Bakersfield Dressage
  • 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

Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

There's Video!

6/30/2014

 
It's far from perfect, but what I love about it is the very steady rhythm that Sydney has finally agreed to (albeit a slow one). He's also definitely relaxed, which means that collection is up next. JL has just had us start working on collecting the canter.

From the video, I can see that I do need to shorten my reins. That's been a progressive issue with this horse (and me). Sydney was very resistant to contact even a few short months ago (rearing/whirling/bolting), but I can see now that he wouldn't fuss if I took them up another six inches.

I also need to BEND MY ELBOWS. Holy crap. When am I ever going to get that? At least I am keeping my left fist closed; that's something. Bending my elbows will do a lot to improve the whole picture that we make.

Showing a video is hard on one's ego. No criticism needed - I am REALLY good at doing that for myself. And on the flip side, no false atta girls either. Yes, there is huge improvement, but we still have a long way to go.
Sorry we're so tiny, but putting my camera on a mounting block means I don't get to use the zoom feature, and it definitely affects the levelness. If you watch it on YouTube, you'll be able to see it better, but the cockeyed angle will still be present!

An Author Spotlight

6/28/2014

 
PictureJune 30 - July 14
I was recently contacted by the author P.J. O'Dwyer and asked if I would host her on my blog. Since I love to write myself, not to mention that I am a voracious reader, I eagerly agreed.

Part of P.J.'s book tour includes a giveaway, so yah for free stuff! I know that she is offering 10 copies of her book, jewelry, and steep discounts on her other books. To be eligible, you just need to leave a comment on the day that she stops by my blog, July 1st. Claimed will be available in eBook form from Amazon for only 99¢ during the blog tour!

To sweeten the deal a bit, P.J. sent me an autographed copy of her book, Relentless, and a lovely pair of earrings from her store.

Picture
LOVED it!
Picture
They are gorgeous on!
The book was a perfect summer time read. I read virtually all of it in one afternoon of couch potato laziness. The story includes several mysteries, a few steamy love scenes, and a lot of quick action. The main character, Bren, is a determined, self-sufficient gal who doesn't take any crap. I like strong female characters, especially when they also get the guy in the end!

You can check out P.J.'s website at www.pjodwyer.com. Be sure to check back on July 1st so that you can read a small excerpt from her newest book and maybe even get a free copy!

I Hate to Bore You ...

6/27/2014

 
But honestly, Sydney just continues to amaze all of us! I had my second lesson for the week on Wednesday, our new usual. JL watched me warm up a bit and liked how mellow he was to the left, also our new usual, and decided that it was a great day to work on collecting the left lead canter.

Now that Sydney can reliably pick up the left lead canter without any drama, she wants him to be rounder and more collected. For a horse who used to bolt as his one and only gait, it is rather surprising how much leg I have to use to collect his canter. I was gasping for breath the entire time!

As we cantered left, JL had me really rock the outside rein while adding leg that said forward. As he came up in the front end and got lighter, she instructed me to begin working on the inside rein for bend. I thought tracking right was hard; while Sydney is very agreeable to the left, he is quite stiff! My homework for the week is to get him as uphill as I can to the left even if we aren't covering much ground. Right now, accepting the contact is more important than lengthening his stride.

We also worked on improving Sydney's right lead canter. As it turned out, JL didn't have a lot to say about it. When we were finished with the ride, she just shook her head in amazement and asked my big brown horse who he was and what had he done with Sydney. She said it was so nice to simply be able to watch us go around without needing to fix anything. His right lead canter has gotten that good.

When Sydney knew he was finished working, he quietly inched himself closer and closer to her so that he could nuzzle her sleeve. It was only a few weeks ago that he even began looking at her. Now, he not only sees her, but he wants to visit with her. As we were leaving, we caught up to C, one of JL's other students. For the the first time since I've owned him, he reached out and nuzzled someone else's neck! When she turned around, he stuck his nose into her barn bag and rooted around for treats.

This is not the horse that I bought three years ago. This is not even the horse I owned three months ago. JL and I discussed his new found happiness. She thinks it might be that he finally feels as though we've heard his plea for safety. He hasn't wanted to make the decisions, and to his utter relief, I am now directing his feet and telling him what to do.

Before we walked home, C said something like, aren't you so glad you stuck it out with him? Yes, yes I am!
Picture
Enjoying his lunch before his afternoon nap.

California Dressage Society's Adult Amateur Clinic - Day 2

6/26/2014

 
When I started my warm-up on day two, I could feel that Speedy was already more forward. I can't believe how much more aware of my riding I was after just 30 minutes with Marisa. She really got into my head, which I love!
Picture
Just cruising around ...
I felt no pressure when I started my second ride. Marisa is so kind and supportive that I was ready to just let it all hang out. As we were schooling the sitting trot to canter (the latter half of the video), I gave up worrying what anyone thought about my horrible position. I just dug in and kept at it. It never got good, but I didn't let that discourage me. I used all of my 30 minutes to grab onto every good feeling that I could so that I could take them home with me.
Picture
I will forever hear Marisa telling me to to close my fist and keep my thumb up!
After I watched day two's video (down below), I was somewhat disappointed. I had wanted it to reveal that all my goofs had miraculously fixed themselves over a good night's sleep. Instead, I got to see what I need to work on.
  • Keep those elbows bent and at my sides.
  • DO NOT let Speedy take those reins away. I love how Marisa said it's okay that I keep him there; he's actually pulling on me, not the other way around.
  • I need to do a million posting to sitting trot exercises. I started on Tuesday. 
  • I need to keep Speedy round in the canter departure. I learned how to do it on Sydney, now I need to apply that feeling to Speedy. 
  • I need to differentiate my trot and canter cues: both legs for trot, outside leg only for canter. I started that on Monday.
  • When he gets behind the bit, it means that I need to shorten my reins. See the second bullet.
It's a long video (around 30 minutes), but you can hear Marisa very clearly. She offers quite a few really good suggestions about the trot to canter departure. This is the best video I've had to really study my riding. Now that I can see it all so clearly, you can bet I know what I'll be doing for the rest of the summer!

Captain Awesome Has a Right Lead Canter

6/25/2014

 
I am over the moon happy. 

Sydney is just too awesome for words. Just six months ago, we could usually get a left lead canter that wasn't an explosion, but not always. To the right, I could maybe get one, but it always surprised both of us. After the first right lead canter, Sydney was a run-away freight train. I would spend the rest of the ride trying to re-establish some sort of rhythm.

My one and only goal for Sydney this summer is to develop a sane, right lead canter departure. I am just over three weeks into my summer vacation, and while I hate to jinx myself, we have very nearly accomplished that goal.

JL is such a great teacher. Once I made the connection with Christian Schacht about how much weight I might need to take in the outside, left rein, everything started to come together. For Sydney to be able to do a right lead canter, we had to fix his roll-over to the right and show him that not only was I able to make a decision, but that he never has to.

So, here are the 10 steps we took to get Sydney's right lead canter.
  1. Be able to halt from the outside left rein.
  2. Straighten out his neck and body with the outside rein and leg.
  3. Make him WAIT for my cue to walk; he doesn't get to anticipate, AND he doesn't get to take the rein away.
  4. Be able to "crab" him to the right (think of a sideways crawl) by using my outside leg behind the girth with a very strong, working outside hand. The inside rein is there just to support.
  5. Make him WAIT for my cue to trot; he still doesn't get to anticipate, AND he doesn't get to take the rein away.
  6. Once he could "crab" sideways at the walk, we crabbed sideways at the trot. Crabbing at the trot requires his nose to be on the rail with his haunches "in" (which is actually just straight).
  7. Make him WAIT for my cue to canter; he especially doesn't get to anticipate here, AND he doesn't get to take the rein away.
  8. Be ready to "help" him from the very first canter stride. This means showing him that he doesn't need to run off. I "help" him by IMMEDIATELY slowing him with the outside rein. Before I can use the inside rein for bend, I have to make sure he's listening to the outside "pace" rein.
  9. Once he's light on the outside rein, I can start to ask for inside flexion with the inside rein.
  10. Using the outside rein to say no faster, I can then push him sideways with my inside leg and follow that up with a vibrating inside rein to make the turn.
And that's it. Ten easy steps to get a right lead canter. 

When I rode him yesterday, I put all of this together and got multiple trot to canter transitions that were calm and happy. I was even able to hold the right lead canter while we turned down centerline and then turned back to the rail at B. Rather than make a 20-meter or 10-meter circle, I worked on making the 10-meter bend into a few straight strides followed by another 10-meter bend coming back. We made a long, narrow oval.

After making the 10-meter turns, I asked him to stay on the long side and was THRILLED that he did it with no rhythm change. That was the first time he's come out of the corner on a right lead canter and gone straight without panicking.

I don't know that all of this progress will be easy to access once we leave our home arena, but I now have some excellent tools in my belt that will help him stay with me. Our next attempt at a show might be in August. Until then, we'll just keep polishing that right lead canter!
Picture
He is just so happy right now!
<<Previous

    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.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.
    Picture
    Photo by Lori Ovanessian

    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.
    Picture
    July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)

    About Izzy

    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.
    Picture
    March 2021 (PC Tess Michelle Photography)

    Picture
    Bakersfield Dressage approved!
    Picture
    My favorite breeches!
    Picture
    FOR THE SMALLER EQUINE ATHLETE
    Picture
    I love her stuff!
    Picture
    Watercolor Artist and Friend

    National Rider Awards

    Picture
    USDF Bronze Medal - 2020
    Picture
    USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018
    Picture
    USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
    Picture
    USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013

    State Rider Awards
    Picture
    CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018

    State Horse Awards
    Picture
    Speedy G - 3rd Level Horse Performance Award - 2020
    Picture
    Speedy G - 2nd Level Horse Performance Award - 2018

    Working Towards:

    CDS Sapphire Rider Award
    Third Level: 63.514%
    Third Level: 62.105%
    Fourth Level:
    Fourth Level:

    2023 Show Season

    Show Rating
    (***) CDS/USDF/USEF 
    (*) CDS
    (s) Schooling
    (c) Clinic
    (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic
    2023 Show Schedule
    TBD

    ​2023 Completed …
    Pending

    2023 Qualifying Scores 

    Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC)  
    Qualifying Training Level
    3 Scores/2 Judges/60%:
    Score 1:
    Score 2:
    Score 3:

    Archives
    ​By Topic

    All
    Abscess
    Art
    Arthritis
    Awards
    Books
    Cabin
    California Barn Life
    Captain Awesome
    CDL Class A License
    Centerlinescores
    Championships
    Chiropractor
    Clinics
    Clothing
    Cushing's Disease
    Defeating The Demon
    DIY
    Dogs
    Double Bridle
    Dressage On The Trail
    EHV-1
    Endurance Photos
    Farrier
    Find Your Joy
    First Level
    Fluphenazine
    Flying Changes
    Fourth Level
    Fox Hunting
    Freedom Feeder
    Frustration
    Gizmos
    Grooming
    Half Pass
    Headshaking
    Horse Maintenance
    Horses Are Expensive
    Horses Are Expensive 3.0
    Horses Are Expensive II
    Hunter/jumper Stuff
    Imperioso
    Introductory Level
    Izzys Leg
    Just For Fun
    Lessons With Chemaine
    Lessons With Lois
    Lessons With STC Dressage
    Local Stuff
    M.A.R.E.
    Memberships
    Micklem Bridle
    Mt. Self Doubt
    Musings
    My 5 Things
    My Horses
    Nesting
    On The Levels
    Photos
    Pivo Pod
    Platinum Performance
    Poles
    Polls
    Pulley Rein
    Raac
    Retirement?
    Rider Fitness
    Riding Figures
    Right Lead Canter
    Road ID
    Saddle Fitting
    Schooling
    Score Sheets
    Second Level
    Shopping
    Show Costs
    Showing
    Sitting Trot
    Sliding Side Reins
    Soldier
    Speedy's Leg
    Tack
    The Elephants
    The Jar
    The Warm Up Ring
    Third
    Third Level
    Tips From A Pro
    Toys
    Trailering
    Training
    Travel
    Ulcers
    Vet Care
    Video
    Videos
    Weird But True
    Year In Review


    Archives
    ​By Date

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011


Site Designed and Managed by: Karen Sweaney

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