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dancinghorseLast night I took da Pook out for walkies--headed for the hills, literally. When we got to the bottom of the nice, long, steep one I had in mind, he was all for going on instead of turning back. So we ended up walking a loop of a couple of miles, complete with passing motorbike, cars and trucks, dogs, strange horses, and all the usual other delights of life on the road and trail. Pook only had one freaky moment, remembered I was there, and settled down. Otherwise he was the ultimate Explorer Pooka, Walkies Bud First Class. Pretty good for a horse who used to either spin in wild circles, plunge uncontrollably, or make a (sometimes successful) break for it any time he went out of sight of his mares.
Camilla is now exactly where he was two years ago, as far as excitement away from the herd goes--so there is hope for her, too.
This morning was unusually cool for the season--low 60s--and dry; the monsoon has retreated and we're in a very weird pattern, lovely to work in but we surely do need rain,, folks. Keed had a very good session of Teacher Torture, working on the aids in all three gaits, studying rounding up over the back, and reviewing shoulder-in. Joni said that with regular dressage work, he'll be ready to show training level fairly soon. He likes it, that's for sure--happy ears on throughout.
I rode Capria this morning because I need to chill on da Pook and stop fussing about being perfect. I've had a bit of a problem with that--actually avoiding riding him because I'm so lousy and he's so far above me, why even bother? This is bad thinking, and I've had to back off lessons for a bit, not worry about making mistakes, and just ride. It's been working well.
Besides which, Capria needs a regular dose of dressage. On her own she won't use her right hind properly--she gets lazy with it and it stiffens up: last remnant of the old problems. If I keep her in regular dressage work, she's perfectly even all around. So, today she got to be Lesson Pony. Joni pointed out that I turn into a wreck every time we get above basics--I get so anxious about advanced work that I lock up solid. Old tapes playing there, because really, I've ridden all the movements (yes, piaffe, passage, even levade) and I have the background to ride them properly. But I get overly excited and fall apart. I also have "rider's block"--bad confidence problems--which doesn't help.
Doesn't help that I insist on riding horses with zero idiot tolerance and extreme hypersensitivity to any form of rider error. They don't cut any slack.
Anyway, we are improving. We worked on fairly simple things: forward, transitions, position, hands. Feeling the horse. Keeping the contact steady. Maintaining rhythm. All the good stuff. Capria was on the aids most of the time--which was about my hands finally giving her the support she's needed all along--and we had no panic attacks on her part. Then, as usually happens when the basics are cruising along happily, good stuff crept in: half a circle of nice collected canter, notably, and much better canter work all around. Balance being a huge thing for a Lipp, canter is the last thing to get it together, and she's getting it. She had that lovely sit down and lift the front end feeling that collection is about, though not the power or throughness she'll have when she's stronger (or Pook has just moseying along--Pook is a mutant, after all).
So, a good lesson, and some good confidence work. Hips were working. Hands were almost decent. Feel was there, instead of getting dissipated in all the other distractions. Capria is pleased with herself. In the last canter, she told me to keep the outside hand where it was and move the outside leg back while asking the inside hind to come up and under (inside rein soft)--and lo and behold: balance! Finally, I actually listened to her. I have a habit of tuning her out and getting all control-maniacal, which with a schoolmaster of her experience is really rather rude.
I'm learning. Really.
Camilla is now exactly where he was two years ago, as far as excitement away from the herd goes--so there is hope for her, too.
This morning was unusually cool for the season--low 60s--and dry; the monsoon has retreated and we're in a very weird pattern, lovely to work in but we surely do need rain,, folks. Keed had a very good session of Teacher Torture, working on the aids in all three gaits, studying rounding up over the back, and reviewing shoulder-in. Joni said that with regular dressage work, he'll be ready to show training level fairly soon. He likes it, that's for sure--happy ears on throughout.
I rode Capria this morning because I need to chill on da Pook and stop fussing about being perfect. I've had a bit of a problem with that--actually avoiding riding him because I'm so lousy and he's so far above me, why even bother? This is bad thinking, and I've had to back off lessons for a bit, not worry about making mistakes, and just ride. It's been working well.
Besides which, Capria needs a regular dose of dressage. On her own she won't use her right hind properly--she gets lazy with it and it stiffens up: last remnant of the old problems. If I keep her in regular dressage work, she's perfectly even all around. So, today she got to be Lesson Pony. Joni pointed out that I turn into a wreck every time we get above basics--I get so anxious about advanced work that I lock up solid. Old tapes playing there, because really, I've ridden all the movements (yes, piaffe, passage, even levade) and I have the background to ride them properly. But I get overly excited and fall apart. I also have "rider's block"--bad confidence problems--which doesn't help.
Doesn't help that I insist on riding horses with zero idiot tolerance and extreme hypersensitivity to any form of rider error. They don't cut any slack.
Anyway, we are improving. We worked on fairly simple things: forward, transitions, position, hands. Feeling the horse. Keeping the contact steady. Maintaining rhythm. All the good stuff. Capria was on the aids most of the time--which was about my hands finally giving her the support she's needed all along--and we had no panic attacks on her part. Then, as usually happens when the basics are cruising along happily, good stuff crept in: half a circle of nice collected canter, notably, and much better canter work all around. Balance being a huge thing for a Lipp, canter is the last thing to get it together, and she's getting it. She had that lovely sit down and lift the front end feeling that collection is about, though not the power or throughness she'll have when she's stronger (or Pook has just moseying along--Pook is a mutant, after all).
So, a good lesson, and some good confidence work. Hips were working. Hands were almost decent. Feel was there, instead of getting dissipated in all the other distractions. Capria is pleased with herself. In the last canter, she told me to keep the outside hand where it was and move the outside leg back while asking the inside hind to come up and under (inside rein soft)--and lo and behold: balance! Finally, I actually listened to her. I have a habit of tuning her out and getting all control-maniacal, which with a schoolmaster of her experience is really rather rude.
I'm learning. Really.
