Category: Training

A 4 x 4 Lesson

2/4/2019

It's feast or famine around here. For a while there, the universe conspired to keep me from getting a lesson at all. And then suddenly, I am getting so many lessons that I can't stay caught up on watching the videos and writing about them. It's a good problem to have. The Sunday before Superbowl weekend, I had a lesson with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables.

The weekend before that, I had attended the CDS Annual Meeting. Being surrounded by so many accomplished riders gave me the push to have higher expectations, both for myself and the big brown horse. I realized that I need to be a more exacting rider, or one who has higher expectations for my horse. That horse, of course, being Izzy.

Now to get this all the time.

All of that was just the long way of saying that I asked Chemaine to help me step up my game. I need to push Izzy for harder stuff, and I need to quit making excuses. He can do anything I ask of him; I just need to start asking and expecting it to be there.

We did several exercises during that lesson, both of which got his brain focused on me. The first was an exercise based on the number 4. It went something like this: 4 strides of shoulder in, 4 strides of straightness, 4 strides of haunches in, 4 strides of straightness. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

The exercise can be changed any number of ways. It doesn't have to be shoulder in and haunches in; fill in the blanks with any movements you'd like. We also did it with 4 strides of compression/collection followed by 4 strides of relaxation. The end result was that Izzy relaxed into a much steadier tempo. Knowing that he was going to get a release dissipated a lot of his tension.

Not quite as pretty, but I love how hard he's thinking.

The second exercise was one we did to help Izzy stay focused instead of being spooky. He was really having a fit about working down both long sides, the left one in particular. Chemaine had me pick up the canter and come down centerline so that I could leg yield back to the rail. At the far end, I repeated the movement, coming down center line and leg yielding back to the rail. Then we switched it up by doing half pass to the rail followed by counter canter.

In the video, I went a bit rogue here and there by throwing in my own stuff. Sometimes Chemaine would be thinking leg yield, but I had already prepared for half pass. So occasionally it looks as though I am directionally challenged. Which is true, but it's hard to ride a strong horse, listen, and follow directions all at the same time. Walking and chewing gum sort of stuff ... am I right?!

My goal for the next few months is to push this horse for more. He can do it, I just need to ask and expect it to be there. Once I start getting a better quality of work, I need to string it all together into something that will earn at least a 60% percent.

If only they'd let me write my own tests.

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Yet Another "Operation Boot Camp"

11/19/2018

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When I last left you, Izzy was a hot mess. He was such a disaster that even his skin was flinching. Friday afternoon started my weeklong Thanksgiving vacation, so I put our school's two-hour early out to good use. I hoofed it out to the barn two hours earlier than normal with a plan at the ready.

Friday afternoon.

I hate to try multiple solutions at once because you never truly know whether it was the first thing that worked, the second thing, both things together, or worse, just coincidence. With that said, I tried two things at once.

After discussing it with Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, I decided to try a four-day course of Ulcer Gard (blog post about that coming soon) followed by a course of once-a-week Ulcer Gard for a month.

The second part of Operation Boot Camp involved a boat load of lunging and free lunging. Chemaine's advice was to get him moving until he finally agreed to give me access to his back. That's really the crux of Izzy's issues, he holds all of his tension in his back which prevents him from achieving any sense of relaxation. And without relaxation, none of the good stuff can follow.

His reaction when he heard he was in yet another boot camp.

I had two extra hours of daylight on Friday, so I started with the lunging. I sent him off at a walk, gradually asking for a trot before switching directions. When I felt he was sufficiently warmed up, I asked for a canter and later did a change of direction. After that, I unclipped the lunge line and insisted on a free canter that did not involve standing at the gate, pacing by the gate, or throwing in a flying change at the gate. When he finally agreed to all of that, I popped him back on the lunge line.

The whole thing took about thirty minutes, and he was huffing and puffing when we were "done." He wasn't relaxed, but he had shown me a moment or two of stretch over his top line. I walked him back to his paddock and turned him loose. I spent a few minutes grooming Speedy, and then haltered Izzy back up. The look on his face was priceless. I then rode him for about 45 minutes. While there wasn't any jackassery, which was a huge improvement, he wasn't exactly relaxed either.

Saturday afternoon.

By Saturday afternoon, I had a completely different horse. He was affectionate, cuddly, and oh-so-happy to see me. I cleaned him up, took him up for his lunging session, and was met with a very relaxed horse. I lunged and free lunged for a total of twenty minutes and later rode for a half an hour. We were finally able to work on dressage.

While schooling the counter canter, I could feel him getting stuck, but I propped up his "inside" shoulder and reassured him that I'd help him keep his balance. He gave an audible sigh and floated through the counter canter. I had my horse back!

Sunday morning.

By Sunday morning, he was over it. There was not a spooky, resistant bone left in his body; he was complete putty in my hands. I dragged him to the arena for eleven minutes of lunging, during which I had to continually cluck to keep him moving, both on and off the lunge line.

As before, I tossed him back in his paddock to continue working on breakfast, and then I brought Speedy out for a ride. More on that tomorrow. And then Izzy got to come out again. While maybe a bit unenthusiastic, he followed me willingly enough and seemed resigned to yet more work.

We had one of the best rides we've ever had. I worked him through all of the trot work at Second Level and even schooled the turn on the haunches and rein back. Those are a wee bit scary for him, but he's picking up on it quickly. And then, for the first time ever, I rode the 20-meter counter canter half circle into the single loop serpentine, and he did it brilliantly!

Operation Boot Camp taught me two things: the first time I hear myself ask What the freaking hell is wrong with you? I know the answer is that he needs to see the chiropractor. If after seeing said chiropractor I still find myself asking what is wrong with him, I know the answer is to lunge him until he's tired. Only then will I be able to access his brain (and later his body).

I am actually looking forward to today's ride. I fully anticipate an enthusiastic, Yes, ma'am!

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Training Gaps

10/11/2018

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Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, and I were recently talking about why I made it through Second Level so quickly. While I am not saying that we owned Second Level, we did get through the level pretty successfully. During our discussion, we came to the conclusion that the reason we made it through Second more quickly than Training and First was because we spent a lot - and I mean a boatload, of time making sure our foundation was rock solid.

Please say there will be more days like this one.

Chemaine is really good at not cheating. She knows that in order to be successful down the road, there can't be any holes in the training. Those holes will eventually reveal themselves, and you'll be stuck. Speedy has been relatively easy to train. He's a willing partner, but he's not naturally talented which means he has to work for it. Some of it is hard for him, especially the lateral stuff. Either way, he figures it's his job, so he puts in the best work day he can.

I need new pictures!

On the other hand, there's Izzy, a horse that is naturally talented who finds collection easy, and he has haunches that will go anywhere you put them. He has been anything but easy. His training wasn't linear because asking for the harder movements kept his brain engaged so that he didn't kill me. That means that we're always going backwards to address the basics from Training and First Level.

As I rode over the weekend, I started thinking about which show I might try with him. There are some schooling shows this winter that might work for us. The problem is that Izzy is schooling movements from Second and Third Level, but there are things from First Level that he can't yet do. And frankly, some of the long free walks found in Training might still be a challenge for him.

So what level can he do? He can't really do a Second Level test even though his collected canter is really nice. He can't do a First Level test because he can't quite show a lengthened stride in trot. If I try to do an Introductory Level test, he'll kill me out of boredom. Which means I am left with Training Level. I think.

From June.

Maybe I ought to get him off the property again before I start thinking about blue ribbons. Am I right?!

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Is Izzy Still Around?

8/6/2018

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While Izzy hasn't been around much on the blog, he's still getting worked daily. As of right now, he seems to have moved on from an I am a jackass, watch my dick moves attitude. He's still special, and by special I don't mean he's worth $80,000 special. He's short bus special, which means he requires a great deal of tact and patience that's not for every rider. Good thing he has me. I have loads of tact and patience; I teach kids after all.

A "special" moment from 2016.

Since I switched to the legal bit for every ride, every time, we've gone through some ... moments. There was a week or three of him bolting through my aids, another week or two of him balking and rearing, and then a week or so of him combining all of that into one grand gesture.

A "grand gesture" moment from 2016. And no, that is not me yanking him into a rear. That's him balking and then bolting forward. Good times!

Every ride I remind him that the rules are no different with this bit. In fact, the rules are quite simple: no looking around, no hanging on my hands, no stopping when you're mad, and no bolting when you don't get your way. Easy, right?

For the past several weeks, our rides have been about steadying the connection. I am totally happy to work on that. We start at the walk with me asking him to stretch forward and down - he loves that part. We then turn that into a medium walk where he has to lift his withers a bit and carry his own head.

When the walk is more or less established, we pick up the trot where we do the same thing. I say only three things as we work - Nope, nope, nope ... Yes. Nope, nope, nope, Yes! And every once in a while, I get to throw in a good boy! which is all too often cut short by another string of nopes.

He even looks sassy just standing there!

I am honestly really happy with how he's working right now. He's genuinely trying to figure it out, and he looks so proud of himself when he finally gets it. Just the other day we were doing pretty decent trot half passes. His stretchy trot needs a ton of work but the lateral work is nothing for the big brown horse.

If we ever get to show again, we're coming out at Second Level where no stretchy trot is required. Bring on the half pass and flying changes - you know, the easy stuff!

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Almost Business as Usual

7/26/2018

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We all know that Izzy is not an easy horse. He lacks confidence and is suspicious of anything new or different. I don't mind. I do all the showing I want with Speedy, so I don't feel any pressure with Izzy. I just keep working on whatever he needs on any given day.

If you've been following along for any length of time, you know all about our bitting issue. Quick recap if you're new: I started him in a lozenge snaffle which worked fine until it didn't. Moved on to several ported bits that Izzy loved but that weren't legal dressage bits. Experimented with a legal bit that offered lots of tongue relief, but no control. When it seemed as though he was done with all of the jackassery, I finally decided to use the legal bit exclusively.

Late spring with non-legal bit.

I wish I could say that the switch to the legal bit went without a hitch. It did not. You would have thought that I was starting over completely. Izzy's world simply fell apart. When he broke his headstall, I bought a new one never imagining that I would have to remind him how to be bridled. He knew it was new and different, and since he doesn't do new and different, he refused to be bridled. It took some patience and a few days, but he once again takes the bridle without any fussing.

Bridling wasn't the only fight. With the legal bit, I have very little control, and Izzy figured that out quickly. We went from a long and stretchy back to a super short back with a tendency to bolt, again.

Early June with non-legal bit.

Izzy brought out all of his old tricks: Balking, bolting, rearing, stiff jaw, running through my aids, and so on. Fortunately, I've seen all of these tricks before and know how to work through them.

When he started balking, which leads to rearing, I brought out my whip and went to town. Every time he even thought about slamming on the brakes, I whacked him with the whip until he agreed to go forward. That's not always guaranteed to work though. One day, he decided to rear after I whacked him. As I was yanking his head to the side, my whip got hung up in my reins. As I struggled to free it, Izzy had a bit of a meltdown, and I experienced a very serous Oh, crap! moment. No one was injured though, and Izzy has since rethought the rearing thing.

An Oh, Crap! moment from last year.

When the balking and rearing didn't work, Izzy decided to try bolting at random moments. We would be walking along quite nicely with a drape in my reins when all of a sudden he would launch forward into a bolt. Jerk! I worked him through that by using the pulley halt. I simply planted the knuckles of one hand into his mane and halted with the other. I sent him forward and then halted. Repeatedly. Many times. Eventually, he quit bolting.

An attempted bolt from last winter.

I am happy to report that a month later, we seem to be back in business. We still have at least one Come Meet Jesus moment during our rides, but I've finally convinced him that I still have control with this bit and that the rules have not changed. During our last couple of rides, I've been able to ask for a lengthened stride, and I am getting more moments where he is asking to stretch down again.

Getting more relaxed even while tacking up.

While I find it a bit frustrating that he is so incredibly sensitive to change, I am happy that he is willing to be talked off the ledge. Like I told my chiropractor the other day, it's not like I have anything better to do. And besides, I kind of like the big jerk.

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Imposter Izzy?

5/24/2018

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Who is this horse, and what have you done with Izzy?

Beyond relaxed.

I know as soon as I write about how freaking awesome this horse is becoming he'll turn into a jerk, but I can't help it. Every day that I get on him, his back gets softer with more swing. On Sunday, he felt ten feet tall and fifteen feet long. He was sighing, grunting, snorting, and flopping his ears towards me at every stride.

Neck is relaxed.

He is so happy in his work that I am able to try something new every day. His leg yields are getting nicely rhythmical. His haunches in are so much better than Speedy's (sorry, Dude, but it's true). He can do most of the counter canter work from Second Level; I haven't asked for the three loop serpentine yet because I don't want to shake his confidence.

We've also been able to play around with a trot lengthening. His back has been so tight that I couldn't get a regular length of stride. To even be able to play around with lengthening the stride is huge progress.

I don't have a show plan for him yet, but I am thinking about it. There's a lot I'd have to work on before we're ready to try showing again, namely getting him into the legal bit again. That I am even thinking about it shows how much progress he's making.

As I clap my hands in glee, I am so thankful that I didn't sell him. If he never makes it to a show, it will be okay as he is so much fun to ride. I am looking forward to seeing how much more he can do!

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A Suppling Exercise

5/3/2018

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I am sure you can guess for who. If you said Izzy, you'd be right. Everything I do with him these days is to help him stretch over his back. If you've been following our little journey, I am sure you've rolled you eyes at least a million times wondering why I haven't done this or that to help him stretch down. Believe me. We've tried this and we've tried that. This horse just wasn't ready or willing to trust what we had to say.

Deciding to play ball - from 2015?

Not long ago, an acquaintance said something like oh, he's got your number. I am too polite for an audible WTF?, but inside, it was accompanied by a very arched eyebrow. Whatever - it wasn't worth my time to clear up her confusion.

When I mentioned the comment to my trainer, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, she laughed. It might look that way to someone on the outside, but that isn't what's going on at all. Even when Chemaine has ridden him, he's given her a hard time. Anyone who has actually seen me ride him through the jackassery knows that I am not afraid of him. This horse has just been a tough nut to crack. I like to call him my Verdades.

Nope. Stretch down? Can't.

I am not saying that a more knowledgeable rider (maybe Laura Graves has some free time?) couldn't have gotten him squared away a lot quicker than I have because that would be a lie. He and I have had to do a lot of learning on the fly. Even though he has demonstrated that he can be a real jackass, I've learned something new each time I've been in the saddle.

Not only playing ball, but liking it!

After more than two years of trying this and that, we finally tried something that made the stretch down clear to him. It ruffled the feathers of some, but it worked like a charm for Izzy. It was the over flexion exercise, and I still use it (bend him to the inside and then use the outside rein for vertical flexion until he asks to stretch down). Most of the time, simply getting the inside flexion is all I need to do before he asks to stretch down.

But that's not the exercise I wanted to share. He's learned that stretching down feels good. Now we're working on suppling his back even more so that he can take a longer, deeper stride. Here's how it goes.

On a 20-meter circle, we do a shoulder in. At first, I go around two or three times. it depends how quickly he lets go. Then, we do a haunches in on the same circle, again going around several times. As he gets looser through his back, I might do half the circle in shoulder in and the second half in haunches in.

For the next part of the exercise, I ask for a counter shoulder in which is shoulder in to the outside of the circle. Like before, I go around a couple of times until I feel him relaxing. Then we do renvers (haunches out) for a few circles. Like before, I gradually switch back and forth from counter shoulder in to renvers.

And then it's time to check. I straighten him and ask for a stretch down while also asking for a longer stride. If he'll give it to me, great. If not, we repeat the shoulder in/travers and counter shoulder in/renvers until he finally asks to stretch down.

Always searching for more moments like this one.

After just a week or two of doing this exercise, Izzy's back is getting looser and his stride is steadily getting longer. There was no magic bullet. It wasn't just this or just that. It was this and that over and over and over again for several years. I am so glad I stuck it out. I am having a blast riding this horse, and I know he's much happier now that he knows how to stretch down and relax.

The real trick is just time. Good thing we have a lot of it.

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Easy Peasy

5/2/2018

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I don't have any great new photos or media to share to prove it, but oh my, is that big brown horse ever coming along!

I keep track of what I do each day at the barn. On my calendar, I note who I rode and for how long. I also jot down whether it was a good ride or whether someone had a bad day. I was looking back over my calendar for the past few months and noted that Izzy has boatloads of stars and smiley faces next to his name.

Hard to decipher, I know.

When I get on him now, he starts out sighing and snorting as his ears flop from side to side. Most days I have to boot him a bit to convince him that yes, I genuinely would like a trot.

From the first step we take, I ask for a stretch down. We stretch down at the walk, and then we stretch down at the trot. And now that he can, I insist on it all the time. He no longer trots around with a hollow back. His back has suppled up so much that he is physically able to stretch.

Now that his back is looser, we're tackling his stride length. It's not pretty, but I am asking for more, more, more at every stride. He now stays soft in the bridle as I ask that inside hind leg to step deeper and farther. We don't have that longer stride yet, but it's coming.

I'll never get tired of seeing that.

The canter is also getting more balanced. As with Speedy, I am starting to insist that he step into the canter with his hind end instead of launching forward with his face. We can now do lots of trot/canter transitions without him panicking and charging through my hands.

I have a pretty full show calendar planned out this year for Speedy. so there isn't any room for Izzy. He still has some tension issues to deal with anyway. I have my eye on next year though. If he keeps improving at the rate he's going, we might have a decent chance to be successful at a show.

Horses though ... they love to surprise us!

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Now THAT was a Leg Yield

3/27/2018

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Facebook has been reminding me of what Izzy and I were doing last year at this time. We were still regular riders on the struggle bus, but the good moments were coming more frequently. We could pick up the canter going both directions and the shenanigans were happening less and less. We put in a lot of miles over the summer, and by fall, things were really starting to come together.

March 2017

I don't think I've had a bad ride on Izzy since before Christmas. The last real doozy of a ride that I can remember was the first time I got on him after being so sick last fall. Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, rode him the next day, and they had a come to Jesus kind of ride. Since then though, our rides have all been really productive.

Completely relaxed.

When I rode on Sunday, he was so rideable that I was throwing in some of the elements from Second Level. We picked up the counter canter, did some canter to walk transitions - those are effortless for him, shoulder in, and the 10-meter half circles. I still can't get his stride to lengthen, but his back is definitely getter looser.

One thing that really helps his back to let go is the leg yield, especially when I insist on a BIG move over. We did a few of them in each direction. All of a sudden, he gave a leg yield that was huge, balanced, and absolutely effortless. There is no doubt in my mind that it would have scored a 10! I have never ridden a leg yield that felt like that.

This boy is so talented. If I keep working on him, I'm going to have a second star in my barn. Look out, Speedy G. Izzy's on his way!

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Half Halt to the Hind Leg

3/13/2018

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I haven't written much about the big brown horse lately, but that's because things have been sailing along quite smoothly. I put in a lot of rides over the summer that must have finally done the job. Over the fall, things clicked into place for him. This spring, our rides have been about improving the connection and working toward getting a longer stride.

Post-ride treats!

I am tackling the stride thing two ways. First, before I even start grooming, I do some "body work" with Izzy. I flex his neck towards his rib cage, stretching only as far as he wants to go. As he loosens up, he usually starts reaching further and further so that I have to back up. His incentive, no, it's not a carrot, is getting to grab some part of my clothing. He'll stretch a mile if he thinks he can nip my t-shirt.

I follow that stretch with a jaw/poll wiggle with his head hanging straight down. I nearly always get a variety of pops and cracks from his poll when we do that. He seems to enjoy it. I also cross a hind leg in front of the other to get a hamstring stretch. He'll hold the stretch by himself, but not for long. That stretch is boring without any opportunity for playing with me.

Treats are equally tasty from the other side.

The second thing I am doing to increase stride length is actively riding with a long and low frame in mind. Everything we do now MUST be done with a longer neck. When we leg yield, I am focusing on doing it with a long neck and then a big step from behind. If his neck isn't long, I half halt until he'll stretch down.

And that's where the half halt to the hind leg comes in. Since Izzy wants to keep his neck so short, my half halts weren't doing anything. With a short neck, his stride just gets shorter and quicker. To remedy that, Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, had me think about half halting all the way through to his hind leg.

She's been saying that for however long, but I finally got it. Simply tugging with the outside rein isn't enough. When he actually transfers more weight to the hind, he can slow his front end which allows him to stretch down without falling on his face. If I don't feel a difference in how he's going, we didn't achieve a half halt. Another palm to face moment.

Over the weekend I got a really good feel for it at the canter. I half halted until I felt his hind leg through the rein. It was as though that outside rein was actually connected to his leg. I don't think I've ever had that sensation before.

The work we're doing now is fun; it's not about just trying to stay on. We're actually working together as a team to build something exciting. We may actually make it to Training Level someday!

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About the
Writer & Rider

I am a lifetime 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.

Photo by Lori Ovanessian

Email Karen

About Speedy G

Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. We're currently schooling Third Level in preparation for the 2019 show season. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

August 2018

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 schooling the dressage basics. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.

Second Show - July 2016

Bakersfield Dressage approved!

National Awards

USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018
USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013

State Awards

CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018
CDS Second Level Horse Performance Award - 2018

2019 Show Season

Show Rating
(***) CDS/USDF/USEF
(*) CDS
(s) Schooling
(c) Clinic
(t) Ride-a-Test Clinic
(Q) Must Qualify

2019 Pending …

4/12-14/19 - AA Clinic (c)
5/26/19 - TMC (*)
6/15-16/19 - El Sueno (***)
6/22-23/19 - SCEC (***)
6/23/19 - TMC (*)
7/13-14/19 - El Sueno (***)
7/28/19 - TMC (*)
8/10/19 - RAAC (Q) (***)
8/25/19 - TMC (*)
10/26-27/19 SCEC (***)

2019 Completed …

Qualifying Scores for 2019

Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Scores
Third Level Scores:
Score 1:
Score 2:
Score 3:

CDS Championship Third Level Scores:
Score 1:
Score 2:
Score 3:
Score 4:
Score 5:

Working Towards:

CDS Sapphire Rider Award
Third Level:
Third Level:
Fourth Level:
Fourth Level:

USDF Bronze Medal
First Level - 70.179%
First Level - 72.600%
Second Level - 62.879%
Second Level - 61.970%
Third Level -
Third Level -

A 4 x 4 Lesson

Yet Another "Operation Boot Camp"

Training Gaps

Is Izzy Still Around?

Almost Business as Usual

Imposter Izzy?

A Suppling Exercise

Easy Peasy

Now THAT was a Leg Yield

Half Halt to the Hind Leg

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About Izzy

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