Not really much interesting going on here this week, other than gorging myself at the fair last night, continuing to feel angst about the USEA rule changes, and squeezing in a couple rides (Foster was a precious dressage pony this week, and guess what- we worked on lengthenings!). So, I’m hopping on the bandwagon with Viva Carlos’s 10 questions…
1. How many pairs of breeches/jods do you own? OK, first- yay ‘jods’! I wouldn’t say my collection is all that impressive.. maybe 15? I’m seriously digging all thing Kerrits right now so my collection is slowly expanding…
In my mind I call these the Kerrits Arrowbutt Breeches PC: High Time Photogrpahy
2. How many horses have you ridden? I think my head would spin if I tried to add this up, I’m going to say easily 100+
3. How many trainers have you had? I had two trainers as a kid that would take turns with me on weekends, then a trainer in middle school that got me into foxhunting.. let’s see, then I trained with a BNT in high school briefly (too bad I had no idea what I was doing) before taking things a little more casual with a mostly dressage/eventing instructor for years. 2 different trainers with the dressage team, and 2 trainers with Foster before settling on my current 2-trainer situation. 11 trainers in 20+ years, that’s not that bad right?
Getting a pep talk before XC from my high school trainer
4. How many barns have you ridden at? Besides the farm I grew up at, I have moved around boarding barns a bit.. but if I think about it…12
5. What is the name of the horse you consider yourself to have the greatest bond with? Foster is probably the obvious.. but Ivan, and my old Haflinger, Tanner, are close seconds.
I wouldn’t say we had the closest bond, but I was fairly obsessed with this guy, who I made my unofficial ‘project’ freshman year
6. What is your favorite show name you’ve ever encountered? I think Daddy’s Money is hilarious for little ponies… I don’t think I could choose, otherwise- there are so many I want to use myself, just need more ponies!
7. What do you consider your greatest weakness or flaw in riding? Oh, so many struggles… but I’d say more than anything I am supremely aware of my very-much-less-than-perfect equitation over fences.
8. What do you consider to be your greatest strength? Basic dressage training for greenies.. And I probably only say this because it’s where I have the most experience- Foster is my 3rd horse to bring from basically no dressage to schooling Second (ish) level stuff
9. Have you ever leased a horse? Nope
The obsession started early…
10. What is the name of the first horse you rode? A horse named Ghost, when I was 18 months old (there’s a video somewhere of this auspicious occasion). Then lessons on Heidi at 4.
I follow Denny Emerson on facebook, and enjoy reading his delightfully outspoken posts almost every day. For non-eventers, Denny is an eventing legend who has been around the block and back, and still competes and jumps bigger fences at a ripe old age (how old is he, anyways?) than I probably ever will in my lifetime. Just saying- follow him, you’ll be glad you did.
Anyways, Denny posted the following commentary this morning:
Just interesting food for thought… I was spoiled with a ‘made’ showjumper (that would be Merry), that I turned into an eventer, and I would describe our relationship as definitely rocky for the first couple years. Since her, due to one circumstance or another, I’ve been bringing along my own green horses, with relatively good results. Foster and Ivan, my last horse, I had from their younger years (Foster just turned 4 and Ivan was 2), and their little quirks (and there’s a lot of them) meant/mean a lot to me.
What do you guys think? What has been your experience- how has it been to take over the ride on an experienced horse? What about bringing along your own?
My philosophy when it comes to dressage and riding in general is pretty classical. I believe in creating a solid foundation of basics, and try to be disciplined in not skipping steps before progressing to the next thing. Sometimes my insistence on perfecting the basics of dressage holds me back from practicing new skills, but that’s another story for another time.
In general, I abhor tools that help riders cut corners. I’ll never be impressed by the horse that only goes ’round’ in side reins, or in an elevator bit. (Side story- when I first started riding Ivan I spent months retraining him in a snaffle, because his former trainer/consigner was trying to sell him as a 1st level horse in an elevator bit.) However, there are times when these ‘tools’ can find a place in a classically influenced program.
After many discussions with my dressage trainer, we decided to try riding Foster in draw reins to improve his canter transitions. Traditionally the weakest part of our tests, Foster loves earning 6’s by using his neck to pull himself into the transition, causing him to go momentarily hollow before coming back into the bridle. It’s been very hard to train out of him, because conformationally his underneck is a very big, strong muscle (though much smaller than it used to be). While he is not trying to be disobedient, I struggle physically with showing him how not to engage those muscles for balance. The use of draw reins in these transitions helps me maintain a round topline and connection, and I am quick to release and praise him, hopefully teaching him that this is the correct approach to transitions.
Coming back into the bridle
My last lesson was in draw reins, as I wanted a professional to watch the way I rode and confirm that I am using them in a correct way. I feel quite clumsy having so much in my hands, but I feel I’ve got the hang of it now. The plan is to ride in this way for 4 rides before taking them off, because obviously I don’t want to create dependency on them. This weekend was ride #2 in the reins, and I’m anxious to see how he goes in that first ride away from them.
Round canter is round
Similarly in the jumping world, I have been exploring new bits. Generally I ride in a full cheek Waterford, which solved the issue of Foster’s bracing and rushing a couple years ago. Now that I feel like I have solid brakes, and need something with leverage to break the poll. I previously tried the Waterford Baucher, which made Foster break at the poll but also lowered his neck and sent him on the forehand. At the advice of my last lesson, we discussed a Wonder Bit, and I finally was able to try the below model yesterday.
Color me impressed- he was uphill, softer, and engaged, and I felt like I had good control without going overboard. I set up some fun jumps in the arena, including a faux (tarp) liverpool and fan oxer and played with bending lines and collection/lengthenings. Everything rode really well, and I’m hoping to repeat the experience and make sure it wasn’t just a fluke!
So overall, it’s been a weekend of experimenting and twinging our regular program to incorporate new tools.
It has been announced that changes are being proposed at the USEA to the lower levels, in order to bring it up to other country’s standards. Click here for the article on EventingNation. Here’s the recap for those who are unaware:
Cross Country
Beginner Novice
Novice
Training
Speeds @ optimum time
300 350 mpm
350 400-430 mpm
420-470 *450–480 mpm
Speed faults
420 520 mpm
450 520 mpm
520 mpm
* When multiple divisions of Training level are offered, Open Training speed is 480 mpm.
Show Jumping
Beginner Novice
Novice
Training
Preliminary
Heights
0.79m (2’7”)
0.90m (2’11”)
1.0m (3’3”)
1.10m (3’7”)
Height Option*
0.85m (2’10”)
0.95m (3’1”)
1.05m (3’5”)
1.15m (3’9”)
Spreads of oxers
1.00m (3’3”)
1.10m (3’7”)
1.20m (3’9”)
1.30m (4’3”)
Spreads w/ height option
1.05m (3’5”)
1.15m (3’9”)
1.25m (4’1”)
1.35 (4’5”)
Spreads of triple bar
1.20m (3’11”)
1.30m (4’3”)
1.40m (4’7”)
1.50m (4’11”)
Spreads w/ height option
1.25m (4’1”)
1.35m (4’5”)
1.45m (4’9”)
1.55m (5’1”)
* One vertical and one oxer permitted at these heights
Being that I have, do, and will be competing at these levels, I’d like to weigh in with my opinion, which is two-fold. If you want to skip the discussion- scroll to the end.
Speed The current argument for upping the speeds required is that some horses have to do circles at the end of their course before crossing the finish flags in order to avoid speed penalties (for non-eventers, you can actually incur points against you if you go too fast, a time is given as incurring speed faults along with the optimum time). The purpose of the speed faults is to dissuade riders from reckless riding on course.
Beginner Novice XC Oct. 2012
From my standpoint, I can understand why increasing the speed @ optimum time could be a good idea. Even if my sometimes pokey horse might struggle with this, I will admit that encouraging a more forward ride might be a good thing. I completely disagree, however, with increasing the speed fault speed to 520. In the current USEA guidelines, 520 meters per minute is a standard speed for a Prelim course. Let me tell you, you are seriously cruising at 520 mpm. Here is a video comprised of Prelim riders at Morven Park in 2011, for example:
Why would anyone jump Beginner Novice (2’7″) or Novice (2’11”) need to get anywhere near Prelim (3’7″) speed in order to safely get around a course? In my opinion, there is no training program that should ever include galloping 2’7″ fences as part of their regimen. If I see someone taking these smaller fences at almost-Prelim speed (because of course actual Prelim speed incurs speed faults), I think it is safe to assume that either A) the ride is lacking control of the horse, and therefore dangerous OR B) the rider is lacking discipline, and is therefore dangerous.
Erm, yes, I may have trotted a couple steps after the up-bank
Let’s talk about how these new speeds might affect other competitors. When Beginner Novice (the most affected level here) allows horses on course that could be traveling at anything between 350 and 515 meters per minute, it is likely that passing on course is more apt to happen. Think about your average cross country course, which is a mixture of water elements, fields, and wooded trails. Will the horse traveling at the higher speed wait until you are conveniently in a big field to pass you? My experience tells me probably not. Now think about your average horse or rider at the Beginner Novice levels. Beginner Novice is a division created for either green horses, or inexperienced riders. How is a pair like this, presumably new to the sport, going to handle the likelihood of being passed on course? Some horses get understandably upset when another horse gallops up behind them blindly. Novice or young riders may not know how to handle the situation of being approached so quickly on course.
To me, this is the greatest danger of allowing faster speeds on these lower level courses. I think the only solution to this dangerous passing scenario would be to increase the time between riders allowed on course, to allow slower pairs a ‘head start’. However, knowing that most shows operate on tight time schedules, I see this an unlikely predicament.
Height I can think of (and have heard from on the interwebs) more than a few lower-level riders who are crapping themselves thinking about the new height allowances in showjumping. Many of these riders (of course, not all) ride at the lower levels because they lack confidence to move up. Increasing the heights of some fences is crippling to the anxiety of this crowd, and I truly feel for them. While 2″ is not a whole lot (the increase for Novice and Training), 3″ added to Beginner Novice course practically turns them into Novice fences, exactly what that same crowd is looking to avoid. While I don’t see this increase in height to be as dangerous as the speed fault scenario, I do wonder how these changes will adversely affect current riders at the lower levels.
That being said, I do think that these height rules could find merit at the annual Championship Competition (AEC). These riders have to qualify in order to attend, and are therefore presumably better prepared to tackle a slightly harder course. Similarly, if the championship heights are clearly communicated before the event, it would ease the tension between traditional schooling venues as to what facilities implement 2014 heights versus the new proposed heights.
In Summary In my mind, having a more forward optimum time is fine. Still safe, and rewarding a forward ride. I get that. Increasing the speed fault speed allowed- big, big red flags for me, and I hope they will be heavily weighed in the proposal discussions. For height, I don’t understand how increasing the height of a couple fences at the lower levels brings us up to international standards, and even more so, I don’t understand why making these lowest levels consistent with other countries matters. Is there going to be a Beginner Novice Olympics any time soon? Traveling to competitions in other countries for Training level? I seriously doubt it. Perhaps implementing new heights for Championship courses is the way to go. Overall, I would like to see better reasons for implementing changes that will affect the greater population of eventers, and that is those competing at the Beginner Novice through Training levels.
Weigh in! What do you think about the new changes? How will they affect you and your decisions about what level to ride at?
After walking the cross country course Saturday, the sky opened up and it poured. And poured. And poured. Luckily this provided excellent opportunity to huddle in Foster’s stall, do a bit of braiding, mentally run through my test, and try not to think about what was happening to the footing all through the deluge.
No dressage photos, so look at us in our snazzy new colors!
Dressage Needless to say, it was still very very wet Sunday morning. The dressage warm-up quickly turned to slop, which my poor pony is not so used to working in. I attribute his being slightly stiff in his neck because of this, as he attempted to pick his way through the mud and muck. Still, I was happy with the test he put in, and I was pretty confident it would score in the low 30’s.
The test earned us a 31.7, good for 5th place. Looking at the test, I’m pleased with the number of 8’s on there, and it appears we were off to a pretty good start. I am, however, a little bummed with how the test finished, and I didn’t feel some of the things the judge remarked on. Similarly, I wish I could have seen my ride, so I could understand why our overall scores dropped so much from the last show just a couple weeks ago. So we’ll be chalking it up to experience and trying to improve even more for the next outing.
Showjumping
Because of the slop, I was a little worried about how showjumping would go. Foster looked just a hair too relaxed hanging out in his stall, and I knew he would need some extra oomph to push out of the steadily deteriorating footing. I gave myself about 15 minutes of warm up, starting by trying to get him really moving forward (kind of successful), before hopping over a couple fences. He was a bit sticky to the fences, but I decided to take the risk of not jumping further in order to save our energy for the fences that would count.
I’ll say this in regards to our round- thank goodness you don’t get pretty points in eventing. He jumped me out of the tack over fence 7, which I got him a little unprepared to and he made a huge effort over. He didn’t pick up the correct leads 100% of the time, and once I brought him back to a trot to switch leads. Because of this, I think, we got 1 time fault, but went otherwise clear through a course that was definitely taking names. I saw 1 fall, and 2 refusals just while I was waiting- an unusual pattern for these lower levels.
Fence 7
Cross Country
When I got to cross country, I was more than a little worried about the footing on course. Foster does not have studs, and though the sandy footing holds up pretty well, I still wondered about jumping these large fences like #3 right from the start. Combine that with watching 2 different horses have refusals at that fence, and thought I was going to puke. But a quick hop over the couple cross country warm-up fences and Foster perked up substantially, and I decided to give it a go.
I won’t rehash the entire experience, when you can watch the helmet cam!
Obviously the course ran pretty well. Other than getting in deep to 8A, we got all our spots and while being forward, Foster was adjustable and able to come back to me when I needed to rebalance him, such as down the hill and through some turns. We came in right under time because of my more conservative ride.
Breezing over fence 3
In Conclusion
Overall, we finished 4th out of a field of 15 or so horses. I am super happy with how the day went, and again, know there are things to improve which is a great place to be. It was a great relief to finally conquer the trakehner and brush that have been worrying me all year. We’re still waiting to break into the 20s for dressage, but between this and the last show I feel like Foster can confidently be described as a solid Novice horse. I’m thankful for the opportunity to put in another confidence-giving run, and look forward to our last show of the season, next month!
Ahh, that wonderful horse show hangover feeling you get. You know the one- you’ve spent an entire weekend on your feet, shoveling poo, hanging water buckets that inevitably splash all down your pants, walking courses, doing all sorts of math (optimum times, penalty times, time faults, dressage scores… yikes), and maybe doing a bit of riding, before you get back home, exhausted but pleased, and thoroughly brain dead.
So since my brain is not quite up to the task of rehashing all the gory details from the actual competition, let’s just talk about the course.
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Pretty much from the first fence I knew this was going to be tougher than our last visit to the Horse Park. Generally fence 1 is smaller- Training jumps a Novice fence, Novice jumps a Beginner Novice fence, and so on. Not this time- fence 1 was a maximum height roll top, inviting, but still big enough. It turns out they were re-using the course from the previous recognized show. As it went on, this became more and more clear.
Fence 3 was the giant table that was at the end of my course in May. So right away, the pace needed to be forward and your horse in front of your leg.
Remember this guy? Fence 3, baby!
Fence 5 took you through the new Stonehenge complex, which has caused spookiness issues even at the upper levels of competition. Then down and over the massive brush that has made me want to wet my pants. Another fence before hanging a sharp left turn down a hill, then a 90 degree angle turn into a bending line combination. Yikes.
Stonehenge Complex at Carolina International, PC: Everything Eventing
No break after the bending line, because you’ve got to get going again to make it over the huge red bench going up the hill. Followed by collecting again and sitting back into the sunken road at 10 A and B. Then over the trakehner that has made me want to puke ever since I moved up to Novice. Luckily after schooling the trakehner at Running Start, this guy didn’t look quite as intimidating as I remembered. Though I didn’t forget that I could easily sit in that ditch (which I did when I dropped my phone into it in May).
Then up the hill, catch our breath over the up bank down the slope to a rolltop, through the water complex, over one more fence and home free!
I ride with two different trainers, one for dressage and the other for jumping. I find both of their methods to be helpful, encouraging, and effective in improving both the way I ride Foster, and Foster’s way of going. However, they have two very different backgrounds, and very different ways of teaching. So imagine my surprise when recently my lessons feel like déjà vu over and over again.
A couple lesson cycles ago, the emphasis on the flat and within our jumping canter was on the under neck. Specifically, re-teaching Foster how to balance himself within and between the gaits with a more correct, supple topline. At the same time, again in both lessons, we were also asked to create a much more active canter behind. Coincidence? I think not. Since then, I have been working hard to make his canter ‘bounce’ and not get flat like he wants to do. It was a mark of success to me, then, that when a very talented dressage rider at my barn hopped on him last week while I took a breather she specifically called out the quality of his canter in a complimentary way. An 8 on a canter circle at the last show, and an improved feeling in showjumping similarly confirm some improvement.
Yeah, I’d say our showjumping canter has improved…
Now, in the last week or so, yet again I am hearing similar advice in my lessons. In our jumping warm-up, legthening-to-collected transitions help get him listening and in front of my leg, but I am constantly being told that the transition is not sharp enough, and that he shouldn’t take so long to transition within the gait. On the same note, in my dressage lesson Wednesday, I learned that I need to make him more reactive. Coasting along in a pretty frame is not going to cut it anymore, and I should feel like I have both a halt and lengthening accessible at any point in my ride. Right now, I have those tools, but within a matter of 2 to 3 strides.
Seeing these patterns within my lessons tells me several things. The first being that these issues are not to be ignored, and that solidifying these skills will make his job easier whether it be over fences or in the dressage court. The second is a sense of confidence in the training program I have, that there is consistency between the trainers I employ even though we are not working on the same things.
It is now my responsibility to school him in the way they advise, and raise my standards so that Foster and I can continue to grow together and improve our abilities. Time to expect more from him, and myself as a rider/trainer. Adult amateur though I may be, it’s my influence that will over time have the greatest impact on him, as it’s my butt in the saddle first and foremost. It’s our moment to up the ante!
Foster was a really good boy last night, even if it took me forever to get his motor running. We jumped around a 3′ course with no ugly spots and concentrated on having a good canter over anything else. What a difference a good canter can make!
So in light of this, and a sweet text from a friend, here are Foster’s transformation jumping videos.
From our days of having to trot everything (Feb 2012)
to actually cantering fences 1.5 years later (August 2013)
and starting to have confidence to jump even bigger things, too! (June 2014)
Where the heck did this year go? Honestly, times has flown by, and now that we are officially 3/4 through 2014, it’s time to check in and see how we’re doing.
Conditioning work (no conditioning-specific routine yet, but preparing for show by getting fit is still happening)
Wood floors for the win
For the House:
Landscape front and backyard
Kitchen transformation
Replace grody couch
For Me:
Calcium supplements
Not be Red Bull Zombie (we’ll pretend. Still have to caffeinate at horse shows)
Be more positive (Eh, it’s been a rough year in some ways.. still working on it!)
That’s a lot checked off our list, but still work to be done through the fall and winter. Adding to the list and getting a little more specific, here’s what I would like to get accomplished in the next few months.
Foster, Foster, Foster:
Lengthenings, and lengthening-to-collected transitions
Red on the Right 