Run, Ike, Run

                                                          Photo by High Time Photography

Let me start off by telling you that after I rode today, I checked under Ike’s tail to see if there was a fire.  Not smouldering embers, but huge, engulfing flames.  Alas, there was not, but you could have fooled me with the way the boy was acting today while under saddle.  “Let’s go, go, let’s go, let’s go faster.  What half halt?  Did you half halt? Run, Forest, Run.”

So there was no fire, and I’m not entirely certain why we were stuck in fifth gear today.  Yes, Ike has had two days off, but that is nothing new.  It was not noticeably cooler or less humid today.  It was in fact very muggy the entire time I rode.  His darling Lady was in the ring today with us, but she was as calm as could be.  A hawk was perched on the fence for half of our ride, but none of the other horses even gave it notice.  In any case, since Ike was in the mood to move, we worked on our trot and canter.

The trot today was not our best.  Too much forward with too little acknowledgment of my half halts translated to a trot that is too quick in its tempo – jack rabbit quick or perhaps jack hammer?  I tried sit trot to see if that might get Ike’s attention, but bouncing on concrete hurt, so I went back to rising.  Can you say no throughness or recycle of the energy?  The only music that would have meshed with our trot today would have been some head-shaking punk rock from a 1980’s group…The Clash came to mind as we motored around the arena.  And forget about stretch down trot.  My one attempt resulted in an exuberant canter transition as soon as I offered the reins forward.

Our trot was frequently interrupted by canter.  My half halt attempts to try to regulate the trot tempo were only half heard by Ike; ignore the squeeze of the reins, but hear the squeeze of the legs, “Oh, that means go faster!”  Selective hearing by the young man…oh, we must be hitting the male equine teenage years.  Subtlety was not to be had in my aids today to combat the deafness.  Full body bracing with the body angled backwards about 30 degrees, screaming “Slow down, Ike,” with a death grip on the reins was what it took for Baby Huey to hear my request to regain my trot.  Definitely not a pretty picture, but I just didn’t want him to think that he could make the decision on what we were going to do.

When it was time for canter, Ike was more than ready.  Circles were challenging and non-circular to start.  The long side of the arena was an open invitation to extend the canter.  Half halts that were half heard at the trot were blatantly ignored while cantering – maybe Ike thought that he was moving faster than the sound of my aids.  I’m pretty sure I stood up in my stirrups and did a full body half halt more than once.  When Ike would try to break to trot, I would say, “No way, Jose.  You wanted to go, now go.”  Even if it was just for another 5 strides, I made him wait for my request to trot.  By the end, our canter settled into a more normal tempo – less Marmaduke, more dressage horse.

Ike’s anniversary is only a few days away…guess I’d better get started on the party planning.

Low Key Weekend

Even though this is a blog about my young horse, I still can’t say that these are the “horse days of summer” when the saying is the “dog days of summer.”  It was another steamy and hot weekend which makes you want to laze about indoors.  The past few weekends have been busy with activities – traveling, packing, unpacking, horse show, getting ready for the horse show…this weekend there were no pressing events except for a relaxing Sunday lunch to celebrate my mother-in-law’s birthday.  It is nice to have a weekend that can play out on its own.

My ride yesterday was just like the whole weekend – low key.  It was nice that Ms. C, my friend M, and I were all able to ride together and enjoy each other’s company.  Yes, it was a low key ride, but Ike was still very forward.  That forwardness was most apparent in our canter work.  Half halt, half halt, HALF HALT!  And we were still very forward.  When Ike gets that forward and that deaf to my half halts, turning becomes a challenge.  Circles become ovals, and my knee comes perilously close to the fence.  Luckily, we never were in danger of running into the other horses.  Our down transitions were also not quite balanced, but impossible to do when your horse is ignoring your aids.

When we have the opportunity to ride together, we all use the opportunity to teach the horses to stand quietly with the others and to also learn that sometimes you have to leave everyone and work while they still get to chill.  That has been hard at times to teach, but it is a necessary lesson for the horses to learn.  Ike gets a bit cranky initially when leaving (it is hard to leave the girls), but it is short lived.  As I’ve said before, he is such a good soul that he really does try to be good.

Today was a day of rest.  The boys got love and cold apples.  As you can see, Ike enjoyed his day of rest.  Hopefully the horse flies decided to take the day off too.

Awe Inspiring

If you are a dressage enthusiast, then today was one of those days that made you go, “Wow!”  By the time the day was over, 30 of the Olympic riders had scores over 70% at Grand Prix and three were over the 80% mark.  Holy <horse poop>!!!  Can’t even imagine achieving 80% at any level let alone Grand Prix.  Thank goodness that so many magazines and companies are posting photos and information online and on Facebook.  Certainly not getting great coverage on television.  Had to resort to using my cell phone to be able to access the online videos in order to see some of the rides…way to go NBC.

Today was our weekly lesson.  Ms. C is trying to instill in me correct riding and training as well as what the correct movement/connection/throughness feels like.  Teaching feel is a tricky thing especially on a green horse.  We have glimpses of correctness, but just as quickly they are gone.  I have moments of proper position, and then it is gone and I’m again flapping like a chicken.  Ms. C has impeccable timing and will let me know when I’ve achieved the perfect moment, “there, did you feel that, you had it for the first three strides and then you threw it away.”  *^%$$* Rider error again.  Keeping the proper rein length is sometimes challenging for me.  Inattentiveness, sweaty gloves, loose fingers…I’ve got it all.  Ike has good reasons for his inability to maintain his position – he is young, he is still filling out and muscling up, and he is still learning what I want from him.  I could come up with excuses, but what is the point.  If I want to ever make it out of the lower levels, I’ve got to figure it out and learn to do things correctly.

Straightness was a problem to start, but once the rider guided him a bit more, Ike’s body parts stopped wiggling.  Ms. C worked with us on our transitions since that seemed to garner us the most comments from the judge at the last show.  We are the weakest in the comeback from free walk to medium walk, so that is where we spent a good amount of time.  Hmm, yet again, rider error in gathering the reins too slowly contributes to the problem.  So many problems to solve…  We also worked on our walk-trot and trot-walk transitions.  Ike starts to anticipate the trot and will hop into the trot.  No Ike, you must wait for me.  Found that Ike was stiffer on the right today and I really had to work to get the proper bend and flexion.  The right lead canter is also not as solid as the left because of the stiffness.  Ended the lesson working on a figure 8 at the trot;  we even had some successful sit trot on the circles.  The circles helped the stiffness to the right and finally, Ike unlocked that throatlatch area for some flexion.  Phew!

Olympic Dreams

So today was day one of the Olympic Dressage competition.  Finally, the nights of suffering through ping pong are over.  What gorgeous horses – I’d kill to have half the knowledge that the horses do and a tenth of what those competitors know.  Who among us wouldn’t love to have the opportunity to ride at the Olympics.  I would not even care if I was the rider in last place.  You could still say, “Ha ha, I rode in the Olympics and you didn’t” to pretty much everyone you know.  What a rush it must be to head down that centerline.  But then you’d remember that there were SEVEN judges watching your every move.  No place to hide and no mistake will go unnoticed.  There wouldn’t just be butterflies in my stomach, there would be a flock of hummingbirds with their razor-sharp beaks and tongues flitting about my innards.

I jokingly told a coworker the other day that I still had a shot at making a future Olympic team.  After all, Japan’s rider is 71 and did a fabulous job today.  I’ve still got 27 years to practice and train; Ike will be 31 by then and will have at least been told about the Grand Prix movements.  We could get our Olympic medal and our Dressage Foundation Century Ride ribbon at the same time.  The equestrian events are one of the few sports where you don’t “age out” by the time you are 25.  [As an aside, it would be interesting to compare the average age of the competitors in each event.  I bet the equestrian disciplines have one of the higher averages.]  Never mind that my skills are average at best and that riding is my hobby.  Truth be told, if Ike and I could qualify for the USDF Region 1 Championship at any level and place in the top ten so as to get one of the coveted neck ribbons, it would be just as awesome and a lot less expensive.

Yesterday was my barn-free day.  Not by choice, but by necessity.  Made sure to get to the barn today to see the boys.  Ike and his stablemates were in the barn when I arrived.  There was lots of bucket banging and whinnying when I walked into the barn.  Quite the cacophony.  Much like a celebrity walking the red carpet at the Oscars, “And the crowd goes wild as Alison draws closer.”  This crowd though doesn’t want an autograph or picture…they want snacks and an ear rub.

I quickly curried off the salt crust from Ike’s coat, checked his hooves, and tacked.  I was sweating profusely even before I placed a foot in the stirrup.  Fall can’t get here quick enough.  Ike must have taken care of his business before I rode today, because there was no awkward movement today.  His floaty, rhythmic trot was back.  I do like his trot and it only gets better as his balance and topline improve.  I can now sit his trot for short periods without his back stiffening (that bouncing on concrete feeling we all know and love).  Canter transitions were a bit exuberant today.  I did introduce the Training Level Test 3 concept of continuing the canter around the short end and onto the diagonal.  Surprisingly, Ike held his canter.  What a good boy.  Ike and I lasted 20 minutes before we withered.

Lesson tomorrow – need to stay sharp for the next show on the 18th.

But Mom, I Really Have to Go

My ride today just felt odd.  Have you ever been on your horse and although there is nothing screaming this is where the problem is, you know that your horse’s movement is just not right?  We’d be trucking along at the trot, but all of a sudden Ike would suck back and slow down.  I’d say go, and because he’s a fine fellow, he would go.  If I didn’t keep reminding him to go, he’s again suck back.  He would canter without a fuss in both directions and both leads felt solid.  The walk and free walk were normal, but just not as forward as other days.  What the heck was going on?!?

Well, I got my answer right after I turned Ike out in his paddock.  I had no sooner walked back to the barn and turned to wave goodbye, when I saw the boy parked out and peeing like a racehorse.  Ah, that is why he didn’t want to go.  Can’t say that I blame him.  When I really have to go but for whatever reason I have to wait, I squirm, cross my legs, and develop a really choppy stride as well.  (Hmm, that just might be TMI.)  Needless to say that I then felt bad for making him push on for 30 minutes.  Maybe I should teach him to ring bells to let me know he needs a potty break.

The next show entry has been mailed.  Going for Training Test 1 and Test 2 again on August 18th at the Virginia Dressage Association’s Chapter Challenge Show at beautiful Rose Mount Farm in Spotsylvania, VA (http://www.rosemountfarm.com/).  Very excited to represent my local chapter and hoping that Ike and I can have a repeat performance of last Sunday.

Also trying to decide what to do to celebrate Ike’s one year anniversary.  Ike would really like a screened in and fully covered paddock for protection from the bugs and elements, but we all know that isn’t happening…any suggestions?

Living Vicariously

My wild riding days are well behind me, and I now choose to live vicariously through the Olympic eventers.  As a young rider, helmets were unheard of at my barn.  I look back in wonder at how we all survived virtually unscathed considering the foolish things we did on horseback.  Bareback rides on the trails, into the ravine, over the river and through the woods…(now you’ve got that song in your head, don’t you?)  Silly games like hanky pick up, rider pick up, and red rover, red rover.  Somehow I never sustained any significant injuries except for my pride.  One day, I thought I had my girth tight enough during a rousing game of red rover, red rover, but alas, I did not, and after one very quick rollback, slid off the side of my horse with the saddle now suspended under my horse.  Needless to say, I never let that happen again.  We’d also jump anything we could sans helmet.  Ah, the foolishness and stupidity of youth.

These days dressage fits my lifestyle.  Keeping four on the floor so to speak suits me just fine.  My supervisor and regional director already get white knuckles when I describe my days at the barn.  I can only imagine what they’d say if I told them I was taking up eventing while showing them a photo of 20A from today’s Olympic cross country course.  [It was the steep drop portion of the Royal Greenwich Borough.]  They’d somehow revise my job description to prohibit any and all equine pursuits.  Since that would be unthinkable, I’ll stick with the more staid pursuit of dressage.  Training a 4-year-old is good enough at this point in my life…but I wouldn’t be above going for a good gallop every now and again.  Think I’ll wear a helmet as well.

Ike enjoyed his day off today as well as a handful of peppermints.  Plan to ride tomorrow and work on our transitions from free walk to medium and stretch down trot to medium trot without performing “the giraffe.”

Go USA!

Red and Blue Banner Day

I love my big man.  He gets four gold stars for the schooling show today: the first one for being a gentleman for getting on and off the trailer with no fuss, the second one for being very well-behaved with his ground manners for tacking and waiting his turn, the third one for his performance in Training Level Test 1, and the fourth one for his second showing in Training Level Test 2.

This was the first show that Ike was asked to do two Training Level tests…and let us not forget that I just rode the current Test 2 for the first time ever from start to finish this past Thursday.  We arrived with plenty of time to tack and warmup – in all honesty, I could have arrived 30 minutes later and been just fine.  I’m just used to tacking taking 45-60 minutes as I played ring-around-the-rosy with Cigar in order to get the saddle in place.  But Ike being the stellar boy that he is, stood quietly and he was tacked in under 15 minutes.  Since we were early, I walked him to the competition area to observe the warmup ring and the competition arena.  I had many friends at this show who’d never met him, so he preened from the attention.  I have no doubt that he knew people were saying nice things about him.

Here we are in warmup receiving instruction from Ms. C.  This picture cracks me up since it looks like Ike is really trying to listen to and understand the direction we are receiving.

Test 1 was up first.  If you remember, we got a 58.3% in our first attempt at this test.  Today——-69.375%!!  Woot woot!  Ike was spot on today.  Canter transitions were prompt and correct.  We got an 8 for our stretch down trot which really helped our score since it is a coefficient movement.  Decent stretch down walk; I could have asked for more, but didn’t want to goose him and then really get hit.  We did get hit on our transition back to medium walk since Ike likes to show off his giraffe neck at that moment.  Our centerlines were not that spectacular in this test, but good enough.  The judge liked us as a pair and liked his trot.  I was in awe that we got first place – a totally unexpected, but delightful outcome for this ride.

We had an hour before Test 2.  Ike seemed a bit distracted in warmup (there were people starting to leave which seems to worry him) and the distraction continued into our ride…let me show you our entry halt…

“Look Mom, people are leaving me!  Oh dear, what if I am left alone?”  The trot to the right was also not our best effort.  Ike flattened and the hind end started its own orbit on our trot circle.  I got him back on the trot diagonal, so we were successful with the canter transition and our canter circle.  Our stretch down trot in this test was a 5.5 effort – Ike never really committed to the stretch.  The rest of the test was steady with lots of 6’s and 7’s.  Focus returned for the final halt (8).  When it was all said and done, we got a 67.857% and second place.  I’m tickled with Ike’s performance with this test as well. Again noted in the comments was the need to work on the transition from free walk to medium walk – point taken and understood.  The judge also commented that the front and hind ends sometimes appear to belong to two different horses – just not in sync.  I had to laugh since she was spot on with her observation.  She said that in time with consistent, correct work, we should see the problem less and less.

It was great to be amongst friends today.  Weather was great for the end of July.  Ms. C was present to witness her pupil’s success.  My supportive husband was there to cheer for us, and he was able to relax rather than having a white knuckle grip on the warmup ring with one hand and the cell phone in the other ready to dial 911.  Feeling very lucky as the day winds down.  Life is good.

Pheww

Big sigh of relief.  Yesterday, I finally rode the Training Level Test 2 test from start to finish and the best part, I remembered it.  While it was not perfect, if we can ride the test on Sunday like we did yesterday, I will be happy.  Yesterday was only my second time on Ike in the past two weeks.  Some might say that it isn’t enough time to properly prepare for a show.  I say, that is life, and I’m just going to enjoy the rides I do have.  He is young.  He is fit.  He is smart.  I don’t think the time off has hurt his training at all.  So we don’t progress as fast as others.  Dressage training is not a race.  It is a process and a journey to be enjoyed.  There is no ribbon for the first one to reach a particular level by a particular time.

It has been over a month since Ike last rode on the trailer, so today before my lesson, I decided to load Ike for a refresher.  When I tried to unsnap the lead rope to thread the chain, I couldn’t.  The snap had rusted and I couldn’t open it enough to remove it from the halter.  Sigh.  So I decided to try loading without the chain….success!  Ike and I walked right up to the trailer, I said, “Ike, load up,” and my big star walked right on like it was the easiest thing in the world.  One less thing to worry about on Sunday.

Now back to the riding part.  Today was my first lesson since before vacation and my last chance to get Ms. C’s input and have her critical eye cast upon us.  She is tough!  Nothing gets by her eagle eye.  She was pleased with our canter work today, but our trot work was not up to par.  Weight was not in the right place and Ike kept trying to snatch the reins.  Not sure if Ike had some gas or just needed to poo, but for the first part of the lesson, he’d move a bit stilted in his hind end and keep lifting his tail.  We took a brief walk break to see if that might encourage something to happen.  Gas and a bit more gas.  Then I “pushed” the gas pedal and we continued working.  The trot work improved, but I also worked harder to get and keep a good connection over his back (read: many, many, many half halts).  We did ride Test 2 from start to finish – solid canter work, okay stretch down, and a 50/50 split on the trot work.  BTW, Ike nailed our centerlines today.  Fingers crossed that we can find that 9.5 again on Sunday for our final halt.

We only practiced the Test 1 canter transitions since at the last show Ike was disunited on the left which got us a 4 from the judge.  To help him keep his weight to the inside, I hinted at a counter flexion.  Boom!  Big man rolled into that left lead canter – what a yummy transition.  The canter itself was also fabulous.  If you recall, the canter is picked up on the second half of the 20 meter circle at A.  When we hit that open side of the circle, centrifugal force still haunts us and we fall out.  The slight counter flexion just helps prevent the fall to the outside and gives us a better chance of canter success.  It is only a temporary thing until Ike develops his self carriage (grows into those legs).

Decent ride times for Sunday T-1 at 9:52 and T-2 at 10:55.  Slightly cooler temperatures predicted.  Fingers are crossed that we clear the 60% mark.  Stay tuned…

Hands Up

                             Photo #4 from High Time Photography

A show of hands from everyone who has headed down centerline without having ridden the entire test from start to finish.  Anyone?  It is feeling like I will be joining those ranks as this week rolls along.  Last week was vacation.  Saturday was the drive home and unpacking.  Yes, I did ride on Sunday, but only practiced parts of Training Level Test 2 since I thought to myself that I had plenty of time to ride the whole test this week.  Ha!  Yesterday was Ike’s pedicure and work for me.  Today, I didn’t make it to the barn until after work, which coincided with the arrival of the afternoon thunderstorms.  ARGH!  Tomorrow I have my commuting day and typically, by the time I creep home with the afternoon traffic, I’m just toasted and in no frame of mind to ride.  That leaves Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Thursday is supposed to be another scorcher – yippee.  Keeping fingers crossed that Friday and Saturday are cooperative.

Since I didn’t ride today, I spent some time grooming the boys.  While grooming I usually talk to them.  Not just about horse stuff, but about life in general.  They know all my secrets.  Who has made me mad.  Who I’d want to slap if I thought I could get away with it.  My insecurities – don’t we all have them?  The horses and the dogs are the best at keeping secrets or at least I think they are.  For all I know every horse and dog that I know laughs to themselves as I go by.  I’m in real trouble if they learn to talk like Mr. Ed.  I saw this e-card on Facebook a few weeks ago and it seems an appropriate way to finish this entry.

Photo

Summer “Dulldrums”

                                   Photo #3 by High Time Photography

It is nice to have the photos from the show in June, and I will tell you why.  The summer doldrums have arrived early this year – day after day of unrelenting heat and humidity, flies, flies, and more flies, and the shine of the horse’s coats dulled by the sun.  The beautiful, natural, glossy shine of Ike’s coat is now more of a dull rust color enhanced by the salt crust.  No amount of currying will bring out any glint of the former glory of Ike’s summer hair – Show Sheen is the only way we will be shiny this weekend at the schooling show.

There is some hope that the shine will return soon.  The days are getting shorter and the back to school advertisements have started, and we all know what that means…fall is fast approaching and the sun-weary coats will be shedding for the thicker, winter ones.  I’ll take a coat like Ike had last winter – a scosh thicker than his summer one with some longer goat hairs at the throat latch.  It will be interesting to see what happens since this will be Ike’s second winter in Virginia.  I’m keeping fingers crossed that Ike’s winter coat is not like the bear rug that his brother grows which is impossible to keep clean.

Today was Ike’s monthly shoeing and I had to get in a full day on the job, so there was no riding.  Such is the life of the average amateur rider who has to work to pay for my expensive hobby.  Ike’s monthly shoe budget is larger than mine.  The last pair of shoes I purchased was a new pair of cross trainers two months ago.  My feet are definitely more neglected than his – I can count on ONE finger the number of pedicures that I have had in my lifetime.  We all have to make choices about how to spend our time and our money.  Do I regret not having Imelda’s shoe closet or pretty pedicured feet?  Heck no!  Wouldn’t change a thing…except for that dull summer coat.