Dressage is Better than a Poke in the Eye...June 26, 2007

I poked poor Nic in the eye yesterday. She gave me her "What'd ya do that for?" look. She teared forever, I hope I didn't scratch her cornea. I don't think I did, but I'm keeping a watch on it. So, I guess she learned that dressage is better than a poke in the eye?

Bff Steph has been kind enough to help me with Nic pretty much daily. I upload video onto You Tube, she checks it out and answers any questions I might have about how to handle situations. She gives ideas about how to make Nic push more to use her hind end. (For the unititiated, the whole point of dressage is to make your horse more ridable by making it push with the back legs more. That's a simplistic definition, but essentially correct.) It's nice to have someone accessible, and I think she likes it because it lets her keep her hand in the teaching business without having to actually work as a trainer. Let's face it, horse trainers make diddly squat.

We have moments of real push, but currently they are moments, rather than a standard way of going. One thing that came to light since Trainer's exit stage left is that the horse really has no idea how to balance herself. How I let that slide in the past year, I don't know. Kids, this is how too much contact can hurt. Don't try this at home.

I have to say, that once I saw the videos I posted in my April 23rd entry "Two New Videos and a Challenge" (http://katrinathisreallysucks.blogspot.com/2007/04/i-have-two-new-video-clips-to-share.html), I began to really wonder what the hell was going on with this horse. Re-read the entry, take the challenge, ask yourself what the difference between the two videos is, and you will understand why.

"Our eyes are holden that we cannot see things that stare us in the face, until the hour arrives when the mind is ripened, - then we behold them, and the time when we saw them not is like a dream." So said our good buddy Ralph Waldo Emmerson, and so say I.

Last week, I spent the whole week making Nic trot on a long rein to sort out her balance, and to keep her rhythm regardless of rein length. It took a couple days before she got the concept - I would have her trot on the long rein, and she would blast around like the meat man was after her. I've taken up more contact now, but I'm making sure to include stretchy circles every so often to make sure the concept is still there.

Here's the results:

Bff Steph commented, when I began working Nic on a long rein, and making the horse sort out how to balance herself at a slower pace, that "the horse's head is probably swirling." I'd say that was probably an appropriate description of Nic's mental activity. The concept of a slow, but active swinging trot, was new.

We are trying the same in the canter, but aren't quite there yet. Lula May suggested her canter isn't as balanced as her trot because we've "worked the canter 1/20th of what we've worked the trot," so that is our focus now.

Lunging at the canter has helped; inititally Nic would bolt into the canter, and scramble like a puppy on a waxed floor. Now, she usually picks up the canter quietly. She still isn't balanced, but the transitions are quieter.

June 21, 2007

Thought:

First show: Nic bucked her way through every canter transition, warm up and test.

Second show: Nic took 10 min to relax her back enough to canter. No bucking in either warm up or test.

Third show: Nic picked up the canter the first try in warm up.

I guess that's progress?

Napalm has been invited to represent the USA at the 2007 FEI Young Horse World Championships.

The photo above was taken from a video Special K took last February. Too bad the quality is so poor (because it's from video and because the lighting conditions were not good, not because of Special K's skills), because it's a pretty cool action shot. Award worthy, perhaps, if it was technically better?

Nicole, Nascar, and Neil Diamond: June 20, 2007

Blah, blah, blah. This is the 4th day in a row my bowels have bothered me. Perhaps it's the heat? Too much to eat? Lack of sleep? I'm in too deep? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps?

Spring became the summer, and it's been hot as a Neil Diamond concert here - 105 degrees yesterday, probably more in the sand arena. Nic and I haven't been doing anything intense lately because of the anvil of the heat wave, so there isn't much to report.

The big drama lately hasn't had anything to do with training Nic, but rather, with work. Interpersonal conflicts, etc, so anything worth writing about that's associated with Nic has taken a back burner in my thoughts these days.

Mr. Sister suggested riding Nic on a long rein for 2 weeks with the intent to make her stretch down, seek the bit, and promote self-carriage. I'm all for it, right or wrong, meek or strong - the horse was held up too long by Trainer, and now seems to not hold herself, and instead brace against the bit. Napalm's idea of riding her with her neck higher up does not seem to promote any bracing or reduce self carriage in the horse, but I can't see why releasing her to a longer rein would be counterproductive, especially since I'm not as well versed in this methodology as Napalm, and don't want to screw it up and cause more damage.

I figure we have nothing to lose at this point, so why not take a breather over the next 2 weeks (and through the heat wave) and test out the stretching on a loose rein. At least she can't brace her neck, seeing as how there is nothing to brace against. She is still sweating on her topline, so I know those muscles are getting worked.

I took a lesson with the barn owner, Lula May, a couple weeks ago, during Napalm's absence. Napalm was in Raleigh to try to qualify some horses for the 2007 FEI World Breeding Championships.

Lula May's lesson involved essentially the same idea as Mr. Sister's: riding Nic on a long rein to help her loosen her back and to calmly maintain a rhythm that's not reminiscent of the Indy 500. There's no Nascar in dressage! The "last one there's a rotten egg" mentality has no place in this sport, so, in an effort to promote the Dharma of Dressage (relaxation and strength), we are taking it back a notch.

The next time I see Lula May and Napalm, I may run by them the idea of riding Nic on a long rein (stretching) for 2 weeks.

Fractions of Recorded Time: June 13, 2007

November, 2006





January, 2007





April 2007





June 2007

A Tale of Two Trainers and the "No Riding Before Noon" Policy: June 9, 2007

Today has been one of those days where nothing is going right, and I can't react rationally to anything. I never feel so insane as when I can't have a rational thought. It's a Saturday, and it's supposed to be a happy day away from the travails of the office, but, alas, 'tis not to be. I blame it all on my breaking the "No Riding Before Noon" policy that Nicole and I have agreed upon.

Nic and I went to a clinic with an FEI Trainer and "L" judge, and rode Training Level, Test 4 and First Level, Test 1. We received a 65% on each (65% and change to be exact), but were told we were a very tense pair.

Let me tell you about the "No Riding Before Noon" policy, its origins, and its rationale. Dear Reader, I'm certain you have the intellectual wherewithal to discern what the "No Riding Before Noon" policy entails: Nic and I just don't ride before noon. There is nothing wrong with people who do; it's just not something WE do. Little rider's minds and little horsey bodies function better in the 1-5pm time slot. Mornings are for relaxing, reading, eating hay, and what have you.

The "No Riding Before Noon" policy came about after a couple very poor lessons last year that took place just far to early in the morning (9am or so). In describing these lessons, the words "unproductive" and "distracted" come to mind. Hence the development of this policy.

Of course, being the favored children of God, Nic and I could only participate in the clinic if we rode before noon. I knew what we were in for the second I showed up at the barn this morning - Nic looked quite aghast with confusion that I turned up so early, and expressed her desire to return to her hay by dancing in the crossties. Now, reader, Nic NEVER dances in the crossties, so I got my warning. (For the uninitiated, crossties hold the horse in one place; "dancing in the crossties" means the horse constantly fidgets).

Riding today was an exercise in futility, and all I wanted to do was return to bed. The horse fed off of my extra energy, contributing to the tension in our performance. So, even though we got good scores on the tests, we just didn't do our best. Our Training Level, Test 4 can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqxDUHF9a5Q. Our First Level, Test 1 can be viewed at http://youtube.com/watch?v=vq4ZnX59QIw.

Luckily, at our next show, the "No Riding Before Noon" policy will be observed.

Special K has been bestowed the honorable title of "Trainer in Charge of Making Me Look Pretty." This role has come about because she is the urger of tack cleaning, the persuader of proper britch purchasing, and makes sure that I generally look a little more put together than I would likely otherwise. This is, of course, in addition to Napalm. Special K's latest urgings include using soap and conditioner to clean my tack, rather than rain and spit. I guess my creative tendencies aren't always rational.

The "Bring the Mare into Heat" Prayer: June 4, 2007

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm hoping Nic's in heat this week, because it would be good timing for the show I have on June 16. When she is in heat, Nic doesn't want to bend, and is overall a sourpuss. Taking her to a show when she is in heat would be a nightmare.

So, I am invoking the "Bring the Mare into Heat" prayer, which I have displayed below. Enjoy.

Hail Mother Nature, full of grace.

My mare’s heat cycle is with thee.

Blessed art heat cycles amongst mare owners,

and blessed are the fruits of good timing.

Holy Good Timing Batman,

pray for us mare owners,

that the heat cycle does not coincide with a show,

now or at the hour of any future show.

Amen.

Since I started "Of Horses and Humans," Nic has been getting some much deserved recognition and accolades from her adoring fans. Although such wanton adoration is expected, nay, required, the poor dear can't graze in a field without being harassed! Although most celebrities would revel in such attention, Nic, in accordance with her evolution as a prey animal, is naturally quite shy. So, she has chosen to go incognito, so she won't be recognized on the street. I'm not totally convinced the disguise is working, but what do you expect, the mare has a brain the size of a walnut, so of course she would use the "if I can't see you, you can't see me" mantra of 2 year old humans.

Nicole, Astroglide, and Strawberry Fields Forever: June 2, 2007

Nicole and her Magellanic tendencies have struck gold again. Or, rather red, yes red, yes so very red, as in strawberries. As we were walking yesterday, the dear decided staying with me wasn't enough adventure for her, so she struck out on her own (read: grabbed the reins and bolted), and landed in a previously unknown wild strawberry patch on the farm property. They were not quite the gargantuan-big-as-your-fist type of strawberries you get at Whole Foods, but they were Nic's very own discovery.

Perhaps we can get a children's book out of this? Move over, Dora the Explorer, you're through. Nic is the new hot ticket, and she is infinitely better looking.

Now we can add "Expert Strawberry Finder" to Nicole's ever-growing list of 2nd careers, along with "Expert Canadian Goose Harasser," and of course "Broodmare" in the event that her dressage career takes a nose dive.

The mare has been a little sore, muscle-wise, the past couple days, so we have been taking it easy. We have a schooling show next weekend, in which we are trying Training Level, Test 4 and First Level, Test 1. After that, we have a recognized show, so her health is paramount at this point. She's been getting lots of massages to work out whatever issues she's having in her muscles.

On top of this, she has little abrasions from sweat on her lips(where her noseband and bit go). So, I went on my own Magellanic excursion to find a product to put on those areas that would provide some...ahem...lubrication and barrier from sweat. Being the logical creature I am, I, of course, must include all potential products in my search. Which led me to the "personal lubricant" aisle in Giant.

Amongst this feast of personal lubricants, mine eyes rested upon a gargantuan bottle of Astroglide. Perhaps this was Nicole's chafing savior? Only horsepeople can unabashedly peruse the labeling on a large bottle of Astroglide and find myriad uses for the product other than its original objective: Lubricating bits, cleaning udders, facial protection, you name it. Alas, nay, Astroglide wasn't the ticket - its water solubility would not provide adequate protection against sun and saliva. And so the search continues...

She has been picking up her canter transitions much better this past week (despite the absence of Astroglide). I just have to switch my hips now; she picks it up from much more subtle signals than she had previously. She is beginning to hold herself in the transition and she picks up the transition immediately, rather than diving onto her forehand, as she did previously.

Aside from the opportunity to expose the world to my special brand of wit, I've found a new use for this blog - keeping track of when Nic had her last heat cycle. She is due again, and if God has any love for me, Nic will come into heat this week, as we have a show June 16.