Spook busting

Being the proud owner of a rather beautiful, but without a shadow of a doubt, spooky little monkey, I thought it might be time to jot down a few things that have worked for us, as this week we managed to pull it all together and survive another elementary to secure our qualification for Petplans in October!!

Just to put you all in the picture (those who haven't been bored rigid by the ramblings over the past 2 and a half years that is!!) Basil is a 7 year old ISH of unknown origin, 15.2hh of small brown loveliness, whom I have had since he was imported at 4 by a dealer who specialised in jumpers (not the woolly kind ;)  )
As far as I can gather his entire education consisted of being pulled out of a field,shod, sat on, stuck on a boat and bought by me....
He is (most of the time) an utter saint, however, we have struggled with warm ups, dressage arenas in general and relaxation at competition. he can also throw some shapes in training:

I guess I am lucky he is not 17hh, but we have definitely made progress with the help of a couple of fabulous trainers, Daniel Timson and Emma Roche.

I have retired from many tests...

Patience has been the key. 

Not giving up and throwing in the towel, being able to laugh at the number of times 'tense' appears on dressage sheets, all important too!!

I am a novice rider, Elementary is the zenith of our dressage career, please do not think I am holding myself up as an 'expert'

So how have we got to the point that we can now warm up without a drama, and complete a dressage test without leaving the arena?

Firstly, everyone is different, every horse and every rider has their own unique attributes...I am not advocating a one size fits all approach, maybe some of the ideas we have tried will help...

Most key bit of advice I was given...a spooking horse is not focused on you...they are invariable behind the leg, with too much time and energy focused elsewhere!

Yup! and that starts long before you reach a dressage arena...it starts at home.

Spookiness in general is a training issue...sometimes a calmer might be a help, but neither trainer believes they are the root, rather a mask for the true issue....a backward thinking horse who might be sharp and fizzy but are not in front of the leg, not accepting the leg, not working forward into a soft contact...without a shadow of a doubt one of the hardest things, but most essential things to get your head around. We have learnt that the lightest aid means go, and not stop until a different aid is applied....it is not kick, kick, kick every stride. Learning from the very start of training that they need to react quickly and appropriately  is what we have found has been the key to our progress. Once we have 'go' we can work on half halts, collection, straightness, balance, relaxation, submission (the list goes on)...but not before!

How you get there is going to be different for every horse...a schooling whip,a spur, if you are lucky a light aid with the leg...most importantly ask, mean it and praise when you get a reaction...not 10 strides later, not 2 strides later, immediately!

Daniel taught me the discipline needed for dressage. Remember that every second spent sitting on a horse is teaching them something..it is up to you what you teach them. 

Have found the 3 C's useful:

Consistency: the same aid needs the same reaction. If I asked you to go off the leg from a light touch yesterday and you did, then I expect the same today. We owe it to them not to confuse them with mixed messages. We also need to ensure we carry that consistency into a test situation. How confusing must it be for them to suddenly have a tense bundle of nerves gripping their back and sides?

Clarity: the aids need to be clear. Your horse can do everything for a dressage test without you, just playing in the field! Our job is to work with them to achieve the ability to canter when I ask, canter on the right leg, even canter on the wrong leg...they don't know what we are aiming to achieve, they are reacting to our requests. So if its not going right, ask yourself, am I asking the same way I did yesterday? Be careful not to confuse our equine buddies...are you asking for forward with the leg and blocking with your hand or seat?

Calm:The BIGGEST lesson for me has been not to react to the silliness...sit still, ride forward and relax, ignore the spooking, look in the opposite direction if it helps, but DO NOT focus on the object of spookiness.So many times I have been shouted at to look at the trees...up and out!! ;)

Finally the R:

Reward and reflection: always, always,always praise...never anger or frustration. they are a mirror for yourself....if its going wrong, what can you change? If its going right, what did you do? 

I have found that too much anthropomorphising can be a dangerous thing....

So the warm up...true terror for the boy....which I discovered (eventually) came from me. I never had a plan,  I went into them unprepared and unfocused.

Again, every horse is different and has different needs: as a rule of thumb, what works for us is a long, low stretch in walk, trot and canter first. A pick up to a working outline for trot, walk, trot transitions. Trot, halt, trot for some more direct work and some lateral work, shoulder in and leg yield to loosen him up. I am checking to see if he is forward and relaxed above all...can I give and retake the reins? Is he on my seat and listening to it? Just before we go in we will focus on the quality of the trot rhythm and transitions to walk and canter from it...collecting with the seat,thinking up and forward all the time...forward, forward, forward...

He still doesn't love other horses in close proximity, but we tailor what we do according to how crowded it is...on grass, we find we have a lot more room...relaxed pony, usually a much better test. If I can offer any nugget of advice it is go out, practice, work out what works for YOU because sure as eggs is eggs it won't be the same as everyone else!!

Test riding is an art! You cannot go into a competition unprepared. I have learnt to know my test inside out, prepare thoroughly, know what is coming next and be a great partner for your horse, not a flapping, ill-prepared one. I know where I need to half halt, alternate between sitting and rising trot, ask for a little more hind leg, ask for a little more balance.

I have learned to LOOK UP! Your horse is so sensitive to what you are doing. Look where you are going, they will look where you are going, less focus on the outside distractions and more on the job in hand!!

I have learned that shoulder fore is my friend!! That slight inside flexion, invariable leading to straightness, means you are in control, you have their focus, there is nothing to be frightened of in or outside the arena...

Every tool we use out and about we have tried and tested at home, hacking, at clinics before we hit a party.

It may be transitions for you, it may be finding a quiet area away from everyone else, it might be picking your horse up straight away and not allowing them time to take in the surroundings and any possible killer obstacles!!!

Remember: two hind legs into the foot fall of two front legs, two seat bones, two hands, two reins...giving, consistent: straight, balanced, forward, relaxed...what we all dream of and I certainly have had to work blooming hard for!

Sharpness and energy is good, it just needs to be focused!

I will keep telling myself that anyway....

Most of all be patient and keep going, there is always an answer :)

Training 20.8.14

First note to self...

Maybe do a couple of light sessions back in saddle after 2 weeks off before booking a beasting  

Bloody hell I hurt tonight  

Trainer has been keeping the boy ticking over while I have been away. He had the first week off totally as I am a great believer in pony holidays every so often.Yard Manager has hacked him a few times which he has by all accounts loved  
Trainer worked on his relaxation and submission, whilst also focusing on his acceptance of the inside leg as a supporting aid without the addition of him trying to throw you off to the outside shoulder...he is a clever boy when it comes to getting out of the true hard work  

Love that every lesson with her starts with the basics..straightness, suppleness, relaxation, forwardness (if that is indeed a word  ) Our mantra is two hind legs into the footprints of 2 front legs, 2 hands, 2 legs to seat bones...throughout our warm up checking,checking, checking all those things are in place, equal, balanced. I really feel like I am beginning to develop 'feel' and as I learn more and more I am beginning to understand which corrections I need to make in order to ensure that the basics are there before we start. A long, low forward stretch, relaxed soft pliable neck is key...we are not allowed to move to any other exercise before that is in place...and established for walk, trot and canter  

Today we were looking at the quality of the trot work and transitions. First off collecting the walk using the seat and legs...reins only there to support, periodically asking me to give the inside rein to check he was relaxed and in self carriage. the 'feel' of lifting him forward, up and back really helped to focus my efforts...great picture for me  Once we were balanced, and taking the weight behind she asked me to think about 'easing' him into the trot...up, forward, light, balanced....he got it really quickly...the downwards transitions I had to really really gather him with my seat and legs, again thinking of rolling the ball backwards towards the hind legs and forward into a smooth transition. Such a clever boy...he learns so bloody quickly!! 
Lots of changes of rein, straightness across the diagonals being key, and transitions on the long side ended up with a beautiful,active transition up and down  

We then worked on more activity in the trot, not speed, but the quickness of the hind legs. Very hard work for me!! But it made me realise it was also very hard work for him too! Onto a 20m circle, good quality forward trot,check self carriage and trainer helped us a little with the lunge whip. Collecting trot with seat yet keeping activity, hard work but a few fabulous moments of expressive BIG trot. Had to keep being reminded about soft hands, almost thinking about being able to have a loop in the reins, keeping a light outside contact, but giving a retaking the inside so he didn't become set and strong in the hand  

ice long stretch and cool off to finish and lots of polos. I keep having to be reminded that he a sensitive, sharp chap at heart...and as trainer reminded me, if we have the relaxation the world is our oyster!!  

30 years of friendship....

nd we still have sooooooooooooo much to chat about!!  

Once in a lifetime, I reckon you have a special friend that transcends distance, time, life...
My gorgeous friend J is that very special girl 

https://www.facebook...t=photo_comment 

Separated by nearly 400 miles, and nearly 2 years apart, in that time she has lost her dear Daddy and I, my most precious Aunt, but I know that no matter how long its been we can pick up exactly where we left off....

Spent a most fabulous day with J and her family,ponies, chickens, pooches, buckets of tea, pancakes, canters across cut silage fields, my little one's first independent hack, oh, just loved it  

Happy girlies

Just fabulous!! And just what the doctor ordered!!
Fantastic just sitting on a totally unschooled pony, that was just happy in its own skin, forward going, oblivious to trains, flappy silage bags,running cows, but also made me appreciate the educated Mr SB all at the same time!!  

Funeral on Monday, then back to the grindstone....tonight raising a glass to old friends and my most precious Aunt Netta xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Our very first win!!

Hot on the heels of our respectable 'training' outing at Priory, where we surprised ourselves with 64% despite 2 rather expensive mistakes, we took a deep breath and thought we might as well go 'official' in the restricted section!!
One petplan sheet in the bag, 2 more to go...
I guess everyone has different goals when it comes to dressage....our is only to progress in our own time and on our own path...we are not Regionals material, Petplans suit us down to the ground, We are not competitive, I have no ambition to win National titles (luckily lol) for me to even have go to the dizzy height of Elementary at BD is more than I could ever have dreamed of 5 years ago and anything else here on in is just a bonus! To be here after 2 and a half years together and him being 7 is nothing short of incredible to me, but totally testament to Daniel Timson instilling total discipline into our training whilst we were based at his yard and our lovely Emma now continuing the great work with total confidence in us as a combination,enthusiasm and a huge dollop of patience.
The double bridle (much to the dressage police's disgust) has been a revelation for him.Whether it encourages me to be stiller in the hand or more subtle with the aid, he has become much more willing to work forward into it, consistently, without the leaning or running through.. Part of this has to be my own education as a rider,every day understanding more and more about the mechanics, the theory and the practice of good riding. Daniel taught me that every moment spent on the horse is educating them in some way, that has made me aware of seat, legs, hands in everything we do.
Recent lessons have focused on lateral work which has highlighted my own inadequacies in the hip flexibility department...something we are now working intensively.
It funny the words that stay with you: Daniel once said to me," it will never be the horse's fault you can't do something (a movement,a transition) it will always be you...look to yourself...what did YOU do wrong" So with the beginnings of the lateral work,I have to ask myself, why can't we achieve the same flexion, impulsion and submission on both sides...because I haven't got the physical tools there to ask the same questions on both sides!!! We WILL get there!!
Training has been going well. he is loving the variety, lots of hacking (which has definitely given him so much more confidence in the arena!) gallops, school work, jumping, turn out each and every day...he just feels like a happy, happy boy at the moment!
Certainly looking at pictures he is maturing, gaining the strength to take on the more advanced work, his work ethic is never questionable and now I am more aware of what I am doing we 'understand' each other. I see him becoming more 'uphill', able to take his weight back and really push from the hindquarters rather than drag himself along on the forehand. I am begininning to feel his 'power' and 'expression' in lessons and once we can achieve relaxation in tests too I am so confident we will start to gain the more respectable marks ;)

So we booked Merrist, never a truly happy hunting ground for us, due to his hatred of being able to hear all the shenanigans in the carpark but not see it! Our new warm up plan seems to be bedded in and working well, long and low, stretchy work, getting him soft and through and over the back particularly in canter. He has a chance to breathe, relax and I pick him up for the last 5 minutes or so, for lots of transitions within paces and a good forward thinking trot! Such a different pony from the one who dumped me on the floor at Sparsholt last year, then proceeded to leave the twice in one test!! :O

Judge has never given us over 60%. We are not her bag...so felt a little anxious.
Was blooming hot too, so he felt a little flat to me.
Into arena, standard spooking at banners, remembered Emmas instructions to use the shoulder fore to control him, focus on me and kick on, no dropping behind the contact allowed!

Centre line and halt felt ok. Love  having a halt and salute at the beginning of the test...feels very grown up! Trot work all great, 7's, focused on rhythm, rhythm, rhythm which seemed to work! First medium trot was entertaining as he was spooking at the banners,2nd one across diagonal, so much better, but without warmblood leg flinging just a 5.5   :/
Great transition to canter, rider forgot how big a 15m circle should be but the pictures show how much more uphill he has become in his work, balanced, never felt like dropping me...over the moon!
Final halt a bit wobbly, but pulled off a 7
Came out hoping for a smidge over 60% if we were lucky, but on previous form, likely to be in the fifties and our standard last place!!
Saw score before we left 63.5%, but with 2 hours of the class to go, was confident we would be down the placings and set off for home!
Cue floods of tears, when we finally arrived home and checked results to see he had only gone and won!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Couldn't have been more surprised, delighted and overwhelmed all at once!
Prize money too, our first ever!!!

The Best Small Brown Pony

One more sheet and we will be off to Petplans at Elementary!
More than we could ever have dreamed of!!

Plan is to continue with strengthening him up over the winter, transitions,transitions, transitions. Unlikely to be any competing, we have achieved more than I ever hoped or dreamed this year, we will focus on that sitting trot (which luckily for me is modest and easy to sit to) and the mediums in the next 18months...and if we get out next season healthy and happy then that will be all that matters.
Onwards Small Brown!!