Monday was my day off, but there was still some unwanted excitement. I took Webby out to hand graze him, and I clumsily dropped his lead rope for a second. When Webby realized that I was not holding on to him, he took the opportunity to gallop around the farm for about 15 minutes. I sprinted down the driveway to close the gate so he could not get on the road, but Webby was more interested in causing some mischief with the other horses that had been grazing quietly in their pastures. So he proceeded to run between every pasture to make sure all the other horses knew what was going on, and he would stop sporadically to squeal with a buddy, and then take off again. It took four people to corral and catch him... he can be such a stinker sometimes!
I was supposed to have a lesson on Tuesday, but when I started riding Webby I thought that he felt a little weird in the hindquarters. He was not reaching with his back legs like he normally does and felt very flat. Betsy could also see that he was not moving normally... BECAUSE HE WAS SORE FROM GALLIVANTING! I was bummed that I could only walk him, but it serves him right! That's what he gets for being bad. Silly horse. He is 15 and still acts like a kid!
This morning, I was in the arena on another horse and Jessie was riding Coney (a young Lucitano stallion). I don't know what got into Coney, but Jessie gets the High Flyin' Award! He bucked and spun and wiggled and backed. I really thought she was going to fall off, and I was very impressed that she was able to stick with him. There were times when there was a lot of air between her and the saddle... it was not looking too goo, but she hung on and then worked right through it!
My lesson on Webby went very well! He was still a tad sore, but he seemed to work out of it the longer we worked on stretching and suppling. We had some really good moments were he really stretched through his body and over the topline. We did some haunches in at the cater while leg yielding the shoulder to the outside to help get the inside hind leg quicker. Moving his shoulder around in the counter canter also helped with suppling and balancing him. One of the exercises was a bit challenging, but it helped a lot. I did a 20 meter circle in counter canter and then a 10 meter circle in true canter and then back to the 20 meter counter canter circle. This was tough for Web because it forced him to balance himself. We also worked on the canter depart by doing some turns on the haunches and forehand then leg yielding out slightly before asking for the canter. This series of movements straightened his shoulders and elevated his back so that his inside hind leg could really step up and underneath himself. The first several strides after the departs felt lovely, light, and correct, but then Webby kind of pushes out in his chest and gets heavy in my hands. We ended on a relaxed but very deep trot. We did not push for more in the canter since he was not 100% today, but the plan is to push him a little harder tomorrow. I would really like to get the canter as consistent, through, and powerful as the trot has become.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The Olympic Trials
Both Friday and Saturday mornings (the 15th and 16th) we drove over to Gladstone, about 30 minutes away from the barn, to watch the National Dressage Championships/Olympic Trials. This was my first time to see a Grand Prix dressage competition in person.... I don't think I could have picked a much better show to go to! (other than maybe the Olympics haha)
The horses and riders were of course impressive. It was really cool to see the best of the best up close and personal. However I was surprised that even though all the horses were very athletic and extremely well balanced, there were not many that were truly outstanding. On one hand you could view this as watching the cream rise to the top, but on the other hand I expected the top 10 riders in the country to all be pretty spectacular. But maybe I am being too harsh... It's not like I can do any of the stuff they do :P Regardless, it was still a ton of fun to watch! I spent most of the time picking the things I liked about each horse and rider. For instance, two of the riders had absolutely flawless seats, some of the horses were so beautifully fluid it looked like one movement just melted seemlessly into the next, and some horses had some really stand out gaits.
The highlight of the whole thing though was after Steffen Peters was announced the winner, he took his victory lap- he was piaffing and passaging around the ring with one hand on the reigns and the other waving his top hat in the air while the crowd was clapping to the beat of his horse's stride. That was really incredible! It was definitely a moment I will never forget :)
The horses and riders were of course impressive. It was really cool to see the best of the best up close and personal. However I was surprised that even though all the horses were very athletic and extremely well balanced, there were not many that were truly outstanding. On one hand you could view this as watching the cream rise to the top, but on the other hand I expected the top 10 riders in the country to all be pretty spectacular. But maybe I am being too harsh... It's not like I can do any of the stuff they do :P Regardless, it was still a ton of fun to watch! I spent most of the time picking the things I liked about each horse and rider. For instance, two of the riders had absolutely flawless seats, some of the horses were so beautifully fluid it looked like one movement just melted seemlessly into the next, and some horses had some really stand out gaits.
The highlight of the whole thing though was after Steffen Peters was announced the winner, he took his victory lap- he was piaffing and passaging around the ring with one hand on the reigns and the other waving his top hat in the air while the crowd was clapping to the beat of his horse's stride. That was really incredible! It was definitely a moment I will never forget :)
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Lessons yesterday an today
Webby felt the best today since we have been here! He did so well and I am so pleased with him!
Yesterday Betsy asked me how Webby felt and what I thought he needed. So I told her that he felt worried- like he was a little scared of what we were going to do to him next. With that in mind we decided to take it slow and easy. We did a lot of stuff to get him to reach and stretch down. We focused on having a nice smooth and relaxed rhythm. This seemed really good for Webby's mind.
Today it's like Webby said "Thank you!!" he came out today ready to rock and roll! He was light and up an just perfect. We did a series of turns on the forehand and then immediately a turn on the haunches at the walk. Then we walked in a square doing turns on the haunches at each corner. After a turn on the haunches I would immediately ask of a canter depart. This series of movements made Webby really light and balanced.
At the trot we worked on expanding and contracting Webby's stride. To contract Betsy told me to slow down the front end while asking the hind legs to speed up. This made Webby really come up through the withers and he felt wonderful! I am so happy with him :) it was like once we took a step back and let him relax he was ready to step up to the plate and give me 100%. He seemed to really let me know that he needed yesterday's work in order to be on his A game :)
Sunday, June 10, 2012
First Couple Lessons
So sorry that I have not posted sooner! I tried to put something up a couple days, but it never loaded :/
These are some very long days! The barn manager, the other intern, and I feed and hay the horses four times a day, refill their water, clean the buckets, turn out the horses in paddocks, groom horses, tack horses up, clean tack, give the horses baths, do their laundry, pick the stalls, and sweep sweep sweep the aisles! haha so we all stay pretty busy. Plus Tuesday-Saturday I take lessons with Betsy.
Ok so now for the good stuff...
First lesson:
Betsy wanted to go easy with Webby this first week so we worked mostly on loosening up his body (and mine). The first thing that we worked on is something that Betsy said is a very important concept to grasp- being able to feel Webby's outside hind leg with my hips and then to feel the outside front leg coming around to the inside (almost shoulder fore) using my outside upper leg. It is very important to have strong outside aids to give the horse direction. This also makes them straighter and more stable. Once the outside aids were established, Betsy told me to think about lifting Webby's inside shoulder into the outside reign with my inside leg.
Then we worked on some turns on the forehand, which is done by stopping the outside shoulder with a slight counter bend and move the haunches around. This was really struggle for Webby, but this exercise is great for straightening the shoulders. After a few turns on the forehand, I could feel the difference in the foreward movements. Straightness makes each step feel more powerful.
We also worked on counter flection at both the trot and canter by moving the shoulders in but not allowing the neck to go to the outside. This flection also straightens the shoulders and does not allow them to drift to the outside.
"Shoulders" were kinda the theme of the week. But that's ok because I have always struggled with controlling Webby's shoulders so the exercises are really great for both of us. So far he is responding very well.
Second lesson:
I warmed Webby up with the previous day's lesson in mind- really focusing on suppling his shoulders with inside and outside flection.
During the lesson we continued building on what we started with the day before. This time we did A LOT of haunches in by holding Webby's haunches to the inside of a square and pushing the shoulders out with my inside upper leg. The hardest part was maintaining this around each corner because the haunches had to stay in as I brought the forehand around. We did this exercise at both the trot and canter. I could feel a huge difference in the cater after doing this exercise because I forces Webby's inside hind leg to really step up. Betsy said that this exercise will help improve the half pass and pirouettes.
Betsy commented that to the left I sit much straighter than to the right, and that I need to remember to relax my upper body, especially my shoulders. I have been trouble isolating my body- when I start using my legs in new ways my upper body becomes tense.
This kind of work makes Webby very through in his back and steady in the contact. With this we did some walk and trot transitions in rhythm- trot 1, 2, 3, 4...walk 1, 2, 3... trot again 2, 3, 4... walk 2, 3, 4... counting really helps me with rhythm and consistency. I tend to have sticky transitions so this really smoothed them out.
Betsy commented that Webby looked very serious that day. He gets in the zone! haha
Third lesson:
Web came out very forward! Even a couple spooks in warm up, but he seemed to channel the energy pretty well. I am very happy with how Web's trot is coming along. He is very forward, through, and engaged.
We continued to work on Webby's shoulders. First we started with voltes (very small circles, about 8 meters or less) and then made them smaller until it became a turn on the forehand.
In trot, moving the shoulders is getting much easier. We started with counter flection on the long side, then moved the shoulders in with my outside upper leg, and finally asking for inside fleciton with a little playing on the inside reign- resulting in the should in. I know this seems like a complicated way to ask for shoulder in, but it has made a big difference. I have have worked on this particular concept on the my own, and it makes the movement much stronger and more correct. The shoulders are truly moving on a more inside track instead of just the neck bending inward.
At the canter, moving the shoulders inward while maintaining counter flection in harder... this exercise mostly resulted in flying changes, but I did work on it on my own. It is very difficult for Webby to do. We have been asking him to truly use his body properly, and I think the adjustment is a little tough because he is used to carrying himself a certain way and now I am asking him to do something different. BUT when we do get it, I can feel how it makes Webby more balanced.
Betsy said to be sure and push Web forward if he gets heavy on the reigns. The hind legs need to be quicker if the horse gets heavy in your hands.
Tomorrow is my day off, and my next lesson is on Tuesday. Next Sunday we are all going over to the Olympic Trials to watch! I am so excited! Talk about a BONUS :) Hopefully I will be able to get some good pictures!
PS- the other intern (Alex) and I discussed taking pictures of each other riding so hopefully I will be able to get some pictures up soon!
Please let me know if you have any questions. I do not mind explaining things more in depth.
Funny story- a girl hauled in with her horse for a lesson with Jessie on Friday. After her lesson she was hosing off her horse in the wash stall when Alex walked by with a dog bowl. The horse got all excited and started whinnying very enthusiastically when Alex walked by so Alex went to the mare and I guess the horse was really thirsty because she drank from the dog bowl in Alex's hands! It was quite a funny sight? Definitely not something you see every day....
These are some very long days! The barn manager, the other intern, and I feed and hay the horses four times a day, refill their water, clean the buckets, turn out the horses in paddocks, groom horses, tack horses up, clean tack, give the horses baths, do their laundry, pick the stalls, and sweep sweep sweep the aisles! haha so we all stay pretty busy. Plus Tuesday-Saturday I take lessons with Betsy.
Ok so now for the good stuff...
First lesson:
Betsy wanted to go easy with Webby this first week so we worked mostly on loosening up his body (and mine). The first thing that we worked on is something that Betsy said is a very important concept to grasp- being able to feel Webby's outside hind leg with my hips and then to feel the outside front leg coming around to the inside (almost shoulder fore) using my outside upper leg. It is very important to have strong outside aids to give the horse direction. This also makes them straighter and more stable. Once the outside aids were established, Betsy told me to think about lifting Webby's inside shoulder into the outside reign with my inside leg.
Then we worked on some turns on the forehand, which is done by stopping the outside shoulder with a slight counter bend and move the haunches around. This was really struggle for Webby, but this exercise is great for straightening the shoulders. After a few turns on the forehand, I could feel the difference in the foreward movements. Straightness makes each step feel more powerful.
We also worked on counter flection at both the trot and canter by moving the shoulders in but not allowing the neck to go to the outside. This flection also straightens the shoulders and does not allow them to drift to the outside.
"Shoulders" were kinda the theme of the week. But that's ok because I have always struggled with controlling Webby's shoulders so the exercises are really great for both of us. So far he is responding very well.
Second lesson:
I warmed Webby up with the previous day's lesson in mind- really focusing on suppling his shoulders with inside and outside flection.
During the lesson we continued building on what we started with the day before. This time we did A LOT of haunches in by holding Webby's haunches to the inside of a square and pushing the shoulders out with my inside upper leg. The hardest part was maintaining this around each corner because the haunches had to stay in as I brought the forehand around. We did this exercise at both the trot and canter. I could feel a huge difference in the cater after doing this exercise because I forces Webby's inside hind leg to really step up. Betsy said that this exercise will help improve the half pass and pirouettes.
Betsy commented that to the left I sit much straighter than to the right, and that I need to remember to relax my upper body, especially my shoulders. I have been trouble isolating my body- when I start using my legs in new ways my upper body becomes tense.
This kind of work makes Webby very through in his back and steady in the contact. With this we did some walk and trot transitions in rhythm- trot 1, 2, 3, 4...walk 1, 2, 3... trot again 2, 3, 4... walk 2, 3, 4... counting really helps me with rhythm and consistency. I tend to have sticky transitions so this really smoothed them out.
Betsy commented that Webby looked very serious that day. He gets in the zone! haha
Third lesson:
Web came out very forward! Even a couple spooks in warm up, but he seemed to channel the energy pretty well. I am very happy with how Web's trot is coming along. He is very forward, through, and engaged.
We continued to work on Webby's shoulders. First we started with voltes (very small circles, about 8 meters or less) and then made them smaller until it became a turn on the forehand.
In trot, moving the shoulders is getting much easier. We started with counter flection on the long side, then moved the shoulders in with my outside upper leg, and finally asking for inside fleciton with a little playing on the inside reign- resulting in the should in. I know this seems like a complicated way to ask for shoulder in, but it has made a big difference. I have have worked on this particular concept on the my own, and it makes the movement much stronger and more correct. The shoulders are truly moving on a more inside track instead of just the neck bending inward.
At the canter, moving the shoulders inward while maintaining counter flection in harder... this exercise mostly resulted in flying changes, but I did work on it on my own. It is very difficult for Webby to do. We have been asking him to truly use his body properly, and I think the adjustment is a little tough because he is used to carrying himself a certain way and now I am asking him to do something different. BUT when we do get it, I can feel how it makes Webby more balanced.
Betsy said to be sure and push Web forward if he gets heavy on the reigns. The hind legs need to be quicker if the horse gets heavy in your hands.
Tomorrow is my day off, and my next lesson is on Tuesday. Next Sunday we are all going over to the Olympic Trials to watch! I am so excited! Talk about a BONUS :) Hopefully I will be able to get some good pictures!
PS- the other intern (Alex) and I discussed taking pictures of each other riding so hopefully I will be able to get some pictures up soon!
Please let me know if you have any questions. I do not mind explaining things more in depth.
Funny story- a girl hauled in with her horse for a lesson with Jessie on Friday. After her lesson she was hosing off her horse in the wash stall when Alex walked by with a dog bowl. The horse got all excited and started whinnying very enthusiastically when Alex walked by so Alex went to the mare and I guess the horse was really thirsty because she drank from the dog bowl in Alex's hands! It was quite a funny sight? Definitely not something you see every day....
Monday, June 4, 2012
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Arrival
We arrived at the barn in Frenchtown this morning! It is so beautiful, cool, and green here :) Webby has already become accustommed to the royal treatment here. He has TWO windows and he acts like it's about time he had these kind of accommodations! Spoiled horse haha. I will put up pictures soon, and we start riding on Tuesday!
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