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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Lesson With Chemaine - Part 3

8/14/2015

 
This is the last post on this lesson; I promise. Since I don't get to ride with Chemaine very often, she usually loads me up with tons of work which means tons to process. This lesson was no exception.

So far, I've shared two pretty important ideas:
  1. A half halt needs as much leg as you use hand. I was able to get a good feel for this while I tried to get a piaffe from Belle, Chemaine's upper level horse.
  2. In order to get a canter from Izzy, or simply keep control, I need to reel in his fishtailing haunches. To do this, Chemaine had me open the outside rein, pull it back towards my hip, and send his haunches in with my outside leg. This put him in a counter bend, but it put his shoulders more in line with his butt.

This next video clip shows me figuring out how to get a right lead canter and how to soften my legs so that I don't keep them clamped on. I thought he needed more leg to quit stalling out, but Chemaine pointed out that clamping my legs on is actually slowing him down. D'oh!
Once I felt how much outside rein I needed, the canter was super easy. You can hear from his snorts and see from his head tossing that he liked this canter too.
Picture
Screen shot from video ...
Over the past few days, I hope you've been able to get a sense of what type of trainer Chemaine is. I love how she avoids criticizing her riders; Lord knows there's plenty of fodder for that. Instead she focuses on what I am doing right. She also makes things simple and relatively easy to work on by myself once I get back home.
Picture
Easy to make him LOOK uphill when you capture just the moment.
While we have a very long journey ahead of us, Chemaine certainly helped me with a lot of little steps. As I watch this final video, I see a much happier and relaxed horse. And all of that came from first regulating his rhythm (last month's lesson focus) and controlling his haunches (this month's focus).
Picture
Round and reaching with the hind, but I am very obviously NOT helping.
emma link
8/14/2015 12:46:50 am

looks like you're both really figuring it out!! Chemaine sounds like a wonderful trainer - very easy to listen to

Bakersfield Dressage link
8/14/2015 11:00:07 pm

We're figuring this thing out, but I am pretty sure I'll have plenty more for Chemaine to deal with next time we see her. :0)

Carly
8/14/2015 01:09:26 am

Really love listening to Chemaine teach!

Bakersfield Dressage link
8/14/2015 11:01:46 pm

I do too! There is never a moment where she doesn't know how to fix whatever I am doing wrong. And I know not everyone likes the non-stop coaching, but I LOVE that she coaches me through every single stride. I am not out there wondering if I am doing it "right." :0)

Rebecca link
8/14/2015 01:39:28 am

Izzy looks AMAZING in those screenshots!

Bakersfield Dressage link
8/14/2015 11:03:15 pm

Thanks! However, when you can grab whichever shot you want in a sequence, it's easy to make them look good. Let's just say that I had to scroll through LOTS of funky moments to find some good ones. LOL!

Jan link
8/14/2015 04:02:48 am

Ohhhhhh he's coming along so nicely!!! I'm so excited to read about when he gets to go to shows!! :-)

Bakersfield Dressage link
8/14/2015 11:12:43 pm

Thanks, but that will probably be a long while. I don't have enough control to do many diagonals or long sides yet. :0)

Teresa link
8/15/2015 09:16:19 am

I think that you two are doing great! I thought of you today- since I don't let Carmen spin and run when spooked she's started to stop and today added backing up. I'm hopeful that once we work through that we'll be where you and Izzy are!

Bakersfield Dressage link
8/15/2015 09:52:38 am

You guys are probably farther along than we are! Chemaine added a whip to my routine. He hasn't done a true back up or halt this week with it. He has certainly thought about it, but all I need to do is simply give it a wiggle, and he's all about the forward again.

Please don't think that our rides are smooth and lovely. Instead, they are 90% sweating and grunting (more me than him) with TONS of staggering through the circle with maybe 10% of the ride looking nice.

Progress is being made, but boy is this a slow process. I wish someone could just outline all of the evasions they are are going to try so that we could just tick them off our list as they happen. Wouldn't that be great?

We (meaning you and I) will get there eventually! :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.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.
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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
  • Home