May only the leaves fall this Fall. September October training Bimester

[exvet]

Lovely photo Flight! I just bit the bullet and am having a saddle semi custom made for Junior. He's 6 and I figure he finally deserves (and needs) one of his own; but, I also realize I could get a couple years down the road and it not fit him well.................saddle shopping comes in second to horse shopping as some of my least favorite things to do (horse selling being the top of the list).

[Moutaineer]

Nice picture, Flight (and nice grass )

Laddie was shod 3 days before this thing appeared, so I'm a little suspicious about a misplaced nail. Vet is coming out today to rechrck.and probably open it up a bit so we can get it to drain a little faster.

[Kyra's Mom]

Congratulations Dresseur. Cry all you want. What an accomplishment.

Susan

[khall]

Dresseur so happy for you! I know you are proud of Miro and ugly cry all you want!

Mountaineer oh those hot nails! Glad that’s all it was and Laddie will be sound and ready to go soon.

My update is with all 3 of mine and how exited I am about them. Joplin is just amazing and when I get those few steps where she puts it all together I’ve never ridden any horse that feels like she does. Power and such suppleness I can’t keep the grin off my face:). That movement coupled with her work horse brain is the combo I was going for when I bred to get her. I got absolutely 100% what I wanted.

Rip is going well too. Such a different ride than Joplin but still pleased with the big beast. I’m working on HP trot and canter and had an ah ha moment with him. If he keeps his engagement and collection in the trot and canter he moves sideways much easier. I really have to be on top of my game to keep the activity he needs for engagement and be able to execute the movements. What I found is if I get in do 3-4 strides sideways then go straight much easier for him. Had some beautiful HP trot and canter and I think I need to really work on HP every time I ride.

Gaila has been a very good girl from me being able to hop on her bareback and school her to using her for lessons. She steps up to the task happily.

Great to read all the updates

Happy fall!

[mari]

So today, while paddling around in the lukewarm shallows of FC mediocrity, I did something I was taught very strictly to never do, but it worked, so now I don't know.... Odie hops up/kicks out behind, changes first behind and late in front. Even when he doesn't kick out, it's usually late in front.
And it's surprisingly difficult to find fixes for this, all the advice/videos I've come across is for late behind changes.

I've always been drilled not to take the new inside rein in the change, rather give forward on the new inside so the horse can step through properly with the new inside hind. But we've been working so much on counter-flexion in the canter, and moving his shoulders around. So today after a succession of late in front changes, I went across the short diagonal, did a few steps of LY just after X, in counter-flexion, asked for a bit more flexion, applied the FC leg aid, and magically it was clean and big and smooth.

[blob]

So today, while paddling around in the lukewarm shallows of FC mediocrity, I did something I was taught very strictly to never do, but it worked, so now I don't know.... Odie hops up/kicks out behind, changes first behind and late in front. Even when he doesn't kick out, it's usually late in front.
And it's surprisingly difficult to find fixes for this, all the advice/videos I've come across is for late behind changes.

I've always been drilled not to take the new inside rein in the change, rather give forward on the new inside so the horse can step through properly with the new inside hind. But we've been working so much on counter-flexion in the canter, and moving his shoulders around. So today after a succession of late in front changes, I went across the short diagonal, did a few steps of LY just after X, in counter-flexion, asked for a bit more flexion, applied the FC leg aid, and magically it was clean and big and smooth.

In the Ritter FC course I'm taking right now, we will get to a unit that focuses on common problems and one of the ones we will discuss/cover is late in front--I'll let you know how it goes. MM of course has the opposite problem--late behind--though Ritter has clarified that what she does is actually 'early in front' and he says this is an important distinction because it changes how you fix the problem. Based on video he's seen he thinks my case is not about speeding up hind end or getting more hind end mobility, but rather about slowing/controlling the shoulder (which I have also suspected, given that she just leaps up so high in front, there's no way the hind end could keep up). But RP sometimes swaps behind if I shift my weight, and so I suspect when i get to changes with him he might be similiar to Odie...so i'll be paying close attention to the late in front segment.

[mari]

Blob - That will be great! He's always been a bit proppy and straight-legged behind in the canter, which is why we think he defaults to kicking up in the change. As soon as I get the hind swinging through under himself the changes get better too. But it takes repetition before he gets one or two good ones. And I'm so afraid that all the bad ones are teaching bad muscle memory.

[blob]

General (both horses/me):
Work on position by spending time on the lunge, using resistance bands, and getting lots of video to assess progress and challeges
Ride through tests more! Doesn't even matter what test, just practice riding tests!
Do something different which each horse at least once a week (jumping, poles, hills, lunging, etc)
Try to exercise at least once a week off the horse

MM:
Get off property at least once
Focus on keeping short reins
Work on canter LY and half-pass making sure I can keep forward and sideways
Practice our jumping to see if we are ready and able to do a 3-phase in October (it will be my first!)

RP:
Work on LYs
Introduce trot SI
Work on T-C transition
Work on forward and back in t & c

I guess it is close out time!

I was able to at least make some soft attempt at most of these goals, with a few exceptions. I didn't get off property--i'm ok with this one because life/timing got in the way. I also did not practice riding through tests even once! I REALLY need to make time for this.

[exvet]

I guess it is close out time isn't it? Well we do have one more day; but, I intend to just trail ride and enjoy our finally lovely weather. I'll likely ride Brandon on the lunge line again tomorrow too. So to that end, I have been on and ridden Brandon. First doing pony rides and now on the end of a lunge line. We're walking right now with halting, standing turning. The next hurdle with be trotting under saddle and then going 'free'. Junior and I sort of hit a stutter but we're getting back to where we were. Our new saddle comes on Tuesday so I hope that will help give us the push to move forward once it arrives. He actually has developed his flying change (a little too well still; but, now much more obedient and not anticipating quite so much.) The herd dynamics have the same pecking order but we're bringing Ace in to eat in peace and letting the others 'duke it out' during meal time; otherwise, they're out 24/7. The situation can't be too bad (more noise than muscle) because no one is hurting for weight/groceries.

[Aleuronx]

Looking back on my goals I'm glad I left them a touch simple. Maybe I knew Kora would have a growth spurt and the wheels would fall off the bus. I have a feeling our next sections goals will be even more basic since we're barely going around now.

Goals:
At least 3 lessons with trainer Success! Although our last lesson boiled down to she's growthy just do lunging type rides undersaddle.
Increase frequency of transitions within and between gaits aka turn up the heat Partial success, we were doing some good work until her hind legs shot off a inch.
Hack, Hack, Hack Success! Wish I had done even more but we started to get rainy days.
Make it out to play day farm Partial success, the play day farm wasn't allowing truck ins for the arenas but I did make it to another farm for a visit that went well.

[StraightForward]

Annabelle - Get the CC and simple changes working. Establish more honest bend in the SI left especially.

Tesla - Get the steering and canter established.

Me: I've been running, doggedly. I think I'm going to try to mix it up with 2x a week running and 2x a week doing some kettlebells and maybe a bit of yoga.

I kept it pretty simple this time around as well.

Annabelle lost her right lead a few weeks ago, so working to get that back and recognizing that her LH really needs to build strength. The W/C transitions are getting more reliable, but C/W is gone again as we're adding more power into the canter. Overall it's going in the right direction though, and a big change the last two months is unlocking much better stretch in trot and sometimes in canter, and even managing some stretchy T/C transitions. SI is getting better, but still some work to get to a competition-worthy angle and bend. All should improve as that LH gets stronger.

Tesla - she has been sticky under saddle, so just trying to work through that and get the feeling that she is obediently forward at the trot before moving on to canter. I took a short lesson on her last weekend to make sure were were on the right track, and got a few useful pointers. That worked for about three rides, then Tesla threw some new evasions at me, but was better yesterday. So, getting there.

Me - still only running somewhat consistently. Haven't gotten too winded to rise to any challenges Tesla has thrown at me, which has been my main concern, and I can make it through a 45 minute lesson with lots of canter and sitting trot with no problems.

[chantal]

Did what I think is our last schooling show for the year. I was so tense our first test I had to stop to remember the test. No comment from the judge on that. I wanted more forward but only managed to make him tense and I had my reins too short and was told to let him out for training level and to allow him to relax. I know better. We did better our second test, I was more relaxed and he did better but still looky. But I still have a lot to work on. Showing still throws me out of my comfort zone. I need to work on this.

We've been doing so well at home. Sigh. No pics, it was just me and the BO. Overall, fun day, well-behaved horses, and 8's on our free walks. Yay!

[Anne]

Was going OK, until my back packed up 3 weeks ago, and I haven't been able to ride... happily, it is improving now. Maybe back in the saddle next week...
Goals were :
1. Improve the walk : insist on active & 'marching', but I must not nag at him.
can't say we achieved this, but somewhat improved...
2. get confident and prompt trot->canter transitions : we can trot, we can canter, but getting between the two often has some messy moments.... mostly due to me I suspect - I can get tense and lose clarity and over-think the aid....
this will be in next goals to be sure; didn't get much progress here this time
3. me: continue some daily core exercise, a short plank routine, and a short (4 minute) 'Foundation' routine for back pain improvement.
was going fairly well here, until my back issue

In all, not much actual progress, but have also done some work out of the saddle with in-hand flexions, and some Masterson Method release stuff. Will continue with these.

[demi]

Moved my post to the new goals thread....