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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Whip it! Whip it Good!

12/18/2015

 
Izzy must have a little radar detector that sounds an alarm when I start writing a for sale ad. Sometimes the ads are about dumping him for cheap, and other times they're to remind me of how much he's learned. 
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Not Really!
Right now, I am reminded of the days when we couldn't use the whole arena. Every green bean owner knows about this stage. And truth be told, we're still having very strong arguments about one particular corner, but we have reached the point where he will work through the corner, even if it's not easy or pretty.

The other issue I'm working on is reducing the number of minutes with him screaming HELL NO! before he shrugs his shoulders and gets to work. On Wednesday night, it took less than ten, but it took the use of the whip to make it happen.

He warmed up nicely. I started with the 1-2-3-4 change the bend warm up exercise that Chemaine recommends, but we did it at the walk. He was feeling very bendy so I sent him into an easy trot. He made a circle or two and then started to get fussy. The HELL NO showed up loud and proud.
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Dude's getting a nice top line and butt!
He grabbed the bit and charged several times. I am a pretty physical person and have no qualms about jerking his mouth pretty damn hard when needed. It was needed, but it didn't work. He was simply testing me to see if he could leave the conversation. He wasn't nervous or unsure - he was just being an ass.

I jumped off and grabbed the whip. As soon as I was back in the saddle, I took that whip to him and reminded him what the outside rein means. I goosed him forward and then tapped his shoulder briskly until he was spinning away from my outside leg and rein. And then I did it a few more times for good measure. Every second that he sassed me, I tapped his shoulder again. Within less than a minute, he had quit blowing through my aids and was looking for a correct answer.

Well now, good boy, Izzy!

Chemaine calls it the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde technique. As soon as he is naughty, I am a snarling Hyde ready to kick his butt. The instant he complies, I am the ever pleasant Dr. Jekyll offering a cup of tea with a biscuit. Turn it on, turn it off - I am a machine without emotion.

It is working like a charm. The only problem with the strategy is that you have to be ready to ride though some nasty shenanigans. On this horse, I feel pretty safe when I cowboy up and kick the crap out of him. He can get pretty bronc-y, but I feel confident spurring him forward and riding it out of him. And if I growl loud enough, dig my spur into him, and whack that shoulder a few times, he knows the jig is up.

Once I had his attention, we had a lovely ride (for a green bean). He did a series of pretty impressive leg yields that were nicer than what Speedy can do (sorry, Speedy, G, but it's true). We also did some fun work on a 15-meter circle alternating between shoulder in and haunches in. The dude's got some talent.

We finished up with a right lead canter, something that I haven't been able to get with any consistency. And to make the ride even better, it was the best right lead canter he's offered to date. It was super balanced and light. Oh my gosh was it light! And even though he fell out of the canter a time or two, I was able to squeeze him right back into it.
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Although ... stick enough zeros in your offer and we'll see!
So for this week, Izzy's off the market. But at the rate that he's improving, I might have to start tacking on some zeros after that first number!
Amanda Chance link
12/18/2015 06:11:12 am

Your experience with this horse is pretty much spot on with the experience I had with my Ideal gelding, except mine wasn't so green. The HELL NO always persisted though. This part especially was like reliving my days with him "The other issue I'm working on is reducing the number of minutes with him screaming HELL NO! before he shrugs his shoulders and gets to work. On Wednesday night, it took less than ten, but it took the use of the whip to make it happen.". That was EVERY SINGLE DAY of Kai. Every single freaking day.

Shirley
12/18/2015 07:19:52 am

It's a HUGE percentage of warmbloods thing!!! Been reading this behavior from warmblood riders for the past 25 years....the only thing that varies is the frequency, duration or cut off date in age. I personally believe that any registry which includes scores for rideability is a HUGE clue into the warmblood psyche!
The joke in the industry is the TB comes out of the stall and it's already "ON", the warmblood likes to come out of the stall compliant and WAIT for just the right moment....because, after all, why waste all that energy unless you think you can be successful!?
Gotta love a "shrewd" equine! LOL!

Amanda Chance link
12/19/2015 05:54:14 am

The only one I've met like that was this severe was the Ideal I had. The rest of the wb's I've owned/ridden have had decent to good work ethics. Nothing like a TB, but nothing like the Ideal gelding either. Every single day was a battle of wills with him.

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/18/2015 06:07:51 pm

Believe it or not, that makes me feel better. :0)

I don't mind that he's opinionated as long as he tells me what he's thinking and then moves on. As I rode this afternoon, I kept all of this in mind and made sure to have "the discussion" early on and get it done quickly. Every day will be okay as long the discussion is short and doesn't keep coming up throughout the ride. LOL

Amanda Chance link
12/19/2015 05:56:05 am

With mine it was always the first 5-10 minutes. He would pin his ears, kick out, refuse to move, etc. Then once he decided I was actually going to MAKE him, he would be fine after that. It was literally every single ride, without fail, and it didn't matter who was riding him.

jenj
12/18/2015 06:49:54 am

Oy, I wouldn't want to ride through the OH HELL NO moments - although Paddy used to do that a lot a year ago. Eventually they do figure out what their job is and you don't have to have those rude discussions... one hopes, anyway!

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/18/2015 06:12:39 pm

If they have a brain, I agree, jenj. I don't really subscribe to the Arabs/OTTBs/Warmbloods/chestnut mares are crazy sensibility. I look at each horse as an individual. With good, consistent training, they all figure it out - if they have a decent mind. This is definitely an up and coming blog post. :0)

SprinklerBandits
12/18/2015 08:18:33 am

That was my experience with my I-line Oldenburg mare too. :-/ Plus the mare thing. And wicked. Izzy sounds like he can be talked out of it, which is awesome. My Izzy was less compliant.

And yeah, while I might miss the raw talent of a WB, I don't miss the attitude. To each their own. ;-)

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/18/2015 06:15:24 pm

LOL - I ride an Arab, so I must dig "attitude." Izzy really is a good soul. He's just a bit of a lunk head right now. Once he gets to work, he's all in. I think with a little more time, his confidence is going to start really growing. :0)

Tracy link
12/18/2015 09:07:13 am

Hah! I like the way you look at this. And I'm glad Izzy has earned his keep this week :)

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/18/2015 06:16:13 pm

Thank goodness, Tracy. No free loading allowed here. LOL!

Karen
12/18/2015 10:48:30 am

Way to stick to it on a big, bold horse! You are very brave! As a side not, I totally disagree with the WB vs TB analysis, but that's just me. I'll never ride another TB again. They may want to work, but it's very rarely relaxed work. And if it is, it's because it's usually isn't demanding work (read: correct dressage). That's why warmbloods traditionally do better in dressage, eventually most will buckle down and work hard in a relaxed manner, where they can use their backs. I think Izzy is just a typical, late-started, smart, immature youngster. He'll get it, he's just got to get over the hump. This is why they start them young in Germany. "At 4 they try to kill themselves, at 5 they try to kill you!"

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/18/2015 06:25:26 pm

Actually, I agree with you 100%.

After my experience with Sydney, I am done with the OTTBs. I know there are a lot of really lovely ones out there, but I am not sure their personality type is my type. I not sure I am sold on WBs either. And while everyone goes on and on about the WBs, the truth is that a lot of them have a lot of TB blood.

Ideal, a very famous and well respected Oldenburg stallion and Izzy's grandsire, is half TB and even has Anglo/Arab breeding pretty close up. And Ideal is considered to be quite a fancy WB.

I really think it's important to look at the individual. Izzy got started late, so he's more like a 4 or 5 year old. He's definitely been through the "try to kill himself stage" - he's just now healing form that, and he has definitely moved onto the "try to kill me" stage. He almost hit the ground tonight, and I am still not sure how he stayed upright. I think he was shocked I would push the issue that far.

I am looking forward to cresting the hump that you mention. I think we're getting close. :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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