Hello, Winter
My body has officially entered hibernation mode. All I want to do is spend the day in bed with my cats. And it's not even that cold yet!!
Following Virginia, Leo had a week and a half off from riding. Since then, he's been getting ridden about 4-5 times a week which includes just one jump school. The lighter work load has helped him put on weight which is really good, especially at this time of year. At the end of the season he was having issues again with his left hind leg. The vet said hocks; I think it was a sore stifle/lower back. Either way, right now he is 100% sound again which always is a huge relief for me.
Originally, I had been planning on going down to Aiken, but it looks like it's not going to work out from both a money and timing perspective. Becca needs to be there for the first 2 weeks of February in order to hit the right horse trial for an intermediate move-up. The timing isn't ideal for Leo since that means he would start competing in Feb and then have almost 6 weeks off before the first event in Area 2 at Morven. He needs more consistency than that. And then there's the money....ugh. Sally really wanted me to try and figure out a way to get down in early March but the money simply isn't there.
Once I compete in a CCI* or a CIC*, I will be eligible to set up an American Horse Trial Foundation account and be able to fundraise to help with competition costs. And by fundraise, I mean ask my family to make a tax-deductible donation instead of getting me birthday and christmas gifts! I make good money as a working professional but maintaining a bank account to cover the cost of horses and competing is definitely a challenge.
So what have we been working on?
I really want to work on Leo's dressage this winter and improve his acceptance of the bridle. I've been lunging Leo is side-reins before I ride to see if that helps his overall acceptance of the bit. Sometimes it seems to help. I've integrated more counter-canter exercises on the flat to build his strength. I'm also trying to really focus on my contact with the reins/bit - and not let Leo slowly steal the reins for me. I'm hoping if I can be more consistent and insistent, Leo will build his own consistency in return. The one thing I've learned with Leo over the years is that progress is slow and not at all obvious. I just have to keep pushing and trust that some of what I am trying to teach Leo is getting through.
The jumps are staying low right now. Every once in a while we through in a prelim size fence but mostly we stay at novice height. We've been doing a lot of different grid and bounce exercises so I can work on my position and simultaneously Leo can work on his form and footwork. Just yesterday, Becca introduced some adjustability exercises I found online.
The first exercise we did looked so simple but it was so difficult. A small vertical (no more than 2 ft high), 5 or 6 strides to a set of trot poles, 3 to 4 strides to another 2 ft vertical. You had to canter the vertical, come back to a trot for the poles, then pick up a canter and canter out of the second vertical. The exercise was then switched so you had a shorter distance between the trot poles to get the transition. Ultimately, it was really a dressage exercise with some jumps in the way.
I really struggled with Leo's straightness in the transitions which is no different than our general issues on the flat. Rather than push forward or compress in a straight line, Leo throws his haunches around and gets really squirrelly. Going the first direction, with the longer approach to the trot poles and shorter approach to the second fence, Leo was actually fairly good the first couple of times. We kept trying to smooth out the transitions and get straighter but Leo got more difficult. In his attempt to rush the exercise, he started throwing his haunches right through the poles and then I couldn't pick up the left lead after the poles. When we went the other way and I had to get the trot transition within 3 strides, I had to be very strong with my aides. Then Leo would get behind my leg and charge the second fence. We had to move onto something else because the exercise was starting to blow his mind.
Next we had to do a serpentine loop - 3 strides to 5 strides. Then do the lines in 4 to 6 strides. Then back to 3 to 5, then we had to try to do 5 to 7 strides. Then back to 3 to 5. This whole exercise also blew Leo's mind. He's most settled when he's in a gallop and I'm just pointing him to the fence. When I want to own the strides and control the canter, ugly Leo shows up. Unfortunately, Leo's ride ability was almost non-existent at the end of the jump school but Becca thinks we have to push his buttons more and start demanding more of his adjustability. But the next time I jump, we'll go back to an exercise where he can be forward and more free just to make sure we keep his confidence were it needs to be.
Flying Horse Farm is moving to a farm with an indoor for the month of January so that will be a treat. Right now, riding in the wind, rain, cold at night sucks!
Following Virginia, Leo had a week and a half off from riding. Since then, he's been getting ridden about 4-5 times a week which includes just one jump school. The lighter work load has helped him put on weight which is really good, especially at this time of year. At the end of the season he was having issues again with his left hind leg. The vet said hocks; I think it was a sore stifle/lower back. Either way, right now he is 100% sound again which always is a huge relief for me.
Originally, I had been planning on going down to Aiken, but it looks like it's not going to work out from both a money and timing perspective. Becca needs to be there for the first 2 weeks of February in order to hit the right horse trial for an intermediate move-up. The timing isn't ideal for Leo since that means he would start competing in Feb and then have almost 6 weeks off before the first event in Area 2 at Morven. He needs more consistency than that. And then there's the money....ugh. Sally really wanted me to try and figure out a way to get down in early March but the money simply isn't there.
Once I compete in a CCI* or a CIC*, I will be eligible to set up an American Horse Trial Foundation account and be able to fundraise to help with competition costs. And by fundraise, I mean ask my family to make a tax-deductible donation instead of getting me birthday and christmas gifts! I make good money as a working professional but maintaining a bank account to cover the cost of horses and competing is definitely a challenge.
So what have we been working on?
I really want to work on Leo's dressage this winter and improve his acceptance of the bridle. I've been lunging Leo is side-reins before I ride to see if that helps his overall acceptance of the bit. Sometimes it seems to help. I've integrated more counter-canter exercises on the flat to build his strength. I'm also trying to really focus on my contact with the reins/bit - and not let Leo slowly steal the reins for me. I'm hoping if I can be more consistent and insistent, Leo will build his own consistency in return. The one thing I've learned with Leo over the years is that progress is slow and not at all obvious. I just have to keep pushing and trust that some of what I am trying to teach Leo is getting through.
The jumps are staying low right now. Every once in a while we through in a prelim size fence but mostly we stay at novice height. We've been doing a lot of different grid and bounce exercises so I can work on my position and simultaneously Leo can work on his form and footwork. Just yesterday, Becca introduced some adjustability exercises I found online.
The first exercise we did looked so simple but it was so difficult. A small vertical (no more than 2 ft high), 5 or 6 strides to a set of trot poles, 3 to 4 strides to another 2 ft vertical. You had to canter the vertical, come back to a trot for the poles, then pick up a canter and canter out of the second vertical. The exercise was then switched so you had a shorter distance between the trot poles to get the transition. Ultimately, it was really a dressage exercise with some jumps in the way.
I really struggled with Leo's straightness in the transitions which is no different than our general issues on the flat. Rather than push forward or compress in a straight line, Leo throws his haunches around and gets really squirrelly. Going the first direction, with the longer approach to the trot poles and shorter approach to the second fence, Leo was actually fairly good the first couple of times. We kept trying to smooth out the transitions and get straighter but Leo got more difficult. In his attempt to rush the exercise, he started throwing his haunches right through the poles and then I couldn't pick up the left lead after the poles. When we went the other way and I had to get the trot transition within 3 strides, I had to be very strong with my aides. Then Leo would get behind my leg and charge the second fence. We had to move onto something else because the exercise was starting to blow his mind.
Next we had to do a serpentine loop - 3 strides to 5 strides. Then do the lines in 4 to 6 strides. Then back to 3 to 5, then we had to try to do 5 to 7 strides. Then back to 3 to 5. This whole exercise also blew Leo's mind. He's most settled when he's in a gallop and I'm just pointing him to the fence. When I want to own the strides and control the canter, ugly Leo shows up. Unfortunately, Leo's ride ability was almost non-existent at the end of the jump school but Becca thinks we have to push his buttons more and start demanding more of his adjustability. But the next time I jump, we'll go back to an exercise where he can be forward and more free just to make sure we keep his confidence were it needs to be.
Flying Horse Farm is moving to a farm with an indoor for the month of January so that will be a treat. Right now, riding in the wind, rain, cold at night sucks!
yea those exercises would probably blow my mind too lol... but maybe you'll see a difference in your next school? also - that's really neat about being able to fundraise for 1* events - i had no idea that was a thing!
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