DRESSAGE FANATICS!!!

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Comment by vickie lawson on December 18, 2009 at 9:10pm

ok- i need big wishes of luck to overcome expectant nerves tomorrow!! doing the hardest level 1 test on my baby and the fei 4 yr old test!!

Comment by Kinni P on December 18, 2009 at 9:25am

I think you made your point quite well. For me, it was really interesting, and exciting, to see the changes in the horse as I improved the quality of the contact. It's equally interesting, but less exciting, to see the changes that occur if I let my elbow pop out or my hand come forward, and lose that contact. When I first came to my trainer, I had far too light a hand. The horse would root, go rubber necked or even become difficult to move (that was very counter intuitive). I get far better movement with a steady, present hand. With my own horse, I notice it the most in the trot walk transition. If I maintain a good contact and ask him to go forward into walk, it's gorgeous. If I drop the rein and ask for forward to walk, I get plopping onto the forehand with very little impulsion. Guess there's something to that 'circle of the aids' rap! ;)

Comment by slc2 on December 18, 2009 at 4:17am

I don't like my post though for one reason, I don't think I emphasized enough, that there needs to be a solid, consistent feel of the rein, not an extremely light, on and off feel. I think many times, we want too light a type of contact, we actually wind up taking the horse off the bit too much, and the horse fusses because he's confused about what's wanted and he needs more of a steady connection, but also because he simply doesn't have enough OOMPH going toward the bridle, and enough of the rider simply accepting his contact - horses simply have an unsteady head carriage and contact any time there isn't enough energy going to the bridle and being accepted. Oddly, Klimke used to say not "push to the two little baby birdies hands", he said push to the QUIET STEADY hand, not the too light, evasive hand.

Comment by Kinni P on December 17, 2009 at 7:34pm

Nice post slc2. Being too soft in the contact has been a real battle for me.

Comment by slc2 on December 17, 2009 at 5:36pm

I am going to try to respond to Rekha's questions about getting horse on the bit. When she tries, the horse sticks her nose out or snatches the reins. Judge says she needs to go up into bridle and soften in the back.

First, unfortunately, we aren't yet talking about being 'on the bit', and later, 'on the bit' won't be a position, but a feeling, it's hard not to get so caught up in getting a head position, but it will cause you problems if you do keep trying to get a position. 'On the bit' doesn't mean chin in, head down. It's actually much more, and horses don't get 'on the bit' til later on in training.

At training level, the issue you're facing is called 'accepting the bit'. It means the rider can set a boundary, a reasonable boundary, and the horse does not pull against it or hide behind it, but 'accepts' or 'carries' the bit, contacts the bit, so the rider has a springy, nice feeling in the reins, not a hard, wooden pull-my-arms-out feeling, and not a 'where's my horsey's head, there's no horsey head out there' feeling. The rider can bend the horse's neck a little, and the horse doesn't fight him. He can bend a little left, a little right. The horse doesn't brace, pull or toss his head up and down erratically. That's 'accepting the bit'.

So how do you get there. Well, you need riding lessons with a good instructor who can guide you moment to moment, because things change, horses react differently, and it's not a simple formula. What is too much giving sometimes is too much taking other times.

What most people do WRONG, frankly, is they don't make a steady enough limit with their hand. They are always changing their rein length, and the horse is confused about when he's supposed to take the rein out, and when he's supposed to not stretch his neck out. He gets more unsteady and annoyed, and he may start snatching the reins.

Don't be afraid to decide on a rein length and then maintain it. How? Some of it is about a steady position. A steady position in the saddle helps the rider to not have an unsteady hand. When his legs let down around the saddle, his hips are open and his seat is sunk down into the lowest part of the saddle, his body upright, elbows at his sides, he can provide a steady connection with the bridle, and he can be consistent. So the rider may want to do more about making himself a steady position.

Some of it is just about deciding that having a consistent rein length isn't 'mean' or 'restrictive'. If you're having a lot of trouble with the horse snatching at the rein, some of your stretching work may have to go on 'hold' briefly while you and your horse work out this issue. Later, you and your horse can resolve the 'when to stretch' problem by always making sure you do NOT ask your horse to stretch my dropping the contact and then cueing him to drop his head. But for now, just postpone the stretching at the trot for a ride or two.

The 'barrier' you set with your hands is kind of like a waterbed on a brick wall. You never really are going to let your horse SLAM into a brick wall of force of the hand (unless he runs away or some emergency occurs). Instead, you kind of just bend a little this way, bend that, without making a fixed, hard barrier, but also, without ever letting your horse go beyond where that barrier is. So it's kind of like a brick wall with a pillow on it. You make the pillow with your hands, but you aren't going to just be endlessly giving away or giving up that limit that you set of where you won't let him go beyond. In a way, instead of 'hitting the wall', you just bend him a little, avoid having you rhand become a hard barrier. It's not about just endlessly 'ying yangin'' back and forth the horse's head, like an endless habit. You actually feel the contact and it's a conversation, and it ONLY happens when the horse is not accepting the hand.

It's a little bit like a conversation that you don't ever want to turn into a flat out argument, so you just keep going along talking, and don't ever totally give in but you never actually turn it into a knock down drag out fight.

When your horse snatches at your reins, bend him and send him forward, immediately. When your horse grabs at the reins, bend and forward, bend him with one rein, use your leg, immediately put him forward to both reins. It doesn't work well unless you are already sending him out to the bridle, so if he's 'cruising' and not pushed out to the bridle, you have to do that before you can correct the 'snaggin''.

This has to be done 'within a correct situation'. If the horse is way off the bit, tucking his chin in behind the rein contact, it won't work. All corrections in dressage have to be 'on the forward', so that what really saves you, is that you have a whole lot of horse going up to the bridle, then you can play that like a musical instrument, tune it, modulate it, bend it, send it forward, bring it back, and it always has a life and energy that makes your horse a horse you can ride. So go forward and bend and remember, forward and out of trouble. Always.

Comment by Ellin McGinley Daum on December 10, 2009 at 10:37am

All of Kay's comments have great value. Flexions can also be done from the saddle after they are done on the ground. The aids are substantially the same: support on one side, ask for release with a steady soft pressure upward and backward with the other rein, complete release when the horse complies. Might need to be done 1,000 times before the horse will simply drop into the rein as soon as it is picked up. Also use this exercise to stretch the horse to the ground and then teach the horse to accept a limiting rein without leaning. Use the aids only to the intensity and length of time to effect a result and then release completely. Re-establish light contact and ask again. Start at the halt and work progressively to the trot and canter. Over time and with an increase in physical condition the horse will eventually put itself in a frame as soon as you pick up the reins. Be very, very patient!

Comment by Kay Langmuir on December 10, 2009 at 9:46am

Just a suggestion for Rekha whose mare won't stay on the bit consistently and relax her back. You say you checked her back. Did you also check saddle fit with a competent fitter? And sometimes, some horses greatly prefer traditional wool flocking to air panels. Also, and here's my pet peeve, do you hack your horse at least briefly every day, and do long hacks at least a few times a week if not much more? If you're spending most of your time in the ring, she may just be ring sour, or ring sore. Constant repetition of training exercises can tax horses mentally and physically. I've been riding and showing for 45 years, and it drives me crazy how ring bound people are. Riding trails builds muscle, balance, trust and keeps a horse fresh with a good approach to being ridden. You might also try jaw flexion exercises from the ground before you ride. All horses naturally carry a certain amount of tension in their jaws. These exercises help the horses to relax AND to understand what you're asking via the rein aids.
Your horse is not being stubborn or cheeky. She either doesn't understand clearly, or she's not yet physically capable of holding a frame, or experiencing some discomfort when she does so.
Good luck.

Comment by Tamara Williamson on December 8, 2009 at 8:27pm

Hi everyone. I'm a new member and thought I'd let you know about some great clinics coming up!

TEST RIDING CLINIC
With International FEI C Level Judge
Brenda Minor
Sat & Sunday Jan 23/24 2010 RCRA
Ride your test as you would at a show and then spend ten minutes with your judge Brenda Minor. She will give you feedback on your performance and try to help you pick up some points. Then later on ride your test again.
$125. Per Test session. 30 mins approx.
Limited spots available. For more info email info@rcra.ca
AUDITORS WELCOME! $25 FOR THE DAY WHICH INCLUDES A LUNCH VOUCHER
PLEASE RSVP. DAY STARTS AT 9.00 THROUGH TILL 5PM. DRESS WARM.

Comment by Chris - resident queen of shops on November 21, 2009 at 3:52pm

Hi everyone,

Just thought I'd let you know about the new DVDs we have in the Barnmice Gift Shop. Training with Laura Bechtolsheimer is a set of 4 DVDs from the European Silver Medallist. From training the young horse to putting together a Grand Prix Kur, there's something to interest every dressage lover. They make a perfect Christmas gift or treat to yourself & until the end of November, members of the Dressage Fanatics group get 15% OFF.

Go to www.shop.barnmice.com & enter the code DRESSAGE at checkout to activate your discount.

Best Wishes
Christina

Comment by Catherine on November 7, 2009 at 4:12pm

Good luck Vickie! Let us know how you guys do.

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