Dressage

The show season has officially ended for me--no more recognized shows, although I do plan to go to some schooling shows around New Mexico only. I was hoping to end on a brighter note, instead of with such low scores--nowhere near qualifying for regionals, which was the hope for the weekend. Still a long way to go until B is truly a second level horse. I guess, too, that his tense-ness hurts us--he never truly relaxes and comes through his back in the show ring, and that costs us major points.

The show approacheth... And once again, Baleno feels argumentative. That's the only way I can explain it. He's just feeling "stuck." And he's the type of horse that, the more I nag him, the less he pays attention. I have to find a way to work him up for the horse show without making him stiff, sore, stressed, or pissed off. This is my goal this time. Mellow, easy rides that translate into mellow, forward tests. But here's the thing: I'm not achieving that at all. I'm stressing us both out. Riding is so psychological.

So Belle wore a Western saddle today. Mike came back out to do part two of needle desensitization. We worked for a long time on ground work, playing with her in the front of the pasture where she would be quite distracted--she was pretty good, even though my neighbor was stnading ON TOP of his truck, through stuff off the back, and the sprinkler next door came on, and so forth. It was a pretty good session. Mike has a saddle pad that has silicone beads in it, and she thought that was pretty darn scary, but then she settled in, and by the end she was all cinched up in his big western saddle.

Heels down. Leg back. Leg forward. More forward. Too forward. Be lighter with your aids! More leg. Left shoulder drooping. More connection! Not enough. Ask for more. Too much bend. Not enough bend. He's overbent...

Oh boy is it hot. Everyone's talking about it. Not only is it hot, but it's very smoky, since half of the west is currently on fire and it seems to settle into the valley here around this time of the year. All three of the horses have eye infections from a combination of smoke and flies. Nothing serious, just drippy eyes and a little mucus forming in the corners. I'll head over to the vet's tomorrow and pick up a tube of the Gentak that we use in their eyes this time of year. I got out to ride this morning by 8:00 am, which was almost too late.

I'm on the home stretch! Working hard on finishing my book, The Adult Longeing Guide, which is a compilation of longeing exercises for everyone.

It's been fun to write- I collected the exercises during teaching by wearing my digital recorder in my pocket, since lots of times I'd have a student doing this and that and then forget to come in the house and write it down.

Do you have a favorite training exercise? I'd love to hear about it. What do you like to do to warm up before riding? How do stretch out on horseback?

Write and let me know, I'd love to hear your ideas.