Lesson / Show Season Prep

Lesson

Due to circumstances beyond my control, Werther had a mini vacation and got the last three days off work. I could tell he was fresh when I brought him in the ring so I put him on the lunge line for a few minutes before minutes. Werther didn't buck, but he trotted around like the energizer bunny. When Werther settled at the one direction, I had him go the other way and he didn't seem too ambitious anymore so I hopped on after just a few minutes. I'm much better getting him round in his back know and on the bit, I think that piece has finally clicked in. The next big challenge is my position. I'm getting much better about having a following hand, my biggest challenge is sitting further back and deep. My leg also needs to stay straight and forward because I am so short, if it moves back, I touch the saddle pad, which makes me pretty ineffective. I'm still trying to figure out my post in the dressage saddle, I keep getting bounced on the incorrect diagonal and because my right side is so much stronger, a lot of the time I don't notice. Sarah says I need to sit deeper when I post, I hope that helps. We worked on the canter transition, I have the bad habit of pitching my body forward in an effort to make Werther go forward and he uses my vulnerability in that position to root. I need to figure out sitting back and still allowing enough with my hand that I don't catch Werther in the mouth. I think I just need time to figure this out, I feel a little rushed in my lesson sometimes, I think just a lot of practice will help. Sarah did give me a glimmer of hope today, she made a comment that I need to get him more responsive to my leg if we are going to do tempi changes, and the fact that she thinks I can get to the level to attempt tempis is huge for me. I try really hard to do what I can, and I love to compete, but at the same time there is this frustration when your body limits you from moving foreword.  I'm considering getting a disability dispensation, looking at the classification, I think I would qualify for the Para Equestrian classes at Grade IV. Another thing I talked with Sarah about today, she said horses get hotter as they more up the levels, the need to be to compete at that level. I worry too much about things yet to come, but I really do hope I can get to that upper level and some point and I'm not shut out, because I can't handle a hot horse.

Show Prep

Along the lines worrying too much, kind of having a mini-panic attack! I have two months to prep for the  show season. I got my new girth and my Mattes fleece pad, Of my list of things to do, I got my letters up (need to fix two), me registered, and I'm working on getting Werther's papers transfered. I went to the eye doctor so I can get glasses I can show in, and as soon as I finish this blog I am ordering the levels DVD. My next dover order is going to be a new whip for showing, new stirrup pads and a grab strap. Working on the test memorization, I got the book "Dressage A to X" the 20 m circle of life recommended. It is very helpful, I'm about half way though reading and just got to the chapter on test memorization strategies. Sarah sent me the show schedule which is the following:

May 9-10

Mayflower I and II (two days, two shows)

Otter Creek in Wheeler, WI

Closing Date: April 28

May 23-24

Bara Trac I and I-too (two days, two shows)

Mason City, IA

Closing date: May 4

June 6-7

St. Croix Classic

Lake Elmo, MN

Closing Date: May 19

Note: They chose this one because it is usually a VERY quiet show, not many

people go to it for some reason, AND Brightenwood needs to support Nancy Porter

at at least one of her shows.... and this fits in the schedule as at least an

option.

June 27-28

Dressage Lite and Lite-too (two days, two shows)

Mason City, IA

Closing Date: June 4

**Parkside is an option IF anyone wants another chance at getting qualifying

scores, but the whole group does not intend on going, mostly because the new

management probably won't grant B-wood the favor of giving us the REALLY NICE

stabling location. They only had that stabling for us as a special favor last

year. The other stabling is just too far for the old ladies to walk ;) Plus,

it's only a week after the Mason City show. That's pretty tight.

July 4-5

Parkside

Alpine Farm

Closing Date: June 12

July 31, Aug 1-2

Bara Trac II and II-too (three days, two shows)

Mason City, IA

Closing Date: July 10

**B-wood does not intend to go to any of the August shows (ie., Otter Creek,

Northern Lights, etc.) because qualifying scores are due by AUGUST 6. Any

scores obtained at those shows can, however, be rolled over as qualifying

scores for NEXT year.

Sept. 4, 5, 6

Region 4 Championships

Mason City, IA

Closing date: Aug 6

Sept 19-20

CSDEA Fall Festival

Lake Elmo, MN

Closing Date: Aug 31

**Scores obtained at this show can roll over to qualifying scores for NEXT

year.

Seems pretty reasonable, but what I am panicking about is what she wrote in the top of email. She says she will be showing two horses and will only be coaching as time allows! Is this normal for Dressage? She didn't mention anything in her email about paying for coaching which I would be more than happy to do. I know you can't be at the ring, but I would like to have someone help me with my warm up. I'm going to talk with my Mom tomorrow and see what she thinks, also going to ask Sarah about possibly getting some help from Cathy, the head trainer and Brightenwood, if Sarah can't do it. 

Lesson

Sarah said she had a good ride on Werther Monday, she spent a lot of time on transitions and getting him lighter to the leg aids. Werther was really good for me today, he was willing to get on the bit right away, no problem even when we started out to the left which is my CP side. I actually had a bit more trouble to the right today, go figure. He didn't want to respond to my right leg and instead of stepping over and into the outside rein, he wanted to speed up and move forward. We got that sorted fairly quickly though. We moved away from circle work and did some leg yields on the quarter line to the wall which we decent. We worked on my position and the canter, which is basically, ride the exact opposite as you were told to do as a hunter and you'll be fine. Because Werther is so quiet my first instinct is to get into a half seat when I feel him slowing down. Sarah tells me, I will be in a better driving position if I sit further back and deeper, which I can understand but I'm finding myself fighting my muscle memory. The other big issue is gripping with my knee, which in fairness is also a issue with huntseat riding, but because of my CP I couldn't rely on my lower leg like a regular rider, so I adapted to using the upper leg more, with a lot of balance going to the knee. It is very hard for me to open my knee, physically and mentally. Physically, because when I had surgery on my left leg for my CP the surgeon twisted my knee cap to a "better" position because the muscles where pushing my knee cap out of alignment, so that knee wants to turn in. Mentally it is hard because I fear that I will loose my hard won balance on the horse. The only way to get better is to just keep working at it. Thanks to my barn manager and our grooms, we got the letters up in the dressage ring. One problem though, I can't read them without my glasses! I never had an issue riding without glasses with hunters because I did not need to see too much detail. Nike has these metal alloy glasses that are pretty much twistable. I'm  going to get myself a pair as soon as I get my eyes looked at for a new prescription, I think those would be pretty safe to ride in. 

Six Months!

Today is my six month anniversary owning Werther. It has been an interesting journey. When I first got Werther, he was very attached to other horses, and a little burned out on ring work. six months ago I had not been riding very consistantly outside of lessons twice a week though my college's riding program because I had been looking for a horse for about year after we decided to retire Wesley. Since I was rusty and Werther was burned out we spent a lot of the summer taking it easy and riding the hunt trails around our farm. When I tried to start jumping again I had issues with my trainer because she didn't seem willing to work with me and put in the time to start back slow with my disability. I decided to take advantage of my huntseat trainer being gone all winter showing to try dressage. We knew Werther had been a dressage horse in the past and Sarah evaluated him as being trained up to fourth level. Since taking Dressage lessons the quality of my flat work has increased greatly and i've decided to stick with the discipline. I think there is a lot more of a chance for upward mobility for me in dressage than there ever was in hunters and in-spite of the fact that the lower levels may look easy to someone who has never tried dressage, it is very challenging. Over the next six months my goal is to show successfully and intro/training level and to make sure Werther works hard but still has a good time. Thanks for reading, I know only a small group of people have posted on this blog, I would love to hear from more of you!

Lesson

I did fairly well in my lesson today. We did a lot of work on getting him more sensitive to my leg, if I am ever lucky enough to compete in a championship class whips are not allowed. Still dealing with the stirrup issue, no right hip issues today, but my left knee got really sore. The hole punch is a must for my lesson on tuesday. We also worked on getting me to sit deeper and be looser in my hips at the sitting trot and canter, it was not great, but I think I am improving. Sarah recommended I buy a grab strap to help me get the feel of sitting deeper. The most important thing I did to work on is when I am tracking left, Werther wants to lean on my inside left rein so he can trick me into putting pressure on that rein so he has an excuse to put his head up. What I need to do is give frequently with the inside rein so it is not there for him to put weight on.

Hacking

Not much to report these last two days, Werther has been really good. I've been working on getting him on the bit and figuring out the feel I need. I still have a little bit of a hard time starting out between his inital resistance to work, and me remembering everything I have to do to make Werther happy. I'm doing a little lateral work, mainly leg yields to get him on the bit, but mainly focusing on my equitation. The two big things I have been working on is moving my elbows with my horse, because I have short arms I tend to lock my elbows to try and make my arms reach where I want them, and sitting deeper in the saddle. I need to figure out my stirrup issue, so I can be more stable with my left leg, I think I'm going to punch a quarter hole inbetween the half holes of my stirrup leathers and see if that does the trick of allowing me to still keep my left leg in the iron while not putting too much stress on my right hip and making me sore.  Now that Werther is really getting his act together, I have to bring myself to the next level. 

Cool, 100th Post!

Just a quick update, I got a few things accomplished today. I renewed my USEF membership and joined the Central States Dressage & Eventing Association which gives me a group membership to USDF. I'm not sure if I will still have get an individual membership for USDF, I will ask Sarah what she thinks on Saturday. I also ordered from Amazon, Dressage A to X which was recommended to me by 20m Circle of Life. 

Lesson

Happy Saint Patrick's day everybody! I took a pass on getting drunk on green beer and went out to the barn and had a lesson. Werther was pretty tough today. I think he played really hard outside with this nice weather we have been having, he was a little stiff and a bit lazier than usual. We started going to the left which did not help, because that was my weaker side, so it took a long time to get him on the bit. He was much better to the right, which is my stronger side. Sarah thinks it will set a better tone for my rides if I always start him to the right because then he will have to listen and get working right away. I'm having some issues keeping my left stirrup, ( this is my leg affected by the CP) I think I am still not used to dressage lengths and my new equitation position. I tried shortening my left stirrup a hole, but it made my right hip very sore. I think I am going to raid my Mom's tack room and see if she has an extra pair "cheese grater" stirrup pads, that might give me just enough traction to have my foot stay in place. I mainly lose it when I have to push into Werther's side to move him on to the outside rein, or ask for the canter. We cantered in a circle until I was practically dizzy today, the two main goals were to have me sit deeper in the saddle and move my elbows more. Werther was actually a little sweaty after today's ride, and I was a little tired myself. Even though it wasn't the best ride, it was nice to feel that we had both worked hard.