Going to skip the evaluation of this session. Suffice it to say that it was one that supports the theory that goal attainment is not a linear process. And that sometimes you have to go around obtacles and look at them from all angles in order to know how to deal with them.

Today rode Marlow as Mario is the victim of an over-zealous farrier.

Got the horse to round, leg yield, correctly bend, turn around the forehand. Pretty chuffed. Learned the proper way to take up the reins from slack and keep the horse rounded through the process - the key is to do it slowly and use the rein aids to ask for what you want even if the reins are long. Just taking up the reins causes the horse to become unorganized, then you have to start from the begining. When the horse's neck is down and long he has a certain amount of roundness going for him already - then to go from walk to sitting trot all in the same roundness. Sitting trot felt better, but I believe I go into chair pose while I keep everything else together. Will be required at some point to get my leg back. My posting, leg position and balance have improved so much in the last 17 sessions I can say they are excellent.

Started working my "passive" leg into the picture for the inside. It's the "thought" of the leg being present - the unmoving unmoveable post that the horse bends around. It's true how sensitive they are. When Chris says that since a single tiny fly can get a strong reaction, there is no reason for loud aids he is so right. When I just "thought" about my inside leg being "present" the horse responded to it. I didn't have to "use" it at all.

I was suddenly able to do the easy exercise I found so difficult last time. The counter flex bend. Going left in a right bend and then into a 20 m circle in that organization. It was quite easy this time. It was a disaster last time.

Chris was having me use very short reins on Marlow, which caused a number of faulty things. First the horse started leaning into the bit, secondly I was unable to maintain my organization. Last night he permitted me to go on a longer rein and reward the horse for roundness by giving some rein back. Well, it worked perfectly. So I will be using that same contact next time. It even caused the horse to be a bit behind the bit which at this point isn't such a bad thing.

He also corrected my way of asking for the roundness in that my wrist used to do the asking instead of my elbow. Once I got that down, I was able to round the horse and keep him there. The combination of short rein and wrist use was not allowing the horse to round, and not giving me any room to be more positive with my aid. Once the wrist is bent - where to go from there? Using the elbow allows me to draw my whole arm back if I need that much aid. When the horse knows he will be rewarded he is much quicker to want to cooperate. Who can blame him?

Looking forward to Saturday.

Marlow was feeling particulary cute today. He was doing all kinds of laughable things. However it didn't interfer with his working ability. I was able to keep him round if not compact. On track though. My circles and turning were great - able to keep the counter flex the whole time.

Worked almost exclusively at the sitting trot today. Discussed the dynamics of the pelvic tilt and how the sitting bones should be arranged for each stage of the sit. Worked on getting my hands to "float" which I find easier at the moment if I keep them in my vision. Very pleased with the outcome.

I have taken up the hula hoop which according to a dressage list I subscribe to, helps with the sitting trot and canter seat because it has you using all the muscles in your lower back and ab in a different way than you would by normal exericse. And it's safe to say that the sitting trot and canter movements required by riders is not something you do all the time, and if you do it only periodically it's because you are in a new relationship.

Chris gave me some exercises to do on the floor and while standing that will make me more aware of correct pelvic tilts to compliment my hula hooing because he's concerned that I may "learn" poor habits - the hula hoop is just to get the brain used to sending signals to that area, not to actually learn to sit on a horse - didn't spend a lot of time trying to convince him of that. Anyway Homegirl, belly dancing is the other activity that dressage riders say is just as good as hula hooping.

We'll see how it goes. He's told me that until I get past some of the "old comfortable habits" that we can't progress. Namely the habit I have of crossing one rein over the horse's withers to make directional changes and get half pass and leg yeilding. I am doing it less and less. The second thing is to not freeze up in my upper body as soon as I need to give the horse an aid. I have periods where I am able to do it exactly right, but as soon as I have to interact with the horse, I step out of "perfect", give the horse an aid, go back into "perfect" and then continue. I must be able to give the aid and keep myself organized. Only then can we move on to more difficult exercises.

Now there's motivation.

LC,

I check your gym log every time you post.

I find all your descriptions so fascinating. I really did not understand how complex the horse/rider relationship is. I am really enjoying the free lessons

Have a good one!

Today's lecture had to do with action and effect.

If you were to stand very still and move one finger, what is the effect that motion would have on the rest of your body? Most would answer - none - only my finger is moving. But if you really "listen" to your body and follow the effect your moving finger has on your wrist, your forearm, your upper arm, your shoulder, etc, you will realize that "just" moving your finger has a HUGE effect on the rest of your body in terms of sympathetic movements. No part of your body can move without having such an effect on the whole of your body. How sensitive you are to this movement, and how broad your vision, will determine how far into your "core" you can follow the sensation of this impact taking place.

Such is the impact you have on a horse. By the simple placement of your thumb on the rein, or not, can affect your hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, back, seat - and ergo - the horse as well.

Exercises like laying flat on your back and rolling your head slowly from side to side and being aware not of your head, but of all the movements required by the rest of your body, however subtle they may be, will heighten your awareness of the self.

So when we think we had an effect on the horse by using an aid, was it really the aid, or the rest of the body having to sympathize with that movement that had the "true" effect, or a combination of both? Case in point, if using a certain rein aid only works sometimes, then what else is it about the body that is giving an additional aid as well in a sympathetic way, that is intermittent? Whatever it is, find it and use it.

Riding a horse is experimental. It's about tweaking and testing and being bold enough to dare to make a mistake, in the interest of finding the "cure". Horses can be as amazingly forgiving as they are sensitive. When they do forgive, they allow you to learn through experimentation. And when they don't forgive, they teach you directly.

One of the greatest gifts dressage has given me, is the awareness of every move I make, every step, every turn of my head, every muscle in my body. It's quite a revelation.

Next session has been switched to Sunday at 3:30.

Moving a horse in any given direction is all about opening up a space for him to move through.

If to turn left, while on the left rein, you pulled on the left rein, the horse's head would turn to the left and he would continue on straight. The wall of the arena would stop him from doing what he should when given that aid, --- which is to turn right.

To turn left, while on the left rein, you use the right rein. This opens the horse's left shoulder, he will move through that opening, thus turning left.

A small lesson, but an important one. The answer to a question is not always obvious, and often the exact opposite of what you would expect. It pays to not look for the obvious.

This session was wonderful. I was able to micro manage every move the horse made and spent the entire lesson inside the track. No matter what anybody tells you, horses "steer" from the rear.

"I have a new student, who was taught, not to look at the horse when she rode, not even to just look up, but to look off the horse's shoulder onto the ground. I have no idea why." Chis said, refilling his pipe as we walked back to the stable.
"You mean she looks where she's been, not where she's going." I asked as I peered around Marlow's big head. My lesson was over and I was heading back to put him away.
"Yes, like some modification of a hunter style. I think."
"I've known riders to ride like that. They do it because it's cool."
"COOL??" He asked, incredulously.
"Yes," I nodded. "It has 'attitude'."
Chris smiled.
"Let me tell you a story." He began. "A friend of mine was auditioning to join the Riding School of Vienna before they stopped taking foreign students. He was in the large arena and asked to execute a canter. He put the Lippizaner stallion he was being tested on, into a canter and in seconds lost control of the big animal as the horse bombed along the track on the long side of the arena. Coming towards them in the opposite direction was a student of the school also riding a big Lippizaner stallion but executing an exquisite Passage along the track. The two riders were on a collision course and as all good riders know, the Passage has ultimate precidence and MUST be yielded to at all times by all other riders. My friend could NOT stop this horse and was at the point where he was going to just close his eyes and pray for the best, when the student and his Lippy moved (still in Passage) out of the track of the arena allowing the out of control pair to barrel past, and then with equal style and grace, moved back into the arena track without losing a heartbeat of the Passage and without either the horse or the student so much as looking at my friend, changing their facial expression, composition or organization. It was as thought they were the only horse and rider in the arena."
Chris paused and added, "Now THAT's cool."

Mario indoors. Terrific session.

Learned that if your body deviates from "perfect" equestrian shape, there are 2 body directions you can go. (unlike the 2 body shapes in dieters LOL) They are "gorilla" and "kangaroo".

The gorilla has a short torso and long upper arms. The kangaroo has a long toros and short upper arms. I'm one notch from centre toward the kangaroo shape. Chris said if he could take 2 of my vertabrae and put one each into lengthening my upper arm then I'd have the perfect classic equestrian skeleton. The challenge for each body shape can be "overcome" once you understand what they are and how to compensate for them.

I identified my "compensation" this session, although we actually stumbled upon it last session, when Chris was tring to get leg yeilding from me and I was struggling. I finally said "Can I just try something?" "YES YES YES" was the response. I immediately executed perfect leg yeilding. "What did you do??" he asked. "Lengthened my reins" I said.

I need a longer rein to compensate for a shorter upper arm. If I try and ride with a shorter rein I have to lean my upper body forward, which pushes my pelvis back and my legs forward. My centre of gravity is outside the horse somewhere in front of my diaphram and I am constantly fighting for my own balance and the balance of the horse. The contact tends to be stronger and I always get the feeling that I'm leaning on the horse and he's leaning on me.

When I am on a longer rein (and we are only talking 2 inches), my centre of gravity comes back to be closer to my body and my balance is easier to attain. That frees me up to communicate with my horse. The horse takes responsibility for himself and doesn't lean on me to carry him. Chris warned me to be cautious not to go too far with this as there's the danger of losing the organization in the other direction, or throwing the horse away.

Today I used that same style from the beginning of the session and was getting perfect and consistent roundness and impulsion from the horse at the posting trot. Chris prepared me to try the same thing at the sitting trot warning me of all the things that may go wrong in the process. However, using the same logic in terms of rein length and contact, I was able to do a sitting trot with a perfectly round and balanced horse and was able to work on impulsion without falling apart in the organization. My hands floated and moved relative to the horse. My upper arms were relaxed and able to do the rein work without employing my wrists. I was able to give the full range of pelvic tilt required for that bouncy cow pony who hiccupped through the entire lesson.

Mario is a funny horse. He always needs to "break a rule" as we go along together. He has a repetoir of behaviours that he drags out of the closet one at a time to see if I let him get away with any of them. If I wont let him go with his head on sideways, he does these strange bunny hops. If I won't let him lose impulsion or drag his nose at any given moment he tries to weave around the arena as if he'd never been in one before. Today I wouldn't let him do anything stupid all lesson but concentrate on correct bend, roundness and impulsion. So he hiccupped.

A horse with rotating vices. What a goof.

Originally Posted by LC Sponge:

Too funny!

Had to miss last wed - in Toronto on business all week. Rode Marlow outside. Worked on 'bringing it all together' in terms of bending, impulsion, roundness. Reaching the balance point faster and faster. Target is 10 minutes. Once I can get us balanced in that short a time frame, the next step is "figures".

Then the goal is to keep the horse and me organized while doing 20 meter circles, serpentines, etc etc.

Also it was a bit cool, so I rode in my short coat for the first time. What a perfect fit it is. I'm glad I went for the better quality. At the clinic Chris gave way back, he mentioned that the 'boys in Vienna' always ride in their dress uniforms, whether it is for practice or for show. When asked why, Chris responded simply, "Attitude". And it really does makes a difference when you are all kitted up to ride.

I am going to look into getting some private yoga instruction this week to help me with my tight lower back. I have to get some suppleness going there for my sitting trot - it is top priority.
Hi Homegirl!

Originally Posted by LC Sponge:

Hee Hee! We have been "kitted" up a few times for BD class--practice for our "performance" on Saturday. Really does make a difference! It's all in the bearing and attitude! What fun!

Have a good week!

Hi Homegirl - I hope your performance goes smashingly on Saturday. Who knows this might be all it takes for you to "go pro" . Have fun with it!

Rode Marlow today. A good sign is the horse is really starting to make an effort. He's not a typical school horse when I ride him, he actually works with me and puts out. Chris is working me in 20 minute segments. Each "round" is a pre lecture, a chance for me to just ride without his input, then a critique. It's working out well and I'm glad I am making the progress I am so that he is able to do this.

It hit me as I was in posting trot how absolutely second nature it felt. It's the amazing revalation that comes suddenly and says "hey, I'm not struggling anymore, this is now "part" of me", it's a great sensation and one that you'd expect to come on gradually, not suddenly. We worked on impulsion (not speed) this time more intensely and it's coming together. Chris seems to alternate working on me, and having me work on the horse. When he has me work on the horse we spend less time on my form, and more time just doing it. Then we go back to my form and check all the parts to ensure that I am staying within my organization.

Today I was free to work the whole arena outside of the track and actually be in control of where we went, rein changes, bend changes, circles, diagonals, leg yeilding, alternating posting and sitting - all up to me. This frees Chris up to work on correcting my form for the work I was doing and forced me to think about 2 things at once - my "figures" and my form.

Click, click, click. Elbows and armpits. Elbows and armpits. These are my new chants.

Rode Mario-the-tripod inside - pouring rain - has been for days now. I think it's time to build a large boat and start pairing up the horses.

Got the biggest compliment to date from my trainer. He told me that I had Mario going the nicest that he is capable of. Then after the lesson he commented what a pretty horse Mario was, and that he may after all, consider schooling the horse in Passage. If I can make a horse look THAT good, I'm definitely on my way. I realized that as a trainer, Chris doesn't get to see the horses go as well as they can unless they have a half decent rider on them (or unless they are loose in a paddock and fresh). When he schools them, he doesn't get that perspective.

My sitting trot was exceptionally better (almost as excellent as my posting trot) in terms of floating my hands and keeping my elbows and armpits open and away from my body, thus absorbing all the motion through my elbow and shoulders. I must continue to be aware of NOT using my wrists to absorb this motion, they must be locked at all times. The horse went beautifully forward and rounded.

I gave credit for this to the fact that I have been doing all the hamstring, hip flexor, and lower back yoga poses for an hour each day for the last 4 days. And in fact did a full hour of a complete yoga session just prior to my riding. I believe that a more supple torso and untightening my hamstrings is a must have.

One other terrific acheivement was that on a couple of occasions when Mario would lower his head in response to reaching for the bit, I was able to ask him to raise his head so that he didn't become unravelled. The trick was the very slightness of my asking, a heavier rein would have been like shouting at him. I was very pleased with that.

There is a large dressage show next week in Ottawa and I'm definitely going on the Sunday.

Originally posted by LC Sponge:


You have a great sense of humour LC!

And wow! I am impressed. You are really coming along there, Mrs. Doesn't it feel great when the things you are reaching and striving for (by way of learning a new skill) are becoming realized???? Fills one with positive energy, don't it

Have a great week!

Homegirl

Mario - indoors.

It took a bit, but eventually I was going totally round with maximum impulsion AND sitting to the high speed trot.

Things I learned were that I need to engage the horse in a continual conversation. That even when the horse is doing it correctly, I shouldn't stop "talking" to him. Form takes second place over result.

My sitting at the working trot had me losing the form in my lower leg. Chris suggested that my overworking the correct positioning of my leg may be contributing to my stiff lower back. Forget the legs he said. In fact point my toes down even!!

....What an amazing sensation it is to be sitting at a trot that is extraordinarily fast, the horse reaching with his front legs to an extent where he feels like he is flying. You can no longer 'feel' his impact on the ground because the forward motion is everything. Heavy like lead in the saddle and becoming one with the motion of the horse. And a coach in the distance chanting "Yes, Yes! YES! That's it!! You've got it!!" And the tears come to your eyes while your horse is flying and you both are totally 100% connected.

This isn't me - but this is what I mean....

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