I don’t know what the deal is with this horse. Suffice to say, I don’t have a simple horse. She’s as complex as a spiderweb, and about as sticky too. I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t, and it makes me look like a manic-depressive, indecisive idiot.
Suddenly, she’s doing great as a dressage horse. Because her natural inclination is to pull the rider around the arena, and, let’s face it, I’m a dressage rider, I school her in dressage between the days Special K jumps her.
I should mention that I got her a new saddle. It’s a sad little Wintec dressage saddle, but it’s actually been somewhat of a miracle worker. I know some people that have gotten their USDF silver medals using a Wintec, so I’m guessing they can’t be that bad. Either way, for Nicole, it’s been about as useful as an orthopedic shoe. As explained to me by 2 different massage therapists and a saddle fitter, the Neidersuss hits her back in such a way that it causes her to invert. Since the Neidersuss doesn’t really fit me either, away it goes.
The change was instantaneous; she stopped inverting at the canter, and her trot-canter transitions have become, most days, rounder. She is also more willing to bend; she has stopped resisting the bit in leg yields and half passes.
Remember when I was tearing my hair out about her crappy canter? I actually got irritated yesterday because I couldn’t get good canter-walk transitions (walk-canter is ok). I had to remind myself that even 4 months ago I was ready to throw myself off the nearest cherry blossom tree because of her canter. The crappy canter seems to be a thing of the past, for the most part.
Additionally, I’ve found a barn with a Grand Prix schoolmaster for lessons, about 10 min away from Nicole’s barn. I’m trying to take 2-3 lessons a week. I’m still looking to lease horse that I can compete (higher than Nicole can), but in the mean time, I like the people at the Grand Prix barn, and I like the horse. Maybe they can help me with Nicole, but I’m not sure Nicole can be helped at this point.
