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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Christian Gets Speedy's Butt Moving

3/3/2015

 
I went back through my photo library and realized that I have now been to at least seven clinics with Dr. Christian Schacht, maybe more. I rode both days each time except for once, and for one clinic I rode four times (two horses a day). I think I’ve now had fifteen lessons with him. Each time I ride with him, I am amazed at how perceptive and intuitive he is.

Within just a few minutes of watching each horse and rider team, he can formulate a lesson plan to address the needs of both horse and rider for that particular day. Even though he has seen me ride more than a dozen times, he still likes to see me warm up so that he can figure out what Speedy and I need right then. While I might want to work on this or that, Christian can see whether I have a horse (or rider) ready for that skill that day.
Picture
Valerie riding her German Riding Pony, Clooney
For this clinic, I had some goals in mind, address our leg yields, counter canter, and trot lengthenings, but I hesitated to share that with Christian as I know he usually stretches me to try exercises that I would never do at home on my own. Even so, on the first day of the clinic, I did ask to do some leg yields.

Having ridden with Christian so many times before, I knew that we wouldn’t start with the leg yield; we would start with exercises to get Speedy’s hind end engaged. I was right. When Speedy and I started our work, he was in a rush to get somewhere. Where, I do not know, but he was intent on getting there as quickly as possible. In the past, when I’ve tried to rein in Speedy’s woohoos, Christian has admonished me to use the forward energy and make it my own idea.
Picture
HURRY!!!! That was Speedy's plan for the day!
So rather than try to slow Speedy down, I just let him go forward, but I did try to channel the energy by doing changes of direction. Before long, I could hear Christian’s voice directing me to bring Speedy to a 20-meter circle at BE. His next command was to slow my rising post and to only rise just a bit out of the saddle. Speedy responded almost immediately. His rhythm improved and he quit racing around.

We worked on the circle for a few minutes with a slower and shallower rising post and then rising higher and quicker. Before long, Speedy was really listening to my seat. Once we established a rhythm that was more clear and less “racey,” Christian had me make the circle smaller and smaller with my outside thigh. 
Picture
Rise just a little bit and do it slowly.
As a side note, Christian had most every rider do some sort of suppling exercise that involved a counter bend. While I was making the circle smaller and smaller, he had me flex Speedy to the outside and then back to a correct bend.

Once our circle was small enough, Christian had me leg yield back to the rail. I really liked this exercise, as it was a leg yield that Speedy wanted to do. While leg yielding across the diagonal, Speedy can run out of forward energy and resist stepping under. Leg yielding out to the rail from a circle is easy for him because he already has that inside hind deep underneath and it’s a shorter distance to carry himself.

Once we leg yielded to the rail, Christian had me spiral back in, and then leg yield back to the rail. All the while though he reminded me to use the outside leg to spiral in while keeping my inside leg active to keep Speedy’s inside leg active. Christian yelled at me incessantly, where’s your inside leg?! Did you forget about it?! Keep riding! This was a mistake a lot of the other riders made as well. We focus on our other aids but forget to ride with the inside leg.
Picture
Where's your inside leg?!?!?!
In the leg yield, the horse moves sideways and forward from the inside leg, but while staying on the circle, the inside leg pushes the horse to the outside rein, but the horse doesn’t actually move out. While I “know” this, this exercise, with Christian’s frequent admonishments to keep using my inside leg, helped me understand that I don’t keep Speedy’s inside hind as active as I need to.

Christian also helped me to visualize that smaller and smaller circle by imagining a laser show in the dirt. I need to “see” the path that I am riding by looking forward at the dirt and “follow” that laser line. That was really helpful because it helped me to refine my aids. If I know exactly where I want Speedy to be (that clump of dirt, that hoof print), I can “ride” him to get there.
Picture
Making the circle smaller and smaller.
Later in the lesson, we rode the counter canter. I’ve been working on this at home, so Christian didn’t have to do too much work except that Speedy decided to show off his flying lead change. When we canter the left lead and then do a change of direction, Speedy can hold the lead fairly easily. On the right lead canter however, I often get a flying lead change.

To my chagrin, Christian was delighted with Speedy’s change! When I groaned at the swap and brought Speedy back to the trot, Christian cheered the change and admonished me to never discourage Speedy for making the change. He said that Speedy’s changes were very clear and done quite well. Instead, I need to think canter right to hold him on the right lead in the counter canter.
Picture
Someone had bought Dr. Christian Schacht a cowboy hat.
Christian had me pick up a right lead canter again and really feel the rhythm of the canter with my inside seat bone forward. We rode the 20-meter circle and then turned left. During that one or two straight strides of the figure eight, I had to focus really hard on not switching my position and in keeping my outside (left) leg back. If I let my left leg come forward, I lose Speedy’s haunches and he does a change. It only took one or two attempts for Speedy to hold the right lead canter on a 20-meter circle to the left.
Picture
The end result ... not too bad!
One of the most important things I learned from the first day of the clinic was to pay attention to what I am feeling. Speedy tries very hard, but he can only do what I make clear. I need to keep his inside hind leg active, pay attention to my seat aids, and remember to smile.

Day 2 coming soon ...
Shirley
3/2/2015 11:14:52 pm

Last shot is FABULOUS girl! What a long road you've traveled on your endurance horse!

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/3/2015 12:07:48 am

Aw ... thanks, Shirley. You always offer us such heartfelt encouragement. I wish every shot showed us looking as nice as that last one does, but the reality is that there were a lot more funky shots in the pile than good ones, and I don't think I can blame Jen's photography skills either. But you know, at least there was that ONE shot. We were good for at least one moment. :0)

emma link
3/3/2015 12:59:19 am

i love that last shot too - my bio-mechanics trainer says the muscling in the hind end should puff up like a beach ball when a horse is truly engaged and pushing from the hind - and while i could always sorta visualize what that might look like, that last pic is the real deal! nice work!

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/3/2015 02:48:22 am

If only I could make that kind of work happen all the time. :0)

Tracy link
3/3/2015 01:49:43 am

I notice that I tend to be either right or left sided, depending on what I'm asking for and I need to remember that sometimes a movement takes BOTH legs, just one moreso than another.

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/3/2015 02:51:19 am

One time, Chemaine (my other trainer), told me "too bad" when I complained about not being able to coordinate all of my aids. Her response was "too bad" because if I want to ride really well, there is no short cut; I have to figure it out. When she refused to let me off the hook, I realized she's right. I try really hard to coordinate my inside and outside aids because if I don't, I'll never be effective. It helps to have a German kicking your ass about it though. :0)

Alanna
3/3/2015 02:36:17 am

Awesome photos. You guys look great!

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/3/2015 02:53:00 am

Thanks, Alanna, but I am sure you meant photo not photos!!!!! :0)

It is so hard to put the crappy ones for everyone to see, and believe me when I say I filtered out the worst. That there was ONE good one helped me feel a little better. :0)

Sarah link
3/3/2015 06:49:14 am

Sounds like a fabulous lesson! Looking forward to reading about day 2 =)

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/3/2015 08:44:31 am

Thanks, but you know his lessons are always good. ;0)

Austen link
3/3/2015 09:31:40 pm

Love that description of the counter canter aids. There was a debate on someone else's blog about not teaching changes to try not to spoil the counter canter, and I couldn't help but think this breakdown would help that person. Changes aren't counter canter, and having changes shouldn't affect your ability to ride a good counter canter. It's all about paying attention to your seat and riding for what you want. You break it down brilliantly here!

Plus, Speedy seems like he's looking forward to 3rd! ;)

Great job on the leg yields! I always feel like leg yields are a "bounce" between the inside and outside aids. So if you take one side off, you lose the straightness and fall out. They are a very telling exercise (and can be super frustrating, right?!).

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/5/2015 09:36:10 pm

Does that mean I get to skip second???????

I like how Christian teaches the rider to rider counter canter, the horse already knows how to do it. He has the rider think canter right, canter right. He'll even chant the aids while you ride: left leg back, right hip forward. Since he teaches with a head set, I hear him in my head. When I ride alone, I can STILL hear him in my head coaching me. It helps a lot.

I'll try thinking of the leg yield as a bounce between the inside and outside aids. That's a different way of looking at it. Thanks!

lytha
3/5/2015 03:00:24 pm

The pictures are all gorgeous, and even if you're not happy with some of them, Speedy is the Internet's most photogenic horse. That expression, that tail!

Bakersfield Dressage link
3/5/2015 09:31:33 pm

You definitely get the award for Speedy's biggest fan, Lytha. He would definitely ADORE you if he ever got to meet you in person.

I WISH the pictures looked good to me. I have a hard time seeing the good as I tend to see my positional flaws and Speedy's resistance. But thanks! :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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    ​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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