Ransom had a longer warmup than the last show. I very quickly realized this was NOT going to be OUR day. He was stiff, and had a huge case of the “I don’t wanna work”-it is. I tried a nice long rein, and he was compliant. As soon as I’d ask for a transition, or any sort of rein shortening, he’d hollow his back, shorten the stride, and pop that noggin up. Argh.. muttermutter.
Called for the first Test, off I went. Huge Error – I didn’t look carefully at the test orders. I rode in centerline, all pleased & happy with myself. Why not? I’d done well at the last test, and, while Ransom wasn’t perfect, he sure was quiet. Halt, Salute, proceed working trot. Headed right, circle 20m, canter in the corner, canter 20m circle. *ding ding* What’d I do?
Oops.. Training #2 before Training #1. The judge pointed out my screw up, told me how to fix it, asked that I go back to the last letter, ride my diagonal at trot, and proceed.
“Do I know test #2? Do I need it called?”
“No, ma’am. I thought I was up for #1 before #2. My fault entirely. I’m sorry.”
So, these will be out of order ridden, but they’re here. The scores are rather yuckie. More 6s and there’s even a 4 in TL1 for free walk –I hope I can get the video posted. He didn’t really get “irregular” – he blew his nose, and kept on going. *giggle* Now, it’s rather funny.
After the test details, I’ll comment a little on things that occurred outside the arena. Things that annoy me, and if by accident those “watchers” find my blog, I’d like them to know how it felt.
Training Level #1, L. Cummings, Judge
1. Enter working trot, halt at X, salute, proceed working trot
5 = wiggly on centerline, reluctant to halt
2. Track left, circle 20m
5 = getting quick; same uneven steps
3. Working canter left lead between K & A
6 = twisting, slightly haunches in
4. B Circle Left 20m
6 = falls over outside shoulder
5. Between centerline and B working trot
5 = not always regular
6. C medium walk
6 = braced into walk
7. Long free walk down the diagonal
4 = some loss of rhythm; not really at free walk
8. "A" working trot
7 = better rhythm
9. Circle Right 20m
7 = encourage longer strides
10. Working canter right lead in the corner
6 = against hand to canter
11. "B" circle right 20m
6 = balanced to forehand
12. Between centerline and "B" working trot
6 = slightly braced
13. Down "A" centerline, halt, salute.
6 = some resistance to halt
Rider comments
Gaits = 5
Impulsion = 5
Submission = 5
Rider = 5
Attractive team. Horse not always regular today. Need to see willing, useful, elastic connection so you can balance horse with half halts.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Week of 7/05/10
Monday - Lessons at BRM
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - rain rain rain
Tuesday evening, Romeo and I worked in a little ride. Nothing real intense or serious - hunter saddle, walk, trot in the side yard. He was good. I'm trying to work on a very loose rein, keeping him relaxed & paying attention to me.
Another one of 'em, again, I think.. I caught a quick work on Ransom. Found him decently light in my hands, and reinforced the forward. Yeah.. That was Wednesday. He was a pretty good boy. Nothing spectacular, but nothing horrific, either.
Thursday late afternoon, R and I departed for vacation. Got to hang out with friends and family. We got home on Saturday, and I immediately transitioned from 'vacationing' to show prep.
Jen had prepared nearly everything for us. Trailer was packed, tack was clean. All remained for me was loading my own things in the truck, and resting. Mosquitoes had taken up shelter in each and every damp spot in the yard, and were running the activities. I darted from truck to house, sprinted from back door to barn & back. I swell up & itch for weeks if I even get one mosquito bite. Let's not even talk about how miserable it is if I get bit multiple times & scratch them because I forget I was nibbled. Oi Vey
Sunday, we arrived at Freestyle Farm nice & early. Jen gave Ransom a quick scrubby bath while I checked in and got ready.
The Show.. The Show... Details to follow... If you follow me on Facebook, you already know the ribbons, and a bit about the scores. There's sooo much more than dear Facebook tells.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - rain rain rain
Tuesday evening, Romeo and I worked in a little ride. Nothing real intense or serious - hunter saddle, walk, trot in the side yard. He was good. I'm trying to work on a very loose rein, keeping him relaxed & paying attention to me.
Another one of 'em, again, I think.. I caught a quick work on Ransom. Found him decently light in my hands, and reinforced the forward. Yeah.. That was Wednesday. He was a pretty good boy. Nothing spectacular, but nothing horrific, either.
Thursday late afternoon, R and I departed for vacation. Got to hang out with friends and family. We got home on Saturday, and I immediately transitioned from 'vacationing' to show prep.
Jen had prepared nearly everything for us. Trailer was packed, tack was clean. All remained for me was loading my own things in the truck, and resting. Mosquitoes had taken up shelter in each and every damp spot in the yard, and were running the activities. I darted from truck to house, sprinted from back door to barn & back. I swell up & itch for weeks if I even get one mosquito bite. Let's not even talk about how miserable it is if I get bit multiple times & scratch them because I forget I was nibbled. Oi Vey
Sunday, we arrived at Freestyle Farm nice & early. Jen gave Ransom a quick scrubby bath while I checked in and got ready.
The Show.. The Show... Details to follow... If you follow me on Facebook, you already know the ribbons, and a bit about the scores. There's sooo much more than dear Facebook tells.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
7/5/2010 BRM Lesson Romeo
I gathered up Romeo, his hunt saddle, french link bit, and made sure my helmet still fit. *giggle* You know that feeling of, "never ridden this horse in this place, there's a lot going on, and while he's a saint 99.9% of the time, the one time I need him to be an angel, please don't be a dorkus freakus"? I had it irking through every darn nerve of my body.
I walked Romeo into the covered arena, tossed the reins over his neck, walked around him to tighten the girth, hopped aboard, and got to riding. Barb says to me, "Ride him like you normally do, I just want to watch him go a little bit."
So I did. We walked on a loose rein, we jogged out on a loose rein, I pushed him up to a rising trot with a little bit of contact. I asked for some canter both ways. Much to my dismay, the little fart blew his right lead three times before snagging it up correctly. Doofus. He didn't blink, he didn't spook, he didn't even look hard at the arena or the surroundings.
Barb says, "I love him. He's super quiet! I like that little jog. Keep his nose out there, it's cute! Don't tighten the reins... Yup, he's out of balance. Just needs some muscle." Then, the news I was sort of hoping to hear. "You should sell him. You'd get quite a bit for him, and that can go towards a new dressage horse."
She'll be posting the ad for him soon, and I'll link it back here. As a lady in the barn asked, "Why are you selling him?" I explained.. "Romeo has served his job VERY well in my life. I was terrified to ride, and there's got to be some other little kid or small adult out there terrified like I was. It's time for him to move on, and me to upgrade to a nice dressage horse. I can't do that and keep all three at home. Somebody's got to move on, and it's Romeo's time to go."
In the meanwhile, Romeo will enjoy 4 days a week or so, alternating every other day with Ransom. Mo will get work on all three gaits, as loose a rein as possible. The whole purpose will be to refresh his mind, and get his muscles back in shape. Now, my LittleMan has a job, at least for the time being. We'll still have goof off rides down the road, and maybe go push a cow or two. I might even pop him back over a few fences, and see if the old saddle fit issues are cleared from his memory.
I walked Romeo into the covered arena, tossed the reins over his neck, walked around him to tighten the girth, hopped aboard, and got to riding. Barb says to me, "Ride him like you normally do, I just want to watch him go a little bit."
So I did. We walked on a loose rein, we jogged out on a loose rein, I pushed him up to a rising trot with a little bit of contact. I asked for some canter both ways. Much to my dismay, the little fart blew his right lead three times before snagging it up correctly. Doofus. He didn't blink, he didn't spook, he didn't even look hard at the arena or the surroundings.
Barb says, "I love him. He's super quiet! I like that little jog. Keep his nose out there, it's cute! Don't tighten the reins... Yup, he's out of balance. Just needs some muscle." Then, the news I was sort of hoping to hear. "You should sell him. You'd get quite a bit for him, and that can go towards a new dressage horse."
She'll be posting the ad for him soon, and I'll link it back here. As a lady in the barn asked, "Why are you selling him?" I explained.. "Romeo has served his job VERY well in my life. I was terrified to ride, and there's got to be some other little kid or small adult out there terrified like I was. It's time for him to move on, and me to upgrade to a nice dressage horse. I can't do that and keep all three at home. Somebody's got to move on, and it's Romeo's time to go."
In the meanwhile, Romeo will enjoy 4 days a week or so, alternating every other day with Ransom. Mo will get work on all three gaits, as loose a rein as possible. The whole purpose will be to refresh his mind, and get his muscles back in shape. Now, my LittleMan has a job, at least for the time being. We'll still have goof off rides down the road, and maybe go push a cow or two. I might even pop him back over a few fences, and see if the old saddle fit issues are cleared from his memory.
7/5/2010 BRM Lesson Ransom
Ransom had enjoyed a week off, due to his show performance, the weather, and then the subsequently soaked mushy arena. Wasn't a chance I was risking an injury riding in the mud, and the heat was unbearable last week anyways.
Hopped on "cold", and spent some time at walk, bending, flexing. Trotted a bit on a long rein before gathering him up. Did a large quantity of walk/halts, but Barb mixed it up for us. They were barely halt before moving on again. Less than a second stopped. When he started staying quiet & collected, then a one-second halt. Then a two-second halt. These improved the longer we did them. Need to lather, rinse, repeat over and over back at home.
Trot work was magical again. He started out stiff, bent to the outside, and short strides. After some rein work and body position reminders for me, he had the most amazing working trot. Things I need to focus on...
Soft lower back
Pulse the reins, then soften - don't release the reins to loose, just soften my hands & my arms
Shoulders still - but go back to soft lower back, not hunter-arched-stiff back
Canter wasn't even an issue - nothing really needed "fixing". More of the rein-pulse to keep him bent inside the circles. Really though, my rear end was glued in the saddle, the canter was *very* forward, but he had some amazing collection work in the gait. sweeet!
Barb proclaimed,"It's time to move on. You're ready for something new. Lateral work!" We tried to start out with leg yields at trot. Heading from quarter line right to the rail, he nearly immediately picked up the yields, with a few brief moments of straightening to get his head aiming forward. Then we tried the opposite direction - yuck. Ransom's old bones and legs said, "No go Momma". He was choppy, ugly, and while I won't say ignoring the aids, he didn't seem able to complete the work.
After about an hour total lesson ride, we unsaddled, and hosed him down. Ransom is going to continue his work in Training Level, but will progress no higher. Barb suggested I consider starting to look for a more advanced horse. A bigger, badder, better dressage trained horse. I love my Ransom, though. Nevertheless, we're a team at least until the end of the year. He and I will continue our Training Level goals for the season.
Hopped on "cold", and spent some time at walk, bending, flexing. Trotted a bit on a long rein before gathering him up. Did a large quantity of walk/halts, but Barb mixed it up for us. They were barely halt before moving on again. Less than a second stopped. When he started staying quiet & collected, then a one-second halt. Then a two-second halt. These improved the longer we did them. Need to lather, rinse, repeat over and over back at home.
Trot work was magical again. He started out stiff, bent to the outside, and short strides. After some rein work and body position reminders for me, he had the most amazing working trot. Things I need to focus on...
Soft lower back
Pulse the reins, then soften - don't release the reins to loose, just soften my hands & my arms
Shoulders still - but go back to soft lower back, not hunter-arched-stiff back
Canter wasn't even an issue - nothing really needed "fixing". More of the rein-pulse to keep him bent inside the circles. Really though, my rear end was glued in the saddle, the canter was *very* forward, but he had some amazing collection work in the gait. sweeet!
Barb proclaimed,"It's time to move on. You're ready for something new. Lateral work!" We tried to start out with leg yields at trot. Heading from quarter line right to the rail, he nearly immediately picked up the yields, with a few brief moments of straightening to get his head aiming forward. Then we tried the opposite direction - yuck. Ransom's old bones and legs said, "No go Momma". He was choppy, ugly, and while I won't say ignoring the aids, he didn't seem able to complete the work.
After about an hour total lesson ride, we unsaddled, and hosed him down. Ransom is going to continue his work in Training Level, but will progress no higher. Barb suggested I consider starting to look for a more advanced horse. A bigger, badder, better dressage trained horse. I love my Ransom, though. Nevertheless, we're a team at least until the end of the year. He and I will continue our Training Level goals for the season.
July 4th 2010 Holiday Weekend
Saturday, I should have...
*measured windows, bought curtains, hung curtains, mowed the grass, cleaned house, delivered my shirt & breeches to the cleaners, started planning for vacation
Instead, I
*took a day trip to Aquarena Springs, in San Marcos Texas
*travelled from there to Austin, for a late lunch at Threadgill's
Sunday, I participated in church praise band (after an "11th hour" phone call asking to fill in Saturday night)
Then I found curtains, ordered 'em to be delivered to home later this week
Mowed the grass
Packed the truck again, reloaded the trailer again
Hosed off ponies
Monday, R and I hauled Ransom, and Romeo, to BRM for a great lesson session. Really neat news on both horses, which will be shared up in the next entry.
*measured windows, bought curtains, hung curtains, mowed the grass, cleaned house, delivered my shirt & breeches to the cleaners, started planning for vacation
Instead, I
*took a day trip to Aquarena Springs, in San Marcos Texas
*travelled from there to Austin, for a late lunch at Threadgill's
Sunday, I participated in church praise band (after an "11th hour" phone call asking to fill in Saturday night)
Then I found curtains, ordered 'em to be delivered to home later this week
Mowed the grass
Packed the truck again, reloaded the trailer again
Hosed off ponies
Monday, R and I hauled Ransom, and Romeo, to BRM for a great lesson session. Really neat news on both horses, which will be shared up in the next entry.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Hurricane Alex
The hurricane didn't make landfall here, and for that I'm thankful.
It did, however, make a mell of a hess =) of the property. I got home last night to puddles in all the normal heavy rain spots. In an effort to keep Ransom calm, and reduce the hoofprint damage to the arena & pastures, I stayed in last night. Tonight will be more of the same. This means I'll be travelling to BRM for lessons tomorrow with two horses that have had over a week off each.
Normally, that might mean goofy/spazzy/crazy. In the case of Romeo, it'll most likely mean quiet, somber, responsive, willing to please. For Ransom, it'll mean stiff to start, then very eager to please. I'm looking forward to the trip tomorrow.
As preparation, I get to bathe both boys tonight, in the puddles. Yuck!! I do need to think up a plan to keep 'em mostly clean. Otherwise, I'll be spraying off caked mud tomorrow morning before departure. Double Yuck!
The long 4th weekend doesn't bring anymore exciting plans than that. Hah! It just now occurred to me, I'm off on Monday. I get a 3-day weekend after all. Extra time to catch up on all the chores that will be put off tomorrow. *sigh* That's relieving! Better, and I bait the crew with partial news... I'm going out of town on Thursday thru Saturday...
wait,, wait.. If you read FFI's, you'll see there's a show coming on the 11th. So why o' why, would I schedule being out of town three days before a show?! Am I n-v-t-s? Nah, I just trust Ransom that much. But will I tell ya where I'm going? Not a snowball's chance in.. oop! Blog's rated G, I'll behave..
Who wants to guess where I'm headed? C'mon!! It'll be fun! Maybe if I can think up something nifty, I'll even toss in a prize for the closest guess. Miss Jennifer, you can't play, sorry sweetie. You're part of the big plan, so you can't give away the surprise!! shhhhh....
It did, however, make a mell of a hess =) of the property. I got home last night to puddles in all the normal heavy rain spots. In an effort to keep Ransom calm, and reduce the hoofprint damage to the arena & pastures, I stayed in last night. Tonight will be more of the same. This means I'll be travelling to BRM for lessons tomorrow with two horses that have had over a week off each.
Normally, that might mean goofy/spazzy/crazy. In the case of Romeo, it'll most likely mean quiet, somber, responsive, willing to please. For Ransom, it'll mean stiff to start, then very eager to please. I'm looking forward to the trip tomorrow.
As preparation, I get to bathe both boys tonight, in the puddles. Yuck!! I do need to think up a plan to keep 'em mostly clean. Otherwise, I'll be spraying off caked mud tomorrow morning before departure. Double Yuck!
The long 4th weekend doesn't bring anymore exciting plans than that. Hah! It just now occurred to me, I'm off on Monday. I get a 3-day weekend after all. Extra time to catch up on all the chores that will be put off tomorrow. *sigh* That's relieving! Better, and I bait the crew with partial news... I'm going out of town on Thursday thru Saturday...
wait,, wait.. If you read FFI's, you'll see there's a show coming on the 11th. So why o' why, would I schedule being out of town three days before a show?! Am I n-v-t-s? Nah, I just trust Ransom that much. But will I tell ya where I'm going? Not a snowball's chance in.. oop! Blog's rated G, I'll behave..
Who wants to guess where I'm headed? C'mon!! It'll be fun! Maybe if I can think up something nifty, I'll even toss in a prize for the closest guess. Miss Jennifer, you can't play, sorry sweetie. You're part of the big plan, so you can't give away the surprise!! shhhhh....
Friday Fill Ins
1. When it's quiet my mind wanders, most of it not good.
2. I've got another dressage show in what seems like a month. (psst. it's about two weeks away!)
3. My heart is tired, and ready for change.
4. On The 4th of July by James Taylor was playing this morning.
5. In the town where I was born two people were charged earlier this week in a suspected arson attempt.
6. The way they've all been understanding lately is something I really love about my significant other / friend.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to bathing the boys, tomorrow my plans include lesson on Ransom and future for Romeo at BRM and Sunday, I want to find joy in the second service!
2. I've got another dressage show in what seems like a month. (psst. it's about two weeks away!)
3. My heart is tired, and ready for change.
4. On The 4th of July by James Taylor was playing this morning.
5. In the town where I was born two people were charged earlier this week in a suspected arson attempt.
6. The way they've all been understanding lately is something I really love about my significant other / friend.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to bathing the boys, tomorrow my plans include lesson on Ransom and future for Romeo at BRM and Sunday, I want to find joy in the second service!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)