Another intense lesson. I expect that with show season starting and many of the riders looking to get into showing either hunter or jumper this season, even my lessons will incorporate a lot of the same elements. After all, I did say I wanted to be able to successfully jump a 2'3" course this season!
This lesson started with the usual flat work at posting trot and seated trot... even alternating between the two. We also add in some trot without stirrups and focus on pushing our weight down through our heels to keep balanced. I find trotting without stirrups still easier to ride than bareback--which easily unseats me.
The 3 jumps from the previous lesson are still up so we use these to work on the same exercises. The lesson starts with the same exercise as last time where we trot over the figure 8 by going over the pole in the middle of the arena. This exercise is cleaner than it was last time... my turns were flowing and smooth. Next, we increase the difficulty by including the other 2 Xs and it is the figure 8 going over 3 of the X jumps. My "jumping" is becoming cleaner and I'm not having as much trouble with the landing... however, these are still on the low end of things so mastering these are imperative to move forward and up.
I'm as stunned as Bucky is, that I was successful this time around!
Now comes the biggest accomplishment this season, so far, cantering the figure 8 at the canter and using a simple change at the trot, over the X in the middle. The last time I tried to do this was last summer and it was impossible for me to accomplish the simple change over the middle. First, Ariel doesn't like to transition down into the trot b/c she's already not really a fan of the trot. I have to really get her ready as we're coming around the corner and approaching the middle pole. Despite the flashback of last year's outcome, I was successful and we were able to mostly achieve what we set out to do! I certainly feel pretty good about my progress because last year this sort of thing was still a struggle to do.
Another double blog instalment! Last Thursday, I didn't have a formal lesson and instead, went out on a hack with J and G. It's fly season in Ontario, everybody. I didn't realize that or at least didn't realize how bad it could be. My past experiences with the bush and flies was fairly limited to a small facility and we never went out on hacks. The horses there were typical schoolies and were used in many lessons a week so someone else was usually first at getting them fly sprayed etc. Since moving to Gosling Stables, that has changed and there are so many more opportunities to learn about caring for the horse and what exactly is involved from a rider. The facility (in terms of number of students/boarders going through) is much smaller and more of a family atmosphere so riders have many more opportunities to "get your hands dirty" and do it all.
Getting back to the ride... I didn't realize what a challenge it might be, with a sensitive bossy-pants like Ariel sans fly spray (newbie mistake!). I didn't realize it right away but as soon as we entered the bush, Ariel lost her sh*t. She was bunny hopping and stomping her feet, shaking her head and telling me she wanted to just go home (sounds a little like what I'd do...). It made for a frustrating, nerve-wrecking first part of the ride and I was really not having a good time because it's impossible to out-muscle a +900lbs animal that had her thoughts centered on NOT being itchy. Challenge accepted, Ariel. I was determined to get through this hack without losing my cool or tumbling off, again. I had to be reminded to keep my heels down when Ariel was yanking her head down and trying to scratch against anything she could. Eventually, we came to a semi-mutual understanding where I compromised and let her walk through the tall grasses when we could, but did remind her that we're going my way whether she likes it or not. It was a challenging hack because I had more focus on trying to maintain my butt in the saddle and also keeping Miss Ariel's mind off being so darned itchy. To try and alleviate the itching for her, whenever I saw a bug land on her neck, shoulders or rump, I was killing these critters. When we did emerge from the bush, both Ariel and I were covered in spots of blood where I killed the bugs and both itching like we took a liberal tumble through a patch of poison ivy.
I have not since stopped itching and there are red welts and my knees look chewed up. By Sunday, I was determined to get fly spray and not head back on a hack until we were both generously coated with fly spray. But, bugs weren't the problem, come Sunday... the heat and humidity was thick and I was sticking to EVERYTHING I had on, and Ariel was taking a nap in the cross-ties during tack-up. When K, +ADW and I entered the ring (thank heavens we weren't riding outside...), the three of us were just standing there with our horses looking like the lesson had just ended. LOL. Not only were the horses ready to call it a day, but we were already drenched in our own sweat!
Getting started was tough for everyone... the horses weren't the only ones who didn't feel like working. The warm-up was practically not necessary with the heat lingering in the air which was actually a good thing because we quickly moved into the canter. Ariel is falling in on the right rein even though I was using as much inside leg as humanly possible! I think I'll try a "pulsing action" with my leg instead so that she doesn't have the opportunity to lean on my leg while I'm trying to get her to straighten up, and even MORE prep time before getting into corners. This was a rather fruitful lesson because next, I'm told to canter into the vertical jump and just ride it through again and again... it was the perfect height of low intimidation so I wasn't cursing while riding into the fence. I managed two very successful rides over the jump even with a crappy turn in and a shorting of the end of the line. I was very pleased with myself and realized that at a canter, everything comes sooner! You have little time to think about what's coming up next and just have to react. It was exactly as I needed. Next, we get into the simple changes again... and let me tell you, it was a miserable mess for all three of us. The horses were taking short corners and the nice plump 8 turned into a very skinny linear looking 8. So, gears down and we trotted the pattern instead. Hopefully by next lesson, that figure will look as intended and at the canter.
I finally made the effort to download a photo (not mine) of Ariel for those who are curious about this sassy little mare that has been teaching me so much about patience, listening, communicating clearly and just learning about horses and riding.
I really enjoy having two lessons a week (and I'd like even more, to be able to ride more frequently *hint hint*) but how could I possibly keep up with all the blogging? This post alone is detailing the accounts of two lessons because I forgot about posting Thursday's lesson. Getting right into it...
Thursday's lesson was focused on jumping. I tend to do a lot of jumping when G rides. It makes sense since she's been riding for well over 5 years and that's her main focus. So, today's eventual aim was a small course of X's at a controlled pace. G's horse, Molson, (the same one that +ADW rides too) likes to rush his fences and Ariel speeds up and just "wants me to shut up, sit there and let her do her thing". We started in pieces with a single jump first at the trot, then cantering out and coming back. Then we proceeded to add one jump after another where we would canter out and trot in until we finally have 4 jumps set-up throughout the arena.
The rides in and out continue to be issues for me to get Ariel listening to what I want and once, she almost threw me because I wasn't looking where I wanted to go and she insisted on going the other way and I wasn't prepared. I was fortunate that I didn't land on my butt. My 2-point was also lacking some where I would occasionally jump before Ariel or got left behind. It's as if I have to stop anticipating the jump and just let things happen... it's what Sheri said to us before... "...a jump is just another stride. Don't think about it as anything else." When I don't, I over-think and the anticipation interferes with my position. I need to work on my ride out to ensure that Ariel listens to me and doesn't get any of her bossy-pants ideas about what SHOULD be done. I'm reminded that I should be the boss and whatever I want, I get. A tough lesson to think about because she's mostly good but there are occasions where I let her do the thinking and that's exactly when we get into trouble. It's kind of like when you and your partner both are doing something and say nothing about the next steps but expect the other to know and when it doesn't go as you (and they) anticipated, then things get messy because you're trying to fix the incorrect outcome.
That was just Thursday's lesson and now we talk about today's lesson... I went in reminding myself that I am boss and what I want, I get Ariel to do for us. So, while she was falling in on some corners, I take the next return round to ask her to do exactly as I wanted. I went into this lesson thinking, every movement is an opportunity to reinforce what I want her to do. Plan, prepare, execute and sometimes reinforce (PPE-R). I notice that the lesson started out a bit messy but each time I took to PPE-R with Ariel meant more success the next turn and she was indeed, listening to me. We still disagreed some--especially at the more complicated exercise but she was doing as I asked and control was regained on my part.
The exercise we did today was a continuation of the simple changes we were doing last week and the objective was to have them do a couple trot steps over the trot poles places on the diagonal and the simple change would be executed. My transitions were pretty good today because I managed to set Ariel up for the canter transition up and the only problem was that she was getting snarky about falling in or cutting corners so I had to remember to remind her to do the correct action (e.g. staying straight instead of falling in). It was certainly a tough lesson but I realized one thing: I have to employ my process of PPE-R at all times and anticipate when Ariel might try and do something tricksy so I could appropriately act with "R" before she got her way.
This post is a bit late so I'm not sure what exactly I recall from the lesson. What I remember is that we have to get to the stable earlier still. We rode in the outdoor arena our goal for the lesson was simple changes on the diagonal this time. Last time we were doing them on a figure 8 so there was a corner to use to get out. That helps the horse to pick up the correct diagonal because they are already bending the direction they need to be. But, with a diagonal, it's a straight away because the objective is to take 2-3 strides in the middle and then re-initiate the canter as you are coming into the corner. I had trouble last time so it wasn't encouraging that I'd be able to do what's necessary this time either.
And surprise! (not really) I had difficulty getting this exercise done as outlined. Ariel was being her usual "know it all" self and was doing auto lead changes instead of slowing to a trot over the arena diagonal... *siiigh* It got to the point where we had to walk across the diagonal and then pick up the canter coming out of the corner. Ugh, I was so frustrated though... because not only was I struggling with the exercise, but initiating the canter with her on the right rein was not going well at all! I was apparently not giving the appropriate aids and we were falling all over the place. I'm not surprised because she was really screwing around with me up there!!! She actually made it difficult for me to get set-up properly!
All in all, I managed to get the diagonal part right but the rest of it was a mess. I have to take even more control of Ariel because she keeps taking control of the situation and insisting on her way.
Friday's lesson had a good build up to the eventual goal.
I started the lesson by jogging Ariel around the arena, on foot; I work to get me limbered up a bit. Once I climb on I start at a walk to get in the right mind set... breathing and ensuring that my posture was in the right places. Once I get into a good trot, Sheri has me focusing on lengthening and compressing Ariel's strides so that we can get a lengthened trot that is relaxed with her stretching and reaching forward. I also work on alternating between the compressed and lengthened tempo.
The next step is transferring the calm, lengthened trot into a calm lengthened canter. I take a few rounds large and since Ariel's mind-set is there, we successfully manage a composed canter that didn't look like something itched her leg and had her shooting forward. This is also the first time I learned the "simple change"
Working on the simple change just as the rider above is: with a figure 8 where you'd canter around the short end of the arena and then, instead of going big, you cut diagonally across the middle and transition down to a trot and then re-initiate the canter at the end of the diagonal. It's a lot tougher than it looks, that's for sure. Plus, I've still got to work on my gait transitions so that Ariel actually slows down when I ask her to and goes when I ask her to as well.
The last section of our lesson is where I work up to 3 low x-jumps set in succession of one another; this exercise is called "bounces" where the jumps are spaced just far enough that the horse is left with enough space to simply land on their front feet and then take off with their hind. It's a great exercise that is great to help you with a 2-point and your balance as a rider (and horse). I also noticed when my heel was actually lifting up and my weight was thus shifting. We end with a great round where Ariel decides to take the bounces in canter and then continue through! I admit, that was not something I was prepared for and certainly found myself more flustered than when I felt in control at the trot! Nevertheless, it is an exhilarating feeling and when you get that crest release right too... it's brilliant.
=====
Today, I woke up with Buckingham snoozing on my belly and when I tried to sit up, I notice my abs a little sore. I deduced that it could only be my lesson from yesterday because I didn't do anything else recently but couldn't figure out what it was that I did that would have caused it; there wasn't a single exercise that I could think of as there was nothing I worked on excessively.
It's a busy afternoon at the stable with a trillium show tomorrow! I'm not showing (not at that level!) but it's neat to see the stable abuzz with students prepping and braiding and getting in their last practice/lessons. +ADW and I have get into our lesson with Ariel and a new mare named Georgia--a draft cross. After our usual warm-up, we got into our canter and went large around the arena. It was tougher today to keep Ariel in check and she was doing some unusual things... I'm sure it wasn't all her and I was likely pinching my knees or something else but geez, she was pretty unruly at times. I had to recollect several instances!
Our final goal was a low x-jump. Several times I ended up on her neck or I took off before she did or even got left behind. A big contrast to how good I felt, from yesterday's lesson! However, Sheri told me that I can't seem to get myself up fast enough after the landing and it has a lot to do with (wait for it...) my ab muscles! Or lack thereof :\ That's right folks, the proof is in the pudding... my jelly-belly.
I also lack a visual focal point when I jump and I tend to drop my gaze at the jump... which is no good b/c I don't have anything to 'ride towards'. But it's a lot going on at once so I'll take it one at a time... next lesson I'm aiming or a spot and meanwhile, I'll be inputting a LOT of core work to make me nice and strong and that should come with time.
Posting Diagonal Jar Tally: = 5 (2 lessons) x $2.00 = $10.00
To date: $111.00
