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.

I Drove Pistachio!

 I haven't been doing much horse related activities this past month, though I lunged Lucky several times and rode Pistachio once.  Lucky has done really well the last few times I lunged her.  She stretched her neck down and become round consistently,  and even circled to the right without leaning and letting her shoulder drop into the circle, which is great news.   Pistachio has also been doing well.     Under saddle, he has been more accepting of contact, and even reached for the bit.  He stayed round for more than just a split second, a huge improvement.

 Recently, I went driving with Pistachio and his owner, Gretchen, at the same ranch where the Halloween Haunt event was held last year, and where the Spring Fling was held earlier this year.  Before we drove, I lunged Pistachio, then harnessed him with Gretchen.

 First, Gretchen drove to one of the new driving hazards obstacle.  Hazards are made up of sturdy wooden poles that the driver must weave through, and consist of several elements, all of which must be performed in order.  This particular one had an A, B, C, D, and E element.   Each element consists of two poles: a red pole and a white.  Like in eventing and jumping, the red is always on the right.  The hazard was tricky at first, but after driving Pistachio at a walk through it a few times to see where every element, Gretchen was able to drive it at a trot.

 In the dressage ring, Gretchen drove Pistachio in a serpentine loop.  A serpentine loop, unlike the serpentines consisting of three 20 meter circles, are straight lines that snake across the arena, making a U-turn at each arena wall.  Gretchen did this to slow Pistachio, who often rushes when being driven.

 We also drove in the cones course.  The cones course consisted of 20 pairs of cones, each labeled from 1 to 20, the order they are meant to be driven in.  He rushed quite a bit during the cones course as well.

 Later on, Gretchen surprised me by allowing me to drive Pistachio.  I had only driven twice before that time, and had only driven a miniature horse.  However,  driving is not terribly difficult for someone who knows how to ride, although there is one major difference that was hard to get used to: I couldn't use inside leg to help Pistachio bend.  To help me, Gretchen touched Pistachio's barrel with her whip, encouraging him to bend.  He was bit fast a few times, but wasn't uncontrollable.  I drove him in the dressage arena for a few minutes, playing around with the serpentine exercise I did with Lucky(the one with a few walk strides in between each change of direction).  He did it pretty well, and even came round a few times.

 Next, I tried the cones course.  It was challenging, but fun.  I didn't go through a few of them completely straight and bumped a few cones though, accidentally knocking down the white number eleven.   Just before gate six,  I asked him to slow down slightly.  Just after six was a short(only about a stride), steep, hill leading into an indent that was several strides long.  I wanted to slow him, because I knew the downhill, and the following uphill, would cause him to speed up.

 I really enjoyed driving Pistachio!  It was great.

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.

First Real Trail Ride!

 I just went on my first ever trail ride! Although I ridden outside of the arena many times, this time was the first time that I left the property and ridden on a road. Because it was my first time, and Lucky's first time in a while, I rode in a western saddle so that I would be more secure. Safety is always most important!

 I lunged Lucky for a few minutes before I rode, like I always do. Then Laura and I rode around her property once before setting out on the road. We had to ride down the asphalt road a little ways before reaching the dirt road, but it is a small road and we didn't encounter any cars on the way to the dirt road.

 Throughout the ride, I mainly focused on getting Lucky to be forward and in front of my leg, something that is difficult for her. Before we even reached the dirt road, I began to fall behind. Laura waited for me this time, but for the rest of the ride I had to either stay beside Laura, or ahead of her. It was difficult. BB, who Laura was riding, has a very big, forward walk, while Lucky is just the opposite. I fell a little bit behind Laura quite a few times. Sometimes, when I asked Lucky to lengthen her stride to keep up with Laura, Lucky would shuffle forward in the jog instead. This is undesirable, because dressage horses shouldn't take short, shuffling strides. Laura told me that when trying to catch up, Lucky should take either large, marching walk strides or trot forward boldly, not jog. It was easier to keep up later on in the trail ride. Lucky enjoys being out on the trails, and began walking more forward. A few times throughout the ride, we trotted.

The beginning of the road

 I also worked on getting Lucky round by softly squeezing one of the reins to flex her, moving my hands toward the bit to give her a release whenever she became round. Periodically, Laura and I would allow our mounts to stretch. When we did this, we wouldn't just release the reins to full length. Instead, Laura told me to make sure Lucky was round first. Then, I would release the reins to the buckle, encouraging Lucky to stretch down. Though I can get a horse round for brief moments, I still can't keep them round for long. After a few strides of being round, Lucky would raise her head or get slightly behind the vertical. If Lucky got behind the bit, I added more leg. Adding more leg is usually the answer if anything goes wrong. Toward the end of the ride, I felt some of the moments when Lucky was about to come up, and flexed before she made that mistake.

 Though I was doing all this schooling throughout the ride, it was still exciting. I love being out of the arena, and so does Lucky. Being out of the arena is relaxing and fun, and there was always something exciting to look. We came across a herd of Haflingers and other horses in a pasture beside the road. There were even some ground squirrels and a rabbit. The trail that we took leads to the back part of Whiffletree Ranch, the ranch that the spring's driving show was at.

At one point, we came across a few barking dogs. Fortunately, Lucky didn't react to this at all. She is a very levelheaded horse, and in all the time I have ridden and worked with her, she hasn't once spooked. This makes her very reliable and safe on the trail, and I am very confident riding her on the trail.

 Not long after passing the dogs, we turned around. We didn't do much trotting on the way back. About halfway back, we stopped at the top of a ridge and beheld an amazing view of a large, golden, tree covered hill in the distance. We even saw a group of trees where Laura's house is and a teeny-looking mule in one of her fields. It was amazing how far away everything was, because it hadn't seemed like we had gone very far. It was a really exciting trail, and I can't wait to ride on the trail again.

Rhythm and Trail Etiquette

  I've been doing some of the usual work with Laura lately(tacking up and grooming mostly). Last week, I had a short but productive walk lesson on BB, her First Level mule. Laura wanted me to learn rhythm, and because BB has a big, rhythmic walk, she thought it would be best to learn on her. Before getting on, I had to count out the rhythm of BB's walk while Laura rode. I found it difficult to count out the beats of her footfalls, so Laura had me break it down. Each time BB's right front hit the ground, I said the word "tic." Once I found that rhythm, I began saying it twice as fast, counting the beat of both front legs.

 At last I mounted, riding without stirrups. BB's walk is quite different than Lucky's. BB has long, reaching strides, while Lucky usually takes slower, smaller strides. I entered the arena and began to say "tic" each time one of BB's shoulders came forward. Though I had to glance down at first, I could feel each stride once I started. As I rode, Laura had me play around with changing the length of BB's strides just by moving my hips. To open up her stride, I let me hips go more forward with each stride. To collect her, I blocked my hips and made smaller movements with them. It's pretty amazing how sensitive horses(and mules) are to slight changes in the rider's body.

 Another day, I rode Lucky around the property with Laura, who was riding BB. I learned about how to safely trail ride so that I could soon ride on the actual trail, a dirt road nearby Laura's ranch. As I rode, I attempted to keep just beside Laura, with my knee at her one, like riding a pas de deux. I had ask Lucky to speed up often, because she slowed down and began falling behind many times. We rode around the entire property, and even through one of the front pastures, which is currently empty. All this prepared me for my first real trail ride, which I will write about soon.

Interview: Eventing 25 Rider Bailey Moran

 Bailey Moran is an up and coming young eventer from Texas. This year, she has moved up to Advanced Level with her Irish Sport Horse, Loughnatousa Caislean(Leo), who she bought as a five-year-old, and she has a goal of someday competing in the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event. She really inspires me because I too dream of competing in the upper levels. To me, riders closer to my age who are just beginning to compete in the upper levels are far more inspiring than those who have been doing it for decades, however great the latter may be. Riders like Bailey make my dream seem even more real and attainable. 

Bailey Moran and Loughnatousa Caislean(Leo)

1. The Aspiring Equestrian: How did you get started in eventing, and did you always dream of reaching the upper levels?
Bailey Moran: My parent's tried absolutely everything. Gymnastics, swimming, dance.. But nothing kept my interest for more than a couple of weeks. My mother finally succumbed and let me try riding lessons when I turned six. Not three lessons in, I told them both that I wanted to go to the Olympics one day-- so upper levels have been on my radar for quite some time!

2. TAE: Which rider(s) have you admired growing up?  Which rider(s) has/have been influential in helping you reach Advanced Level eventing?
BM: I started riding with Donna Kinney when my parents and I moved to San Antonio due to my father's work. I trained with Donna for almost seven years. With her, I moved from beginner novice to intermediate. She taught me to be safe, smart, and to always listen to my horse. She was hard on me when she needed to be, and as proud as could be every time I crossed the finish line. She wakes up every day ready to work harder than the last. I wouldn't be half of the rider I am today without her.

3. TAE: How did you find your horse, Loughnatousa Caislean, and how did you know that he was that special one when you found him?
BM: In August of 2011 I flew to Ireland having absolutely no idea that I'd be coming home with a tall, lanky, uncoordinated five year old. Best decision of my life. He was actually the second choice when my first failed his pre-purchase. Looking back now, I know it was fate. I took him cross country schooling and after less than ten minutes, told my dad "I have never felt this confident on a horse."

4. TAE: What is Leo like around the barn? What is he like to ride, and what are some things you love about him?
BM: Oh dear. Leo is the epitome of a quirky Irishman. It's usually adorable. Sometimes exhausting. For a horse that is absolutely fearless on cross country, he is a gigantic chicken. He's known for his famous snorts of worry or surprise. He's very aware of everything going on around him and can be picky about strangers, but he's pretty easy to win over if you offer him a handful of Sour Patch Kid's. His tack trunk is never without a supply of "SPK's"!

5. TAE: Could you tell me about your first Advanced Level competition? How was it like to accomplish something you have dreamed about for so long?
BM: Well I don't know if "accomplish" is the right word. We made it around 90% of the show! I was ecstatic to be through with dressage and it's hard not to feel confident going into show jumping with Leo. He's practically allergic to wood-- I really have to mess up to knock anything down! If poles do fall, it's never his fault. I hate to admit how nervous I was going into cross country. I blame my RF on that-- I was just too tense, so when I missed a stride and he jumped anyway(because he's a saint), I just popped off.

Bailey Moran and Leo on cross country

6. TAE: Not too long ago, you earned your way onto the Eventing 25 Developing Rider List. Could you tell me about this program? How has this improved your riding?
BM: The Eventing 25 program is incredible! Leslie is a fantastic trainer with more knowledge than I can fathom. It's hard not to stand in awe of his wisdom when attending the sessions. He takes our training to a whole new level and focuses in on the details that we don't always remember to emphasize. Plus, he has some pretty hilarious stories!

7. TAE: How do you prepare yourself and Leo for an upper level event?
BM:  I try not to, haha! I always try to get our schedule planned out a couple of weeks in advance so that it's just another day, even as the event approaches. It keeps me from getting nervous which in turn keeps him relaxed. As we get more experienced I'm getting more comfortable and gaining confidence, but I still try to think about the events as little as possible for my own sanity!

8. TAE: So far, what has been your most memorable experience riding and competing in eventing?
BM: This past April, Leo and I jumped clear around the CCI2* at the Ocala International. It was a phenomenal feeling crossing those finish flags in show jumping after adding only some time on the course to our dressage score. He was so flawless all weekend that I was nearly in tears. It was a huge show with a taxing course. I was unbelievably proud of our finish.

9. TAE: What are your goals for this season and beyond?
BM: This year I'm headed to KY to ride in the CCI2* at NAJYRC. Leo will get a nice break after running there and then come back for AECs. In December I'm heading to California to work with Tamie Smith for a few months. I'm really hoping to move up to Advanced(again) and run a CIC3* before I come back to Texas. Ultimately I'm crossing my fingers to qualify for Rolex. Only time will tell when everything will fall into place!

Bailey and Leo show jumping 

10. TAE: What challenges have you faced in working toward the upper levels? What advice do you for a young rider who aspires to reach Advanced Level?
BM: Plans don't always go the way you hope they will. You have to roll with the punches and keep your head up. Kick on. Be strong, brave, and positive. Something I've struggled with-- and still struggle with --is feeling like I'm good enough. It's easy to look at all the names on an entry list and suddenly feel so small and insignificant. At the end of the day, none of it matters. It's about going out with your best friend, trying your hardest, and having a blast doing it.

11. TAE: What do you love most about eventing?
BM: The people. Eventing is one of the most welcoming, supportive, all around kind hearted sports. So many good people are involved in it that it's hard not to come away from a single event having discovered a new lifelong friend. You meet so many different people from so many walks of life-- and you all can identify with each other because of the most wonderful animal to have ever walked the earth; horses.

 I'm wishing Bailey Moran the best of luck with her goal and hope to see her at Rolex next year! If you have any equestrian(rider, equine professional, or other interesting equestrian) that you would like me to interview, please let me know.

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.

American Pharoah Becomes the First Triple Crown Winner Since Affirmed

History was made today when American Pharoah won the Triple Crown the first horse to do so since Affirmed 37 years ago. The air was thick with anticipation today before the race American Pharoah was the second horse in a consecutive year to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. Last year, California Chrome, a horse loved by racing and non-racing fans alike, won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness but fell short of winning the Belmont Stakes. Chrome had been injured coming out of the starting gates and was boxed in early on and placed fourth. Tonalist, trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Belmont Stakes in 2014. 

American Pharoah is owned by Ahmed Zayat. When Pharoah was a yearling, Zayat had brought the colt to an auction to be sold. however, eh ended up buying the horse back excuse he believed that Pharoah would be a good horse. 

 American Pharoah’s jockey, Victor Espinoza, was the first jockey in history to be in a position to win the win the Triple Crown in consecutive years. In fact, this was the third time he would be riding a horse in the Belmont that had won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. In 2002, he attempted to ride War Emblem to a Triple Crown victory. Unfortunately, War Emblem had stumbled coming out of the starting gates and lost to Sarava. In 2014, the year before American Pharoah competed in the Belmont, Victor Espinoza rode California Chrome in all three Triple Crown races. California Chrome had won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness but placed fourth in the Belmont Stakes to Tonalist.

Victor celebrating after winning the Triple Crown. credit

 Victor was not the only one to have yet another chance at winning the Triple Crown after failing several times. American Pharoah’s trainer, Bob Baffert, had trained three other horses that have won the first two jewels of the Triple Crown. In 1997, Silver Charm won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes by a head. He started started the Belmont nicely, but went too wide on the first turn and was defeated by Touch Gold. The next year, Real Quiet also came close to winning the Triple Crown. His rival, Victory Gallop, had been second in both races and challenged Real Quiet in the Belmont Stakes. Real Quiet took the lead with 3/8 of a mile to go, followed closely by Victory Gallop. The race ended in a photo finish. Victory Gallop won by a nose. In 2002, War Emblem, ridden by Victor Espinoza, entered the Belmont Stakes with hope of winning the Triple Crown. However he fell to his knees coming out of the starting gates, finishing second to Sarava. When Baffert first saw Pharoah, he had known that Pharoah would be a great horse, and he was right.

 The pressure was on for American Pharoah, with so many people believing in him, including myself.  Before the race began, I had predicted the finishing order as follows: American Pharoah first, Frosted second, and Materiality third. With how well American Pharoah has been doing, I just believed that he could succeed where so many others have failed. It seems that Bob Baffert, Victor Espinoza, and owner Ahmed Zayat believed the same thing. Frosted has a impressive and race record, and I believed that he would do well. Materiality was trained by Todd Pletcher, who had trained Tonalist, the horse that defeated California Chrome in the Belmont last year. 

American Pharoah began the race with odds of 3-5. He took an early lead and held it to the finish line. As he galloped effortlessly down the homestretch, he pulled ahead from the pack, winning by five and a half lengths, with Frosted finished second and Keen Ice third. American Pharoah became the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. Thirteen horses and tried and failed to accomplish that incredible feat since Affirmed did so in 1978, and that day, American Pharoah did what many thought was impossible. He finished with an incredible time of 2:26.65. I can't describe how incredible it was to watch and how happy I am to see a Triple Crown winner in my lifetime. There is just something indescribably amazing to watch a racehorse do something that was deemed by many asa lost impossible.

I have actually written a book about Triple Crown winners, which I will publish when I add American Pharoah to it.

Belmont Stakes 2015 Analysis

  As you may or may not know, I am a huge racing fan. I love to read about famous racehorses of the past, scour over Thoroughbred pedigrees for the names of great races, and most importantly, follow the Triple Crown in hopes that one horse may win in my lifetime. Coming into the Belmont Stakes this weekend, there is excitement in the air. American Pharoah has won both the Derby and the Preakness in excellent form, and yet again we face the possibility of having the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed, who won it 37 years ago. In 2004, Smarty Jones, a horse loved by many, came close to winning the Triple Crown, only to be defeated by Birdstone. Big Brown, who almost everyone rooted for, was denied the right to the Triple Crown in 2008 when he was beat by Da' Tara. Three years ago, I'll Have Another, another horse beloved by racing fans and non-racing fans alike, won both the Derby and the Preakness. He unfortunately scratched just before the Belmont. Last year, we saw California Chrome, a horse that everyone loved and believed in, come short of winning the Triple Crown, finishing fourth to Tonalist. Is American Pharoah better than these horses?

 American Pharoah is by Pioneerof the Nile, out of Littleprincessemma. If you skip back several generations on his sire's side, you will find Unbridled, sire of Unbridled's Song. You will also find Mr. Prospector and Northern Dancer five generations back, but they are found in the pedigree of most any horse these days. Bold Ruler, sire of Secretariat, can also be found on his sire's side. Pharoah's dam also has several well know names in her pedigree. Several generations back, you will find Storm Cat, a great grandson of Secretariat. You will also find Exclusive Native and Northern Dancer. In his career, American Pharaoh has raced seven times. Out of those seven times, he has only lost one race, coming fifth in his maiden race last August at Del Mar. After that, he raced at Del Mar once more, this time in a futurity. He won that race, winning a stakes race at Santa Anita after that. This year, he raced only twice before beginning his Triple Crown campaign. Both races were at Oaklawn park, and he won both of them.

American Pharoah in the Preakness Stakes
 Source

  This weekend, American Pharoah will attempt to be the twelfth horse in history to win the Triple Crown, the most prestigious event in American horse racing. In the Derby, he stayed near the front of the pack the entire race, pulling into first place in the last few furlongs to make a strong first place finish. He took an early lead in the Preakness Stakes and won by seven lengths, in spite of the muddy track, proving that he can win in all conditions. However, the Belmont will prove the most grueling of all the Triple Crown races at length of a mile and a half. It has earned the nickname "the Graveyard of Champions"  because many horses have won the Derby and the Preakness but failed in the Belmont. In fact, thirteen horses besides American Pharoah have come close to winning the Triple Crown since Affirmed won in 1978. Only seven horses stand between American Pharoah and the Triple Crown. They are: Frammento, Frosted, Keen Ice, Madefromlucky, Materiality, Mubtaahij, and Tale of Verve.

Frammento: Frammento, by Midshipman and out Ginger Bay, is trained by Nick Zito. Two horses trained by Zito have denied Triple Crown contenders the pleasure of winning the Belmont. In 2004, Zito's Birdstone beat the famous Smarty Jones in the Belmont. Zito's Da' Tara beat Big Brown in the 2008 Belmont. With only one first in his entire career of eight races, Frammento is a longshot, but anything can happen in the Belmont.

Madefromlucky: Madefromlucky is by Lookin At Lucky and out of Home From Oz. Also in his
pedigree is Pulpit, A.P. Indy, and Mr. Prospector. Madefromlucky's trainer is none other than Todd Pletcher, who trained the infamous Tonalist, the horse that beat California Chrome in last year's Belmont. Madefromlucky competed only in maidens last year, and earlier this year, he placed second and fourth in the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby, respectively. Those two races were won by American Pharoah. Rather than running in the Derby, Madefromlucky raced in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park, coming in first.

Post positions and odds. Click to enlarge.
Source

Mubtaahij: Mubtaahij is by Dubawi and out of Pennegale. He was raced three times as a two-year-old, all maiden races, and only won one of the races. Before racing in the Derby, he won three races and placed second in another. In the Kentucky Derby, he finished eighth.

Tale of Verve: Tale of Verve is a homebred by Tale of Ekati and out of Verve. Unbridled, Storm Cat, and Sunday Silence are each found several generations back in his pedigree. Out of the six races he had run before the Preakness, Tale of Verve had only won one of them, a maiden he had run not long before the Derby. Because of his not very good record, Tale of Verve entered the Preakness with odds of 28-1. However, this longshot surprised everyone by running second to American Pharoah.

Horses American Pharoah Should Watch Out For

 Frosted: Frosted is by Tapit and out of Fast Cookie. Tapit is by Pulpit, the sire of Lucky Pulpit, who is the sire of California Chrome. Frosted has A.P. Indy three generations back on his sire line. A.P. Indy is the son of Seattle Slew, the 1977 Triple Crown winner. In fact, Seattle Slew appears on both sides on Frosted's pedigrees. Needless to say, he has an impressive pedigree, and a pretty good race record as well. With odds of 5-1, Frosted proves to be a horse American Pharoah should watch out for.

Keen Ice: Keen Ice is by Curlin, out of Medomak. Curlin was a stayer(he was great at long races), coming second by a head in 2007's Belmont and being named the Eclipse Champion three-year-old colt and the Horse of the Year in 2007. He is also the sire of Palace Malice, who competed in 2013's Derby and Belmont; and Ride on Curlin, who competed in last year's Triple Crown. Though he placed only seventh in the Derby, his jockey believes that Keen Ice can be competitive in the Belmont. Keen Ice was bred for stamina, which is just what is needed in the Belmont.

Materiality(right), trained by Todd Pletcher
Source

Materiality: Materiality is by Afleet Alex and out of Wildwood Flower. Materiality was unraced as a two-year-old, but has been successful this year as a three-year-old. He broke his maiden in his first race, which was at Gulfstream Park, winning both of the following races as well. He placed sixth in the Derby. Materiality is trained by Todd Pletcher, who you may recognize as the trainer of Tonalist, the horse that beat California Chrome in last year's Belmont. This year, Pletcher hopes to win the Belmont from a Triple Crown winner once again. With odds of 7-1, Materiality may just have a chance of doing it.

 I think that American Pharoah has a high chance of winning the Triple Crown, but I thought the same thing with California Chrome, and many people have thought the same with Smarty Jones, Big Brown, and I'll Have Another. It will be a dream come true for me to see a Triple Crown winner in my lifetime. Reading about it is one thing, but experiencing it firsthand is entirely different. I hope that American Pharoah can do it, and I believe in him. What are your thoughts?

Sources:
Pedigree Query
"Triple Crown Letdown Fatigue" by Fran Jurga
Equibase
Washington Post
Belmont Stakes Contenders

Pony Progress

  I haven't been posting much because Laura has been competing at Bishop Mule Days, the world's largest mule show. Anyways, I recently rode Pistachio, the pony I have been riding off and on since last fall. When I first got him out, he was being pretty obnoxious and hot, trying to test me as I had not ridden him in several months. Just when I entered the round pen and was ready to ask him to lunge, he just cantered off and wouldn't listen when I asked him to slow down. Rather than letting myself get frustrated, I decided to pull him into a really tiny circle around me–the rope between my hand and his head was maybe three feet. I breathed deeply and relaxed in hopes of getting him relaxed. It worked! Gradually, I let him out on bigger circles.

 Before long, he was trotting calmly around me. In fact, he was perhaps even more relaxed than he has ever been since I first started riding him. If you have been reading for a while, you may remember that when I first started riding him, he did not relax at all and wouldn't walk on a loose rein. Now, I had him lungeing calmly around me, slowing almost immediately when I said, "Whoa." He even cantered calmly to the right. He was a little less balanced and  therefore less relaxed to the left, but that was no fault of his own; every horse and pony has a "bad" side. 

 He was just as good under saddle as he had been when I lunged. Like the last time I had ridden Lucky, I tried being extra soft when riding Pistachio. Pistachio was very sensitive to my aids. Mostly, I just looked where I wanted him to go, and he went there. 

 Because he was doing so well, I decided to canter him a lot on circles. It's not easy for him to balance on circles in the canter, especially to the left, without falling into the trot. He needs the support of the inside leg from his rider. I worked on a trot circle to the right first since that side is easier for him. Once he felt ready, I asked for the canter. I made it almost all the way around before he fell into the trot. It was really my fault, because I cut the circle in and didn't make the final quarter wide enough. The next time around, he cantered around the circle beautifully. With short trot breaks in between, I cantered several more circles to the right, then went around the arena immediately following the circle.

 Circling left at the canter took a little more work, so I cantered him once around the entire arena on to the left before trying a circle. He needed a lot more support to keep him balanced on a canter circle to the left. Even so, I managed to get several nice circles. 

 I reward Pistachio with lots of pats for doing so well that ride. It may seem like a small thing to get nice canter circles, and for most horses and ponies it is, but for Pistachio who is primarily a driving pony ridden only by me, it is a big deal. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I am better rider than when I first started riding him. Nevertheless, he has improved a lot since the first time I rode him. I love that I can try some of the things I have learned on my own with a pony that does not have nearly as much dressage training as Lucky. 

Best Riding Ever!

 Yesterday, Laura said that I rode the best that she has ever seen me ride! I was light, soft, and in balance, which caused Lucky to also be balanced and soft. Everything seemed so effortless; it felt incredible. It's rides like these, when everything comes together, that makes all the hard work worth it. Granted, there were a few sticky spots when I became crooked and out of balance, consequently causing Lucky to become unbalanced, but for the most part things went brilliantly. Everything I've been learning just came together and clicked, and I was riding better than I've ever had.

 Lucky was so responsive to my aids, that I tried to find out how light I could make my aids, as if hiding them from any observer. The answer? I could be lighter and softer than I ever thought I could. It didn't take much to get Lucky to become round and responsive to my aids. I rode several serpentines during the lesson, softly changing bend as the direction of each circle on the serpentine changed.

Here I am about to change bend, turning to make a right circle at A on the serpentine.

 I even rode the serpentine in my two-point position, first riding just part of it in the two-point and the rest in rising trot, and then riding any entire serpentine, all in two-point. Since my hands were on Lucky's neck to prevent me from leaning on her mouth, I tried turning her using just my body legs. It worked! All I had to do was look in the direction I should go, turning my body slightly, and Lucky listened. When I successful turned her without hands, I asked her for a the some flexion as well. It was an amazing feeling when both Lucky and I were balanced, and I could feel her back swinging beneath me.

Two-point on the serpentine

Her canter, too was lovely and balanced. There were a few times after the downward transitions from canter when we became a bit disorganized and unbalanced, but I worked through those few sticky spots, reestablishing the forward rhythm returning to the soft, balanced place again. 

 Finally, to end incredible ride, I rode Lucky in the free walk across several diagonals and on loops(HXK and FXM). I let the reins slip all the way to the buckle and rested my hands on her withers so that I would use only my body and legs to turn. I prepared ahead of time, just before the corner where the loop began, looping across the arena without relying on my hands.

 It is the best, most amazing feeling in the world when everything came together and I was riding in harmony with Lucky, and I am so happy that it went so well. I've come a long in the one and a half years since I started riding.

Let's Discuss: Horse Shows and Correct Basics

 I recently read an article by George Morris on Chronicle of the Horse called Where Did We Come From? Where Are We Going. It is a really great article that I would recommend you reading.

  Jack le Goff said, "The young trainers are teaching their students to compete. They are not, necessarily, teaching them to ride. Therefore, when the student reaches a certain level, he or she fails or falls short. The student doesn't really know how to ride." 

 There are a lot of trainers who focus on preparing their students for shows, saying that going to as much shows as possible is important. Sometimes they go to shows almost every other week. I know because I used to ride at at such a barn. Let me make it clear that I am not against showing and I am not against anyone who goes to a lot of shows. In fact, I wish to show in the future, eventually at the top level of eventing, though I am in no rush. What I have learned the past months is that solid basics come first. 

Credit

 In the article, George Morris said, "These are just some of the many things that come way before competing with a horse. These are the basics, the platform from which you might successfully and correctly reach the top of your particular discipline."

 He says that shows are tests, and the lessons and riding on your own are meant to prepare horse and rider for the "test," just like homework and lectures prepare students for tests. According to George Morris, training should take up the majority of the time and shows should not happen nearly as often. A while ago I read a Practical Horseman article about the care of several top horses, including Boyd Martin's Shamwari and Laura Grave's Verdades. What these horses have in common, despite their varying disciplines, is that they don't compete in very many competitions a year. Obviously these horse will go to less competitions than the typical horse for many reasons, but the still take time between shows.

Credit

 George Morris also makes a point about that many riders have poor positions. It is a work in progress for many people(myself included), but many riders become negligent about it. I've even shocked noticed some  Grand Prix and CCI**** riders jump ahead or have legs that swing back when going over a jump. 

 I wholehearted agree with the article, considering the fact that I am dedicated to learning correct basics, horsemanship, and riding. What is your opinion about the article? What thoughts do you have? I am curious to read what other riders think, especially since many of my readers have the showing experience that I don't. 

Rodeo

 Over the weekend, I went to the local rodeo, which was very fun because rodeos are so different than riding I normally see. There was bronco riding, bull riding, team roping, barrel racing, and tie-down roping–the usual. I came for the last the day of the rodeo, so heard them announce the rodeo princesses and queen. One of favorite events was the barrel racing. My observation from this one time watching it is that barrel racing horses tend to be a bit high-strung, which is probably because they are excited to run like racehorses are before a race. That's just my observation. Either way, I think it is really exciting to watch and would be fun to try. Enjoy the pictures I took!

Bringing in the state flag

A couple of the flags.

Bronco riding

Another bronco rider and horse

One of the horses was especially feisty(not this one) and was trying to climb out of its pen.

Team roping

One of the roping teams were trying to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo(NFR). Another pair had many family members that had gone to the NFR. I'm not sure which par that was though.

Barrel racing

A gorgeous horse

Bull riding..Yikes! It look much harder and more dangerous than bronco riding. one of the bulls charge
at the rider after he fell and brushed him with the horn. One of the bulls even fell down with the rider.

Since no stayed on for the full 8 seconds, no one qualified for the next round.

Here people are catching the bull. This particular one was very stubborn and didn't want to get caught.
It took several minutes to finally get him through the chute.

What is your favorite rodeo event?