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.