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.
Showing posts with label canter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canter. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Quick! Ride before it rains again!
Yesterday was frustrating: I wanted to soldify the lessons learned the day before, and ended up waiting for the plumber all day. Allegedly he was going to arrive within 2 hours of 11:30 a.m. Time to ride after he's finished before the sun goes down, I thought. Well, he didn't get here till at 5 p.m.
Then today, Sunday, it didn't rain until we'd been to Starbucks and had our coffee and done the crossword. I was livid! I have the show next weekend and need to keep Cruz going. Luckily the rain stopped for long enough to bring the horses in, give them hay and let them dry off before I rode.
The wind was blowing very hard, in big gusts, and Cruz thought it a reason for spooking at the end of my arena as usual. But he behaved very well about being mounted and walking off, and after that he only tried it on when we came to that end of the arena. He tried very hard at the left canter, as usual, but I persevered and he gave in quite quickly. I made sure he would behave round that corner and then cantered him quite a bit more to make sure he would keep it up.
I then brought him back to trot and he was fantastic!! He was supple and round and in front of the leg.
I did some work in sitting trot and made sure he'd transition into canter on both leads with no argument.
Cruz was great, and we finished on a good note.
Then today, Sunday, it didn't rain until we'd been to Starbucks and had our coffee and done the crossword. I was livid! I have the show next weekend and need to keep Cruz going. Luckily the rain stopped for long enough to bring the horses in, give them hay and let them dry off before I rode.
The wind was blowing very hard, in big gusts, and Cruz thought it a reason for spooking at the end of my arena as usual. But he behaved very well about being mounted and walking off, and after that he only tried it on when we came to that end of the arena. He tried very hard at the left canter, as usual, but I persevered and he gave in quite quickly. I made sure he would behave round that corner and then cantered him quite a bit more to make sure he would keep it up.
I then brought him back to trot and he was fantastic!! He was supple and round and in front of the leg.
I did some work in sitting trot and made sure he'd transition into canter on both leads with no argument.
Cruz was great, and we finished on a good note.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Riding Lesson notes
Today's lesson was, as usual, very educational and humbling! Let's see if I can remember everything.
We concentrated on getting me to look up instead of at Cruz's neck and react to the feel of him in the reins. I can assess what's going on and adjust my riding much faster this way.
1. I need to ask Cruz to give on the right rein until he does it. Whether I'm riding to the left or right, I need to get him to submit to the right rein. Once he does, he gives in the back and is more supple - in all gaits.
2. When he doesn't want to bend left (once we start what he considers to be 'work') I mustn't turn him in small circles while emphasizing my left rein and asking him to get off my left leg. This makes him more unbalanced, and upsets him. I need to work him on a larger circle where he has a chance of co-operating, and loosen my upper thigh, while keeping my legs quiet. I have a habit of using too much left leg, which encourages him to move sideways.
3. Moving sideways instead of forwards as asked means he is behind the leg and able to evade my aids. I must keep him in front of my leg and using his rear end, then he won't feel I'm in his face and will be better able to co-operate.
3. When I asked him for left canter from walk he got discombobulated very fast. If this happens, I need to stay calm, keep my left rein asking for inside bend, loosen my thighs and relax my legs again. Just stay like that and he'll give in graciously, without a fight. It really worked.
4. Maintain that right rein (without giving up the left rein) while cantering down the long side in left lead. If necessary, move his head left and right - just minimally - to keep him supple in the neck and round and giving his back. Same goes for right lead canter, but he did that better anyway, 'cos it's easy for him.
5. Cruz doesn't want to get underneath himself in canter, so he tends to rush down the long side. I have to make sure I get him round, and with half-halts bring him into a more balanced canter. At one point he did a flying change from left to right lead to get out of cantering to the dreaded left! That was a first.
6. As a general rule, use shoulder fore whenever I'm riding down the long side.
7. Use shoulder fore coming onto the quarter line and moving into leg yield. Look where I'm going, so we don't overshoot the quarter line and go round in a circle again. Keep the outside rein guiding the horse on the line I want to take, maintain the shoulder fore and ask him to move laterally.
8. When in sitting trot in the final phase, ask him to lengthen and shorten (not 'go faster' or 'more slowly' because the impulsion and activity have to remain the same) to get him used to bringing his hocks underneath himself and strengthening his hind end.
Great trot, square halt, big pats with sugar and walking to cool him off.
We concentrated on getting me to look up instead of at Cruz's neck and react to the feel of him in the reins. I can assess what's going on and adjust my riding much faster this way.
1. I need to ask Cruz to give on the right rein until he does it. Whether I'm riding to the left or right, I need to get him to submit to the right rein. Once he does, he gives in the back and is more supple - in all gaits.
2. When he doesn't want to bend left (once we start what he considers to be 'work') I mustn't turn him in small circles while emphasizing my left rein and asking him to get off my left leg. This makes him more unbalanced, and upsets him. I need to work him on a larger circle where he has a chance of co-operating, and loosen my upper thigh, while keeping my legs quiet. I have a habit of using too much left leg, which encourages him to move sideways.
3. Moving sideways instead of forwards as asked means he is behind the leg and able to evade my aids. I must keep him in front of my leg and using his rear end, then he won't feel I'm in his face and will be better able to co-operate.
3. When I asked him for left canter from walk he got discombobulated very fast. If this happens, I need to stay calm, keep my left rein asking for inside bend, loosen my thighs and relax my legs again. Just stay like that and he'll give in graciously, without a fight. It really worked.
4. Maintain that right rein (without giving up the left rein) while cantering down the long side in left lead. If necessary, move his head left and right - just minimally - to keep him supple in the neck and round and giving his back. Same goes for right lead canter, but he did that better anyway, 'cos it's easy for him.
5. Cruz doesn't want to get underneath himself in canter, so he tends to rush down the long side. I have to make sure I get him round, and with half-halts bring him into a more balanced canter. At one point he did a flying change from left to right lead to get out of cantering to the dreaded left! That was a first.
6. As a general rule, use shoulder fore whenever I'm riding down the long side.
7. Use shoulder fore coming onto the quarter line and moving into leg yield. Look where I'm going, so we don't overshoot the quarter line and go round in a circle again. Keep the outside rein guiding the horse on the line I want to take, maintain the shoulder fore and ask him to move laterally.
8. When in sitting trot in the final phase, ask him to lengthen and shorten (not 'go faster' or 'more slowly' because the impulsion and activity have to remain the same) to get him used to bringing his hocks underneath himself and strengthening his hind end.
Great trot, square halt, big pats with sugar and walking to cool him off.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Steady hands, happy horse!
It was so good to get back in the saddle today after 96 hours of torrential rain. The previously half-full water troughs were overflowing. Although my arena wasn't completely dry, it was very rideable.
Cruz was just wonderful again. He stretched down into the steady contact my hands are finally offering, bent easily to the left and right, cruised smoothly into canter on both reins and snorted happily all the while.
And the main reason for this: STEADY HANDS!!! Why, oh why did I never pay sufficient attention to my hands before these past few weeks? All Cruz has ever asked of me - well, one of the things he requires - is constant support from yours truly. Now he knows where to put his head, he's happy to do it.
End of ride: lots of pats while walking him off. Dismount, loosen girth, flash and cavesson, many apple chunks and hugs in thanks. We both admired the beautiful sunset to our right as we walked side by side up to the barn, with the obligatory stop to poop in my driveway (by Cruz, not me!).
Cruz was just wonderful again. He stretched down into the steady contact my hands are finally offering, bent easily to the left and right, cruised smoothly into canter on both reins and snorted happily all the while.
And the main reason for this: STEADY HANDS!!! Why, oh why did I never pay sufficient attention to my hands before these past few weeks? All Cruz has ever asked of me - well, one of the things he requires - is constant support from yours truly. Now he knows where to put his head, he's happy to do it.
End of ride: lots of pats while walking him off. Dismount, loosen girth, flash and cavesson, many apple chunks and hugs in thanks. We both admired the beautiful sunset to our right as we walked side by side up to the barn, with the obligatory stop to poop in my driveway (by Cruz, not me!).
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
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!
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!
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