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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Another Hunter Lesson

3/19/2015

 
No cross rails yet, but there were poles!

We started out the lesson by asking Austin to let go through his entire body; he is one stiff and heavy boy. We suspect that Austin was allowed to go in a very fake frame in his former home. He rounds his neck very nicely, but there is no connection to his hind end. But since he looks so pretty, his former rider(s) probably thought that a rounded neck was good enough.

JL isn't fooled by a fake frame and can spot it a million miles away. So even though she's not a dressage instructor, she is very good at helping riders to get their horses moving correctly from their hind ends.

I had to do several pulley halts to get Austin off my hands, and I followed that up with some rocking of the rein. Little by little he started to soften so my rocking became closer and closer to finger pulses. Once he was trotting around on his hind end without having me hold up his head, we changed direction.

We repeated the suppling exercises at the canter, and JL worked on my leg position a bit more. My leg is either a bit too far behind, or it slips slightly forward. I am definitely having trouble finding that sweet spot, but I am definitely getting close. 

My right foot and ankle are also complete rebels - they refuse to stay in the correct position. Granted, the foot has had some injuries, but every time I look down, all of my weight is to the inside with no weight to the outside of my foot. To help me fix the problem, JL raised that stirrup quite a bit so that I am forced to put weight in the stirrup. Let me just say ... OUCH!

After all of the suppling and torturing, I finally got to have a little fun, and I know Austin enjoyed himself too. JL put two poles down and let us go. When we approached the poles the first time, I let Austin just go for it and so he said, OXER!  He quite enthusiastically launched over the whole thing and gave a little buck of delight as he cantered off. I of course was grinning from ear to ear right along with him.

The next attempt sent the poles scattering as I interfered too much. By the third go round, I started hearing JL in my head. I've watched enough lessons to know what I should be doing even though I've never done it myself. I made the turn with Austin solidly on my outside aids, and then I rode straight to to the poles chanting, wait ... wait ... wait...  He trotted correctly over the poles as I continued to remind him to wait ... wait ... wait ...

He did a very good job once I started to ride him straight for the poles while remembering to keep him straight and rhythmic after the poles as well. We only trotted over them a few times as he had already worked quite hard. In fact, he was bit short behind the next day so I simply hacked him around on the buckle so that he could stretch out his sore muscles.

We have another lesson on Monday. While I know that I am a total dork about being happy to trot poles, it really was fun to try something new. I hope there are more poles in our future. Maybe they'll even be off the ground!
emma link
3/19/2015 12:00:07 am

aww i love Austin's enthusiasm for the poles haha. one exercise a trainer used to get my weighting one side over another was to drop the other stirrup entirely. same effect but maybe not as painful as one super-hiked-up stirrup?

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/19/2015 09:38:05 am

Yikes ... no stirrup on one side? I would feel so unbalanced. The shortened stirrups was tough, but at least I could balance myself. :0)

Austen link
3/19/2015 12:01:45 am

Hey trot poles can be tough! Just ask Pig! ;) It'll be fun to take these pole lessons into the dressage world with Speedy. A lot of people use poles to get their horses learning to take bigger steps in an extension without getting strung out and racing.

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/19/2015 09:39:52 am

I like working with poles, but Speedy makes me nervous! He's terrible about picking up his feet which makes me worry that he's going to hit the poles, flip over, and ruin both our day. ;0)

Austin is so experienced that I felt safe on him even when he leaped the whole thing! Speedy could probably use the work though. :0)

Lauren link
3/19/2015 01:21:12 am

It's not dorky, trotting poles is fun!

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/19/2015 09:40:25 am

I'm obviously late to the party. :0)

kelly link
3/19/2015 03:14:58 am

I enjoy hearing about your Austin rides! We pull out the trot poles for Riva occasionally, to mix it up. Really helps gets her to lift her shoulders and pick up her hind feet.

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/19/2015 09:41:59 am

I am definitely having fun riding him and my barn owner's horse as well. I haven't blogged much about Marty, but that's been really educational as well. Speedy will hopefully get some pole work too. he just makes me nervous since he's not as careful with his feet!

Sarah link
3/20/2015 06:03:43 am

Yay! Sounds like a great ride. There are so many great exercises for ground poles, and I agree with dropping one stirrup suggestion - hard but EFFECTIVE! LOL

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/20/2015 08:03:57 am

JL read that comment and laughed when she said that might be next. Yuck!!!!!

Tracy link
3/23/2015 11:14:31 pm

I love trot poles! Haha

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/24/2015 12:16:20 am

Apparently I do too!!!! Who knew? :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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Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
Contact her at bakersfielddressage@gmail.com
  • Home
  • About
  • My Horses
    • Horses
    • Imperioso
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Local
    • Shopping List
  • Home