Dressage is my kryptonite. Stretch and I can be a cross-country machine and have the finesse to jump a clear stadium round, but oftentimes, and especially now, dressage eludes us. Nine out of ten times we cannot get a proper transition. Trotting on the bit, good luck! Bending to the right, well, that is a thing of the past. This is not a comforting discovery when MeadowCreek is only three weeks away! If dressage basics are so far out of reach, how the heck are we supposed to make it through an entire test?! Every great once in a while the sky opens up and the Dressage Gods smile down on us as a glimmer of hope emerges. I realize that the perfect dressage pony I had a year ago is still in there... somewhere. But, alas, the consistency and fluidity quickly fades away and I am once again left riding the equine version of a llama.
I really figured that working at a dressage farm would help improve MY dressage, and to some extent it has. My position is better and I can get good, quality work out of every horse but my own. Sigh. Dressage remains an ellusive little creature that frequently escapes our grasp. However, it will not win. Stretch and I will conquer dressage, eventually. We were so close before he got injured last year and I keep trying to hang on to that little ray of sunshine. If nothing else, MeadowCreek will be a learning experience. Right?
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Stretch arrived in Stillwater safe and sound early Wednesday morning. I was my first time to pull the new trailer and it was a peice of cake. The trailer pulled great and Stretch seemed to enjoy the ride. It took some coaxing to get him to load up but otherwise went well. He will definately be doing some extensive traveling before we "go show" to get him loading easier! He settled right in at the Farm and seems happy, although he is currently stuck out in the snow. I rode him Thursday after work and the ride went well. He did not regress as much as I was expecting during his extended vacation, but we do definately have some work to do before MeadowCreek!
I have not been on Stretch since that first ride, first due to rain and now snow making the arena sloppy and frozen. This leads me to my next topic. I have been reading Sally O'Connor's book, Practical Eventing, and she makes a great point about this very thing. She states that "an event horse must... perform no matter what" and that riders must "learn not to make excuses for lack of schooling." These are valid points and made me realize that myself, along with many others, tend to overprotect our horses which ultimately hurts them in the long run. Just because the arena is boggy or the grass is slick does not mean you cannot work, it just means you should proceed with caution. I really need to get better about this and vow to change it tomorrow. We have a competition to prepare for in just over a month, and he isn't going to get better just sitting in a pen because of the weather.
So far, I have made it through chapter 8, also referred to as section 1, of Sally's book. I feel like it is directed more towards riders with little to no experience in the eventing world, but she does bring attention to little details that rider's often forget. For instance, lunging is invaluable. It helps to teach a horse self-carriage and balance and can benefit any horse of any level. Also noted is the value of cavaletti work in the basis of jumping and improving flat work. I know a lot of riders that feel as though raised cavaletti work should not be done until the horse is very established in their training, but Sally's point is to use those exercises TO establish their training. This book is definately giving me some ideas and inspiration for my horses' training programs and I am excited to begin incorporating some of them.
The main point of this post is that, much like every other topic of this blog, things are not always going to work out as planned but that is not an excuse. Rain, shine, sleet, or snow "get out into every kind of weather and work."
I have not been on Stretch since that first ride, first due to rain and now snow making the arena sloppy and frozen. This leads me to my next topic. I have been reading Sally O'Connor's book, Practical Eventing, and she makes a great point about this very thing. She states that "an event horse must... perform no matter what" and that riders must "learn not to make excuses for lack of schooling." These are valid points and made me realize that myself, along with many others, tend to overprotect our horses which ultimately hurts them in the long run. Just because the arena is boggy or the grass is slick does not mean you cannot work, it just means you should proceed with caution. I really need to get better about this and vow to change it tomorrow. We have a competition to prepare for in just over a month, and he isn't going to get better just sitting in a pen because of the weather.
So far, I have made it through chapter 8, also referred to as section 1, of Sally's book. I feel like it is directed more towards riders with little to no experience in the eventing world, but she does bring attention to little details that rider's often forget. For instance, lunging is invaluable. It helps to teach a horse self-carriage and balance and can benefit any horse of any level. Also noted is the value of cavaletti work in the basis of jumping and improving flat work. I know a lot of riders that feel as though raised cavaletti work should not be done until the horse is very established in their training, but Sally's point is to use those exercises TO establish their training. This book is definately giving me some ideas and inspiration for my horses' training programs and I am excited to begin incorporating some of them.
The main point of this post is that, much like every other topic of this blog, things are not always going to work out as planned but that is not an excuse. Rain, shine, sleet, or snow "get out into every kind of weather and work."
Friday, February 3, 2012
Continued Reading...
After finishing Denny Emerson's book, which was fantastic by the way, I have a very strong desire to continue my learning curve via reading. By using the "Recommended Reading" list at the back of the book and a quick Amazon search, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of three more books. On the list is Sally O'Connor's "Practical Eventing," Jeanne Kane's "The Event Groom's Handbook," and Sally Swift's "Centered Riding." I am definately hoping that these books will impact my life and riding career as much as denny's, but at the very least I plan on walking away with a newfound knowledge or perspective.
As for Stretch, I am deligently working on getting him to Stillwater this weekend. Right now the weather seems to hold all of the cards. Although I am extremely grateful for the rain we recieved in the past twenty-four hours, it has caused my trailer to get stuck in the pasture. That's a problem! My fingers are crossed that we get enough sunshine to dry up the mud a little bit in the next couple of days. Hopefully there will be another post up her soon saying that he arrived safely! Until then, keep calm and carry on!
As for Stretch, I am deligently working on getting him to Stillwater this weekend. Right now the weather seems to hold all of the cards. Although I am extremely grateful for the rain we recieved in the past twenty-four hours, it has caused my trailer to get stuck in the pasture. That's a problem! My fingers are crossed that we get enough sunshine to dry up the mud a little bit in the next couple of days. Hopefully there will be another post up her soon saying that he arrived safely! Until then, keep calm and carry on!
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