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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Izzy At Work (more)

12/29/2014

 
In case you missed it, here's the video I shared yesterday.
Debbie, the trainer, still has Izzy in the round pen, but it's a big one. She feels that the circle is helping him to stay balanced. There is also less that he has to focus on in a round pen because he knows where he is going. Right now, she's mostly working on his longitudinal balance with some lateral movement.

I got on him after the lunging but before Debbie rode him. Right away, he got tense and bunched up. He even started to do a baby rear. Not feeling any embarrassment, I suggested that it would be better if Debbie got on to show me what they've been doing with him.

When she got on him, he relaxed and started walking out nicely. She showed me that she gives him all the rein while simply insisting that he keep his head down and stretch. Before he could even pop his nose up, she was sponging the rein and insisting that he keep his head down and stretched.

Once he was moving forward with a nice, relaxed walk, they picked up a trot where she insisted on the same thing: head down and stretching. After watching her work for a while, I felt confident about trying it again. 

As soon I got on and asked for forward, Izzy's stride got short, but I quickly figured out that I needed to let my hips swing more, and I had to take my leg off of him. Before too long, he was walking with a big stride and stretching downward. We changed direction, and again he got a little short-strided until I relaxed through my hips and let the rein out. 

While he did trot here and there, that wasn't the goal so I brought him back to a walk every time. I wish I had tons of natural feel and could just sense what to do, but alas, that's not the case. Keeping him walking forward took a lot of direction from Debbie and a ton of focus on my part.

I called Chemaine the next day and discussed the training session over with her. She gave me some excellent pointers:
  • To keep his stride long, I need to imagine that I am walking on my own two legs. That swing we have when we walk is the same swing that needs to happen in the saddle. When we "push" the walk, we often bear down with our seat bones which actually impedes the horse's walk and shortens their stride. That's why Izzy started to go up; he didn't know where else to go.
  • I also need to get my leg off. If I want to add leg, it needs to be quick and more like a flutter.
  • I also need to work on channeling Izzy's movement by being very clear in where I want him to go. If I sit around waiting for what he's going to do, he feels leaderless and starts to wonder what I am going to do.
  • Chemaine suggested I try all of this with Speedy. If I ride him like a green bean, I'll start to have a better feel for what a relaxed leg and seat feels like. 
Debbie and her assistant are going on vacation next week which means Izzy won't be getting any work. She's giving me an extra week of training in January to make up for the lost week, and I am leaving him there the rest of that month as well. Since he should do something productive, I am hoping to go back up tomorrow with my BFF for a lunging session. I know I can't mess that up. I won't ride without Debbie there though as that could be dangerous and counter-productive for Izzy.

Izzy's in a large paddock with enough room to canter around if he feels like it, and the staff will make sure he's blanketed, fed, and cared for. When I go up, I can work on getting to know him better, encourage more head lowering, and we can do some of the lunging work that Debbie showed me they're doing with him.

He sure looks like a fancy pants to me. I just hope I don't screw things up!
Austen link
12/29/2014 04:07:11 am

Aw! He's so gorgeous! Seriously a lovely mover. That canter... just wow. :)

I'd go easy on myself. He's a talented baby horse, sure. But he's still just a baby horse. You aren't going to mess him up, you just might take longer to get him where he's headed than a pro. Nothing wrong with that. Horse's don't have ego's or professional goals. (I always try to remember that, too!)

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/29/2014 09:54:08 am

Aw ... thanks, Austen, and you have no idea how much I needed to hear that right now. I am really fighting worry and a lack of confidence. I keep reminding myself that he is just a baby, not a demon hiding under a brown fur coat. :0)

Austen link
12/29/2014 12:14:05 pm

While watching my trainer ride her gelding (currently going PSG schooling towards GP), I heard her say to her trainer "I just don't want to ruin him!" Totally eye opening. Even those we idealize worry about things like this.

Give him boundaries, and be fair. You guys will get there. No demons. :)

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/29/2014 11:07:42 pm

Exactly why I don't want to mess it up. :0) This is the most humbling of all sports. I am feeling very small and puny lately. There just aren't enough years to learn it all. At least I'll never be bored!!!!!

Desirea link
12/29/2014 01:33:08 pm

Karen, you are going to have so much fun riding and training this guy. Congratulations! Awesome horse

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/29/2014 11:08:14 pm

I hope you're right, Desirea. :0)

lytha
12/29/2014 05:50:04 pm

Your first bullet point reminded me of something that new Western trainer told me. She said Dressage riders typically follow the horse's movement with a forward/back motion in their hips, but that it's wrong. In her opinion, I need to feel the horse's hind legs pushing my hips alternatingly forward, and follow/influence that movement, left/right. I exaggerate it a bit to teach myself to automatically find this movement and use it for lateral cues. It's certainly helped me to release my lower back. Geez I miss riding....

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/29/2014 11:10:25 pm

Exactly, Lytha!!! I am guilty of front and back as opposed to side to side. On Speedy, I've been over-exaggerating the side to side to remind myself to LET GO. I also found that as i prepare for a transition, I tend to freeze my body as well. I am trying to keep myself loose and moving as I prepare. It's funny what we become aware of when it's pointed out.

Your snow will lift, and you will be back in the saddle in no time. :0)

Lauren link
12/30/2014 11:16:40 am

You won't mess him up! Time and patience, and I know you have both of those things.

Bakersfield Dressage link
1/4/2015 12:05:33 am

Thanks, Lauren. I do have time and patience. I just wish I had a little more skill. :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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    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.
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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
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