In last week’s Dressage lesson, we worked on adjust-ability. The vat majority of the lesson was spent on a 20M circle, pushing May forward and then bringing her back. Asking her to extend and collect, and in general, getting her more sensitive to my aids. It was a great lesson where NT and I were able to work through some issues I had been having and the result was a fairly elastic and on-the-aids horse. Good stuff! But I was decided, our next lesson (weather permitting, which is almost never does anymore) would be a jumping lesson.
Then… some pics popped up on my timehop. (anyone else still using that app?) These pics were the worst moment of my not-so-great SJ round at my first and only recognized BN horse trial. I would post them… but they are the photographer’s photos and not mine to share. However, I do have the video.
I looked at the pictures… and I watched the video. I laughed with some friends about the video… like, those fences don’t look SO big now (jump 3 is where the pics are from). Then I watched it again… and maybe a few more times.
I am sure there are more objective people who can point out a million issues to me. But the one that stands out is the fact that, up until the refusal, that horse is not in front of my leg. SURE we moved up to the first fence, but it was more that I was turning and gunning than riding a forward rhythm and balancing when necessary.
Then I thought about my last lesson, which was inconsistent and scrambly. You know, the one where May chipped in so bad that I almost fell off. She was forward at the end… but not consistently in front of my leg. So when I showed up for my lesson, I warmed up with one intent: to get this horse in front of my leg. Transitions were sharp, and I didn’t hesitate to use my bat when my leg didn’t prompt her to SPRING forward.
NT came out to get our lesson started, and we decided to start on the one stride exercise. It was set up across the middle of the arena, along the short side to allow for square turns towards it, and then a square turn after. The cross rail set you up for straightness, and then the ride had to maintain the straight and forward over the narrow jump at the end.
The first couple of times, we trotted in each direction and made it a two stride between each fence. Then, we picked up the canter, and cantered it. (Below is during a course, but it gives you an idea.)
[wpvideo EJJZFnzg ]
Honestly? It felt pretty easy. We had no issue converting from the two stride to the one stride. Although, May thought that turning and going forward should be mutually exclusive activities.
Since that went well, we moved onto our first course. The gymnastic, right turn, diagonal, six bending strides to the vertical then seven strides to the oxer… I made NT make the oxer smaller, and then I informed her that THAT was the LAST time I would be allowed to ask her to make anything smaller.
The one strides went great, and I made sure to really square off the turn after the last element. The right turn was pretty tight to jump two. (May and I ended up in the tree a bit in that corner).
I felt like I lost my rhythm a little bit around the corner, so despite jumping well over 2, I still pushed down the line… and straightened the line… and got to the 3rd jump in 5.5 strides instead of 6… Oops. Despite the extra stride, we were still ROLLING to the oxer. I gave a strong half halt, steadies and FIT IN the seventh stride a bit shorter than the earlier six. I asked May to halt instead of blowing me off.
I walked back to my trainer. Who… I think was trying not to laugh. Not because it was bad, but because the hoof prints of my line from 2 – 3 was a solid 3 – 4′ INSIDE the track laid by the lesson before mine… OOPS. “Go forward or straighten if you need to make up distance… don’t panic and do both.” Right Right. I tried again, and nailed it. I even managed to halt a couple of strides after the oxer pretty easily. Win!
So we put together another course. Gymnastic, LEFT TURN, to oxer, RIGHT TURN to vertical and six strides to diagonal.
So I started by doing a thing that I shouldn’t do. I made the turn to the gymnastic, and pushed May riiiiiiight past the distance. Oops.
The rest of the gymnastic went well. The turn from 1 to 2 was a bit rough because May was anticipating the right turn, but I kept my leg on and it was fine. The oxer rode GREAT…. Then I yanked on the right rein and almost went right over May’s left shoulder in my attempt to turn right. Whoops. Smoothed it out and May skipped over the last two fences.
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So we made the oxer and the vertical a bit bigger. NT had me make the turn to the gymnastic inside of the puddle to try and get me to stop pushing past the distance (WHO AM I?) The turn was better to the oxer (which rode AMAZING). The right turn after the oxer was better too! Then…. I stopped riding to the vertical… and my merry mare skipped over it. The last fence worked out fine then. Enjoy that vertical fail below.
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I tried it again… and basically did the same thing. THEN I TRIED IT AGAIN. Committed to the damn thing, and it was perfect.
[wpvideo USFwGuJq ]
We ended on that, and May got stuffed full of cookies. It feels GOOD to be back in a program.
I love that you looked back at that old video and analyzed the issue, then went to fix it! That’s awesome.
Thanks! Videos are such an amazing learning tool.
I’m glad the lessons are working out!
Thank you!
She is the cutest and you ain’t half bad either 🙂 She (and you) are looking great. I think the extra riding she is getting thru your leasor is helping!! Lucky you! 🙂
It’s definitely helping! She is WAY more fit than she usually is in February. 😉
May always looks so fun to ride! tho i totally get it about the whole “behind the leg” thing. it’s so so so hard for me, esp when it kinda feels like my horse is all over the place i’m terrible about putting my leg on. looks like a great lesson tho with fun exercises – nice job!
My goal was literally “kick until I am told to pull”. Turns out… things ACTUALLY DO go better that way hahaha.
Forward is always the answer yet it is the one we (collective) never remember to do. For me it’s remembering forward does not equal faster. That always blows my brain cells apart. You two are looking good! Good for you to tackle it and make it happen.
My new motto is “get her forward enough that you feel the need to half halt.” If someone could just imprint that on my brain, I’d be good.
I love having media (and the blog) to do old analysis like you just did and help it inform you in the future. Such a great resource and the lesson sounds like it was fun (that course sure looked fun!)
It’s amazing that I have practically this horse’s whole career on video. It really makes a difference.
The course was super fun. I love how the first exercise forced you to ride forward and straight, and then the bending lined forced you to maintain that rhythm and commit to your line from fence to fence.
That sounds like a great lesson. She looked really happy to be out there and jumping. 🙂
May thinks jumping is WAY more fun than Dressage and that half halts are for losers.
You mean you didn’t jump the giant chevron out there?!?! 😉
Oh I’m sure May would… the question would be whether or not I make it to the other side with her hahaha