Being tall and raise-able and higher in the carriage is important for half pass (really for all lateral stuff). Stand him up, bend (release the outside rein and bring the snout in), bring the withers in front of my pubic bone; NOW brighten up and be tall.
Transitions: upspring twice with your seat then if nothing happens stimulate with the whip for giddyup; or upsring twice with your seat with your center of mass hovering higher then if nothing happens touch the reins to your gut for collection. This develops self motivation, stored energy, enthusiasm and the back as a sensory organ.
For passage use a posture or cue that is lightening the seat and make the horse tall and light and lift the horse's chest slightly out of sync every other step. The out of sync touch with the reins makes him slow the tempo in passage. (In piaffe we want the tempo to quicken.)
Rijkens demonstrates being tall:
Friday, May 17, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Fourth lesson at our most recent Jeff Moore clinic May 2013
Raising the horse's chest, at first and if you permit it, should reduce the horse's speed by 50% within three strides. If not you lift the horse's chest again, maybe louder or maybe oftener.
Into the transition "down" (it is really a transition up) the reins should be loose.
At first the collection may get too slow in the tempo like western pleasure. Not to worry at first because Rijkens gets springier and I can add giddyup or a slightly quicker tempo. A slightly quicker tempo and a slightly higher self carriage is preferred for perfect horse show collected trot. However, springs, loosen-able reins, and adjust-ability to faster or slower is a yes for now.
Once Rijkens is taller in carriage, quicken the tempo by experimenting with lifting the chest so I can let go and then if Rijkens goes slothful in the let go moment I will stimulate him probably with the whip.
For most transitions (NOT canter departs) the rider should lighten the seat. Collection, brightness, raise-ability, release-ability and the like are what I need at the moment. So practice in leg yield FXH by changing the tempo three times. If he gets sprawly, rather than kicking spurring or whipping I have to raise and release him then say "now can you get quicker." In all lateral work you make it: taller, smaller, raise-able, release-able, quicker tempo, OR more sweeping (we do too much sweeping at the moment).
Don't wait 'til you have need; rather practice the above every day for a few minutes. Do some lateral stuff and talk about the tempo, the raise-ability, the self carriage. Talk about the raise-ability and the self carriage first then talk to the tempo only after you have raise-ability and self carriage. Then say if I spring more will I get some livelier or quicker version of the tempo?
During the canter pirouette keep my hands together. Raise his withers and let them go where I want them at the next point of the turn.
Into the transition "down" (it is really a transition up) the reins should be loose.
At first the collection may get too slow in the tempo like western pleasure. Not to worry at first because Rijkens gets springier and I can add giddyup or a slightly quicker tempo. A slightly quicker tempo and a slightly higher self carriage is preferred for perfect horse show collected trot. However, springs, loosen-able reins, and adjust-ability to faster or slower is a yes for now.
Once Rijkens is taller in carriage, quicken the tempo by experimenting with lifting the chest so I can let go and then if Rijkens goes slothful in the let go moment I will stimulate him probably with the whip.
For most transitions (NOT canter departs) the rider should lighten the seat. Collection, brightness, raise-ability, release-ability and the like are what I need at the moment. So practice in leg yield FXH by changing the tempo three times. If he gets sprawly, rather than kicking spurring or whipping I have to raise and release him then say "now can you get quicker." In all lateral work you make it: taller, smaller, raise-able, release-able, quicker tempo, OR more sweeping (we do too much sweeping at the moment).
Don't wait 'til you have need; rather practice the above every day for a few minutes. Do some lateral stuff and talk about the tempo, the raise-ability, the self carriage. Talk about the raise-ability and the self carriage first then talk to the tempo only after you have raise-ability and self carriage. Then say if I spring more will I get some livelier or quicker version of the tempo?
During the canter pirouette keep my hands together. Raise his withers and let them go where I want them at the next point of the turn.
Jeff Moore, Rijkens and me:
Rijkens at halt.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Jeff Moore Clinic third lesson May 11, 2013
Half pass in trot: first, before bend or parallel or more sideways, get the chest up and get self carriage FIRST, don't just kick and pull harder.
In left half pass turn his head to the left and raise his chest right. In right half pass turn his head to the right and raise his withers to the left. DON'T chase his butt with more leg.
To make the half pass more parallel, slow the progress of the shoulders, DON'T chase the bum.
In canter half pass: play with changes of flexion, two or three times change flexion then change it back then straight ahead and change the flexion several times on a straight line. In canter half pass I tend to hold Rijkens down and chase his bum; instead I must raise his chest and say upsee daisy. DON'T pull more or push more but rather say "stand up" by raising the chest.
Practice the canter half pass with changes of bend. Then the subsequent straight line (on the centerline or quarter line or wherever) with changes of bend until Rijkens is waiting for me. When he falls down on the forehand, raise him up; if when you raise him up he says "I can't keep going if you raise me up" I say "oh yes I will raise you up."
After the canter half pass go straight ahead and change flexion a couple of times, but with each change of flexion he still has to be tall. Raise his chest and turn his head for bend.
In schooling extended trot: go on the diagonal; after three strides (count them!) say "RAISE your chest; RAISE your chest; RAISE your chest" and insist that he raises his chest even if you end up stopping or even if you end up with his snout in the air. This is a pattern breaker that says "go like hell" from M and be clear that you only do three strides of extension to prepare for a really climbing half halt or climbing collection. Eventually he goes on the diagonal and he will stay tall because he's living in a state of readiness.
He'll say "When comes the collection?" and I say "Any second." So after three strides it has to be climbing and chest lift. You go back and forth between "yowza" giddyup to "fluff it up" collection.
For collection, the cue is to lighten the seat. If he doesn't collect touch your guts with the reins and let go. Don't cling in an attempt to make it smooth at first, rather be obvious when I say upsee daisy I should be able to bring Rijkens to the canter nearly on the spot in practically no time. The cue is lighten my seat and hold still then the reins to my belly button and let go.
Video highlights of the third lesson:
Videography credit: Stacey Smith of Bridge Equestrian
In left half pass turn his head to the left and raise his chest right. In right half pass turn his head to the right and raise his withers to the left. DON'T chase his butt with more leg.
To make the half pass more parallel, slow the progress of the shoulders, DON'T chase the bum.
In canter half pass: play with changes of flexion, two or three times change flexion then change it back then straight ahead and change the flexion several times on a straight line. In canter half pass I tend to hold Rijkens down and chase his bum; instead I must raise his chest and say upsee daisy. DON'T pull more or push more but rather say "stand up" by raising the chest.
Practice the canter half pass with changes of bend. Then the subsequent straight line (on the centerline or quarter line or wherever) with changes of bend until Rijkens is waiting for me. When he falls down on the forehand, raise him up; if when you raise him up he says "I can't keep going if you raise me up" I say "oh yes I will raise you up."
After the canter half pass go straight ahead and change flexion a couple of times, but with each change of flexion he still has to be tall. Raise his chest and turn his head for bend.
In schooling extended trot: go on the diagonal; after three strides (count them!) say "RAISE your chest; RAISE your chest; RAISE your chest" and insist that he raises his chest even if you end up stopping or even if you end up with his snout in the air. This is a pattern breaker that says "go like hell" from M and be clear that you only do three strides of extension to prepare for a really climbing half halt or climbing collection. Eventually he goes on the diagonal and he will stay tall because he's living in a state of readiness.
He'll say "When comes the collection?" and I say "Any second." So after three strides it has to be climbing and chest lift. You go back and forth between "yowza" giddyup to "fluff it up" collection.
For collection, the cue is to lighten the seat. If he doesn't collect touch your guts with the reins and let go. Don't cling in an attempt to make it smooth at first, rather be obvious when I say upsee daisy I should be able to bring Rijkens to the canter nearly on the spot in practically no time. The cue is lighten my seat and hold still then the reins to my belly button and let go.
Video highlights of the third lesson:
Videography credit: Stacey Smith of Bridge Equestrian
Monday, May 13, 2013
Jeff Moore Clinic May 2013
Some key points we gained at our most recent Jeff Moore clinic:
"Driving more" or "energy from behind" etc is NOT helpful for self carriage. Rather, we must get the horse's chest to come up (also the horse's thoracic sling muscles) and once the horse's thorax is up the hindlegs are no longer blocked. So you don't have to "drive the hindlegs under" they just have free access to underneath.
But in order to get the chest up we have to go through the mouth. How? Here's the recipe, called a "proto half halt." (Proto means the version before the final version.) 1)Am I allowed to bring my hands to my belly (with one thumb nail on top the other)? 2)Can I loosen the reins 'til there's a loop?
What can happen is about six inches from your belly button there is a wall of blockage from the horse that they brace against. So the rider has to let go immediately and do it again; maybe stronger maybe less strong until the rider can go from the regular riding hands position and smoothly get to where the rider can touch their gut. Eventually you get to the point where you can touch your gut smoothly and let go, about every third or fourth stride. A rule: when you are taking the rein never use your leg. Using your leg (or whip) is done only in the let go.
When you touch your gut, no matter how badly it fails, you must immediately let go-- that is your pact with the horse and your guarantee to the horse.
To improve shoulder in: make the neck straight, raise the horse's chest with withers centered in front of your pubic bone as in "UP and THERE." "UP and THERE." Pick the horse's chest up and plunck it where you want it. But always let go instantly (whether it worked or not).
For half pass: get the bend and the parallel in the take hold (raise up) moment but let go at once whether it worked or not. Each time you lift him up place his withers in the middle of your pubic bone.
The trick for canter half pass: to not do the proto half halt every stride but rather every other stride. LET GO especially when schooling (reserve "managing" for faking it in front of a judge at a horse show). Test the "touch-your-guts-let-go every other stride in canter. If the half pass gets laborious and slow, let go and kick him. Then, stand him up, then let go; then stand him up, then let go. Make a distinction between the proto half halt and then lift and release.
A rule for transitions "down" (they are really transitions up): you must have the reins loose the moment all four feet stop moving. "UP-and-release; UP-and-release; UP-and-release" until the horse does the stop during the release, NOT during the grab.
An underlying principle should be: "Raise-able chest, release-able for self carriage."
For canter pirouette: raise the chest so you can let go. The turn happens in the let go moment. So hands to your belly button, pick up your belly button, then instantly let go.
Here are the first couple minutes from our first of five lessons at the Jeff Moore clinic this weekend at beautiful Belle Terre Farm:
At the end of the clip, note Jeff's dismay at lack of enthusiasm on my part after Rijkens did a very good canter pirouette.
Jeff: "Nice huh!"
Me: weakly "It's better."
Jeff: mocking falsetto voice "Better."
Me: exclaiming "Better; Wonderful; I LOVE it!"
Jeff: "When I was at your stage, if I could have changed a pirouette that much I'd have had an orgasm."
"Driving more" or "energy from behind" etc is NOT helpful for self carriage. Rather, we must get the horse's chest to come up (also the horse's thoracic sling muscles) and once the horse's thorax is up the hindlegs are no longer blocked. So you don't have to "drive the hindlegs under" they just have free access to underneath.
But in order to get the chest up we have to go through the mouth. How? Here's the recipe, called a "proto half halt." (Proto means the version before the final version.) 1)Am I allowed to bring my hands to my belly (with one thumb nail on top the other)? 2)Can I loosen the reins 'til there's a loop?
What can happen is about six inches from your belly button there is a wall of blockage from the horse that they brace against. So the rider has to let go immediately and do it again; maybe stronger maybe less strong until the rider can go from the regular riding hands position and smoothly get to where the rider can touch their gut. Eventually you get to the point where you can touch your gut smoothly and let go, about every third or fourth stride. A rule: when you are taking the rein never use your leg. Using your leg (or whip) is done only in the let go.
When you touch your gut, no matter how badly it fails, you must immediately let go-- that is your pact with the horse and your guarantee to the horse.
To improve shoulder in: make the neck straight, raise the horse's chest with withers centered in front of your pubic bone as in "UP and THERE." "UP and THERE." Pick the horse's chest up and plunck it where you want it. But always let go instantly (whether it worked or not).
For half pass: get the bend and the parallel in the take hold (raise up) moment but let go at once whether it worked or not. Each time you lift him up place his withers in the middle of your pubic bone.
The trick for canter half pass: to not do the proto half halt every stride but rather every other stride. LET GO especially when schooling (reserve "managing" for faking it in front of a judge at a horse show). Test the "touch-your-guts-let-go every other stride in canter. If the half pass gets laborious and slow, let go and kick him. Then, stand him up, then let go; then stand him up, then let go. Make a distinction between the proto half halt and then lift and release.
A rule for transitions "down" (they are really transitions up): you must have the reins loose the moment all four feet stop moving. "UP-and-release; UP-and-release; UP-and-release" until the horse does the stop during the release, NOT during the grab.
An underlying principle should be: "Raise-able chest, release-able for self carriage."
For canter pirouette: raise the chest so you can let go. The turn happens in the let go moment. So hands to your belly button, pick up your belly button, then instantly let go.
Here are the first couple minutes from our first of five lessons at the Jeff Moore clinic this weekend at beautiful Belle Terre Farm:
At the end of the clip, note Jeff's dismay at lack of enthusiasm on my part after Rijkens did a very good canter pirouette.
Jeff: "Nice huh!"
Me: weakly "It's better."
Jeff: mocking falsetto voice "Better."
Me: exclaiming "Better; Wonderful; I LOVE it!"
Jeff: "When I was at your stage, if I could have changed a pirouette that much I'd have had an orgasm."
Thursday, May 9, 2013
A Fun Moment
This was Rijkens' second time in the longlines, and only his first time in the longlines with our trainer Karen Brown.
Yep, this will definitely keep me coming back for more!
Yep, this will definitely keep me coming back for more!
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