Meet me at our spot

 

A very good boy.

On Friday I schedule a lesson with local "S" judge, AM. 

She has judged me before, in fact she judged my first GP! And much to my surprise recognized me. Whether that is a good or bad thing, I don't know. haha

She is a lovely person and a fantastic teacher. I clicked with her immediately. She has that tough, but clever way of teaching that really got me riding well and thus Hampton started to morph into the horse I know is in there, but I have trouble tapping into. Here are some notes from this lesson. 

warmups are "not riding for First level, we are suppling for the Grand Prix." Hampton and I tend to trot around very nicely, very obedient, but it's ok to get a little sloppy, to overbend in the leg yields, in order to release his body. She called Hamp "as obedient as it gets" haha awww.

Just trotting around all pleasant in the warm up.

When you leg yield, or anytime you take the hind leg and move it under the body - are you engaging the hind leg? Or are you DISengaging it? 

Keep engaging (disengaging?) the hind leg

Getting chased with the whip. lol! I love it! 

In passage, one step sideways - straight- one step sideways rinse repeat

Hands low. Short reins. (story of my LIFE).

Give a scratch on withers instead of looping my reins in the give part of the half halt

This lesson was fantastic. She called me a good student which is a huge compliment, and was very encouraging about showing the GP. I will definitely be training with her again next Aiken trip.

Lots of great homework to bring back home! 

Man, this must be the life

70 degrees in Aiken riding in this arena? Pinch me

Obviously anytime I go to Aiken I am going to try and wrangle a lesson with JS Dressage. Thankfully he was around on Thursday and graciously taught the Hot Mess Express some competitive horse prancing.

Hampton felt quite fresh and we touched on just about all of the GP movements. Here are some notes from my lesson and also from H's lesson who rides an absolutely badass OTTB. His main issue is unsteady in the contact.

Canter pirouettes: Push at him and think front legs up and out. 

You really cannot have too much bend in canter piros. You can have more bend than needed, but not really "too much"

When horse's shoulder go down and croup up, then human tips onto pelvis. Unless you consciously counteract this. Sit on my tail bone, think sit back a little, belt buckle up, stomach in. Affect his balance before he can affect mine.

Build passage from the piaffe.

Piaffe, think rein back. Then actually rein back. Right back into piaffe. This is a weight shifting exercise. Do not worry about perfect piaffe.

Once you get croup lower/rotated, then let the piaffe move a few inches. Eventually, let it move out into passage but keep the balance.

Here was a little moment of "a discussion." Of course he is above the bit was it was actually the reaction I wanted. Croup went down. I should maybe put my heels down too. sigh.

Same idea as a good extended trot happens when the collection is strong. A good passage is same idea.

The ones were pretty good today! Mostly just keep instilling confidence, do a few, break, do a few more.

Trot half pass work. Hampton has always had a tendency to go rein lame in the trot half pass. This is quite common I have learned.

Come out of corner, right straight across diagonal, then "idea of wafting haunches in". The rein-lameness is often caused my over using the outside leg aid. Ease up if things get icky.

If a bobble, go back straight and re-establish quality trot.

Obviously in show ring, you need to half pass right out of corner but for schooling don't worry.

In show ring, better to have haunches trailing a little too much, than to have right angle but irregular. Might end up being the same score, but overall impression is better.

Hands together (like knuckles touching) for the unsteady horse. 

Ride a little feeling of above the bit so horse cannot not dive and start to wobble in the contact. Almost "make him" brace.

Ride forward! Chase him a bit. When contact steadies, let off the gas.

Keep "closing the doors" for horse to escape connection. He will try many other doors (sucking back, throwing haunches, etc). Keep closing them until he finds the right one.

"Let him bake" ... when connection is good. Sit quiet. Do nothing. Let him bake in it.

**

As always, a super fun lesson full of great tips and lots of theory. 

Next up: A lesson with an S judge!

When we take a drive

Where is this bitch dragging me to now.

We are in Aiken! It is 75+ degrees here and sunny. But I guess they had a day last week where they hit 20 degrees and all the grass is dead. lol. Still beautiful here though! Hampton made the trip great and we are staying on site in my friend's living quarters. Just feet from the paddocks. Pretty much living the dream.

Not a bad hack around Jumping Branch Farm

This sucks. lol.

For my eventer friends - prelim half coffin in the woods.

This is the "off season" for Aiken equestrians and we have the farm almost entirely to ourselves. It's very quiet and peaceful. Our days are full of riding and relaxing (or working for yours truly. ha). It's a different vibe then when we go as a big group.

Bright and fresh after 9 hrs on the trailer

 

You may think Aiken is a classy equestrian empire.
But there are parts that remind you ... it is in fact NOT.

LOVE this place!!!!

Lesson posts to come!

Baby, are you coming for the ride?

Trail ride!

Had a seemingly benign conversation with a friend the other day. She works her ass off as a show secretary and was telling me about a parent who complained about the dressage judge and other things.

"Why don't you just be better?" was what my friend wanted to respond. Obviously she handled the situation professionally at the time, but if you are complaining that you or you kid is getting low scores in dressage ... then be better. Take more lessons, buy a better horse, practice more, BE BETTER and maybe you won't be so disappointed in your scores.

Like the 54% in out first Grand Prix. Yes he did all the movements,
but we just were not good enough for the 60.
(An a good photo demonstrating DAP+)

I realized ... well shit, the amount of complaining/blaming/blowing off of judges that I do is kind of shameful. There is plenty of it on this blog. I have never complained to officials of course, but plenty to my friends and on here.

Are there judges who are tougher than others? Yes of course. Are there judges who will simply not like your horse? Yes, probably.

But if I get a disappointing score, the hard truth is that I am simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH. 

I can spend all the time I want saying things like "the judge doesn't like my horse," "I won the warm up" "Well so and so big ass clinician said I was good" "The judge is drunk" "I don't understand this score" "The judge is biased and wants flashy gaits"

That is all a load of shit because the actual truth is pretty hard to admit to yourself.

A low score = you is not good enough.

So, as the new year approaches I am going to try very hard NOT to complain about the judge. To take low scores and work harder. To take the better scores and ... keeping working. And not let a judge get me down about my really nice horse, because that happens too. 

Maybe we will aim for Regionals in 2022!

Just chipping away. To be better.

And on that note, we are off to Aiken for 4 days! 

Actual interesting blog content to come.

Caught a vibe

Thanks to my friend who got this cool orb shot of the horses! haha

Hamp is back to full work! Schooling most of the FEI again, and doing as much trail riding as I can manage before the weather totally goes to shit.

Did some dressage on the hills at Flying Cross Farm while my eventer gals had a great
school! So pretty right now!

Do not question Reign of Porkchop

Taylorsville Lake State park was a nice ride!

You can sort of see the lake straight ahead

Speaking of my eventer friends, one of these ladies COERCED ME into going to Aiken for a short trip in December. I am telling you, she twisted my arm and held a gun to my head. Not left with a choice, I lined up some lessons and hopefully will give us a boost going into winter.

Argyle polos, but don't ask me to have matching bell boots. ugh

Just a reminder to live in the present. Live your life because it can change in an instant. Eat the french fries, take the chance, ride the dressage test even if you are not totally ready. Go to Aiken. If you have your health (and your horse's health) you are truly rich.

Live your dreams.

Off unemployment!

 

Hampton has re-joined the workforce!

He feels GREAT and while he is a bit out of shape, that's ok. We are going to live in 2nd/3rd level land for a little bit while he regains strength and fitness. I have had zero issues with stumbling, or weirdness or anything. He feels better than he has in at least a year. I could not be more excited. And Hampton seems fresh and happy and is no longer in pain.

I might already be making some adventure plans, too. <grin> 

Halloween sunrise on the farm.

Recovery Week 4

 

A Porkchop in the wild

Hampton was QUITE happy to have turn out time again! He has a couple more days in the small paddock and then on Wednesday he will be released back into the wild with his friends.

The first time I let him out for some turn out time, there was some ... theatrics ...

That's his hind legs .... above his head. Sigh.

But after about 5 minutes he calmed down and went right to grazing and has not had a case of the stupids since. 

His legs have stopped stocking up, too.

Gross and hairy

SO HAPPY TO BE OUTSIDE 

Annnnnd I have started riding him again! Starting out very light and easy but he feels sound, swingy and fresh. I have not felt this push in his gaits for probably a year. It makes me so happy to have him feeling so good! The time off seemed to have been very good for him and his body. Everything had a chance to heal and rest.

He is still enjoying being hairy and somewhat feral. I will probably clip him when he starts working hard enough to break a sweat. But for now, he looks like a fuzzy school horse and he is loving it haha.

So happy to have this view!

Now it's time to slowly build both of us back up. That means trail rides, poles, hills and long power walks.

I could not be more impressed with Hampton on how he handled this entire process. I guess I am not terribly surprised, given his nature. But you never know. He has never spent this much time in a stall ever in his life so that was an unknown. But he caused zero problems and I am so beyond thankful that he was so sensible and easy to deal with.

onward!