Putting 2020 in Hindsight: November-December Goals and Progress

[StraightForward]

Here we are closing out the year!

Annabelle:
I have a clinic next weekend, and then my instructor will be in town the following weekend. After that, I'm thinking I'll give her a couple weeks off from riding, and then keep her workload a little lighter through December. Planning to start long lining her once a week or so. I'm sure I'll get plenty of homework after the clinic and lessons, guessing it will all be around suppleness and straightness.

Tesla - Just ride consistently and focus on getting her reliably forward. Cantering will be dependent on what the weather does to the outdoor since the indoor is pretty small for a big green bean.

Me - keep up the running and work on my core, which I think will need to get a little stronger to get Annabelle to the next level.

[heddylamar]

Maia: Get over the last trailer hump, and off to my trainers so we can start jumping!

Anzia: Ride at least 1x week. She is retired, so expectations are low But, she's a good tool for me to walk through movements on — if I do something wrong, she either ignores me or gives me "what for?!" Plus, I have a girlfriend who's bored out of her mind, and walking around on Anz in the woods with Maia and me is nicely social distanced.

Me: Increase mileage, stay steady on rowing machine, and be better about doing all my ground exercises 4x a week.

We're planning to hike a 70 mile section of the PCT when all this is over, and I really need to keep my hip in shape. Can't have my elders (10-20 year older ) out pacing me and my gimpy hip! I'll never live it down.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Since I'm horseless, it's all about me!

I hoping to ride at least 3 times a week right now. Ideally more but since I'm riding friend's horses, I will take what I can.

Get some lunge lessons and continue to tune up my seat!

Continue the horse shopping. Ideally I will take a weekend trip in November.

I will be thrilled if I have a horse by February. I really hope it is sooner but I'm absolutely in no rush. I really want to get the right partner.

[Ryeissa]

Hmmmmm.....
Practicing all the second level tests this winter. We have such cold weather that we haven't been outside in about 3 weeks.


Half pass is overall smoother but needs more bend
TOH has been a real slog for us in 2020 but we seem to be getting somewhere now.
Mediums in trot and canter- nicer balance
the canter work is better- hoping for changes in ~6 months if I can get better C/W/C
10 canter circles are ironing out- still hard to have upright lateral balance (a bit bicycle turns) but feel stronger overall
Counter canter ok. Not really a thing we have ever really struggled with, but i need to do it more often

Doing some more clinics and my regular lessons, I don't really change that since we have a heated indoor.

[Aleuronx]

Spot on title again StraightForward!

I'm at a bit of a loss for goals with Kora feeling so wonky growth wise right now. I'm learning to practically bear-hug her with leg and seat while floating the reins especially the inside rein at the canter to even function with a semblance of balance. The time change is going to limit our outside time as well which is a bummer.

I'm so hard fingers crossed I hear back about the job this week in a positive way. That could be life changing.

Goals:
Grow the front end
1 lesson (maybe 2?) before trainer leaves for Florida
Hack until snowed in!
Experiment with some new trot pole configurations

[blob]

Me/general:
Ride tests! Any tests! Just practice riding some sequence of something
Remember to exercise when I can't ride
Remember to ride even when it's cold and dark
poles, poles, poles

MM:
Test out shoes and decide what I want to do
Practice self-loading
Continue work on getting a more honest back to front connection
Work on more forward, marching walk into the hand from the start

RP:
Trot sholder-in
More sideways in trot LY
Continue confirming w-c-w, but don't forget how to do t-c-t
more uphill balance in trot lengthening

[Dresseur]

Miro and I had a big two months, and now the hard work begins to get him to GP! He has started to touch on schooling the work - the trot half pass patterns, he understands the passage and he's got a handle on the 2s. We will wait until we can control every step of the 2s before we teach him the ones, because of his tendency to dial back and do changes in a teacup. It's hard to believe that just a few months ago, he had just started single changes, and 6 weeks before we did the I1 test, he and I were 90% late on changes and tempis of any sort were non-existent, he really amazes me with his temperament and talent.

So, that being said, for the next two months, the work I have to do on myself:
1. own the changes fully, both the 3s and the 2s. Be able to start to adjust the changes within the line.
2. learn to start to count for the GP hp zig zag. Miro was able to handily do the I1 zig zag, but counting is hard lol.

The work we need to help Miro get a handle on:
1. the piaffe. He's starting to understand what to do behind when he's in hand. Yesterday we played with seeing what would happen if we tried under saddle with Andrea as a ground person. It wasn't an epic disaster, so, as of right now, we'll play with a combination of in hand and under saddle. The tentative guess is that it will take him 2 months minimum to start to understand it. He really struggles with the diagonal rhythm.

Other than that, it's building strength, a lot of strength, and starting to pick apart the quality.

[khall]

Dresseur did you try the rotation and ask for trot in that rotation? That makes them diagnolize. Just building strength helps so much.

I tried it again with Rip last night it is hard for him but he took the pressure much better than he ever has and actually gave me a few trot steps off the right side. But we’ve been working hard on his piaffe now for awhile and he’s gotten so much stronger.

[demi]

Still in the 100’s and not getting below 80 at night. But it shouldn’t last much longer....

So I have some little goals for this round.

1.) Video Training test 3 again with improvements and send it to VirtualHorseSport.com for non-ranked judging and coaching by a USDF judge.

2.) Video the components of First and Second Level. We can do everything in the those tests, some fairly well, and some fairly horrible.
..

Didn’t get this done so I am more than happy to leave “2020 in hindsight”.

I’ll try to get the above done this time around. After the heat of the summer I was able to get 6 weeks of lessons in a row. My trainer was happy with the progress we’d made in spite of the long hot summer. The right lead on a shorter rein is getting much better but we’ve left it out of the lessons (my choice) and I’m working on it at home. I may back off lessons to every two or even three weeks for a bit as Rocky doesn’t love trailering and I think she’s happier not going every single week.

The right lead issues seems to be a matter of just matching my own right side to my left side. Well, that and my right side isn’t working very well but it’s getting better every day and it’s good enough for about 30 minutes of riding, 10 of which involves positioning Rocky to the right. Outside of the strain or injury that I did to my right hip/thigh, the positioning right is not physically that difficult for me, it’s much more mental. It involves a few things: 1) have to be sure to have equal weight on both seatbones before I ask for the right lead, 2) I have to have her clearly on the outside (left)rein, but I have to keep my left side supportive, elastic, and not restrictive, 3) I have to have my right lower leg back a little and heel up a little to keep her hind quarters from falling in and in essence, I have to balance her between my legs very carefully, 4) I have to have her listening to my inside rein, but I need to keep it very soft and gentle enough that she will allow me to “lead” her shoulders in with it, and finally 5) I need to keep her diligently come under with her hind legs with a light front end.

Oh, and I should mention that I need keep my upper body lifted with my core engaged, and my shoulders back and down.

No wonder I have to work to focus on all that! The result feels pretty neat though and well worth the effort! The canter is starting to feel nicely collected so I am hoping to get some video I’ll be happy to to share...

[MsM]

Okay, first goals!
After my lesson I need to work more on suppling and helping his balance. I have some physical issues that I need to work around so I need to work extra hard to stay centered side to side and to sit up (sigh) Its been an ongoing project and improvement is slow with regression when I focus on something else!
We need to continue working on shoulder in (pretty good but needs to be bigger) and haunches in (just baby steps here) As always, I need to remind him that I get to decide and he may not freelance (he gets excited when he gets something right and tries to offer it at every opportunity. He does a nice lead change through the trot on the diagonal. Unfortunately that meant that when I tried counter canter he was sure I forgot the aid and "helped". We got it eventually - after a nice flying change thrown in too!)
I am not a fan of the cold, so my goals over the winter are mostly keeping what we have and nibbling at some new stuff.

[Flight]

Ok, so totally inspired by Dresseur's successful Inter 1 competition ride, my aim this round is to ride a reasonable inter 1 test with Ding and I'll post a video of it here.
My interest in going to an actual comp is zero at the moment, I know videoing at home isn't the same as going out to a comp but maybe I'll do that next round if I get through this one. Summer's not great for going to comps, fat black part friesian gets too hot and sweaty.

[Moutaineer]

#1 is to get Laddie's shoe put back on... he's doing well, feeling well, needs to go back to work, so now I have to hound the elusive farrier until he responds to me.

It will then take us a week or so to get back to where we were prior to abscessville, I'm sure.

I'm planning to try to add an extra ride in a week, but it's going to largely depend on where the virus is going. We've had such a huge upswing around here, and one of my barn mates is down with a bad dose at the moment, so we are all being paranoidly careful to stay out of each other's way, which limits available riding times somewhat.

I realize we both really need to work on fitness to make up for our assorted lamenesses and distractions like moving house and staying away from people over the last several months. We may both be a little chunkier than we should be...

And I'm excited that we have two really good riders with very (very) nice horses moving into the barn this month. I find it inspiring to have better riders than I am around to watch, emulate and ride with, which I have been sadly lacking, for some time (which makes me sound a bit full of myself, but I'm really not.) They are both much younger than me, and intelligent, fun women who will be great additions to our little group.

[Kyra's Mom]

Well, as usual, I am kind of hanging on watching everyone's progress but don't have any real specific goals of my own. My tailbone area pain level really varies day to day and I just kind of wait to see what I feel like. Coupled with elder care which can change one's plans in a hurry, riding just has been more miss than hit lately. The weather has been GORGEOUS so always good to get out and play with the pony whether I can ride or not.

I haven't ridden much lately. My back spasmed up last week and why, I have no idea...other than it does that from time to time so I guess living causes it to do that . I have been nursing it along and it seems to be improving. I did get a set of the Surefoot pads and have been playing with those a bit with the horse. I think I need to try them too . I have done a couple round pen sessions where we stop in the middle and I have her stand on the pads then a little more work and stand on the pads again. I have a set of firm pads that are uniform thickness and a set that are also firm but wedges. I put the wedges on the back first (high side to the back) then the second go round, swap ends. She seems quite comfortable on them and I figure I get a good idea of her willingness to stand on them if she is at liberty. I have noticed that her front heels are opening up a bit. She has dinky 'muley' feet and has always had a skinny frog and it actually looks like it is opening up. Pretty interesting since it has been dry here all summer and her feet are hard as rocks. She was also getting this weird curl in one heel that has appeared in the last couple months (she does toe out some) and that looks better to me. It might be wishful thinking (I need to do some measurements to be really scientific) but it certainly can't hurt to get some different pressure and stimulation with the pads.

We had one lunge session where I set up poles. Another boarder has some of the Bloks and I raised every other pole. Those are a little higher than my little cavaletti that I built but she handled them well. At the end, I built a jump using them in the highest position. She did well on that too and it really got her using her hiney. I haven't always had good luck with getting her to jump. She has a nice jump but she gets anxious and tends to get quick then throw herself over the jump from about 6 feet away. Of course, jetting off afterward. She tried that once to the right but then I was able to get her to listen and half halt her with the line to where she was at a much better distance and her jumping efforts were quite nice. We didn't do a lot of that with her fitness level but I think she enjoyed a change of purpose. I am not letting her stand around but we don't always work 'dressage'.

I will keep checking in because it is so good to hear of everyone's experience.

Happy riding all.

Susan

[Chisamba]

So, I have loved 2020. yes I know we a pandemic etc, but I think it encouraged us to do few things we were not very good at.

spend more time as a family
show business a lot can be done from home
co operate internationally at least on a medical level.

of course exercising feeding and cleaning stall stayed the same for me throughout.

So , goals for these 2 months.

Kimba, like Blob I just want to ride tests more. I'd like to have her 4th level ready, show third at the beginning of the season.

Caliburn, strength and elasticity to have him first and second level ready .

Saiph. get her out and about. I want to trailer her to friends or clinics at least 4 times over the next two months with a view to potentially showing her too. practice tests.

so it's time to build the roots so my beasts can blossom come spring.

[StraightForward]

so it's time to build the roots so my beasts can blossom come spring.

Yes! In my ride tonight I realized that Annabelle cannot stay connected to W/T/W/T transitions on a circle to the right. Another little pothole to work on filling.

Tesla had a bit of swelling around the LF tendon sheath tonight and seemed a little off (since she is terrible at lunging, it's very hard to evaluate whether she is lame). I'll recheck her in the morning and call the vet if it's the same or worse. Yesterday she took a few funky trot steps that I chalked up to her not being honestly forward. Fingers crossed that it is just a minor, transient thing and she is back to work in a few days.

[piedmontfields]

I'm dealing with continued tooth issues with my mare. She fractured a back molar and badly sliced her tongue in late September. After a month of healing, she seemed quite comfortable being back in bit (I had been riding her in a bitless bridle)...until suddenly she was not. Check up visit shows that there is not much filling in happening in that tooth and it is sensitive. That is a terrible location for pulling a tooth, so I'm hoping we can be patient and find some management strategies for keeping it in place.

In the meantime, we're back to bitless riding and more modest expectations (because, if your tooth hurts, you're just not that into it). This is the time of year (cooler) that Emi benefits from regular work---just to keep PSSM symptoms at bay. So we are trying to figure out a balance of effort and healing.

I'm continuing to enjoy my online JJ Tate course and apply its teaching. It really is all about exquisite basics.

[exvet]

Well I had posted my goals on Saturday and they seemed to have disappeared.......but one of them I already reached! LOL!

For Brandon it was to be riding solo in the arena by mid November. Well I did so on Sunday and did again today. He really is a level headed guy for an obnoxious youngster. By the end of December I hope to have him ready to go out on the trails.

For Junior, well, I just received my new saddle today. It's a Prestige X D1D Zero with the extra short panels. Our maiden voyage seemed to go well. It definitely fits within Junior's minimal back real estate. So the hope is that this saddle allows me to ride better, stay out of Junior's way and truly get him over the back and into both reins with more mobility and control over the shoulders. By the end of December I hope to be making my plans to compete third level next year. We shall see.

For Ace - just keep riding off into the sunset. We had a really nice, peaceful ride out in the desert.

As for me, I hope to improve my alignment and stop collapsing on my right side. That's it.......just one focus..........hopefully by simplifying it there's hope I'll be able to attain it

[Ponichiwa]

I'm on a high training motivation phase with The Melty Cheese. Queso has surprised me over the last 4ish months with how much training he's soaked up. Like a sponge!

Speaking of, here's the golden boy looking pensively out on the horizon at a schooling show last month:



In the next 2 months, here's what I'll be aiming the Quesonator at:
- Half steps to medium/extended trot 1x/week
- Introduce quarter-turns at the canter (towards pirouette work)
- Ride 4x/week at minimum; really school 3x/week

Goals for me:
- Walking at least 1 mile 5x/week; stretch goal for 3 mi/day during the work week
- Tracking calories again; would love to lose 6lb over these 2 months but know that it'll be tough with the holidays!
- Journal 1x/week

[silk]

Ride my new pony! Hopefully, I have a saddle to fit her (I bought one sight unseen on a whim, and one of my others may be OK - both are for sale though as neither are my dream saddle). She is very upside-down, the kid who owned/rode her has been taught to waggle her hands to get the head down, ugh.

However, lofty goals of "get on pony" aside, this weekend starts with saddle fitting and hoof trimming, and some groundwork to start undoing the habits she came with. Dentist is booked for next weekend. I'm hoping to blitz all the habits at the same time by changing everything (environment, handling+groundwork, gear) to give myself a fighting chance of not having to deal with them to the same degree when I get on her.

[Moutaineer]

Somewhat frustrating morning... farrier came, we lunged Laddie, he looked better but not perfect, but both farrier and I wondered whether that could be from the high-low effect of having one shoe with wedge on, and the other off, so he put the shoe back on, we lunged him again and he was worse. So we took the shoe back off again, and he's back to being wrapped with a poultice.

Aaaah....

[quinta]

I am in this round! After a few weeks of mostly just enjoying the fall colours on the trails, it is the season for getting back into the arena. I've spent a good chunk of the late summer / early fall making progress fixing my long-standing tendency to sit left (part of the fix was figuring out that I collapse my right side in compensation). Longe lessons, video analysis, and bareback pad rides helped.

Goals between now and the end of the year for red mare:
* moving between SI, travers, renvers without me getting crooked and with mare really using the LH
* canter, canter, canter - I need to work on my seat (no stirrup november) and we both need more fitness.
* weekly lessons and one clinic in December (local ex-Canadian team member that we've been lucky to get fairly regularly this year since she isn't travelling around the country right now)

Also, greenies! Going to be helping my coach with two WB youngsters over the next few months, both started under saddle this summer. I am horse shopping for #2 right now, so I am wanting some recent experience with young horses before I set my lower age limit for the search.

Here's what our glorious fall trail rides looked like. The trees are leafless now

AutumnInAutumn.jpg (26.83 KiB) Viewed 13750 times

[exvet]

Oh give Autmn A HUGE huge from me please! Good luck on your search. I will say that my latest acquisition, a 3 year old unbacked Morgan (as you know) has been the bomb (and not in an explosive way but a very good way). It's the mind more than the age.

[Sue B]

Hey Quinta or exvet, how old is Autumn now?

[Borrowed Freedom]

Now that I got the saddlefitter out to sort out Delilah's saddle (she stood for two months due to strict lockdown regulations here in South Africa, then it was finding time to get the fitter out) my aim is to get her working again and see if we can get back to the level we were at before lockdown. The original plan was to move up a level in September, but that obviously didn't happen. I also want to take her on at least one more outing at Novice before making the final decision when to move her up

[StraightForward]

I had a good clinic ride yesterday, and an almost great one today. We won the unofficial award of most improved since the September clinic. Just working on the regular stuff - forward, straight, supple. She had me riding Annabelle deeper, and she warmed up much better in that frame, so more of that and less letting her go like a box of rocks for 10 minutes before putting her together. I paid for video today, and should get the DVD in the mail sometime this week, so it will be interesting to see how it looks vs. feel. There was a period of silliness with noises of work from the barn aisle, and something going on outside with a truck and tractor, but it stayed manageable and I got more practice talking her out of it and keeping her attention.

There were two 4th/PSG level rides right after me, so I got to watch those. One was working on HP zigzags and piris, the other more on mediums and getting better throughness in the canter, and both improved. I ought to bundle up and go audit tomorrow.

The puffiness in Tesla's tendon was gone this morning, so she will go back to work this week. The way she was acting when I brought her in after the clinic, umm... I am not looking forward to it, but it must be done!

Weather is definitely headed towards more wintry, so I'm preparing to start getting up at 5 and riding before work so I can have the small indoor to myself.

[quinta]

Hey Quinta or exvet, how old is Autumn now?

She's a 2006 model, so 14 this year. Still going strong!

[blob]

sigh. I might need to re-evaluate my goals for the end of the year already. I have a bad tear in the muscle of my thigh--I'm actually not even sure how I did it. And unfortunately it's on the inside of my thigh, so just sitting in the saddle is pretty painful right now. I haven't ridden all week and was hoping there would be some improvement by this weekend, but no such luck--pain and swelling still at the same level. So, stall rest for me!

[khall]

Oh no blob!! Major ouch. Heal quickly

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I hope you get better soon, Blob. Sounds really painful

[exvet]

That really stinks Blob, sending quick healing vibes your way.

I have had a few really productive days riding in my new saddle. Junior and I are going for a lesson later today. We'll see if others agree with my assessment. If they do then I'll be making plans for our next show, likely in January.

[silk]

Ride my new pony! Hopefully, I have a saddle to fit her (I bought one sight unseen on a whim, and one of my others may be OK - both are for sale though as neither are my dream saddle). She is very upside-down, the kid who owned/rode her has been taught to waggle her hands to get the head down, ugh.

However, lofty goals of "get on pony" aside, this weekend starts with saddle fitting and hoof trimming, and some groundwork to start undoing the habits she came with. Dentist is booked for next weekend. I'm hoping to blitz all the habits at the same time by changing everything (environment, handling+groundwork, gear) to give myself a fighting chance of not having to deal with them to the same degree when I get on her.

I rode my pony! Saddle isn't quite right but OK enough to go for a tootle. She fits my old mare's bridle, just, although not well enough for my long-term liking, so once I sort out her saddle she can have a new one in her own size.

So, feet have been trimmed and look miles better already, as does her overreach/abscess type injury on the left front foot. Ride 1 done and dusted.

Oh a whim, I sent a text message to the number on her halter tag, from her previous owner, who has shared a bunch of history with me. I'm so glad I took the chance (I half expected no reply or a "wrong number").

[StraightForward]

Ouch Blob, that sounds terrible! I hope you're on the mend soon!

Silk, we will need some pics of new pony(or did I miss them?). Neat that you were able to get in touch with the previous owner!

[silk]

Silk, we will need some pics of new pony(or did I miss them?). Neat that you were able to get in touch with the previous owner!

You did not miss them. I haven't even announced her to my own friends on fb yet I basically picked her up then promptly spent 2 weeks away from home. I need to spend a bit of time with her and take some pics that can be shared.

[Aleuronx]

Ugh Blob, been there done that but with a muscle in my back. Heat and rest and time.

Silk how wonderful that you got some background history. It's nice to be able to fit patterns or behaviors in the future.

Slightly afraid of jinxing it but I believe Kora's front legs are growing and she is starting to level up to her sky high hind end. It was a literal overnight change from Wednesday night's ride to Thursday night's ride. I was like huh, she doesn't feel like a complete tipped over wheelbarrow... The front legs feel a bit wonk but overall way better.

Enjoying the Fall heat wave in New England of 4 days in a row of 70 degree sunny days we packed up for a play day arena hire. Set up some poles and just cruised about having a laugh. I'll put in the short video but please ignore my survival riding; growth spurts are hard.
(I am aghast at the canter transitions but we can't sit on those hind legs come hell or high water right now)

https://youtu.be/UNXIp2k88dI

And because she's darn cute

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IMG_4578.jpg (94.11 KiB) Viewed 13331 times

IMG_4579.jpg (104.33 KiB) Viewed 13331 times

[demi]

Love the pics and video, Aleuronx!! Thanks for sharing. What exciting potential you have with Kora! I hope you’ve heard good news about the job you were hoping for.

I love this board. We have such a nice group of horses and riders.

[Aleuronx]

Thanks Demi! We do have a lovely group, I adore these threads to check in when I’m feeling punky about life or a ride in general. You guys always lift my spirits.

Nothing yet about job #1 BUT had a interview Friday for potentially equally exciting job #2 that would also be 100% remote. And heard from a former coworker that the company they are at might consider me joining on remote but have to run it by higher ups. So without getting too ‘woo-woo’ about it I think the universe is churning something for me soon. All things crossed!

[exvet]

So the goal after our lesson yesterday is to really get Junior to load his shoulders evenly and keep his left hind leg stepping up and under. He really likes to collapse and fall out through his right shoulder and keep his left hind leg stepping out. Of course we're talking subtleties here but it's enough to prevent me from getting a true connection into both reins. While I can somewhat feel it happening I'm not catching it quick enough to be effective which is frustrating but also a problem due to the weakness in my right upper body. Like my horse, I'm 'weak' in my right shoulder and I have discovered that I've developed a bad habit of keeping my left leg farther back than it should be (ie, not at the girth). Because of Junior's habit (or mine, it's kind of a chicken and the egg sort of conundrum) he throws me off to his left side especially at the canter and I suspect I've gravitated my left leg into the position that allows me to 'hang on' more or less. So after lots of riding down the quarterline heading towards and away from my instructor yelling out directions to help me keep him truly straight in his body.......well......I guess I get to do more of it at home. It's amazing how much more he lifts up through the withers and rolls over his back, especially at the canter, when he's straight (yeah, I know, no epiphanies here....just frustration in that I know I should have been making this happen all along). Plans are now to shoot for the January show with second level test 3 in mind. I know if I can get this concept through (achieve straightness in both myself and my beast) the flying changes should be no problem. When Junior throws them in now they're always clean and he's throwing them in far less than he used to; so, I guess that's some progress. I'm loving the new saddle. I think Junior likes it though I'm not sure he's liking the harder work lol. Oh and we got our first true/real rain shower in 5 months I can finally drag my arena - it's the small things in life that make me happy lol.

[Dresseur]

Aleuronx, fingers crossed for you and landing the right job (also, lovely horse !
Blob, take your time to heal, I know how hard it is to be out of the saddle due to injury, but don't rush it - the last think you need is a set back and more time out of the saddle.
Everyone else, great work, I love seeing the goals, progress (or setbacks) and pics.

Miro and I had an actual structured lesson for the first time in a while - usually we do small check ins with something specific. The changes are definitely straighter, have more volume and we can count - the flubs are usually due to him and I still being green in the tempis. We were going to start working on the GP zig zag pattern, but we hit on another exercise when we started looking at the piris that blew his little mind (in a good way). Andrea didn't quite like the way he was exiting the working piris, and she wanted me to have more control in both the entrance and the exit. So, she had me doing piri on a square - so, go straight, haunches in, 1/4 turn, keep haunches in, straighten and repeat for the next "corner" of the square. What it displayed in a very glaring light was that going right, when I put his haunches in, he just fell through the right shoulder in a kind of pseudo half pass, and if I stopped the sideways movement, he would just stall and then LEAP on the exit. So, we have homework lol.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I have been fighting straight elbows lately but am happy to say that according to recent video, I've made progress! Bent elbows, hallelujah.

[Ryeissa]

awesome!

[Sue B]

After a lovely week, winter showed up again! Friend called me at work Saturday morning to see if I'd take her and her 3 yr old for a ride out from my place. It was beautiful, sunny, low 50's--perfect day for a couple hours playing with the ponies. By the time she got out to my place and I got Rudy tacked up, the temps had dropped 10 degrees, the wind picked up and was gusting 35mph and (drumroll please) it was starting to drizzle. No matter, we mounted up and took off after a couple tours of the arena to make sure her mare wouldn't buck her off. Half mile down the road, Rudy spun round and headed for home so we had to make a course change and ride out to the fields west of the house with Rudy snorting like a fire-breathing dragon and Piper calmly walking along on a long rein spooking every 15 feet or so. All-in-all, we made it about another mile out, trotted around in the fields for awhile and then headed home. Meanwhile, the light drizzle had turned into a driving hail storm and I finally had to just hop off and lead Rudy home before he lost his ta altogether. We were all soaked to the skin and my poor friend was frozen by the time we got back...of course, soon as she pulled out of the drive and my horses were back in the pasture, the clouds went away, the wind dropped to a breeze and the sun came out!

Oh, and yesterday, Rudy got his new saddle refitted. Another windy, really cold day but he was a champ about it this time. Good thing, cause it took almost 2 hrs to get it right.

Sturday Nov 7 2020.jpg (35.2 KiB) Viewed 13125 times

[Kelo]

Well, I wrapped up my show season this weekend.

This was my GP debut year, and our first time in the dressage show ring in three years. Three years ago we were doing I-1, when he got sick and it took the better part of a year to get him fixed up, recover and get back to riding shape. Then two years of training to feel like I was ready to show. It's been an odd year, but we were able to show 4 times. Each time our score has improved, but I never managed to break 60. I'm about 1% away right now.

I have plenty of room to improve, not only the quality of the movements (which are not nearly as good at the show as they are at home - you know how that works ), but also my test riding (I, apparently, cannot find the centerline to save my life ).

On one hand it's disheartening, obviously one hopes to be good enough. On the other hand....you know you're borderline, and when you make mistakes, that is what happens - considering how close we are, and considering how many mistakes are dragging down the score, and considering how on every.single.test. we did this year, the judges were nothing but encouraging in the comments, saying he was a capable horse, and just to keep working at it.

So the good news is....we got to show Grand Prix this year!

The other good news is I know my horse is truly a GP-capable horse (even if we haven't got the official marks yet).

Plus I am settling in to it - this weekend was the first time I wasn't freaking out and panicking the entire time, and he was able to really relax in the ring, even if we still didn't quite get there. But people are finding us at the show and encouraging us.

The other good news is, he is improving and getting stronger all the time in training. At home, he meets me at the gate every day, wanting to work, he's sound and happy.

My instructor keeps telling me that sometimes it takes you until their second year to really be comfortable in the GP. But here we are, and I have to decide if I want to keep trying to pursue my show goals (which are just to get my rider medal scores). The tough thing about quitting is I am so dang close and I know I'll never, ever be here at the GP level again.

So here's to the accomplishments. We'll see what happens in the future.

[Ryeissa]

why would you quit kelo? You guys are doing AWESOME!!!!! so happy for you. it sounds like you guys are doing great, so I would consider showing again if I were you?

[Ryeissa]

I showed second level tee he.....so not lofty as our resident GP rider, but it was a successful time and we were being told to move up. It's been a bit of a mental stumbling block (as many of you know second can be!) we may never have super mediums but the canter work is quite nice and the lateral work is coming ok. My adorable cute little pony rides big and therefore is HARD to sit at the trot. seriously' everyone comments on this. He must just have a lot of mobility and looseness. So this is a huge reason I stayed back at first for way too long. But we persisted and here we go.
Every time I showed him to someone new (clinic, lesson, show) they loved him. that is enough for me.

[Flight]

Dont quit now Kelo! I have heard that it takes years to get GP right and it's the next level of learning when you get there. Congrats and you are definitely an inspiration!

[Kelo]

why would you quit kelo?

Well....50s aren't fun, even if they are high 50s, even if they are at the Olympic level with a limited horse and with mistakes as I attempt to learn this stuff. I mean, it's kind of embarrassing, although I am trying really hard to be kind to myself and remember I *am* an amateur, and we're improving, and he's clearly fine with all of this, and we're so close.

We'll probably just go back to practicing and see what happens. The next show's not for like half a year anyway, and of course the instant he tells me he's done, we're done. Plus maybe in the next few months I can learn about how to navigate arena geography. Every test I've ridden this year, I've missed centerlines and it is making me crazy (because I THOUGHT I was hitting them, especially this weekend, and do you even realize how many centerlines there are in the GP test? Good lord ).

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Kelo, please keep at it! You are an inspiration to many. I know 50's aren't the goal, but if you are so close to breaking the 60 mark, I can only imagine with more practice you will surely get there.

[chantal]

Oh, so much awesomeness for a year that was less than awesome. Moving forward!!

I had posted on the last thread about our last schooling show, less than desirable results. I want to be able to get something much closer to what I get at home off-property, in a show, not clinic. And I want to be able to do better independently at home too. I need to get Mikey to really respect my leg and keep my hands down when I'm stressed. And I need to work on my core strength and overall strength. I've let that go the past 2 months as I haven't been feeling great. Back to yoga and eating better.

We had a poles/jumping clinic this weekend and it was tough. Forward and controlling length of stride can be tough at times. Both instructors think he's going through a stage of trying evasions since we are consistently asking him for harder work. I don't know if I'm inducing stress it's but something we need to figure out. I think it's related to my position and my condition as well. I would like to see my hands and body more quiet for the poles and jumping stuff.

DH took pics so here are a few, I love the dapples. And we are consistent in over-jumping one fence. He took off way early all on his own, yikes! The instructor was laughing so hard. Sigh.

[exvet]

I hear you Kelo. It can be demoralizing all the while you can still acknowledge the fact that you've come so far and much farther than others would have expected. You are an inspiration; but, listen to your horse. If he's still game I wouldn't give up. If this is YOUR rider goal and your horse is still willing and able, I would not look a 'gift horse in the mouth so-to-speak'. We only go around once and who knows if you'll get another opportunity? Perhaps you will but there are no guarantees. Of course if you're shifting goals then perhaps it's time to redirect the focus; but, I wouldn't let your first year at grand prix dictate you're decision. It is a process and it sounds like there isn't just room to improve but realistic areas where you can gain those few points that would make the difference. Good luck and keep having fun.

[mari]

why would you quit kelo?

Well....50s aren't fun, even if they are high 50s, even if they are at the Olympic level with a limited horse and with mistakes as I attempt to learn this stuff. I mean, it's kind of embarrassing, although I am trying really hard to be kind to myself and remember I *am* an amateur, and we're improving, and he's clearly fine with all of this, and we're so close.

We'll probably just go back to practicing and see what happens. The next show's not for like half a year anyway, and of course the instant he tells me he's done, we're done. Plus maybe in the next few months I can learn about how to navigate arena geography. Every test I've ridden this year, I've missed centerlines and it is making me crazy (because I THOUGHT I was hitting them, especially this weekend, and do you even realize how many centerlines there are in the GP test? Good lord ).

A good workmanlike test is something I strive for. We won't ever wow, except maybe in some of the canter work if we're having a good day. But I think so many of the marks can be made up with very accurate riding. My instructor is brilliant at having me practice the geometry, and also the showmanship part of the geometry. Doing a loop through X? Know exactly where to leave the wall, where to keep your eyes as you're heading across the diagonal, how big the curve through X is, and where to hit the wall strategically on your way back. Same with circles, half-passes, and CLs.
Don't really have mediums? (because I'm convinced medium trot is something for other people that I will never achieve). Then you'd better have the pingiest exaggerated collected trot as you start your medium, and work harder to show the actual transitions, even though the middle will never be dazzling.

I think you're doing amazing, definitely an inspiration to me paddling on the edge of moving up to 3rd.