Feedback ….

It’s been more than a two months since I’ve updated the blog. Mea culpa!    Life has been busy – busy enough, in fact, that it’s impacted my riding.  And frankly, blogging falls by the wayside before barn time.   So does bed time, for that matter.

My knee is feeling great and overall, I know my strength is more symmetrical, though now that I’m so self aware, I can detect some lingering weaknesses.  Rome wasn’t built in a day, however, and I’ll keep chipping away at building more strength here and flexibility there.  It is, as they say, a process.

We’re entering my least favorite time of the year.  The days grow shorter and shorter, and I hate how the darkness encroaches more and more upon each day. And the temperatures drop, some times varying dramatically day to day.  Derby gets a bit looney during those first couple cold snaps – which means that my seat needs to be SOLID.  Additionally, as Christy has pointed out, I need do be doing a better job of keeping Derby on the bit and on my aids.  “Contact isn’t something you maintain for the sake of maintaining it, ” Christy told me recently. ” Contact is feedback, and you need to listen and respond to it.”

On Monday, it was windy and cold, and I was apprehensive.  Christy had me start my lesson with reins short and legs active, asking me to put Derby on the bit and keep him there.   Now, the fact that I generally *don’t* do this is the root of many of my problems, and I know this.  However, thinking something and doing it are different things.  Howeve, with Christy’s coaching, we had some lovely contact and subsequent walk work, but I struggled putting it all together at the trot.

Doing big trot/little trot with Tuck

I tried again yesterday, and did a bit better, but the real breakthrough was tonight.  It’s been months since I was able to get Derby to stay round and connected, with good contact, but I got it done tonight.  I have another lesson tomorrow, and will try to get some video.  It felt great, and I want to see how we look!

In addition to Derby, I’ve been working assiduously on my strength and position by grabbing additional rides on Tucker when I can, which is usually about three times a week.  This is working well for me, as Tuck is a very sensitive guy, and gives me indisputable feedback about my position.  If leaning one way or slumping another, he lets me know.  Tucker is helping me improve my own straightness, because he refuses to ignore me when I’m crooked.

Working with my little buddy Tucker

Christy has also wisely used this rebuilding time to  work on quieting my hands, and her efforts are paying off.  All in all, I’m much quieter in the saddle, and the horses are going better, because (at least I believe) I’m reducing the ambient noise my flapping arms and nagging heels caused.     The work is a bit dull but there’s no question that rides like tonight are a satisfying payoff.

Should the farm (or other horse biz) be on Facebook?

Ride.

Handsome fellow. He looks dashing in red.

After a few really nice rides, we had an extremely crappy lesson on Thursday.  Derby was dead and behind my leg, and was resistant, going around giraffe-necked and bracing. I had gone over him with a fine toothed comb prior to saddling, and hadn’t found any soreness, and indeed, his resistance wasn’t the sort of emphatic “get off me now or I’ll see that you do” resistance one encounters when riding a really back-sore horse.  It was more along the lines of “Don’t wanna.”

Christy suggested I canter him to wake him up, and while the canters were OK (decent quality, decent tempo, fairly prompt transitions) he still didn’t offer any really good gaits. So, because he didn’t offer, I had to ask –  nay, insist. I had to really ride.

It was really tough to get him to stretch into contact and relax. Christy had me work the stretch, which resulted in only achieving a barely passable working trot, but at least his back came up and he rounded.

All in all, it was a tough and unsatisfying ride, despite the fact we only worked for about 40 minutes, and didn’t work terribly hard.  The culprit, we know, is fitness. So Derby bought himself an additional ride on Friday.   I don’t normally ride on Fridays, and was in fact taking Good Friday off, but I juggled my schedule and got out to the barn mid-morning.

My plan was to primarily do a lot of trot work, with a bit of canter thrown in, and the ride went according to plan.  Derby felt really good, I had my nice forward horse again, so I took advantage of it, working on adjusting the trot from a smaller (but still round) gait on the short ends to the big, pushing trot down the long sides.   While Derby was still a hair resistant and I had to really stay on top of him to get the roundness I wanted, he was listening to my halt halts and we motored strongly through some circles, serpentines and diagonals.

We did to a little canter work, but I made the decision to focus mostly on staying moving for a longer duration of time, and trotting is the way to build good top line.

It is hard to stand still for a picture when I really should be inspecting her pockets for stray sugar cubes.

I was also very happy with the quality of walk I had when we were taking breaks.  He was focused and forward, marching strongly, with a nice swingy back.

At the end of the ride, I couldn’t resist the sunny day, so I dismounted, grabbed my jacket (it was cool and breezy despite the sun) and we cooled out in the outdoor. I did some lateral work, spiraling in and out on a circle, and doing shoulder-in both directions before letting him stretch and free walk around.  We ended schooling some walk-halts.  I was very, very pleased with the ride on Friday.

Derby gets the next couple days off.  On Friday afternoon, he got his spring shots, and we always rest the horses the day after vaccinations, because they sometimes feel a little icky afterward as they adjust to the vaccine, just as we do when we get flu shots.  Sunday is Easter, and I have family visiting, so I’ll be skipping the barn that day, too.  It’s supposed to be very pleasant this weekend, so hopefully Derby and his pasture mate Remy will spend most of the weekend snoozing in the sun, resting up for next week’s work!

No surgery! Woot!

To make a long story short, it turns out Derby’s epiglottis wasn’t entrapped.  The inflammation (which has continued to decrease) gave the appearance of an entrapment.  However, when the surgeon scoped Derbs today, he found the epiglottis was free.

So we’ll continue to treat Derby medically.  At this point, no surgery is warranted.  I’m so glad.  I get my pony back tomorrow!

Schoolmaster/Good Boy seeking a good home

Me with my buddy, Frank, one of the goodest of very good boys.

A friend of mine is very sadly looking for a new home for Frank, a character you’ve heard mentioned several times on this blog.  I love this horse to bits, and whoever winds up with him will be fortunate indeed.

Frank is a real character, in a good way.  He is loaded with personality, and is a friendly, funny boy without a mean bone in his body.  I’ve known him for four years or so.  During that time his owner and I have gone on trail rides together, gone to some shows, and in general, have had a great time.  She’s also loaned me Frank during those times I’ve been horseless, or when my confidence has needed a boost.  Frank, for me, is kind of like a security blanket.

Frank has the dreamiest canter. Uphill, rolling, lovely.

Frankie is an 18 year old flea-bitten grey TB standing 16h. He’s been trained to second level in dressage, and is an excellent teacher.   He’s sound but does require supplements because, like pretty much any 18 year old horse, he’s got some creaky, arthritic joints.  Presently, he’s been helping one gal rebuild her confidence, and is also doing up-down lessons on a longe line with a little girl.

If you’re looking for a sweet, handsome horse to learn dressage on, or just enjoy riding, consider Frank.  His ad, which includes details on contacting is owner, is here:  Dressage schoolmaster.