Today's Such a Dumbass They Don't Even Deserve a Darwin Award:
Um.
This one is bad. I feel so sorry for this little horse, who appears to be MAYBE a yearling. Possibly an older WEANLING.
I don't have anything to say except these people are really fucking stupid. Sorry, I try to keep my blog mostly clean but there are no words except: fucking. stupid.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Lesson: Something challenging
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| Because this is just really funny. (click to enlarge) |
So Lesson #2 this week was another fun one. :)
We hauled over to FHF to meet up with a college friend of mine for a lesson together. I loved it because we could chat it up and it was cheaper to share a lesson. It has been a few years since we have ridden together. She now has 2 kids and a hubby and I'm ... well, as freespirited as I was in college.
Hampton was a total gentleman. I didn't even bother to lunge him beforehand. Although we tend to start out a little short-strided and flat, he gets better as I start to include lateral work and transitions. Our instructor (different one from Tuesday, but of the same philosophy) was also happy with how Hamps has come along and how it was obvious I had done my homework.
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| Me, Hamps, Liz and Vanity (a schoolie) |
• Lengthen, collect, lengthen within the trot. (I use "collect" here but clearly Hamps does not know true collection yet)
• Turn on the haunches. Using the stick more to ask him to really animate the hind legs. This movement is the beginnings of real collection. It is a great exercise. If you think turn on the haunches at the trot, you can produce half-steps.
• Turn on the haunches, canter. For example, if you do TOH to the left (move the shoulders left), you should pick up the opposite lead - so the right lead. Super exercise that we found challenging. Start by putting the haunches in, then stepping the shoulders over.
• Flexibility behind the saddle. Hamps like to be a little tight behind the saddle. So, on a circle at the trot - ask for haunches in, then haunches out. Rinse, repeat.
• Walk to canter transitions. Left lead is baller. Right lead is a little behind my leg. Must fix that.
• Leg yield at the canter, rail to the quarter line. Heh. I remember totally falling apart when we tried this last year. Now we can maintain the canter and roundness ... the tempo changes a bit but major progress.
• 10m circle at the canter. "Ah ha!" said instructor, "we have found something challenging for him!" I'll admit, Hampton is pretty easy to train. But it's good to rattle his cage sometimes. The small canter circle really required him to sit. And he objected by getting a little cranky and above the bit.
• Ranvers. I asked for a little more help with this since we are green. We tried a different approach by first riding a little off the rail and simple doing haunches out, instead of starting in shoulder in and changing the bend. I think this helped Hampton figure out what I want. At the end of our ride, we did shoulder-in to ranvers beautifully (I was watching in the mirror and was beaming).
So overall a very good ride and a good poneh! We had sort of leveled out on progress there in the fall so it's nice to see him figuring things out and coming along so nicely. I know we will level out again but that is training. :) His is not wearing out as quickly as he did last year either. Is that his change in feed? Better fitness? He was sweaty, but not pooped as he would often get last year. Very happy with that!
I am giving him a couple of days off to "marinate" as I like to call it. If the arenas don't freeze I'll ride this weekend but it's looking iffy. Might be a hack day out in the field or something.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Lesson: Do your homework
Had a FANTASTIC lesson today with Hamps.
Not that he's normally naughty, but today he was just extra cheerful and cooperative and the work was NOT easy. We were both sweaty by the end and it was 35 degrees.
So last week J said we needed to work on reinback since that will help him learn power trot/expression. Hampton thinks reinback is dumb and up until now he would come above the bit, stiffin his whole body and slowly step back as if it was torture.
We worked on reinback over the weekend and I was patient and rewarded him obnoxiously when he got it right.
So when J asked me to reinback today, and Hampton performed a lovely, round, polite reinback - she was stunned. "Oh, he does that now?" she said and kept apologizing that she was so surprised. What? Do your students not normally do their homework? She told me to work on that so I did. No, he isn't going to learn everything over a weekend but reinback was something he picked up quickly. I just needed to be more clear with him.
So other than that here are some other exercises we did:
• Leg yielding. Duh! The more you drill it, the better it gets. We had some SUPER fancy leg yields. It felt like gliding across the arena! He is getting better and better as he learns where to place his feet.
• Shoulder in, to ranvers. We are still a little green with the ranvers but it's just a matter of more practice.
• Shoulder in, to haunches in. First with a circle in between and then no circle, just change the position. Again, still a bit green with the haunches in but much improved. I need to remember not to bop him back over with my inside leg. Yes, we will eventually need more bend but for the time being he just needs to move his haunches over.
• Turn on the haunches. Not too bad really. Need more bend.
• Walk- canter transitions. J suggested I work on these before he gets too tired since it requires so much sitting.
• Walk to canter on a straight line. Sound so easy. Not easy. But we did it! That transition really requires the horse to put that outside leg down.
• Medium trot. You have to get the fire in the corner and not halfway down the long side. :) But we are getting there.
Then we ran through the canter work from First-3. J said our First Level trot work was there, but that in the canter we would probably fall apart. Yup.
Left lead canter has entered a hell phase. Lots of falling left and when I correct that, out comes the eggbeater canter. I know this is a balance and strength issue but it's annoying still. Our canter loop (from corner to X back to the rail, same lead) was a hot mess on the left lead. Totally bad riding from me. I need to get my ass in the corner and keep him straight. Right lead was EASY AS PIE. Because that is his stiff side. The stiff side is usually easier in the canter. And it was.
So the canter is where we need the most work now. HOWEVER, all the trot work will make him stronger and improve the canter.
Next week I am going to memorize First 3 and really start to put the pieces together so I can find our weakness.
Another lesson tomorrow. What will Hampton think? :)
Not that he's normally naughty, but today he was just extra cheerful and cooperative and the work was NOT easy. We were both sweaty by the end and it was 35 degrees.
So last week J said we needed to work on reinback since that will help him learn power trot/expression. Hampton thinks reinback is dumb and up until now he would come above the bit, stiffin his whole body and slowly step back as if it was torture.
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| Haunches in (travers) |
We worked on reinback over the weekend and I was patient and rewarded him obnoxiously when he got it right.
So when J asked me to reinback today, and Hampton performed a lovely, round, polite reinback - she was stunned. "Oh, he does that now?" she said and kept apologizing that she was so surprised. What? Do your students not normally do their homework? She told me to work on that so I did. No, he isn't going to learn everything over a weekend but reinback was something he picked up quickly. I just needed to be more clear with him.
So other than that here are some other exercises we did:
• Leg yielding. Duh! The more you drill it, the better it gets. We had some SUPER fancy leg yields. It felt like gliding across the arena! He is getting better and better as he learns where to place his feet.
• Shoulder in, to ranvers. We are still a little green with the ranvers but it's just a matter of more practice.
• Shoulder in, to haunches in. First with a circle in between and then no circle, just change the position. Again, still a bit green with the haunches in but much improved. I need to remember not to bop him back over with my inside leg. Yes, we will eventually need more bend but for the time being he just needs to move his haunches over.
• Turn on the haunches. Not too bad really. Need more bend.
• Walk- canter transitions. J suggested I work on these before he gets too tired since it requires so much sitting.
• Walk to canter on a straight line. Sound so easy. Not easy. But we did it! That transition really requires the horse to put that outside leg down.
• Medium trot. You have to get the fire in the corner and not halfway down the long side. :) But we are getting there.
Left lead canter has entered a hell phase. Lots of falling left and when I correct that, out comes the eggbeater canter. I know this is a balance and strength issue but it's annoying still. Our canter loop (from corner to X back to the rail, same lead) was a hot mess on the left lead. Totally bad riding from me. I need to get my ass in the corner and keep him straight. Right lead was EASY AS PIE. Because that is his stiff side. The stiff side is usually easier in the canter. And it was.
So the canter is where we need the most work now. HOWEVER, all the trot work will make him stronger and improve the canter.
Next week I am going to memorize First 3 and really start to put the pieces together so I can find our weakness.
Another lesson tomorrow. What will Hampton think? :)
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Failure & success
From Jane Savoie:
"What makes the difference between success and failure? Not reaching your goal is often as simple a matter as giving up too soon.
I’ve seen this over and over in dressage competition. Someone has a bad day in the ring, and they give up in frustration. They get so upset they scratch from the rest of their classes. It may have been a simple mistake, or a forgotten element, or a skill that wasn’t quite ready to be performed for a judge. The fix might be one tiny tweak. But the experience of failing makes some people throw in the towel.
Toughness in the face of adversity is one of the most valuable assets you can cultivate. If you’re not naturally brave or in the habit of pushing through the discomfort of “failure,” you can change this. All you have to do is DECIDE to change. Decide that nothing is going to stop you from your goal! No matter what it is–business, relationships, riding, showing. Make the decision that you’re going to use mistakes and setbacks as your roadmap to success!
Remember…You have to risk failure in order to succeed!"
"What makes the difference between success and failure? Not reaching your goal is often as simple a matter as giving up too soon.
I’ve seen this over and over in dressage competition. Someone has a bad day in the ring, and they give up in frustration. They get so upset they scratch from the rest of their classes. It may have been a simple mistake, or a forgotten element, or a skill that wasn’t quite ready to be performed for a judge. The fix might be one tiny tweak. But the experience of failing makes some people throw in the towel.
Toughness in the face of adversity is one of the most valuable assets you can cultivate. If you’re not naturally brave or in the habit of pushing through the discomfort of “failure,” you can change this. All you have to do is DECIDE to change. Decide that nothing is going to stop you from your goal! No matter what it is–business, relationships, riding, showing. Make the decision that you’re going to use mistakes and setbacks as your roadmap to success!
Remember…You have to risk failure in order to succeed!"
Friday, February 3, 2012
There's a soft side to the beeeyotch
I don't know about you guys, but I love being the first to ride in the arena after it has been groomed. I don't know who did it, but when I arrived this morning the arena was beautifully worked and perfect footing. Like Christmas.
We did about 20-25 minutes of trotting yesterday and today. His cardio needs to improve before we really get into more frequent, intense lessons. So we work on stretching, rhythm, transitions within the stretch and obedience to my leg. I also took this opportunity to work on my self — right toe is behaving much better lately and points forward like a good little foot. I still catch myself gripping with my knees and "hover posting" every once in a while. Also, I have the bad habit of bringing my hands to my knees during stretchy circles. Hands should stay out in front.
What a relaxing, peaceful ride. Not a soul around. Just me and Hampton and all I could hear was his footfalls and some random birds. The weather has been amazing and I was riding in only riding tights and a sweatshirt (plus my boots with the fur knock offs ... oh and my helmet, duh). I could tell Hampton was enjoying the time, too. Ears perked, relaxed, rhythm was easy to find and keep. He certainly does not need every ride to be intense "oh my god I better leg yield or she will kill me" work. Next week we have 2 lessons (yay for furlough days) so I'm taking it easy on him this weekend. We might do a trail ride or something if it doesn't snow/sleet/crap on us over the weekend. It's good for both of us to forget about being round and on the bit sometimes.
Last year we were getting ready for our very first show. Today I was just in awe of him and how far he has come in just one year.
I know my instructor says he is in average and maybe he is to the outside world. But not to me. :) I have ridden literally hundreds of horses in my 22+ years as an equestrian and I can say that horses like Hampton do not come along very often. I am so lucky to have found him.
(ok, mush fest over now.)
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| February in Indiana. I'll take it. |
What a relaxing, peaceful ride. Not a soul around. Just me and Hampton and all I could hear was his footfalls and some random birds. The weather has been amazing and I was riding in only riding tights and a sweatshirt (plus my boots with the fur knock offs ... oh and my helmet, duh). I could tell Hampton was enjoying the time, too. Ears perked, relaxed, rhythm was easy to find and keep. He certainly does not need every ride to be intense "oh my god I better leg yield or she will kill me" work. Next week we have 2 lessons (yay for furlough days) so I'm taking it easy on him this weekend. We might do a trail ride or something if it doesn't snow/sleet/crap on us over the weekend. It's good for both of us to forget about being round and on the bit sometimes.
Last year we were getting ready for our very first show. Today I was just in awe of him and how far he has come in just one year.
I know my instructor says he is in average and maybe he is to the outside world. But not to me. :) I have ridden literally hundreds of horses in my 22+ years as an equestrian and I can say that horses like Hampton do not come along very often. I am so lucky to have found him.
(ok, mush fest over now.)
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| Babeh Hampton |
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Law of averages
As as I typed that the arenas were too frozen to ride in, the weather warms up to nearly 60 (!!! WTF) and we get in 2 rides in a row - and a lesson!
My instructor has not seen us since before Octoberfest. She said a few nice things.
A) Hampton seemed taller. She's probably right, I think he's growing again.
B) He's going really well - especially for January!
C) He has really grown up. Much steadier in the contact, lateral work is better and we actually have a canter half-halt now.
The main point of this lesson was that Hampton is ... average. He isn't a hot horse, and he's not a deadhead. He's not a trashy mover, but he doesn't want to be fancy. He is just average. It is time that we start teaching him to be fancy.
I need to start packaging him more. He needs to be far more electric off my leg - especially in the leg yield. At one point he pulled his "la la la I don't hear you" routine when I asked for a leg yield away from the wall. I got after him with the whip, only to be told that I was "tapping butterflies" and that if he didn't listen to my leg, he needed a flogging. I know this. I am too nice (a flaw that goes well beyond horses). So the next time I got after him a bit more with my whip and voice and he scooted on over.
His poll needs to be up in order to allow his shoulders to come up and his front legs to get out of the way of his back legs. He is far more active with his hind legs than his front, which tends to sort of just shuffle around. We were prescribed 151,000 transitions.
We worked on some rein back. We're still a bit sticky here, but it's time he grows up. He needs to learn reinback before we start to learn power trot. We did many leg yields, shoulder-in and 10m circles. We worked on packaging the canter (leg yielding, strong outside half halts, more jump).
J said by the end of 2012, we should able to attempt a "kamikaze 2nd level test." But for this year, First Level is where we belong. And hey, if I get the money I may even try to qualify for USDF regionals! (At Training and First). But my show season really won't be decided until April, when I will find out what my job situation will be. Some new news on that front, but I am afraid to write anything for fear I will jinx it.
Next week I have a lesson at FHF. I guess if the weather is going to cooperate, back to work we go.
My instructor has not seen us since before Octoberfest. She said a few nice things.
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| Tired Porkchop after our lesson. |
B) He's going really well - especially for January!
C) He has really grown up. Much steadier in the contact, lateral work is better and we actually have a canter half-halt now.
The main point of this lesson was that Hampton is ... average. He isn't a hot horse, and he's not a deadhead. He's not a trashy mover, but he doesn't want to be fancy. He is just average. It is time that we start teaching him to be fancy.
I need to start packaging him more. He needs to be far more electric off my leg - especially in the leg yield. At one point he pulled his "la la la I don't hear you" routine when I asked for a leg yield away from the wall. I got after him with the whip, only to be told that I was "tapping butterflies" and that if he didn't listen to my leg, he needed a flogging. I know this. I am too nice (a flaw that goes well beyond horses). So the next time I got after him a bit more with my whip and voice and he scooted on over.
His poll needs to be up in order to allow his shoulders to come up and his front legs to get out of the way of his back legs. He is far more active with his hind legs than his front, which tends to sort of just shuffle around. We were prescribed 151,000 transitions.
We worked on some rein back. We're still a bit sticky here, but it's time he grows up. He needs to learn reinback before we start to learn power trot. We did many leg yields, shoulder-in and 10m circles. We worked on packaging the canter (leg yielding, strong outside half halts, more jump).
J said by the end of 2012, we should able to attempt a "kamikaze 2nd level test." But for this year, First Level is where we belong. And hey, if I get the money I may even try to qualify for USDF regionals! (At Training and First). But my show season really won't be decided until April, when I will find out what my job situation will be. Some new news on that front, but I am afraid to write anything for fear I will jinx it.
Next week I have a lesson at FHF. I guess if the weather is going to cooperate, back to work we go.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Never before seen video!
I don't have much to report on the riding front. We haven't been productive lately since the arenas are just too frozen and choppy to ride in.
So here is a video I don't believe I have posted yet. It is from our jumping lesson at CAF.
This is toward the end of our lesson. Hampton was a bit tired, and as you will see he flat out ignores my requests to canter. In all fairness to him, the aids to canter are inside leg at the girth, outside leg spur. Well, I wasn't wearing my spurs at the time because my lower leg is not as stable at it should be over jumps yet. So he never felt the spur. But still. So that is why I get after him with the whip a little bit.
You can really see that he is still very much a baby about organizing his legs sometimes. I love how we look like a hot mess just trying to canter over simple ground poles.
BUT - at the end when we go through the grid - it is BEAUTIFUL! And I don't fold over at the jumps. *patting self on back*. Sometimes training is not always pretty. Sometimes you have to have hot mess moments to make progress.
I am posting the good, bad and the ugly here. Because I think it benefits everyone.
So here is a video I don't believe I have posted yet. It is from our jumping lesson at CAF.
This is toward the end of our lesson. Hampton was a bit tired, and as you will see he flat out ignores my requests to canter. In all fairness to him, the aids to canter are inside leg at the girth, outside leg spur. Well, I wasn't wearing my spurs at the time because my lower leg is not as stable at it should be over jumps yet. So he never felt the spur. But still. So that is why I get after him with the whip a little bit.
You can really see that he is still very much a baby about organizing his legs sometimes. I love how we look like a hot mess just trying to canter over simple ground poles.
BUT - at the end when we go through the grid - it is BEAUTIFUL! And I don't fold over at the jumps. *patting self on back*. Sometimes training is not always pretty. Sometimes you have to have hot mess moments to make progress.
I am posting the good, bad and the ugly here. Because I think it benefits everyone.
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