February 24, 2010

I'm beginning to form "iron legs." What this metallurgic metaphor means is I'm starting to develop enough technique in my legs such that the horse listens - really listens - to them regardless of whether I'm wearing spurs or not. The result is an increase in my control over Nikita and an improvement in our way of going. We can now produce several FEI-quality shoulder-ins at the trot down a single longside as proof of our harmony.

Like the first time I corrected a child and she actually listened, I'm dumbfounded by the fact that a 1500lb animal actually does what I tell her to do. I urge her forward to tell her to GET THOSE HINDLEGS UNDERNEATH YOU NOW, and she responds by increasing her engagement. This is the point of dressage, to create a malleable temperament, to render submission and sophistication in an otherwise wild animal. And apparently, that's an achievable goal.

Yet, I constantly feel like my control is an illusion, that one day Nikita will just stop listening and stand immovable, like the teenager who realizes she has a will of her own. If I were her, that's what I'd do. Regardless of the quality of the movement we produce, I still feel like I've gotten away with something, pulled a fast one on the mare, and that it's only a matter of time before Nikita realizes that her compliance isn't necessary.

Nicole, the Trojan War, and Humanism: February 10, 2010

Nicole has spent the past 2 weeks (during which time no one could ride, because during the interim between snow storms, the temps were below 30*) playing in 3 or so feet of snow, breaking electric fences (that one was partially my fault), and doing that particular thing she does so well: acquiring boyfriends. Ah yes, she will not allow another mare near her, but she will let her male courtesans admire her Helen-esque presence with abandon.

Her sorry addiction to this attention is self-evident: I separated her from her current favorite courtier for a grand total of 15 minutes to feed her (yes FEED her), and she responded by calling ceaselessly and throwing herself against her stall door. There was some piaffing involved, during which time I made sure to point out to my trainer that yes, indeed, piaffe is in the mare's vocabulary.

Nicole's introduction to her current herd has started a Trojan War of the equine kind. Much like Paris, Nicole has stolen the object of another mare's affection, stirring up an epic mayhem only a mare can commence. One sees factions occurring among this equid crowd; all's fair in love and war, and Nicole employed the "divide and conquer" approach, and divided the males right over to her encampment (the allure of romance helped). The delicate balance that existed in this herd was blown to Sirenum scopuli when Nicole channeled Aphrodite to beguile and charm all the masculine attention towards her queenly self.

Nicolbria would actually fit into ancient society quite well, where the mightiest is at the top of the food chain. It's an idea of the Humanism Age that all men are created equal. Nicole adopts the Ancients' theory of equality, which is to say that anyone who ain't Greek ain't fit to be around Greeks. The Ancient Egyptians had a similar outlook: if you aren't Egyptian, human rights aren't happening. In accordance with Bronze Age idealism, if you aren't Nicole, you better be a male and quite besotted, because otherwise, forget you have any right to be in her presence. And I mean, you had better be on the other side of the field unless you want a whole lotta siren whoop ass to be your punishment!

I'm actually surprised she's acting this cold to other mares; it's not really like her to be this independent. Nicole was a "follow the crowd" horse, and I'm interested to see if she integrates better into her new herd. Perhaps this is a sign that her mentality has evolved as a result of her extensive dressage education?

Nicole, Ms. Alpha Mare, and the Cut Boyfriend: February 4, 2010

Nicole has a new boyfriend. Which she stole from another mare. Who happens to be an alpha mare. And now she and Ms. Alpha Mare are actually peeing all over each other, in some sort of equine cat fight. And this stud-muffin boyfriend is a gelding. Yes, you know what that means.

Yep, that's my FEI-level horse.

January 30, 2010

I really think staying up North for the winter is a total waste of time. I haven't been riding in 2 days - it's been below 30*, which is my threshold. Below 30*, I think you're asking for an injury. We've had some days in the high 50s and I noticed I rode better and was definitely less cranky. Maybe this makes me a whimp, but I see it as a matter of efficiency to prefer warmer weather for riding. I learned a long time ago that bearing adversity and training no matter what is a load of crap.

Nicole, Nikita, and the 5 Stages of Grief (err...Throughness): January 23, 2010

Finally, it's starting to feel like I'm getting consistent throughness in the lead changes with Nikita. I've been after this feeling for months, and it's been elusive since the mare ain't givin' it up until I ask the right way. Oh sure, they've looked fine from the ground in the past, but the feeling hasn't been right to me. Maybe other people don't care about this stuff, but the feeling is what's most important to me. I've spent the past month or so just working on throughness and collection at the canter, imprinting the correct feeling into my muscle memory, first on the circle, then down the longside, then in movements.

It seems this effort is paying off, as evidenced in Nikita's pinned ears. Someone's not happy I'm gaining the upperhand. I still laugh at the memory of Nicole pinning her ears the first time I started to keep her through at the canter, and the marrish quality of the moment. There's a sort of Kübler-Ross model involved, I've found, when a rider starts to find the way to get more submission out of their mount (which is what dressage is about in the first place, right?)

First comes bargaining (Oh, ok, I'll give you some but that's all you're getting), then the pinned ears expressing the anger at actually having to work (WHAT?! You're asking for MORE?!), then comes that confused, depressed look (How the hell did she sort this one out?), then comes denial (This has to be an accident, let's spook to test it out) then finally, acceptance (Crap, spooking didn't work. Oh, all right, fine, sigh.) and the forward ears which show she's happy to be working.

Horses don't like control (who does?), and a big question in my mind lately has been, "how do you know what each horse needs to improve?" Nikita has different needs than Nicole, and it's not just because of the disparity in their training - each is a different animal, with different personalities. They play different under saddle, have different evasions, so clearly all horses aren't alike, and you can't ride or train each one the same way. So how do you know what to do to bring out the best in each horse and make them the best they can be?

On another note, Nicole can now start in hand work for piaffe & passage. I think that's pretty cool.

Nicole, Dirt, and the Lack of Dignity: January 15, 2010

Omg. Nicole fell during turnout today. You'd think my mare, with her education, would have a modicum of dignity, but no. She reared, while still attached to her leadline, scrambled away when released, and promptly slid in the mud, landing on her fat mare belly. See, Nicole doesn't just get turned out. She makes it an event, and makes sure EVERYONE notices her in all her nutbar glory.

To make matters worse, she got a hoof stuck in the fence momentarily, but Nic doesn't panic at stuff like that, and managed to dislodge herself with enough agility to go galloping across the 1/4 acre she had to run around in, snorting away. Apparently, this was my invitation to indulge in games of the equine kind. We spent the next 1/2 hr playing tag and finding treats to eat.

January 8, 2010

I've been working on getting Nikita more connected in the canter. She had always felt like I wasn't getting her through enough at the canter, and that my hands weren't connected to my legs. I figured it out at trot a while ago, but getting that same sort of connectivity at the canter has always eluded me. I think I'm finally starting to get it together.

My trot is also solid enough, meaning I'm consistently keeping her pushing enough into the bridle to keep her hind end working, to start shoulder-in and half passes at the trot. For me this is exciting because it means I'm finally starting to become more consistent.