My Thursday lessons are typically jumping lessons. It was a good opportunity for me to practice more. I rode Ariel with the same intent that I told myself to have, when warming up and insisted on straightness at the trot. It was not easy because for whatever reason, while tracking right, she did a little bit of a counter bend that I felt like I was constantly pushing back into a straight line.
When we worked on the canter, I remembered a post I read earlier that week, about the sequence of aids to initiate the canter depart. It's a bit tricky for me because I generally don't sit back enough and my weight being on Ariel's front makes it difficult for her to spring up and forward. So this time, I told myself, half halt then lean back and proceed with the other aids. The transition was flawless and smooth. I managed to get this twice during the lesson and I felt awesome about myself.
The lesson is otherwise relatively straight forward in that we continued to the canter after warming up and then went to work on some courses. I kept it simple and just went with the Xs because I didn't feel that I was in the right shape to attempt more. It was a short course of 3 or 4 jumps and that's fine by me! It's funny because my consistency with jumps is and isn't there. What do I mean? When I was doing the course, I would seem to consistently have the same trouble with the same jump or the same corner. I should know better the second time and appropriately make adjustments so that it doesn't happen again. But for whatever reason, I was making the same mistakes again.
I did manage to canter this little course and to me, that progress is just fine. Some of those jumps were clean as a whistle and we both sailed right over and others were a mess. One mishap happened when we broke stride and I had difficulty getting Ariel back into the canter to complete the course. Sheri reminded me that when showing, I need to remember that a rider has a limited opportunity to pull themselves back together: circle twice and you better be moving again or you're OUTTA THERE. They really don't mess around! Good thing that wasn't a show and I'm just working on getting myself together.
Since most of the jumps were coming together in a reasonable fashion with minor mishaps, Sheri added in a single vertical jump and told me to take it at the end of the course coming towards home. That didn't go as I planned but I did make it over. My body is still sorting itself out in terms of figuring out where it needs to be, during the two point over. I'm sure that it'll come... I just need more practice with the verticals on a consistent basis to get the right feel.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Clicker Games
Those of you who've been following along for a longer time know that I clicker trained my big cat Buckingham. My rational for training him was to ensure that I could get him back to me if there was an instance where he dashes out the door. This cat is the cat that has been the recipient for all my new fangled dedication (or obsession... call it as you will :P) with doing better than the last.
Some background... my family had two cats (you'll see them in the "In Memory" section on the right hand column) that we lost too early due to what I would consider, avoidable illnesses. The elder, we put down because of her advanced state of cardiomyopathy--something we were expecting at some point but were still happy she managed to tough it out for as long as she did; she was the one who got me hooked on the feline species. Then there was my parents' favourite and my rival sibling whom I spent his life at some sort of odds until the end where we did make peace before he left us too.
Even reflecting about it now, I still get really sad and there is not a day that I don't think about them. When Buck unexpectedly appeared in my backyard after a long mourning period and wondering if I could ever let another cat back into my heart, I knew that (it sounds a bit nutty) he was brought to me to try again.
For a year, Bucky became my project cat and I worked really diligently at learning to communicate with him and understanding what his needs are. My mom would tell you that the two of us are probably inseparable and the best of friends. Without much further ado, I post the game we play in the back yard where he disappears into the bush and I would call him back out.
Some background... my family had two cats (you'll see them in the "In Memory" section on the right hand column) that we lost too early due to what I would consider, avoidable illnesses. The elder, we put down because of her advanced state of cardiomyopathy--something we were expecting at some point but were still happy she managed to tough it out for as long as she did; she was the one who got me hooked on the feline species. Then there was my parents' favourite and my rival sibling whom I spent his life at some sort of odds until the end where we did make peace before he left us too.
Even reflecting about it now, I still get really sad and there is not a day that I don't think about them. When Buck unexpectedly appeared in my backyard after a long mourning period and wondering if I could ever let another cat back into my heart, I knew that (it sounds a bit nutty) he was brought to me to try again.
For a year, Bucky became my project cat and I worked really diligently at learning to communicate with him and understanding what his needs are. My mom would tell you that the two of us are probably inseparable and the best of friends. Without much further ado, I post the game we play in the back yard where he disappears into the bush and I would call him back out.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Lesson #181: Straightness
We moved indoors after it started raining and focused on straightness. Ariel is the least straight horse, ever. She does all sorts of counter flexing/bending or no bending because she's just like that. I always have to work a little harder with her, to keep her bent on the straight way. This lesson was focused completely on riding them straight, keeping them on the bit and getting them to round up. All things I'm still not completely understanding or "feeling" when I do ride.
Ariel is an Appaloosa so her breeding primarily marks her well for doing cowboy sort of stuff. Despite this background, Ariel loves to jump and gets her and her rider placed every time they've gone to show (not me, I've never shown her). But keeping a proper bend and flexion...? Easily, it's a challenge on even a good day. Sheri has ridden her once and told me that riding Ariel is about riding her body and keeping her straight and being able to do that before she even gets crooked. So that was the mission this time around.
After the usual trotting and cantering, Sheri starts by pointing out what position we want to keep their head carriage at, where they are round, accepting the bit and using their backs. I always thought that it's a rather curved head and neck carriage but for Ariel, she's not that long so there isn't a lot to carry that way. It's a matter of the height at which her head is being carried because I notice that when my balance is off, she lifts her head to tell me I've mucked up. But the step that I get back into balance, she relaxes and her head lowers. Add to all this, the proper flexion to keep her straight. I have to use the appropriate leg and rein aids to redirect her and the thing is, I find myself doing this a lot when she's going round and round. As Sheri reminds us, generally, we should always be doing something up there be it telling them to do something to continuing to support them if they are doing it correctly.
I didn't think I'd find this as much a challenge as I did nor as enjoyable but it was very satisfying to work on it and see glimpses of it when I got it right!
Ariel is an Appaloosa so her breeding primarily marks her well for doing cowboy sort of stuff. Despite this background, Ariel loves to jump and gets her and her rider placed every time they've gone to show (not me, I've never shown her). But keeping a proper bend and flexion...? Easily, it's a challenge on even a good day. Sheri has ridden her once and told me that riding Ariel is about riding her body and keeping her straight and being able to do that before she even gets crooked. So that was the mission this time around.
After the usual trotting and cantering, Sheri starts by pointing out what position we want to keep their head carriage at, where they are round, accepting the bit and using their backs. I always thought that it's a rather curved head and neck carriage but for Ariel, she's not that long so there isn't a lot to carry that way. It's a matter of the height at which her head is being carried because I notice that when my balance is off, she lifts her head to tell me I've mucked up. But the step that I get back into balance, she relaxes and her head lowers. Add to all this, the proper flexion to keep her straight. I have to use the appropriate leg and rein aids to redirect her and the thing is, I find myself doing this a lot when she's going round and round. As Sheri reminds us, generally, we should always be doing something up there be it telling them to do something to continuing to support them if they are doing it correctly.
I didn't think I'd find this as much a challenge as I did nor as enjoyable but it was very satisfying to work on it and see glimpses of it when I got it right!
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Lesson #180: Puttering Around
Since +ADW and I were having our 'stay-cation' for the better part of the week, I told him to join me for my Thursday evening ride. We rode outside and for the most part, that was just fine (though I do prefer riding indoors for some reason...). It had rained previously so the ground was damp and the bugs were coming out...
Outside at the paddock, I greeted Ariel and she happily walked over (usually she just looks up and puts her head back down to continue eating) and while I was leading her to the stable, she saw a pile of hay on the ground and put her head down to try and get some but didn't seem to get her footing quite right and nearly toppled over herself -__-' This is going to be an interesting lesson, I bet.
Ariel was pokey and lazy this evening so I really had to push her along and keep on her to stick to the corners. The warm up was more of a challenge than usual in the sense that I had to keep pushing her along. Our canter was mildly uncomfortable for both of us and it was a little more on the stiff side for me because I wasn't giving with my lower back to swing with her motion and did create some counter movements against her.
Since we were riding with one of the young (more accomplished) riders, we got to do some jumping and it was inconsistently messy for me. Sometimes I was able to flow through the ride and other times I was struggling with just keeping Ariel straight. We missed a jump once and keeping in the corners as she was supposed to was a challenge too! She was cutting corners and falling in and pulling some jumper turns (yikes!). When we took turns with the courses, I moved Ariel off the rail onto the grass and at some point, her level of agitation was reaching a limit and I had difficulty getting her to re-enter the arena... to the point where one instance, she took us both into the indoor arena b/c she said "I've had enough of these bugs!". I was mortified. She not only made me feel like I was going to fall off, but it was clear she was taking over and Sheri had to come and get us both.
To reassert my intentions and my status as leader of our little herd, I insisted her to get into the out door arena and then take a proper canter around the arena on my terms. Sheri firmly said, that that sort of behaviour is not acceptable and that Ariel needs to learn to suck it up and listen to her rider, not what she wants in this circumstance.
Outside at the paddock, I greeted Ariel and she happily walked over (usually she just looks up and puts her head back down to continue eating) and while I was leading her to the stable, she saw a pile of hay on the ground and put her head down to try and get some but didn't seem to get her footing quite right and nearly toppled over herself -__-' This is going to be an interesting lesson, I bet.
Ariel was pokey and lazy this evening so I really had to push her along and keep on her to stick to the corners. The warm up was more of a challenge than usual in the sense that I had to keep pushing her along. Our canter was mildly uncomfortable for both of us and it was a little more on the stiff side for me because I wasn't giving with my lower back to swing with her motion and did create some counter movements against her.
Since we were riding with one of the young (more accomplished) riders, we got to do some jumping and it was inconsistently messy for me. Sometimes I was able to flow through the ride and other times I was struggling with just keeping Ariel straight. We missed a jump once and keeping in the corners as she was supposed to was a challenge too! She was cutting corners and falling in and pulling some jumper turns (yikes!). When we took turns with the courses, I moved Ariel off the rail onto the grass and at some point, her level of agitation was reaching a limit and I had difficulty getting her to re-enter the arena... to the point where one instance, she took us both into the indoor arena b/c she said "I've had enough of these bugs!". I was mortified. She not only made me feel like I was going to fall off, but it was clear she was taking over and Sheri had to come and get us both.
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| This mare has a way of teaching me to keep a thick skin... |
To reassert my intentions and my status as leader of our little herd, I insisted her to get into the out door arena and then take a proper canter around the arena on my terms. Sheri firmly said, that that sort of behaviour is not acceptable and that Ariel needs to learn to suck it up and listen to her rider, not what she wants in this circumstance.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Eating for Charity
I try to live by the famous quote from Ben Parker of "with great power, comes great responsibility". Humans have such great capacity to do amazing things (or horrible horrible things) that it makes sense to be responsible. All of our choices even on a mundane granular level such as where to go for lunch will impact the greater picture.
During the day, I work for a large, for profit organization but in my off time, the things I enjoy doing usually surround the not-for-profit sector or those that are not nearly as lucrative. Why? Because I believe that there are causes out there that warrant attention and devotion. I'd say I'm like most people where what I do during the day is something that pays the bills--we all gotta eat. The causes I provide my time and money to are those which are (not surprisingly) in aid of animals. Perhaps I've met just one too many poor examples of human beings to care about a cause specific to people's well-being, but I have yet to meet an animal that I perceive that way. The reality is that people can do something about their situation and change it--animals, not so much. As well, much of the poor animal situations are caused by poor choices of people.
In addition to the fictional Ben Parker's sentiment, another personal value that strongly resonates with me is "participation is appreciation". I got this one from an unlikely source when I worked with a dragon boat coach whom I could not stand, on a good day. His difficult personality and our regular clashing (and occasional bouts of my murderous rage induced by his entire being) taught me a lot about patience, tolerance and devotion. It was a life changing lesson for me, to understand and realize what it means to volunteer your time for something: those who participate and take advantage of your time will generally have no idea the amount of work and effort that goes in, for mere seconds or minutes of "fun".
Over the weekend of the 23rd, I wanted to show my support of one of the girls at the stable, of her work with the cat rescue that we adopted little Stanley C. Panther from. She helped organize a charity all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner. These types of grass roots fund raising events always brings a good feeling for me because you see how sincerely dedicated people are, to the event and cause... before all the commercialism and lame stuff starts to take over. One of the grandmas made all the meatballs (amaze-balls!) and the cooking was done by the actual volunteers and they had cat grass centre pieces. The various dessert items were also donated by volunteers' families or themselves!
During the day, I work for a large, for profit organization but in my off time, the things I enjoy doing usually surround the not-for-profit sector or those that are not nearly as lucrative. Why? Because I believe that there are causes out there that warrant attention and devotion. I'd say I'm like most people where what I do during the day is something that pays the bills--we all gotta eat. The causes I provide my time and money to are those which are (not surprisingly) in aid of animals. Perhaps I've met just one too many poor examples of human beings to care about a cause specific to people's well-being, but I have yet to meet an animal that I perceive that way. The reality is that people can do something about their situation and change it--animals, not so much. As well, much of the poor animal situations are caused by poor choices of people.
In addition to the fictional Ben Parker's sentiment, another personal value that strongly resonates with me is "participation is appreciation". I got this one from an unlikely source when I worked with a dragon boat coach whom I could not stand, on a good day. His difficult personality and our regular clashing (and occasional bouts of my murderous rage induced by his entire being) taught me a lot about patience, tolerance and devotion. It was a life changing lesson for me, to understand and realize what it means to volunteer your time for something: those who participate and take advantage of your time will generally have no idea the amount of work and effort that goes in, for mere seconds or minutes of "fun".
Over the weekend of the 23rd, I wanted to show my support of one of the girls at the stable, of her work with the cat rescue that we adopted little Stanley C. Panther from. She helped organize a charity all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner. These types of grass roots fund raising events always brings a good feeling for me because you see how sincerely dedicated people are, to the event and cause... before all the commercialism and lame stuff starts to take over. One of the grandmas made all the meatballs (amaze-balls!) and the cooking was done by the actual volunteers and they had cat grass centre pieces. The various dessert items were also donated by volunteers' families or themselves!
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| Meow! |
In case anyone is curious (or looking to help out or even adopting), the rescue we were supporting is the NCWL Cat Rescue (of the west GTA area).
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