning on it.  So....  thought about half pass instead.  Went around the arena shifting from shoulder-in to haunches-in.  That is the first time thinking about haunches-in.  Not bad though.  Some squirtiness, but not a lot and some bend.  Then tried shoulder-in down the middle, step of half-pass, more shoulder-in, step of half-pass.  Pretty cool for a first try.

Rounded out with a few canter transitions, both up and down.

Gracie

Started with walk squares, both forehand and hindquarters.  Moved to trot squares, hindquarters only, although I think I should play with forehand.  Not too bad.  

Moved on to leg yield on the diagonal -- really does turn nicely into half-pass on Gracie.  We tried coming out of the corner in half pass, then straight at X, ten back to half pass.  Fun!

Started canter work with counter-canter - serpentines, beginning with 1/4 line and building up the entire arena.  She really wants the change now, so have to work to keep her concentrated and balanced without a change.  Next, lots of transitions.  

Decided to end with the squares with canter.  The left lead started bad, but got better. I have to sit BACK and to the right.  Very straight.  Then we get up and around.  Hard to remember to lead with my inside hand.  Moved to right lead.  Ugh!  More tension.  No interest in up and over. Really really hard.  Back to left lead -- ended with a couple of okay corners.

Call it a day.

The Glorious 4th of July

I have already forgotten Friday, but I rode Saturday, Sunday, and today.  Saturday Beverly came by, so Lynne, Janine, and Amber all stopped in as well.  That was good for Pico.  We worked on canter departs, leg yield, and shoulder-in.  On Gracie I am still focused on the flying changes.  We did 10 meter circles, with a change in the middle of each.  That worked for three or four each way, then she got tired.

Sunday Lindsay came over and Mikayla also.  We did some musical horses -- I rode Pico and Indie, Lindsay rode Gracie and Pico, Mikayla rode Indie, Demi, and a little Gracie.  Very interesting sitting on Pico and Indie in the same time frame.  Pico is going to be much easier because he is so balanced and because he naturally uses his hind end a little.  Indie has lovely gaits, but no desire to use her hind quarters.

Decided over night that I had to be more organized, so I got out Major Lindgren's book of exercises.  This morning Lindsey rode Demi.  Mikayla, Lynne, and Meredith came over so there was some switching about.  Lindsey rode Indie and Meredith tried Demi.    I started on Pico and ended on Gracie.  We began with trot across the diagonal, then at X change the straight trot into leg yield.  That is really easy on Gracie and it can go all the way to half-pass without much difficulty (which I finally figured out involves changing the outside rein).  Pico can make the change to leg yield, but he doesn't have much (any) cross-over and it's challenging to keep him off of his outside shoulder.  We also tried leg yield to lengthening - need to put in a few thousand attempts at that.  I don't think his leg yield is good enough to get the lengthening, although there might have been a step or two.  We also worked on the intro to leg yield exercise -- out of the corner, a step or two of leg yield, then shallow serpentine, end with a step or two of leg yield.  For some reason I had thought Pico was getting pretty good at leg yield, but doing the same exercises back to back with Gracie high-lighted the error involved there.

Also did squares -- turns on forehand followed by turns on the haunches.  Need a few hundred more of those also.  Pico is better than Demi though. :^)

I was tired by the time I got on Gracie, so we did the diagonal exercise and half a dozen changes (did the up and down transitions a few times first of course.)

I am going to try to work through more of the exercises in the book as it did help me focus.

Back to Dressage

Gracie-  Canter work was surprisingly good this morning.  She had half-pass, nice down transitions, good collection, and flying changes without stress.  I even tried for sequentials, but failed.  Trot work was ... okay.  I am feeling weak and that is causing issues.

Pico- ditto.  Canter work was really good.  He had a working canter on a fairly loose rein.  Up transition was fabulous on right and reasonably good on left.  Prompt at the least and uphill.  Downs were not as good -- I need to work on keeping his trot moving and I need to stop sitting the trot because it's a lot better when I rise.  Trot work tended towards rushed when I didn't rise.  Leg yields were more balanced though and his shoulder in was awesome in both directions.  We tried a training level test and were much much better than last time.  I almost have steering and I have better transitions.   If the trot wasn't rushed (especially after the canters) it would be a pretty good test.

Have to say it is nice to get back into the arena. :^)

X Lazy F

Spent last week at X Lazy F Ranch on Black Mesa with horses, dogs, family, and friends.  Lots and lots of trail rides:

Heading home from Curecanti Rim.

Curecanti Rim at dusk, Black Canyon in distance.

Gallop Track above Mesa Creek

San Juans in the distance.  Ski hill below Porcupine road.

Trail up from Power lines, Sutton Corral trail.

Pico de Oro

View from Sutton Corral Trail

Pico de Oro

Gracie

Rode Gracie yesterday (and played in the water with Pico at Platinum on Tuesday).  Loop plus lots of C-W-C transitions and lots of flying changes.  I really prefer to ride her in the double, but the changes are much much better in the snaffle.  Apparently there is a trade-off between changes and collection/balance.

Pico

Rode Pico this morning - around the loop and some arena time. Still working on the canter depart. It's getting very good to the right, but we miss the left lead a lot and don't have the lift into it. On the other hand, the canter itself is much more relaxed - working towards the lope concept. He still thinks he is the cutest little red horse on the face of the earth as you can tell from this pic (via Loren's Buzznet account).

Saturday, Sunday, Monday

Rode Sunday/Monday.  Sunday Lindsay K rode Gracie -- lots of canter-walk-canter transitions.  Ended Sunday with a 4H meeting - worked on pattens.  So today I rode the Western Riding Level 2 test (w/ simple changes) - Gracie was very nice.  She just wants to get behind the bit when I collect her for an up transition.  No changes bcz she was in the double.  Too much tense.

Around the loop with Pico today and then a few canter transitions in the arena to wrap things up.

Saturday it was windy in the am, so I was a wuss.

Jumping with Jenny at Platinum

Took Pico to Platinum today for a lesson with Jenny (on Pete).  We started with a gymnastic -- 4 trot poles to the flower boxes, then the flower boxes became a cross rail, then added a bounce to a vertical, then added a second bounce to a big cross rail, then added a one stride to a big cross rail.   Really fun and Pico pretty much took everything in stride.  He wants to bulge into my left leg (surprise!), so I need to use a lot more left leg than I typically do.

After all that Rochelle put together the three jumps along the top fence line -- trot in over the sunflowers, then 5 canter strides to the natural and 6 after that to the blue and while oxer.  Once that was better she added  a vertical across the diagonal and then the gymnastic after that.  The vertical was scary and I needed more leg the first time, but after that rode well.  I still can't manage to canter across the top of the arena and turn downhill still cantering.  I need more leg to make that happen.  

The vertical was 2'6 to 2'9 and the three in a row were approaching that height, so we are getting close to beginner novice without causing Pico to stress.  He's very brave and in enjoying himself in these lessons!

Rode Gracie too!

At lunch, when it was still cool even!  Lots of changes and some trot half-pass. Two horses in one day - life is good!

New Shoes

Spent my ride time holding everyone for the farrier yesterday.  Pico has fronts for the first time ever.  He was very well-behaved as long as Lindsey and I played with him and kept him busy. 

Rode him this morning - canter departs, tried a training level test and realized my steering is still ..  not overly exact. :^)

Rode Gracie Tuesday evening -- lots of flying changes.  They work perfectly as long as I pay attention to her shoulders.   Half-pass left was iffy because it depends on the right rein, which is of course iffy.

Wonder Ponies

Lovely quiet ride on Pico this morning.  His canter departs are much calmer and we end up in a balanced canter some of the time instead of a mad dash on his shoulders.  No tenseness afterwards either.  Sunday I jumped at Platinum with Morgen.  We can canter the bendy lines uphill.  As long as I look at the next jump about three strides before the current jump we get the leads, bend, all.  Then there is the downhill part ....  I can canter some of the jumps, but not with a tightish circle in front of one and only if I get my balanced canter very early.  No downhill canter departs as yet.   Everything collected is going to be so much easier with Pico.  My.

Gracie is lovely also.  I've been working on flying changes.  They seem to be all about the left shoulder.  She can't change to that lead if she is leaning on her left shoulder, so right to left takes a lot (a LOT) of left rein to keep her off it.  And at the same time I am trying not to lean on the left rein and really use the right rein.  Challenging to say the least.   

Worked a little on trot half-pass also.  Had to shoulder in, the leg yield, then shoulder in to find the looseness.

Memorial Day Weekend

Saturday -- Spruce Mountain trail with Lindsey J., Lindsay K., Jenny, Sophie, and Olivia.  Pico was a good boy, but a bit of an energizer bunny.  Someone needs to remind him that he is a draft cross.  We had a lot of nice trot and a very nice canter with Sophie leading.

Sunday -- jumped at Platinum.  Rochelle had had a mini-clinic with Jan Binny the day before, so we repeated that. :^)  Lots of bendy lines and a focus on moving the shoulders around.  Morgen rode Demi, who really just wanted to pull her around the course.  Pico was easier.  I got my leads now and then - I really have to remember to look at the next jump, but just look, not pull his head that direction.  As soon as I touch the reins in the air he hits the jump.  Lots and lots of leg, especially left.

Rode Gracie in the evening.  Lots of walk/Canter/walk.  Worked on the flying changes also - they are getting better.  Have to release the new inside rein.  Left to right my outside leg needs to go back a smidge earlier to move her hindquarters in.  That eliminates the late behind issue on that side.  Right to left is easier, but very flat.  I think we need consistency before we work on jump though.  Lots of left leg and slight turn to the left and I get better right rein.  Right rein is inconsistent, but improving.  I have to focus on not hanging on the left rein.

Good rides all around, and of course the wind is back to howling today.  

A week flies past

Tuesday I went to Mariah for a lesson on Gracie.  Lots of canter-piaffe-canter.  Getting better, but a ways to go.  I have to sit lightly for the down transition.  It helps to do them very quickly - we don't have as much time to fall apart.

We worked on Piaffe also -- it is looking very good.  Walk pirouettes are getting better.  I have to remember to ride every stride.

Wednesday rode both horses in the arena at home.

Thursday skipped.

Friday rode Pico in the pasture - worked on trot-canter transitions and keeping the trot up, but still relaxed.

3 Days in a ROW

Life is much improved!  Saturday everything was soggy, so I went around the loop with both horses (and Lindsay K).  

Sunday Pico went to Platinum with me.  We had one really good round where I was able to put his canter together and *keep* it together for 6 consecutive jumps.  I was exhausted at the end of the round, but it was good and gives me a goal.  Rode Gracie in the arena after I got home -- C-W-C, put weight on the right shoulder, etc.  It helps to keep my left hand lifted.  Hard to keep my right hand flexible though.

Today rode both in the arena.  Worked on 3rd-1 test with Gracie.  Really nice test except you have to go from extended canter to collected canter on the left lead, then into the 10m circle and the flying change.  Sadly, she really can't do that without stiffening if she is unwilling to put weight on her right shoulder.  We cantered on the left lead a lot today.  Did a lot of C-W-C transitions.  Third level is almost easier than 1st because the transitions come faster and she doesn't have as long o lose her balance.  

Pico and I did several trot-canter transitions and worked on a more collected version of a canter.  Right lead is getting pretty good.  Left lead is ....  needs work.  He is much more balanced overall though and beginning to hold himself up.  It just takes a ton of leg to keep him moving and supported.  Trot work is fun - shoulder in is coming along also.  This whole thing is much easier on Pico than it has been on Gracie.

Rain and Snow

I'm fairly sure you could go fishing in the arena this afternoon.

Piaffe and Right Rein

Rode Gracie last night - when she goes through I have right rein and I am able to sit on the right instead of continually being thrown to the inside.   A lot of arguments about giving in the left jaw and I never did get to canter.

Had a lesson today.  We started with walk pirouettes.  May I say they are much easier on Gracie than on Demi.  But....  I have to sit to the inside, lead with my inside rein, lay my outside rein on her neck, stay flexible in my seat, use BOTH legs.  Then I get very nice second level walk pirouettes though. :^)  She likes to take large steps behind instead of tiny steps.

Moved to piaffe.  It is great to have the mirrors.  To the left piaffe was pretty good.  I have to lift the left rein a little to keep her on her right shoulder, but it's not bad.  To the right it was apparently really difficult to lift the left shoulder and stay balanced on her right shoulder.  I held the left rein up quite high, which was very upsetting to Gracie,  She wants to lean on it and she can't that way.  I have to relax into piaffe and let her find the rhythm and support myself with my thighs, which is very difficult.

Then on to canter departs (because after piaffe Gracie's collected trot is fabulous and she is through on both reins.  I am balanced and can both support myself and turn my shoulders to the inside.  My.

Canter-piaffe-canter.  Very challenging, but good.  I have to lift into the canter and also lift into the piaffe.  Left canter was better than it has been -- again with the lifted left rein, turn my shoulders inside, sit back.  Stay loose, but supported for down transitions.

My.

Rain and Snow

Rode Pico around the loop and 10 minutes in the arena.  Nice trot, but that's about it.  Everything is soggy, including the arena.

Mariah

Took both horses to Mariah today.  Gracie and I are still arguing over her right shoulder.  The left lead is much better if I hold my left hand up -- that lets me use an indirect rein to help shove her over to her right shoulder and also makes it more difficult for me to lean on the left rein.  I asked her to canter haunches out (leg yield on the circle) several times.  That is really really difficult for her (us).  When I had the right rein I could do a decent down transition. We worked a little on just going to trot instead of to walk or halt. That helps with the forward part.  

On the right lead the problem was the down-transition.  She wants to throw her haunches in, so I cannot touch the right rein.  It takes a huge amount of left rein to manage that.  Actually that lead in general takes more left rein than I expect.  She wants to canter haunches in.  I can counter-act that with the left rein, but it needs a lot.

Having the mirrors helps a lot.

Pico was pretty good -- we had okay right canter, lousy left.  Trot was okay.  It was fun to watch him in the mirror.  Those quick hind legs are so interesting compared to the so slow warmbloods.

Off to Leadville tomorrow, so I am going to miss two days again.  Bummer.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday

Thursday:  Lindsay K came over and rode Gracie.  I rode Pico.  We both worked on transitions.....

Friday:  Rode Grace and worked on flying changes.  I hang on the left rein in left lead down transitions and that makes her throw her haunches right.  Of course I have no right rein for that down transition.  Yargh.  The changes were better.

Saturday:  Rode First level test 3 and Third level test 1.   She is almost better at the 3rd level test.  Same down transition problem as yesterday though -- no right rein.  Changes were messy, but happened.

Pico was much better.  Canter depart was scrambly and scooty, but still better.  We were almost cantering instead of galloping.

Jumping at Platinum

Took Pico over to Platinum today for a little jumping in the wind.  Nothing special -- I have no left leg bcz my ankle isn't cooperating (that's my story and I am sticking to it) and he hadn't been ridden for days.  He still jumps whatever we put in front of him though and better from a canter than from a trot.  We were slightly better at the straight line and I hauled him around the bendy lines.  He's very strung out though, so I need a lot of dressage work. 

Gracie got a day off.  Lindsay is going to ride her Saturday, so I can watch.  I need to record the tests eventually also.

Canter - Walk - Canter - Walk - repeat for days

Yesterday -- CWCWCWCWCW  followed by some serpentines and half-pass to leg-yield.

Today -- Frances was apparently watching last night because we did the same thing today.  She told me to watch the base of Gracie's neck and not her nose.  That helps a lot.  I even had right rein now and then.  I have to remember to use my entire right arm and half-halt every single stride.  I get sucked into leaning on the left rein.  We also went around bent to the inside, then to the outside, then back to the inside, etc. (Shoulders in and haunches out, then shoulders out and haunches in. Gracie does not want to give it up to me.)  Finished with Canter serpentine that wasn't too awful.

Man what a lot of work!

Of Ankles and Red Geldings

So Friday I sprained my ankle - spent the afternoon lying on the couch feeling sorry for myself instead of taking a jumping lesson on Pico.  Of course the wind was howling also, which just grates at this point.  Could we just move on to summer please?  ...  nope, snowed yesterday and cold and gray again today.  

Put the horses out in the 3 this morning -- Pico ran (ran) straight out to the far corner and crawled through the fence into the neighbor's pasture.  I gimped over to catch him, dragged him home, and spent the next hour repairing the fence.  Put him back out to see what happened.  He galloped back to the corner, stuck his head under the top wire and thought about whether or not he could still crawl through.  Then he ran around the pasture a couple of times, hassled Gracie, dashed back to the corner and stuck his head under the top wire to think about it some more.  Someone needs to explain to him that cows crawl through fences.  Horses don't.  And he didn't for the rest of the morning at least.

Tomorrow I will ride again.

Lisa

Lesson - Canter Straight

So we all know Gracie leans on her left shoulder.  And I lean on my left seatbone.  When we canter on the left lead that manifest itself directly -- and if I sit *back* on my right seatbone and keep my right knee bent we straighten up.  On the right that manifest itself in haunches in at the canter.  Fix is to sit left, knees bent, inside leg slightly back to push her haunches out.  Really really hard.  

Worked on walk pirouettes also -- much easier.  Sit inside, turn with both hands, start with haunches slightly in. Tap with inside heel every stride, especially to right.

Flying changes -- sit *back*, stay glued to seat.  She will change the next stride if I just sit back....

Arena

Both horses spent time under saddle in the arena yesterday. 

Gracie:  Canter collect/extend on a circle, half-pass, one change each direction, canter-walk-canter. I think I need to spend a couple of hours just doing flying changes to get past the tense.  Finished on piaffe.

Pico:  Walk-Canter-trot.   Okay - walk-trot-canter-trot. :^)  canter in big circle, on straight line, then back to circle.  Worked on a more forward trot, but still relaxed.

Two days in a row!

Wow!  Lately it's been challenging to ride two whole days in a row, but I zipped out early this morning and climbed on both of them (one at a time of course.)  Just around the loop, but we did a little half-pass at trot on Gracie and some collected canter.  Just heavenly to get out for a time.  And good to stretch out yesterday's muscles -- I worked yesterday.

Airs above the ground

Set out to ride Gracie Friday, but she felt like there was no need for her hooves to ever touch the ground.  We schooled bouncing and head-tossing for a few minutes and then decided to forget it.

Today was much more productive.  We cantered and cantered and cantered working on not leaning on the left shoulder, collection and extension, some counter canter, and a couple of flying changes.  She has the one to the left if I really do throw myself over to the right and really really insist she un-weight the left shoulder.  I came in exhausted after maybe 40 minutes of riding.  My left knee doesn't want to stay bent, my right seat bone doesn't want to stay down, my shoulders want to come forward.  Yeesh.

Pico is easy -- trot in circles, change bend.  Worked on staying more forward without losing the tempo and without getting quick.  A couple of canter departs.  I am moving on to walk-canter because it's so much easier......

Flying Changes or can Lisa sit to the left?

New exercise today -- For me:  rising trot, sit right, sit left, sit right, sit left.  Don't tip shoulders.  Only hips are going back and forth.  This does mean my left knee has to bend.

For Gracie: canter in a big oval to right.  Look waaaaay left. Not just head, but shoulders have to shift also (weight off the left shoulder, bend to left, get ribs over right, etc.).  Lisa has to sit right and look left for this to happen.  Try the other way.  

Finally to flying change.  Start to right.  In center of arena shift to right, bend her to right, ask for change.  Yay!  Same thing the other way.  The right to left changes were easier today I think because I am better at moving right.

I need to canter on a circle asking her to bend to the outside a lot.  That helps us both canter without leaning to the inside. And practice shifting myself over to the new outside.

Rode Pico this evening - few minutes in the arena followed by the loop.  We worked on lowering his neck and staying stable.  Also he likes to stay bent to the right, so we worked on left.  Practiced leg yields on the road.  And also rode in the hail (interesting) and rain (calm).  Yeesh.

It's Saturday so we must be working on half-pass

Or anyway it's starting to feel like that.  Gracie and I spent a few minutes working on canter half-pass Saturday.  We began though with the old collected canter - lengthened canter on a circle exercise.  That was a good way to get some relaxation and bend before going sideways.  I think as a result we had some nice half-pass in both directions. The canter lengthenings and collections are easier to the left, which is weird.  We did one flying change each direction after doing several canter-walk-canter transitions.  One is good, then the tension and anticipation is back.  

Got on Pico again finally also -- same-old-same-old in the arena.

Sunday Lindsey and I joined the Parmleys for a ride around Greenland.  Played on the trail course there a little first.  

Now we go faster

Or perhaps the more correct version of that -- more through.  We spent Tuesday on shoulder-in and half pass at trot, but no more mincy steps.  The goal was up, forward, and through.  I don't understand why, but the half-pass left was pretty good, while half-pass right was lousy.  And yet the haunches in right was straight-forward.  Makes no sense.  I think I get myself all balled up when moving to the right, lose my balance, can't use my right leg.  

Then some canter work -- collect, lengthen stuff that ought to be easier than it is.  Working still on those down-transitions.  Collect, collect, collect, walk.  No trot.  

At home I threw in a couple of changes.  Gracie is good for one each direction before she gets tense and starts anticipating. 

Yet more half-pass

Moving on to canter though.  Also getting rid of the slow little mincy thing and finding a bigger trot.  

Bigger trot means giving up some of the indirect rein and opening it up.  Also of course insisting she move off my leg.  And keeping my inside thigh on.  Yikes!  I still try to lean forward.  Finding the balance between keeping my outside seat bone down, holding outside contact with rein, keeping inside thigh on.  Too much to manage at once.

Canter was interesting.  I tend to lose my outside rein, which doesn't work so well.  To left I need to hold my inside rein up a little to help her shoulder stay up.  To right the haunches lag if I lose my outside rein (duh).

Still very very cool.

Minimal Riding

Made it home from Glenwood Friday in time to tool around on Pico for a few minutes.  Sat and Sun the wind howled and I was uninspired.

Today rode Gracie around the loop - played with trot half-pass on the road a little.  Rode Pico in the arena -- leg yield, canter departs.  Then down the road to the corner and back  - trot tempo and leg-yield.  

Laughed at Rochelle's best German Show Jumping video ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRWLZFALe-4

Yesterday - Half Pass

Had a great ride on Gracie yesterday!  That half-pass and even haunches in that we absolutely could not do Sunday finally happened.  If I use a strong (strong) indirect rein on the left suddenly the bend appear, the haunches move left,  and we finally have a rhythmic, solid, left half-pass. Yay!    She even has some steps that really are moving up and over and begining to feel a little floaty.  Of course right after two or three of those either Gracie or I immediately fall over.  

I think my biggest issue was that I was trying too hard to shift my weight inside and as a result I was leaning forward and completely losing my outside seat bone.  I do better if I try to sit up straighter and keep weight on that seatbone, no collapsing to the inside.  

Wow!

We still had it when I rode today, but tomorrow I am off to Glenwood for two days...  hope it doesn't disappear!

I really have been riding

...just not writing.  

Lindsay K rode Gracie Wednesday.  I rope Pico that evening - just a few minutes in the arena working on canter transitions mostly.  Thursday no one rode - cold and windy.  Friday I rode Gracie and Lindsay rode Demi.

Saturday I rode Pico and Lindsay rode Demi - around the loop and a little time in the arena. 

Sunday Pico and I had a lesson at Platinum.  He did a great job, especially all by himself for the first time!  We jumped the barrels and the stone wall, and his very first oxer.  Everything was in the 2 foot to 2'3 range and we worked on cantering as much as possible.  Totally cool, although I really need the canter depart and the ability to keep cantering. :^)  Also worked on two related jumps in a straight line - Pico is seriously wiggly at a canter.  We need to work harder on the canter in a straight line concept.

Rode Gracie after I got back from Platinum.  Awesome right canter half pass.  I am having huge trouble with left anything.  We ended up working on haunches in to the left at a walk, then trot.  Ick!  She will go sideways in the canter half-pass, but her haunches trail and I can't move them over without losing bend completely (counter bent).  That needs to be our next lesson with Frances.

Half-Pass

Rode Pico around the loop this morning -- windy, but not terrible.  That came later...

Lesson on Gracie:  Side-pass with bend to get her really stepping over.  Then interesting exercise, first at walk - half-pass with shoulders leading, then haunches leading, then shoulders, then haunches.  I can make those changes with my own shoulders if I am really sitting in the saddle on both seat bones.  Her shoulders have to adjust around the haunches.  Same thing at trot, then at canter.  Wow! Great exercise!

Moved on to canter squares.  Left - get my left spur out of her side, ask with outside leg and with the reins, think about sitting tall and over my inside knee and back at same time.  No indirect rein of opposition!  To right is MUCH easier.  Worked on walk squares to figure out balance and how to ask.  Tap tap tap with outside leg and watch my hands -- both hands to the inside so I lead her around.

Beat the Wind

Got up early this morning to ride before the wind kicked in!  Pico was a gem -- 15 minutes in the arena working on leg yield and canter departs, then headed out around the loop. 

Hid from the wind at Platinum

The cold wind howled Friday, Saturday, and is still blowing, albeit more softly, today.  Had a jumping lesson this morning at Platinum.  We used the outdoor arena even in the wind.  I actually moved away from a couple of standards because I was afraid they were going to blow over on us.  Pico and I graduated to verticals though and cantered more jumps.  He is lovely -- never looks at anything (only Rochelle).  I managed to jump for him at least 50% of the time - icky!

Went back over this afternoon with Gracie to ride in the indoor.  It really is nice to have the mirrors.  Right half-pass was pretty good.  Left wasn't too bad.  Piaffe got better as the afternon progressed.  Medium trot was awesome.  Only issue was cantering in shoulder-in.  She does not like that!

Both horses ridden!  Lately that alone is miraculous.

Today on Gracie

Ran through our whole repertoire today.  Started by shortening her mane - not enough and used scissors, but it's a beginning.  Then I put the double on her again.  She really seems to prefer that to the snaffle and to the pelham.  Weird, but that's Gracie.  

Warmed up with walk squares, then change of bend through the trot.  Went on to piaffe - the first two were pretty good, then she became a little resistant.  Worked through that to get good solid half steps.  From there to a little medium trot.  She thinks there might be a monster in the trampoline and that helps the medium.  Most of it was just a lengthening, but we had one or two diagonals where her shoulders came up while the trot stayed round and balanced.  

Next, shoulder in at trot.  Followed by canter.....   

Right canter with shoulder-in caused a hissy fit.  (More like a leg-yield on the rail).  She really prefers to canter with her haunches in on that side, so asking her to put them out was interpreted like asking her to throw herself around, swap leads, and drop to trot. Worked through that though, then asked for a tiny lengthening at the canter -- yeesh.  Swap leads some more, kick out hind leg, etc.   Hot and sweaty by now.  Didn't really solve the shoulder-in question before I asked for right half-pass.  That was much easier.  I still have trouble sitting to the right a little (and that might be the problem with the shoulder-in), but she can go over and I do have enough left rein to slow the haunches down while the shoulders come over.  

Since this was so much fun to the right I thought I'd try to the left.  Shoulder-in is much easier t the left as in the half-pass.  I like to sit on the left, so that probably helps.  We don't have as much bend as we do the other direction and my outside rein is pretty iffy, but she goes over without a fuss.

Back to the barn because that was enough!

(Side note:  Blogspot's spell check underlines words like piaffe and pelham.  Nothing horsie in the dictionary I guess! Of course it also underlines Blogspot.)

Wednesday on Pico

Put in a good solid effort in the arena - Pico's right canter depart is getting very nice, left is still ugly.  Leg yield at trot is getting better both sides.  Still wants to fall on his shoulder, but it giving me some outside rein to correct that.  Shoulder-in is much better to the left.  

Walked around the loop afterward with Beverly.  He was pleasant, willing to walk beside her mare.  He feels like a nice beginning to be broke horse.  I can see training level off in the distance now and the trail rides this summer will be lovely.

Lesson - Canter Half-Pass

First - Rode Pico yesterday in the arena.  Worked on bend, leg-yield, shoulder-in, canter depart.  He is getting better every day.  Today I turned him out for awhile intending to ride, but the tennis scrimamge took longer than I expected, so he didn't get ridden.

Lesson on Gracie with Frances:  We worked most of the time on the right canter half-pass.  Key is to sit up really tall.  I can't seem to concentrate on my left seat-bone and stay tall and sit to the right all at the same time.  If I think more about stretching my right side and keeping both knees bent I end up in the correct place.  Gracie started out a little unhappy, but got better fairly quickly.  

We did a little work to the left, but concentrated on shoulder-in at the canter.  That alone is difficult.  I have a hard time maintaining left bend and still using my right rein. 

Exercise there was canter with shoulder-in, 10 meter circle, maintain shoulder-in down rail, 10 M circle, etc.  We had very nice 10m circles to the right, not so much to the left.  That's probably the exercise I need to work on at home before next week.   Going to the left I really have to think tall, stretch the inside of my body, and keep both knees bent.  Also don't let my hands get stuck - they need to do something twice a stride.

Worked a little on down transitions - think 3 strides of canter in place, then walk.  Works like a charm and keeps her engaged so she doesn't through her haunches to the right.

Tomorrow the sun will shine, the wind will go away, and I will ride both horses!

Jumping at Platinum

Jumped Pico at Platinum yesterday with Morgen (on Demi) and Lindsay (on Gracie) - all three horses ridden in one short hour!  Pico started out a little wired for sound, but he jumps everything. He has the canter away concept down.  We tried a couple of jumps from a canter.  He was okay over the first two, but forgot to jump the third. Oops.  Crashing through didn't change the next jump at all though.  Went over the tiny blue box and a slightly larger vertical.

Rode Gracie around the loop today bcz it's cold and windy and I had grading to do.

Yesterday was a Good ride day!

Rode Gracie the Wonder Pony.  We did trot half-pass, piaffe (lousy), Canter lengthenings on a circle.  It was all fun.  Tami's horses galloped past at one point and Gracie's tempo didn't change.  We cooled off on the loop and stopped in to chat with Beverly.  That was interesting also -- checked out the inside of the neighbor's barn.  It's a very small arena, but it is an arena.

Rode Pico a few hours later - his work ethic had taken a break.  Yeesh.

Catch up

I really did ride more than it looks like I did.  Missed Sunday and Monday though.

Last week Friday and Saturday, both Pico and Gracie.  Gracie and I worked on collection/extension at the canter.  She has swapped sides on me - right now the left lead is going well.  She engages her left hind and really pushes into the extension.  Right lead not so much.   We worked on leg yields around a circle at a trot to help with that.  She really didn't want to canter with her haunches out.

Part of this is where I sit of course.  I have to continuously think about stretching my left side up, turning my belly button to the inside (not just my shoulders), and keeping my left knee bent and functional. Getting better, but it sure doesn't come automatically.

Yesterday was snowy so I went up and rode Esteban.  We did all trot work -- shoulder in to half pass.  Belly button thing is important and then I need to learn to look where I am going.  I get all twisted up looking back over my shoulder.  Did some piaffe work - it was very good to try it on another horse.  Goal is relaxed and regular.  No tension, not really any suspension.  Gracie has quite a lot of sit, which is nice to know, but too much tension still.  

Of course some Spanish walk and some extended trot.  Always fun.  I need to work on the Spanish walk with both Gracie and Pico.  Extensions with Gacie - on Esteban I can really feel the lengthen, but he doesn't really come up in front for me.   I can get his good trot now and then, but usually end up in a nice relaxed first level frame.

Lisa

Only Pico yesterday

Rode Pico yesterday -- tried to convince him her could go around in a circle with his haunches out.  Very challenging, but fortunately he stops when confused/frustrated.  Canter departs are getting better every day.  

Ended with about half the loop - bratty, but not bad.

Lesson

Worked on the fan exercise again today.  My right hip has trouble coming forward.  Shows up because Gracie can have lovely shoulder-in and lovely half-pass, but can't go in a circle haunches out. H'mmm.  She was feeling stiff today, but so was I.  We need to get back in the 5 day a week riding habit.

Back in town

Had a lovely non-riding week in Florida, but back home now.  Celebrated by taking Gracie and Pico over to Platinum to ride out of the wind.  

Gracie had nice trot work, icky canter work.  Pico ...  well, about the same.

Lesson - Fan exercise

This morning everyone had their feet trimmed which was probably not a genius idea before a lesson.   Gracie was a little foot sore.  Because of that and because she was stiff in general we started with cloverleaves at trot to remember that there is bend in this world, then moved on to the Fan exercise at the walk.  Shoulder-in right, straighten, shoulder-in left, straighten, shoulder-in right.  Ask for the jaw, then the poll, then the shoulder.  Keep my inside hip forward.  Go slowly.....  it is amazingly challenging.  

Once Gracie loosened up we moved to trot.  Same exercise.  Then moved to the 1/4 line for the same exercise and added half-pass.  That was easy when we were half-passing to the left.  Very difficult to the right.   She tosses me to the left...  if I can manage to sit over to the right and stay back (no tipping forward) then she goes to the left.  But it's a very small window to hit.

Came home and rode Pico around the loop with Lindsay and Demi. He's getting tired of the loop.

Around and around the loop we go

Rode both horses yesterday and again today, but only around the loop.  Pico was very well-behaved and Gracie pretty much plodded around.  I need the snow to melt and the ground to soften... now!

Volunteering at Edwards Animals.