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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

A Little Ugly

12/21/2015

 
Speedy really is a good boy. He's super friendly, travels well, has good manners, and is willing to try whatever I point him at.

But...

He's kind of opinionated, and he can get lazy if he thinks what he's doing is w-o-r-k (a dirty word in his not-so-humble opinion).

For the most part, a little laziness means an easy ride. I don't have to be super vigilant when I ride Speedy. While he does buck, bolt, and kick out when he's pressed to work, he's relatively little, and I know him so well that his woo-hoo moments are but tiny blips on the radar.
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Not a fan of work ...
I was just complaining the other day that we might not get to show at Second Level as soon as I was hoping. That didn't sit well with me. I have a very athletic and talented horse. I am a good rider. What's the problem?

That's when I got to thinking back on something Chemaine said to me recently: better scores will come when I can ride Speedy on the edge of just being out of control. Interestingly, lazy horses are not typically teetering on the brink of chaos. Huh.

With that in mind, I've changed up my riding routine a little bit. Instead of trying to ride both boys on every day that I don't work, I am riding one horse a day. This has solved all kinds of issues. First of all, I am not so worn out every weekend. It also gives me more time to focus on that day's one ride. I can spend longer warming up and cooling down. 

Speedy isn't a fan of getting ridden day after day anyway. He's much happier with a workload of three to four days a week. He subscribes to the less is more philosophy of life. I also think Izzy is at a point in his training where a work day followed by a thinking/turnout day is doing good things for his brain.
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More food, less work!
I know I am taking forever to get to the point of A Little Ugly, but here it is. By only having one ride to focus on without the need to hurry up and get through it, I've been able to get Speedy's butt in gear. And let me tell you, there has been more than a little ugly to make it happen.

Since I have more time to spend on my rides, I've been taking longer in my warm-up. Speedy is feeling much more supple through his neck and poll, especially to the left. He likes the warm up phase. We do a lot of walking that includes flexing left and right combined with leg yields.

For the first minute of trot work, he's allowed to go as low as he wants. He gets two laps, once each direction, to drag his nose on the ground. This is not a stretchy trot - this is a fake stretch, but since he enjoys it and it gets him moving, I let him. When I feel like he's ready to shorten his frame and start to carry a little more weight behind, the ugly begins.

His go-to is to fling his head and hop forward into the trot as he tries to leave his hind end out of the conversation. With my new focus on MORE and trying to find that precipice of chaos, I've realized that by letting Speedy be lazy, I've let him think it is a-okay to let the hind end do whatever it wants. Now that I am changing the rules, Speedy is starting to get pissed off. I LOVE pissed off Speedy because that horse has ENERGY.

I have realized that I have legs with feet and spurs attached. When he starts to get funky in front - flinging his head and trying to run into the trot, rather than drop him per my usual, I now HALF HALT and USE MY SPUR. And the whip. The whip has become my new best friend, my precious if you will.

This weekend, Speedy and I had a fabulous battle over whether I get to use the whip. He kicked, and I whacked. He kicked again, and I double whacked. In fact, I just kept whacking (gently) until he quit kicking and started to do a turn on the forehand.

And you know what happened after that? I got an awesome, forward, uphill trot! Boom.

So. For right now, the trot doesn't have to be big, although we have been playing around quite successfully with lots of transitions within the gait. The trot does have to come from the hind end though, and I am finally seeing how to keep that energy from leaking out to the side or fizzling out in front of us. This is how we'll start to collect enough for Second Level.
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Not a fan of tough love.
Tough love might be ugly, but it is very effective! Today's a Speedy day by the way, and I am really looking forward to our ride!
jenj
12/21/2015 07:17:16 am

Ermahgaw, Speedy just looks FAHbulous! That neck! That butt!

Anyway. RE being just on the verge of out of control - have you watched any of the pros ride tests at USDF rated shows? Even at Training/First level, their horses look like they're just about to jump out of their skin. Compare that to the ammy horses who just look nice and relaxed (hopefully, lol). I find it interesting, but it's also something to go for and before Paddy got hurt, I was trying to do that too - ride him at the edge of almost too much, but still in balance. It's a tough line to find and keep, but it sounds like you're on it. I can't wait to see video!

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/21/2015 08:14:01 am

Chemaine's been after me for a while to get more forward out of him, but it's not easy to do. Just asking for forward sends him rocketing onto his forehand. I think what I am really starting to feel with him, is that he needs more hind end engagement (don't they all?) with a half halt in front to keep his front end from falling over.

There might be video next weekend as Chemaine is scheduled to be here. We'll see what happens. :0)

Mia
12/21/2015 07:40:23 am

You're description is really close to all the same issues, and ugliness, that I went through with Ava. It's nice to know I'm not the only one. :) Sounds like you're catching the issues quicker than I did though.

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/21/2015 08:17:52 am

Did it work?!?!?!

Jan link
12/21/2015 07:58:21 am

That butt! Look at it! It's so big!! *cue song* I love it, that's a butt made for sitting!

Re: On the brink of chaos (which would make an awesome show name), I have to agree with jenj- the best scores seem to come from those horses on the hairy edge! They're relaxed to some degree, but they're so forward they're looking for the next move and if you don't come up with it, they will! Glad you're finding your "on the edge"! Can't wait to see you guys tackle 2nd Level next year!

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/21/2015 08:30:07 am

Thanks, Jan. I don't know if Speedy's butt got so big thanks to his genetic make up, or if I had something to do with it. For an Arab, his butt is ginormous. In fact, I've never actually seen an Arab with my own eyes who had a butt that big.

Chemaine has been pushing us towards that "controlled chaos," but it's taking me some time to figure out how to get it. I hope I find it this winter as I too would like to see us tackle Second this next summer. :0)

lytha
12/21/2015 09:16:35 am

Speedy's Polish, Russian, Crabbet, I'm not sure exactly how much of each, but it really proves where his fantastic athleticism comes from.

I've been wondering if you've been following my horse search, I am having an exam tomorrow done on a pink-nosed grey Arab from Michalow State stud in Poland.

Bakersfiedl Dressage link
12/21/2015 03:24:03 pm

Every now and then I'll poke through Speedy's pedigree. His breeder, Feather Arabians, prides themselves on breeding horses for usability as working horses, not just to look pretty in a halter. She only breeds a few horses a year, but she's thoughtful in her pairings. You can check out there website here: http://www.featherarabians.com/index.html I bought Speedy directly from his breeder.

Yes, I have been following your search, sorry I haven't had time for commenting. The gray looks like a very suitable partner. I am not so sure I'd worry about the coughing, although I am not sure how severe it is. Speedy ALWAYS gives a few coughs as he begins his trot work, especially in the summer. Working in a dusty arena and being housed in a dusty stall will do that.

Carey link
1/5/2016 08:25:43 am

I'm catching up here, but this part:
"Speedy and I had a fabulous battle over whether I get to use the whip. He kicked, and I whacked. He kicked again, and I double whacked"
I am going through the EXACT same ordeal with Cosmo. He is lazy, and has been kicking out at the whip/crop so then I hesitate to use it. Dummy (me, and him). I got all amped up about this before the holidays and was ready to start our battling it out, then i went out of town and it rained and rained and battle was put on pause.
I will be joining this battle with you in spirit (you may be done with yours by now) as soon as the rain goes away.

Bakersfield Dressage link
1/5/2016 06:00:22 pm

The German trainer with whom I ride once or twice a year thinks it's more cruel to allow a horse to misbehave. He thinks that it's better to teach them that they must submit and behave. I agree.

I don't use the whip in anger or aggression, and in fact when Speedy and I were having the discussion, I was barely tapping his haunches. He wanted to intimidate me with the kick and buck, but I stuck it out and tapped until he allowed me to use the aid.

When you get back on, don't be afraid to use it, but be prepared to ride it out. It's a lot easier to do on a lazy horse too. :0)


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
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    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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