Winter Warmup

We've had a very welcome break from winter, with temperatures up to the 70s!  There is still a little mud in the pasture around the gates and run-in, but it is drying up.  There is grass around the property, though not too much in the pasture itself but enough to keep the horses entertained. 

Monday - I found a little drainage spot on Cupid's right front hoof, above his heel.  Hopefully that's the end of what I've been feeling there!  We had a light ride, basic walk trot and canter with lots of bending.  Ended with some leg yielding at the trot; I felt like Cupid was moving sideways but not really stepping under with his hind leg so want to work on that.

Tuesday - Dressage lesson, with my trainer really on me about keeping steady contact and not pulling the inside rein.  Also for not being forward enough.  So Cupid decided he'll show me and canter really big (okay not that big, but bigger than usual thus making me slightly uncomfortable).  I decided to just go with it and figured eventually he would realize it's too much work, which was the case but first he decided the horse and rider approaching the gate was scary and darted away.  So obviously again I didn't have my inside leg on.  We ended with some pretty nice trot work.

Wednesday - Lunging session with balancing reins.  Cupid was 100% getting the left lead, yay!

Thursday - We did some basic walk, trot, and canter with 20 meter circles and serpentines, then did a little jumping.  There were only 2 jumps set in the arena (left from our circle of death), and I just kind of made up the course as we went along.  We had a few long spots early on but then were able to clean it up.  Still had a little trouble with the left lead, so I ended up trotting a lot of the jumps coming from the left. 

 Friday - We had a lesson and were hoping to be able to ride in the outdoor arena, which has been closed the past few weeks.  As I was grooming Cupid in his stall I noticed his right hind leg was a little puffy above the fetlock.  I knelt down to take a look and saw a little scratch below his hock.  I was surprised that would cause the swelling, and then noticed several more scratches on the inside of his leg.  Oh Cupid!  He didn't seem lame though so I figured I would get on and see how he feels, and take it a little easy.

Not only was the outdoor open, but I was happy to see the dressage court rails were in place!  We walked around a few times each direction before starting to trot on a 20 meter circle in the far end.  When we went to go down the rail Cupid scooted away, presumably from the cavaletti sitting outside.  But his reaction was pretty mild.  I turned Cupid in a small circle (keeping at the trot), and made sure to keep my inside leg on as we passed the cavaletti.  Right when Cupid was getting over it the tractor came to drag the ring, so we had to move to the covered.

We did some really nice trot work.  On a 20 meter circle we would do medium trot, then collect a little and sit and do a 10 meter circle with a few steps shoulder fore as we went back onto the larger circle before straightening back into a medium trot.  Then with the shoulder fore we also added a little haunches in.  Eventually after shoulder in and haunches in we straightened but stayed collected and went into a shoulder fore to the outside a few steps then haunches out.  I was super happy with how Cupid felt!  We ended with a little stretching trot.  My trainer said I was much better with my upper body and hands.

I decided to skip the next Yarra Yarra show, but we are registered for a competition clinic in two weeks!  I chose Training test 2 again.  I'm really excited about it.

Trailer Loading Practice

Cupid has been pretty good about loading; coming home from the show he was a little hesitant but got on pretty quickly.  But I thought we could use some practice so on Sunday I hitched up to my truck.  I decided to try it without his grain bucket, which is what I have been doing.  As we were walking up to the trailer we did some basic groundwork: halting, backing up, sending forward.  As we got close Cupid planted his feet.  I asked him to go forward, he did not so I made him yield his haunches.  I asked him to go forward, he took a step and then backed up.  I made him back up some more.  Then we walked forward again, and he stopped a few times so we did some pressure and release and then he got on the trailer.  I gave him a treat.  He took a few bites of hay, then turned around.  I told him he can get off if he wants.  He hopped off, so we walked a circle around the trailers and then back onto the trailer.  This time he got on without stopping.  I gave him a treat and let him come off when he wanted.  We kept doing this; I didn't make him stay on but then we walked around and got back on without any problems.  Then he seemed to enjoy turning around and standing with his head out the door.  He also investigated around inside the trailer. 

Gazing out the back

There's hay in here, it can't be all bad

After a short break back in his stall we went back up and loaded twice more.  I hope he feels like it's no big deal now!

Post Show Week

As usual, I gave Cupid the day after the show off.  On Tuesday we did a light ride, mostly just walk/trot with lots of gently bending.  We incorporated a trot pole, and ended popping over a little crossrail a few times.  Cupid deserves to have a little fun!

On Wednesday I hopped on Cupid bareback for a (uneventful) walk around the property.

Then on Thursday we went back to work, with a dressage lesson.  It was very cold, so I put Cupid's quarter sheet on.  It seems to help him not start out so slow.  After warming up at the walk, we did a lot of trotting and Cupid was starting to tire.  Even though he seems to have decent muscle tone, he does get winded pretty easily.  Luckily we were riding with another of my trainer's students, so we got to take a little break while they cantered first.  Then it was our turn and we started on the right.  We did several laps, with some large circles thrown in.  Then we went across the diagonal and got the left lead on a trot change.  Unfortunately we broke half a lap later, as we were passing the other horse I guess I didn't have my leg on.  It took two tries before we were able to pick it back up.

After a short walk break I did some sitting trot, with some 10 meter circle to shoulder fore to haunches in.  I could feel an improvement in the quality of the trot; even though we were going slow there was a little impulsion there.  I still have trouble feeling if anything is happening with the haunches in, but my trainer seemed satisfied.  I felt pretty good with the sitting trot.

On Friday we had a jumping lesson, and it was super!  It started out a little rough because someone was sitting on the rail watching, and Cupid thought that was pretty suspicious.  So we circled to the inside each time he started bending outside to stare.  The guy asked if he should move, but I told him no it's good for Cupid; that could be a judge or spectator at a show so it's good for him to get used to it.

We were again riding with another student, and when my trainer was setting up jumps in a circle I assumed that exercise was for her.  But Cupid and I did the circle of death exercise for the first time!  (Well we did it with 3 jumps not the full four, and probably about a 25 meter circle.)  We stared out just jumping a cross rail on a large circle.  We trotted it twice to the right, then picked up the canter.  We started with the the one jump, at 9 o'clock.  Then my trainer told me to canter the crossrail, then back down to the trot and over the caveletti at 12 o'clock.  Then we cantered those two once, then the second time added the third jump which was a vertical at 6 o'clock.  Cupid knocked it the first time, which is pretty rare for him and he seemed kind of annoyed about it!  But we went through the entire circle a few times no problem.  Going to the left was a bit more difficult, but actually went better than I expected.  I was very proud of how well Cupid did, and supper happy with how relaxed he was!

On Saturday we had another flatwork/dressage lesson, more of the same as Thursday.  We cantered a few large squares to the right.  We still had trouble getting that left lead, and I thought I felt something just slightly off again in Cupid's right front foot when we were cantering to the left.  :/  So we kept the cantering shorter.  The trot work felt really good.  We went on a square and shortened the trot with some shoulder in, me sitting, a 10 meter circle in the corner with some haunches in coming out of the circle.  This time I think I could feel it a little better, through his ribs.  Then straighten out and into a bigger trot, posting.  It was harder to the left, I couldn't get as small a circle. 

Yarra Yarra Dressage Show

The last few days before the show were filled with thoughts of wondering if Cupid was coming up with an abscess, and why we can't seem to get that left lead.  I packed his feet, applied Sore no More, and put on his Back on Track blanket and quick wraps, just in case! 

We had our final lesson on Friday, and went through Training Test 2.  On Saturday I kept our ride fairly light, practicing some 20 meter circles and transitions.  We still had a little trouble with creeping forward in the halt, and couldn't get the left lead canter on the first attempts, though I am getting the hang of asking Cupid to bend through his ribcage and making sure I don't lose his outside shoulder when I ask.  And also make sure my reins aren't too short.

On Saturday I gave Cupid a bath, and loaded all my gear into my trainer's trailer (she was going to trailer Cupid along with another student's horse), and put all my clothes on the dresser so we'd be ready to go. 

On Sunday, show day, I woke up bright and early at 4:30am!  Get dressed with sweats over my show clothes, and head out to the barn in the pitch blackness.  I gave Cupid some grain to keep him busy while I braided his mane.  My trainer wanted to leave before 6, her other student was riding at 8am and my times were 8:20 (Training 1) and 9 (Training 2) and the show is about an hour away. 

Cupid loaded well; he backed off at first after getting his front feet up in the trailer but then walked up no problem.  We'd been on the road almost half an hour and my trainer's truck (a big old Diesel F350) wasn't getting much power. She thought we should turn around but asked us. I said it's not worth blowing the transmission or getting stranded. So we turned back around, and I was ready to give up on the show.  My trainer said we could still make our second test with my truck and trailer, just have my boyfriend drive the truck out to the barn since I drove my little car.  The funny thing is I was going to drive my truck to the barn, "just in case trainer has car problems or something" - but then ended up driving my little car since the truck was low on fuel and "what are the odds anyways, trainer's never had car problems I'm sure it'll be fine."  So we quickly transferred Cupid and all my gear into my trailer, and arrived at the showground right at 8:30.

Despite this being the longest trailer ride Cupid's been on in quite a while, with a weird reload midway through, he seemed pretty relaxed when we arrived.  My trainer fixed some loose braids and started tacking him up while I checked in.  The warmup was in an outdoor ring by the road.  The footing was sand, and though it looked a little deep Cupid seemed to move well in it.  Actually considering how cold it was (he can start pretty stiff when it's cold), he was moving quite nicely.  It may be my imagination, but it does seem like the Back on Track blanket does help him!  We had a nice warm up, and his focus was quite good.  Quick walk, then right on to trotting 20 meter circles.  We did some shoulder fore on the circle, then canter on the right lead.  Back to some trot work, then canter left lead.  We didn't get it the first try, but then did get it.  We finished with some suppling exercises and stretching trot.  Cupid was good with a few other horses in and around the arena, but he was a little distracted by one particular paint horse!  

 

 The show itself was in the indoor, which is attached to the barn so there are stalls right around the ring, but luckily none of the horses did anything distracting.  We started our warm up lap around the court, and Cupid passed by the judge's table with just a quick look.  We entered the court, and I was trying to make sure our trot was lively enough but also such that we can make a smooth halt at X.  I thought the halt was pretty good, no creeping.  Though in the dimness I couldn't really see if/when the judge was nodding back.  We trotted on, around the corner then to our first 20 meter circle.  I messed up the diagonal I think and got back on the rail a little early.  Then we botched our left lead canter depart.  Unfortunately we couldn't get it at all, but I shook it off and focused on continuing the test.  Our stretchy trot circle was the best it's been so far at a show (in the past Cupid wasn't relaxed enough to stretch down at all, even though this is his favorite move at home).  We did break from the trot once when we were passing by a group of spectators, Cupid got distracted and I guess I didn't have my leg on.  But overall I was super happy with how it went!!  Still some green moments and a little above the bit, so our score wasn't what I hoped but I know we're making progress.  Most of all I was very proud of how well Cupid handled everything!

Cupid is very gentle with my little niece

Poor guy's going to have curly hair for a few days!

Slogging Through

The weather hasn't been quite as cold, but it has been chilly and damp. With just a little bit of on and off rain everything is muddy again. The pasture is a swamp and the outside arena is closed. Of course right before my show so I can't practice on the proper size dressage court.

The left lead canter is still presenting a challenge. If say right now we are about 50/50 on it.  So my trainer made me do a bunch today, and I think we were getting the hang of it but I was having a problem letting Cupid break early.  He was a bit lazy today, and tired after centering a few laps to the right first. Even though his muscle tone looks pretty good he seems to get winded pretty quickly.  I guess we should do more conditioning work.

Can't Turn Left

There is a funny scene in the movie Zoolander where Zoolander says he can't turn left.  He's not an ambi-turner.  I've kind of been feeling that way with Cupid; we can turn left fine but just haven't been able to pick up the left lead canter consistently.  I was starting to get a little concerned, but my trainer didn't think there was a medical reason.  It's just naturally a little harder for both Cupid and myself, and he is being lazy and my aids just aren't clear enough.  Fitness does seem to play a role, because once Cupid gets tired it can be almost impossible.  But maybe I'm giving him too much benefit of the doubt and it is still mostly just laziness? 

-Tuesday: Had our lesson early so we can use the outdoor arena and practice our dressage tests.  Had a little trouble getting the left lead canter.  The halts need some work too; I still find myself bracing, so I'm pinching with my upper legs and hovering over the saddle when I ask for the halt instead of sitting deeper.

-Wednesday: Hacked around the property, bareback.  Practiced opening and closing a gate, but I can't do it with keeping my hand on the gate.  It doesn't help that these are designed to be opened form the ground, so the latch is quite low!  We also rode around an empty pasture.  Cupid used to live out there years ago, but he hadn't been in for a while so he was a little looky.  He balked a little at a cone on the ground, but then walked past it.  Overall he was very good.

-Thursday: Lesson riding on the longe line!  My trainer asked me if I wanted my reins, I said no because I wanted to focus on my lower body and not feel like I'm getting pulled forward.  (We did use side reins.)  It felt good when I was trotting.  I could smoothly change my posting diagonal.  But doing a trot to canter transition without reins felt really strange!  So I tried to really focus on sitting up - actually I think about leaning back because even when I feel like I am, I'm still actually more forward.  Still wasn't able to get the left lead all the time.  Cupid was very good on the longe line, and made me feel pretty confident.

-Friday: Day off.

-Saturday: Jumping lesson!  We only have 3 jumps in the arena currently so we did a simple little course.  I felt a little rusty doing our warm up jumps, but Cupid was perfect.  We jumped a little white panel gate for the first time.  I wasn't sure how Cupid would feel about it so I tried to make sure I kept me leg on as we approached, but Cupid thought it was no big deal. Had a little trouble getting Cupid to land on the lead I wanted, but it happened both directions, sometimes he landed left when we were going right.  So at least I know he doesn't totally hate the left lead?

-Sunday: I was hoping to ride in the outdoor again but it was closed since we had a little rain recently.  The covered arena was a little busy, but luckily all the horses were behaving.  I was still having trouble with the left lead.  We got it the first ask, when I cantered a lap around on the right, went across the diagonal and did a trot change into the corner (which tends to be the easiest way for us to get it).  But then I let Cupid break early, oops.  I tried getting it on a circle, making the circle a little smaller and leg yielding back out and then ask but it still wasn't working.  Then I realized that although Cupid was very good at leg yielding I was losing the bend.  So we tried it making sure we had an inside bend and were able to get it a few times.  So maybe that's the key??

-Monday: It was bleak and rainy so I decided to longe instead of ride.  Did a few minutes walk and trot each direction to warm up, then put on the balancing reins and did some trotting (making the circle smaller, then bigger again) and cantering each direction.  We went to the right first.  He was being lazy, it was hard to keep him cantering!  Then we switched to the left.  We trotted a few circles, then I asked him to canter and he picked up the right lead, so back down to the trot and tried again and got it.  Big good boy!  Then I let him break from the canter (oops), asked for it again and got the right first, before getting it.  More praise.  We did a few more transitions and I think he was correct here on out. 

Maybe I can avoid these darn things by ducking under?

OK fine, if you insist

Goals for 2018

I can't believe another year has gone by, and we are quickly approaching Cupid's 7th birthday!!  In my mind he is still 4 I think.  Before I get to our goals for the new year, here's how we did for 2017:

1) Sit up and keep leg on instead of ride up Cupid's neck with a chokehold on the reins when I get nervous. 

A- I still lean forward a little when I'm nervous, but vast improvement!! 

2) Learn to do flying lead changes and walk to canter transition.

C Cupid is starting to get the idea of lead changes, but we're not there yet. I forgot about the transitions, but coincidentally did them my last lesson in 2017 and it went well.

3) Straightness - especially over jumps.

B- Still a little drifting, especially after jumps, but our approach has gotten a lot better.  Can still work on our centerlines, and keeping my leg on to keep Cupid straight when there are strange object alongside the arena he scoots away from.

4) Get comfortable cantering courses. 

B It's gotten better, but I did chicken out at our last schooling show and ended up trotting because Cupid was feeling too quick to me.  But we did canter our ticketed rounds last fall.

In 2017 we went to 3 dressage schooling shows, 1 hunter schooling show, 1 hunter ticketed rounds, 1 hunter pace, did half a combined test, and went on several off property trail rides.  

My goals for 2018:

1) Develop a more effective leg.  I resort to using my upper body too much.  Even when I try / think I'm using my legs, like to keep Cupid straight when I know he's thinking of shying away from something, he ignores me so I know I need to be more effective.  Plus I let him break from the canter way more often than I should!

2) First level dressage by the end of the year.  Of course that means rocking training level first.  Our first rated show is only a few weeks away!

3) Flying changes.  Left over from last year.

In addition to doing rated dressage shows, I hope to do a few hunter schooling shows and be confident to canter.  I'd also like to learn to do trail obstacles, and continue getting experience on trail rides.  Most of all, I just hope Cupid and I stay healthy!