I'm such a jerk.

It has been months since Hampton's right hind has acted up. When I rode him this evening, he wasn't off, but he wasn't quite the same bouncy warmblood he has become this summer. He felt like he was pulling himself along with his front end instead of pushing from behind. He felt flat.

I blamed it on the terrible footing in the arena right now. It hasn't been worked in .. I dunno ... months. I would be happy to do it myself but women apparently aren't allowed to use the tractors/drag. I wish I was joking.

Anyway, our trot work was actually outstanding. Shoulder-in and leg yields were effortless and easily show ring quality. I was easily able to supple him and put his head and neck where I wanted.

His eggbeater canter however was back in full force. I could not get the rhythm back no matter what I did. My usual standbys (counter flexion, move the shoulders in) were not producing results. And he kept breaking back into the trot - repeatedly.

So that's why I feel like a total, utter, useless JERK for swatting him on the butt after he broke for the 5th or 6th time. I've been pouting about it most of the evening. I feel awful.

It finally occurred to me that his leg was probably bothering him. Thus the eggbeater canter and breaking of gait. UGH.  I thought he was being disobedient, when really he was just trying to tell me that he was uncomfortable and could we please trot now

I think tomorrow we will just do trot work and see where the canter is on Sunday. This issue really seems to show up when the weather gets cold. So maybe I'll put his magnetic hock boots on before we ride tomorrow. If anything, they'll warm up the joint.

He's such a good horse to put up with me.

11.11.11

Spinal Tap is easily in my Top 5 Favorite Movies Ever.

I missed 11:11 a.m. this morning because my boss was talking to me. So much for that epic wish.

Maybe I'll remember at 11:11 p.m.

No unplanned dismounts this time trail riding

First, I was stunned by the news of Hickstead's death yesterday.

He collapsed while leaving the show ring in Italy. Very sad. :( Here is his last round before he died.
The video of his death is on YouTube. It's pretty disturbing.


Now for some better news
Hampton has been smokin' lately in the dressage department.

The other day I stole a movement from Second Level. Shoulder in to B, then 10M circle, then travers when you get back to the rail. On the left rein, we nailed it. Travers is still a bit sticky on the right rein. I totally blame myself for this. I think it's because my left side is my weak side, so my left aids are not as supportive as they need to be. He also dislikes bending right which just adds to the issue. But we'll get there. I see the light.

I wish someone had been there to see our canter-walk transitions on Saturday. I didn't even use the fence this time for help. To be show ring ready, Hampton will need to be just a tad more round. But he's got the concept and I'm starting to nail the timing of the aids more consistently. Holla!

Sunday was such a pretty day and I wanted to reward Hampton with something different to do so I forced asked nicely if JJ and his human would like to make a trip to Tippy State Park for a trail ride. We were up there in the spring with Lilly the Walker and her human. I like the trails because most of it is sand and it makes for an easy ride.

Hampton was a little bit of a shithead. Because the trails are so easy, we decided to do some trotting and cantering. Hampton thought cantering behind JJ meant Wild Goose Chase and decided he would buck instead of canter nicely. I had to check him pretty hard in order to keep him between me and the ground. Sheesh. Bad poneh! Then he bit JJ in the face. He also managed to poop all over the back of my trailer during our ride up there. As if this wasn't enough, after we dropped JJ off at his house, Hamps managed to paw and tear up the bale of hay I had sitting at the front of the trailer. Half of it was underneath him when I went to unload. Great.

We must have rode for 3 hours. I thought for sure the beast would be tired but when I unloaded him he was rude and would not stand still for me to take his bellboots off. Then when I turned him back out and took off and tore like a bat outta hell back to the herd.

I'll cut him some slack though. It was a long day and he did for the most part behave just fine. We even found a few logs to jump. :)

I'm hoping I'll have the cash to have a lesson or two after I get paid next. A friend of mine just bought a OTTB and I think we might take semi-private lessons together which would really cut down on the costs.

Brilliant:

Blame it on the rein, rein, reining!

No, I'm not going to pull an Anky.

Hmmm should I ride dressage today?

No, maybe I'll do reining now.

But I do love reining. Maybe because it is somewhat like dressage and some of their goals and basic training are similar, if not the same.

An area barn just down the road from Hamp's hosted a reining demo this morning. I love all things horses and it was free.

It was interesting, but I was somewhat perplexed by the dude giving the demo. First of all, he does not train his own horses. He sends them away to a pro. There is nothing wrong with that - but, anyone can give a demo on super trained horses. *shrug* I had hoped to see him work through some training issues, not just show me that his horse can slide and spin.

He did have a few interesting things to say. I did not know it is illegal to touch your horse during a reining competition. However, unlike dressage, you can use your voice.

Dressage and reining horses both start out working their horses with their head and neck long and low and their back up - like an arc from nose to tail.

Reiners want to stay that way. In dressage, we eventually add more weight to the haunches until the poll and front end lifts up (with the ultimate goal being collection and the "3 P's")

Check out these two with similar outlines.

*DROOL* Me want.

Lower level dressage horse.

Both disciplines like their horses calm, submissive and obedient to the leg aids. In reining, the horses are behind the bit but in an effective way.

Reiners sure like to toss their horses' hips around. We do use travers (haunches-in) in dressage, but most of our exercises focus more on controlling the shoulders and asking the horse to put more weight on his haunches.

When you start to get more advanced, that is when you start to really see the split between the two.

For example, flying lead changes.

Reiners achieve lead changes by, once again, pushing the hip over. An ideal flying change in reining is quiet, smooth and almost invisible.

For example, say you are on the right lead and want to change to the left at X.

As you approach X, you would press your right leg near the girth cinch and move the haunches to the left. Like dressage, the horse should be quick enough off the leg that you don't actually end up tossing the hind end around and end up fishtailing.

Here are some nice changes:



In dressage - the flying change must also be clean, smooth and prompt. BUT you also have to be straight and the more jump the better. The end goal is the one-tempi changes:



My instructor once said to me, "Flying changes are like sex. It is very personal." ... What she means is that the training and the aids for flying changes are unique to each horse and rider as far as timing, pressure and speed. ... Thus the sex comparison. :)

I'll admit it. Sliding stops are cool. And you can really tell those who have worked their horses over the back, vs. those who do not:

Beautiful! Horse is stretching his neck and rounding his back.

Um, no. Hollow back, open mouth.

If I had more money and could tolerate a western saddle, I'd get a reining horse. I especially love how some of them have these gorgeous long manes. I would get a reining horse with lots of hair so he/she could fling his/her mane around during spins.

so much hair!

But since I am broke and can't afford another horse, I'll be sticking to dressage. :)

***
Edited to add

This blog title was a shout out to this greatness from 1989. :)

More contests! (and grooming tips)

Hampton: April 2010

I love blogger world because of all the awesome people who give away free stuff. :)

One of those people is Laz's Mum over at Sweet Horse's Breath. She is giving away this awesome product:

I was a groom for several years for a top Morgan/Saddlebred show barn. Horses were clipped and groomed to an annoying level. But I did learn a lot. I'll be happy if I never have to sand and hoof-black another hoof in my life though.

But here are some grooming tips anyone can use, especially if you show.

• If you keep your horse's tail braided up, or if you horse just has a kinky tail, dip the tail in a bucket of water. Then slowly hand-pick the tail. This will get the kinks out. Spray with show sheen.

• When clipping ears, put your thumb in the ear and press softly. This helps soften the buzzing sensation for the horse.

• Clip white socks. I usually clip all 4 legs regardless of color up to the knee or hock, but it works especially well for white socks. A clipped sock is way easier to keep and make super white. At a show, scrub white socks with soap until you can see pink skin. Air dry. Apply baby powder. BOOM. White sock.

• Clean your horse's nostrils with a warm, wet towel. Many people forget to do the "other end" too. Wipe under the tail (warm, wet towel) and remove crustys (mares especially) and dirt. You'd be surprised how much more polished your horse will look.

... hmm maybe I'll do a grooming series this winter.

Vacation over :( ... training update

Before we left for Octoberfest, my instructor told me that over the winter we would be working on Second level movements, so that next year First Level would be easy for us.

Travers

Second level includes:
• Medium trot
• Collected trot
• Shoulder-in
• Rein back
• Counter canter
• Walk to canter; canter to walk
• Simple change of lead
• Medium canter
• Collected canter
• 10m circles
• Tavers and Ranvers
• Half turn on the haunches

J told me, "I want you to teach him Haunches-in at the trot. ... by November." ... So it's Oct. 31 now. I don't think I've failed at that goal, but the movement isn't confirmed by any stretch of the imagination. Hamps has been a willing study and we've made great progress this week. I started out only wanting him to move his haunches in. I didn't care if he was above the bit.

Now, he gets the haunches in thing but now he also needs to be round. It's still sort of a hot mess. We'll get there.

Up until recently, inside leg at the girth, little inside flexion + outside leg swings back = canter please horse! Poor Hampton, now those very same set of aids mean haunches in. And soon, they will mean half pass, too. It is up to me to really finesse my aids (especially my weight) as a rider since Hampton is acquiring more buttons.

We've also attempted some counter canter this week. I haven't done this in several months - I was really surprised at how much his balance has improved. Granted, I kept the counter canter to big, sweeping turns but still. In the spring he couldn't even do that without breaking. Canter/walk transitions have also been on our list and as long as I ride correctly, I can usually get a pretty decent transition down. Again, that movement is not show-ring ready or anything, but the building blocks are there.

Hampton has also improved from what I shall call the "flying leg yield." He finds this exercise obnoxious but it has done a great deal for improving his leg yields. Here's what you do to leg yield to the left (off your right leg):

• Come down the center line at the trot
• Open up your left rein
• Right leg "POW" ... you want to startle your horse into moving over
• "Catch" him with your left leg

Next time around, ask nicely. Now the pony moves over quietly and smoothly - crossover improves and so does obedience to the leg. Hampton isn't a fan of being startled by such a loud leg aid and we often end up "flying" across the ring in some sort of canter/trot/head tossing scamper. But I'm telling you, when I come around and ask nicely he is SO much better. :)

Sampson has also been doing well - learning his canter aids and how to turn off the outside aids. He is a good boy and I will miss him when he goes back home to his Mom.

Happy Halloween!

My horse's horrible life

*cue lullaby music*

*blink blink* ... is that you mum?

If it wasn't for, oh you know, the mass amounts of mud and poo ... and dozens of other horses around, I may have joined him for a mid morning nap! Tough life.