What a Difference a Julio Mendoza Clinic Makes!

After getting 57% at the Fix-A-Test, I took Cruz to a local schooling show for our first outing at Second Level test.

I really wanted to improve our score by at least two percentage points.

Show Number One

We just squeezed into the 60% bracket with our Second Level 1 test – my shoulder-ins were too much like shoulder-fores and received 5s. Then I dipped below that magic 60% in Second Level 2: my sad attempts at travers both received 4s, with the comments ‘not succeeded.’

Ouch!

Then Along Came Julio

However, I was booked into a two day clinic with Julio Mendoza, who’d been invited by a fellow PVDA Calvert Chapter member to visit our humble Southern Maryland area. I am so glad he did. He is a very upbeat, courteous and fun guy who wants riders and their horses to enjoy themselves.

Quick Background

Two days earlier I’d had a second lesson with a new instructor, as my former trainer was getting too busy with her competition circuit to devote regular time to teaching.

We were to ride shoulder-in and travers at walk on a 20 meter circle, punctuating the movements with halts.  This enabled me to concentrate on bending Cruz around my inside leg for the travers, and keeping a strong outside rein for the shoulder-in.

We then graduated to trotting the same exercise, alternating between compressing Cruz and releasing him forwards. His trot improved 1000%.

Back to Julio

So I warmed Cruz up in the same fashion at the clinic, and was thrilled when Julio continued during our session with the same exercises. But he did add some changes.

1. Bit Placement

First, he lowered the bit one hole in my gelding’s mouth. He explained to me that the area of the bar immediately in front of the horse’s teeth is very sensitive. By placing the bit further down, it was now resting on a less touchy part of his jaw.

Cruz immediately began to chew happily (and at our last show was actually foaming at the mouth!).

2. Hand Placement & Rein Function

Julio told me that I keep my hands too far apart. My outside hand should come almost to my horse’s mane and my inside hand should be close to it. The reins should also be held a little in front of the saddle.

One function of the outside rein is to lift the horse - together with the rider’s shoulders, core and lower back. This rein ‘belongs to the rider.’

The inside rein ‘belongs to the horse’ and one of its uses is to relax his top line.

Keeping my hands more together maintains the horse in a more condensed ‘packet.’ Julio had to constantly remind me to do this during the two days of the clinic, but I could feel a huge difference in my horse when I did as I was told.

3. Use of the Reins and Legs

Julio says the inside rein ‘belongs to the horse’ while the outside rein ‘belongs to the rider.’

The outside rein stays constant, supporting - but not holding - the horse. Since the aim is to get the horse to lighten up in front, any time he leans on either rein, release that rein a tiny bit before resuming contact. This takes away the horse’s prop so he has to carry himself.

The inside rein is the more playful rein, which releases as a reward to the horse when he bends, gives, etc. This doesn’t mean constantly messing about with it: just let it be softer/squeezed more than the outside rein so the horse gives to it and bends laterally.

At the same time the inside leg needs to urge the horse forwards and into the outside rein, while the outside leg supports him.

4. Shoulder-In and Travers

In the shoulder-in, I learned to maintain my inside leg behind the girth to keep the horse’s haunches out on the track, while my strong outside rein brought his shoulders in for enough angle. I also learned that I need more forward impulsion to perform a good shoulder-in.

For travers my horse needs to be properly bent around my inside leg, yet not over bent, laterally or horizontally. Again, with correct impulsion, Cruz found it easy to perform a correct travers.

5. Collected Trot

I needed a sharp reminder that ‘collected’ trot does not mean ‘slower’ trot!

My clue to having achieved collected trot was when Cruz moved forwards in a controlled fashion with so much bounce I could hardly sit it out! He became lighter in front, and moved laterally with ease. It was a great feeling. This trot also segued effortlessly into a spectacular medium trot.

The Second Show

Thanks to that clinic, at the following show I got 6s for my shoulder-ins (no more shoulder-fores) and 6.5 for my travers (goodbye to those 4s!).  

With expert guidance from Julio and my current instructor, Cruz and I are on truly en route to becoming a genuine Second Level partnership!

P.S. On the second day of the clinic, before our session began, a clap of thunder and instant downpour of rain on the indoor arena’s roof freaked Cruz out, and he took off!

When I finally brought him to a standstill, I leaped off and stood shaking while trying to reassure Cruz that all was well.

Julio gave me a kind hug, then hopped on Cruz for a while. It was lovely to see the horse go so well with a great rider! Julio was so calm that Cruz settled straight down to work and I was soon able to resume my lesson on him.

It drummed into me how staying calm oneself is vital to convincing the horse that there is nothing to worry about.

Clinic Notes: Cesar Parra

Cesar Parra came to Sharon Myers’ barn, Chimney Hill, in Upper Marlboro for a clinic on 20th and 21st April. Unfortunately I was only able to watch three horses’ rides. But, as always, I learned a lot in that short time.

Here are my notes - I hope some you find some of them useful.

Specific Issues

First Horse

This was a young horse with lovely movement in walk and trot, but a weak canter.

Improving the Canter

• Cesar told the rider to work on her horse's trot for several months, to strengthen the horse before asking for canter again.

• For homework he told her to work the horse in shoulder-in away from and facing the wall to change his muscle memory. This would enable him to approach canter work afresh.

• He also suggested lungeing the horse before riding.

Second Horse

An established Third Level gelding,

Bending and ‘Giving’

• When bending the horse, the outside rein must remain in strong, steady contact – without moving the hand forward – otherwise the horse won't give into that rein.

• The horse’s head must remain straight in the bend, not tipped to one side. Otherwise it is an evasion and not true acceptance of the outside rein.

• When the horse gives to the outside rein, the rider can give, too. But we need to appreciate the big difference between ‘giving’ and ‘throwing away the contact’. Giving with the hands is a slight easing of rein tension, not a loose rein.

• We should give with our hands every chance we get. When the horse learns to relax - without taking hold - he also learns to accept the giving as a reward.

Third Horse

Working at Prix St. George level.

Canter Pirouettes

The rider was having problems getting her horse to submit to the right outside rein in canter pirouettes.

Cesar had her walk the horse in a 10 meter circle with haunches in, then go into canter from walk, still keeping the haunches in WITH LOTS OF OUTSIDE REIN on the ten meter circle.

(I've watched Cesar giving lessons at his New Jersey barn, and his big issue with canter pirouettes is frequently the rider's insufficient outside rein.)

Tempi

For the flying changes the rider’s legs should move ‘like windshield wipers’ in the moment of change, rather than the huge leg and body movements one sees in some riders.

General Themes/Observations

Emotions

• Don’t take it personally when the horse doesn’t do as you ask.

• Don’t hold a grudge against the horse after corrections. Quickly regain your calm.

Quickness

A theme throughout was that we riders are too slow to react to the horse and make things happen. We need to be much more alert and reactive, without being hurried.

Work Less for More Results

The aim is to work less as a rider for more reaction from the horse.

Forward, Forward, Forward!

This was another constant theme running through the clinic.

• If the horse is sluggish off the leg, take both legs away and kick. Keep doing this until the horse reacts as soon as you simply take your legs off.

• Get the horse moving forward before all else. There is nothing to work with until the horse is doing this.

• Get the horse moving from freer shoulders.

Half-Halts

Get the horse sensitive to the half-halts: be dramatic with them if the horse doesn’t listen. The half-halts must come through!

The Whip

Get the horse to react to a touch of the whip. This way we can use it as an aid, not as a punishment, with just a light request.

Reins First

This is a difficult concept for those of us who were trained in the German fashion which dictates ‘applying as much or more leg as we hold with our hands.’ But most of us aren’t strong enough to do this.

So Cesar advocates getting the horse to come back ONLY WITH THE REINS. Then, when he is light in front, ask him to go forwards off the leg and seat.

This makes the horse much easier to ride.

Constantly Adjust

Keep making little adjustments while riding, testing the horse’s flexibility in the head and neck, or rebalancing him.

Lateral Flexion

Continually test the left and right lateral flexion in the horse, in all three gaits. Make sure the horse is supple and ready for any new movement.

Cruz Bay still looking supple today after working hard! 

The Warm-Up: Part III - Exercises for the Athletic/Easily Distracted Horse

I wrote in Part I that the warm-up phase for Cruz, my athletic and easily distracted horse requires more contact than for my husband's older and calmer horse.

Not only must I keep Cruz on a shorter rein, but I also need to keep his brain busy. Rather than riding large circles and asking for bend and stretch, I have to sneak up on him with more subtle suppling exercises.

To be honest, they keep my brain busy, too.

Walk Work is Under-rated!

I have a tendency to overuse my hands, which Cruz understandably resents. So I devised a sequence of movements to loosen his shoulders and neck without him getting bored. The advantage to me is that I must keep my hands quiet and be effective with my seat and leg. All my aids must be communicated to Cruz in a clear and unhurried way, so he can understand and obey them without resistance.  

Harry Boldt’s fantastic, but wildly expensive book “Das Dressur Pferd” explains how useful lateral walk work is for suppling the horse.

 The Exercises

1. I walk a few large circles before asking for leg yield on both reins - on a 'Training Level' contact. I try hard to keep my hands quiet and slightly in front of the saddle, so I’m not ‘in his face’ when I ask for the lateral movement. By asking for only slight inside flexion I avoid blocking his shoulder with a too tight inside rein. 
2. I then ask for shoulder-in on the long sides, in both directions. 
3. Now comes shoulder-in till the half-way point of the long sides (E/B) then an unhurried switch to travers (haunches-in). When Cruz is happy with this, I switch a couple of times between shoulder-in and travers on the long sides. 
4. As soon as Cruz is giving nicely to my quiet hands and listening to my leg and seat aids, I ride him down the center line in shoulder-in, then change to renvers (haunches-out) to make sure he’s supple in his neck and through his ribcage. I switch back and forth every few strides. (I got this idea from this YouTube video of Bent Branderup.) 
5. Once Cruz is bending without any resistance, I go down the center line again. This time I ask for shoulder-in followed by half-pass in walk to the right (his better side). I then come round and ask for half-pass to the left.

My gelding is now supple and willing to work long and low in all three gaits with a soft, round contact. Best of all, we’ve achieved our goal without a fight.

This may seem a somewhat back to front approach, but it works very well for us. Maybe it could help your horse and make the warm-up walk phase more interesting for you both?

The Warm-Up: Part I - Two Styles for Two Different Horses

We know that the warm-up for a dressage horse (or any horse for that matter) should be for 'as long as necessary and as short a time as possible.’ In my experience, depending on the type of horse, not only is the length of the warm-up going to vary, but also the method.

Cruz Bay is an 11 year old, athletic ¾ Thoroughbred. He often acts like a child with ADD and needs his attention focused quickly, and his energy channeled.

Callow Double Clover (aka CD) is my husband’s 17.2 hh Irish Draft/Thoroughbred cross. He’s 21 years old and very even-tempered with a touch of arthritis.

The two horses require very different warm-up approaches.

The Older/Calmer Horse

You can enjoy relaxing with a horse like CD at the beginning of each riding session.

But the big gray takes this one step further: unless you allow him to walk on a long rein for at least ten minutes, he’ll fight against any real contact. He can resist for hours without giving in!

But after you walk him on a light, almost non-existent contact for those ten minutes, he’ll accept a long and low frame, allow you to bend him left and right, and soon start to carry himself. He always honors his end of the deal if the rider does, too.

The More Athletic/Easily Distracted Horse

Cruz Bay is a more challenging animal. If I lead him down to the arena in just a halter, he’ll behave much better than if he’s bridled. He’s no dummy, and knows when Work is about to happen!

He’s not a good candidate for doodling at the start of a warm-up because he’s too likely to ‘spook’ at the trees swaying at one end, or imaginary deer rustling behind the bushes at the other. Cruz needs stronger contact with shorter reins than CD as soon as I’m mounted. It’s almost as if he feels more secure when I use a more masterful approach right from the get-go.

He’ll allow me to perform a series of warm-up exercises with him in a shorter frame, although I keep his poll below his withers at this stage. He needs the opposite of the light loose contact to relax him.

After five minutes or so of this he is more settled and focused, stretching down into a nice long frame on a lighter contact.

It’s been interesting to understand that although following the German Training Scale is a must when riding dressage, there are various ways to achieve each stage, depending on the temperament and athleticism of the horse.

Riding while being videoed

Two days ago I finally got my seventeen year old to tear himself away and take some footage of yours truly. I need it to post on YouTube at some point to link to my website, so people can see I'm not lying when I say I ride!

I'm also entertaining the idea of volunteering at a Thoroughbred Rescue center where they retrain OTTBs to become regular riding horses. The center needs a video of me riding, since the folks there are understandably wary of unknowns claiming they can ride well enough to be of any use.

I was pleasantly surprised at the result. Cruz behaved very well, so of course the batteries on my little hand-held device went dead after I began my canter work on the right lead. My son switched to the regular video camera which records on tape, but I have yet to discover (a) how to view it through the camera and (b) how to transfer it to the computer and thence to YouTube. I'm trying to get my son to film me again. Now all I need is no more rain, which started again with a vengeance today.

However, Cruz has been pretty good the past two days. He still tried it on with me in left canter after the filming stopped and took a while to convince that I was just going to sit there, quietly but firmly asking him to flex left and keep cantering without throwing a fit about it. Eventually he gave in.

Then yesterday we went through the two tests we have on Sunday, to finish. He had a bad moment but it was soon over. I was trying to keep things smooth as though I were in the ring, so as to know how to hide the fact that he's being difficult while bringing him round to my way of thinking.

I've been wearing my custom show boots again, and am so pleased that it's made no negative difference now. And the most wonderful thing of all is that yesterday I was able to sit quietly in all three gaits, without nagging with my legs. Cruz responded so well, by becoming ultra-sensitive to the lighest of pressure from my legs, encouraging me in this new and improved way of riding! I know he's thinking "It's about &^*$% time, Mom!"

So although my arena flooded again today, I have fond memories of yesterday to see me through to tomorrow.

I have been giving him Ex-Stress in preparation for the Equestrian Center on Sunday, just to help see him through the overnight stay and the day at the show.

Horse riding can be fun, after all!

Somehow I've managed to keep it all together for the last two days! Cruz spooked at a deer rustling in the trees by the entrance to my arena, and decided it was a good ruse to continue shying at that spot as soon as I asked him to start his trot work. He thought it was a fantastic idea to do the "I can't canter on the left lead here, because Something Bad is going to get me."

For the first time ever, I kept my hands in their correct position, and each time Cruz tried to throw his head up or evade me any other way, I just kept a steady even contact. Lo and behold! He gave in very quickly, after the first try during his trot warm up and a couple of attempts to evade me in left lead canter.

It was such a good feeling to have him submit without a fight!! I patted him and told him he was a good boy.  I could sense that by keeping a firm but not unkind hold on the reins, he felt reassured that I really was in charge and that there was nothing to worry about/no point trying it on!

Tomorrow I have a lesson and have told my instructor that I only hope I can show her what I've been bragging about, and not have it all fall apart under pressure!

Watch this space.

A Good Rider is a Good Leader

Have just come back from riding Cruz in the rain. Hey, we're both from England - we can take it!

I hope I'm not speaking too soon, but Cruz is in such a good mood and so co-operative that I'm in high hopes of a good show on Sunday. He's teaching me things he's tried to tell me for ever, but which I am only just now listening to. Poor Cruz has a rather dense mum.

I have a really irritating habit of adjusting my left rein all the time. I don't keep my fingers wrapped round it tightly enough and it gets longer as I ride, necessitating constant shortening. This means the left rein is never steady and annoys the heck out of Cruz. It has taken me years to figure out just how disconcerting it is for him, which is very embarrassing and makes me feel bad for him. So much of his anxiety in left canter can be traced to this one issue, plus not enough right rein.

What it boils down to is that Cruz has never had constant reassurance and true leadership from me. It's like being a girl with a dance partner who is supposed to lead but keeps changing his mind about where he wants to go or how to get there. He sometimes has his arm round your back, supporting it, then takes it away, then puts it back. Can you imagine how worrying that is, having no support from your partner and not knowing what's coming next, as you're never being properly prepared for the next step?

I'm working hard to be the reassuring, confident leader of our dance partnership, and keeping steady contact with my hands, appropriate leg pressure and bend/flexion, forward movement and preparing Cruz correctly and in timely fashion for transitions.

It's really working! 

He went long and low and stretched and bent in walk, trot and canter, snorting away and letting me know he approved of the New Me. His transitions were smooth, and even his first canters were easy to sit to, as he gave in his back early. Consquently I positioned my legs better in left canter, as I am just as right-handed as Cruz is and we both struggle on the left rein.

Once again, the session didn't need to be long. His work was just as good in sitting trot, and with my keeping a firm but soft hold on the left rein, he is happy to give to it in the canter transitions and stay flexed correctly to the left both on circles and on the straight.

I think I'm finally getting the hang of being a good leading dance partner. Even when he heard a deer moving in the woods and thought about taking off, he stayed calm because I kept him between my hands and legs.

Another good day!

Riding horses is about being grateful for any progress!

Cruz and I had our lesson, which was very hard work on both of us. My instructor showed me how to persevere without getting into an almighty fight, specifically maintaining my cool when Cruz doesn't care to bend or even remotely flex to the left.

The next day my rear end was so sore, I just rode in walk! But it was productive and I used the time to practice shoulder-in and renvers (I'm not very good at the latter yet, so walk is easier on the horse). The next day Cruz was much more co-operative and the week progressed well until we hit another brick wall. Cruz definitely has a work threshhold! He is now very good at counter canter on the left lead while bending inwards to the right! He much prefers that to a normal left lead canter. I persevered until I got a decent-ish left canter from a decent-ish right legyield, then stopped.

In my next lesson, I was shown how Cruz sets his neck in any given bend and doesn't care to change it. We worked on exercises to loosen his neck while riding long and low, all the way up to asking for more engagement and raising his poll. It was, once again, very hard work, but he began to give in his back as well as in his neck and jaw, and did some lovely work. I was able to sit quietly and ended on a high!

I was busy the next day, so he had time to recover. When I rode him again, I made sure to keep his neck and jaw supple while asking him to move forwards off my leg. Another thing I must keep in mind is that if he is going sufficiently forwards he won't feel that I'm getting 'in his face' when I ask strongly for any given bend if he doesn't give in easily. The whole ride was peaceful: Cruz listened to my requests very politely, gave the required bend, so that I was able to reduce that to flexion early on. AND, he gave me the most wonderful left canter. It took less than half an hour to reach this point, and I stopped then and there. Big pats and a walk around the neighborhood as a reward.

Cruz has continued for four days like this, and I am able to ride more quietly - at last - without getting after him. Another thing I have realized is that I am very unsteady with my left hand. I am beginning to appreciate how negatively this affects Cruz - heck, if I were a horse, I'd be a lot less tolerant than he is! I'm concentrating on keeping my left hand steady, especially through the upwards canter transition, when I've been giving the rein away and then trying to get it back after he's got upset. It's working a treat: if  I keep that steady contact even on the hated left rein, Cruz feels comfortable and flexes nicely to the left.

Of course, I need to watch that right rein! So much of my straightness 'issues' with Cruz result from a lack of sufficient right rein...Dressage is certainly never boring! But it feels great to look forward to my rides again, and not have to keep going ad nauseam just to correct some issue. My riding time has been cut almost in half at the moment. That'll change as I introduce more work, but for now I want Cruz to feel that it's all easy for him and that his canter work is no big deal.

I have a show coming up on Sunday next. I'm in the PVDA Chapter Challenge Show on November 1st. My team is riding Training Level so that we are all able to compete together. I'm riding the same tests this Sunday as a practice for the November show. Given the way Cruz is going. I'm hopeful that we'll do well.

Interestingly I've found that wearing my super warm winter riding boots has improved my leg position.

A Much Happier Day

Today I was determined to stay friends with Cruz and I succeeded. It was a windy day so I stayed in the upper two thirds of the arena to save any distractions for him, since he was threatening to be distracted and I wanted to keep things calm and concentrated.

I worked him long and low in walk and he bent fine to left and right, as he did in trot. I cantered him first on the right lead, a couple of times, and then walked on a long rein to take a break. I didn't want him anticipating left canter and getting worked up ahead of time, which he does very easily.

So when I asked for the left canter lead a few minutes later, he stayed straight and slightly bent to the left. I was careful not to ask for too much bend. I patted him like crazy afterwards, then worked on the right rein in trot, and the left. I found that if I now kept the right (outside) rein consistent and vibrated/squeezed the left rein he reacted well. I cantered him one last time on the left rein and Cruz was willing to give a little bit more. He still threatened to throw his head up, but I managed through squeezing the left rein to prevent it and have him give in gracefully. I stopped right there.

Big pats, time for a wash down followed by tea and turn out.

I hope tomorrow's lesson goes as well. I also hope my son Ross passes his driving test. He has to wait another three months otherwise, as Maryland law has changed.

A royal disagreement!

On Saturday Cruz decided that he was NOT going to bend left in left canter. He was very happy to bend to the right, even in counter canter, but not to the left. I must have ridden him for two hours in the rain, trying to find a way for him to accept the left bend. He finally agreed to bend left if I rode him long and very low, but as soon as I asked him to hold himself even a little higher, it was all over.

I was worried about what the neighbors thought, watching me turn him in left circles and pushing my left leg into him about every two minutes!

Because of all this, he did some fairly decent leg yields as long as I rode him straight, not bending to the left!!

So I ended being satisfied with those, although really frustrated over the left canter. It seems to rear its ugly head every so often. Cruz does find it difficult.

Sunday I was off in Norfolk at a Barnes & Noble book fair, so he had a day to recover, together with a lot of arnica. Today I lunged him, reeling him in more and more on the left - but still not particularly short - and he gave me grief about that left lead in canter again. Eventually he gave in, and I stopped. But it took a long time. I hope I can ride him tomorrow in a more friendly manner, the way I did at the show after a bad day on the eve of the competition. He seemed to agree to a truce that day: I'm looking for that tomorrow! We'll see.

The Show Results Are In!

Yesterday was a good day. I managed to watch a friend ride her new mare at Training Level for the first time, and was able to read her first test. She did really well. The mare is very forward going, so my friend is being careful not to sit deep in the saddle yet. But they got good scores for both their rides.

I went home to fetch Cruz, who behaved really well. He warmed up without a trace of tension or resentment after our less than happy session at home the day before. I tried hard to use my inside leg every time I asked for a bend left or right, and be soft with the hand asking for the bend. Cruz was a trooper and gave in graciously. His canter strike offs were great, as well.

But my stirrups were, once again, too long!! One of these days I'll be relaxed enough not to have to shorten them a hole at a show.

I worked him in the indoor and walked him outside alternately, and took him round the ring during the lunch break. He was very calm, and did a good first test (First Level 1). The only really bad movement was the rising trot on a long rein: I got a 5, which is sad, as we've got 8s before, and that score is multiplied by 2.

The rider between that and my next test was a no-show, so they wanted me to go straight back in. I hadn't practised my leg yields. So I rode to the indoor, and immediately asked for trot, and a left and right leg yield.
They were brilliant!

So of course, in the test the right leg yield was horrible! I can't have set him up correctly for it. But I took a deep breath, straightened him up, and got a clean canter strike-off to the left. I've never been able to salvage the canter and ensuing 15 meter circle after a bad leg yield. So that's a big plus. The left leg yield was pretty good, and I got the canter fine afterwards. We've made progress.

Still got a 5 for the stretching trot circle. Need to work on that. I also need more submission. I took Cruz back to the indoor and asked for the right leg yield again. He was suddenly a lot softer than before, and gave me an exceptionally nice one. I was told by the judge not to bend him inwards so much for the leg yields. She also said that he would have gone better in a third test. If we'd had more time to prepare for the second test, he may have been really submissive before I went in. Maybe this points to taking even longer to warm him up before his next test.

But I got a 7 for my riding (x 3) on both tests, which was a huge improvement on the 5 I got last time! Final results were 64% and 62.5%. There were three people riding at First Level: me, the no-show and myself. So I got a first and second place ribbon, plus a PVDA medal.

I celebrated with a venti frapuccino chai tea at Starbucks and sat outside in the sun doing the crossword. Embarrassingly I was late for afternoon Mass, but a friend sat with me and made me feel better.

A good day, and I'm really feeling that Cruz and I have made a small, but significant breakthrough.

He was also very co-operative on the lunge today. I would normally have given him the day off, but I have a lesson tomorrow and Sharon asked me to exercise him even though he was just at a show. He moved well, and I didn't push him for long.

So we're good friends, still, and I so hope we can move onto the exercise leading into half-pass tomorrow. Then I'll really feel we've moved forward!

P.S. CD's eye is doing much better. He's not so sensitive about my touching it to put cream in, and he's also keeping it open. I'm continuing with the homeopathy for a few more days until he seems out of danger. I don't want this episode to set off another outbreak of moonblindness because of eye trauma.

A Scary Interlude

Yesterday I was trailering Cruz to a lesson. En route I had to brake (luckily not for an emergency stop) and my foot depressed almost to the floor before anything happened. Even then, the stopping power was negligible.

I was on my way and decided to continue, thinking that I only needed to adjust the setting of the electric brake box linking to my trailer's brakes. When I got to a quieter part of the route I played with the settings, but that made no difference.

I forced myself to concentrate on the lesson, then worry about the brakes on the way home.

During the lesson I was made aware of how little my left leg does. I need to keep my left calf on the horse, which putting my whip in my left hand will help.

We worked on leg yields, which we both find difficult to the right, as Cruz doesn't move off my left leg. Not surprising as I've never really asked him to! He got pretty pissy when I insisted, both in trot and in canter, but we got through the "no way am I doing this, mom" barrier and developed some exciting bend and thrust in both gaits. My homework is clear! I need to work on it today without upsetting Cruz as we have a show tomorrow, First Level 1 and 2. All I want is NO BLOW UPS during the test. Total submission would be a terrific bonus, too!

Anyway, I started off home, with my brakes soft and virtually non-existent. I got pretty scared, and drove ultra cautiously, keeping a good distance between me and the vehicle in front, and slowing down early for approaching downhill slopes.

As soon as I'd unhitched the trailer, I drove my Expedition to the auto mechanic, who is thankfully very close to my house. He's also next to the dog grooming parlor, so I took my Border Collie, Ruggles aka Fatso, to get his hair shaved off, as he's getting hot and bothered this summer. So I killed two birds with one stone.

It turned out that some screw or other had got grungy or loose or something. It was quickly fixed  at no charge (hurray!) and I drove home with real brake power. I now don't have to try and beg, borrow or steal a towing vehicle for the show tomorrow!

Wish me luck and I'll write an update tomorrow evening.

Dr. Cesar Parra's Dressage Clinic

Yesterday and today I audited Cesar's dressage clinic at my instructor's barn - Sharon Myer's Chimney Hill Farm. As always, he was very informative, interesting and amusing! Cesar comes up with great anecdotes to prove points he's making.

Here are some of the things he is keen on/exercises he uses:

1.  Bend inwards - exaggerate this while warming up the horse.
2.  Work very long and low at the beginning to stretch the horse. This may initially be a little painful, as for people, but the horse works through the pain barrier and becomes looser and freer.
3. When walking after the first warm up phase, keep the horse on a reasonable contact. He's not worked hard enough to be really listening to the rider, and is still easily distracted. Also, keep him busy, even now. Bend him left and right, walk in circles, left and right, to keep his mind on the job.
4. Concentrate on one higher level movement per riding session (unless you have a show that weekend and need to put it all together) so the horse remains fresh and not mentally overloaded.
5. The horse can't stay up and round for long periods of time (another reason for 4. above) so don't spend too long in that frame. Give the horse frequent breaks.
6. When working on a tougher movement, do it three times then let it go! Tomorrow is another day.
7. If the horse misbehaves, GO FORWARD. Don't stop and regroup, go forward and regroup. Also, use the inside leg to get the horse's attention while bending him inwards if he's being difficult (threatening to buck, etc.) and if you get the poll up he cannot buck. Be quick to forgive and relax again as soon as the horse submits.
8.GREAT EXERCISE TO INTRODUCE TROT HALF-PASS:
Trot across the diagonal, come away from the long side in leg yield exaggerating the outside bend like crazy. From the short side go up the center line, still bent (now it's the inside) and push the horse over in half-pass.
Same works for canter half-pass.
9. Cesar addressed the issue of a horse not wanting to work harder once the long and low phase is over. He says none of us wants to work harder, but we need to in order to attain our goals. Also this is a reason not to overdo the tough stuff in any given session.
10. Emphasizes value of prayer and singlemindedness in achieving goals.

Let's see if I can reproduce that at home by myself!

Back in the Saddle after Two Days Off

The past few days have been spent anxiously awaiting a call from my farrier. I missed the last appointment, so it was my own fault that I had three horses overdue for shoeing for more than a week! So after that last great lesson when it rained non-stop and I was worried about the shoes, I didn't ride.

But the farrier came yesterday - hurray! And it stopped raining today - hurray again! Not only that, but my  arena had dried out sufficiently to be rideable. So I was able to get on my horse again, which is a good thing as we have a show coming up next weekend. He was well-behaved for a Thoroughbred cross who had been off work for more than 24 hours.

Cruz was a little unhappy with his left canter lead, but surprised me by being balanced and co-operative again when I did that counter canter exercise. I have aspirations to enter a Second Level test before the end of the year, and already the lowest level one needs a serpentine in counter canter with three loops. Now I feel that maybe - just maybe - we'll sneak that test in before the end of 2009. Even if we don't quite make it by then, I still know that it's not an unrealistic goal for the near future.

I was very proud of Cruz for having such a great attitude. He's got a decent shoulder-in and we're working well on walk to canter strike-offs. Now I need to quietly and clearly teach him to back up without making him anxious or think that I'm going to ask him to back up every time we halt. I'm learning that he listens much more than I've given him credit for. And he's always so cuddly after exercise.

Another good day!

A great dressage lesson!

Yesterday I took Cruz for a midday dressage lesson. He'd had the previous day off, because he's due for shoeing and I wanted to make sure his shoes were O.K. for my first lesson in a month.

He was an absolute star. As usual I needed to work on using that right rein, which he has trouble accepting and which is essential to keeping him straight. He bends nicely to the right, but has difficulty to the left, going out over the shoulder because I don't support him enough with the right/outside rein.

But boy, once he straightens out and all his pushing power propels him forward, what a different horse he is! It's really exciting to ride him when his back gives and he's motoring. Looking in the mirror, I see a horse with great presence.

He still tries to put his head up when I go down the long side, and I have to concentrate on 'riding every stride' instead of thinking "ah! I got it!" and relaxing too much. That's the moment Cruz is looking for and he's so very good at taking advantage of the loophole I'm giving him.

I'm taking a long time to accept just how hard I need to work to get results!  My instructor told me to ask for energetic walk right from the start, and encourage Cruz to loosen up.

We did a new exercise to loosen his back in canter. Just as in trot, he has a hard time bending to the left on the left rein. So my instructor had me canter on his good lead, the right, do a loop and come back to the track half way down the long side, counter canter in a shallow loop, then continue on a twenty meter circle in counter canter, asking for bend to the left - while making sure to keep my left leg back and more weight on my right (inside) hip. Although he found it difficult, Cruz was very obliging and tried his heart out. When we did this on his left (bad) lead and came back  to true canter, he found it so much easier than counter canter, that he performed a beautiful, rhythmic and balanced left lead canter. I was thrilled with him!

So now I have my homework before my next lesson.

Making friends with my horse again

It's sometimes hard to understand the difference between total commitment to a goal and overworking it.

My aim this year, as a dressage rider who bred and trained her own horse, was to move up from First to Second Level. In pursuit of that I forgot that Cruz Bay, who is the beautiful boy in the photo with me, and the son of the most wonderful mare in the universe, is a horse. He's not a machine, he used to event with me and enjoyed it. He's asking why he only gets to go into the riding arena every day instead of going on trail rides and jumping sometimes, too.

We had one good show out of three this season, when he finally got to warm up on grass. He even gave a little buck of joy! We won that class with high marks, but bombed at the next one.

I went home with my tail between my legs. Then I asked myself why we'd done so well two years ago, winning every show we went to. The answer seemed simple. That amazingly successful year, Cruz and I had been through a lot, but included in his daily routine was lots of jumping and trail riding. Fun stuff.

I also used to ride him in a happy mouth, which I'd changed for a double-jointed French snaffle for more leverage. My spurs were now longer with rowels, too.

Now I've put the happy mouth back in, and am wearing the short spurs. Cruz and I have a jumping session once a week, and go on weekly trail rides. We're working hard at that dressage, too. But I'm back to having fun with my horse again, and being friends with him.

My riding seems to have improved. I'm more relaxed now, and quieter in the saddle.

I have a show on 20th September. Let's see whether we do better this time.

If anyone has had similar experiences with their horses I'd love to hear about it!