A Wonderful Ride

It seems unbelievable, but my time of leaving for Sweden has almost arrived.  The move will be bittersweet, because I'll miss the friends that I have in America, and I'll miss being a working student for Laura.  It has been so wonderful to know her, work with her, and learn from her.

On Wednesday, I had my last lesson with her and my last ride in America for a long time. I was given the privilege of riding my choice of mule.  I chose to ride CR Moxie J, the mule who won Dressage, Western Dressage, and English Pleasure at Bishop Mule Days last week.

The only way I can think of to describe what it was like to ride him is amazing.  He is the most trained animal I have ever ridden, and as such, he wasn't just a pushbutton lesson horse like many of the animals I have ridden.  He has the most amazing gaits I have ever ridden.  When I set him up properly and rode him in front of my leg, his walk was loose and free.  He's a big mule, so I was able to ask for large trot strides.  Perhaps his most amazing gait, however, was the canter.  The transition to the canter was always smooth.  All I had to do was making a kissing sound, and he would roll into the canter.  His strides had a lot of bounce to them, and they felt almost effortless to ride.

As I rode, I focused on keeping my body balanced, since any unbalance could affect my riding. When that was in place, I asked for forward, rhythmic gaits. I tried to keep an elastic connection between my hands and the bit, giving to Moxie slightly when he gave to the bit and became soft and round.  It was so amazing when he did so.  Because of the soft connection and roundness, I could allow him to stretch when I took a few moments to walk and catch my breath.  He stretched so nicely; it felt great.

I worked on a lot of circles.  At one point of the ride, after I had ridden each gait many times,  I rode each 20 meter circle in the arena one after the other(not a serpentine; I stayed on the same rein in this exercise).  I started at the walk worked up to doing the exercise in the canter.  When I kept a soft connection and the right amount of bend in Moxie's neck and body, things felt extraordinary.  It was amazing how effortlessly Moxie could do things.

I'm so happy that I had such an amazing last ride in America on an amazing mule.  I'll miss riding mules when I go to Sweden.  They're such amazing creatures, and I hope to tell European equestrians about them.

True Harmony

When riding Lucky, there have been times when I had glimpses of harmony.  However, during my most recent rides, things seemed to align perfectly and I had more than just a few moments of harmony with Lucky.  During the trot, I had more harmony than I have ever had with any horse, and kept it for more than a few strides at a time.  It felt phenomenal.  I was effortless posting at the trot and directing Lucky, without having tension and without my leg flying all over the place.  Lucky was in front of my left and available to me, ready to do what I asked.

That is ultimately what my goal is during every ride.  I want myself to be in balance, and to be able to help whatever animal I am riding to be in balance, relaxed, and  round.  When they get to this supple "sweet spot", they are ready to do anything for the rider because they are set up to do so.  This is something that I have observed every time Laura lunges or rides.  Most clearly and recently, I have observed this when Laura had worked on introducing a mule to dressage.  This mule has and a lot of great training, in various disciplines, but he has never been taught to weight his hind end and use his back in the way dressage horses should.   Watching him figure out how use his body has been fascinating and educational.  When his body position does become correct, he becomes eager to make a transition.  It is important to note, however, that it is not about getting him in a frame.  It's about him using his hind end and his back and becoming supple and free in his body.

Her walk was also probably the best walk I have ever had on her.  She took long strides, and her back and hips were free and swinging.  She did not become "stuck" behind my leg.  The fact that Laura and ridden first had helped that.

I did have some difficulties in the canter, however.  I became a bit twisted, and she did not canter right when I asked.  However, instead of forcing the issue, I calmly regained a rhythmic, unhurried trot before asking again.  It is much better to have a correct transition than a rushed, unbalanced one. I later on got a few nice sets of cantering, and ended the lesson there.

Moving Up the Scale

This past year, I have mostly been working on asking Lucky to stretch down and lift her back hone riding and lunging her.  In my most recent ride, I took this a step further and began asking for her to truly be "on the bit."  This is something i have read about many times before, but it can be difficult to do correctly.  However, Lucky is a great horse to learn this on because she would only become truly round if I am balanced and my aids are exactly correct.  Once there, she typically stays there.

My learning started on the ground in the round pen.  Laura worked Lucky for a while in just a halter and lunge line to demonstrate, and then gave me a try.  I worked Lucky on a small circle, keeping a short and consistent feel on the lunge line.  I kept me hands steady in front of me with my elbows at my side, just like when riding.  The object was for me to keep this feel, neither giving or taking as Lucky went along.  If she were to get heavy in my hands, I would cluck her along so that she would she would be pushed onto the "bit"(the lunge line attached to her halter). True roundness comes from the back coming up and the neck rounding and reaching for the contact, but not leaning on it.  I also yielded her to help her to reach for the contact.

 Once I got a feel for it, I rode in the dressage tack and used stirrups for the first time since November.  An entire winter of riding without stirrups has done wonders for my leg.  Most of the time, my leg was soft and relaxed, and I didn't grip with my knees or cause my legs to slip all over the place during the trot.  Even my canter leg position was improved, all though my inside did creep up a bit during some of the cantering as it always has.

Throughout the ride, I worked on rhythm and relaxation as I always do. However, I finally added the element of connection.  I had to remember to keep my leg on as I shortened the reins, but since Laura had schooled Lucky for a few minutes before I rode, I had less trouble than usual keeping Lucky in front of my leg.  I also rode with a crop, which provided assistance in stopping Lucky from leaning on her inside shoulder.

As I rode, I applied the same principles as on the ground.  I kept a consistent feel as my elbows remained at my side, encouraged Lucky to be more forward if she leaned on the bit, and yielded her onto the outside rein as I asked for her to come on the bit. There were times during the ride when I felt her come on the bit fro several strides at a time.  I did, however, have difficulty for a while even when it seemed like I had been doing everything correctly.  It turns out that I have been relying on my hands much more than I have realized, so I walked and trotted on a long rein for while so that I would use my legs and seat to turn rather than my hands.  

Finally, I ended by cantering.  It was necessary for me to assist Lucky in remaining straight and not leaning on her inside shoulder during the canter, which is usually the case with Lucky. This caused my inside leg to creep up, a problem I have had in the past when I previously rode with stirrups.  I then decided to use the crop to lightly tap her inside  shoulder when necessary. This stopped my inside leg from working too and becoming tight.  In the end, I and some nice canters.

I'm really pleased with what riding without stirrups has done for my leg. I'll probably continue to ride without them, but this ride has been a great way to assess my progress.  Laura is putting on a mule show in the spring, and is offering an all breeds dressage class.  I hope to be ready by then to ride in my first dressage class.  Even if my ability to get Lucky on the bit is not completely consistent by then, it will be a great class to enter since it will be a both convenient and fun schooling event.  I know that I ride accurate geometry and keep Lucky in a consistent rhythm if I work at it and focus, so I can make up for lack of on the bit consistency with that.That isn't to say that I won't work hard at getting Lucky on the bit, because I will.  I just mean that I know I can be ready if I work at it.

Oh, and I started a Swedish study blog(which will alter have Swedish recipes, traditions, and stories about me adjusting to life in Sweden) for those interested.

Fancy Dressage Horse

I had an amazing ride earlier this, but didn't write about it until now.  Before riding, I spent a lot of time grooming and braiding Lucky to get her looking fancy, and even put the dressage saddle and bridle on her.  Laura felt that riding in a dressage saddle with knee blocks could help put my leg in the correct position.  As I have been doing since November, I rode without stirrups for a full lesson.  During the trot, I would alternate between the sitting and rising trot.

I started out by working on Lucky's rhythm at the walk.  It is my responsibility as the rider to set the rhythm, and it all beings at the walk.  There was a corner of the arena that had a puddle in it, so I had to be prepared to give her extra support to keep her going, for she wanted to slow down at the puddle.

Someone is looking fancy(it's not me).

Most of the lesson, I worked in a clover leaf pattern.  There were four cones set up with two parallel poles set in the middle, and I had circle the cones and go over or between the poles, depending on which direction I was going, of course.  I began at the walk.  At first, I did not go directly over the center of the poles. When I remembered to look at the center of poles only until Lucky was lined up, and then look ahead, I was more successful.

Also, per usual, Lucky had the most difficultly going right and often cut the circle in.  This did not set me up for making a straight line on the poles.  However, when I applied inside leg, lifted my inside hand, and looked directly where I wanted her to go, Lucky made a big, wide circle and hit the pole in the dead center.  This exercise requires a great deal of patience.  There is so much to think about because it requires a coordination of every single aid.

She is beginning to be in the right place for trotting here.

I took break from the exercise for a while to trot along the rail.  I did not just fro right off whenever I wanted to.  Before making a transition, I made sure that Lucky was in front of my leg by asking her to walk more quickly. Only once she was paying attention did I ask her to trot.  Some of the trots she did that day were simply amazing.  I could feel her stretching down and using her back, bounding as she trotted.  During the sitting trot a few times, I even felt like I was really with her.  I was not just sitting on her back trying to balance.  I felt like my hips were moving and melting with the motion of her back.  It was amazing.

I then did the clover leaf pattern at the trot, alternating between trotting and walking as I rode the exercise.  Sometimes, I only trotted for the straight line between the cones, walked a circle, then trotted again.  Other times I trotted around circle and then walked, or trotted for a a bit longer.  Laura was constantly changing it up.

My position is awful her, but look at roundness and stretching.

To finish a great lesson, I worked on cantering.  I started to the left, because Lucky trots best that direction.  Like when I began trotting, I started by making sure that Lucky was in front of my leg.  I trotted for a few strides, then walked, then trotted again, working several transitions before finally asking for the canter.  Lucky bounded right off.  I cantered for a few strides to begin with, but the next time, I cantered an entire lap.  That day, I cantered the best I have ever cantered, which is why Laura let me canter so long.  I was really with her as she cantered.  It was an incredible feeling.  Then, I cantered to the right with the same success. To finish off, I went for a trail ride in the empty pasture.

Canter Revelations

Monday,  I kicked off the New Year with a a great first ride of the year.  I rode Lucky stirrup-less in a group listen with one other women, Loni.  This was the first time riding without stirrups outside of the round pen; I now had complete control over Lucky.  Additionally, it was the longest I had spent riding without stirrups(if you don't count a couple bareback rides in 2014).  I lunged Lucky for a few minutes before to let her buck and expend a little energy.  She actually stretched and came round for most of the time, which was unusual for her and very satisfying.

During the lesson,  Laura taught about controlling the horse's rhythm.  As riders, it is our responsibility to set the rhythm we want at all gaits, rather than letting the horse meander or rush off at the pace they desire.  Loni and I started by asking for different lengths of walk: collected, medium, extended.  The goal was to do as little as possible, and to ideally ask for the change of pace with just a change in our hips or a light touch of the calf.  Though Lucky was fresh and fairly forward,  she prefers to move in a short, slow walk.  Every time I ride her,  I usually have to remind her to pick up the pace often throughout the ride.   Furthermore,  with her there is a fine line between an lengthened walk and a trot.  I had to experiment with varying degrees of pressure.   For a while,  I worked in the walk,  shifting from collected, medium, and lengthened "gears."

My first between-the-ears shot!

I then did the same in the posting trot.  My thighs burned after a while, but I feel much stronger than I was in November, and I could hold the posting trot for much longer without getting tired than I could before.

My position has improved so much since last year! Look at my leg!

The most successful part, however, was the canter.  As I stated on my blog a while ago, I've been having difficulties riding with the motion of the canter.  However, when reading an article about the sitting trot recently,  I had a revelation.  The article said to move your hips with the motion of the horse's hips.  Previously,  I had thought that I had to move my hips forward when the horse tipped forward.  Upon reading this article, I realized that I had had it all wrong.  My hips had to move with the horse's.  Therefore,  when the horses pelvis tucked under, I and to allow my pelvis to tuck under.

Let's critique my position in these two pictures from May 2015 and January 2016, respectively.  I realize that they are in different gaits and that Lucky is facing different directions, and I appear to be on a bending line in the first, but I think that they really illustrate the improvement of my position.  In the first, my leg has crept up and is tight, there is a sway in my back(maybe it's just the angle that makes it look deep, but I still think it is due to a fault in my position),  my wrists are not straight, and my hands are all over the place(it looks like I'm steering with my hands).  In the second, my leg is supple and relaxed(but not floppy),  my ankle is stretched down, and my hands are together.  It appears as if I am leaning back ever so slightly(or maybe it's just me), but I otherwise think my position is close to correct.  I'm open to any thoughts and suggestions from readers as well! Respectful and constructive critiquing from my readers is always welcome!

Armed with this new piece of information,  I felt ready to canter without stirrups.  Loni cantered in front of me to help me to asked Lucky to canter.  At first, I overthought things,  and became tense like usual.  Then I got a few strides, but accidentally forgot to steer.  However, that sort success gave me the confidence and belief I needed to canter.  On my own, I asked for the canter, fully believing that it would happen, and Lucky bounded into canter.  Previously, I had expected cantering without stirrups to be more difficult than cantering with stirrups.  Though I didn't give it much thought during the ride,  I and imagine before that I would have to grab mane to balance myself.  I could not have been more wrong.  In fact, I found cantering without stirrups much easier than cantering without them.  The absence of stirrups seemed to place my legs in just the right position, and my hips swayed with the motion of the canter.  It was probably the nicest cantering!  I was able to go around the entire arena without straying from the path.

I did have a few slip-ups where I lost my balance, causing her to fall out of canter, but those did not mar the success of the canter.  One time, I believe I took my leg off.  Since I didn't have stirrups to hold me, I fell onto her neck when she stopped, and decided to let myself slip off and land on my feet.  It wasn't falling off–she was at a complete stand still,  and I voluntarily disembarked rather than trying to scramble up her neck.  I led her to the mounting block, remounted, and cantered one last time.  This time, I cantered once around the ring then asked her to stop.

 Afterward, I rode her around in the walk for at least 20 more minutes before putting her away.  It will be raining for the rest of the week, so I'm happy I had this one great ride this week.  I cannot wait to canter again.  The thrill of cantering correctly can become addicting!

Welcome, 2016!

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all had a fabulous holiday season; I had a great one and spent a lot of time playing board games with my brothers.  Now that the holidays are over and a new year has begun,  my brief hiatus from riding and blogging should be over, so I can start getting back on track.  Last year brought so many changes and new experiences, and I hope 2016 does as well!

In January of 2015,  I was offered a working student position Laura Hermanson, a professional dressage rider who specializes in riding and training mules.  She is the first person to ever ride a mule in the US Dressage Finals, which she did in 2014.  Before riding with her, I didn't know much about mules at all.

Myself and one of Laura's mules, Moxie.

I also didn't know much about riding and training.  At the beginning of last year, I was still very much a beginner.  I was still piecing together the most basic elements of riding, and my riding and handling style were uncoordinated.  I'm still not completely fluid in my aids, but training with Laura has opened a completely new dimension to riding: communication and training.  With her,  I learned how to better communicate and build a relationship with a horse, and how to better understand the nuances of a horse's behavior.  I learned that horses are aware of the subtle, almost imperceptible changes in our bodies and energy,  and was taught how to channel that energy and how to move my body in ways that influence the horses.  Furthermore, I learned how to teach and train a horse.  Before this year,  I was a rider who would simply hop on and go.  This year, I learned how to work with a horse on the ground to teach them and to set them up for success under saddle.  By lungeing a horse before riding, one can watch how the horse moves and ask them to become round.  Then, when I finally mounted, the horse would already be warmed up and would have already stretched and become round.

May 2015–I'll get another to compare later on!

In addition to learning so much, I have also experienced many new things.  In March, I rode a donkey named Buddy, which was an interesting experience.  Donkeys are kind, gentle creatures,  but they also do not like to work harder than necessary, so many do not go faster than a jog.

In April, I rode a mule in a western trail clinic(part 2).  Before then, I had only ridden western a handful of times, and riding a mule was a completely new experience.  I learned so much in that clinic.   I continued riding western over the summer.

Finally, in October I rode a mule named Ruby in western pleasure and trail at my first show.  By then, my aids were a bit more refined, and I had learned to move a horse more with my legs and less with my hands.  The show was an extraordinary experience.

This year, I hope to continue refining and honing my skills.  In the spring, I want to ride in a few hunter classes at another mule show, so I'll be working on no-stirrup work to gain a more solid position.  I hope this new year brings many more experiences and successes for myself and all my readers!

Interview: Sarah Crowe, Creator of Dyna Does Dressage Documentary

 Sarah Crowe and Amy Enser have been working on the project "Dyna Does Dressage," a documentary about Laura Hermanson and her mule Dyna, the first mule to ever compete in the U.S. Dressage Finals, which is an incredible feat.  Together, Laura and Dyna have defied the odds and realized their seemingly impossible dream.  Sarah and Amy were there to document it, and have since worked with Laura to record Laura and Dyna's backstory as well.  I had the opportunity to discuss the documentary with Sarah Crowe.

The Aspiring Equestrian: How did you get started filmmaking? What made you become interested in filmmaking?  

Sarah Crowe: I had a friend who went to film school and I helped out on all of the student projects. I fell in love with the process and from that friend’s networks started working and volunteering on film sets. Eight years later I am a professional producer and I direct and produce documentaries for the love of it. 

A poster by Isaac Novak.

TAE: When and where did you first meet Laura Hermanson?  

SC: I met Laura in Yosemite National Park.  We worked together in the back country. She was a packer that brought all of our supplies to the High Sierra Camps where I managed a back country retreat. We became fast friends and have supported each other in our careers and personal endeavors. Even after we both left Yosemite we stayed friends.

TAE: How did you become interested in filming the documentary “Dyna Does Dressage” about Laura and her mule, Dyna? 

SC: I have always known that Laura had a unique and interesting story. When she told me that she and Dyna were invited to the Finals, I helped her with some fundraising ideas and got her going with the GoFundMe page. In only 2 weeks she raised $11,000 and was flooded with an outpouring of support. When she called to say thank you, I knew that the timing was finally right and I asked her if I could join in Kentucky to document the adventure. She said, "Yes!" and has graciously allowed me to follow her around all over this year and is supporting me in telling her story in a full on documentary film.

TAE: What is your main purpose in filming it?  

SC: Laura’s story is the ultimate underdog story. Laura and Dyna’s journey have inspired so many people already. I want to share it with the world. 

TAE: Could you write a brief summary of the documentary? 

“Dyna Does Dressage” is a documentary about the first mule ever to compete at the national level in the competitive equestrian sport of Dressage. Defined by the International Equestrian Federation as “the highest expression of horse training,” the idea of mules competing at this level has never been considered.  This underdog story follows Dyna and her owner/rider, Laura, as they defy the odds to find their place among this elite world of horse riding.

A behind the scenes shot of Sarah Crowe(front right) filming Laura(at the left in the stall), her friend Casie(middle), her trainer Renee Johnson(right), and Dyna at the U.S. Dressage Finals. 

TAE: Could you tell me a little bit about what has gone into making the documentary? 

SC: I invested $8,000 of my own money, and flew to Kentucky in November 2014 to film Laura and Dyna competing at the U.S. Dressage Finals in order to film the origins of this story. My filmmaking partner Amy Enser has traveled with me to almost all of the locations and worked with me to capture the footage. She will also be editing the movie. We needed to raise an additional $15,000 to really make this happen. With a successful GoFundMe fundraiser of my own, together as a team we were able to travel to California and visit Laura where she lives and trains at the Oak Star Ranch with Dyna and her other mules. We went to Mule Days, which is one of the largest mule competitions in the world. In August we filmed in Yosemite National Park with Laura, to learn about the traditional roles of mules and see the place where she discovered and fell in love with them and then our last location was the USDF CA area 7 regional finals in CA, where we saw Laura competing at a proper horse show.

TAE: What has been the most exciting part about filming the “Dyna Does Dressage?”  

SC: The most exciting part of filming "Dyna Does Dressage" is being able to spend so much time with Laura this year. She trusted me through this whole process but over the course of these last 10 months she has opened up and truly forgotten that the camera was even there sometimes. She believes in me and is so supportive of this whole process, and so open to allowing me in her world with cameras. 

Laura Hermanson and BB at the Region 7 Dressage Championships

TAE: What has been the most difficult part?  

SC: The most difficult part of the process has been the challenge of recreating a story and showing the path of Laura after it had already happened. Traveling to so many places was necessary to tell the story. 

TAE: What is one thing you want people to know about the documentary before it is released? 

SC: I am so thankful for the support that both Laura and I have received on this journey of filmmaking and Laura’s work with the mules in Dressage and beyond. I appreciate everyone that is believing in us and supporting us. I can’t wait to share the finished product. 

TAE: Is there anything you would like to say about the documentary that I have not asked about?

SC: I  really hope that people enjoy the story and are inspired to take on their own dreams and adventures. 

Support "Dyna Does Dressage" by liking their Facebook page  You can watch the trailer here.  Photos are courtesy of Sarah Crowe, Amy Enser, and "Dyna Does Dressage."  The documentary  will be released in 2016. 

Ruby Lesson + Laura at Championships

 I have some exciting news--Laura and BB place 4th and 3rd in Regional and State Championships, respectively, putting them first on the long list for the U.S. Dressage Finals.

 In other news, I'm going to be riding a mule named Ruby in the show next month instead if Moxie.  I've just been having too much difficulty slowing his jog, and he has had difficulty as well because he has been trained to take large strides for dressage.  Ruby is a nice, little, all-around mule who has been ridden by her owner in pole bending(and other classes).  Even her owner's young son has had success on Ruby in kid classes.

 Ruby is very maneuverable and sensitive.  I rode her in a western saddle and bridle, kept a very light contact on her most of the time, and used only one hand on the reins.  It was much easier to slow her jog and walk than it was to slow Moxie's, but she still got fast quit a few times, which was entirely my fault--I became tight and leaned forward several times.  I also had trouble getting her to love.  I often become floppy in my upper body when I ask for canter, becoming very disorganized.  Ruby is very sensitive and usual responds to a kissing sound; it was only my fault.  However, Laura handed me a whip.  I didn't use it but once I was holding it, Ruby looked off right when I asked.

I also tried a few trail obstacles: the serpentine cones and the box.  As I mentioned earlier, Ruby's owner had done pole bending on her at a gallop, so Ruby is pretty easy to steer.  I only needed to use leg.  The first time however, I oversteered by using the reins, making a large circle to turn around and missing the last come on the way back.  I tried it a few more times with much more success.  I started turning her with my legs as soon as her front end passed each cone, just barely going to the side of the cone.  At the end, I managed to make a tighter turn to head back through the cone serpentine.

Ruby and I in the box.

 Next, I had to jog around the arena, turning into the box and halting.  At first, I turned too soon and halted in the side of the box rather than the center.  I also asked Ruby to stop too early, and she walked over the pole instead.  I should have asked for the halt just a tad later, as she was over the pole. I continued with varying degrees of success, but finally managed to halt near the middle.

Next, I tried the exercise again, this time turning left after exiting the box(I had jogged to the right around the arena before).  My reins were also more slack, with the slightest amount of contact.  Like before, I cut in too early, so I wasn't heading toward the box head on.  I found myself in at the edge of the box instead. Again, I often asked for the halt a bit early, so Ruby walked over the pole rather than jogging over it.  At one point, I jogged over the pole and asked her to halt with my seat.  However, I didn't back it up with my hand when she didn't respond.  She went over the first pole, and out the other side.  Laura told me that it would be better to lose points on a trail course for using my hands than it is to have no points on the obstacle because I hadn't stopped in the box.

 Finally, though, I really set Ruby up well for the halt by keeping my inside leg on to prevent her from cutting in.  I headed straight toward the box, breathing out and blocking my seat to ask Ruby to halt.  She halted just in the center of the box.

I enjoyed riding Ruby and can't wait to ride her again.

BB Magee and Laura off to the Championships!

It has been an excellent summer for Laura and her palomino mule, BB, who are off to the CDS State Championships/USDF Regional Championships(held at the same place/time) in Rancho Murrietta, California.  Last year, she came with her beloved Dyna, who as you may know qualified for the Championships and later the US Dressage Finals at Training Level.  This week, Laura and BB will compete at First Level in both the Freestyle and First Level Test 3 events, riding the former at both State and Regional level.  Getting there for the second year running(might even be more than that) is an extraordinary feat.

 Being in California means that she will compete not only against some of the best riders in the state/region, but also some of the best riders in the nation and the world.  Hilda Gurney, Steffen Peters, and Jan Ebeling, to name a riders who train in California, will be there.  Some of their horses will be competing against Laura.  It was amazing to look at the entry list with Laura and to see her and BB's names next to those of Olympians and fancy warmblood.  Imagine that: a mule I have handled and ridden, ridden by someone I know, competing against warmbloods ridden by Olympians.  It's amazing!  For those who think mules can only be pack animals that have no place in dressage,  BB is living proof otherwise.

Here is BB and I when she has her golden spring/summer coat.  She is more of a light brownish in the fall with roan hairs.

  Her Freestyle is an upbeat, Italian/South American sounding music(one part is called "Mambo Italiano) and was designed by Karen Robinson, who has designed numerous Grand Prix, Olympic, and Pan American Games freestyle.  It's a great freestyle.

 It will be an exciting weekend for Laura.  Unfortunately I won't be able to watch, but I will be supporting Laura from back home.  If BB goes anything like she did Monday and most of the rest of the summer, she will put in a fantastic test!   It would be even more amazing if she made it to the Finals.  Please send positive thoughts her way!  I hope she has great rides at the championships.  In the mean time, look at het website so you can see what BB looks like.  It introduces the mules towards the bottom.  http://oakstarranch.com/
And here is a short video from February: Click here

Moxie Ride No. 2

For my second ride on Moxie, I mostly worked on slowing his trot to a leisurely jog, and on getting him to become round.  I also rode one-handed for the first time, which was a little difficult to get used to. To ride one-handed, I held the split reins in my left, with my middle finger between them.  My left fist pointed down and was almost close enough to touch Moxie' s withers.  My other hand stayed where it usually is, as if I was holding reins in that hand.  Mostly, I steered with my legs, neck rein. if necessary.

  To make him round, I lifted my hand, which applied pressure to the bit and caused Moxie to become lower his head and lift his back.  It was important to use leg as well, because simply pulling his head down does not create proper engagement.  The bit is just there to "catch" the roundness and to give him something to come round to.  Therefore, you need both leg and hand in the formula.  Once he became round, I lowered my hand until it almost touched his withers, giving him a release.

I also worked on collecting his pace to make it like a jog; I wanted his steps to be small, but with proper engagement.  To this, I made him round, jogged off, and worked on collecting his stride by squeezing my fist and sitting back slightly when his stride became faster and bigger than I desired.  It still needs some work, which I will do soon.

Lesson on Moxie(3rd Level Mule)

*Long, word heavy post without a lot of pictures, but there is a lot to tell!

Yesterday, I rode Moxie, Laura's big black john mule.  It was a great privilege to ride him because he is very well trained, and because of that, Laura doesn't let many people ride him.  Since he has a lot of training, he is extremely sensitive to the small nuances in the rider's position and aids.  Every aid means something to him, and he's always looking to his rider to be the leader, and to make all the decisions.  He is constantly asking what his rider wants next and he wants the rider to take initiative and control everything. This is the reason why he is not a lesson mule(and why high level horses don't always make great lesson horses).  It's difficult for novice riders to focus on controlling the horse/mule while still working out their own body, which is why most lesson horses are horses that will make their own decisions when the rider can't/doesn't.  It was a real privilege to ride Moxie, and I appreciate the opportunity because it shows that Laura trusts me.

For example, when I looked down and to the left before taking off, he went that way.  I can't just look down and squeeze him to make him go off like I might do with another horse; I have to be prepared, have a game plan, and look exactly where I want to go.

 I rode Moxie in a western saddle and bridle because I can possibly do a mule show at the end of the month(instead of the dressage show).  According to Laura, mule shows always have a very fun, relaxed atmosphere, even at rated ones like the one I might do, and the people are very friendly, so it will be a great first show experience.  Plus, Laura knows most of the people there–the horse world is small, and the mule world is even smaller.  If I go, I will enter a novice western trail course, and possibly a pleasure class.

 While riding, I had to be extra careful with my hands because like I said, he is sensitive, and curb bits can be strong and harsh in unsteady hands.  I rode with split reins and kept them long, with only a light contact on his month.  My hands stayed close together because in the show I will have to ride with one hand, which shouldn't be too much of a problem since I have been learning to turn with my legs and upper body instead of my hands.  However, if I did need my hands I was told to move my hands slightly to the inside so that the outside rein touched his neck, making him turn.  This is what is called neck reining.

 I struggled at first, using too much hand and becoming tight.  I walked him around a bit, then asked for the jog.  However, I was too tight and leaned too far forward, resulting in a tight, bigger than intended trot.  Laura got on for a few minutes to school Moxie and to demonstrate just how light he could be, then let me back on again.

 A western position is about relaxation, not tightness(no position should have a lot of tension but Laura told me to be relaxed and loose in western).  Also, I was told to sit more on my seat bones.  In my head, I kept a mental image of a reiner doing a sliding stop to help me to see how my position should be like. One mental image she used that was helpful in causing me to relax was to imagine that I was riding the best mule in the nation–the king mule.  It really helped me to sit upright and proud.  It should also be noted that riding western, I focused on having my legs more loosely at my side rather than keeping a hold Moxie's side.

Picture of Moxie from the first time I went to Laura's
ranch, back in January.  I miss the green grass!

The next time I asked for the jog was a bit better.  When I focused on leaning slightly back(really I was upright but it felt like leaning back because I had been too far forward in my upper body) and relaxing, Moxie jogged off really nicely.  To return to walk, I was told to lean slightly back, relax my body by breathing out, and to close my fingers slightly.  This is where the stopping reining rider imager proved useful, because my position should be similar to that, though perhaps not as pronounced.  The first few times, it took several dribbling strides to return to the walk.  However, after doing walk-jog transitions every few strides, and focusing on breathing out even more quickly, I began to get sharp transitions between the walk and the jog.  There were a few times throughout the ride when I became tight again and leaned forward.  Guess what?  It caused the faster, tight trot.  All I had to do to fix it was to sit up more.






 At the same time, I worked on steering without my hands.  To do this, I put my outside leg slightly forward and squeezed to push his shoulders over.  As the ride progressed, I had to do less and less with my hands.

 After a while, I tried one of the obstacles that had been set up around the arena.  There were walk-overs(cavaletti that are walked over in trail course), cone serpentines, a rope gait, a side-pass pole, and four poles arranged in a box, though I only worked on the box this time.  I jogged over it, turned around, and jogged back several times.  Moxie is surprisingly maneuverable in spite of his large size(17 hands).  Laura could almost turn him on the dime when she rode him!  I was able to turn fairly tightly when turning around to go back over the box.  I didn't make a large circle; I used leg to push his shoulder over and turn him around.  Unfortunately, one of Moxie's hooves dinged each pole when I rode over them, which would have resulted in a 1/2 point off for each ding had it been a competition.

 Next, I practiced the turn on the haunches because they always show up in trail courses, and are performed in the box, but I did it outside of the box.  To perform a turn on the haunches, I had to lift my inside leg to "open the gate," put my outside leg forward to push his shoulder over, and be prepared to close my fingers should Moxie decided to surge forward.  At first, I didn't close my fingers in time and he made a small circle instead.  Then, Laura told me to break it down step by step.  Doing this, I was able to get him to turn bit by bit, though he did go forward a few times before I could stop him.

 Then, I incorporated the turn on the haunches into the next exercise, which was to make a square at the walk.  At each corner, I had to do a quarter-turn to make the 90 degree angle.  Starting out, I used way to much rein, and I didn't close my inside leg in time to stop him from make a turn more than 90 degrees, causing him to cut in.  Consequently, I over-corrected and used the reins, pulling him too far to the outside.  After a bit, I breathed and decided to take my time.  I kept my hands at the horn and applied outside leg to push him shoulders over, then quickly blocked his body with my inside leg almost before he was finished turning, which worked out well.  There were a few times when I slipped into letting him make round turns again, but after I was doing the exercise well, Laura decided it was best to stop on the good note.

  I will continue to practice on Moxie and soon tackle the other obstacles.  If I can keep Moxie round, which I worked on too but didn't focus entirely on like I do with Lucky(he didn't have a martingale or training aid I might add), go through the obstacles without touching them, and ride one handed,  I should be prepared.  The key to trail course is for me to take my time; it is not a speed event like show jumping.  Lucky will get the month off as I get to know Moxie, but the next step with her is to ride her roundly without a training aid.

Wait for the Sweet Spot

 Things have been a bit hectic lately, and Laura has been to several shows in the past month.  She has qualified for the California Dressage Regional/State Championships in Rancho Murrieta with BB Magee(one of her mules) for the freestyle event with a 76%  in one of the freestyles, which is phenomenal for a mule, and fantastic even for a horse!  This weekend they are at Starr Vaughn trying to qualify for the First Level event at the Championships.  It's really exciting that another of her mules, not just Dyna, is doing so well in dressage.  Mules rule!

  Anyways, in spite of not having ridden in a month, I had a lovely ride on Lucky.  I lunged her first to get her to become round, use her body, and respond to my aids.  Then I mounted, and began to do a similar thing in the dressage arena.  I asked her to come round in the walk, then began to the do they same in the trot.  Once I had her moving round and free in the walk and trot, responding to my aids, I began the exercises I would do that lesson.

 I worked on 10 meter circles for the first time, starting by going the to left at the walk on a 10 meter circle at B. To help me out, Laura marked where I should go with small cones.  At first, I had some difficulty with having enough bend in Lucky's body; she was too straight, particularly at the rail.  I also pulled too much on the inside rein without supporting with the outside rein.  The inside rein is only used for flexion, the inside leg is at the girth and pushes the horse to the outside rein, and the outside leg keeps the shoulders from popping out. Once I had Lucky moving roundly, I prepared to trot the circle.  Before the transition I squeezed Lucky with my calves to create energy, capturing it by squeezing the reins.  The goal here was to create upward energy, rather than forward energy, so it was important that I captured it and didn't let her trot off.  Only once I had Lucky round and moving with energy did I ask her to trot off.  I kept her round through the trot by squeezing the outside rein during the transition.  I continued on the 10 meter circle.

 After giving Lucky a break to let her stretch, I prepared for a new exercise that involved half 10 meter circles and tear drop shapes.  I started with a 10 meter circle to the left at B, as I had been doing.  Once my position was correct and I had Lucky round and flexed nicely, I went from X, the part of the circle that touched centerline, onto a diagonal to P.  I had to keep Lucky completely straight until just before P, where I changed the flexion(and my diagonal when I did the exercise at the trot).  I continued on until reaching E, where I made a 10 meter circle to the the right, and I made diagonal to the V when I was ready.  

A basic diagram of the exercise.  The parts along the rail are ridden both to the right and to the left, but the others only in the direction the arrow is pointing.

 I tried the exercise at the walk first, and then trotted it. At first, I had to circle several times before heading onto the diagonal so I could get Lucky round. Laura didn't want me to head onto the diagonal until both Lucky and I were ready.  There where a few times during the lesson when things fell apart(I leaned too much to the outside, and Lucky lost her roundness as a result, becoming rushed and on the forehand).  At these times, I returned to the walk to rebalance both myself and Lucky.  For the most part, however, I rode nicely.  I kept Lucky round through most of the walk-trot and the trot-walk transitions.

Next, I took a break from that exercise to canter.  Lately, I have been able to effectively keep Lucky round through transitions between the walk and the trot, which is a huge improvement from a few months ago.  In the canter, however, I toss myself forward and throw the contact all away, losing everything I had worked for in the few minutes before the transition.  During this lesson, I worked extra hard keeping the roundness.  The first few times went just as they always have.  For the rest of the times, I focused on having a beautiful, round transition.  I worked on getting Lucky to the "sweet spot" in the trot before asking for canter.  Put simply, the "sweet spot" is any moment when Lucky is balanced and round.  Once she was in this sweet spot, I asked for canter, squeezing the outside rein to keep her round.  Miraculously, I had a wonderful transition. Lucky stayed round through the transition, and for the next few strides after.  It felt amazing.  Once I got several nice transitions like that, I repeated the same exercise as earlier, except with the canter added.

The canter version.

 This time, I started on a 10 meter circle to the right at E since Lucky canters more easily to the left.  Once I found the sweet spot at the trot, which was pretty quickly, I head across the diagonal to V, staying in the sitting trot and preparing for canter.  Just before V, I changed the flexion and asked for canter.  Lucky bounded into canter, staying round.  It felt amazing.  I cantered to P, then returned to the trot.  Then I made a half 10 meter circle at B and prepared to canter at P.  Once more, Lucky bounded into the canter, making a lovely transition.  I made one more circle at E, cantered, then walked at P, paying special attention on keeping Lucky round.  It was a beautiful transition.  Of course, all these transitions didn't just happen–I had to ask carefully to keep Lucky there.

It was fabulous to have a step forward.  Previously, I have watched people ride in a balanced, rounded  canter and wished that I could ride like that. Having a taste of that was amazing.  I'm so happy to have progressed so much this past year.  In fact, a year ago, I could hardly get a horse.  I wonder where I will be a year from now.

Progress!

 I'm really excited because my last few rides have been phenomenal.  I have really improved a lot since January, when I began riding with Laura.  These last few rides, I was able to keep Lucky round and on the bit pretty consistently throughout the ride, even through many of the transitions.  I now have a feel of what it should be like to keep a horse on the bit, which is a great foundation to build from.  I've been riding Lucky in a western saddle, which has really helped me with my position, balance, and hand steadiness.

 Lucky was really fresh when I lunged, because I haven't ridden her in almost two week(I was at summer camp a few weeks ago).  However, it was nice with her because she was pretty forward and sensitive to my aids for the most part.

Lucky is round and free in her back in this picture, and my position is good.

 I kept her nice, round, and soft for most of the beginning of the ride.  Once again, I rode that serpentine exercise that has the walk strides in between the change of directions, where the horse is straight.  I rode the exercise better this time than last time.  Although Lucky wasn't round for all the transitions, I was able to keep her round for most of them, and my walk transitions were much more timely.  She walked easily, without me having to prepare very early.

Not so great balance here on my part(if you enlarge you can see my lower leg has swung back).
Consequently, Lucky is unbalanced.

 While I did have this success, it wasn't all easy. I had to work hard throughout; it is very difficult, technical things I am learning.  About halfway through, I had Lucky became a bit fussy and unwilling to go forward, starting to back.  I didn't know what to do. Laura instructed me to bout my hands forward and to make Lucky go forward.  I worked through it, pushing Lucky on forward and gaining her respect.  In this situation, I had to be the alpha mare.

 I then did another tough exercise. I started a 20 meter circle to the right at A, then just past K I had to make a diagonal to R.  Then I would do the same thing at C, making a diagonal from H to P.  This is another deceptively difficult exercise.  It seems simple, but takes a coordination of many aids.  Just at the end of the diagonal, I must:

A. Change bend with the new inside rein and inside leg.
B. Use the new outside leg to push Lucky's shoulders over to straighten her.
C. Change my posting diagonal.

Not a very perfect diagram, but just a general idea of what the exercise was like.

 That is a lot to think about.  More than a few times, I wouldn't get the correct bend, or wouldn't straighten her, or wouldn't get the correct posting diagonal.  Sometimes, I would make the turn onto the diagonal a bit late. In this case I turned around I started again, because making the turn late would make it Impossible to finish the exercise correctly.  It certainly challenged me, but I rode through it nicely a few times.

Another great, balanced picture.

 After the exercise, I cantered Lucky a few times.  I have a problem of getting tense in my back when cantering, and I have difficulty getting my legs still.  I think I may be getting a bit tight in my knees as well, which would contribute to an unsteady lower.  Relaxing and melting deeply into the saddle, allowing my hips to flow freely, is something I need to work on.  To finish, I free walked Lucky, focusing on my position and on letting my hips move freely with her shoulders.

Goals for the Rest of 2015

 I have always had small things I wanted to improve on in my riding, as well as distant long term goals(my dream of riding in Rolex), but I have not been good about making more immediate, concrete, long term goals–ones I can complete in a year of less to measure my progress.  I haven't until now, that is.  I talked with Laura so we could come up with goals I can complete by the end of the year. This is what we came up with.

• Be able to keep Lucky round at all gaits and through transitions for most of each ride without a running martingale.

I want to look like this more often, except with better arm, hand, and leg position.

If I complete the first goal:

• Ride in the nearby dressage schooling show in October, at Intro or Training Level, depending on how well I am doing.  This can help me to see where my skills are at.

Those are really the main things that will work towards this year.  The first one is what I have been working on these past few months, and is the foundation for any riding I do in the future, so it makes sense to work on it.  It is an essential skill.  Hopefully all goes as planned and I can ride in my first show.  I'm excited about working on these goals!

Also, I have post about my last ride, which was great, planned so keep an out for it.

Round Through Transitions

I had yet another fantastic ride earlier this week.  Lucky was round much more consistently, and most importantly, I was able to keep her round through transitions, which was a lot of work.  I again rode her western.

 I lunged her, then started by working on a trot circle to right after I had mounted.  Immediately, I began asking for roundness and an inside flexion.  My hands were much more steady than usual, and I was able to keep her consistently round, rather than round or only a few strides, which is amazing.  To prepare for an exercise I would do later, I worked through a lot of transitions.  I tried to keep her round through the transitions.  It is very difficult, because while riding a transition I had to be actively flexing and I had to stop her from leaning on my hands.  This was most difficult in the trot-walk transitions.  Downward transitions require just the right amount of leg so that the horse remains round.

Lucky in her western gear

 Lucky leaned a lot during the trot-walk transition, so I needed to use the right combination of leg(to keep her round and get her off my hands) and seat(to slow her).  Often, I needed to give her a kick during the transition to tell her, "Don't lean on my hands."  Then I would slow her.  This often resulted in a few dribbling jog strides into the walk, but Laura said that it was more important at this point that Lucky stays round through the transition.  After some work, I was able to consistently keep her round through the trot-walk transition.  I had taught her that I expect her to stay round.

 Roundness through the walk-trot transition came later.  I didn't have to deal with leaning in the upward transition, but I still had to flex her while she made the transition.  Finally, I got it.  I now have a feel of what it feels like to flex through the transition to keep Lucky round.  It certainly is a step forward in my progress as a rider.

After her bath

 Next, I did a very challenging exercise: a serpentine with a few walk strides between each change of direction. This may not sound very difficult, but it is because it takes a lot of preparation and thought.  I had difficultly getting a sharp trot-walk transition.  Either Lucky would walk only after passing centerline(I wanted her to walk over) or she would jog really slowly and never walk.  I needed to ask very early for the walk, as soon as I rounded the bend of the circle and began making a one toward centerline.  Most if the exercise went by with me struggling to get it right.  I also needed to ask for a more bold trot to show more difference between between the walk and the trot.  At last, all the hard work and focus paid off.  I had several real well-timed walk transitions, and a big trot. Laura decided to end on this good note, because both Lucky and I had done very well. I cooled her down outside of the arena.

What went well:

• Consistently round
• Steady hands
• Roundness through transitions

Also,  check out this contest from Karley.

Throwback Thursday and Lungeing Lesson

  I don't normally follow any trends like Throwback Thursday, but the coming summer brought back memories Chester, the TB/Percheron gelding I leased last summer, and made me realize how far I have come in a year. When I began leasing him, I was still a "newbie" that couldn't canter, and I didn't even know what "on the bit" was. He was a very hot and challenging horse, teaching me a lot and making me into a brave and confident rider that won't completely lose her head at the challenging behavior of a hot horse. Though it was only a year ago, it seems like a lifetime ago because I have changed so much and have become a much better rider and horsewoman since then. Now my riding is much more fine-tuned and I am more subtle in my aids. I have also learned more of the training aspect of riding. I have learned how to lunge a horse to teach him/her to use his/her body correctly(for dressage but all horses benefit from being round and off the forehand) and to move in an even rhythm.

 For reference, here are a few pictures of the first time I rode Chester. I still had that awkward newbie style because I had only been riding off and on for six months at that point, with rides spaced a week or more apart. Below them are pictures from my last ride on Lucky.

Chester in June 2014

Chester

 My most recent lesson with Laura was a ground lesson on lungeing. I was working on getting myself in the correct position while lungeing, as well as getting Lucky to bend to the inside and use her body correctly. The major takeaway was that just like in riding, when my body is correct, it is easy to get Lucky's body to be correct. It took until the end to learn this, but it was a great lesson to learn.

Lucky May 2015

  I started by directing Lucky's thoughts in the direction I wanted her to go. Gently, I pointed her face out and to the left, then let her go out in a small walk circle around me. When I started lungeing her, Lucky was for the most part not really focused on me. She listened, but she wasn't "with" me. I held my hands with my elbows at my side, just like when riding, and squeezed the lunge line to get Lucky to bend her head to the inside. It was important that when I did this, I released the pressure the moment Lucky flexed to the inside so she understood that she had done what I wanted. This was something that I had to do almost every other stride throughout the lesson.

Lungeing Lucky the other day

  I found throughout the lesson that I kept getting behind the driveline. In other words, I was not in the position that I should be relative to the horse when lungeing, which is across from the saddle. There is a fine line of where to stand. Standing in front of that line blocks the horse and slows her down; standing behind it drives her forward. I was told to fix my position multiple times, but towards the end I began to notice it myself. The reason I bring this up is because position plays an essential in riding and lungeing. When I was correct in my position, both when riding and when lungeing, it was easier for Lucky to become correct in her position, balanced, and soft. It was one of those revelatory moments when things just click. You might be thinking " Well, duh. " Even so, I think it is amazing how rider and horse balance are interconnected. The rider's balance affects the horse's balance.

Lucky

 When Lucky was correct in her body, it just felt amazing. She was soft in my hand and moving freely in her body. Of course, this didn't happen the entire time. Mostly, it happened in brief moments. It was(and is) important that I waited until these moments to ask for a transition, down or up. Staying round through transitions is important because it builds the correct muscles, and also because you don't want the horse hollow through the transitions. Many horses and riders struggle with this. Of course to stay round through a transition the horse needs to be round in the first place, so I waited until one of those moments when Lucky became round to ask for any transition, up or down.

Lucky is bending her neck here

 It can be difficult to know when a horse is correct in her body. However, one trait that Laura has told me  I have is "feel." I can feel when both the horse and I are right in our bodies, even if I don't know exactly how to make things right. I could tell when Lucky was balanced and correct in her position, so I when I was ready to ask her canter, I waited until I saw that she balanced.

 I also tried to be as do as little as possible when asking her to trot and canter, and only needed to touch the ground with the whip to encourage her once or twice. The lesson was very productive, and I'm so happy how things just clicked. Position and balance affect your horse too, and for the better if you are in balance.