Holden's been good - he had a little accident right after our last lesson in October -- he managed to put all four legs between a gate and the result was some spectacular gashes and bruises.. So, he got to enjoy some serious time off. He was ridden sparsely in November, what between the mushy grass soup that is our riding ring and the miserable weather following.. not to mention it took a while for his cut (thanks gate!) on his pastern to seal completely.
The one thing I can really appreciate with him though is that he's the same horse, whether he's had four days off or four weeks.. the first five minutes he can be a little wiggly as he becomes accustomed to your leg, but it's nice to not have to worry about him being an idiot just because he hasn't been worked consistently.
He got new shoes the first week of December - finally put pads on him after x-rays confirmed what I was afraid of.. perilously shallow soles! So that didn't really jive with the whole "work hard and no-stirrup-November" goal that we had going on.. I felt it was unfair to work him with such thin feetsies and he sure wasn't complaining about the lack of serious mileage in November!
Once he got his fancy sneakers (complete with boriums up front) we went for a spin and I can tell he must have been wanting a shoeing upgrade for a while - he was much better over the gravel and uneven terrain that is our spiky driveway. We didn't do much, few trot laps in both directions and called it quits. I figure what with having such an inconsistent month, we could pick up the real work the next day.
And that was a few days ago -- we went for a whirl today and he was saucy, very saucy. Warm-up was okay, he was much better once I did some loopy serpentines and figure eights.. think he just forgot what a real leg aid felt like. Katie came out to snap some pictures (we have an employee photo contest at work) but sadly it was already dusk and my camera didn't agree much with the lighting. You'll have to forgive the quality, as I had to edit the pictures in PS3 because they were so dark. In any event we got enough pictures to figure out what I need to work on -- I even included a less than flattering one for posterity ;)
You know.. for posterity..
We even hopped over the barrels at the end of the ride.. Yup, just as I suspected -- EXACTLY where we left off! Such a good egg.
Maybe next time I rope my sister into snapping some pictures, we can go with a holiday theme..
Today we had our second lesson with the dressage trainer, herein referred to as DT. True to fashion we were kind of running late... so Holden was flown off of the trailer and dressed in record time. He took this all in stride, eagle eyed as he peered down past the trainer to the faint silhouette of horses behind a layer of tree boughs.
Our lesson began with a light chat about what we had done this week -- AKA, nothing. Holden had a pretty easy week, with two days off and some light rides W/T/C at Scarlett. He came into the lesson willing and much more relaxed than last week.
A short clip of our ride. Some things I need to work on is asking more of him in regards to contact. His rhythm was great today but I need to work on regulation. Keeping the contact consistent ("feel like you're keeping the bit in the corners of his mouth") and keeping my elbows bent to my hips, which I have a tendency to let get too loose. Keeping the outside rein consistent while keeping my arms back and up, as well as keeping the inside rein off of his neck as I ask him to bend with a more "open" connection.
Cantering we need to do more of. An exercise we worked on was figure eights - true bend, straight, change diagonal, change bend -- in that order. The four loop serpentine we worked on this week has really helped his responsiveness and my timing.
Monday marked a milestone for the two of us, as we pulled into a solemnly adorned driveway flanked by trimmed hedges and a single spruce of cornstalk. Here, real Dressage horses resided -- and it reflected in every perfectly manicured blade of grass. The ring was scrupulously dragged, the mirrors that reflected its impressive surface clear and devoid of blemish. Even the mounting blocks bore no trace of scuffed boot or fleck of sand. And then there was Holden, ungroomed and dusty as he stepped out of a trailer swallowed by rust.
We walked the span of the ring while our new instructor finished her current lesson. She commented on his bone and substance, as if surprised to see a thoroughbred comprised of such thickness and quality. We set to work, and work it was.
"More bend", she urged, as I opened my inside rein -- "keep your inside rein off his neck, close your fingers" she chided. "Bring your hips to your hands and your hands to your hips - do not pet him!" There were many flaws in my riding and I felt each one laid bare on the pale and raked ring, plain as a hoofprint on freshly dragged sand.
We worked in a circle, focusing on bending him generously to the inside while pushing him equally generously to the outside. "More leg, tap him when he doesn't respond" - he scooted forwards, offended by the suggestion. "Think walk as you trot", "get the walk you want" "keep his inside hind engaged". We worked on walking and halting smoothly, each footstep carefully planted as she monitored our rhythm like a hawk. The trot, he tended to get quick -- she advised me to think sinking my hips down into the saddle to slow him, and thinking walk. When he became resistant to the contact circle him smaller, send him forward into an open inside rein.
At the end of the lesson she shared a few exercises, her favorite one employing a small serpentine on the short side. This kept him balanced and attentive, though the end of the ride I did feel an ache in my arms. Drawing from the lesson, I saw many things I needed to work on - my length of rein and insistence in maintaining the contact first and foremost. She was demanding, but in the good way -- and in the end, I felt she drew a good ride from the two of us.
On Saturday, I took Holden to Scarlet Hill with the ambition to school some dressage and take advantage of the facility's beautiful footing. I feel in part that our dressage has been painfully stunted by overcoming the challenging surface that is our hilly ring. It's nice to ride on a groomed surface and realize that Holden is actually more broke than he feels at home.
Collected canter, anyone?
The session went well - except one annoying thing.. my Thinline pad kept pushing forward out from under the saddle.. Really bizarre. He was good and quiet for most of the ride - he had a serious aversion to this loudly striped pole in the ring that we had to have a discussion about. We fiddled around, did some W/T/C and then walked out to the cross country field.
We met up with the gal that used to lease my old TB and had a nice hack around the cross country field.. and she and Mike teamed up to convince (read: coerce) me to enter our first show..... which was tomorrow. "But he hasn't shown before" I objected -- "We haven't even had any professional help in months" I whined "he is barely confirmed in right lead canter" I insisted -- "we can't even maintain consistent contact somedays" I wheezed.. my ostensible self-deprecating comments were swiftly shut down by both parties, with heated insistence. I wasn't expecting such a deluge of support.
"But we aren't ready!"
So, at 8:30 AM Sunday I woke up, got some extra strong coffee from Starbucks (to steel my conviction I wasn't making a Huge Giant Mistake) and set to braiding Holden. The cool thing about dutch/hooded braids? They take like no time - I was packed up, groomed, braided, and loaded by 10...
Proof that I braided..
Well, we got there and Holden was really up and alert. It's funny, he doesn't do anything bad.. he just gets so upright and snorty that it sometimes makes me concerned. We walked around for about 45 minutes... just "seeing the sights". The warm up was really busy, so we walked around there until he settled enough to snatch a few bites of grass on our way out.
I still wasn't 100% convinced this wasn't a Huge Giant Mistake, but I was already here. Seriously who decides to attend their first show debut in five years the day before? Not like this type of planning has worked out for me in my life so far.. But we were here, so we tacked up at 11 and I was on him at 11:30. Holden seemed nonplussed once the initial "where-am-I" fear wore off -- we hacked around on a loose rein and did some dallying in W/T/C here and there.
"Is it nap-time yet?"
The funny thing is, he felt way more seasoned than he was. In that chaotic warm up he was with me every step of the way -- soft to the bridle, calm and attentive, he even offered some deep long and low at the canter.. we have trouble doing that at home! I couldn't believe the extraordinary ride he was giving me, and he was so "Ho Hum" about all the screaming children and their pony. He was just "there".
Sadly, I wasn't "there" yet. Our test was just awful, but because of me. I clamped up and stopped riding effectively once I trotted down the center line, which made Holden nervous. Holden's the type that needs a hand-hold (but not chokehold) ride -- and when I withered away he got inverted and stiff -- the judge wrote "out of control" on one of our movements... Whoops. It was kind of like that sudden decline that happens when a pilot steps away from the steering wheel.. Sorry, Holden.
I was really disappointed with how I handled my anxiety - I left the ring and instantly went back to the warm up and tried to get a better ride out of myself. Once again Holden surprised me - with all of my anxiety gone (since the test was done) he picked up the contact on his own and "carried" me - I hadn't had such a good ride out of him before. So the age old adage "it's not you, it's me" is dead on... it's not him, it's me.
I walked away elated though, and couldn't stop smiling for a while. For a horse/rider pair that have had less than four lessons under their belt, I really felt like we accomplished something here: confidence. Hopefully that confidence can develop into competence -- but that's what lessons are for. We tackled a milestone that day, and I'm glad we did it - getting it out of the way has made me feel so much more confident in my abilities as a rider (and Holden's sensibility as a horse) despite a less than stellar test. We got a 48.
At least now we know what to work on. On the 20th, I have a dressage lesson with a local Real Dressage Trainer. Seems like October is the month of firsts for both of us.
Well, it's about time for an update -- we can start with my major revelations and the disaster-wreck that was my most recent ride.
Yesterday, after carefully roping an unwilling assistant in the form of a sister (who, may I mention, required extraction from her house the next town over in the form of copious Starbucks fodder), we decided to cross the road in front of barn to school at the farm a little down the ways - about a half mile of walking undersaddle. Said farm is a lovely facility -- indoor with mirrors (so you can see how horrible your position has gotten over the past month!), nice outdoor adjacent to a very busy road, and plenty of capable riders who watch in horror when a rider can't control their misbehaving horse. We hacked over in good spirits, and I was looking forward to having an engaging ride with Holden.
You see, two things have stunted our dressagerly progress: my inexplicable lack of good aids and timing, and the fact that our home ring is based on the side of a hill. This has proved challenging for me because in this stage of Holden's training it's either work on the balance and forget the contact, or work on the contact and hope his extended trot down the hill doesn't end with a faceplant. We thought schooling in a real live ring would help.
"You want me to behave? Yea.."
Well, you know what they say about horses and plans -- I think mice are involved too. It was a disaster -- my kick ride that is W/T/C with reasonable contact mount regressed to 2 year old Thoroughbred before the gates at first call - bouncing, jigging, tenser than a cat suspended over water.. He felt like a keg of dynamite and it was all I could do to keep his trot manageable. We cantered (well, HE cantered -- I hung on for dear life) and worked on walk halt transitions and shamefully made our way home. Of course, the heathen wasn't even remotely repentant -- he even offered a chipper nicker as we crested the rise of our driveway.
I decided to chalk this up as a loss due to fall and greenness, and elected instead to take on a safer engagement -- braiding. I mean, despite the fact my horse is apparently not ready to trot down the centerline without hysterics, I still can keep the delusional dream going and practice braiding, right? Besides, if he's braided at least he looks pretty during his best primadonna moments.
"Mom! What did you do to me?"
I had practiced earlier that week and the braids (which I trusted would turn out spectacularly after watching a few know-how videos on Youtube) came out looking like swollen door knockers. This is why you practice, right?
I watched a few more videos, got some helpful critique (thanks COTH powers that be!) and set to braiding - the weather was cool, the bugs were gone, and my horse had reverted to his placid self. In ten swift minutes I had plaited the entire sweep of his braid into 8 neat, Pony-Club inspector improved sections and was just about to start sewing... when the plastic needle broke!
You ever wonder why as a hard working horse girl, you don't have all the nice amenities as your friends? Your friend gets new extensions or a fabulous dye job and your do-du-jour is a hay weave and your hairspray horse snot. My case in point when you meet your friend at a bar or restaurant and one of the first questions you ask before you get in the car is "I don't have to change, right?". My friends are constantly confusing my reluctance to spend my money with stinginess, or an aversion to social outings - but in fact, my bank account is in a stranglehold by my horse, and here's why.
Horse decided the sound and in consistent life was not syncing with his lazy lifestyle and schedule, as my last update went briefly into. So, on Thursday I hauled his heiney to the farm we train at and met the vet for a full lameness work up.
"Oh, you're poor? Haha."
Here's the thing.. the vet couldn't get a positive flexion out of either front limb. Who complains about having a sound horse? Apparently, me -- if he wasn't lame up front, why the swelling in the LF, or the headbob on Sunday? Apparently, short of a crystal ball, we won't know.
Vet liked what he saw but suggested we see him under saddle. Whoo, was Holden fresh.. after having a week off he was ripe with naughtiness - including an unplanned hand gallop around the ring much to the horror of my old trainer, who probably at that point was thankful I was no longer in her brood. Once Holden's horns subsided the vet did hind flexions - hocks and pasterns on both side were mildly positive, but vet felt it was a product of track wear (30+ starts) and age and nothing to be concerned about.
Despite my wallet's protesting, I pushed for an ultrasound of both front limbs. Both ultrasounds were fairly similar, with no lesions or tears - all the ligaments looked great (including the check ligaments) - there was a disparity in size between the two suspensory ligaments, with the left suspensory being slightly more filled (2.53 cm instead of RF 2.52 IIRC). Vet did not feel it was anything to worry about, but advised keeping an eye on it for any changes. We pulled a lyme titer as well. In conclusion vet believes the weakness in LH is manifesting with too much loading in the RF which translated to compensation in the LF - AKA Horse would benefit from more pole work and shoes.
It was a relief to me to see that Holden was not harboring some sort of tendon or ligament rupture - though I will say for the next three weeks we will probably be dining on ramen and PB&J sandwiches.. You know, while my horse continues to be a pampered little dingus.
Well, it's been raining a lot. Holden was great the past week. We spent most of last week doing some trail riding due to the slippery footing in the outdoor - on Wednesday the grass was no longer slick and we did lots of pole work and transitions in the ring... Unfortunately, on Thursday I noticed some minor but suspicious swelling in his LF.. Awww... man!
Not 100% sure what it is, he is trotting sound and looked fantastic when he decided to play 'keep away' (insert pained grumbling - DINGUS!). But there is heat, mostly higher up. I am a little concerned it may be the Injury-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I poulticed and wrapped but didn't bute - I noticed while I was hand grazing him pre-wrapping that it seemed to go down with movement, so I was hopeful it was just from maybe standing around all day (it's been really muddy). Or. it is possible he slipped -- it's quite muddy. On Tuesday we had a pretty good work out and the more I think the more I am thinking "oh God what have I done have I broken my pony is he broken what did I do oh my God I am the worst"...
But today it was largely the same - a little less swollen, but still warmer than the other leg. He looked sound when we jogged him out, and no headbobbing on a tighter circle - take that, Injury-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! I am really hoping it is just the beginning of an abscess, but he's so sound on it I'm not sure. I don't want to stall him if he is sound and comfortable - in the off chance it is an abscess the movement will help him.
In any event, we poulticed and wrapped again. No bute still - I am going to give his leg until tomorrow to shape the frick up and get itself together before getting the vet involved.
Yesterday I had a plan before I even got on Holden -- and even though the latter half of the plan was not executed (some small jumping) I was able to see first hand what a difference having a Plan does for your effectiveness while riding. While we were warming up at the walk I formulated and told Taylor what I wanted to accomplish today - I wanted quiet transitions and a big trot - with cantering early on. I made the mistake with my last OTTB Spooky that I always cantered at the end of the ride and then ended there.. which meant I spent too much time working on trotting and not enough time developing our comfort level at the canter. It should come as no surprise that Spooky would then assume he was done after a change of direction and a few circles of canter.. Dumb of me, right?
Anyway, I could have asked Holden for more bend and a little more roundness. I definitely see an improvement in my posture but I need to remember to sit further back (my seat bones) and pick up my hands - what seems to help is envisioning that I am holding two cups of coffee. Looking to the outside of the circle helps me keep my posture more correct, and prevents me from collapsing my inside and leaving Holden high and dry around the turn.
I also need to improve my timing, which right now is as about painfully inaccurate as Taylor's perception of fashion sense ;) Holden is having some difficulty picking up the right lead reliably - in part I believe it is due to the fact that I am not riding him effectively and timing the cue when his inside hind leg is underneath me.
Overall in watching the video I see a better quality tempo, but I need to focus on my position and driving him forward with my seat rather than holding him back with my reins. Driving with my seat makes me drop my knees which makes me less likely to pinch them or post with my ankles. Riding him forward makes him more engaged and perceptive and in turn, makes me feel less out of control. I need to pick up my hands high, which will also change my shoulder blades back.
Holden got a little unfocused towards the end, which was partially my fault as I did not get after him and ride him more assertively. We finished with trot circle transitions.
Today's lesson, we focused on several... or many things.. One, using my hips & leg to influence Holden rather than my hands. Our lesson started off with the two of us quite tense and defensive as a result -- but once I let go of Holden's face and sent him forward rather than hold him back, he was much better. My instructor pointed out holding him to a smaller circle made him more unbalanced and worried, where-as pushing him forwards on a bigger circle helped him (and me!) feel more secure.
The biggest thing I realized thanks to my instructor is that Holden is not going as fast as I think he is. Meredith had Mike videotape me during the trot/canter transitions to show me he was not at all as quick as he felt. I need to learn to be comfortable with his gaits, which are big and feel fast but are not, at all, as fast as they feel. Watching the video, I could not believe he almost looked pokey..
We worked on transitions within the gait as well, and I found sitting back and finagling rather than leaning forwards and restraining worked so much better to get him to step in and out of transitions within the gait. I am no longer allowed to say 'slow' or 'eaasy' or any of the mollifying 'commands' - instead I am supposed to think 'big' and 'elongate' and other adjectives for a large stride.
I asked Mike his thoughts on my position and ride. He said my riding was 'Quasimodo-esque' in the beginning, with the most improvement seen at the end. I do tend to hunch forward and abandon my seat. I also found out that I could get a canter out of Holden with a much less dramatic leg - turns out part of the reason he was scooting into the canter was because I was applying too big an aid for him.
Next ride I need to work on the following:
1. Uninhibited stride, pushing and riding forward
2. Sitting upright, with closed elbow
3. No 'calming/slowing' noises or voices
4. Use my SEAT, which covers a wider base of the horse's body than my hands.
5. Cantering: Close outside hip, look out, sit back
6. Half-halt every few strides rather than retain the gait
6. More transitions within the gait
P.S.. Meredith said lots of things like "ride him like he's a BN horse", "stop babying" "ride him like he knows something" etc... Time to do so at home. Fun's over, Holden!
Holden was great the last three days. We spent Friday hacking across our neighboring territory, which involved going up dunes, seeing some rogue cows, and trotting down Blood Road (a private dirt road) to escape the flies, who were out with a vengeance that day. Holden lead Chism most of the way with a 'take charge' attitude for once -- no silliness besides the head-tossing from the flies.
On Saturday we went across the road to Hartwell conservation land, a gorgeous swath of windy trails (most not perfectly manicured) and steep hills. We went the double-hill route, which is quite the gauntlet for an unfit horse. Both horses were winded at the summit, with good recovery time. We navigated some sloppy gullies and when our trail involuntarily ended we pioneered some new trails.. Holden took this in stride and seemed perfectly fine crawling his way through the underbrush, though I will note he is not as savvy with where to place his feet as Chism is.
Sunday the four of us (Holden & I, Chism & Katie) went to HGP for a dressage school before our lesson on Monday. Chism seemed a little ouchy on the tough ground so Katie walked him only - wonder if he perhaps is sore from our hard work-out on Saturday. Holden was very sensible until I asked to trot in which he seemed immediately defensive - I moved the saddle back and removed the martingale (tried a new one) and he was much better. I also think having Chism off in the distance made him anxious.
We moved to a small sand dressage ring and worked on changes of bend and transitions from walk-to-trot until I felt he was supple.. He still seemed kind of frustrated and nervous, but settled into work fine and when Chism & Katie came over to watch and film he buckled right down into work. It was hot and I think he was tired from worrying so much, but due to my less than stellar riding I could not get him to pick up the right lead .. I just kept trying and trying and getting the left. Holden was hot and was starting to get quite frustrated, I switched direction to the left after multiple unsuccessful attempts and asked for a canter and he gave me a seamless depart and nice lope-like canter.. He felt sound and fine but I wonder if the heat (it was 80s) and waiting too long into the warm-up to canter is what did him in.. I wanted to end it on a good note so I finished going to the left in a nice stretchy trot circle and he felt great. A little disappointed in myself that I couldn't set him up for success with the right lead - I am wondering (it is also his less strong direction) if cantering earlier in the warm up (and also not STARTING with that direction) would help. He does need me to hold his hand through the transition and I am afraid I was not riding 100% on my game today.
Tomorrow we have a lesson.. hopefully it will be better than the last one!
I can't believe it's been over a year since I've updated the blog. Super bad of me! I guess I should start with an update - Holden & I rode through the winter. Yes, you heard me - the entire winter! This is a girl without an indoor or a riding ring.. He had 2 weeks off in February when the temps got down to below zero but we rode 3-5 days a week, mostly hacking with some short stints of trot when footing allowed. I'm not even going to say it was easy - it wasn't -- but I am SO glad we endured the bitter cold because he came out in spring ready to work. Yes, I'm bragging about our accomplishment - sloughing through the slush SUCKED! Just so you know, Massachusetts had over four feet of snow on the ground at one point.. See the image left, for illustration.
We had our first lesson of the season in April. It was a DISASTER. We get about a quarter mile to where the barn is and our trusty old truck starts to splutter and dies pretty much when we pull up the driveway. I was determined to have a good ride, but
the fates don't play that way - I was nervous about the lesson and
stressed about the truck - needless to say, my demeanor affected Holden
who promptly became a wild and untrained pony.. we spent the lesson
gluing his (and my) confidence back together, but ended with some good
notes that I was able to apply to riding at home.. Good notes which
resulted in a few breakthroughs in the way I ride.
1. Stop babying my horse. Expect more of him, and expect more of myself.
2. Ride the outside of your horse. Don't post off of your ankles, post from your seat.
The 3rd is the most hard, as Jackie Brooks happens to be a few leagues out of my riding capability. By few, I mean one hundred. She is a beautiful and talented rider. I have to remember to ride with my shoulders back and my hands up (think: holding cups of coffee), otherwise I lose effectiveness and strength in my core.
His cuteness...
My breakthrough happened when my instructor diplomatically told me to stop babying my horse and ride the outside of his body. Once I stopped posting from my ankles (chair-seat, a defensive by-product of learning to sit the goosey horses) and tried to post from my seat using my inside thigh muscles and calf, I really saw a huge difference. Holden didn't immediately break into an uncontrolled trot anymore - he stepped into the upward transition. There wasn't as much resistance anymore, or a feeling that he was about to take off. I am constantly reminded how perceptive horses are to their rider's feelings and energies -- once I abandoned my 'defensive' seat and put some angle in my knees and posted more from my core than my legs I found a HUGE difference in Holden's way of going. He was more receptive, less quick, and best of all, seemed calmer.
We have spent the past month alternating between ring work and trail rides - with some trail rides ending in brief (~10m or less) schools where we plop over a crossrail or two. My goal is to continue to plop him over a jump after each ride - he is starting to jump better with his body but is still very ungainly O/F. Our trails are nothing to sneeze at, with steep hills long enough to get your horse's saddle back, but it is good for him to go out as he is not the bravest soul.
We have dabbled in a few small cross country fences (nothing over BN) when we venture over to the local pony club venue called HGP. Holden and I are getting braver at moving out in the open - Holden doesn't seem to like 'pioneering' the trails or open spaces, but is getting much better. Part of it is, I believe, a green horse thing.
We have so far done some banks down and a ditch. We usually trailer to HGP about 1-3x a week - I am trying to get him off property as often as I can to improve both his (and my) confidence alone. Our last "cross country school", which really consisted of a good dressage school out in the field punctuated with walk breaks over fences, was very successful. I worked on transitions and ratability, and spent the warm-up doing lots of transitions, changes of bends, 'pioneering' (which means we trot somewhere we haven't trotted before), and getting him to 'whoa' when I say so. We then schooled the ditch at the walk - the first few times I was left behind and that goosed him (sorry Holden!). He did the green-horse scoot after the fences, so I worked on bringing him back calmly. After repositioning myself in a more "driving" seat, he settled down and we finished the ditch question with a calm and fluid depart. We then did some trotting over a BN log - at first he scooted, so I worked on getting him back to me calmly. We still need to improve on quicker stops after the fence, but we ended the session spectacularly, including jumping the bigger (almost Novice) fence a few times with calm canter departs.
Here is just a boring synopsis of our last week, I have been neglecting keeping track so need somewhere to put it..
THURSDAY 5/14 - Home - Hartwell trail ride with light school after - jumped crossrails, he was good but a little wiggly/unfocused to fence. Need to be more assertive riding him. FRIDAY 5/15 - Home - Hartwell trail ride. SATURDAY 5/16 - GPC - Dressage school w/ Kimmy attending. Holden was squirrelly & distracted, I didn't ride 100%. Heavy on bit, gaping mouth. Kimmy suggested switching bits. SUNDAY 5/17 - TWO RIDES. AM - GPC 'show' in morning - was up, anxious - did W/T by shed but couldn't get him to settle. Hand walked to field, Holden got unnerved. Ended by hacking around premises. PM rode with Katie to Hartwell, did some light schooling in field, hill work, was good but a little goosey. END OF WEEK SYNOPSIS: Need to improve bend in my elbow, pick up and roll back my shoulders, post from the outside and not with my heels. Improvement seen when using 'magic muscle' and sitting upright - think like Jackie Brooks, or Ingrid Klimke. Mostly flat and trail. MONDAY 5/18 - Home - Ring work in new bit (HS Dynamic) was great, super soft, fluid - worked on some pole work, W/T/C and jumped. TUESDAY 5/19 - GPC - flat & XC school, was good, worked on fluidity and tempo. Schooled bank down & ditch. Great on bank down but jumps off, scoots - needs to stop sooner. WEDNESDAY 5/20 - Home - Ring work, very windy. Holden was goosey, kept it short - W/T unintended canter. Hacked out for warm-up. THURSDAY 5/21 - GPC - XC school - worked on 'ratability', w/t/c transitions. Chism had a few up moments. Holden overall was good, had some issues setting up right lead canter. Does boogey after the fence the first few times. Needs quicker brakes. Beginning was patchy, settled into work - GPC had mounted meeting.
Oh yeah! Did I mention I switched his bit? I've been riding him in an eggbutt with a french link in the middle.. A friend suggested switching to something different (she wanted a loose-ring, but I started Holden in a loose ring and he didn't love it) so I went to the Dover Saddlery store in Plaistow and picked up a Herm Sprenger Dynamic RS eggbutt. I honestly cannot believe the difference. He is still green and goosey, but now he is just "there" when I pick up the contact. I'll have to snap more pictures and videos - especially so I can see where I need improvement. We have our second lesson on Monday.. wish us luck!
