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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Progress on the Trail

10/7/2015

 
I've been busy schooling Izzy through the two exercises that Chemaine showed us the other weekend, the spiral from A to C, and the modified leg yield, but I'll write about that progress in a day or so. Today I want to share a "finally, Izzy!" moment.

I don't spend as much time outside of the arena as I probably should, but it's hard to do with two horses and a full time job. Plus, it's been so darn hot that I just want to get the real work done and get back in the shade.

This weekend, fall made a brief appearance here in Central California. We were blessed with a cool rain shower and temperatures that barely cracked 70 ℉. After working Izzy for 45 minutes in the arena, I decided to head out into the neighborhood for a cool down walk.

The last couple of times that we walked the neighborhood loop, Izzy decided that he didn't really want to be away from Speedy. His version of resistance is to refuse to go forward. And when he got tired of me cowboy kicking him in the sides, he decided that rearing was his next best choice.

We spent one pretty frustrating morning working through the balking and rearing. Without a whip or spurs though, it ended up being a bit of a draw. The next day, I repeated the loop with my whip in hand. He still fussed, but the ride was a lot easier for me.

On Sunday, he was tired from the ride, and I again had the whip. He thought about balking as we passed the first weird tree, but with a teensy tiny tap of the whip, he trudged forward. There are three real bugaboo spots that he has decided he doesn't like.

The first is the weird tree. The second is a mini hill that occasionally has a puddle in front of it. He happily marches up the hill when there is no puddle, so it's not the hill. With the early morning rain, the puddle was bigger than he has ever seen it.
Picture
The mini hill.
My plan was simple: as long as he didn't go backwards, I was going to let him take his time. To my surprise, he looked at it, and then he slowly stepped forward, looked at it again, and took a another few steps. Without a single moment of balking, and certainly no rearing, he stepped confidently through the puddle and jogged up the hill.

Well now. That's how it should be done!

We continued along our walk which means that we have to pass by the Haner Family Farm. They're the ones with all of the farm animals right along side the road. There are pigs, geese, turkeys, goats and a loud barking dog. I don't really blame him for getting tense in this spot, but I still expect him to march along. There was some rubber-necking, but over-all, he showed an improved level of confidence.

The third bugaboo on this loop comes when we pass the barn for the eastern loop of the trail. The last time we tried to pass the barn without a whip, Izzy spent a solid ten minutes rearing and refusing to move forward. As we approached the edge of our property, I simply kept my eyes pointed forward and told him to get a move on.

There was a little shoulder bulging towards the barn, but I could see him re-thinking the "refusal accompanied by a rear" maneuver. He has a healthy respect for the whip, and is instantly motivated by the lightest tap. He marched forward with only a slight hesitation.

The last stretch of our trail is along a short dirt road that is less a hundred yards long. He tried to scoot forward a few times, but I was right there telling him no. In fact, I told him that, if he wanted to move, he could do it in half steps. That doesn't mean I got good half steps, or maybe I did as they felt good, but my thinking was that if he had that much energy, he could use it by going more up and bouncy than forward.

It's not that I know how to correctly teach or ride the piaffe, or the half steps for that matter, but I could feel the surge of energy he had and since it isn't safe to slam such high energy to a stop, I simply asked him to use that energy in a more productive way.

In the end, I had a horse who was showing some really fun positive tension, and I felt a sense of FINALLY.

I want Izzy to be relaxed on the trail, but if he's not, I am okay with schooling him through it, especially if he stays focused enough to accept the directions.

I really do enjoy riding this horse. He's going to be pretty amazing when he finishes growing up!
Jan link
10/7/2015 07:21:14 am

Ugh rearing. Glad he figured it all out though!

Bakersfield Dressage link
10/7/2015 06:51:17 pm

As scary as it sounds, he doesn't usually go up all the way, although he did once. He's a pretty slow mover, so every time he starts to go up, I can feel it coming which means he gets a hard yank to the side. I also growl and get very loud. He doesn't like to get in trouble, so I don't think the rearing will turn into a go-to option for him.

Sydney's rears were HUGE and VERY scary. These are baby things in comparison and not scary at all, but I am not letting him think that rearing is a good choice either as it is a VERY dangerous habit.

Aimee Towell
10/7/2015 07:50:54 am

You're making so much progress with him. :-)

Bakersfield Dressage link
10/7/2015 06:52:34 pm

I am!!!! :0)

Just today, as I was leading from the turn out, I was smiling as I thought about how much better he is about EVERYTHING. Time can do great things. :0)

emma link
10/7/2015 08:28:53 am

good boy Izzy!

Bakersfield Dressage link
10/7/2015 06:53:17 pm

That's what i thought. :0)

Lauren link
10/7/2015 08:40:09 am

Working on the trails makes me so anxious. Good for you for working through it!

Bakersfield Dressage link
10/7/2015 06:56:42 pm

I think that's true for most people, Lauren. I am actually WAY more confident on the trail. I know that comes form billions of hours of riding hot Arabs through sketchy, dicey trails in crappy weather through the dark over seldom used trails!

He was SUPER naughty yesterday, but I just sat there quietly and had a very serious come to Jesus meeting with him. I have almost no fear out of the arena. In the arena makes me more nervous. :0)


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    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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    March 2021 (PC Tess Michelle Photography)

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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