Soldiering On
May. 11th, 2006 12:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dancinghorseThis is a drive-by posting. I woke up first thing this morning with a major attack of the OMG's, as in, "Omigod my book that is nearly done has taken a complete left turn and it's a good thing the outline for book III is basically 'good guys win, bad guys get squashed like a bug,' because everything I thought it was going to be about, well, sort of still is, but nowhere near the way I thought it would be." And then the Muse arrived from Aruba in a train of little paper umbrellas and presented me with a brand-new plot for book III. Which means the end of II is going to be rather different than I thought it would be. Quite a lot different, actually.
It's the giant worm's fault. Or should I just go ahead and blame Frank Herbert?
Not the best awakening for a lesson day, as I couldn't do anything about it all morning, but as soon as this posts, I'll start following the crazy hairpin turns and steep drops without brakes that this book has turned into. We're just about to hit the rocks, in fact; then it's a book.
Meanwhile, lessons happened. Capria taught S. again, and S. did even better this week than last. She had Capria round, forward, and on the aids, and believe me that is not easy to do. Capria was very happy to be ridden correctly, and gave an excellent lesson.
Then I rode Pandora, who was all for it--had to beat off Camilla. I decided she's getting a lesson next time, and I hope a ride this weekend if she will stop getting chomped on the back or withers every time I think about riding her.
Teacher has decided that if I'm to be ready for the clinic in July, she has to come down harder on me, which is true. I told her to stop apologizing. We need to be really forward, engaged, and focused, and we have to pay attention to straightness, too. So that's what we worked on. Pandora is progressing at Lipp speed: she now has a beautiful walk with a nice overstep, and she's coming more and more on the aids. Trot is still a challenge, but most of that is me. Must Work On Self. Teacher is going to throw in some canter soon; I need to keep building up strength with longeing and hill walkies and riding, as Lipps don't just fall into canter, they have to sit down and launch. Which takes a lot of oomph. Which she has, but she's still not totally sure how to use it, and she can't sustain it for long yet.
Break for Wonder Shoer's arrival
Well. It seems plans may change. It's vastly expensive to haul to Dallas at this point, so we need to get some additional equine passengers--and I may only be able to take one horse. If I do, I'll take Pooka. Because, hip-hip-hooray, his feet are now recovered enough that, with Boa Boots (I'll measure and order tomorrow), he can go back under saddle. And he is younger and tougher and I worry a lot less about him coping with heat and humidity.
Anyway. We have to think about this. And see how he does--his boots should be here in time for Torture Lady's clinic.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we were duly and properly tortured.
Pandora
5-11-06
Seat/trunk
-energy up the front (including the energies of the hand/forearm)
-energy down the back (including the energies of the upper arm)
diagram: circle of seat/trunk aids [circling from hand to shoulder to triceps to underside of forearm back to hand]
-thighs wide apart
-hamstrings work backwards not inwards helping to keep thighs long
wide thighs
-makes room for back to come up
-keeps seatbones adhered to saddle
-enables seat/trunk/weight aids to come through
-allows energy of haunches to come properly forward
VIEWFINDERS!!!
[can you tell this An Issue for me?]
-Keep chin centered over mid-line of horse
-Chin over shoulders at all times
If horse were hot knife and you were butter, would you be symmetrically, evenly sliced in half--INCLUDING your head?
Rein aids
Come from back and shoulders and triceps
never cross over neck
always stay on same side
i.e. right rein-right side only
left rein-left side only
Forearms soft
relaxed energies
ALWAYS upwards
Seat/trunk
Firm up midsection upwards
at attention military style but keep joints loose and fluid
(This does not apply apply to everyone--some people hold themselves too tensely upright.)
[I tend to be too loose in the middle, so this is the fix for my kind of problem.]
Rein aids revisited ;>
allow gravity to work on upper arms--let them rest gently on ribcage.
when the energies of forearm need to come more up--the energies of the upper arm must work equally downward
All rein aids begin in the trunk and radiate outward
When growing upwards, keep thighs even wider in order to prevent standing in stirrups
Riding is 85% seat--don't give it away!
[and consider that in the US, dressage riders tend to ride 90-95% leg and hand....]
Whoever ends up going to the clinic, we'll all be well and properly tuned up. Pandora looks amazing; she has a front end on her like a linebacker, and her topline and hindquarters ain't bad, either.
And now, at last, after many distractions, we can settle down and deal with our little case of Plot Whiplash.
It's the giant worm's fault. Or should I just go ahead and blame Frank Herbert?
Not the best awakening for a lesson day, as I couldn't do anything about it all morning, but as soon as this posts, I'll start following the crazy hairpin turns and steep drops without brakes that this book has turned into. We're just about to hit the rocks, in fact; then it's a book.
Meanwhile, lessons happened. Capria taught S. again, and S. did even better this week than last. She had Capria round, forward, and on the aids, and believe me that is not easy to do. Capria was very happy to be ridden correctly, and gave an excellent lesson.
Then I rode Pandora, who was all for it--had to beat off Camilla. I decided she's getting a lesson next time, and I hope a ride this weekend if she will stop getting chomped on the back or withers every time I think about riding her.
Teacher has decided that if I'm to be ready for the clinic in July, she has to come down harder on me, which is true. I told her to stop apologizing. We need to be really forward, engaged, and focused, and we have to pay attention to straightness, too. So that's what we worked on. Pandora is progressing at Lipp speed: she now has a beautiful walk with a nice overstep, and she's coming more and more on the aids. Trot is still a challenge, but most of that is me. Must Work On Self. Teacher is going to throw in some canter soon; I need to keep building up strength with longeing and hill walkies and riding, as Lipps don't just fall into canter, they have to sit down and launch. Which takes a lot of oomph. Which she has, but she's still not totally sure how to use it, and she can't sustain it for long yet.
Break for Wonder Shoer's arrival
Well. It seems plans may change. It's vastly expensive to haul to Dallas at this point, so we need to get some additional equine passengers--and I may only be able to take one horse. If I do, I'll take Pooka. Because, hip-hip-hooray, his feet are now recovered enough that, with Boa Boots (I'll measure and order tomorrow), he can go back under saddle. And he is younger and tougher and I worry a lot less about him coping with heat and humidity.
Anyway. We have to think about this. And see how he does--his boots should be here in time for Torture Lady's clinic.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we were duly and properly tortured.
Pandora
5-11-06
Seat/trunk
-energy up the front (including the energies of the hand/forearm)
-energy down the back (including the energies of the upper arm)
diagram: circle of seat/trunk aids [circling from hand to shoulder to triceps to underside of forearm back to hand]
-thighs wide apart
-hamstrings work backwards not inwards helping to keep thighs long
wide thighs
-makes room for back to come up
-keeps seatbones adhered to saddle
-enables seat/trunk/weight aids to come through
-allows energy of haunches to come properly forward
VIEWFINDERS!!!
[can you tell this An Issue for me?]
-Keep chin centered over mid-line of horse
-Chin over shoulders at all times
If horse were hot knife and you were butter, would you be symmetrically, evenly sliced in half--INCLUDING your head?
Rein aids
Come from back and shoulders and triceps
never cross over neck
always stay on same side
i.e. right rein-right side only
left rein-left side only
Forearms soft
relaxed energies
ALWAYS upwards
Seat/trunk
Firm up midsection upwards
at attention military style but keep joints loose and fluid
(This does not apply apply to everyone--some people hold themselves too tensely upright.)
[I tend to be too loose in the middle, so this is the fix for my kind of problem.]
Rein aids revisited ;>
allow gravity to work on upper arms--let them rest gently on ribcage.
when the energies of forearm need to come more up--the energies of the upper arm must work equally downward
All rein aids begin in the trunk and radiate outward
When growing upwards, keep thighs even wider in order to prevent standing in stirrups
Riding is 85% seat--don't give it away!
[and consider that in the US, dressage riders tend to ride 90-95% leg and hand....]
Whoever ends up going to the clinic, we'll all be well and properly tuned up. Pandora looks amazing; she has a front end on her like a linebacker, and her topline and hindquarters ain't bad, either.
And now, at last, after many distractions, we can settle down and deal with our little case of Plot Whiplash.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-05-11 09:57 pm (UTC)Rein aids
Come from back and shoulders and triceps
never cross over neck
always stay on same side
i.e. right rein-right side only
left rein-left side only
Oy. Yes. You saw the picture, I need not say more.
Wide thighs also seem to be a Theme this week ;).
no subject
Date: 2006-05-11 10:41 pm (UTC)I got nailed on the hand thang today. I had to ride correct circles with the outside rein only. Inside rein dropped completely. She would bulldoze until I got all the aids in place.
She's getting stronger, so it's easier to keep her on the line, but it also means she's less indulgent when I screw up.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-11 10:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-28 05:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-28 09:58 pm (UTC)Elbows. Aaarrghh.
That's hands, you know. Ultimately.
Can't wait to see your trip report.