Bakersfield Dressage
  • 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

Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Walk to Canter to Walk

12/29/2015

 
Even though it was Christmas weekend, Chemaine once again made the trek from Moorpark to Bakersfield to give a few of us some lessons. I know I say this all the time, but she really is an excellent trainer. If you're in the Los Angeles/Simi Valley area, you really should look her up.
Picture
Chemaine's logo
All of Chemaine's students sport embroidered gear that features her logo. I've been hankering for something that proclaims I am part of the crowd, and now I have it. Chemaine brought me a "Team Symphony" decal for my truck. Here's a close up:
Picture
Equally as exciting was the "brag banner" that she made for me. Chemaine took apart some of my show ribbons and created a banner that I can hang in front of my stall at shows, or I can keep it in my office. It's so pretty that I hate to actually take it to shows because I know how dusty it will get. I'll probably keep it at home until we go to our next big show.
Picture
Pretty cool, huh?!
While that's all fabulous and much appreciated, the real point of her presence was to cram as much information into me as possible. While I've been taking occasional lessons from Chemaine for several years, it was only since this summer that she became my regular trainer. Now that I am riding with her once a month, the tenor of the lessons is changing, and things are starting to fall into place.

While I don't feel like I am in a program per se, I can feel the benefits of regularly scheduled dressage lessons. Chemaine teaches me something one month, I work the heck out of it, and she checks my progress the next month. Now that lessons aren't about trying to fix one little thing the day before a show, Chemaine can create more of a plan of attack for me. In the past six months, we've improved Speedy's canter tremendously, installed a leg yield, created the beginning of a trot lengthening, and created some actual impulsion.
Picture
So much to like here: poll is the highest point, he's slightly in front of the vertical (not behind!), and he's reaching really nicely.
For this lesson, I wanted to work on the walk to canter to walk transitions in preparation for showing the three loop serpentine at Second Level. Before we worked on that, I showed Chemaine our leg yields, transitions within the gait (specifically at the trot), and our ten-meter trot circles. Everything met her expectations. We still have work to do, but it's stuff that I can continue on my own.

Once we made it though all of that, we finally tackled the walk to canter to walk transition. I've been schooling it on my own, and the walk to canter has been going well. The canter to walk was where we were having tons of trouble. No problem is too big for Chemaine however, and this one is actually quite common. Right away Chemaine had an exercise designed to teach Speedy what I was asking for.
Picture
Walk to canter to walk exercise
 Essentially, the exercise goes like this:
  1. Canter a 20-meter circle. Tracking left is easier for us because the 10-meter canter circle is easier tracking right.
  2. Walk at centerline.
  3. Change leads and canter a 10-meter circle.
  4. Walk at centerline.
  5. Change leads and canter a 20-meter half circle, or the whole thing if you need time to rebalance.
  6. Walk at centerline
  7. Change leads and canter a 10-meter circle.
  8. After a few repetitions, change direction so that your 10-meter circles are tracking the opposite direction.
Of course, this all sounds simple, and once a horse can easily do a walk to canter to walk transition, it is. If your horse is still learning the canter to walk transition like Speedy is, here are a few tips to help him understand what you want.
  • As you approach the center line, do a haunches in. This means send his haunches into the circle; left lead, haunches to the left. Conversely, right lead, haunches to the right.
  • Keep your elbows locked to your sides and SIT. Ask for the walk as hard as necessary to get the walk. Tighten everything up to get it. Do not allow any trot strides. Speedy figured out pretty quickly that centerline meant a downward transition, but to make it easier on himself, he started trotting almost before I asked for it. This mean I had to keep the canter going with a lot of leg and a big half halt. Do not let your body trot, keep your butt deep in the saddle.
  • Take as many walk strides as necessary to get organized before asking for the new canter lead. Since you did a haunches in, the horse's haunches are already where they need to be. Make sure you have a good bend for the 10-meter circle, even over-bend if necessary.
  • Ask for the new lead. Don't forget to compress (using the outside rein) and ask for softness with the inside rein. 10-meters is a small circle, but if you've over-bent the horse, you will now be able to release the inside rein.
  • Since the 10-meter circle requires the horse to be very bent from nose to tail, you should already be close to a haunches in. This is important as you again SIT and ask for the walk.
After a few repetitions, Speedy understood the downward walk transition much better. I feel confident that when we see Chemaine next month, our walk to canter to walk should be in good enough shape to start refining it.

​Chemaine also showed me a variation of this exercise that looks like this: 
Picture
3-loop Serpentine with 10-meter circles
This exercise will prepare your horse for the three loop serpentine in Test 1 at Second Level. It goes like this:
  1. Pick up a canter lead on the long side. In this case, the left lead. Begin the first loop.
  2. Cross the centerline, but spiral down into a ten-meter circle.
  3. At the centerline, walk (see notes above about getting the walk).
  4. Take as many walk steps as necessary to rebalance, but then pick up the right lead and do a 10-meter circle.
  5. At centerline, spiral out and begin the second loop.
  6. At the centerline, spiral in to another 10-meter circle.
  7. Walk at the centerline and again prepare for a change of lead.
  8. Canter a 10-meter circle on the left lead.
  9. Begin the third loop.
  10. When you get back to centerline (at A or C) continue down the long side in a medium canter and either begin the exercise again or cross the diagonal with a change of lead through trot and do it going the opposite direction.
On that note, I had a mini-consult with Chemaine about my showing plans. One of the things that makes Chemaine such an outstanding trainer is that she's very committed to helping her students achieve their competition goals, whatever they are.

I asked her if I am moving too slowly and trying for scores that aren't realistic. Through Introductory and Training Level, I didn't feel ready to move up a level until I was scoring in the very high 60s and low 70s. That has been my goal for First Level as well. At our last show, we scored as high as 66%. Chemaine reminded me that as we move through the levels, scores in the mid-60s would be a good indicator that we're ready to move up. 

I have a lot of work to do in January and February. I still want to show at First Level because I want to qualify for the CDS Regional Adult Amateur Competition and both GMOs' Championship shows, but I also want to start showing at Second Level. It's looking like that goal might be a possibility.

​More tomorrow, including video!
Jan link
12/29/2015 07:57:31 am

I love that canter exercise (and the tweaked version!). When Penn is ready, I think I'm going to steal it to make the canter-walk transitions clear to him. They're a weak point for me, and he has so much impulsion, that I'm sure canter-walk will not go well for us to start.

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/30/2015 06:25:20 am

The German trainer we ride with once or twice a year calls it the Mickey Mouse exercise, and there are a lot of ways you can tweak it for sure.

Megan link
12/29/2015 11:22:56 am

That serpentine exercise is one that I use ALL the time when teaching simple changes! And I actually use the pattern of the circle exercise you posted as a way of improving counter canter- true canter on the small circles and instead of changing to go on the big circle, counter canter that. If there's a ring big enough, I like to basically just counter canter a 20m circle and then use the 10m circles to the outside whenever the counter canter breaks down.

Sounds like you guys are coming along really well! I can confirm that mid 60s are desirable as you move up the levels. I always wanted to break 70 before moving up, but after a while, it wasn't too achievable. From then on, as long as I was comfortably above 60 (like 64+) I felt pretty good. I always think that it depends on the individual- some people value moving up over scores and some people value scores over moving up, most of us are somewhere in the middle.

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/30/2015 06:32:31 am

I've also done the counter canter/true canter exercise with the Mickey Mouse pattern too. It's funny when you are "relieved" to do a 10-meter circle because holding the counter canter for a full 20-meters can be hard, especially early on!

I have come to realize that score averages are pretty important to me rather than just getting one score and moving on. For me, averages speak to consistency, which I really value. Probably the teacher coming out. :0)

With that said, I don't want to get stuck at a level because my expectations are too high. At some point, my horse simply won't have the talent to score a 70%, no matter how hard we work. I think that was Chemaine's point. When my sitting trot improves and we can do a consistent simple change, we'll try Second Level. I am not too worried about my First Level scores anymore. :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.
    Picture
    Photo by Lori Ovanessian

    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.
    Picture
    July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)

    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.
    Picture
    March 2021 (PC Tess Michelle Photography)

    Picture
    Bakersfield Dressage approved!
    Picture
    My favorite breeches!
    Picture
    FOR THE SMALLER EQUINE ATHLETE
    Picture
    I love her stuff!
    Picture
    Watercolor Artist and Friend

    National Rider Awards

    Picture
    USDF Bronze Medal - 2020
    Picture
    USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018
    Picture
    USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
    Picture
    USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013

    State Rider Awards
    Picture
    CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018

    State Horse Awards
    Picture
    Speedy G - 3rd Level Horse Performance Award - 2020
    Picture
    Speedy G - 2nd Level Horse Performance Award - 2018

    Working Towards:

    CDS Sapphire Rider Award
    Third Level: 63.514%
    Third Level: 62.105%
    Fourth Level:
    Fourth Level:

    2023 Show Season

    Show Rating
    (***) CDS/USDF/USEF 
    (*) CDS
    (s) Schooling
    (c) Clinic
    (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic
    2023 Show Schedule
    TBD

    ​2023 Completed …
    Pending

    2023 Qualifying Scores 

    Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC)  
    Qualifying Training Level
    3 Scores/2 Judges/60%:
    Score 1:
    Score 2:
    Score 3:

    Archives
    ​By Topic

    All
    Abscess
    Art
    Arthritis
    Awards
    Books
    Cabin
    California Barn Life
    Captain Awesome
    CDL Class A License
    Centerlinescores
    Championships
    Chiropractor
    Clinics
    Clothing
    Cushing's Disease
    Defeating The Demon
    DIY
    Dogs
    Double Bridle
    Dressage On The Trail
    EHV-1
    Endurance Photos
    Farrier
    Find Your Joy
    First Level
    Fluphenazine
    Flying Changes
    Fourth Level
    Fox Hunting
    Freedom Feeder
    Frustration
    Gizmos
    Grooming
    Half Pass
    Headshaking
    Horse Maintenance
    Horses Are Expensive
    Horses Are Expensive 3.0
    Horses Are Expensive II
    Hunter/jumper Stuff
    Imperioso
    Introductory Level
    Izzys Leg
    Just For Fun
    Lessons With Chemaine
    Lessons With Lois
    Lessons With STC Dressage
    Local Stuff
    M.A.R.E.
    Memberships
    Micklem Bridle
    Mt. Self Doubt
    Musings
    My 5 Things
    My Horses
    Nesting
    On The Levels
    Photos
    Pivo Pod
    Platinum Performance
    Poles
    Polls
    Pulley Rein
    Raac
    Retirement?
    Rider Fitness
    Riding Figures
    Right Lead Canter
    Road ID
    Saddle Fitting
    Schooling
    Score Sheets
    Second Level
    Shopping
    Show Costs
    Showing
    Sitting Trot
    Sliding Side Reins
    Soldier
    Speedy's Leg
    Tack
    The Elephants
    The Jar
    The Warm Up Ring
    Third
    Third Level
    Tips From A Pro
    Toys
    Trailering
    Training
    Travel
    Ulcers
    Vet Care
    Video
    Videos
    Weird But True
    Year In Review


    Archives
    ​By Date

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011


Site Designed and Managed by: Karen Sweaney

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