Shhhh! Hands, Legs be Quiet

The horse I rode last night hated me. Everything about me. My hands, my legs, my new boots…even my blue shirt. I was SHOUTING my aids at this horse and she wasn’t about to comply. 

Everything and I do mean everything about me annoyed her. I could get her to move forward and round but she wouldn’t commit to the contact. Within a few strides her head was up and shaking all over the place. My riding skills had failed me. (Do I even have riding skills?)

Ow! I’m not going there. You touched the reins and jabbed me in the mouth again.

My butt balls and drifting leg annoyed her.

Hey! Relax will ya? Oh, and hold your legs still. That’s sooooo annoying!

Neither of us was enjoying this ride. I was amplifying the aids instead of the gaits. <sigh> What’s a struggling dressage rider to do?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Shhhh! Hands and legs be quiet!

I changed tactics and focused on “whispering” my aids. (After all who wants to get bucked off?) I finally achieved marshmallow butt and allowed my legs to drape quietly at the girth. My hands were steady and quiet with elastic elbows. We momentarily forged a partnership of power and grace.

I wasn’t pushing my luck and ended it there.

This brings a song to mind:

(Shout) a little bit louder now (wooo)
(Shout) a little bit louder now (wooo)
(Shout) a little bit louder now (wooo)
(Shout) a little bit louder now

(Shout) a little bit quieter now

(Shout) a little bit quieter now

(Shout) a little bit quieter now

(Shout) a whisper now

Hey-Hey-A-Hey

– Adapted from The Isley Brothers “Shout”

Quick! Let’s package it! I could make a fortune selling this “Whisper.”

Less than Perfect

Dressage is a very demanding and exacting sport. As a self-proclaimed perfectionist, I often wonder if I’ve set the bar too high. Am I demanding too much from myself? Will I always be tempted by the carrot of perfection that hovers just over the horizon. Hoping that some day I’ll ride a “perfect” test.

Have I set myself up for failure and frustration? Yes.

Mistakes are part of riding and even my best rides contain flaws. As I progress up the levels my coordination improves and I become more effective in managing my mistakes.

That means progress! Something I often fail to acknowledge.

Instead I focus on the mistakes. Building up frustration and causing myself to shut down. What I need to do is embrace my mistakes. Each and every one is an opportunity to learn, improve and progress.

In celebration of my progress I acknowledge the following:

1. My leg yields recently are straighter and sideways.
2. My hands are quieter.
3. My circles are rounder.
4. I’m bending my horse more.

I’m less than perfect and proud of it!

Exercise Ball: Balanced Riders Challenge

Things are a little slow today. I find myself sitting on my exercise ball at my desk challenging my balance. (Idyll hands are the devil’s playground and all that.) It’s mildly entertaining as long as I don’t roll off. The benefit is that I’m working on my core, balance and overall coordination!

I hereby issue this challenge to you!

(Disclaimer: Not liable for any injury resulting from riding the exercise ball. Please consult with a Doctor before exercising. Always wear a helmet.)

Exercise Ball: Balanced Riders Challenge

1. Sit on the exercise ball as you would on a horse, place your hands in rider position (rest them against a desk if needed).
2. Lengthen your spine as you imagine a bungee cord pulling the top of your head up. (A little Sally Swift here.)
3. Lift one foot off the floor and hold for 3 to 5 seconds. Switch legs.
4. Repeat 8 times with each leg.

Challenge: Lift both feet off the floor, heels down. Sit with only the ball touching the floor.

Advanced challenges

1. Lift both feet off the floor, heels down. Place your hands in rider position. Sit with only the ball touching the floor.
2. Same as #1 but bounce as if riding the sitting trot.
3. Same as #1 but work on opening and closing your hips. Tilt slightly forward and rolling the ball back (closed hips). Return to vertical (deep seat). Then tilt slightly back and rolling the ball forward (open hips). (A slight twist on Sally Swift again.)
4. Same as #1 but take one or both legs away from the sides of the exercise ball.

I’ve done them all! You may have to work up to them little by little. Practice makes perfect.

Issue a challenge of your own.

Testing the Brakes

On this particular day I was riding the dressage school master. He’s a really sweet Danish Warmblood that acts as though he’s a four year old. Very playful, flirting with all the girls. I think he’s experiencing a mid-life crisis.

During the lesson I was working on, ah make that, struggling with suppling and bending. Wait a minute. I’m always doing that. <sigh> My pattern was to leg yield from the quarterline to the rail and on the opposite side I would ride one big loop.

Huh, I sense a pattern here. Bending, outside rein, control the shoulder… I may not have been riding a 20-meter torture circle but all the aids were there. Pretty sneaky.

As I started my turn down the quarterline for another leg yield I accidentally hit the gas pedal, uh-oh.

Simultaneously, he spooked at something, double uh-oh.

I haven’t cantered him yet. I’ve seen him canter. Big, huge, powerful canter strides. Leaping tall buildings in a single bound. Scary.

In slow motion

“Oh, this again?”
(HELLO! Big, scary, leaping tall buildings canter here!)

No immediate traffic

Switch right rein to left hand

Drop whip

Take right rein back

Watch my instructor moving into our path with arms extended <gulp>

Uh-oh, we’re going to plow through her!

Tapping the brakes

Halt!

Wow! Great brakes! Rotten transition. I found myself perched a bit too far forward and more on my stirrups then my seat but I rode it out. Wait! I kept both stirrups! Yipppppee!

My instructor was pleasantly surprised and so was I. We wrapped things up with circles at the other end of the arena.

Dressage Radio Interviews Confessions of a Struggling Dressage Rider

I recently had the fantastic opportunity to talk about the Confessions of a Struggling Dressage Rider blog on the Horse Radio Network show Dressage Radio. So if you’ve been wondering about the voice behind the blog ride on over to the Dressage Radio Show, Episode 8.

The show’s co-hosts, Chris Stafford and Heather Blitz, take an in depth look at the issues and the players involved in the exciting sport of dressage. News, interviews, discussion and a whole lot of fun are what make up every episode of the Dressage Radio Show.

Listen in to the weekly podcasts! You can join them on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe through iTunes.

Instruments of Torture: New Riding Boots

I splurged on a new pair of Ariat Heritage II riding boots. With a back zipper no less! The boots were a Christmas / birthday present for myself. I love them but I still haven’t worn them for riding. It’s been what? six months now?

My first excuse was “It’s winter. That’s winter riding boot weather.”

Then “It’s spring. I’m not going to ruin them tromping around in the mud and puddles.”

Then “They’re too pretty.”

In reality I just didn’t want to break them in. I love my old, cheap Stateline Tack boots. They’re so broken in that I no longer need to use boot pulls. Any minute though a hole is going to appear. They’re no longer safe for that very reason. In the meantime I continue to wear my old boots.

I’ve wore the new boots around the house in a pathetic attempt at breaking them in. I purchased a regular calf width. I can zip them up, barely. They’re quite tight even with the top gusset. I’d like to think it’s because my calves are muscular. <cough>

When I wasn’t trying to wear them I stuffed them with a heavy beach towel. It helped a little. Then I decided to wear them for a practice ride. I stuffed my legs in and snapped them closed. I have a five minute walk from my department to my car. Then about an hour of driving during S-L-O-W hour.

I barely made it to my car.

My legs were numb. I couldn’t feel my feet. “I’m sorry about the accident Officer but I couldn’t feel the brake.” That wouldn’t be good.

I literally ripped them off when I reached the car. On went my old friends.

So the struggle continues…I put them on at the house and sit, stand, walk, pray. I don’t snap them.

I tried to wear them again to ride. The left leg was almost normal and the right was a little tight by the time I left the building. Once again on went my old friends.

Back at the house I put them on again. This time I zipped them with a Nylabone in each. (I have dogs. What can I say.) Granted I couldn’t zip them up all the way but I thought it would help to     s t r e t c h   them a bit.

Why, oh why, do pretty new boots have to turn into instruments of torture?

I’m running out of time here.

Riding is like chewing gum while walking

Have you ever tried to chew gum while walking, patting your head and rubbing your tummy all at the same time? Well riding’s a lot like that. It can all be done but the minute you concentrate on only one thing something else slips away.

If I think about my half-halts, my hands instantly become busier and I broadcast it loud and clear instead of an invisible squeezing of the rein and holding of the seat. My horse no longer wants to come down into my hand, where it will get jabbed by the bit.

When I hear “get the forward, then ride the poll down,” my legs achieve the forward but I forget about my arms. They’ve straightened and I’ve lost the elastic contact with the bit. I can’t manhandle and force the poll down. I need to ride the poll down.

When my horse spooks, I forget to keep my body back and my hands quiet. When I fall forward I grab with my legs to keep my balance and my noisy hands tell the horse there is something to worry about.

Learning the art of dressage will take me countless years and an endless number of circles. As I progress in my riding I need to be constantly aware of my body and it’s effect on my equine partner. It may not be pretty or technically correct yet but with training I believe all of the separate pieces will come together into one whole.

Fleetingly, I can achieve harmony with my horse and the world melts away.

I have the forward but I've lost the straight line from bit to elbow. My alignment is pretty good but my heel has come up. Buttons looks like she's leaning into the turn and not bent around my inside leg. My eyes are looking at the corner instead of at what's coming up.

Buttons is trotting in a nice relaxed frame. I see that my heel and leg have come up as I'm using the inside leg to outside rein aid. This has compromised my upper body and from this angle I look like I've fallen forward.

Horse Power

I don’t own a horse so last night I pretended to own Calvin. He’s a bouncy chestnut TB in our school program. While Calvin finished dinner I groomed and tacked him. Then we entered the indoor and I mounted for my practice ride.

Oh, did I happen to mention that he’s a bit lazy?

I spent the next half hour practice riding a hollow backed horse that was against the hand. His head was in one town and his tail was in another. I’d push him forward in the trot and he’d come down for a moment and pop right back up. It felt as though each leg was paddling in an entirely different direction. I was being bounced all over the place. Steady hands? Yeah, right. I could visualize hands on the shelf or acting as book ends until the cows came home. It wasn’t happening.

Maybe I’m too sensitive about my riding skills but I was on the verge of crying. I just couldn’t pull him together.

Then, I got mad at myself and put on my assertive riding face.

I growled, further engaged my core and really starting asking Calvin to go forward. My leg aid was backed up with my dressage whip so he had to pay attention. I could hear my instructor whispering in my ear “Get the forward. Then ride the poll down.”

Bingo!

Calvin’s hind end engaged. He rounded and came down into my hand. I was connected on both sides and we even maintained it through a change of rein!

HEAVEN

I rewarded him with pats on the neck. We cooled out in free walk on a long rein. Calvin stretched down into it in appreciation.

Homework: Practice shortening my reins to take up the slack as the horse becomes even rounder.

Currently Reading: Ride with Your Mind Essentials by Mary Wanless

I’m an avid reader and from time to time I’d like to share with you what I’m currently reading. At the moment I’m re-reading Ride with Your Mind Essentials by Mary Wanless.

Wanless focuses on riders that aren’t naturally talented (hah! ME). Through her book she tries to answer your questions and show you how to ride by filling in the gaps that others aren’t able to verbalize.

I’ll give you a major clue to what the secret to good riding is: your core muscles! Oh, and breathing. Breathing’s always good. So break out that exercise ball and get moving! Suggested exercises can be found in Chapter 6.

Chapter 9 Turns and Circles Demystified really speaks to me. It covers everything I either currently do or have done; twisting, pulling on the inside rein, crossing over the withers…

There’s an interview with Mary Wanless where she shares her insightful teaching philosophies at Dressage Radio Show, Episode 6.

Fourth of July Riding Lesson

My Fourth of July riding lesson began with a dumb blonde moment. The horse’s, not mine.

We picked up a……wait for it……wait……20 meter circle.

Crossing the centerline Buttons’ ears perked up and her full attention was focused on the corner. We were no longer on the line of travel. If anything we were performing some distorted version of haunches in on a circle. Ah, on second thought, make that a gourd. I kept the outside rein as she tried to spin around to avoid the lions hiding in the corner. When I released the pressure we were standing still looking at the object of terror. I then asked her to trot on the circle again.

Wash, rinse and repeat.

My instructor asked me to allow her to just stand there for moment to look at “it.” Another student was cooling out along the rail so we followed them tow truck style into lion territory. Huh, she was fine after that.

We then continued the lesson.

Circling to the right Buttons likes to look to the inside and this causes her to fall out. Think of an eighteen wheeler jack knifing. That’s her. Her head and neck = the truck’s cab, body = the trailer. In order to control her outside shoulder I need to keep my outside rein. (I tend to give it away. Sigh.) Outside elbow glued to my hip. No twisting of my upper body. Turn the toe of my inside foot in. Shoulders down and back.

Circling to the left she doesn’t like to look to the inside. She keeps her body bent like she’s still traveling on a circle to the right. In this direction I have to exaggerate the bend around my inside leg. Head to tail.

After about a half hour my instructor jumped on Buttons to demonstrate what she wanted me to do. Buttons didn’t like the idea of softening or bending with her either. I need to be more assertive and get my point across much earlier. Buttons was like butter after that. Of course we still had our moments where I wasn’t quite quick enough with my aids but still…heaven. I think I need a warm up rider.

I ended my lesson chanting:
keep the outside rein
shoulders back and down
elbow to hip
toe in
head to tail…