Nikita, Pirouettes, and the Good Humor Horse: May 17, 2010

I've started working on full pirouettes with Nikita. We can do them in one place, turning on 2-3 meters or so, although sometimes I get a little stuck in the middle. I'm trying to figure out the right combination of turning and slow motion needed. I'm learning that the more collected I have her before the pirouette, the easier it is to keep her on her haunches.

Everyday I get the feeling Nikita is merely humoring me. I'm waiting for her to get bored with my endeavors and drop the good-girl act.

More Canter 1/2 Pirouettes

Morven Park CDCTA Dressage Show: May 2, 2010

Today an exciting thing happened both for me and for a friend. A friend and fellow student asked me to be her "eyes on the ground" at a show because our trainer could not be there. This friend is a more recent devotee of my trainer, and isn't as familiar with our system as I am. So I was happy to oblige, and share what I know. But here's the hitch: my friend was competing in the Grand Prix.

I'm quite certain this friend has forgotten more about training than I'll ever know. She made her Grand Prix horse, a horse that she's owned since the mare was around 6 months old. So she's really made this mare into the Grand Prix horse she is today, from backing the horse to putting on the 1 tempis. I was flattered she wanted my help, but who am I compared to her?

This rider sought my trainers help because she wanted to get her USDF Gold Medal this year, and had only once scored over 60%. This weekend she was trying for her 2nd Gold Medal score. No pressure or anything.

I helped as best I could, being more familiar with our trainer's system, and coached her though her warm up, very concerned I was going to mess her up. Happily enough, my friend not only scored over 60% on the first day, but won her class over a much more experienced rider (who used to be a student of my trainer, but has since eschewed his system)! The second day, my friend competed Grand Prix again, this time for her Gold Medal score. She scored over 60%, and is now a USDF Gold Medalist.

She said she did well because of my trainer's system and my help at the show, which is a nice compliment for me, who is far from a Grand Prix rider. I'm sure it's rare someone at my level gets an opportunity like this, to have a Grand Prix rider have that kind of confidence in my abilities, to help someone win at Grand Prix with a score over 60%, and to help them get a USDF medal. I helped her, despite my concern about my knowledge, because it is such a rare opportunity, and a testiment, I suppose, to my abilities. I'm glad I was able to help her, and not totally screw her up.

April 30, 2010

I'm having a hard time coming to terms with the difference between a forward trot and an impulsive trot. The impulsive trot needed for the FEI levels is more lofty than the trot used in the lower levels, and I don't know about anybody else, but the loft in the trot makes it feel like the horse is stuck in honey and not pushing well enough. Even the piaffe feels honey-fied.

Over the years, I became used to Nicole's trot, which was mostly forward because of nervousness. Nikita's trot is forward enough, but is more "up in the air", that is, the energy is directed upwards as well as forwards. I'd always figured this sort of trot would feel super-impulsive, like driving a truck with no shock absorbers. The fact that the trot doesn't feel like that is confusing. Sometimes I think I work too hard trying to make the trot more powerful than necessary.

I've started working on most of the elements for the Prix St. George test. Today we worked on the shoulder-in/8 meter circle/half pass combination. I can see why they put that element in the test; it's a good litmus to see just how on the aids the horse is. It seems simple enough, but, like a Picasso, is deceptive in its simplicity.

I don't know if I'll compete this year. The only reason I'd compete is for my silver medal scores. Right now, competing for the sake of competing isn't that interesting to me. I'd rather focus on learning to ride at the Grand Prix level before worrying about competing. Besides learning the skills to train horses to Grand Prix, my big concern is about the money needed to support a career at that level, namely, to buy good horses and campaign them. That's a few years off for me, but is still one of my chief concerns.

Video of Canter Half-Pirouettes

Yesterday I almost cried during 3 tempis. My back hurt long before I got on the horse, and Nikita made me work for every tempi. With Nikita, you have to be on the ball, because she tests you every stride. If I go off my game for a moment, she finds a way to stop working. So, I had to use my back more than normal to keep her collected, yet pushing enough to do the changes. Holding the collection with my back was difficult, and required more strength than I cared to exert. Usually I have problems either in the 4 tempis or 2 tempis. But Nikita takes her yahoos where she can get them, and yesterday it was in the 3 tempis.

Video of Canter Half-Pirouettes, a work in progress.



It's hard to find things to write about. In our daily training, the only thing I focus on is making the horse through at the poll from behind and to chew the bit. It's really as simple as that. I don't do exercises to make the horse more collected, I don't use ground poles or any props. Just make the horse through at the poll and chew the bit. Any time the horse is stuck, or the movement isn't right, can be attributed to the horse not being through and chewing. Any time the horse is stuck in the canter pirouettes, the issue is corrected by asking for more forward from behind, which is the alpha and omega of being through at the poll and chewing the bit. There's really not more to our training than that.

April 8, 2010

Started canter pirouettes on Nikita. She feels different than Nicole or Desi.

Getting around a half pirouette is easy. Getting around in 3 steps and without losing rhythm is not so easy.

In Which Nikita Smells Something Funny: March 28, 2010