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dancinghorseThis was one of those lessons that looks like nothing (it was entirely in walk, just for starters) but adds up to a whole lot of something. And the lesson horse being Pandora means my hips must have widened in inch since this morning, and my front assembly is definitely there (ow), and my seatbones are piping up with "Ex-CUSE me!" in a totally Noo Yawk accent.
What were we doing, then? We started off with wiggly bits as usual, softening the Beeg Girl through the body, and keeping my seat and hands where they belonged. Sensation of seatbones on either side of spine (and my left side Not collapsed), "up" feeling in hands, and horse moving forward, which meant keeping my seat very open but also very effective. (hence, the aching front muscles now) Then Teacher asked for a halt, and we got plant front feet, drop back, throw up head, which is how she's been doing it for the past 19 years So There. And that became the lesson. Forward into halt. Very Up in the seat and hands. Take as long as it takes. The exercise we ended up doing was the walk pirouette--very much off outside aids (seatbone feels as if it's kneading the side of her spine, very gently, hardly more than a thought) but keeping the inside hind going and keeping seat very open so withers can lift. Repeat and repeat and repeat until her whole body is soft and she reaches down into the bridle and her head remains in neutral position through the halt.
Transitional stages featured a lot of llama in the halt but on the bit before and after. And me wrestling with overactive left hand. And discovering that crooked seat makes left bend impossible. And having to remind self to use left leg. And keeping outside rein. And making sure posture is upright. And, well, ow.
Pandora is muscling up nicely. That's the best indicator of correct work. The rider may lie to herself continually, but the horse's body never lies. If the work isn't right, the muscle development will show it. You want a smoother topline from ears to tailhead. Often the front and back will grow toward the middle, and this can indicate rider or saddle interference or may just be the horse's natural pattern. The horse's neck will get stronger over the top and the underside will be soft--if the reverse happens, you're hand-riding in a big way and need to Stop That Right Now. But the real indicator of correct work is in the hindquarters--the loin will get broader and smoother, and the muscles of the haunches will enlarge. This muscling will gradually come forward toward the withers, and meanwhile the withers will fill in and the neck will develop as above. And if the belly likes to hang, it will tone up, and the shoulders may get broader and the chest will widen. But this has to be accompanied by hind-end and topline development or it's not correct.
Truly incorrect work can drop the back and atrophy the muscles of the topline, and the horse will have a hollow or swaybacked look; the neck will bulge at the base and even have a dip in front of the withers. A horse who looks like that, no matter what his rider says, is is being ridden badly. And is probably getting all sorts of nostrums and injections as well, for the soundness problems this kind of work will cause.
Pandora is quite a happy horse--and at 19 is a testimonial to the longevity and sturdiness of the Lipizzan. Your normal 1500lb, large-boned equine of a certain age will have soundness problems, but she's like a rock. Barefoot and unmedicated; the new complete feed has glucosamine in it, but she doesn't eat enough to get a real loading dose.
She certainly likes her work, and I watch her carefully and don't ride too long or too hard, but in lessons we push her a bit and she handles it very nicely. The other evening she cantered under saddle; we had a good trot going, almost too forward but under control, and I could feel the canter inside it; headed across the diagonal and asked, and there it was. She couldn't hold it for long, but she had a nice transition back down and a nice trot afterwards, with better collection, and that was good. Teacher noticed how much softer and more balanced she is; she's coming along. Now if only she were my only Lipizzan, she says, life would be perfect.
What were we doing, then? We started off with wiggly bits as usual, softening the Beeg Girl through the body, and keeping my seat and hands where they belonged. Sensation of seatbones on either side of spine (and my left side Not collapsed), "up" feeling in hands, and horse moving forward, which meant keeping my seat very open but also very effective. (hence, the aching front muscles now) Then Teacher asked for a halt, and we got plant front feet, drop back, throw up head, which is how she's been doing it for the past 19 years So There. And that became the lesson. Forward into halt. Very Up in the seat and hands. Take as long as it takes. The exercise we ended up doing was the walk pirouette--very much off outside aids (seatbone feels as if it's kneading the side of her spine, very gently, hardly more than a thought) but keeping the inside hind going and keeping seat very open so withers can lift. Repeat and repeat and repeat until her whole body is soft and she reaches down into the bridle and her head remains in neutral position through the halt.
Transitional stages featured a lot of llama in the halt but on the bit before and after. And me wrestling with overactive left hand. And discovering that crooked seat makes left bend impossible. And having to remind self to use left leg. And keeping outside rein. And making sure posture is upright. And, well, ow.
Pandora is muscling up nicely. That's the best indicator of correct work. The rider may lie to herself continually, but the horse's body never lies. If the work isn't right, the muscle development will show it. You want a smoother topline from ears to tailhead. Often the front and back will grow toward the middle, and this can indicate rider or saddle interference or may just be the horse's natural pattern. The horse's neck will get stronger over the top and the underside will be soft--if the reverse happens, you're hand-riding in a big way and need to Stop That Right Now. But the real indicator of correct work is in the hindquarters--the loin will get broader and smoother, and the muscles of the haunches will enlarge. This muscling will gradually come forward toward the withers, and meanwhile the withers will fill in and the neck will develop as above. And if the belly likes to hang, it will tone up, and the shoulders may get broader and the chest will widen. But this has to be accompanied by hind-end and topline development or it's not correct.
Truly incorrect work can drop the back and atrophy the muscles of the topline, and the horse will have a hollow or swaybacked look; the neck will bulge at the base and even have a dip in front of the withers. A horse who looks like that, no matter what his rider says, is is being ridden badly. And is probably getting all sorts of nostrums and injections as well, for the soundness problems this kind of work will cause.
Pandora is quite a happy horse--and at 19 is a testimonial to the longevity and sturdiness of the Lipizzan. Your normal 1500lb, large-boned equine of a certain age will have soundness problems, but she's like a rock. Barefoot and unmedicated; the new complete feed has glucosamine in it, but she doesn't eat enough to get a real loading dose.
She certainly likes her work, and I watch her carefully and don't ride too long or too hard, but in lessons we push her a bit and she handles it very nicely. The other evening she cantered under saddle; we had a good trot going, almost too forward but under control, and I could feel the canter inside it; headed across the diagonal and asked, and there it was. She couldn't hold it for long, but she had a nice transition back down and a nice trot afterwards, with better collection, and that was good. Teacher noticed how much softer and more balanced she is; she's coming along. Now if only she were my only Lipizzan, she says, life would be perfect.
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-27 11:21 pm (UTC)(grinning atcha)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-28 07:31 pm (UTC)My posture has improved dramatically. Midsection has been melting away, as well. Dressage Torture is the real diet-and-fitness stuff.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-28 07:42 pm (UTC)hip says "core muscles are good, but not perfect!" and therefore "OW"
*sigh*
Date: 2006-08-28 05:14 am (UTC)working on it, though. and actually RODE twice this weekend. such a novelty.
hip is however, Unhappy.
Re: *sigh*
Date: 2006-08-28 07:32 pm (UTC)You need to escape to a nice dry climate. Noodge noodge wink wink.
Re: *sigh*
Date: 2006-08-28 07:40 pm (UTC)mayhap later this year.... still trying to sort life and finances out -- but if not this year, maybe early next...
but I fear you SHALL end up having to put up with me...
no subject
Date: 2006-08-28 07:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-28 07:30 pm (UTC)The exercise is about inside hindleg and outside aids. Eventually leads to the canter pirouette.
Q is taller? Wow. He must be 16 hands. Camilla has grown significantly this year; she'll top out at 14.3, which is perfect for me. Surprisingly, she's not that wide in the barrel, though she's yay deep.
Oreo is going to be Q-sized. 3 months this week and he's almost chest-high on me. With the Pooklet build and a downright gorgeous head.
You'll be in town next month or early October, yes?
no subject
Date: 2006-08-29 04:54 am (UTC)In town...going to 4 corners area/Farmington NM around the 3rd week in Oct, to Cristy's (whom you met in Jan) then she might be driving back with me, we have another killer art workshop in Ojai ($1000 just for tuition) at the tail end of the month, owwww to the wallet but results in great stock stuff. Selling ONE image from the last one to Cummins Diesel paid for almost all of the next workshop, well, not counting lodging. Selling photos commercially from stock can sometimes result in windfalls. Oh. Whoops. This isn't e-mail but your LJ: yes, I would love to experience Ms. Pandora.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-30 07:19 pm (UTC)YAY on stock photo success. May there be more!
Any plans to come up north in the next 6-12 months? May have An Idea. No stock photos, but still Potential and a a Gig for which you would be my First Choice, if it pans out.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-31 03:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-29 04:46 am (UTC)