Developing the bigger trot

We have returned to the land of dressage after our little affair with eventer land.

womp womp.

One of many (MANY!) things we work on is developing Hampton's trot. For reference, here is a video from 4 years ago. It's an intro test, and shows his "natural" trot. It's not disgusting, but it's totally ordinary and pretty flat. He pony trots "over his shoulders" quite a bit. He is barefoot.




Compare to today's video of a little bit of medium trot. Note how he has developed the ability to push off the ground, and reach with his shoulders instead of falling all over them. (Again, barefoot)

Can he be more uphill? Yes. That is something I will always struggle with in Hampton's work. Frankly, the only time he is TOO uphill is when he is rearing. So, there is that. Does he have more trot in there? YES. I could kick on and ask for more, but I feel that maintaining the rhythm and balance at this point is more important. Had this not had been at the end of a pretty hard session (the hot mess that has become our flying changes is another post for another day), I might have asked for another diagonal and gone for it more. No, we will never look like some international CDI pair. But he has come quite a long way.

So what are some exercises to help your non-Valegro-moving horse move a little bit better? Trust me, if Hampton's trot can improve - ANYONE can improve their horse's trot. Here are some of my favorites:

This was our First Level "lengthening" a few years ago.
Yeah, NON-EXISTENT.

Later that year, we started getting a little bit better at Second Level.

Ok, now we are rockin and rollin a little bit.

1. Forward and back.
I basically LIVE in these types of transitions. This work is pretty boring - UNTIL you really start to feel the result. It's constant "sit, now push. Sit, now push." You have to have quick reactions both forward and back. Don't be afraid to make it ugly a time or two. Then ask quietly again.
Issues: Hampton likes to try and run through me. Nope, not allowed. If this happens, then do a full transition like trot to halt. A rein back may be needed. OR, he will not react forward quick enough. Possibly even suck back (A Hampton classic). If this happens, WHAM with both legs. Maybe even the whip. Be prepared for a jolt forward, or even a buck. That's ok. As long as the horse goes forward, that is what you wanted. Then come back and try again. I have this discussion with Hampton almost everyday. But after 10 minutes of forward and back, he will go forward (think medium) and then collect just off my seat. But yes, at first it can be a little ugly. Do not be afraid of that.

Bad halt. Not square and over the shoulders.
Bad.

That's better!

2. Trot - Halt - Rein Back - Trot
Repeat, repeat repeat. Again, the reactions have to be SHARP. And for more advanced horses, NO WALK STEPS into the halt. Sometimes I have to tickle with the whip within the aid for the halt in order for Hampton to bend his hocks and step under. Otherwise, our halts are on the forehand and lazy. For an added challenge, do a double rein-back. So trot, halt rein back ... walk forward maybe 4 steps, rein back, trot off. My tried and true method to bring the poll up.
Issues: Don't do this too much right before a show. You don't want your horse thinking rein back when you halt at X. :)

3. Lateral work to power.
Fellow blogger TempiChange gets credit for introducing me to this. Shoulder in down the long side, at B (or E), straighten and think Totilas trot. Ask for as much power as your horse will offer. You can also do this out of Travers, but shoulder-in worked best for Hamps because he made him sit back on his hind end. For added difficulty, try this on a circle. Add in travers and renvers on a circle, add in half steps. Then power forward and see what your horse has to offer.
Issues: Your horse will probably only be able to sustain the power trot for a few steps at a time. Eventually, a long side. And so on. Be happy with some good steps at first. It's a totally different balance. You may feel like you are getting run away with (I did.) It's ok if your horse breaks, loses rhythm, etc. Just bring back, balance and try again. Reward often. The first few times I did this, I will admit that Hampton got PRETTY lit. So if you have a horse of a more hot or sensitive nature, I would not drill this. Bits and pieces. :) Always return to suppleness after this exercise because you will probably lose some.

Just don't let your horse stay stuck in the neck and poll, like this pair. ha.

4. Transitions within lateral work.
Remember those forward and back thingies? Now try them within leg yields, shoulder-ins and half pass. For example, leg yield across the diagonal. Start slow, then ask for power, then collect. Hampton has a tendency to lose the forward especially in lateral work. So we work a lot on getting that reaction. I don't care if you are in shoulder-in, you need to go forward anyway! Hampton is king of speed evasions, so if you also have one of these creatures - be diligent. Is your rhythm slowing down and you don't want it to? Fix it!
Issues: Not getting a reaction? Do full transitions. Leg yield in trot. Walk (keep leg yielding), trot off again - stay in the leg yield. Or go across the diagonal and think extended trot, then turn it into a leg yield.

Now we have some power to play with!

5. Think a little passage.
After you and your horse have spent some time developing the above exercises, you can use all that strength and ask for the IDEA of passage. Just a couple of steps at first. Some horses will pick this up faster than others, so don't get frustrated. Once your horse has the idea, then you can think a little passage but let it go forward into a normal trot. Sounds so easy. It is not. If anyone would like a post on how I taught Hampton passage, I would be happy to write that out. Does he passage like Valegro? No. But it's installed and it has helped a lot in teaching him push.
Issues: Some horses may learn this and then use it against you as an evasion. Ask me how I know.


I hope this helps! I am no expert, but these have helped me and Hampton a lot along our journey so far. Happy dressaging!

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's .... a unicorn?!

Those who are friends with me on FB probably already know that the Lainey Ashker clinic was a total success. It was far too much fun and frankly made me want to quit pure dressage and take up eventing or the jumpers. Why are lessons with eventers so much more fun?! Everyone there would cheer and clap when you got shit done. It was incredibly supportive and a total blast. Unlike dressage clinics, where the rail birds whisper about how shitty you are.

Then there was the horse. We hauled over (maybe a 5 min drive) to a GORGEOUS indoor arena that belongs to a large barrel racing facility. Hampton hopped right off the trailer and walked into the arena like it ain't no thang. I guess I should stop acting like he is a green bean anymore, because he is not. He is a veteran and acts like one.

So wild.

My friend thankfully let me borrow her awesome saddle and we went right to work. After a quick warmup, we started with a grid. Trot pole, vertical, one stride (with a pole), to a vertical then out.

Lainey says to me "Oh, the dressage horse showed up to play!" ... and when he jumped through that grid the first time, people were silent because Hampton jumps like a damn show hunter. Seriously, you guys he has some serious talent for jumping. I just try to stay tall and keep out of his way.

After a few times through the grid, we started right off with a course. We did have two silly stops - one at a plank, and one at the barrels. Hampton was very honest about it, it wasn't dirty at all. He is just still green in between the fences. He doesn't know to land and look for another jump. His greenness there is no fault of his own, just inexperience. But after those little stops, he caught on to the game and was a damn unicorn the rest of the day.

This is my unicorn.

Little issues that popped up were the same issues we deal with in dressage. He is chronically behind the leg. You will see my position is somewhat defensive because I was driving him like mad in between fences. The more forward he was, the straighter I could keep him. I felt like I was flying, but as you will see in the video we are merely cantering. Toward the end, he got a lot better though. Lainey was really complimentary of my position, which left me beaming because it is something I have always struggled with. For some reason, I was really on fire that day and did not jump ahead much at all. My lower leg was a little loose at times but I expected that, being a DQ and all. haha.

Gallop! 

Anyway, we did bending lines, sharpish turns and jumping the skinny barrels. The jumps were not huge - maybe 2'6" .... the big oxer at the end of the arena might have been 2'9" at the end of the session. As you will see in the video, Hampton jumps cute as a button but ... he isn't really trying. The jumps are a cakewalk for him.



Hampton seemed to have a great time and got an excellent education that day. I bet the next time I jump him, I will have a different horse. He left with a lot more confidence. So did I! The jumps never looked big to me, which tells me that my confidence has really been boosted. Hell, when she comes back I may just ask to be in the Novice group again. Clearly, we were not overfaced.

At the end, Lainey comes up to me and says "You ride very well, that's no bullshit." Major, major compliment coming from someone like her.

I am going to make it a point to incorporate more jumping in our schedule. At least once a week or every other week. Hampton loves it. Except that I may need to buy a jump saddle again .... ugh. :)

Gift ideas for your equestrian friends

2009

Looking for useful, inexpensive gifts for a horse pal?
Oh lucky you! I've compiled a few great items from Amazon that may do the trick.

Full disclosure: These are indeed affiliate links, so if you purchase an item using the link on my blog, I get a wee bit of money. So, support a horse-poor gal if you feel like it. :)

For the DQ in your life.











******

For the hunter princess.











For the cowgirl.












For your crazy eventer friend.

Good hands, Carson.

Carson Kressley is an owner/rider of American Saddlebreds. He's been an excellent ambassador for the breed as well. I've spotted him here and there at some skadaddlebred shows. He, of course, walks around dressed to the nines like he owns the place. :)

He's a pretty good jockey, though. I love his quiet hands.

Panic in 3 ... 2... 1...

Lands End horse trials (Starter, the last jumping course we did)

It IS indeed possible that we have competent looking moments over fences. BUT ....

We also have a tendency to look like shit over really small fences.

So for the past two years, I am focused primarily on dressage. I used to jump Hampton here and there when he was younger because he should be a well-rounded invididual. But lately, we just haven't done much jumping. 

As a winter treat to myself, I signed up for a grid lesson with Lainey Ashker who is coming back for another clinic this week. I signed up for the BN grid group. How bad could that be? Hampton can figure out the grid and I can just stay out of his way. It will be fun!

But then the schedule came out, and the BN grid group was slated at 4:30 pm on a Saturday.

Um, I work at 3 pm on Saturdays. Womp womp.

(not a prayer at getting a weekend off during the holidays either)

Not wanting to miss out on the clinic, I asked if there were any other spots I could possibly switch to.

"Can you do the Novice course work group on Sunday?" my BO says .

um.

You do realize that neither me or my horse have jumped in 2 years?

And at best we have made it around only starter courses?

And I have a non existent, floppy, dressage lower leg?

I said sure.

Yesterday but good barn buddy helped give us a bit of a tune up so I am not going into the clinic totally cold. There is video. Remember, neither one of us has jumped in almost two years. I take no credit for this. This is ALL Hampton, who packed me around like some veteran show hunter.

So, on Sunday I will put on my sticky spray, and a grab strap and let Hampton do what he does best. He LOVES to jump and if I just stay out of his way, he has such a gift for this. He really is as easy as he appears. Lainey does have a tendency to make the jumps BIG ... so maybe I'll actually get a taste of Hampton's actual talent. Because as you can see in the video, he isn't really trying.

*GULP*

Cheer up, buttercup

Just please admire handsome Hampton, pay no attention to the fact that his
mane is full of mud clumps.

Working with and living with Susie on a large-scale breeding farm certainly taught me ALLLL about the cycle of life. 

I was there from the very beginnings of conception, to the very end. We helped many foals enter this world (Hampton included), and helped many horses leave. Some were tragic & some - it was just their time. That's the realities of living on a farm. Actually, that's just life.

So while I am obviously heartbroken over the huge loss of Susie's death, I went out to the farm today and did exactly what she has always told me to do. "Do what makes you happy." (and also, "Don't do stupid shit.")

Lady I am hungry. Stop with the photos.

I rode my horse. Amazingly, it warmed up to a lovely, sunny 52 degrees and we had a nice school. Ran into some problems in the right canter half pass, but I worked through some of it and ended on a good note. Hampton was wonderfully soft and supple, so I'll consider that a win. He has adjusted wonderfully to the barefoot life, altho I am in the market for some Easyboots for when the arena footing gets even more crappy. (Recommendations welcome!)

You go right ahead and roll with your new blanket on, Hampton.
10-year guarantee ya little shit. Have at it.

There's this thing about life that happens when someone dies, and when you die.

It goes on. 

It's ok to feel sad. And I'll certainly keep her memory alive. But I'm also doing what she has always shown me to do in situations like these. Carry on, keep going. Laugh. Make inappropriate jokes. Love your horse. 

Keep on livin. L-I-V-I-N.

Susie and Trija's Mr. Peppertime.
Peppertime is the sire of my old Morgan, T-Bone.
Picture at Triple Creek Farm ... I'm guessing 2000?
For those who are familiar with Come Again Farm, Susie ran her business
out of that property before Lee Ann took it over. 

I didn't make it

Sorry to keep posting seriously depressing shit.

I never made it to see my friend. She died before I could make the drive. I'm not sure if I need to beat myself up with regret or not. I was lucky to have been able to spend those hours with her a couple of weeks ago.

In the end, this isn't about me. It's about her and her family.

Still sucks losing such an important mentor and friend. Basically a second mother. I wouldn't have Hampton if it wasn't for her. He wouldn't even exist. He is part of her long-reaching legacy. So am I.

I hope I can make her proud!

This is Susie and 18+-hand Hayden at the farm in Indiana.

If there is a heaven (I don't know the answer to that) .... there are HUNDREDS of animals who are super happy right now.