Rolex Recap

 I was lucky enough to spend my past weekend at the ever famous Rolex Kentucky CCI****. We arrived Wednesday night to make sure we could watch both days of Dressage. I enjoyed watching my friend Meghan O' Donoghue and her wonder horse, Pirate. They rocked around Cross Country with a clean ride, not touching anything, moving them from 39th to 19th. I'm super proud of the both of them as it is only their second time competing at Rolex. I can't wait to see the future for the two of them.

What's not to like about Rolex? The shopping and sights of the Kentucky Horse Park just add to the incredible atmosphere of being around international horses and riders. I didn't get very much shopping done, mainly because I spent most of my time trying not to get lost in the crowds. However, I did pick up a pair of Tredstep Donatello's for schooling. I can't wait to start riding in them, they are super comfortable and flexible. So, now, my show boots can be polished and put away in my show bag for KDA. They also gave away Tredstep saddle pads with every boot purchase, so that went home with Kristin to be used as a schooling pad for Cody. 

Friday, we went out to see Cody at the barn. He's such a show-off. As I went to bring him in, he spent thirty minutes trotting and cantering around the field. He put in a nice, big trot and was throwing clean changes left and right- maybe he could go Third Level. Once I finally caught him, I enjoyed spending some quality time with my partner-in-crime, it definitely made my day despite all of the rain. 

Saturday morning, we walked Cross Country, and, man, is that a long walk. We took several breaks to stop and rest during the walk. We didn't quite make it to the Head of the Lake, but we journeyed through the treacherous hills and fields. I didn't realize how conditioned the horses have to be. 

I wish the best of luck to Meghan today in Stadium. If Pirate jumps anything like he did yesterday, it will be a fantastic finish to a great weekend. They are an incredible pair to watch for the future. 

Training the Rider

I read an article by Jeremy Steinberg a couple days ago. The article itself has gotten a lot of attention, but if you haven't read it, you should really check out on the Chronicle of the Horse. 

In the article, Jeremy hit several points about the dressage in the U.S. I agree 100% with Jeremy, too many people are talking about how the U.S. needs a stronger Young Rider team or more future Olympians but they aren't doing anything about it. Yes, there are many programs to promote junior riders in dressage, such as the EDAP programs, but many parents and trainers resort to blaming to horse. That their horse "doesn't move well enough" or "isn't fancy enough". That obviously isn't training the student to be confident or believe in their horse, all it is doing is allowing the rider to make excuses. And it certainly does not do the student justice knowing that the trainer does not believe in the capabilities of the rider to take the horse to the best of his/her abilities. The big problem is that there needs to be more trainers who believe in the ride'rs abilities as well as the horse's. Trainers need to take pride in their rider's, even if they aren't on incredible horses. Trainers should see the potential in the rider's and believe that they can go far. 

My situation is a prime example of not having the best horse money can buy, but still getting good scores through hard work. Cody and I are just starting to venture into First Level. We are doing pretty well, but our big problem are our lengthenings. But that is totally understandable. Heck, Cody's a 24 year old Quarter Horse. No, he's not an 8 mover, nor will he ever score above a 6.5 on his lengthenings. But, that's not his fault or mine. I've come to terms with the fact, I just have to work twice as hard to make everything else even better. We may never score in the 70's, but I can work towards it and set goals that are reasonable for us at the moment. Cody can only be as good as the pride I put into him. That being said, I can't just ride him and pray for good scores. I have to believe in both of our abilities. 

With some parents throwing their kids on GP horses it makes me ask myself what I would be doing if I had that opportunity. The answer to that question is obvious, I would be no farther than I am with Cody. Would I love to have a new horse that I could do the upper levels with? Yes! But, I know that I still have a lot to learn with Cody before I can remotely think about a new horse. Until I fix my problems how can I expect Cody to fix his? Or any horse for that matter. Nobody can just jump on a GP horse and do well, they have to have a certain depth of understanding of how to correctly ride that horse. I don't mean how to "push the buttons", but how to sit their trot or ride their changes without falling behind the motion. The horse is only as good as the rider. 

This article really hit home with me because I- like a lot of Young Riders- do not have extravagant amounts of money to flaunt on custom saddles or $100,000 horses. I do, however, have two trainers who won't give up on me. To me, I believe that is more important than unlimited funds or an imported horse. They have been with me through every little problem or victory. But, the biggest thing that is so important to me is that they believe in me. They are creating me to be the best rider I can be with the opportunities I have. They are teaching me to sit well and have a good seat, because that is what will allow me to excel on any horse I am on. Whether it is a Quarter Horse, Dutch Warmblood, or a pony, having a correct seat and riding well is what makes a good rider noticeable. Judges see my abilities because I am developing a correct, solid seat and they begin to see that. They look past Cody's flaws and see what we are capable of because of how I am riding him.

It all boils down to the rider and I can't thank Kristin and Susan enough for making me the rider I am today. 

Show Season Kick Off!

It seems like forever since I have posted anything. This past week, Cody has been in Lexington with Kristin so I haven't had anything to write about. Cody with continue to stay until June- or longer, depending on how things work out- while I plan on making several trips up there between now and KDA (May) and Meadow Lake (June).

Between last week, when I left after spring break, and now, Cody had made HUGE steps. He's lighter and softer in the bridle and I can also move the bit in his mouth, which was a huge problem before. I can't thank Kristin enough for helping me get Cody show-ready and practically transforming him into a different horse in just four days! He still has a long way to go, but he is taking steps towards improvement. I can't wait to see the difference at KDA. 

We started Saturday off with a bang! I had my First Level Test One first, and my Training Three Qualifier later. Having not ridden him since last Sunday, I was a little nervous to see how he would react. Well, he totally surprised me and just gave me everything. Although, we had a bobble in one of the transitions, we pulled off a 68% at his first test of the season! Not to mention that we hadn't ridden that test since September. I was stoked considering just last week we were having arguments over canter transitions. I was a super proud momma and headed into my Training Three with the confidence that I really needed to get through. We received a 67% on that test with some very nice comments from the judge. 

Sunday was an eventful day. We started off with First One, again. I fixed a lot of my issues from yesterday and it paid off when Cody actually picked up the correct transition. We scored several 8's on our 15 meter canter circles and our stretching trot. 

I headed into my Training Three unsure of how things were going to turn out. He was already pretty tired from yesterday and this morning. But I hoped for the best, although it didn't work in my favor. The first half was great and we scores more 8's on our canter circles and another on our trot transition from the canter. However, when it came time for the walk transition, I didn't prepare him as well as I should and he slammed into the walk. Then, he continued in the slowest walk I have ever seen a horse walk. Half of it was that he was super tired, and the other half was that he started to get an "I'm done for the day" attitude. So, I squeezed and squeezed with my calf to no avail, and I nudged him With the spur, but still no response. Erg. Until, I picked up my reins, then he decided to jig, and then I got him back to the walk, and he stuck his neck in the air. So, I quietly put my hands done and pushed him forward into the trot, which was better. He started anticipating the canter transitions, but at least I wasn't having to make a big deal of it to get him into it. But, I made sure we ended on a good note and gave him some treats (because I always feel bad when I don't) and Kristin said that his canter transitions were the best that she has seen them. We managed a 68%, which I will take any day. 

Even though we had our bobbles, I am super-duper proud of my little guy, his improvement was huge. But, shows aren't always going to be perfect. We had our shining moments and our little fights, but at the end of the day, I have to give him credit for all he's put up with and how well he has done for the first show. I can't wait for KDA and everything else that awaits us this year! 

The Importance of Biomechanics

Since Saturday, my trainers (Susan and Kristin) and I have been working to fix a bad habit of mine that I have picked up over the winter. Every day I've had to overcome the habit of letting my reins get longer and longer, allowing him to get strung out. I realize now, that I wasn't doing Cody any justice riding with long(er) reins, as this made him harder to ride uphill because he would get down on his forehand and fall on his nose in down transitions. Once we fixed it, although I still have moments where I need to keep reminding myself to shorten them, Cody was up in the bridle and super easy to ride.

 I read an article on Charlotte Dujardin's and Judy Harvey's symposium in the U.S. a couple weeks ago. Many great FEI riders and trainers took part in the riding side of the seminar, such as Hilda Gurney, Leslie Reid, and several others. They rode horses anywhere from 2nd Level to Grand Prix. But, with every rider, Charlotte stressed the importance of riding with short reins as she told the them her secret to success at London, saying that "Short reins win gold medals". 

Monday, Susan told me to re-read the articles, really paying attention to how the horses came up into the bridle after Charlotte asked them to shorten the reins. After re-reading the articles and re-watching videos, something clicked and I truly understood not just to shorten the reins but why I should and how it would influence Cody to be uphill. The next day my lesson was so much better because I understood why I was doing it. Therefore, I could envision the difference between the effects of long and short reins and how I was influencing Cody's body. Understanding the reasons behind exercises helps me grow as a rider and improves my ability to see how Cody might react. The key to riding is not what what you are doing, it's understanding why you are doing it. I feel that so many riders need to realize that and take a step back to see how their riding is affecting their horse. Just seeing Cody's difference between just doing it and understanding why I am doing it has opened my eyes. I can now see why short reins make such a difference. When you look at the biomechanics of the horse, you see that when you shorten your reins, the contact to the bit becomes more elastic as the reins are just extensions of your arm. This also places your hands in front of the saddle, keeping them in a place where they can continue following the bit without having to move them back in your lap when you need to use a certain rein. This creates as steady contact with the horse's mouth and allows the rider to give the rein aids to the horse without jeopardizing the connection. Short reins keep the horse in front of your hand because it is easier for them fill up the reins as it is like you are "holding hands" with them. This steady contact should work as a comfort zone, where the horse can go without feeling like they will be pushed around as it must have an elastic, guiding feel to it. 

    This shows how the horse's muscular  

    system is acting in accordance to the 

    rider and movement. When the correct

    muscles are being used and the horse 

    is filling up the contact, the throat latch 

    should be open. 

    This shows how the rider affects the 

    horse and shows correct influencing 

    of energy, demonstrating how the 

    energy is created into impulsion.

Where's My Wall?

Yesterday morning I had my last lesson with Susan before she leaves for a judge's conference. It really couldn't have gone any better and I am happy that we finished on such a good note. His improvement since Saturday is unbelievable. I am sitting most of his trot now and keeping is forward and light- like he is carrying me- which was my goal for this week. 

I really love the exercise we did yesterday and I'll be definitely using it a lot. It really does so much by just doing one little thing- staying only on the inside track. Even on the short sides, you must stay on the inside track.  But it really gets the point across for balance and help when you're not on the wall and going across the diagonal or down the centerline. 

 

At first, it was really tough- and it was throughout the lesson- because I didn't realize how much Cody leans in the wall. My left arm was really getting a work out, holding him up and keeping him from drifting to the wall. The first time we went down the second track, Cody thought we were leg yielding him and automatically started leg yielding side ways. After a few times of just straight down the inside track, he started to understand I could work on my sitting trot. I really liked going into the corners because he didn't have a wall to lean on so it was really me who was giving him a mental wall to turn on. I got to a point where I sat the whole way around the second track and he didn't fall sideways or get fussy because he didn't have a wall to lean on. Once he understood that it would be easier to use both sides of his body to move forward, he was so much easier to ride. 

The canter, however, was my favorite part because it required so much sit in the corner, you almost had to think a little bit of pirouette. Might I mention that his canter transitions were great because he wasn't falling out of his shoulder or leaning on the wall. When I would ride down the long side, I prepared him for the corner by keeping my outside leg steady and wrapped around his side to keep him straight and balanced, so he wouldn't fall out. When we reached the corner, I sat deep on my seat bones and rode him into the outside rein to show him where my wall was. I had several really good corners where he supported himself and didn't fall out. However, when he would fall sideways, I would do a 10 meter circle so he could stretch over his shoulder and regain the balance. I finished with four really good corners and two nice down transitions from canter to trot and trot to walk. His transitions are so much better, but that was in me because I wasn't riding the transitions enough, I would just throw it on him. Even though his walk transitions are somewhat trot-stop-walk, he is getting better because he has he support from my legs telling him to "Keep walking". Like Susan said, Cody just kept thinking "Where's my wall?".

 Once we finally got the forward sitting trot 

More Lexington Training

Yesterday's ride was pretty good. After we got passed the temper tantrums because Cody wanted to lean on my right leg and refused to move off of it. However, we did get over it and it wasn't a big deal because after his fit, he was super soft and up in the bridle. I'm glad I got the point across and he was fantastic for the rest of the ride. Since he's so much better about keeping his impulsion, I can focus on some other 1st level movements. We focused on leg yields today and it took him a few tries to remember that more leg means step sideways. So, we worked at the walk for a few minutes to explain that he also needs to step sideways and move forward. That problem was fixed and we did several great leg yields from the center line to E or B. We also worked smaller circles to get him up in the bridle, as he likes to dive down sometimes. He took that very well and the only problems were from the rider. I have to work on preparing him farther down the rail. 

I'm super happy with today's ride. Nothing is ever going to be perfect all of the time but, I am very happy that I ended on such a good note. I feel like day Cody keeps improving and each day I can sit longer and I don't have to drop my hands as much. We also tried the different bit and he was so much easier to ride. I also noticed twice as much foam as normal, and it was white, too. So, yay for a different bit and another great ride!

              A very good Cody!

Day 4!

Yesterday morning was pretty productive, riding wise. I had a lesson with Susan and we worked on keeping him consistently moving forward, responding quicker to my aids. He is getting so much better in the past few days, I can feel the difference between Saturday and now. 

We also worked a lot on first level stuff- canter loops, leg yields, lengthening's. He nailed the canter loops as counter-canter is his favorite exercise. The leg yields, however, do need a lot of work. He crosses over well, but he doesn't move off my leg very easily and it takes somewhat of a fight to get him to the wall. His lengthening's are getting there, as they will never be 7's, I can still work on getting them as uphill as I can and getting as much reach over the back as possible. 

Cody is also getting so much better about not throwing his head up when he is confused. Saturday and Sunday, when he put his head up, my hands went down. Now, he rarely throws his head up, and if he does, it was a rider problem. Since he is so much more consistent, I can sit most of the trot. Which, in the long run, makes my transitions more over the back. 

Kristin also rode Cody last night and we came to the conclusion that he didn't like his bit. He's very reluctant to really loosen his jaw, he has a problem of setting it and getting mad when you ask him to move it. He was in a Neue Schule so we are trying just a plain, loose ring snaffle and we will see how he does. I'm sure he will like it, it is the shape of his old bit that is bothering him. 

Since the weather was good, Cody also got a liniment bath since he had worked so hard today. He always feels better after a liniment bath, it relieves his muscles or any soreness in the body that was bothering him. He's also been wearing his hock boots over night and he continues to feel better in his movement and desire to move forward. He is definitely a spoiled pony when it comes to care.

 

             Spoiled pony!