Finding the good

 I'm not really sure how I feel about today's ride. 

I tacked Funny up as it was thundering a tiny bit and threatening but it looked like it was going to go around us. And it did. Mostly. We had a tiny bit of rain hit us. But not enough to really even get us wet. And it did help cool it down a tiny bit. Then the sun came back out. And then the clouds came back. 

 

We spent a good bit of time at the walk starting out and... she feels behind my leg suddenly. Like... I kind of had wished I had a crop. Or spurs. I had to "shock and awe" her a time or two. Which... was a lot worrisome. First of all... who are you? Are you sick? And second of all... am I about to get launched? Will there be payback? But there wasn't. And she's fine. So I'm not really sure what's going on here. But we managed to finally get a nice smooth walk that was forward and soft. Then the trot wasn't kind of sticky too. But also kind of quick at times. It was just a wierd ride. I couldn't quite figure out what the issue was. Sometimes it was that she was crooked. So I just kept at it and we finally got some nice trot. And then we cantered and again, the first two canters were not great. She was running away with me essentially. But then I managed to get my body situated and she settled. And I did try to give her some "brain breaks" today and let her process when things were good. So maybe that helped. 

 

Because eventually we got some really nice work in. Like... quite nice. Granted it took me halting her from the canter a few times. Which I hate to do. But I got so aggravated that she was running away with me and ignoring my aids. Sigh.. ugh. But we did get a nice canter after that, and then some nice downwards into nice trots. 

 

So yeah.. I have no idea. I don't know if it's just tension because I suck... tension because she's just anxious about work. Or it's not actually tension and just imbalance? I don't know. I don't know why I've been struggling so much lately with her. But she got some good girls, some pats, some rests and time to process, and of course cookies!

Bareback shoe searching

 I finished work early enough that I could have ridden but I had another headache and it was hot and humid. And Dan and Lyric are missing a shoe each and Patrick is was planning to come "this afternoon/evening" but I didn't know when. So I came home and sat on the couch for a bit and chilled. Eventually I felt better and decided I should go look for Dan's shoe (Lyrics is somewhere at Ashland, so... not going there). I started to walk out there but then decided it would be more productive to hop on Funny and use her as my uber. 

 

I grabbed the bareback pad, the bridle and my helmet and treats and headed out. She let me climb on via the tipped over mounting block and we headed out. She was a very good girl despite the other two not coming with us and didn't try to run or buck. Good pony! I tried to cover the entire farm but also figured we might as well get in some hill work while we were at it, so I rode up and down the hills. Patrick texted shortly after I got on and gave me a 45 minute ETA so we kept looking for a good bit. We never did find the shoe! I don't know where Dan flung it! I did trot a tiny bit because I wanted to. She was still a good girl.

 

I finally called it and hopped off and hosed her off. Then the other two meandered in because it was dinner time, so they got their 4cyte and treat and then Patrick showed up. Perfect timing. Except for the fact that it felt like I was wearing a diaper because my pants were so sweaty. Gross! 

 

But, the ponies got their shoes back on, and Funny and I got in a little work out, and after all that.. I showered. 

 

 

Aha!

 Ahhhh... liz lesson. Got me out of my mental "stuckage". I knew we were plateuing... and i knew it was okay and expected.. and I wasn't changing my riding (i don't think), but mentally it was frustrating. BUT.. liz helped today. it's straightness. And the straightness has to come before we can advance. And it's straightness through the shoulders and lift in the withers. Tracking left I overbend her in an attempt to get her barrel soft.. but ride counterflexed almost to straighten her up. Same both ways. Ride her shoulders around and almost think square turns to keep her straight. when she's straight, then she can lift and soften. And stay behind her... let it be slow. painfully slow. that's building. and she's happier when I'm not throwing her off balance with speed or my body. Make sure my head is up and on straight. post diagonally to the way she's falling to help balance her undeneath me. inside hand higher than the outside. I can ask for a bit more connection but with soft elbows that stay almost behind my back (to keep them supple and from breaking the straight line connection). 

really good pony. only one little anticipation moment... then I just changed the subject. Oh, we cantered and now we must canter again. Cool, you're right, except first... let's do the drums and once you settle, we'll go back to canter. it worked and we didn't fight. canter felt amazing! Uphill and round and lifted. for downwards think two gaits ahead to get the better one gait downward. Ie from canter, think walk to get a nice trot. if i think trot, it's too quick. sit the trot in my transitions. 

very good pony! Some nice work but it's gonna take some time. 

photos: 8-26 liz day

Fun in the Covered

 After I rode Lyric this morning and then had lunch, Mike was still in the mountains so i decided to ride Funny. But when I got back outside... in the sun.. it's soooo hot. Sooooo hot. Ugh... So I decided to take her to Ashland instead of riding at home. I figured we could use the covered arena if it wasn't any cooler there or the arena's weren't in the shade. Which means that I probably would run out of time to ride Dan, but.. I'm just over this weather. And it just felt unbearable. 

 

So we headed to Ashland and tacked up. Sadly I didn't think about hosing her off before we loaded so she was still a bit sweaty. So minimal grooming. But luckily she wasn't too bad. We hacked to the covered in the woods and had a nice warm up walk. Thankfully the bugs weren't bad! And it was nice enough in the shade. We got to the covered and while it was still hot, it was nice to be in the shade. And there was an occasional breeze. 

 

Funny was a bit flabbergasted at the horse in the mirror who was mimicking her but she wasn't scared.. just... couldn't quite figure it out. But I asked her to work and she did. We tried to get a nice walk before we went to the trot. And it took a bit but we did. She was kind of behind my leg today. Weird... But a nice change from feral and running. We got a nice walk and then did some shoulder in and haunches in utilizing the mirrors. Shoulder in tracking left is hard. SOOO Hard. But.. mostly for me. I don't know why I can't turn my shoulders left! Once I did, she could, but.. man.. that's so hard for me! Weird... 

 

We picked up the trot and got a nice trot with a little bit of work. She was a bit more chompy and fussy today but when I remembered to soften and float my hands towards her, she got softer and quieter. And not quicker today, which was nice. Mostly. We played with leg yields and shoulder in. Leg yielding right is harder too. She wan'ts to cock her head. I think it's mostly that I can't get her into the outside/right rein. But maybe I should have paid attention to my shoulders too! And she was a bit fussy/hollow overall again. But we had some good moments. And we played with the trot walk trot and had some acceptable ones. 

  

We did some canter work too. And the upward transitions are getting really nice. If I sit back and on my outside seat bone, she rocks back and loads and goes into the canter and lifts! Instead of flinging into it. Ahhh! Nice! The canters felt pretty good today and we were able to do some shallow serpentines, though the right lead is harder to hold in the counter canter serpentine part. We also played with changing across the diagonal through the trot. She got a bit bolty so we had to do that a few times but got it. I have to stay back and not fling myself forward, thus flinging her forward. 

 

We finished with some more trot and walk work and then some centerlines. She nailed her centerline and halts today! Quite square, even though it took her a bit longer than it should have to settle into the square halt. 

   

We headed back home and took the slightly long route. It was nice and peaceful. She got hosed off and wasn't that sweaty. Sweaty enough but... a bit concerning considering how much Lyric and Dan sweat. But maybe she's just fitter and since we were in the covered... She didn't feel that hot to the touch and was snacking, so... I'll keep an eye on it. She drank from the hose and made me giggle. 

3 foot and counting strides

 lesson today. 3:30 pm. UGH so hot. but not quite as terrible as it has been. 

quite feral and ready to go. hilarious as smarty was draggin' but funny was feral! worked in striding.. warmed up over trot poles and then canter poles. Ride her barrel, not her face. 

then warmed up with a one stride to one stride, very low jumps. She was FERAL! So excited to jump and play. had to ride her shoulder around by counterbending her around the turn. but it worked. Then went to strides..

3 stride diagonal, to 4 stride diagonal to 5 stride centerline. told us to just let them figure it out. Funny got tight in the four and five but made it. I didn't help at all. second attempt I rode her barrel and leg yielded her a little and added a half halt and it was much smoother and better. then they got bigger. ride her barrel, not her face. I can half halt but only when I need it and I must release.. .if i ride her barrel, i don't need as many half halts and she actually listens. got in tight to the big oxer and i half halted right before she left the ground and thought "oh crud.. I've just shut her down', but she rocked back and pinged it like it was nothing. So balanced! Got up to a 3'3" oxer and had some tight ones and some bad turns, but mostly good. then reversed it and did the 5 stride, to the 4 stride, to the 3 stride... harder but still doable. Was struggling to keep her from flinging her left shoulder out. so after coming down the center line... leg yield two steps to the left, then counter bend while turning right and it totally sat her back on her haunches and balanced her.. then ride her shoulder around and go to the diagonal line. SOOOO much smoother. 

went for a short hack after. jumped a little log. Fun!

We joked about how Jacel said something about how sometimes you just get in tight and you can't make the lines longer.. and Funny said "you know how you give yourself more room to not get in tight... take out a stride!". ha ha.. 

photos: 8-26 3 foot. Maybe videos if jacel sends them to me. ;) 

Trail dressage

 not as hot as expected. good breeze. headed to ashland to hack and maybe dressage. .maybe arena.. maybe covered... ended up hacking and doing some mild fitness. trotted gallop track and did a 6 minute 18 second mile at the trot. She was GOING... couldn't really get her rocked back. but did in some other spots. then finished in xc field and did some field dressage. still feral. ugh... why are we struggling again?? did get some nice canter finally and then a nice trot. practiced the water up bank too... almost walk... finsihed with a nice polite canter in the field to the lake but then she got speedy and then tripped and slipped and almost face planted. but then got soft and balanced. 

photos: 8-26 trail dressage, videos

so wet

 hot and steamy but the coolest day of the week, so... came home, ate lunch... waited out the thunder rumblers but nothing happened... decided to just get on and ride and be done and shower and stay inside vs waiting til later this evening, because it may or may not be cooler and it may or may not storm.

she was so sweaty (good to know though.. I"ve been wondering), so hosed her off... then tacked up. then rode. got rained on. but it was kind of nice. at first.. then it just got steamier. not a great ride. a bit amped up... bolted on me for no apparent reason at first trot (but a good bit through). Trying hard, but it never got great for very long. not sure if i was getting handsy again... she was just amped.. bored... 

got some decent moments though. then cantered... played with lengthening on long side and collecting on short side. that seemed to settle her and it got kind of nice actually! I think one way was way better, but honestly it's so hot my brain melted and i can't remember even a few hours later. finished with the one direction of awesome canter down to a very nice trot! Fast... but powerful and balanced and supple. got out before it went south again and decided it was too hot to do anymore. might as well quit on a good note vs trying for more and having it go bad and then having to suffer until it got good again. ;) 

photos: 8-26 so wet

pretty good

 photos; 8-26 pretty good

rode at home. good girl, tried hard. not as good as my lesson but not bad at all. canter feels better than it has recently. got a legit lengthen back to working. did the livestock pen and reverse gate almost perfectly! 

Validation!! And FABULOUS!!!

 Ooooh, that was the most fabulous ride we might have ever had!!!

We had our lesson with Liz this morning and I had told her all my musings on the phone the other day. So she was prepared. :) Funny and I got tacked up and hacked up to the arena. We meandered around a tiny bit and walked the drums and then picked up a stretchy warm up trot and got a lap around the arena in. Then Liz got there so we stopped. Funny is always happy to see her. 

So Liz mentioned that one thing I need to remember is that when I'm picking Funny up (ie.. the contact) to do it slowly and stop when she gives me the "that's all I can do for now" feeling. And then I can ask for more as she offers it. Whether that's within the ride, or the next ride, or 6 rides from now. Oh yeah... good point. The contact isn't at a certain point because we have gotten to that point.. it's at a certain point because that's where her balance is today. Oooh yes. 

So I slowly gathered her up and we started our walk circle. She was really good. Very calm and chill and soft and I managed to get a lovely walk. It was maybe a hair sluggish at the beginning, but it was straight and soft and balanced. We did get a few spots on our circle where we drifted out and lost the line and then lost our balance so Liz gave me "borders". She said that we might as well give ourselves visual borders to help encourage a nice line rather than fighting. And, we know that Funny has that drift to the arena gate, so.. why not help us both out. Plus, my geometry isn't that great anwyays. Ha! Once I had my reins gathered up she told me to remember that my final step is to bring my elbows back, and usually, widen my hands. Ooooh yeah!! It works great. So I was focusing on sitting upright and square and keeping my shoulders square and slightly tilted to the inside, while keeping my chin slightly tilted outside (which, ultimately makes me square). And Funny was lovely! Then Liz said she was a hair underpowered, so she had me sit deep and up, sit slightly to the outside, widen my hands, and think "lift" and slightly close my legs. Not nagging... not bouncing.. but squeezing and holding. Oooooooh!! Funny "motored up". She sat back on her haunches and became uphill and started to march more, without losing any softness or suppleness through her topline. It felt much closer to the walk we could trot from, or canter from, or halt from, or.. .whatever from! NICE!!!! Liz reminded me that just like driving a boat. If we keep taking our foot on and off the gas, the boat is jerky, but if we softly push the throttle forward and get a nice forward surge... then slowly ease off of it but still hold it forward, the boat stays in a nice forward smooth plane. Yep! So then she asked me how that felt. I told her it honestly felt lovely but I was a little concerned that mentally Funny didn't know we were "working" yet and once we trotted, we couldn't get that nice walk again. She laughed and basically was like "I think you're wrong". Hee hee. I hope so! I hope so!. 

We went the other direction and Funny was fabulous that way too. She is a little different each direction. Tracking to the left she feels like she's falling into my left leg, so I want to leg yield her out. But she's falling on her left shoulder because her haunches are falling out, so... if I keep leg yielding it's making her more haunches out. So, if I ride haunches in... it really helps her balance and straighten up. I also struggle with her being counterbent, and can't quite figure out how to get her to bend in without crossing the neck. I can... it's just hard for me. I just have to shift my body to create the inside bend... and ride haunches in, which makes it easier for her to get off that inside shoulder and then she can bend her nose in a bit more. With an opening left rein though.. not crossing over! Tracking right, it's better if I spiral in.That helps move her body underneath her balance and gets her more square on all four feet. 

So then we asked for the trot. But only when the walk was good, which didn't take long at all today! And I sat the first bit to keep her soft and connected and it was nice. Then I started posting. And wow... her trot felt fantastic!! She was soft and slow and round and supple and not chompy or fussy! Her tail was slightly lifted, which Liz said was her "tell" for being soft through her topline. Jacel has noticed that too! It really was the nicest trot we've had, and the most consistently and longest we've held the trot!! So then we walked again... and lo and behold, she stayed soft and quiet. There were a few moments where she got anticipatory but really.. it only took a quarter of a circle to get her to settle and soften again. Which is huge!!! Okay.. Liz.. you were right... she is working still and didn't lose her mind! When she got a bit anticipatory... Liz said to "read the room" and if it was just anticipation... ask her to do something else, like a smaller circle. Not to punish her, but to be like.. yes, you're smart but it's not what you think it is, so instead of trotting, let's walk a circle. I only had to do that once the entire ride! 

So then we cantered. And the canter felt the best it has in a long while too. YAY!!! Same thing as the walk and the trot. Same feelings with sitting back and behind, sitting to the outside, turning my head to the outside, widening my hands and slightly asking for counterbend before I ask for a transition. We did both directions and even got a lovely trot and canter afterwards! Sitting the transitions definitely helps. I forgot a few times and especially from the canter to trot, I tend to post too big at first, but as soon as I sat, she came back down to a quieter trot. Neat!

Oh, and then... two or three times in a row we added the cross rail to our trot circle and she trotted over it like it was no big deal. She didn't get stupid... didn't qet rushed on the backside... didn't start running at the jump. She was just soft and quiet. It was awesome! I tend to get a little more animated on the backside, but when I focused on keeping my posting up and down (vs forward) she was like a metronome! 

YAHOOO!!!! I'm so proud of her. And honestly, a little bit me too. I'm so grateful for all that Liz has taught me and how she has reframed my mind. And I'm so grateful that she has taught me how to ride.. not just what to do. Because I have tools now! I was on the right path and things were going great.. and then I got a little greedy. But I could feel it going south, and then I was even able to correct it before we veered too far off the path! Liz got us back to where we needed to be, but I was pretty darn close! I just need to remember to take the time it takes within the ride. Get the walk first... then, and only then, go to the trot. And I don't think it's just "softening the rein"... but I do think that played a big part. I think I got focused on her "frame" and started riding her head instead of riding her body. And I think I forgot a little bit the "build it and they will come". In other words...if I do what I am supposed to do with MY body... and give it a little bit of time... she will soften and follow my lead. And when I do that, I don't really need to use my reins. I was able to have a nice soft connection today. And she was soft and seeking the connection. We were soft but not floppy reined. And when i would bring my elbows back a tiny bit from time to time, or widen my reins a tiny bit, she would soften and almost put herself in a frame! 

Both Liz and I were so excited! And we were both sad we didn't have video, but we were enjoying the moments so much! I really need to start using my pivo for my lessons, but.. i hate how distacting they can be when they aren't working. We also talked about Funny really wants to be a partner now. She wants to dance!! We feel like a team now, instead of her screaming "You can't tell me what to do" and me screaming "Submit.. submit". Now we're listening to each other and waiting on each other and it's awesome! I'm so glad that I was able to stop myself before I got too far off the path. 

Listening and being patient

"YOUNG HORSES…

We can’t get greedy with the glimpses of potential a young horse gives us.

Those little moments are glimmers of the future, but we still very much have a responsibility to the horse in the present, to meet them where they are… mentally, emotionally, physically.

This guy is physically talented, but it’s my job to prioritize his mental and emotional development.

It’s my job to channel his positive traits… so that his energy and sensitivity don’t tip over into overstimulation and anxiety, and so his boldness and confidence get channeled into problem-solving… rather than outwitting the annoying two-legged out of boredom!

At 4, it’s obvious he’s still mentally, physically, and emotionally immature compared to the other Andalusian cross I have in, who, at 5, is still so young, in the grand scheme of things.

We have their whole lives to do the fancy stuff.

There’s so much foundation we can provide them in these early years, that so many older horses are missing.

It’s an investment we won’t regret.

Let them go FORWARD.

Leave their heads alone.

Let them find their balance.

Let them stretch.

Go for a trail ride. "

Wise words from Mills Consilient Horsemanship on my facebook feed today. And timely. And, luckily, kind of already my plan. Go me, because this actually popped up AFTER I had ridden. I had realized that I was getting greedy and assuming that Funny was ready for more connection. And, maybe she is... but when I try for it.. she's getting hollow and bracy. And yes.. there are moments of lovely but she's chomping again and it feels more bad than good lately. And I had sort of convinced myself that it was just the next step and it was still progress because she was a bit slower in her tempo and more balanced. But then after my flat ride the other day and then my lesson with Jacel yesterday... I started to rethink. Perhaps, she's just not ready yet. She's sooooo good at so many things.. she's so responsive to all my aids... just... stop touching her face! Use the other aids. Don't let what my interpretation of what the judges want (A horse in a frame) make me do what's not right for my horse right now. So... I played with it today.

We started our ride and I decided to soften my reins to her. I was soft before (I thought) but... I rode today with the mantra of "body back, hands forward". I wanted to use my body and core to keep her slow and lifting in her back but I didn't want to touch her face. And while I wasn't throwing her away... I was almost throwing her away. I kept giving my hands forward so she would reach for the bit instead of just feeding them out to the ground. But I also had only the very softest of contact. And there were plenty of times where my reins would have been considered "bouncy". And I know... "incosistent contact is more annoying to them than consistent contact" and maybe it is.. but in general, Funny was happier today. She was a bit quick again. But, I used my sitting trot and my body... and slowed my energy... and we got some nice slow trots and canters at times. Overall, she was MUCH softer in her back... MUCH softer in her neck. And while she would occasionally brace, and occasionally go behind the vertical (Or below the vertical more so), there was a whole lot of times she had a lovely head and neck position and her back felt lifted. She felt a bit quicker than usual.. and there were times when she really slowed down that I could feel her sitting more on her hind end, but it didn't really feel like she was on the forehand today. Maybe she was though... But again, I still feel like this is the better bad.

We did some walking, some trotting, and some cantering. And the canter was definitely better! Also quicker.. but still, better. We had some really lovely moments of slower and more sit, but they didn't last very long. And maybe it's just because she's not strong enough yet. And me "insisting" that she be on a shorter rein and "on contact" isn't going to make her stronger quicker. Short stints of her carrying herself correctly will help make her stronger. But it's not doing her any good if she's slower and sitting but braced and stiff in her back! And because she is so responsive to my weight and seat aids... why wouldn't I use them. I had to slow my post... squeeze my thighs... use sitting trot... and today especially.. if I thought about lifting my inside hip, it made a big difference. I think lifting my inside hip helps her bend more correctly. Maybe it unblocks something I'm blocking. I was trying to pay attention to what my body was doing when she felt good and continueing to do that.

So... we had a much better ride and we were both happier. I still had a soft connection it felt like.. just on a slightly longer rein and my hands kept pushing forward. Which... sounds very classical! I suspect that I'm taking it to the extreme, but... baby steps. She's young. She's talented. We've got time to build her properly.

In addition to focusing on that... we also played with the obstacles a little bit. partially to help distract her and make her brain think and slow and partially because... why not?! She was pretty darn good in the livestock pen. She was a little scared of the jug table. I had set Jean's roll top up on it's end and put a plastic flower pot on top. She gave it the hairy eyeball but went up to it and investigated. And tried to knock my flower pot off! I should have named her Confetti's Category 4 and called her Cat or Kitty. Ha ha. She also did the gate and the reverse gate pretty darn good!! Not perfect, but fairly smooth and steady. So honestly, quite decently considering she's only done it a handful of times! We also did the single slalom. So... while I really really really hope Dan bounces back quick enough to go to the show... if I have to, Funny could sub in.

She got a nice rinse and then splashed in the trough while I was trying to fill it up.