Went a little early to have some dwell time with Try and ended up sharing it with Haylee. Then brought Try in for breakfast and, because ring was being dragged, had a little extra time so went out back for liberty figure 8s--we got them both ways, slowish, and Try did not leave and I did not beg.
Then rode Keystone--better on the warmup and I love his canter. Then did dressage training level pattern 1 and it was a mess.
1. Getting the gait and the pattern was a lot for me. 2. bending on the circle remember use leg mostly and inside rein against the neck 3.getting a good shape on the circle 4. dnward trans no need to rush 5 upward need lots of energy and leg. etc
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
thur baretek pad
Finally got a chance to really ride in the baretek today after rain, clinic time etc. Used it for what would normally be a lesson of an English hack on the flat plus dressage pattern. Today we did not get to the pattern but found wonder of wonders that I could easily transition from posting trot to Enlgish sitting trot to western jog riding on the buckle. Could lope on my pockets and canter in an English frame. The latter better in the baretek than my English saddle! I did not feel that I lost any precision whatsoever in the English hunter riding. Who da thunk it! I can see that it is going to improve my seat and be a great weekend saddle. I love the fact that I can go play with western freestyle riding and English no stirrups posting trot strength work all in the same session. What a cool pad!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tue
Yesterday Try and I went on a lovely little trail ride with Kat and Mac. Try enjoyed herself, after we trot back to the hay pile in her pasture together. I hung out awhile talking to Jim and Try kept coming up to visit and then going back to the hay.
Wed: I was sooooo direct line. boo hiss. trying to get some video for Kelly and be a good girl and apply all the stuff I have learned recently. Not enough time, hurried, did not warm up Try so she was still asleep in the beginning and some ears when we did the perkier stuff.
Good stuff--she still wanted to be with me, pretty turn on the haunches, and a few good steps in the hoola hoop, HQ spin 2nd one was pretty good--better to have let Try had time to think about it. circle ok I remembered to check ears/licking and chewing and diseng in the direction she is moving; figure 8s--better coord on my part, did it too many times--get off it.
Did get good clear video 1st time with new camera.
Wed: I was sooooo direct line. boo hiss. trying to get some video for Kelly and be a good girl and apply all the stuff I have learned recently. Not enough time, hurried, did not warm up Try so she was still asleep in the beginning and some ears when we did the perkier stuff.
Good stuff--she still wanted to be with me, pretty turn on the haunches, and a few good steps in the hoola hoop, HQ spin 2nd one was pretty good--better to have let Try had time to think about it. circle ok I remembered to check ears/licking and chewing and diseng in the direction she is moving; figure 8s--better coord on my part, did it too many times--get off it.
Did get good clear video 1st time with new camera.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Mon
well I was so motivated but too tired when I got to the barn 2:00ish and was scattered in my thoughts and feel like I need to apologize to Try
FQ yields lovely pivots in place until I asked Try to keep her feet in the hoolahoop
Spin-carrot stick behind the back is still awkward
yoyo and backing are better, less sticky, conscious of ears
circle: forgot to shorten the rope to sent the shoulder out
did traveling variety and set up obstacles but did not really use them
bring back: good at watching for ears
better waiting for lick and chewing
half figure 8 is nice to the left
new camera for photos has video feature--accidentally turned it off but did get a couple seconds of HD and the difference in quality is tremendous. However it requires a converter software from .mov to.avi for editing in studio.
also rode just a little in new bareback pad with new girth--still working to get it just right--was a little loose still but fixable now. pad feels good--at least at trot I feel completely comfortable.
FQ yields lovely pivots in place until I asked Try to keep her feet in the hoolahoop
Spin-carrot stick behind the back is still awkward
yoyo and backing are better, less sticky, conscious of ears
circle: forgot to shorten the rope to sent the shoulder out
did traveling variety and set up obstacles but did not really use them
bring back: good at watching for ears
better waiting for lick and chewing
half figure 8 is nice to the left
new camera for photos has video feature--accidentally turned it off but did get a couple seconds of HD and the difference in quality is tremendous. However it requires a converter software from .mov to.avi for editing in studio.
also rode just a little in new bareback pad with new girth--still working to get it just right--was a little loose still but fixable now. pad feels good--at least at trot I feel completely comfortable.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Balancing Respect and Rappore
Comments/thoughts based on private liberty session and video coaching from Kelly: todos to film for next coaching...
1. FQ yield - 361 degrees for respect
2. HQ yield - make this a spin so I am not moving my feet as much
3. FQ and HQ yields do these in a hula hoop
4. porcupine: head down to get good release from pressure with rope (online yoyo)
4. yoyo: vary the speed of the backup and get soft yield coming forward EARS
5. circle game: shorten the rope to send, shoulder needs to move out
6. circle game variety: traveling and obstacles
7. circle come back: watch for ?/ears/licking and chewing
8. circle: bend/shape/contact on the circle
9. Catching game - if she leaves me, throw halter and lead at zone 4 when she turns her shoulder/head away from me. Wait forthe ears and the ?, disengage and turn and walk away to draw.
10. half figure 8: allow her to leave, don't beg, apply catching game if needed. Continue online with belly of the rope on the ground. Send the shoulder, carrot stick under the rope, stick points at HQ, stand tall and super smiley friendly backup/draw.
Balance: what's in it for her: rest, massage, treats
Wait for licking and chewing between tasks
watch out for ear pinning
1. FQ yield - 361 degrees for respect
2. HQ yield - make this a spin so I am not moving my feet as much
3. FQ and HQ yields do these in a hula hoop
4. porcupine: head down to get good release from pressure with rope (online yoyo)
4. yoyo: vary the speed of the backup and get soft yield coming forward EARS
5. circle game: shorten the rope to send, shoulder needs to move out
6. circle game variety: traveling and obstacles
7. circle come back: watch for ?/ears/licking and chewing
8. circle: bend/shape/contact on the circle
9. Catching game - if she leaves me, throw halter and lead at zone 4 when she turns her shoulder/head away from me. Wait forthe ears and the ?, disengage and turn and walk away to draw.
10. half figure 8: allow her to leave, don't beg, apply catching game if needed. Continue online with belly of the rope on the ground. Send the shoulder, carrot stick under the rope, stick points at HQ, stand tall and super smiley friendly backup/draw.
Balance: what's in it for her: rest, massage, treats
Wait for licking and chewing between tasks
watch out for ear pinning
private session online with Annie Sat
Notes: Private Hour with Annie Shank 11/14/2009 Online
1. The first thing Annie taught all of us was staying neutral. She demonstrated with her husband Michael being the horse, how if we don’t have the belly of the rope on the ground our horse feels our every movement and becomes desensitized to the rope (and probably annoyed). I played with this during the day and Try really responded!
2. Overall I need to be holding the popper of the 22’ line.
3. I shared with Annie before we started (and in advance email) comments from auditions: online that I will need more exuberance from Try for Level 4 and that I was subtly micromanaging in the circling game. Freestyle: that I need to be more particular and Try needs to be more of a partner. That I was stuck on liberty with the figure 8 and had been working on respect/drive/draw to help. Annie addressed all of these and gave me some additional things to play with moving on from where I am online.
4. The first thing we did was the cutting game to get Try’s attention and exuberance—not a Level 1 etc task as it could be dangerous but I am fully confident with this knowing Try. It starts with a little tap on the shoulder to get her to move the shoulder. Progressed to beginning with suggestion with the rope phase 1 and follow up with tap on shoulder if needed. Try and I have done a little of this before but not with such clear how tos. I love this game and as Try being LBI and moi more LBE, I think it will be really fun for us.
5. If my memory serves me the next thing we did was the circling game. 4 laps each way and send at a trot—we did not worry about her ears on the allow and interestingly her ears were really nice when she was behind me. We did play with my dancing and jumping up and down to see the effect on her attitude. I was not micromanaging. I like the way Annie steps out on the send. Note: I did not need to correct Try for offering a canter then deciding to trot (I over asked) nor to correct her for a slow canter where she is trotting behind. Bring back: disengage in the speed up not slow down direction i.e. with her movement not against for a speedier bring back. Do not allow her to come in with ears pinned and back her up until the ears relax even if extensive i.e. back the whole weave.
6. We did a little smell the tail and I needed to be softer in asking but Try did it well and has really good lateral flexion.
7. Figure 8: lead it, carrot stick under, point at the hip then back up with a super friendly look. I LOVE this. I was impressed with Annie's use of facial expression.
8. Next Annie challenged me to do the weave 22’ away holding the popper at a trot. We found I needed to establish this at a walk first and then we were able to do this at a trot. Now I am wondering why this worked so well? Because Annie set it up from the warmup? It wasn’t because she was up being away from home as she was relaxed and happy as a clam the entire time at Mary’s except when she was the only horse in the barn.
9. Another fun thing is using stick to me to help Try get her weight back on her haunches: back Try up to get her on her haunches (and with her conformation she is naturally very much on her FQ—i.e. when she canters in the pasture on her own she really pounds on her front end), then lead off at a trot and IF she doesn’t respond correct with carrot stick/string back to haunches or whatever I can reach.
10. Pedestal: Annie said it is possible for Try to do 4 feet on the pedestal and we played with using savvy string around one hind leg until we reached success with her touching the pedestal with that leg.
11. Driving from zones 3,4,5 with ONE rein/line. This was frustrating to me—Try and I had not done this much in ??3 years, especially with one rope. (and a big thank you to Annie for getting us to do this) I was having problems communicating and being able to get back to zone 5.
1. Carrot stick on TOP of the rump to start the movement,
2. Little circles with stick to turn front end and little up down movement to slow or back.
3. If Try goes sideways then go sideways with her with my ribs really in. Using one rope rather than two is better for my learning to communicate.
Playing at the stations with the cards Annie and Michael provided—lots of good ideas. Try and I played with sideways 22 feet with my feet planted from the popper that was a challenge—tried it point to point between barrels to begin with and when that wasn’t so great went to the cavaletti pole which Try understands as sidepass and we saw some really good improvement and went back to barrels and improved there as well. It gave me food for thought about being too close to Try as a habit. We also played with the weave in various ways at the station.
1. The first thing Annie taught all of us was staying neutral. She demonstrated with her husband Michael being the horse, how if we don’t have the belly of the rope on the ground our horse feels our every movement and becomes desensitized to the rope (and probably annoyed). I played with this during the day and Try really responded!
2. Overall I need to be holding the popper of the 22’ line.
3. I shared with Annie before we started (and in advance email) comments from auditions: online that I will need more exuberance from Try for Level 4 and that I was subtly micromanaging in the circling game. Freestyle: that I need to be more particular and Try needs to be more of a partner. That I was stuck on liberty with the figure 8 and had been working on respect/drive/draw to help. Annie addressed all of these and gave me some additional things to play with moving on from where I am online.
4. The first thing we did was the cutting game to get Try’s attention and exuberance—not a Level 1 etc task as it could be dangerous but I am fully confident with this knowing Try. It starts with a little tap on the shoulder to get her to move the shoulder. Progressed to beginning with suggestion with the rope phase 1 and follow up with tap on shoulder if needed. Try and I have done a little of this before but not with such clear how tos. I love this game and as Try being LBI and moi more LBE, I think it will be really fun for us.
5. If my memory serves me the next thing we did was the circling game. 4 laps each way and send at a trot—we did not worry about her ears on the allow and interestingly her ears were really nice when she was behind me. We did play with my dancing and jumping up and down to see the effect on her attitude. I was not micromanaging. I like the way Annie steps out on the send. Note: I did not need to correct Try for offering a canter then deciding to trot (I over asked) nor to correct her for a slow canter where she is trotting behind. Bring back: disengage in the speed up not slow down direction i.e. with her movement not against for a speedier bring back. Do not allow her to come in with ears pinned and back her up until the ears relax even if extensive i.e. back the whole weave.
6. We did a little smell the tail and I needed to be softer in asking but Try did it well and has really good lateral flexion.
7. Figure 8: lead it, carrot stick under, point at the hip then back up with a super friendly look. I LOVE this. I was impressed with Annie's use of facial expression.
8. Next Annie challenged me to do the weave 22’ away holding the popper at a trot. We found I needed to establish this at a walk first and then we were able to do this at a trot. Now I am wondering why this worked so well? Because Annie set it up from the warmup? It wasn’t because she was up being away from home as she was relaxed and happy as a clam the entire time at Mary’s except when she was the only horse in the barn.
9. Another fun thing is using stick to me to help Try get her weight back on her haunches: back Try up to get her on her haunches (and with her conformation she is naturally very much on her FQ—i.e. when she canters in the pasture on her own she really pounds on her front end), then lead off at a trot and IF she doesn’t respond correct with carrot stick/string back to haunches or whatever I can reach.
10. Pedestal: Annie said it is possible for Try to do 4 feet on the pedestal and we played with using savvy string around one hind leg until we reached success with her touching the pedestal with that leg.
11. Driving from zones 3,4,5 with ONE rein/line. This was frustrating to me—Try and I had not done this much in ??3 years, especially with one rope. (and a big thank you to Annie for getting us to do this) I was having problems communicating and being able to get back to zone 5.
1. Carrot stick on TOP of the rump to start the movement,
2. Little circles with stick to turn front end and little up down movement to slow or back.
3. If Try goes sideways then go sideways with her with my ribs really in. Using one rope rather than two is better for my learning to communicate.
Playing at the stations with the cards Annie and Michael provided—lots of good ideas. Try and I played with sideways 22 feet with my feet planted from the popper that was a challenge—tried it point to point between barrels to begin with and when that wasn’t so great went to the cavaletti pole which Try understands as sidepass and we saw some really good improvement and went back to barrels and improved there as well. It gave me food for thought about being too close to Try as a habit. We also played with the weave in various ways at the station.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Fri getting ready for Annie
Finally got Try clipped--needs some cleaning up but pretty good--just took an hour.
Packing up stuff for Try to spend the night at Mary's.
also took the opportunity to do catching game--asked Try to do 1/2 fig 8 (not begging)--she did it well, asked the other direction and she left so when she had her head angled away from me on the circle I tossed line and halter at her butt--only took twice before she was giving me ears and asking a question. I looked a little at her butt and turned and walked away and in she came licking and chewing.
Tomorrow one hour private time with Annie Shank, plus play stations.
Packing up stuff for Try to spend the night at Mary's.
also took the opportunity to do catching game--asked Try to do 1/2 fig 8 (not begging)--she did it well, asked the other direction and she left so when she had her head angled away from me on the circle I tossed line and halter at her butt--only took twice before she was giving me ears and asking a question. I looked a little at her butt and turned and walked away and in she came licking and chewing.
Tomorrow one hour private time with Annie Shank, plus play stations.
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