tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post5262093360289127610..comments2024-03-26T17:31:58.290-07:00Comments on 'Fraidy Cat Eventing: an uphill battle....emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-9185200283152059692020-02-23T15:29:31.814-08:002020-02-23T15:29:31.814-08:00Ugh, I feel this. And it makes me get a touch frus...Ugh, I feel this. And it makes me get a touch frustrated with the training scale because, I need to work on the rhythm so I can improve my connection, and I need a better connection before I can expect him to be more uphill, but I need to influence his way of going to make him more uphill so he's not sloughing around downhill. Le sigh.Eventer In Progresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01188223824498672612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-8899134296860667712020-02-21T20:46:19.906-08:002020-02-21T20:46:19.906-08:00Compression is definitely great. The measurements ...Compression is definitely great. The measurements are still off tho. A horse has to make it over the pole using a stride (12’) then have a stride between poles, then over the pole for a stride, then a stride between poles, etc etc. esp if you’re putting a bunch of poles in a row hoping to fit one full stride between each. The jump effort for a fence is equivalent to a normal canter stride, remove the jump and the horse should theoretically still cover an identical distance with a stride (excepting maybe Grand Prix fences haha)<br /><br />If you want an example, check out the photo from my sally lesson post that shows Charlie in the middle of a 10’ bounce. Even if those jumps had zero height there’s no other way for him to execute that exercise emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-27948852593770217512020-02-21T05:40:02.707-08:002020-02-21T05:40:02.707-08:00Ha if Charlie grows up to be half the horse Hampto...Ha if Charlie grows up to be half the horse Hampton is I will be completely satisfied lol.... and leg yields at canter are something I guess I forgot about. We used to do them a lot to get Charlie’s RH in particular participating, but I hadn’t considered them for this purpose. emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-9046778496561281512020-02-20T12:44:03.790-08:002020-02-20T12:44:03.790-08:00oh girl I feel you on a spiritual level. Hampton i...oh girl I feel you on a spiritual level. Hampton is downhill and it's at its worse in the canter. It's very difficult, but not impossible. all of your ideas are excellent. I also find a lot of help in leg yielding at the canter. And a bazillion half halts. Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11609268980526224486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-19667347283530728972020-02-20T06:55:44.569-08:002020-02-20T06:55:44.569-08:00It's been a long time... maybe it's ending...It's been a long time... maybe it's ending at 14'? I know I was surprised at how short it could go, and remember there's no takeoff/landing space requirement since there is no jump effort.. I'll have to see if I can find the article.Gray Flannel Horseshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798379736435785129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-86328426047822966532020-02-20T04:13:56.304-08:002020-02-20T04:13:56.304-08:00Compression is such a great exercise - we’ve done ...Compression is such a great exercise - we’ve done a ton of it! Tho like I wrote above, there are real reasons why shortening Charlie’s stride is counterproductive at present.<br /><br />One question tho, are you sure about those measurements? When I think about the range from “compressed to true” for various distances, I usually think:<br />Bounce: 9’ - 12’<br />One stride: 18’ - 24’<br />Two stride: 30’ - 36’<br /> <br />I routinely set up long lines of canter poles (think seven or eight) set at 10’ between them to do as bounces. Can’t think of a time I’ve ever seen anything set at 15’. Tho I’m setting for a show horse (typical 12’ canter stride, and Charlie can get to 14’ without batting an eye LOL), ponies could obviously go shorter. emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-49641332530799304722020-02-20T04:04:33.409-08:002020-02-20T04:04:33.409-08:00Oh yea, rider position is definitely a critical pa...Oh yea, rider position is definitely a critical part! Sally reminded me a lot to sit up haha bc I do want to get a little forward. It’s not enough tho, ya know? Like in jumping the riders position changes so much (what about galloping position?!?), tho obvi the balance should hopefully stay solid, but the horse still needs to travel in an uphill manner emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-43614214971852586312020-02-19T22:26:44.902-08:002020-02-19T22:26:44.902-08:00A good jumping flatwork exercise I used to do (fou...A good jumping flatwork exercise I used to do (found in Practical Horseman) was to set up 3 or 4 canter poles (slightly raised worked best) starting with 14 or 15 feet between the poles. The aim is to get one stride there. Then you gradually (over a series of rides) move the poles closer together, ideally ending at 11- 12' apart, and still get one stride in.<br />The horse really learns to back themselves off and compress their stride. Raised poles mean they can't fall over them. And the poles do the work for you so you don't have to pull on their mouth to get it. But it has to be a gradual shortening of the distances so that they learn how the exercise works. Gray Flannel Horseshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798379736435785129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-22171540315896996262020-02-19T18:51:39.407-08:002020-02-19T18:51:39.407-08:00A tip that helps me with my down hill horses (espe...A tip that helps me with my down hill horses (especially Henry!) is to think about lifting the horses shoulders with my shoulders. It's a bit hard to explain in written words, it's a feeling thing. But I always feel like to get them more up in front I want us both to lift our shoulder up and back which gets us both sitting straight and up hill. I suppose the visual helps create the feeling for me. <br /><br />i also need to do more transitions. Forever and ever!Breehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03450707029569925246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-45636718116807181992020-02-19T10:37:55.140-08:002020-02-19T10:37:55.140-08:00sigh, one day charlie's inner dinosaur will go...sigh, one day charlie's inner dinosaur will go extinct and we'll be able to play around with collection. one day!!!!!emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-4329587341265571802020-02-19T10:09:42.166-08:002020-02-19T10:09:42.166-08:00oh I wasn't arguing with not doing the transit...oh I wasn't arguing with not doing the transitions in the gaits- I totally get it. I think you are wise to avoid it at this point. TeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-60085338291332784242020-02-19T09:36:04.394-08:002020-02-19T09:36:04.394-08:00lol fun fact, tho, that may or may not be part of ...lol fun fact, tho, that may or may not be part of the plan anyway haha.... poor charlie better brace his tush for some werk!emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-869028564563069782020-02-19T09:35:25.480-08:002020-02-19T09:35:25.480-08:00i loved how simple a lot of the suggestions in tha...i loved how simple a lot of the suggestions in that article were too. so so so so SO OFTEN in dressage, i feel like i'll be looking to solve a lower level problem and people will recommend solutions based on much higher level riding haha. like, ooohkay but if i could do what you're suggesting i do, i probably wouldn't be having this problem in the first place LOLemmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-88930616090768739672020-02-19T09:34:22.106-08:002020-02-19T09:34:22.106-08:00lol the google is always such a great resource hah...lol the google is always such a great resource haha - no sense trying to reinvent the wheel when people way smarter than me have already written at great length on these topics!! emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-54641568434131311932020-02-19T08:52:10.819-08:002020-02-19T08:52:10.819-08:00If you just only ride up hills than the horse will...If you just only ride up hills than the horse will always be uphill *shower thoughts*L.Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05052638724440787772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-17815620675030774362020-02-19T08:36:43.077-08:002020-02-19T08:36:43.077-08:00These are some awesome tips & tidbits. I'm...These are some awesome tips & tidbits. I'm always working to get both of my boys to rock back onto their hind ends. Counter canter is one of my FAVs to get them rocked back more!Jannaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00156268032357868460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-15182605419055226052020-02-19T07:52:47.444-08:002020-02-19T07:52:47.444-08:00That sounds like a great plan! All super tips - al...That sounds like a great plan! All super tips - all from Google too! lol Not that they wouldn't be out there, but all of those looked like very easy, doable, but good tips for really helping a horse with their uphill balance. That spiral sounds super cool!Mandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14485570296592298816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-24424802786167977822020-02-19T06:51:49.417-08:002020-02-19T06:51:49.417-08:00ha yea, transitions with isabel could be..... dice...ha yea, transitions with isabel could be..... dicey too. charlie is entirely different tho and the exercise is very helpful for him. just goes to show how important it is to adapt the "textbook" to the individual animal!emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-69907948421415440962020-02-19T06:51:06.093-08:002020-02-19T06:51:06.093-08:00that's awesome!!that's awesome!!emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-86178500040848661042020-02-19T06:38:40.111-08:002020-02-19T06:38:40.111-08:00I love how basically all training “issues” can be ...I love how basically all training “issues” can be solved with more transitions. Personally I have PTSD from Gem who hates transitions and made life hell if we spent too much time on them. I’m getting better at working more in with Eeyore though I know I don’t do nearly enough. Sarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03346020257901575574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-41020684136374212032020-02-19T06:33:59.972-08:002020-02-19T06:33:59.972-08:00For me and May uphill balance is more of a war tha...For me and May uphill balance is more of a war than a battle hahaha. For a long time, I needed to be in a lesson with a trainer who would point out to me when I should "feel" the difference. (probably because I started out as a H/J rider without a huge flatwork education). It took a while until I could recreate that feeling on my own. Emily - May As Wellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12404536866220283931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-57680387480773211712020-02-19T06:09:26.945-08:002020-02-19T06:09:26.945-08:00ha i love the novel tho! and yea actually i've...ha i love the novel tho! and yea actually i've heard a lot of people i really respect preach the value of "slower" work -- esp as you say for helping the horse not get run past his rhythm or balance. if you read back through the Dan archives, you'll see that we spent a LOT of time working on that slower pushing rhythm. <br /><br />my issues is that, in my own unsupervised solo schooling, it's a very very VERY slippery slope from "slow" to "behind the leg." given charlie's dinosaur-stuck-in-tar-pit tendencies, there are very real risks to getting sucked back into that sluggish behind the leg trot. charlie is king of the tiny mincing trot steps, and esp when compared to his large lanky frame, it's a very undesirable picture. maybe a better rider would be able to keep the RPMs up even in the slower step, but we just plain old aren't there and it is not worth the risk of undoing so much of the groundwork i've had to do in getting the horse more zippy off my leg. <br /><br />so for now, we will simply employ other methods and exercises that don't open the door for me to shut down the forward hahaemmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-20787580237375264492020-02-19T06:02:57.779-08:002020-02-19T06:02:57.779-08:00walk-canter is one of my absolute favorites - and ...walk-canter is one of my absolute favorites - and something charlie has really grabbed onto has a sorta game or puzzle that he knows the answer to. i like to use it a lot in our jumping lessons in particular bc it's a great way to right off the bat get the horse up in front of my leg. <br /><br />also lol at the "macaroni..." i can totally see how that's helpful. it feels daunting for a horse built like charlie, but ya know. that's dressage, right?emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-34473085473870750402020-02-19T06:00:52.473-08:002020-02-19T06:00:52.473-08:00thanks - i'm hopeful. i'm really gonna zer...thanks - i'm hopeful. i'm really gonna zero in on exercises that feel attainable and positive for charlie, so even if it's still not really getting us all the way there, at least it'll hopefully still keep our work progressing lolemmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-932439930694780998.post-5789093043216556762020-02-19T05:59:53.007-08:002020-02-19T05:59:53.007-08:00oh man, there are never too many transitions tho!!...oh man, there are never too many transitions tho!! and yea, 'lifting the belly' is a great thought too -- tho for me it still sorta falls into the category of "reasonable words that are meaningless without an associated *feeling*" hahaemmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.com