Now that I have the trot better, I've been working on trying to get Nikita more through at the canter and to push into the bridle. Nikita has so much power (at least 3x that of Nic) that actually getting her to push correctly into the bridle is a difficult task. When she leans on the bit, the necessary reaction on the part of the rider is to push her more forward, but the resulting increase in energy has to be directed up, and not forward. It's in the act of causing the energy to produce more loft in the gait that causes the mare to push into the bridle, thereby causing her to become more light in the bridle.
Although this concept is easy to understand, actually doing it is another matter which requires herculean effort. It honestly takes a lot of good timing and quick reflexes to accomplish this, at least for me. It's not a result of using muscle per sey; I suppose the easiest way to explain it is that the rider has to use muscle not on the horse to produce a result, but instead muscle is required for the rider to maintain balance and to quickly give aids to the horse. I get closer every day to being more effective, but it takes a lot of energy to get there.
I've noticed an interesting difference between Nic and Nikita. When Nic is "given the rein", meaning that momentary release of the fingers to encourage softness, Nicole actually becomes more soft and relaxes into the contact, becoming more of a ball, which is the ultimate aim of dressage training - compacted energy. Nikita, on the other hand, uses that release as a way to avoid working - she flattens out and comes against the bridle. I find I have to hold her energy in my seat more and encourage her to go forward to ensure she doesn't flatten.
Until I realized this difference (which was only very recently), it caused a lot of issues with me and Nikita, namely, I'd release the reins similar as I do with Nic, thinking I was performing the correct action, and Nikita would flatten and use the opportunity to play. I'd lose the work I'd already done and have to start over again, only to have the cycle repeat itself.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
December 11, 2009
I know I'm going to shoot myself for saying this, as committing opinions to paper means they will be instantly rendered obsolete, but I think I've resolved a lot of the problems I'd been having trying to ride Nikita in the trot I need to make her through and to make the gait correct. It had been hit or miss, sometimes with a struggle at the beginning of the ride, but I dare say it's pretty solid now. Of course, now that I've committed this opinion to paper, I'm sure I'm going to have a terrible ride tomorrow. I'm told that we can try shoulder-ins and half-passes soon. I've done both on her, but wanted to wait until I could really make her through at the trot. Anyone can ride a half-pass, but it's doing it in the correct kind of trot and through that really matters.
The tempis are getting there. It's not that I can't do them, obviously I can, it's that I'm trying to do them through and with power so that the front end is freer and they're not flat.
One thing that's come to light is that I ride with my right elbow too far forward; this causes me to constantly lose my right rein, which causes the horse to lose her throughness. Correcting it feels weird though; it feels like my right rein and hand is way too tight, but I can tell by the horse's reaction that what I'm doing is correct. Oddly enough, I realized this issue when riding Nic.
The tempis are getting there. It's not that I can't do them, obviously I can, it's that I'm trying to do them through and with power so that the front end is freer and they're not flat.
One thing that's come to light is that I ride with my right elbow too far forward; this causes me to constantly lose my right rein, which causes the horse to lose her throughness. Correcting it feels weird though; it feels like my right rein and hand is way too tight, but I can tell by the horse's reaction that what I'm doing is correct. Oddly enough, I realized this issue when riding Nic.
Monday, December 7, 2009
December 7, 2009
I can't believe how dry my hands are. And how many people are in the indoor arena now. I hate winter. I hate winter. I hate winter. Except having 2 FEI horses means people automatically get out of my way. Not that you would know they're FEI level because all they want to do is spook...errr...play. So really, I guess people get out of our way because we look like a freak show that could get the innocent bystander killed.
Ok, we all know that's hyperbole.
Nikita got a weeks vacation to rest mentally, and is back full force and VERY forward. She's great to ride when she's feeling very forward, and also great to ride when she needs more leg, but as we all know I'm a sucker for a very forward horse.
And I do believe my leg position issue has been resolved once and for all. Thanks to 2 weeks without stirrups. I think I grew another 2 inches and now have thighs of steel.
Nicole's still puttering around working on the lead changes. She's up to her old tricks of being stiff on the left at the trot, but that's mostly because I keep dropping my right rein and not making sure she fills the outside rein.
One change about myself that I've noticed is that I'm taking charge more often in our rides and thinking "how can I fix this issue" instead of just getting frustrated. For example, Nicole is harder on the left rein. Now I think, ok, what am I missing, what are the basics that are missing that's preventing her from being through and chewing the bit. Most of the time I can solve the problem. She was horrible in left-lead canter yesterday until I made her do exercises to be more through on that rein; today she did it perfectly the first time.
Ok, we all know that's hyperbole.
Nikita got a weeks vacation to rest mentally, and is back full force and VERY forward. She's great to ride when she's feeling very forward, and also great to ride when she needs more leg, but as we all know I'm a sucker for a very forward horse.
And I do believe my leg position issue has been resolved once and for all. Thanks to 2 weeks without stirrups. I think I grew another 2 inches and now have thighs of steel.
Nicole's still puttering around working on the lead changes. She's up to her old tricks of being stiff on the left at the trot, but that's mostly because I keep dropping my right rein and not making sure she fills the outside rein.
One change about myself that I've noticed is that I'm taking charge more often in our rides and thinking "how can I fix this issue" instead of just getting frustrated. For example, Nicole is harder on the left rein. Now I think, ok, what am I missing, what are the basics that are missing that's preventing her from being through and chewing the bit. Most of the time I can solve the problem. She was horrible in left-lead canter yesterday until I made her do exercises to be more through on that rein; today she did it perfectly the first time.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
November 29, 2009
Still working on those lead changes with Nic, but they are solid now. We're trying to be less wild in the changes, but a mare has to show some excitement, right? She's getting there. I'm hoping I can show her 3rd & 4th level in the spring. Wouldn't that be nice.
I tried canter pirouettes with her today, but shhh....don't tell my trainer. It's a secret between you and me. We aren't supposed to do them until she's quiet in the lead changes. Nic can do haunches in on a volte, but as with any new exercise, she's sure it's going to kill her.
I made a mistake with her earlier this week. I'm trying to bring her trot to the next level by asking her to have more upward impulsion instead of just forward impulsion. I think I asked for her to do it for too long because she's not quite in the bridle enough anymore for me, although that could have just been how she was today and not necessarily an issue I have to address.
I know it's early, but I'm completely over winter already. Who wants to sweat outside in the cold? I'd saved up money to go to Florida, but I didn't get myself ready in time and missed out on reserving a stall. And that thing I go to every so often called a job made it difficult logistically. Kind of. I had enough leave to actually go down Jan & Feb, but again I don't have a stall. Think I got it all worked out for next year, and believe me if I can do it, I will. Those 5 years I spent in CA killed any ability I had to get through winter happily.
So Nikita and I are going through this phase where I'm getting better at making her do her job and she's not happy about it. I went through the same thing with Nic, so this is my 2nd round. Nikita's been kicking the sideboards of the indoor in protest.
I tried canter pirouettes with her today, but shhh....don't tell my trainer. It's a secret between you and me. We aren't supposed to do them until she's quiet in the lead changes. Nic can do haunches in on a volte, but as with any new exercise, she's sure it's going to kill her.
I made a mistake with her earlier this week. I'm trying to bring her trot to the next level by asking her to have more upward impulsion instead of just forward impulsion. I think I asked for her to do it for too long because she's not quite in the bridle enough anymore for me, although that could have just been how she was today and not necessarily an issue I have to address.
I know it's early, but I'm completely over winter already. Who wants to sweat outside in the cold? I'd saved up money to go to Florida, but I didn't get myself ready in time and missed out on reserving a stall. And that thing I go to every so often called a job made it difficult logistically. Kind of. I had enough leave to actually go down Jan & Feb, but again I don't have a stall. Think I got it all worked out for next year, and believe me if I can do it, I will. Those 5 years I spent in CA killed any ability I had to get through winter happily.
So Nikita and I are going through this phase where I'm getting better at making her do her job and she's not happy about it. I went through the same thing with Nic, so this is my 2nd round. Nikita's been kicking the sideboards of the indoor in protest.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
October 22, 2009
Nicole has started doing something similar to tempis. They aren't tempis because we aren't counting anything out, just doing lead changes down the long side as she feels through and capable of doing them correctly. But tempis are just a step away from that. Oddly enough, her left-to-right lead changes are better than the right-to-left lead changes.
Her trot work is getting more consistent. She isn't afraid of the bit anymore, although her favorite evasion is still to suck up like this little rubber ball and not go forward. Those moments are becoming fewer as she realizes that going forward isn't the scary event she makes it out to be and is more comfortable pushing into the bridle. Now to start getting a more uphill and floating trot...not as easy as it sounds to convince a horse that she should move her energy up and not just out and forward.
My trot work with Nikita is getting better. I've had to learn that blasting around at full power doesn't equate to a relaxed dancing trot. All things being equal, blasting around at full power is easier and more relaxing to ME, but drives the poor mare up the wall, and is counter-producive to the tenets of dressage to which we all aspire. So, I've had a lesson in learning to do nothing and to become more comfortable with a more dancing trot. :-/ I guess mediums and extended trots will be my favorite exercises.
Nikita and I are working on canter pirouettes and collecting the canter well enough to do those expressively. And I feel like killing myself. We do great to the left, but I can't bring that same level of competence to the right side. I'm having trouble keeping her through properly to the right AND keeping a forward canter. The issue is that I'm not using my left leg enough to get her properly forward. It just about kills me when the horse isn't through and I'm dealing with this board underneath me that won't bend because I haven't made her forward enough, and I'm momentarily lacking the skill to keep it all together.
I've learned that I have this comfort zone - I'm most comfortable when I don't have to work to get the horse forward, but instead focus all my attention on bringing the horse back. I'm also pretty comfortable with a horse that is tense and jumping out of its skin; a relaxed horse leaves me feeling lost and confused. That's nice, but it doesn't really work to my advantage. I've learned with Nikita - who isn't nervous like Nicole - that I'm not that good at getting a horse to go forward from my leg. I've never had to learn - Nicole has always been extremely forward thinking and my job has always been to bring her back and hold the energy. These days I live in this paradox that I'm just beginning to resolve; it just about kills me to have to work to get a horse forward, yet sitting and doing nothing (i.e., to stop asking for more when the horse is going well) produces a restless confusion. Making Nikita crazy has been a lesson; when the mare is going well, I'm having to learn to let her relax and not ask for more more more all the time. The relaxed dancing trot is the aim. I'm also having to learn to ask for more forward from my leg and to insist on it when my request goes unheard. This has helped with Nicole, because another lesson I've learned is that forward does not equal "forward with power into the bridle". In other words, as Nicole has been asked to go forward into the bridle, using the legs to keep her forward and through has been necessary, and at times she has ignored the request in favor of getting out of the work.
Her trot work is getting more consistent. She isn't afraid of the bit anymore, although her favorite evasion is still to suck up like this little rubber ball and not go forward. Those moments are becoming fewer as she realizes that going forward isn't the scary event she makes it out to be and is more comfortable pushing into the bridle. Now to start getting a more uphill and floating trot...not as easy as it sounds to convince a horse that she should move her energy up and not just out and forward.
My trot work with Nikita is getting better. I've had to learn that blasting around at full power doesn't equate to a relaxed dancing trot. All things being equal, blasting around at full power is easier and more relaxing to ME, but drives the poor mare up the wall, and is counter-producive to the tenets of dressage to which we all aspire. So, I've had a lesson in learning to do nothing and to become more comfortable with a more dancing trot. :-/ I guess mediums and extended trots will be my favorite exercises.
Nikita and I are working on canter pirouettes and collecting the canter well enough to do those expressively. And I feel like killing myself. We do great to the left, but I can't bring that same level of competence to the right side. I'm having trouble keeping her through properly to the right AND keeping a forward canter. The issue is that I'm not using my left leg enough to get her properly forward. It just about kills me when the horse isn't through and I'm dealing with this board underneath me that won't bend because I haven't made her forward enough, and I'm momentarily lacking the skill to keep it all together.
I've learned that I have this comfort zone - I'm most comfortable when I don't have to work to get the horse forward, but instead focus all my attention on bringing the horse back. I'm also pretty comfortable with a horse that is tense and jumping out of its skin; a relaxed horse leaves me feeling lost and confused. That's nice, but it doesn't really work to my advantage. I've learned with Nikita - who isn't nervous like Nicole - that I'm not that good at getting a horse to go forward from my leg. I've never had to learn - Nicole has always been extremely forward thinking and my job has always been to bring her back and hold the energy. These days I live in this paradox that I'm just beginning to resolve; it just about kills me to have to work to get a horse forward, yet sitting and doing nothing (i.e., to stop asking for more when the horse is going well) produces a restless confusion. Making Nikita crazy has been a lesson; when the mare is going well, I'm having to learn to let her relax and not ask for more more more all the time. The relaxed dancing trot is the aim. I'm also having to learn to ask for more forward from my leg and to insist on it when my request goes unheard. This has helped with Nicole, because another lesson I've learned is that forward does not equal "forward with power into the bridle". In other words, as Nicole has been asked to go forward into the bridle, using the legs to keep her forward and through has been necessary, and at times she has ignored the request in favor of getting out of the work.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
September 29, 2009
Nicole's lead changes are starting to become more consistent. They are totally consistent from right to left, sometimes a little short, but never late. We've started left to right lead changes, and sometimes they're clean and sometimes not. She's figured out that right to left changes won't kill her, but now she needs to figure out left to right will leave her living as well.
The thing about Nicole (and I guess every horse at her stage) is that because her training and therefore her level of sophistication is evolving, her needs evolve, which means the game plan with her is always changing. For months she has been freaky-light in the mouth, now suddenly she is totally the opposite and it takes a lot more hand to get her through and pushing into the bridle correctly (by "a lot more hand" I mean the same amount of hand it takes for Nikita, which technically speaking isn't a lot, but much more than I can usually use with Nicole). I think she had to figure out, again, that pushing into the bridle and being through isn't going to kill her. I'd been feeling for months that particular sensation that tells me the horse isn't through at the trot, but figured her "through" just felt different than Nikita's, since if I used more hand, Nicole got upset.
I finally feel like my legs are becoming more correct. I'm starting to feel more contact between the horse and my calves, which means my legs aren't flapping around in that irritating manner anymore, and the horses are starting to push better into the bridle under me. I put spurs on for the first time in a couple months with Nikita (I've been denied spurs for the past couple months with the purpose to learn more effective leg position). Nikita was hot-hot-hot, which I like in a horse. My leg position is now getting good enough to put the spurs back on, and I'm consistent enough in my 4, 3, and 2 tempis to start on the ones again, but I haven't been able to start them without the spurs. They went fine, we just did sets of 2 one-time changes, then cantered until the canter is good enough again, then another set of 2 one-time changes for the most part. We did 4 one-time changes in a row, but I didn't want to push it - sets of 2 one-time changes is good enough for me right now.
The thing about Nicole (and I guess every horse at her stage) is that because her training and therefore her level of sophistication is evolving, her needs evolve, which means the game plan with her is always changing. For months she has been freaky-light in the mouth, now suddenly she is totally the opposite and it takes a lot more hand to get her through and pushing into the bridle correctly (by "a lot more hand" I mean the same amount of hand it takes for Nikita, which technically speaking isn't a lot, but much more than I can usually use with Nicole). I think she had to figure out, again, that pushing into the bridle and being through isn't going to kill her. I'd been feeling for months that particular sensation that tells me the horse isn't through at the trot, but figured her "through" just felt different than Nikita's, since if I used more hand, Nicole got upset.
I finally feel like my legs are becoming more correct. I'm starting to feel more contact between the horse and my calves, which means my legs aren't flapping around in that irritating manner anymore, and the horses are starting to push better into the bridle under me. I put spurs on for the first time in a couple months with Nikita (I've been denied spurs for the past couple months with the purpose to learn more effective leg position). Nikita was hot-hot-hot, which I like in a horse. My leg position is now getting good enough to put the spurs back on, and I'm consistent enough in my 4, 3, and 2 tempis to start on the ones again, but I haven't been able to start them without the spurs. They went fine, we just did sets of 2 one-time changes, then cantered until the canter is good enough again, then another set of 2 one-time changes for the most part. We did 4 one-time changes in a row, but I didn't want to push it - sets of 2 one-time changes is good enough for me right now.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
September 27, 2009
Video of tempis on Nikita. 4, 3, & 2 tempis.
Passage, collected trot, medium trot transitions on Nikita.
I don't like the passage in this video because I don't think she's underneath herself enough, but it's a start.
Current trot video on Nicole.
Passage, collected trot, medium trot transitions on Nikita.
I don't like the passage in this video because I don't think she's underneath herself enough, but it's a start.
Current trot video on Nicole.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Laziest Dressage Rider Ever: September 16, 2009
I've been working on my leg position with Nikita. I'm sure my legs are effective enough, but I can't stand the way they look. As the mare tends to fly, my legs start flapping around, and eventually my heels go up and my toes point out. I've been trying to keep my knees on these imaginary parallel lines pointing forwards to keep my knees on Nikita and my calves in the right position.
On a related but sort of different topic, Nikita seems to enjoy blowing off my leg. I'm starting to get the drift that the mare doesn't take me seriously, so some "yes, I'm completely serious" schooling has taken place. In other words, when she doesn't respond to a light leg aid, she gets the whip. And like Nicole, she's terrified of the whip. It's in times like this that I become the laziest dressage queen ever, and since it's too much work to keep kicking her, she really needs to respond to the light aid. My motto with dressage has always been "if it's that hard, then I'm probably doing it wrong" and sweating just to make the mare go is making me sweat buckets. I'm starting to get somewhere, but I think part of the reason she blows me off is because of my leg position. It screams "take advantage of me!", and so the mare does. Who can blame her?
Nicole's lead changes are becoming more solid. She's finally realized a more collected canter isn't the same thing as being hung, drawn, and quartered, and is relaxing more into and out of the lead changes. Of course, Nicole wouldn't be Nicole without some heavy fire breathing, but she's starting to have fun with the exercise.
On a related but sort of different topic, Nikita seems to enjoy blowing off my leg. I'm starting to get the drift that the mare doesn't take me seriously, so some "yes, I'm completely serious" schooling has taken place. In other words, when she doesn't respond to a light leg aid, she gets the whip. And like Nicole, she's terrified of the whip. It's in times like this that I become the laziest dressage queen ever, and since it's too much work to keep kicking her, she really needs to respond to the light aid. My motto with dressage has always been "if it's that hard, then I'm probably doing it wrong" and sweating just to make the mare go is making me sweat buckets. I'm starting to get somewhere, but I think part of the reason she blows me off is because of my leg position. It screams "take advantage of me!", and so the mare does. Who can blame her?
Nicole's lead changes are becoming more solid. She's finally realized a more collected canter isn't the same thing as being hung, drawn, and quartered, and is relaxing more into and out of the lead changes. Of course, Nicole wouldn't be Nicole without some heavy fire breathing, but she's starting to have fun with the exercise.
Monday, September 7, 2009
September 7, 2009
We've restarted the lead changes on Nicole, and the good news is that she understands what's being asked of her - she consistently changes correctly and on the signal. She needs to come more underneath herself, and that's been difficult for her. She prefers to stay camped out behind, as she has done for 14 years, but this produced consistently short changes, which obviously we don't want. So we've been working on making her right canter more collected. Which has been an adventure. An almost rearing adventure.
Nicole, of course, is Nicole, which means she's hot and likes to avoid the bit by sucking back into herself. This habit has caused the mare to almost rear a few times, and come somewhat close to flipping over, had I not released the reins and sent her forward. She isn't being bad, just stuck in the collected canter, and needed to be driven forward. But yesterday she did 5 absolutely clean changes, so we're getting somewhere.
To the left, she does a great collected canter, but to the right she isn't quite there yet. She doesn't like to use her right hind leg. But she does a great working pirouette to the right, so go figure that one out.
I'm finally getting somewhere with passage-collected trot-passage transitions with Nikita. I did them fine initially, but lost the ability to keep the rhythm and relaxation for a brief while. The passage is always fine, but the collected trot started to feel wild, flat, and not through, but I wasn't sure how to keep the throughness and uphillness in the transition.
Nicole, of course, is Nicole, which means she's hot and likes to avoid the bit by sucking back into herself. This habit has caused the mare to almost rear a few times, and come somewhat close to flipping over, had I not released the reins and sent her forward. She isn't being bad, just stuck in the collected canter, and needed to be driven forward. But yesterday she did 5 absolutely clean changes, so we're getting somewhere.
To the left, she does a great collected canter, but to the right she isn't quite there yet. She doesn't like to use her right hind leg. But she does a great working pirouette to the right, so go figure that one out.
I'm finally getting somewhere with passage-collected trot-passage transitions with Nikita. I did them fine initially, but lost the ability to keep the rhythm and relaxation for a brief while. The passage is always fine, but the collected trot started to feel wild, flat, and not through, but I wasn't sure how to keep the throughness and uphillness in the transition.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
August 27, 2009
Nicole is officially back from her layup, and is fit enough to go back into fulltime work. I'm not pushing it as hard now, she gets 3 or so days a week off right now, just to keep her mentally happy.
The first couple weeks with her canter were just odd. The first time I rode her canter (the first time in 2 or so months), I was just lost. It felt completely different, with her hindend 100% under my butt (meaning she was tracking completely under herself) and about 1000 pounds of weight in my hand. Couple weeks (and a few "Wahoo! I'm back in work! Wait, crap! I'm back in work!" moments) later, and she's back to normal.
So I took her out for a test drive. For the first time in months, we did canter half passes and lead changes. Nicole was born knowing how to do a canter half pass, and she did them perfectly both directions each time, on a fairly steep diagonal. She held herself in perfect self-carriage the whole time. Not bad for a horse that a year ago was barely able to hold a decent canter.
The lead changes are the next project with her. It feels like now is the first time that she is truly ready to work on them. We've been doing this for 10 months or something, but she honestly wasn't ready before, except I didn't know that she wasn't ready, and I was getting sunshine blown up my butt by a trainer attempting to keep me interested in her training. Never one for the garden path of fantasy, it's annoying that I wasn't given proper information at the time, but the horse is no worse for the wear, except she had undue pressure put on her.
The difference between ready and not ready lies in self-carriage and throughness. Nicole is now able to hold herself without help, and requires only small changes in weight to produce throughness and self-carriage. Before this stage, she was like a 3 year old human - you tell them to do something (or not do something, as the case may be) and immediately you have to remind them again. I'd ask for throughness, then immediately she would need help again. Not a good breeding ground to introduce higher concepts.
The time I spent only riding Nikita has served me well. When riding Nicole at the trot, I now know what I'm looking for in order to produce a more uphill, cadenced collected trot with Nicole. I understand how to get Nicole to push into the bridle so her hindend comes more underneath her. Nicole's favorite trick is to either put too much pressure on the bridle (so the rider ends up holding her) or to suck back so the bridle becomes super light (and not correctly loaded) and not push correctly. We still aren't at the point where she's pushing 100% correctly into the bridle, but I'm also at a point where I'm not 100% sure how to train that into her. I'm still feeling my way through how to get from Point A to Point B.
I'm lucky I have Nikita, but I think I'm also lucky I have Nicole, who is forgiving and has a short memory for bad training and mistakes. I'm lucky I have Nicole who I know so well that I can learn to train these higher-level concepts without also having to navigate an unknown psyche. It's not that often that someone has the opportunity to have a horse like Nikita to learn to ride on and also to have a horse they know very well to learn to TRAIN on.
The first couple weeks with her canter were just odd. The first time I rode her canter (the first time in 2 or so months), I was just lost. It felt completely different, with her hindend 100% under my butt (meaning she was tracking completely under herself) and about 1000 pounds of weight in my hand. Couple weeks (and a few "Wahoo! I'm back in work! Wait, crap! I'm back in work!" moments) later, and she's back to normal.
So I took her out for a test drive. For the first time in months, we did canter half passes and lead changes. Nicole was born knowing how to do a canter half pass, and she did them perfectly both directions each time, on a fairly steep diagonal. She held herself in perfect self-carriage the whole time. Not bad for a horse that a year ago was barely able to hold a decent canter.
The lead changes are the next project with her. It feels like now is the first time that she is truly ready to work on them. We've been doing this for 10 months or something, but she honestly wasn't ready before, except I didn't know that she wasn't ready, and I was getting sunshine blown up my butt by a trainer attempting to keep me interested in her training. Never one for the garden path of fantasy, it's annoying that I wasn't given proper information at the time, but the horse is no worse for the wear, except she had undue pressure put on her.
The difference between ready and not ready lies in self-carriage and throughness. Nicole is now able to hold herself without help, and requires only small changes in weight to produce throughness and self-carriage. Before this stage, she was like a 3 year old human - you tell them to do something (or not do something, as the case may be) and immediately you have to remind them again. I'd ask for throughness, then immediately she would need help again. Not a good breeding ground to introduce higher concepts.
The time I spent only riding Nikita has served me well. When riding Nicole at the trot, I now know what I'm looking for in order to produce a more uphill, cadenced collected trot with Nicole. I understand how to get Nicole to push into the bridle so her hindend comes more underneath her. Nicole's favorite trick is to either put too much pressure on the bridle (so the rider ends up holding her) or to suck back so the bridle becomes super light (and not correctly loaded) and not push correctly. We still aren't at the point where she's pushing 100% correctly into the bridle, but I'm also at a point where I'm not 100% sure how to train that into her. I'm still feeling my way through how to get from Point A to Point B.
I'm lucky I have Nikita, but I think I'm also lucky I have Nicole, who is forgiving and has a short memory for bad training and mistakes. I'm lucky I have Nicole who I know so well that I can learn to train these higher-level concepts without also having to navigate an unknown psyche. It's not that often that someone has the opportunity to have a horse like Nikita to learn to ride on and also to have a horse they know very well to learn to TRAIN on.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
August 6, 2009
For right now Nic seems to be sound under saddle. But do you want to know what hell is? Having an FEI-level horse that has no muscle and no balance. Suffice to say, riding Nicole is tantamount to watching a drunken sailor try to walk, only less entertaining. Nicole is in the habit that if she doesn't have the muscle or the knowledge to perform up to her expectations, she rushes. So we've been off to the races the past couple days, and I'm getting my mint juleps ready (that is, if I actually drank mint juleps, which, let's face it, isn't hardcore enough for this audience) because I think we have a good shot at next years Derby. Actually, even more depressing, she feels like she felt when I got her 3 years ago. Except now I know that she's rushing because of lack of balance.
What sucks even further is that she has no neck muscle, so despite her best attempts, she can't really remain through. So we have the rehab blues. It's going to take a couple months before she's strong enough to do anything, and probably longer than that before she's ready to work on more advanced stuff. Yipee.
The main difference between Nicole and Nikita, besides the fact that Nicole clearly has a form of dwarfism and Nikita is gigantic, and that one is chestnut and one is black, is that Nicole is Speedy Gonzales on cocaine while Nikita has a normal amount of energy for a horse. I've never, ever had to use leg on Nicole except for bending and collecting, and because she's so short, if I move only slightly, that's enough of an aid to get a reaction.
So the fact that I have to actually use leg on Nikita is a new concept for me. And dealing with the varying degrees of leg pressure has been, well, interesting.
What sucks even further is that she has no neck muscle, so despite her best attempts, she can't really remain through. So we have the rehab blues. It's going to take a couple months before she's strong enough to do anything, and probably longer than that before she's ready to work on more advanced stuff. Yipee.
The main difference between Nicole and Nikita, besides the fact that Nicole clearly has a form of dwarfism and Nikita is gigantic, and that one is chestnut and one is black, is that Nicole is Speedy Gonzales on cocaine while Nikita has a normal amount of energy for a horse. I've never, ever had to use leg on Nicole except for bending and collecting, and because she's so short, if I move only slightly, that's enough of an aid to get a reaction.
So the fact that I have to actually use leg on Nikita is a new concept for me. And dealing with the varying degrees of leg pressure has been, well, interesting.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
July 26, 2009
Nic saw fancy-pants chiro/masseuse guy yesterday, so we will see over the next 2 weeks if she is better. 2 days off, lunge on Tues, and lunge only for 2 weeks. The problem is "her rib cage is tilted to the left", causing all kinds of mayhem blocking her shoulders from moving. To some extent I buy this theory based on the number of vets/chiro/masseuse people who have seen Nic over the past few years (and who've all uttered something similar), but in my experience these kind of fumblings in the dark are useless. In other words, she may have a tilted rib cage, but I don't think knowing this peculiar fact about my mare really will make or break anything. My left side is bigger than my right side, and my right 
foot will always be at a 45* angle thanks to 15 years of figure skating, but it's not exactly like those issues limit me or can be fixed - they just are. But she's been adjusted, and now has to rebuild her muscles in her shoulders, so in a couple weeks the verdict will be in. And considering what he was doing to her, and that she clearly found parts of it uncomfortable, she was surprisingly willing to just stand there. I'd probably have bitten the guy.Got 4 1-tempis on Nikita yesterday. I can do more, but just did the 4. Wheeee.
Trying to fix that whole leaning back too far in the trot thing, but now I'm having to reshape my own muscles. Not leaning back means using my abs and back more. Major ow.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
July 23, 2009
Video of the trot and tempis with Nikita. I wish the tempis were more collected. Something to work on.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
July 21, 2009
Let me explain better, although I doubt I really have to. I want to incorporate more video into Of Horses and Humans, and video is far more entertaining than my writing, I'm certain. But unfortunately, I don't really have anyone to video my rides, and sticking the video camera up doesn't do it for me any more.
Riding Nikita's trot is now much easier, and I can ride it without feeling out of breath or any such issue that was happening before. The difference is just that I took my knees off and used a super deep seat. It feels sometimes super bouncy, and like my legs are banging, although they're not. It's just how the loft in her gaits feel.
We got 4 tempis very good yesterday. For about 2 minutes I had a blonde moment and struggled with the counting - what can I say, sometimes my hair color just takes over and I had a "whoops" moment.
Note: to do an expressive single flying change, push the canter out the last 3 strides before the change.
Nic is doing much better. Only 1 out of every 10 strides is funny, instead of the opposite. She sees Steffan the masseuse guy on Saturday, and I hear he will set that rogue muscle right, and maybe I can get back to riding my mare. She's mentally ready to work, that's for sure. The look on her face when I lunge her says it all.
Riding Nikita's trot is now much easier, and I can ride it without feeling out of breath or any such issue that was happening before. The difference is just that I took my knees off and used a super deep seat. It feels sometimes super bouncy, and like my legs are banging, although they're not. It's just how the loft in her gaits feel.
We got 4 tempis very good yesterday. For about 2 minutes I had a blonde moment and struggled with the counting - what can I say, sometimes my hair color just takes over and I had a "whoops" moment.
Note: to do an expressive single flying change, push the canter out the last 3 strides before the change.
Nic is doing much better. Only 1 out of every 10 strides is funny, instead of the opposite. She sees Steffan the masseuse guy on Saturday, and I hear he will set that rogue muscle right, and maybe I can get back to riding my mare. She's mentally ready to work, that's for sure. The look on her face when I lunge her says it all.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
July 15, 2009
I finally got the vet in since Nicole has been lame for about 3 weeks with no improvement. Apparently she has some opaque injury to the deep tissue muscles that connect her neck to her shoulders that appears to amount to a muscle strain. Those muscles in her neck/shoulder were stretched somehow, most likely resulting from the marriage between a pre-existing condition and an incline in her turnout paddock.
It's nice to know this since we spent, oh, I don't know, 3 weeks guessing whether it was the right front or the left hind, only to find out it's basically both legs. No problem with the actual legs, but the "off-ness" of the limbs is symptomatic of this neck/shoulder issue. I had a feeling it the issue was in that area. She's on banamine and injectable steriods, and hopefully we won't be dealing with any mare roid-rage. She probably hasn't been in any pain, as indicated by her willingness to work, but she's off because the strain makes everything a little more clunky.
On another note, after a near nervous breakdown, I've finally figured out how to ride Nikita's enormous trot. This just re-affirms my belief that dressage shouldn't be this hard, and when it becomes this hard, it's time to reevaluate what I'm doing. If it's hard, I'm probably doing it wrong. Which I was. Now I can ride the mare's powerful trot all day long with no problem, whereas before I was huffing and puffing and wanting to put the Colt 45 to my head to end my misery.
What's interesting is that the riding ideology I've been using espouses that the knees should remain closed in order to produce a powerful show trot. I've found the opposite is true - closing the knees interferes with producing a deep seat - which is why I couldn't ride Nikita without wanting to blow my head off. Take off the knees (or reduce the pressure) and maintaining a deep seat is easy. And the mare doesn't want to kill me. And now riding is fun again. And there you have it.
It's nice to know this since we spent, oh, I don't know, 3 weeks guessing whether it was the right front or the left hind, only to find out it's basically both legs. No problem with the actual legs, but the "off-ness" of the limbs is symptomatic of this neck/shoulder issue. I had a feeling it the issue was in that area. She's on banamine and injectable steriods, and hopefully we won't be dealing with any mare roid-rage. She probably hasn't been in any pain, as indicated by her willingness to work, but she's off because the strain makes everything a little more clunky.
On another note, after a near nervous breakdown, I've finally figured out how to ride Nikita's enormous trot. This just re-affirms my belief that dressage shouldn't be this hard, and when it becomes this hard, it's time to reevaluate what I'm doing. If it's hard, I'm probably doing it wrong. Which I was. Now I can ride the mare's powerful trot all day long with no problem, whereas before I was huffing and puffing and wanting to put the Colt 45 to my head to end my misery.
What's interesting is that the riding ideology I've been using espouses that the knees should remain closed in order to produce a powerful show trot. I've found the opposite is true - closing the knees interferes with producing a deep seat - which is why I couldn't ride Nikita without wanting to blow my head off. Take off the knees (or reduce the pressure) and maintaining a deep seat is easy. And the mare doesn't want to kill me. And now riding is fun again. And there you have it.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
July 5, 2009
Nicole's been lame for about a week. I refuse to call the vet, because I'm certain it's not something the vet can readily fix, in other words, something along the lines of a muscle strain. As first I thought it was this stone bruise, because the farrier saw one on her hoof, and the horse likes to jump in and out of trailers, but that went away after 2 days, and there was no heat, so the stone bruise was ruled out. So I had the farrier come out again, in case we could put a pad on the foot, but he deduced the issue is not in the hoof, and likely further up.
So, Papa Smurf suggested flexing all the joints to see what happened, and BOOM. HUGE reaction about the shoulder, which, after the foot, would have been my next guess. After stretching her shoulder the first time, she became a little less lame on the lunge line, so I'm doing some stretches an equine masseuse showed me.
What's interesting is about 18 months ago, I had a masseuse and a chiro out for Nicole, which I hate admitting because I see that stuff as superfluous. The only thing, in my opinion, that really helps a horse is correct training. However, both those people pointed out an issue with Nicole's shoulder (which is how I know the stretches to do for her shoulder). But, again, I blew them off because she improved to rapidly and dramatically through training, and after 15 months of correct training. no shoulder issue manifested.
So, the mare is doing a form of horsey yoga, and hopefully this will improve the issue. She is probably sound to ride, but not sound on the lunge.
On the other hand, I need new boots, and I'm REALLY not happy about it, but the Ariat's have completely decomposed. I'm getting custom boots, which will be nice for my feet given my special-needs feet.
So, Papa Smurf suggested flexing all the joints to see what happened, and BOOM. HUGE reaction about the shoulder, which, after the foot, would have been my next guess. After stretching her shoulder the first time, she became a little less lame on the lunge line, so I'm doing some stretches an equine masseuse showed me.
What's interesting is about 18 months ago, I had a masseuse and a chiro out for Nicole, which I hate admitting because I see that stuff as superfluous. The only thing, in my opinion, that really helps a horse is correct training. However, both those people pointed out an issue with Nicole's shoulder (which is how I know the stretches to do for her shoulder). But, again, I blew them off because she improved to rapidly and dramatically through training, and after 15 months of correct training. no shoulder issue manifested.
So, the mare is doing a form of horsey yoga, and hopefully this will improve the issue. She is probably sound to ride, but not sound on the lunge.
On the other hand, I need new boots, and I'm REALLY not happy about it, but the Ariat's have completely decomposed. I'm getting custom boots, which will be nice for my feet given my special-needs feet.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
June 27, 2009
Someone has a stone bruise. Probably because she can't exit or enter a trailer like a normal horse. No, Miss Thang has to jump on and off the trailer, regardless of footing and what's in front of her (like me). She still doesn't get that she can't jump in to my lap without painful and flattening consequences. I really hope it's just a stone bruise. The mare hasn't been lame in the 3 years I've owned her.
To add insanity to the insanity that is already in my life, I've acquired a souped-up Grand Prix schoolmaster by the name of Nikita. Yes, that's right, I have 2 horses named Nic (or Nik). It takes a special kind of stupid to get to this point. You'll probably be hearing about my adventures with Nikita along with the continued adventures I have with Nic.
On another topic, Nicole has a Twitter page. http://twitter.com/Nicolbria It's time she got her own voice.
To add insanity to the insanity that is already in my life, I've acquired a souped-up Grand Prix schoolmaster by the name of Nikita. Yes, that's right, I have 2 horses named Nic (or Nik). It takes a special kind of stupid to get to this point. You'll probably be hearing about my adventures with Nikita along with the continued adventures I have with Nic.
On another topic, Nicole has a Twitter page. http://twitter.com/Nicolbria It's time she got her own voice.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
June 13, 2009
Owwwww...brat tried bucking me off several times at the canter. "Several times" meaning around 20 times. She was just funnin' me, but geez my back hurts. Yay Motrin. She also tried to kick a small dog today. Guess what. Someone's in heat.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
June 11, 2009
I'm back, I promise. I've been off losing my mind for the past few months, and it's been fun living the high life of a lunatic, but since intellectualism and reason still reigns supreme in my brain, I can't get lost in insanity for too long. In other words, I've been distracted, but now I'm back.
Nic is doing great, but the real thing to talk about is that oft-revered yet more-than-frequently-overlooked aspect of training: the lunge lesson. For the past couple months, that's what I've been off doing. Still riding Nic of course, yet indulging in lunge lessons at the same time. I'd say improvements in my riding and training have taken place. I decided that although I'm fairly effective in the saddle, I hate how my legs are and definitely feel some weaknesses in my position there. I wish to attain a deeper seat, which I feel is totally not connected to Nic. Things have been much improved by the attention.
Nic is doing great, but the real thing to talk about is that oft-revered yet more-than-frequently-overlooked aspect of training: the lunge lesson. For the past couple months, that's what I've been off doing. Still riding Nic of course, yet indulging in lunge lessons at the same time. I'd say improvements in my riding and training have taken place. I decided that although I'm fairly effective in the saddle, I hate how my legs are and definitely feel some weaknesses in my position there. I wish to attain a deeper seat, which I feel is totally not connected to Nic. Things have been much improved by the attention.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
March 10, 2009
I've gotten in trouble for using the curb too much to make Nic through at the walk, so I've been relegated to snaffle-only status at the walk presently. Nic is like a freight train when she wants to be, so it took me a few minutes to get her through enough at the walk to keep her mind on the work and off of the 6 month old filly she's adopted. When we started trotting though, it was easier to keep her light and through at the trot.
I think I also messed up by asking for collected canter. Now she isn't quite as through at the canter as she was before, but honestly, I don't know if that was because of the collected canter, or if it's just one of those minor setbacks that happens.
Note to self: When you feel something in your hand, that means the horse isn't through. True throughness is defined by an absolute lightness in the hand.
I think I also messed up by asking for collected canter. Now she isn't quite as through at the canter as she was before, but honestly, I don't know if that was because of the collected canter, or if it's just one of those minor setbacks that happens.
Note to self: When you feel something in your hand, that means the horse isn't through. True throughness is defined by an absolute lightness in the hand.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
March 7, 2009
I'm starting to get a couple steps of collected canter. Nic's better able to hold it to the right, but to the left, it's still pretty spotty. She can even do a couple steps of working pirouette to the right, but I'm not even going to attempt it to the left. She isn't in enough self-carriage to the left to worry about working pirouettes.
Flying changes, blech. She's doing them okay, I guess normal. Normal meaning she understands the concept, and can do them around the arena, but gets stressed easily about them still. So she misses about every other one because she loses throughness.
I'm thinking about putting her back on Adequan because I think some of the stress is normal learning-the-lead-changes stress, but I think there's a layer of geez-I'm-coming-14-what-do-you-want-from-me stress. I think Adequan works, but I will have to try it again to see if it will do anything for the mare.
Flying changes, blech. She's doing them okay, I guess normal. Normal meaning she understands the concept, and can do them around the arena, but gets stressed easily about them still. So she misses about every other one because she loses throughness.
I'm thinking about putting her back on Adequan because I think some of the stress is normal learning-the-lead-changes stress, but I think there's a layer of geez-I'm-coming-14-what-do-you-want-from-me stress. I think Adequan works, but I will have to try it again to see if it will do anything for the mare.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
February 22, 2009
No matter the gait, when the horse is soft in the mouth, you have to continue to push forward to retain that softness.
When warming up the horse, keep the hands wide. Tension should only appear in the rider's shoulders, never in the hands or elbows. The elbows only block and serve to create tension in the horse's mouth.
When needing to bring the horse's head to the inside to create throughness and make the horse take up contact better on the outside rein, bring the inside hand to the inside hip. This causes any positive tension in the rider's arm to remain in the shoulder, rather than allow negative tension to remain in the elbow or fingers. The fingers, especially the fingers on the curb rein, should always remain loose.
Always ride as if you have on hand on both reins. If you get stuck, put both reins in one hand. This serves 2 purposes - to see if the problem is your lack of coordination in holding both reins with both hands or if the problem is some sort of tension in the horse (excitement, etc) and, because the horse always responds better when you ride with one hand, it aids in developing and maintaining throughness in the horse. At the same time, bend the horse inside with the outside leg to establish and maintain throughness. You may have to use the outside leg twice per stride. Yes, kicking twice per stride isn't very easy. Deal with it.
No matter what you do, always focus on the quality of the gait. This is said so much as to render it almost trite, but it's the best advice out there, because the rest gets easier after you've accomplished it.
Never make pancakes when typing up a horse training blog.
When warming up the horse, keep the hands wide. Tension should only appear in the rider's shoulders, never in the hands or elbows. The elbows only block and serve to create tension in the horse's mouth.
When needing to bring the horse's head to the inside to create throughness and make the horse take up contact better on the outside rein, bring the inside hand to the inside hip. This causes any positive tension in the rider's arm to remain in the shoulder, rather than allow negative tension to remain in the elbow or fingers. The fingers, especially the fingers on the curb rein, should always remain loose.
Always ride as if you have on hand on both reins. If you get stuck, put both reins in one hand. This serves 2 purposes - to see if the problem is your lack of coordination in holding both reins with both hands or if the problem is some sort of tension in the horse (excitement, etc) and, because the horse always responds better when you ride with one hand, it aids in developing and maintaining throughness in the horse. At the same time, bend the horse inside with the outside leg to establish and maintain throughness. You may have to use the outside leg twice per stride. Yes, kicking twice per stride isn't very easy. Deal with it.
No matter what you do, always focus on the quality of the gait. This is said so much as to render it almost trite, but it's the best advice out there, because the rest gets easier after you've accomplished it.
Never make pancakes when typing up a horse training blog.
Friday, February 20, 2009
February 20, 2009
Repeat after me:
Any horse I buy in the future will have clean lead changes...
Any horse I buy in the future will have clean lead changes...
Any horse I buy in the future will have clean lead changes...
Guess what Nic and I worked on today?
Any horse I buy in the future will have clean lead changes...
Any horse I buy in the future will have clean lead changes...
Any horse I buy in the future will have clean lead changes...
Guess what Nic and I worked on today?
Sunday, February 15, 2009
February 15, 2009
Nicole did a canter half pass to flying change today (right to left) and of course I didn't get it on film. Maybe tomorrow. The first flying change I messed up, the 2nd attempt the flying change was clean. I had a feeling this morning that we were going to do this exercise, then my trainer suggested it without my input. Somehow I knew that Nicole would get the exercise and that she would do the change cleanly. The more you throw at Nicole the more she does. She rises to the occasion, and I think she just needs to be challenged. I've been getting vibes lately that she's bored and annoyed, mostly with the reoccurance of spooking and she's begun tail-swishing which isn't something she usually does.
Something to remember:
When doing canter half pass to flying change, concentrate on the quality of the canter. Everything else will take care of itself.
Today also marks the first appearance of Nicole's heat cycle for 2009. Guess it will be an early spring? Please??? She is stationed in the paddock next to a stallion, and so far she's kept her panties on, but it's been winter. When spring actually arrives, it may be a very exciting season. Oh, I forgot to mention there's an 8 month old filly in the other paddock, and Nicole is very much in love with the baby. So, a stallion on one side and a baby on the other. Yep, this spring will be interesting.
Something to remember:
When doing canter half pass to flying change, concentrate on the quality of the canter. Everything else will take care of itself.
Today also marks the first appearance of Nicole's heat cycle for 2009. Guess it will be an early spring? Please??? She is stationed in the paddock next to a stallion, and so far she's kept her panties on, but it's been winter. When spring actually arrives, it may be a very exciting season. Oh, I forgot to mention there's an 8 month old filly in the other paddock, and Nicole is very much in love with the baby. So, a stallion on one side and a baby on the other. Yep, this spring will be interesting.
Monday, February 9, 2009
February 9, 2009
The way to get the horse through at the poll is to bend to the inside and ask for the bend using the outside leg. You may have to kick 2 times per stride if the horse is being tough. This is hard if you're white and have zero rhythm (like yours truly) and is a trial of balance, but damn if it doesn't work. The horse goes from hard on one rein to chewing the bit and evening itself out so there's equal pressure on both reins. Don't ask for a big trot, just a small sleepy trot. Fingers and arms remain loose. Guess what, you will have to redistribute the horse's weight and control the speed using your back. And guess what, your back will hurt after if your horse is forward like Nic. You're asking the horse to maintain softness and throughness and self-carriage.
Maybe if I can remember to do this, one day my horse will look and be like a real, live dressage horse. And I can pretend to be a real, live dressage rider.
Maybe if I can remember to do this, one day my horse will look and be like a real, live dressage horse. And I can pretend to be a real, live dressage rider.
Friday, February 6, 2009
February 6, 2009
Some things:
Always keep the fingers holding both reins loose. Closing the hand means locking the hand and locking the elbow, which makes the horse's mouth harder and makes it so you can't feel when the horse gives at the poll.
All bending is done with the seat, the outside leg originating the bend.
Finish one issue before starting the next. Don't work on canter pirouettes and flying changes at the same time.
Always keep the fingers holding both reins loose. Closing the hand means locking the hand and locking the elbow, which makes the horse's mouth harder and makes it so you can't feel when the horse gives at the poll.
All bending is done with the seat, the outside leg originating the bend.
Finish one issue before starting the next. Don't work on canter pirouettes and flying changes at the same time.
Monday, February 2, 2009
February 2, 2009
Happy new year, although we are already well into the new year. So, I guess, happy groundhog day. I've finally thought of something to say.
This week I tried out 2 new horses. I'm not really in the market, but I saw the ad, and decided to investigate. I want something with established flying changes, since that's a real make or break issue in whether a horse will go FEI. Nic's changes are fine, but they aren't finished. I want something with finished changes, and let's face it, Nic is going to be 14. She's still my buddy, and my companion in this crazy little thing called dressage.
So, I tried out 2 horses, a 6 year old and a 9 year old, each doing tempis. Both mares, of course. I can't help it. I like the mares, even if they make me want to shoot myself. The problem with both is they will have to be retrained to get more of a connection and collection, but that's a problem fairly easily solved given enough time. Both do clean, but short, changes.
Ok, here's what my point is. I've come to a turning point in my own dressage training because I felt something kind of new and particular when trying each of these horses - I could tell which one would have an easier time with advanced collection. I'm not saying either horse can do advanced collection - obviously my feel isn't that sophisticated yet. But I can still feel the difference between the two horses. The 6 year old, when I asked for a more uphill balance, responded fairly instantly. The 9 year old didn't get it. The 6 year old can do working pirouettes; the 9 year old doesn't have the balance or self-carriage to do that yet. I'm sure there's a billion things in these horses I missed given my lack of education, but I sensed that much, which is pretty cool compared to where I was 6 months ago.
Nicole is currently housed next to a 6-month old filly. Suffice to say, Nic is in L-O-V-E. Must be a broodmare thing.
This week I tried out 2 new horses. I'm not really in the market, but I saw the ad, and decided to investigate. I want something with established flying changes, since that's a real make or break issue in whether a horse will go FEI. Nic's changes are fine, but they aren't finished. I want something with finished changes, and let's face it, Nic is going to be 14. She's still my buddy, and my companion in this crazy little thing called dressage.
So, I tried out 2 horses, a 6 year old and a 9 year old, each doing tempis. Both mares, of course. I can't help it. I like the mares, even if they make me want to shoot myself. The problem with both is they will have to be retrained to get more of a connection and collection, but that's a problem fairly easily solved given enough time. Both do clean, but short, changes.
Ok, here's what my point is. I've come to a turning point in my own dressage training because I felt something kind of new and particular when trying each of these horses - I could tell which one would have an easier time with advanced collection. I'm not saying either horse can do advanced collection - obviously my feel isn't that sophisticated yet. But I can still feel the difference between the two horses. The 6 year old, when I asked for a more uphill balance, responded fairly instantly. The 9 year old didn't get it. The 6 year old can do working pirouettes; the 9 year old doesn't have the balance or self-carriage to do that yet. I'm sure there's a billion things in these horses I missed given my lack of education, but I sensed that much, which is pretty cool compared to where I was 6 months ago.
Nicole is currently housed next to a 6-month old filly. Suffice to say, Nic is in L-O-V-E. Must be a broodmare thing.
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