Clair seems to have really good feet. I'd like to have her barefoot if possible. Eight weeks ago I had the farrier pull all four of her shoes. Since then her hind feet have been doing great. Her fronts, however, really got beat up in the hoof wall, especially in the front of the hoof. It all chipped away -- the crazy wet weather over the last eight weeks didn't help. Her soles stayed hard has a rock, and she showed no lameness at all, so I talked to the farrier before her latest trim last week and told him if she needed shoes on her fronts, that was fine with me. He said he'd really like to keep giving barefoot a try. He trimmed her while I was on the road, and her feet looked really good when I returned, but I could tell that Clair was footsore in front. Yesterday she minced her way across the gravel driveway, and she looked hesitant when I lunged her, even though the arena footing is lovely and soft. Today she seemed at least 50% better -- striding out better over the gravel and more willing to move out on the lunge. I think in a day or two more she'll be back to normal and I'll be able to get back on her.
I haven't ridden her since the saddle slipped (except I quickly hopped on after the accident for W-T-C. which went fine), but the more I think about it, the more I think the whole thing was entirely my fault. Clair has gotten quite fuzzy in the past couple weeks, and it's really slick fuzz. I think I was just too blase about getting the girth tight enough with her slicker coat. I'm also using a short-billeted dressage saddle for the first time ever, and I read that because more of the "grip" comes from the girth rather than the saddle, it's extra important to get the girth tight. You just have less surface area to provide friction.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Saturdays with Suzanne: Driving Your Horse Forward
Driving Your Horse Forward
My husband, Wolfgang, would always say, "you can't ride until you can drive!" Forwardness and impulsion are most definitely not running a horse off its feet! Doing so just confirms that the horse is on the forehand and running through the bridle, often with a shorter, quicker stride. The rider must then pull the horse around corners and curves and into transitions.
The rider must be sure that half-halts actually come through and reach the hind fetlock, causing the horse to shift its weight back, hesitate for a moment, and wait for the rider to push it forward in the desired direction or transition, tempo, and frame. This method also ensures that the rider "gets" the horse in the corner (Wolfgang also said, "Corners are our friends!", but that's another subject), can push the horse into an actual lengthening (rather than speeding up), and can accomplish clear, balanced transitions between and within gaits and movements.
Being able to drive the horse forward is also indispensable when dealing with disobedience. The rider must be able to correct everything forward. Usually the rider's instinct is to stop the disobedience with the hands, which tends to get the horse "behind the leg". Doing so just creates another set of problems. The seat and leg aids should actually precede the hands. The idea is to always ride the horse from back to front no matter what the horse does momentarily. This consistency in the rider's aids is not lost on the horse, which can only help the progress of training.
Our goal is self-carriage, which implies that other criteria have been met, such as "throughness" and balance. This is the point at which "driving your horse forward" can create true impulsion instead of running.
My husband, Wolfgang, would always say, "you can't ride until you can drive!" Forwardness and impulsion are most definitely not running a horse off its feet! Doing so just confirms that the horse is on the forehand and running through the bridle, often with a shorter, quicker stride. The rider must then pull the horse around corners and curves and into transitions.
The rider must be sure that half-halts actually come through and reach the hind fetlock, causing the horse to shift its weight back, hesitate for a moment, and wait for the rider to push it forward in the desired direction or transition, tempo, and frame. This method also ensures that the rider "gets" the horse in the corner (Wolfgang also said, "Corners are our friends!", but that's another subject), can push the horse into an actual lengthening (rather than speeding up), and can accomplish clear, balanced transitions between and within gaits and movements.
Being able to drive the horse forward is also indispensable when dealing with disobedience. The rider must be able to correct everything forward. Usually the rider's instinct is to stop the disobedience with the hands, which tends to get the horse "behind the leg". Doing so just creates another set of problems. The seat and leg aids should actually precede the hands. The idea is to always ride the horse from back to front no matter what the horse does momentarily. This consistency in the rider's aids is not lost on the horse, which can only help the progress of training.
Our goal is self-carriage, which implies that other criteria have been met, such as "throughness" and balance. This is the point at which "driving your horse forward" can create true impulsion instead of running.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Two for two
Prior to yesterday, the last time I fell off a horse was probably three years ago, when Baby Huey spooked at some ducks during a trail ride. That time I landed on my feet. Yesterday the fall from Clair wasn't bad at all. Today I made it two for two by getting bucked off Dakota. This time a trip to urgent care was the outcome.
Dakota is a sweetheart. He has never bucked, bolted, kicked, or bitten. He always tries hard. Today the barn owner B and I set out for a trail ride. We had just turned toward the driveway when I remembered I wanted to take my phone. I turned Dakota back toward the arena, where my phone was sitting on a shelf mounted to the arena railing. My car was also parked there, and to get to the phone we needed to maneuver between the car and the railing. There was about an eight foot gap, tight but not crazy tight. Dakota didn't want to squeeze in there. I was being pretty patient, just gently urging him forward, when in a flash he had a full-on panic attack. He sat back on his haunches, whirled 180 degrees, and started bucking as hard as he could, which is hard. I think I stuck it for two jumps and then I was off to the left. It was all so out of character for him!
I landed on my left forearm and hip. I really smacked into the ground, but i just felt sore when I stood up. I got back on Mr. D, and we continued our trail ride. He was a bit unsettled for the first ten minutes, but then he was fine. i felt fine myself. I spent the afternoon helping my husband install windows. I was a little gimpy on my left leg but still feeling pretty ok. By five o'clock, though, my left wrist was starting to really hurt and swell up. It was also making a weird clicking noise when I rotated it. I'm headed out of town tomorrow on a business trip, and I wanted to have it checked before I left, so off to urgent care we went. They x-rayed my wrist and hip. No obvious fractures but they want a radiologist to doublecheck the images tomorrow. I don't get on the plane until late afternoon.
Impressive hematoma, no?
B has a theory that maybe the tight space triggered a bad memory for Dakota -- maybe the stocks when he was at BLM? She said he looked terrified. I tend to agree that it was some kind of triggered trauma, because it was completely unlike him. We'll get back to it on Saturday and leave all this bad luck behind! (And after two smacks, I need to buy a new helmet!)
Dakota is a sweetheart. He has never bucked, bolted, kicked, or bitten. He always tries hard. Today the barn owner B and I set out for a trail ride. We had just turned toward the driveway when I remembered I wanted to take my phone. I turned Dakota back toward the arena, where my phone was sitting on a shelf mounted to the arena railing. My car was also parked there, and to get to the phone we needed to maneuver between the car and the railing. There was about an eight foot gap, tight but not crazy tight. Dakota didn't want to squeeze in there. I was being pretty patient, just gently urging him forward, when in a flash he had a full-on panic attack. He sat back on his haunches, whirled 180 degrees, and started bucking as hard as he could, which is hard. I think I stuck it for two jumps and then I was off to the left. It was all so out of character for him!
I landed on my left forearm and hip. I really smacked into the ground, but i just felt sore when I stood up. I got back on Mr. D, and we continued our trail ride. He was a bit unsettled for the first ten minutes, but then he was fine. i felt fine myself. I spent the afternoon helping my husband install windows. I was a little gimpy on my left leg but still feeling pretty ok. By five o'clock, though, my left wrist was starting to really hurt and swell up. It was also making a weird clicking noise when I rotated it. I'm headed out of town tomorrow on a business trip, and I wanted to have it checked before I left, so off to urgent care we went. They x-rayed my wrist and hip. No obvious fractures but they want a radiologist to doublecheck the images tomorrow. I don't get on the plane until late afternoon.
Impressive hematoma, no?
B has a theory that maybe the tight space triggered a bad memory for Dakota -- maybe the stocks when he was at BLM? She said he looked terrified. I tend to agree that it was some kind of triggered trauma, because it was completely unlike him. We'll get back to it on Saturday and leave all this bad luck behind! (And after two smacks, I need to buy a new helmet!)
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Keep your weight to the inside
The last few times I've ridden Clair, I've noticed that the saddle has shifted to the left a bit upon mounting. For some reason, the fact that this kept happening didn't really penetrate my brain. Today it happened again, enough so that I had to dismount, reposition the saddle, tighten, and remount. Still, I wasn't thinking much of it. After about fifteen minutes of a lovely schooling session, I was working a fifteen-meter canter circle left. I thought to myself, hey, your weight is shifted to the outside. Fix it. I tried and suddenly realized the whole saddle and both pads had actually shifted to the outside, and the centrifugal force was too much for me to overcome. We were coming up to the round-pole railing, which I really didn't want to fall on, so I launched myself over it and out into the grass. Clair Mare, bless her heart, cantered one more stride, stopped, and started grazing under the rail. I landed on my left shoulder and smacked my helmet-clad head pretty hard, but other than seeing a few stars I was fine. The saddle and pads were 2/3 under Clair, but she didn't care at all. I slipped my hand under the girth to see how loose it was, and it really wasn't loose at all -- it was still quite snug. So now I'm wondering -- is Clair puffing up while I tack up (when she has never done that before) or is this saddle just not fitting right? Clair and I both really like it, but if it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit.
I got back on and did W-T-C both directions. I was very careful to keep my weight to the inside! It's pretty embarrassing to allow such an avoidable accident. Clair was a little hesitant about left-lead canter ("Mom, are you sure? Last time you went flying."), but quickly went right back to work. Such a good pony!
I got back on and did W-T-C both directions. I was very careful to keep my weight to the inside! It's pretty embarrassing to allow such an avoidable accident. Clair was a little hesitant about left-lead canter ("Mom, are you sure? Last time you went flying."), but quickly went right back to work. Such a good pony!
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Recent Clair Mare video
Clair Mare and I have to get ready for a clinic -- Suzanne May is coming to town November 14-16! I would like to be able to show off most of second level if possible.
Here's video from Sunday. My main self-criticism is my loose, busy legs. Clair is a peach as always. I'm starting to get better about feeling when she goes behind the vertical and gently correcting.
Here's video from Sunday. My main self-criticism is my loose, busy legs. Clair is a peach as always. I'm starting to get better about feeling when she goes behind the vertical and gently correcting.
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