Checked on the boys before I headed over to my lesson yesterday afternoon. The plows were out blading the 6"+ worth of slop off the even the gravel roads, but after the nearly 2" of rain we had before the snow started, the roads were awful. It was a mandatory 4-wheel-drive trip. The boys were happy to see me, and didn't seem to be any the worse for their drenching.
At Eric's there was a horse trailer in the driveway and when I went in I got to meet the owner of another horse Eric has in training. A nice down-to-earth seeming woman, she'd brought another of her horses over to work a bit. I didn't get his details, but a really pretty-headed, petite, but nicely put together sorrel paint she has listed at an upcoming sale. Sharp markings, lovely white face, dark eyes, and initially a bit of an attitude. He hadn't been ridden in a few months, and was not that enthused about the prospect.
She longed him lightly both directions before she got on, and while he never offered to buck, there was a definite hunch to his back. He spent the first half hour wringing his tail and grinding his teeth. I could hear him from all the way around the corner by the cross-ties where I was saddling Dancer. But once being annoyed didn't work, he settled down and cooperated more willingly, thank goodness.
Eric was finishing up with one horse when I arrived, and switched to the next at the start of my lesson. His victim was a stretchy, long-headed bay with mounting issues. The gelding arrived with extensive training, a show background, and a panic-stricken response anytime someone puts weight in a stirrup. Eric spent the entire hour just calmly stepping into the stirrup, leaning over, and then quietly swinging on while the other rider and I did circles around the outside of the arena. Finally the bay was calm enough to stand on a loose rein when he mounted. When he dropped his head, licked and chewed Eric stepped off and on one more time. The bay heaved a big sigh and relaxed - it was like a balloon deflating, you could see the tension drain away - and that was his ride for the day.
I had a great view of all the action from the rail, because once Dancer was tacked up Eric had us join in the fun. Since Dancer's stride covered quite a bit more ground than the paint's, not to mention she was working western pleasure slow to our more forward hunt seat, I lapped them fairly frequently. It was good practice for the show ring - and good to be on a horse with show seasoning. Neither horse paid the slightest attention to the other, but practicing invisible steering around traffic at the canter was a new challenge.
Like last week, the name of the game at all gaits was finding that sweet spot where Dancer remained collected, in frame, and neither too low or too flat. Kind of like Goldilocks (but absent the bears), I was looking for the spot that was just right. Unlike Goldilocks, three times was not always the charm.
The majority of the lesson we went left, which is Dancer's stiffer direction. Right he floats along without much more than minimal maintenance on my part, but left he finds it easier to go hollow or heavy on the forehand, so left was a workout for both of us. We were both plenty sweaty by the time Eric allowed us to switch directions.
My two-point is improving. After watching lots of hunt seat classes both during the Scottsdale show and on YouTube, I've come to the conclusion that the two-point I was taught was NOT show-ring two-point as practiced by the hunter under saddle competitors. I learned two-point for jumping. By going over jumps. We were taught a much crouchier style with a more forward release. The two-point for hand-gallop on the flat feels much more upright and less exaggerated. Of course, it's been 15 years, so I could be misremembering because heaven knows I've certainly forgotten lots of other things I learned that long ago!
It was interesting to have something of a group lesson for a change - although the paint's rider wasn't getting an official lesson, Eric would occasionally offer a comment or suggestion to her. She was considerate about keeping to the same gait and direction that I was going, so even though I still had to pass her a lot, it really didn't interrupt the flow of my lesson. Since Eric was basically stationary in the center, it wasn't as if he was really splitting his attention that much, and I think both of us were using the comments to the other rider as cross-check on our own riding. I know I was, at least, so it was certainly helpful in that respect, as well as for the passing practice.
I didn't get formal homework for the week, but what I heard most frequently this lesson was pretty much the same as it's been: lower leg position (more two-point) and better posture. Guess I can't expect the bad habits of a lifetime to be corrected overnight! Not sure it will be nice enough to ride this weekend, but I have high hopes for next week.
And speaking of next week... this will, I think, be my last lesson on Dancer. Remember, I said Eric had a proposition for me? Well, it involves a gelding with a previous career as a Country English horse. He's Eric's solution to the showing dilemma that my improved riding and Sunny's size presented. Stay tuned for more details and hopefully pictures.
Showing posts with label Dancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dancer. Show all posts
Friday, March 2, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Lesson Day: Dancer, and some new developments
Yesterday was snowy. In the 30's, but the white stuff started pre-dawn and it just kept coming. Since the plows cut a swath down our street yet (they tend to leave a foot-high crusty ridge across the end of the driveway) and Eric doesn't plow his driveway, either, when I left for my lesson I elected to drive the big truck which has dependable 4-wheel drive. On the way over - it's about 12 miles - I was practically the only vehicle on the road. Visibility wasn't great, but the road had been plowed and salted, so it was sloppy more than slippery. The wind was just starting to pick up and send runners out across the highway, and as I drove I watched the temperature tick down from mid-30's to upper-20's.
Eric sent me right out after Dancer. When I called to him from the gate his ears pricked up and he actually walked over to meet me - of course, when he spotted the halter dangling from my hand he ducked away and trotted back through the other horses. But he stopped after about 20 feet and turned back towards me, pricked his ears at a firm "whoa" and stood while I walked up and slipped his halter on.
Inside he was much less anxious in the cross ties - he didn't deposit even one pile for me to scoop. Which compared to five or six times he decorated the floor before our first lesson is pretty indicative of how anxious he was!
He made up for his new-found calm in the indoor, however, as he hadn't seen the plastic sheeting covering the outside door before. Plastic, even see-through, stationary plastic, eats pintos and must be treated with extreme caution in case it attacks.
But I stuck with him, and by using some gradually increasing circles we eventually managed to use the whole way round rather than riding a big circle with one seriously flat side. Once he'd settled at the walk in both directions, Eric had me step him into a working trot and we focused on maintaining a consistent level of collection. I got lots of practice at encouraging elevation without letting him get hollow, and at changing rate without letting him get hollow, and at transitions without letting him get hollow... hmmm - I think I'm seeing a pattern here - LOL!
Midway through the lesson Eric had me take the horse he was riding for a couple of rounds. The gelding - a big, lean, snakey-necked chestnut half-Arab with a long narrow head - arrived last week. He's been shown western pleasure, but for a change of scene is going to go hunt seat this year. Eric wanted to see how his trot was shaping up under a rider, which was cool. Although since Eric rides a good two holes longer, posting was kind of a challenge.
Back on Dancer, Eric tortured me with some two-point at a long-rein trot, then collect up and it was on to canter. The actual canter was great - the first downward transition was kind of ugly. Hollow-city, because I forgot to maintain leg contact. I had a couple that were better later, but none of them were stellar.
Eric's always stressing that the cue to collect comes from the rider's inside leg first - you squeeze them up into the bridle by asking them to lift their barrel and step underneath from behind. I've been doing my best to practice this consistently with Sunny, and I think it's one of the reasons his transitions are getting to be soft and round. I think I've mention at least once or twice how quickly Dancer gets hollow - my personal goal last night was to see if I could get him to collect that softly. I think I managed it a couple of times, at least in the upward direction.
It's probably a sign of how far I've come in terms of being able to focus on and feel what I'm doing that as we rode we actually managed to carry on a conversation around the "shoulders back" and "lift your rib-cage" and "are you remembering to pulse and release your heel?" - I've been watching classes at the Scottsdale Arabian show, and I had some questions. Some of which I actually remembered. I know I can always look up the answers, but getting an actual trainer's perspective is fascinating.
Anyway... Eric has mentioned me showing this season a couple of times. And okay, I'm flattered, but... as he's told me - and after watching the half-Arabian classes at Scottsdale this week, I can't disagree, Sunny plainly isn't built to be a breed-show level show horse. He's too small, among other things. Oh, we'll hit some local open shows this summer and I have every intention of enjoying it, but when I think of the clipping, coat, mane and tail maintenance, not to mention the pulling, braiding, banding, etc. required for a polished turnout at a regional breed show ... um... not really in my wheelhouse.
So when Eric brought the subject up again last night I was (again) pleased that he thinks I've improved enough to make it worth his while to want me to show. (Because clearly, any credit I'd collect would of course reflect back on the trainer - lol!) But Sunny hasn't suddenly shot up two hands worth or equally magically gained 6" of neck length, nor have I gotten any more competitive or desirous of trying to keep his tubby self in anything resembling a svelte show figure.
But this time Eric accompanied his suggestion that I show with a proposal.... and after pondering it for the remainder of my lesson and Dancer's cool-down and post-ride brushing... I said yes. Intrigued? Me, too! More details coming soon...
Eric sent me right out after Dancer. When I called to him from the gate his ears pricked up and he actually walked over to meet me - of course, when he spotted the halter dangling from my hand he ducked away and trotted back through the other horses. But he stopped after about 20 feet and turned back towards me, pricked his ears at a firm "whoa" and stood while I walked up and slipped his halter on.
Inside he was much less anxious in the cross ties - he didn't deposit even one pile for me to scoop. Which compared to five or six times he decorated the floor before our first lesson is pretty indicative of how anxious he was!
He made up for his new-found calm in the indoor, however, as he hadn't seen the plastic sheeting covering the outside door before. Plastic, even see-through, stationary plastic, eats pintos and must be treated with extreme caution in case it attacks.
But I stuck with him, and by using some gradually increasing circles we eventually managed to use the whole way round rather than riding a big circle with one seriously flat side. Once he'd settled at the walk in both directions, Eric had me step him into a working trot and we focused on maintaining a consistent level of collection. I got lots of practice at encouraging elevation without letting him get hollow, and at changing rate without letting him get hollow, and at transitions without letting him get hollow... hmmm - I think I'm seeing a pattern here - LOL!
Midway through the lesson Eric had me take the horse he was riding for a couple of rounds. The gelding - a big, lean, snakey-necked chestnut half-Arab with a long narrow head - arrived last week. He's been shown western pleasure, but for a change of scene is going to go hunt seat this year. Eric wanted to see how his trot was shaping up under a rider, which was cool. Although since Eric rides a good two holes longer, posting was kind of a challenge.
Back on Dancer, Eric tortured me with some two-point at a long-rein trot, then collect up and it was on to canter. The actual canter was great - the first downward transition was kind of ugly. Hollow-city, because I forgot to maintain leg contact. I had a couple that were better later, but none of them were stellar.
Eric's always stressing that the cue to collect comes from the rider's inside leg first - you squeeze them up into the bridle by asking them to lift their barrel and step underneath from behind. I've been doing my best to practice this consistently with Sunny, and I think it's one of the reasons his transitions are getting to be soft and round. I think I've mention at least once or twice how quickly Dancer gets hollow - my personal goal last night was to see if I could get him to collect that softly. I think I managed it a couple of times, at least in the upward direction.
It's probably a sign of how far I've come in terms of being able to focus on and feel what I'm doing that as we rode we actually managed to carry on a conversation around the "shoulders back" and "lift your rib-cage" and "are you remembering to pulse and release your heel?" - I've been watching classes at the Scottsdale Arabian show, and I had some questions. Some of which I actually remembered. I know I can always look up the answers, but getting an actual trainer's perspective is fascinating.
Anyway... Eric has mentioned me showing this season a couple of times. And okay, I'm flattered, but... as he's told me - and after watching the half-Arabian classes at Scottsdale this week, I can't disagree, Sunny plainly isn't built to be a breed-show level show horse. He's too small, among other things. Oh, we'll hit some local open shows this summer and I have every intention of enjoying it, but when I think of the clipping, coat, mane and tail maintenance, not to mention the pulling, braiding, banding, etc. required for a polished turnout at a regional breed show ... um... not really in my wheelhouse.
So when Eric brought the subject up again last night I was (again) pleased that he thinks I've improved enough to make it worth his while to want me to show. (Because clearly, any credit I'd collect would of course reflect back on the trainer - lol!) But Sunny hasn't suddenly shot up two hands worth or equally magically gained 6" of neck length, nor have I gotten any more competitive or desirous of trying to keep his tubby self in anything resembling a svelte show figure.
But this time Eric accompanied his suggestion that I show with a proposal.... and after pondering it for the remainder of my lesson and Dancer's cool-down and post-ride brushing... I said yes. Intrigued? Me, too! More details coming soon...
Friday, February 10, 2012
Lesson Day: Dancer, hunt seat
Between work & weather, I haven't ridden since last week's lesson. Not ideal - visualizing keeping my lower legs quiet and correct only works so well, you know? Sunny and Thunder don't seem to mind the break - Sunny hollers at me daily as soon as I step out of the car, and they're happy to be fussed over without having to work for their hay. Gluttons.
Yesterday was a warm, windy day - lately we've had something of a rollercoaster, temp-wise, with highs ranging from teens to low 50's - so I dressed for an outdoor ride in multiple layers, in case we ended up indoors. Even windy, outside is preferable though. Have to say, I LOVE the drainage on Eric's arena - not sure what his the base is, but the top is sand and the footing is fabulous: soft, without being deep, and it dries out fast.
This time, since I knew which horse to collect, he sent me after Dancer myself. He's outside in the big lot, and I had a train of inquisitive critters behind me by the time I got to the bale Dancer was munching. (Of course I stopped to do some nose-rubbing on the way.) He poked his nose in the halter and in fairly short order we were maneuvering out the gate - to the displeasure of several of his mates, who wanted to come, too.
I remembered my saddle, so I didn't have to worry about adjusting stirrups, which was nice. Brushed and tacked up, we headed outside, Eric with Pride - who next to Dancer's height looks even more perfectly petite and Breyer-like. He's so CUTE. I'll have to see if I can't locate a picture.
On top, Dancer felt good. Not quite as if I was riding a different horse, but certainly a much more relaxed one. Even with the wind whipping around our ears and the dog rattling around in the underbrush outside the arena, he rounded sweetly up to contact and walked - not jigged - off, flexing easily into the slight inside bend I asked for. It was such a change from the beginning of our previous lesson, I asked Eric if he'd been riding him since last week, but no - I was the last one to ride him.
And I got a compliment! Dancer is "sensitive" - he really doesn't like being grabbed in the mouth (what horse would?) and he gets frustrated easily - which can make him challenging to ride. It's one of the reasons Eric doesn't use him for lessons as much. But he's just as quick to relax and cooperate if he clicks with his rider. We apparently click, because Dancer stayed soft and light for the majority of the lesson. Eric informed me that I've come a long way since I started last fall. Happy glow!
That said, perfection 'r' not us! My downward transitions are still not the picture of melty and soft, my lower leg is inconsistent, and my two point is wobbly. So if it does get nice enough to ride, Sunny and I have our homework. I need to work on whoa in the following areas:
I think some of the leg thing is lack of strength and endurance. I can hold position pretty well for a while, but toward the end of the lesson my legs get tired. On Dancer, because he's so light, I can maintain it for longer, but on Sunny who's lazy and requires more leg, I get tired a lot faster and sloppy a lot quicker. More riding would help, but I guess in the meantime I need more exercise.
With the wind-up to show season starting, Eric's starting to toss helpful pointers into the mix. Like, "You know those parents on the rail whose kids can do no wrong? Pretend you're one of them when you make a correction - your horse is perfect, the best horse ever, and nothing just happened." Show poker-face means a proud and happy smile regardless, apparently - LOL!
Smooth lesson or not, I was beat when we finished. Fell asleep on the couch after supper, which pleased the cats. Missed the dresses/runway on Project Runway: All Stars, too :( Although I did manage to wake up long enough to see who got eliminated. One great side-benefit of lesson days - I always get a great night's sleep afterwards.
Hopefully the weather will cooperate and I'll have more horsey news to report this week. In the meantime, off to catch up on what all of you have been up to!
Yesterday was a warm, windy day - lately we've had something of a rollercoaster, temp-wise, with highs ranging from teens to low 50's - so I dressed for an outdoor ride in multiple layers, in case we ended up indoors. Even windy, outside is preferable though. Have to say, I LOVE the drainage on Eric's arena - not sure what his the base is, but the top is sand and the footing is fabulous: soft, without being deep, and it dries out fast.
This time, since I knew which horse to collect, he sent me after Dancer myself. He's outside in the big lot, and I had a train of inquisitive critters behind me by the time I got to the bale Dancer was munching. (Of course I stopped to do some nose-rubbing on the way.) He poked his nose in the halter and in fairly short order we were maneuvering out the gate - to the displeasure of several of his mates, who wanted to come, too.
I remembered my saddle, so I didn't have to worry about adjusting stirrups, which was nice. Brushed and tacked up, we headed outside, Eric with Pride - who next to Dancer's height looks even more perfectly petite and Breyer-like. He's so CUTE. I'll have to see if I can't locate a picture.
On top, Dancer felt good. Not quite as if I was riding a different horse, but certainly a much more relaxed one. Even with the wind whipping around our ears and the dog rattling around in the underbrush outside the arena, he rounded sweetly up to contact and walked - not jigged - off, flexing easily into the slight inside bend I asked for. It was such a change from the beginning of our previous lesson, I asked Eric if he'd been riding him since last week, but no - I was the last one to ride him.
And I got a compliment! Dancer is "sensitive" - he really doesn't like being grabbed in the mouth (what horse would?) and he gets frustrated easily - which can make him challenging to ride. It's one of the reasons Eric doesn't use him for lessons as much. But he's just as quick to relax and cooperate if he clicks with his rider. We apparently click, because Dancer stayed soft and light for the majority of the lesson. Eric informed me that I've come a long way since I started last fall. Happy glow!
That said, perfection 'r' not us! My downward transitions are still not the picture of melty and soft, my lower leg is inconsistent, and my two point is wobbly. So if it does get nice enough to ride, Sunny and I have our homework. I need to work on whoa in the following areas:
- Soften my spine
- Close my whole leg down through my ankle
- Do NOT collapse forward
- Keep my head/eyes up
- Remember not to release until my horse is soft (well, my horse should actually stay soft...)
I think some of the leg thing is lack of strength and endurance. I can hold position pretty well for a while, but toward the end of the lesson my legs get tired. On Dancer, because he's so light, I can maintain it for longer, but on Sunny who's lazy and requires more leg, I get tired a lot faster and sloppy a lot quicker. More riding would help, but I guess in the meantime I need more exercise.
With the wind-up to show season starting, Eric's starting to toss helpful pointers into the mix. Like, "You know those parents on the rail whose kids can do no wrong? Pretend you're one of them when you make a correction - your horse is perfect, the best horse ever, and nothing just happened." Show poker-face means a proud and happy smile regardless, apparently - LOL!
Smooth lesson or not, I was beat when we finished. Fell asleep on the couch after supper, which pleased the cats. Missed the dresses/runway on Project Runway: All Stars, too :( Although I did manage to wake up long enough to see who got eliminated. One great side-benefit of lesson days - I always get a great night's sleep afterwards.
Hopefully the weather will cooperate and I'll have more horsey news to report this week. In the meantime, off to catch up on what all of you have been up to!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Lesson Day: Dancer, Hunt Seat
I'm full of pizza and there's a warm purring cat on my lap, and another one curled up on the back of the couch by my shoulder. I'm trying very hard not to fall asleep, so if this gets incoherent, blame it on the cats!
Another day in the high 40's. Checked the boys around noon, and contemplated the mess I'd need to make to get the trailer hitched up.... Nope, sorry Sunny, no pony ride for you today. Maybe if it's still warm and the ground is drier next week.
Arrived at Eric's just in time to help wrangle some goats - they'd been inside to get their physicals (health check, shots & what-not) and were not thrilled at the prospect of being stuck back in the horse trailer for a quick jaunt back to their usual location. Once that was done and only one - temporary - escapee, too! Eric asked what I felt like working on. Since show season is coming (gulp) it was time to choose a discipline to focus on.
Since I'm not made of cash, picking one for which I'm already semi-prepared seemed wise, which left out saddleseat. And actually, western pleasure, too - I have the basics, but those show outfits are pricey with a capital $$$. Not to mention, none of the three horses at my disposal are geared for the extreme collection and control of western pleasure. Not that they're built for saddleseat, either!
Long story short, I went for hunt seat - it's what Sunny and I have been working on, I have the tack, and most of the show stuff - at least for the level I'm going to be at. And if Sunny's not quite built to be a hunt horse either, at least we can have some fun.
So... Eric pulled Dancer out for me. Dancer's a TALL bay pinto. Heavy on the Arab look, but with a high-set neck and upright shoulder and an impressive set of hindquarters. He had the energy and action to be a Country English horse, but not the throatlatch - too thick - so he ended up being a hunt horse. He's (like a lot of Eric's stand-bys) rocking an impressive resume, but it's been a few years since he top-ten'd at Scottsdale. And none of Eric's students did hunt last year, so it's been a while since he's been ridden, too. "He has all the buttons, but they may be a bit sticky," was how Eric put it.
I practiced my be-calm breathing as I brushed him. He swayed and sidled back and forth in the cross-ties, watching everything with big eyes. Well, the goats still inside were a bit loud... But he picked his feet up politely and dropped his head like a gentleman for the bit, so maybe I wasn't going to die.
Tacked and ready to go, we headed for the outdoor arena. "He doesn't stand very well when you get on, so just sit deep and turn him in a small circle if he starts to walk off." Sure, but first I have to get my foot all that way up there! Sheesh, am I glad I ride a short horse. And sadly, Dancer's "doesn't stand very well" label could be far more fairly applied to Sunny. I think Dancer took about two steps all three times I mounted. (Stirrups, girth tightening.... still can't quite get the hang of adjustments from on top.)
I learned two things about Dancer immediately - he's incredibly light-sided, and he'll get hollow at the twitch of a finger. Which meant I had to be very consistent, very vigilant, and very steady, especially with my legs. Getting him to relax and stretch into contact at a walk was challenging. He wanted to get hollow and jig, and if I lost focus at all, he fell apart. Anticipating the trot and canter would be the same, I wasn't eager to try the faster gaits, but they arrived anyway.
And oddly enough, the walk turned out to be his worst gait. Trot was much easier to rate although he'd still pop up and get hollow, and he was still quick to speed up if I used too much leg, but at least it wasn't jiggy and rushed. Canter turned out to be much the same story - in fact, it was easier to keep him round and balanced, even to the right which was his stiffer direction.
I asked about it, because usually going faster doesn't make small issues like rushing disappear - usually it makes them worse. Apparently, Dancer'd been over-schooled on transitions under a previous rider. Because the rider's walk/canter transitions weren't the best, he'd practiced and practiced and practiced them, until Dancer was almost leaping into the canter at the slightest hint that he needed to speed up. It may have improved the rider's transitions, but it didn't do good things for Dancer's walk. No kidding.
After we'd worked through the gaits in both directions, Eric had me let him stretch for a few laps, then ask him to step into the trot on a loose rein, then gradually collect him and ask for a canter. Two-point, maintaining frame, hand-gallop, then sit and back to a more collected canter, and finally to a very collected canter. Wow. Like riding a bubble. Downward transition to walk, loosen reins, stretch, and walk until cool.
It was a challenging lesson for me, partially for my hang-ups. Initially I had to think very determinedly calm thoughts and not let Dancer's unease in the cross-ties make me nervous, too. Jigging isn't one of my favorite things, either, especially when I know faster is coming.
Eric's getting pickier, too - it isn't enough that I do it correctly most of the time, I need to do it correctly, period. And make it look pretty, and easy - LOL! And he asks me to feel what needs to be fixed. Seriously, though - I like that he gives me a chance to feel and make adjustments on my own before he tells me what I need to do. And being pushed a bit means I do it, rather than wimping out like I'd do on my own.
Hopefully I'll get a chance to practice with Sunny tomorrow - the pasture looked better today when I was out. And if nothing else, even walking there's always something to be worked on.
Another day in the high 40's. Checked the boys around noon, and contemplated the mess I'd need to make to get the trailer hitched up.... Nope, sorry Sunny, no pony ride for you today. Maybe if it's still warm and the ground is drier next week.
Arrived at Eric's just in time to help wrangle some goats - they'd been inside to get their physicals (health check, shots & what-not) and were not thrilled at the prospect of being stuck back in the horse trailer for a quick jaunt back to their usual location. Once that was done and only one - temporary - escapee, too! Eric asked what I felt like working on. Since show season is coming (gulp) it was time to choose a discipline to focus on.
Since I'm not made of cash, picking one for which I'm already semi-prepared seemed wise, which left out saddleseat. And actually, western pleasure, too - I have the basics, but those show outfits are pricey with a capital $$$. Not to mention, none of the three horses at my disposal are geared for the extreme collection and control of western pleasure. Not that they're built for saddleseat, either!
Long story short, I went for hunt seat - it's what Sunny and I have been working on, I have the tack, and most of the show stuff - at least for the level I'm going to be at. And if Sunny's not quite built to be a hunt horse either, at least we can have some fun.
So... Eric pulled Dancer out for me. Dancer's a TALL bay pinto. Heavy on the Arab look, but with a high-set neck and upright shoulder and an impressive set of hindquarters. He had the energy and action to be a Country English horse, but not the throatlatch - too thick - so he ended up being a hunt horse. He's (like a lot of Eric's stand-bys) rocking an impressive resume, but it's been a few years since he top-ten'd at Scottsdale. And none of Eric's students did hunt last year, so it's been a while since he's been ridden, too. "He has all the buttons, but they may be a bit sticky," was how Eric put it.
I practiced my be-calm breathing as I brushed him. He swayed and sidled back and forth in the cross-ties, watching everything with big eyes. Well, the goats still inside were a bit loud... But he picked his feet up politely and dropped his head like a gentleman for the bit, so maybe I wasn't going to die.
Tacked and ready to go, we headed for the outdoor arena. "He doesn't stand very well when you get on, so just sit deep and turn him in a small circle if he starts to walk off." Sure, but first I have to get my foot all that way up there! Sheesh, am I glad I ride a short horse. And sadly, Dancer's "doesn't stand very well" label could be far more fairly applied to Sunny. I think Dancer took about two steps all three times I mounted. (Stirrups, girth tightening.... still can't quite get the hang of adjustments from on top.)
I learned two things about Dancer immediately - he's incredibly light-sided, and he'll get hollow at the twitch of a finger. Which meant I had to be very consistent, very vigilant, and very steady, especially with my legs. Getting him to relax and stretch into contact at a walk was challenging. He wanted to get hollow and jig, and if I lost focus at all, he fell apart. Anticipating the trot and canter would be the same, I wasn't eager to try the faster gaits, but they arrived anyway.
And oddly enough, the walk turned out to be his worst gait. Trot was much easier to rate although he'd still pop up and get hollow, and he was still quick to speed up if I used too much leg, but at least it wasn't jiggy and rushed. Canter turned out to be much the same story - in fact, it was easier to keep him round and balanced, even to the right which was his stiffer direction.
I asked about it, because usually going faster doesn't make small issues like rushing disappear - usually it makes them worse. Apparently, Dancer'd been over-schooled on transitions under a previous rider. Because the rider's walk/canter transitions weren't the best, he'd practiced and practiced and practiced them, until Dancer was almost leaping into the canter at the slightest hint that he needed to speed up. It may have improved the rider's transitions, but it didn't do good things for Dancer's walk. No kidding.
After we'd worked through the gaits in both directions, Eric had me let him stretch for a few laps, then ask him to step into the trot on a loose rein, then gradually collect him and ask for a canter. Two-point, maintaining frame, hand-gallop, then sit and back to a more collected canter, and finally to a very collected canter. Wow. Like riding a bubble. Downward transition to walk, loosen reins, stretch, and walk until cool.
It was a challenging lesson for me, partially for my hang-ups. Initially I had to think very determinedly calm thoughts and not let Dancer's unease in the cross-ties make me nervous, too. Jigging isn't one of my favorite things, either, especially when I know faster is coming.
Eric's getting pickier, too - it isn't enough that I do it correctly most of the time, I need to do it correctly, period. And make it look pretty, and easy - LOL! And he asks me to feel what needs to be fixed. Seriously, though - I like that he gives me a chance to feel and make adjustments on my own before he tells me what I need to do. And being pushed a bit means I do it, rather than wimping out like I'd do on my own.
Hopefully I'll get a chance to practice with Sunny tomorrow - the pasture looked better today when I was out. And if nothing else, even walking there's always something to be worked on.
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