What a good boy Rijkens!
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Snapshots from 2014 Championships
Here are Rijkens and Andrea showing Prix St Georges at the 2014 Region 9 GAIG and SWDC Championships. They placed 12th out of the top 27 open combinations of our region and received scores from 63% to 65%.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Lyndon Rife Clinic October 2014
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An exercise to improve the corners in canter is to ride a ten meter circle in medium canter. Really go, and really bend him.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Lyndon Rife Clinic September 2014
A few pearls from day one of September's Lyndon Rife clinic:
For warming up Rijkens, it is ok to keep the trot tempo slower or less than what he initially wants to offer, but in the canter warm up he needs to get going-- think medium canter in shoulder fore so he really wakes up and goes in canter.
Always keep the goal of being electric to the aids by taking your legs away, "be daring" and allowing him to generate his own energy for self carriage. Doing transitions such as from canter to walk to immediate half steps teaches Rijkens that "downshifting" to collection is really a wake up call.
In the canter pirouette, take your legs away-- do less-- to develop the very collected canter. Then at a horse show when you are in the actual canter pirouette you can let go the reins a little so he gets even taller in front then ad leg in the show pirouette so that he keeps the energy of the canter.
Developing a better trot comes from keeping the horse a bit more open in the throatlatch and tall in front so that the hindlegs then have access to come underneath the horse more. Rijkens has a good talent for sitting but remember to keep the stored energy with a feeling that he is really carrying you somewhere and wants to "get out of there" by taking your leg away and developing a quick reaction to the smallest aids. Teach this at home by reminding Rijkens to be bright-- if you make a correction: let go the reins in front, make a deliberate correction, immediately take your legs away, get a reaction, then pat him for a correct response.
From the second day:
A canter warm up exercise is to get a feeling of haunches in in the corner then shoulder fore on the long side in medium canter. Do the shoulder fore with less angle, and get him on the outside rein so you don't let him bend too much. Keep him more open in the front with less curb to allow him to be more open.
Trot shoulder in is an exercise that will give us a better trot, but it is even better if you can get him to bring his hindlegs more under you. To develop this, do walk transitions where he has got to be prompt. Even if he raises his head, you stay strong enough in your position to keep him walking up with energy with his hindlegs more under you and bringing his ribs up. To do this give him enough room in front, keep your legs under you, ask him to trot and then PROMPT-hut! trot. Develop this further by doing a walk transition then trot right off.
When you want Rijkens to come more up in front: if your leg is back ALL the time, it won't work. But if your leg is in normal position then you want to feel that he comes up in front and more under you then bring your leg back and "talk to him" a little bit then he should come up. What really happens is once in awhile you're in normal position you bring your leg back and give him a quick kick and he'll jump up in front; then the leg aid coming back means a lot but if the rider is a little careless with their leg then it's not as good. Rijkens has to know the consequences. If the rider brings their leg back that should be a button to say "collect: step more under." But you can't make use of it all the time-- if you use it something has to happen.
You can do the trot walk trot transition in shoulder fore position. Really sit down in the walk, then trot right off. Rijkens has to think about this as a wake up exercise. In shoulder in right, do a bit less angle to guard the left hind from stepping out. In the transistion from trot into walk, close your upper leg when you want to bring him back stronger and leave the lower leg free then just as he goes to walk if he's lazy behind then you can come with the lower leg.
In schooling medium trot, think about ideally the poll doesn't get lower; then if he really comes through you can let the nose out a little bit. You can use the shoulder fore trot, walk, stretch-up-trot right away exercise to keep him bright between schooling movements. To prevent his shoulders from going lower, be sure to get your signal through without interfering with his neck so his poll stays the highest point.
He's warmed up already so right away when you start the canter, in the collected canter he starts to build up so that he feels like he's trying to break out of there. If he doesn't have that breakout attitude then go forward again just for a little bit then bring him back into collection. In school canter he needs his outside hind tucked in a little. Squeeze the outside rein in time to the canter in little half halts, even put your outside leg back and move it a little bit-- he has to wake up behind immediately. Maybe you have to give him one good kick. Don't take too long; if he doesn't do it go a couple steps medium then bring him back. If he doesn't do it then you need some help (a ground person you trust with a lunge whip in the middle). Halt him, hands in front, one really good kick where he comes up when you kick. Get there quickly then when you get a really good canter pirouette right away walk and pat him.
Your better gaits are going to come when he is more in front of your leg. Even though you're doing a good job and not riding with the leg too strong, the leg is a little bit pleading him at times. Rijkens needs to get even more electric about it-- if you bring your leg back he's ready to GO. Give him a good kick but you can't control him [with any reins] when you give him one good kick you need to allow him to jump up in front of you. Keep him a little more open in the throatlatch.
In the half pass for PSG, by the end of the half pass you catch his haunches up; he should be in shoulder fore toward the new direction. So at the end of the half pass left line he closes up to shoulder in right and then he does the change to right lead then the right half pass. In schooling start the stand up, really correct half pass then turn it into leg yield the second half of it. So the last part of the left half pass his butt is left and his shoulders right. Then at the end of the right half pass his butt is right his shoulders left. As we know in correct half pass his shoulders are going to be a little bit leading but when you get to the centerline you need to change the alignment so he is straight for the change. Then the half pass to the long side in the corner you end it with him a bit in shoulder fore to the new lead and then the change to the new lead. At the end make sure he has the new alignment then bring him slightly forward and then the change.
Remember when he does something hard, transition to an uphill energetic open walk.
Concerning the tempis: don't always do the tempis on the diagonal but have an exercise to keep making it better. Come across the short diagonal then come up the second quarterline. You have to stand him up between the two legs to be able to do that since it is like the arena ends at the second quarterline instead of the longside wall and then do a change.
For warming up Rijkens, it is ok to keep the trot tempo slower or less than what he initially wants to offer, but in the canter warm up he needs to get going-- think medium canter in shoulder fore so he really wakes up and goes in canter.
Always keep the goal of being electric to the aids by taking your legs away, "be daring" and allowing him to generate his own energy for self carriage. Doing transitions such as from canter to walk to immediate half steps teaches Rijkens that "downshifting" to collection is really a wake up call.
In the canter pirouette, take your legs away-- do less-- to develop the very collected canter. Then at a horse show when you are in the actual canter pirouette you can let go the reins a little so he gets even taller in front then ad leg in the show pirouette so that he keeps the energy of the canter.
Developing a better trot comes from keeping the horse a bit more open in the throatlatch and tall in front so that the hindlegs then have access to come underneath the horse more. Rijkens has a good talent for sitting but remember to keep the stored energy with a feeling that he is really carrying you somewhere and wants to "get out of there" by taking your leg away and developing a quick reaction to the smallest aids. Teach this at home by reminding Rijkens to be bright-- if you make a correction: let go the reins in front, make a deliberate correction, immediately take your legs away, get a reaction, then pat him for a correct response.
From the second day:
A canter warm up exercise is to get a feeling of haunches in in the corner then shoulder fore on the long side in medium canter. Do the shoulder fore with less angle, and get him on the outside rein so you don't let him bend too much. Keep him more open in the front with less curb to allow him to be more open.
Trot shoulder in is an exercise that will give us a better trot, but it is even better if you can get him to bring his hindlegs more under you. To develop this, do walk transitions where he has got to be prompt. Even if he raises his head, you stay strong enough in your position to keep him walking up with energy with his hindlegs more under you and bringing his ribs up. To do this give him enough room in front, keep your legs under you, ask him to trot and then PROMPT-hut! trot. Develop this further by doing a walk transition then trot right off.
When you want Rijkens to come more up in front: if your leg is back ALL the time, it won't work. But if your leg is in normal position then you want to feel that he comes up in front and more under you then bring your leg back and "talk to him" a little bit then he should come up. What really happens is once in awhile you're in normal position you bring your leg back and give him a quick kick and he'll jump up in front; then the leg aid coming back means a lot but if the rider is a little careless with their leg then it's not as good. Rijkens has to know the consequences. If the rider brings their leg back that should be a button to say "collect: step more under." But you can't make use of it all the time-- if you use it something has to happen.
You can do the trot walk trot transition in shoulder fore position. Really sit down in the walk, then trot right off. Rijkens has to think about this as a wake up exercise. In shoulder in right, do a bit less angle to guard the left hind from stepping out. In the transistion from trot into walk, close your upper leg when you want to bring him back stronger and leave the lower leg free then just as he goes to walk if he's lazy behind then you can come with the lower leg.
In schooling medium trot, think about ideally the poll doesn't get lower; then if he really comes through you can let the nose out a little bit. You can use the shoulder fore trot, walk, stretch-up-trot right away exercise to keep him bright between schooling movements. To prevent his shoulders from going lower, be sure to get your signal through without interfering with his neck so his poll stays the highest point.
He's warmed up already so right away when you start the canter, in the collected canter he starts to build up so that he feels like he's trying to break out of there. If he doesn't have that breakout attitude then go forward again just for a little bit then bring him back into collection. In school canter he needs his outside hind tucked in a little. Squeeze the outside rein in time to the canter in little half halts, even put your outside leg back and move it a little bit-- he has to wake up behind immediately. Maybe you have to give him one good kick. Don't take too long; if he doesn't do it go a couple steps medium then bring him back. If he doesn't do it then you need some help (a ground person you trust with a lunge whip in the middle). Halt him, hands in front, one really good kick where he comes up when you kick. Get there quickly then when you get a really good canter pirouette right away walk and pat him.
Your better gaits are going to come when he is more in front of your leg. Even though you're doing a good job and not riding with the leg too strong, the leg is a little bit pleading him at times. Rijkens needs to get even more electric about it-- if you bring your leg back he's ready to GO. Give him a good kick but you can't control him [with any reins] when you give him one good kick you need to allow him to jump up in front of you. Keep him a little more open in the throatlatch.
In the half pass for PSG, by the end of the half pass you catch his haunches up; he should be in shoulder fore toward the new direction. So at the end of the half pass left line he closes up to shoulder in right and then he does the change to right lead then the right half pass. In schooling start the stand up, really correct half pass then turn it into leg yield the second half of it. So the last part of the left half pass his butt is left and his shoulders right. Then at the end of the right half pass his butt is right his shoulders left. As we know in correct half pass his shoulders are going to be a little bit leading but when you get to the centerline you need to change the alignment so he is straight for the change. Then the half pass to the long side in the corner you end it with him a bit in shoulder fore to the new lead and then the change to the new lead. At the end make sure he has the new alignment then bring him slightly forward and then the change.
Remember when he does something hard, transition to an uphill energetic open walk.
Concerning the tempis: don't always do the tempis on the diagonal but have an exercise to keep making it better. Come across the short diagonal then come up the second quarterline. You have to stand him up between the two legs to be able to do that since it is like the arena ends at the second quarterline instead of the longside wall and then do a change.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Labor Day show 2014
Rijkens and our trainer Andrea are championships bound after this weekend's show at Prix St Georges. Even with a few baubles the scores were 64.8 and 63.1 with Rijkens getting an 8 for his left canter pirouette!
Monday, August 18, 2014
Lyndon Rife clinic August 2014
A good warm up exercise in canter is haunches in with a quickening outside hindleg and taller shoulders to shoulder fore position. In canter Rijkens' outside hindleg should stay quick when you want it. If Rijkens slows his outside hind leg in canter, come with your inside leg and and outside rein and half halt him a little bit and keep him active off your outside leg. Rijkens has to be sharp to the rider's aids. Develop this by taking your leg off and riding with a loose leg in the collected work. You can't hold him up in the collection; he has to be so sharp to your aids that just taking your legs away quickly will cause him to jump underneath himself in collection, which you teach him by schooling sharpness at home.
Another good warm up canter exercise is medium canter in shoulder fore a couple times down the long sides. Then a little nose to the wall leg yielding to activate the outside hind keeping him forward with no tendency to slow down as you get him off your outside leg, and then shoulder fore position. Remember to keep the poll more up and let him be more open.
An exercise to increase tallness and engagement in canter: start with a large circle in your best forward upward collected canter. Then bring the haunches slightly to the inside so that you know you've activated the outside hind. Only use your inside leg to bend him or straighten him; you make him more active by having that good purchase of the outside hind. On the snaffle keep him half halted up and forward. Keep him active and forward on the circle when you ask for haunches in, rather than his tendency to sink back on the circle. After the haunches in then from normal collected canter bring him shorter and more collected, so short that he goes from canter to half steps. Go from shorter collected canter on the spot to walk and then directly to a couple quick half steps then leave it. Then canter and school the exercise again. Don't use much leg for the half steps: the point is for him to learn to go active and sitting in the canter then walk and then active half steps. Think about keeping your legs less strong, almost off of him. Tap him on the bum with the whip to encourage the half steps. If he trots rather than walks from the canter just bring him to walk and then active quick steps. Don't wait long in the shorter sitting canter, come back quickly then right into walk then arrive in a couple half steps then leave it.
Remember not to drive him too much as this just teaches him to think "yeah kick me or tap me again." Bring him back to more and more sitting canter then make him quick just as he walks so he understands how much he can sit then wake up. Avoid trying to always push him on; rather be daring and sit there and let him sit more so that we teach him to get to that point where he can sit and carry himself rather than always being pushed by our legs or whip. You can take your leg away quickly after a kick or correction so he learns sharpness from a relaxed leg. Eventually at a show taking your legs off with your heels down will cause him to jump underneath himself in better carriage. You can't support him in the very collected trot or canter, it's too much work. He must learn to be more awake to your leg. When he "downshifts" to more collection he should really be waking up even more.
For a quality collected canter he can "sit on his outside hind forever." As you ask him to sit, also be sure that you really wake him up. As he sits for pirouette canter he should be thinking "I'm sitting more and bringing my weight back but I really want to burst out of it." School this by doing very collected sitting pirouette canter then go onwards again. Be inclined to go out in medium to put more pressure on him so he learns that bringing him back is a wake up, not a slowing down. If he falls out of it into trot, bring him to walk give him one good kick with both legs so he jumps more up in front of you; he should not just take it but rather really jump up in front. If he just takes it, follow with maybe the kick and the whip at the same time. Then pat him for a correct reaction to the correction. Then he knows to stay in front of your leg and stay more open. You should feel that if you take your leg off fast he wants to come in front of you.
An exercise to improve canter pirouette: Make a regular collected canter circle at A and ask the haunches to come in a little to activate the outside hindleg. The collected canter should stay active with the outside hindleg as the haunches come in. Then come straight across the middle centerline at L onto a fairly small counter canter circle (like drawing a snowman's body of two circles on top of each other) without a diagonal line. In the counter canter ask him to really stand up and really keep his outside hind under him to collect him so the collection improves ("be daring!"). Really stand him up with your outside leg. Then as you cross the centerline at X in the counter canter circle do a true canter pirouette at X from the improved collection and balance of the counter canter. It's hard! "No use doing easy shit."
Concerning flying changes: ride forward, and then the change. Rijkens has to be more active off of both legs. Count the tempis a little faster to stay ahead. It gets better even though the count may be wrong-- don't worry about messing up the count rather keep the canter quality and active. Keep the count quicker and active.
Another good warm up canter exercise is medium canter in shoulder fore a couple times down the long sides. Then a little nose to the wall leg yielding to activate the outside hind keeping him forward with no tendency to slow down as you get him off your outside leg, and then shoulder fore position. Remember to keep the poll more up and let him be more open.
An exercise to increase tallness and engagement in canter: start with a large circle in your best forward upward collected canter. Then bring the haunches slightly to the inside so that you know you've activated the outside hind. Only use your inside leg to bend him or straighten him; you make him more active by having that good purchase of the outside hind. On the snaffle keep him half halted up and forward. Keep him active and forward on the circle when you ask for haunches in, rather than his tendency to sink back on the circle. After the haunches in then from normal collected canter bring him shorter and more collected, so short that he goes from canter to half steps. Go from shorter collected canter on the spot to walk and then directly to a couple quick half steps then leave it. Then canter and school the exercise again. Don't use much leg for the half steps: the point is for him to learn to go active and sitting in the canter then walk and then active half steps. Think about keeping your legs less strong, almost off of him. Tap him on the bum with the whip to encourage the half steps. If he trots rather than walks from the canter just bring him to walk and then active quick steps. Don't wait long in the shorter sitting canter, come back quickly then right into walk then arrive in a couple half steps then leave it.
Remember not to drive him too much as this just teaches him to think "yeah kick me or tap me again." Bring him back to more and more sitting canter then make him quick just as he walks so he understands how much he can sit then wake up. Avoid trying to always push him on; rather be daring and sit there and let him sit more so that we teach him to get to that point where he can sit and carry himself rather than always being pushed by our legs or whip. You can take your leg away quickly after a kick or correction so he learns sharpness from a relaxed leg. Eventually at a show taking your legs off with your heels down will cause him to jump underneath himself in better carriage. You can't support him in the very collected trot or canter, it's too much work. He must learn to be more awake to your leg. When he "downshifts" to more collection he should really be waking up even more.
For a quality collected canter he can "sit on his outside hind forever." As you ask him to sit, also be sure that you really wake him up. As he sits for pirouette canter he should be thinking "I'm sitting more and bringing my weight back but I really want to burst out of it." School this by doing very collected sitting pirouette canter then go onwards again. Be inclined to go out in medium to put more pressure on him so he learns that bringing him back is a wake up, not a slowing down. If he falls out of it into trot, bring him to walk give him one good kick with both legs so he jumps more up in front of you; he should not just take it but rather really jump up in front. If he just takes it, follow with maybe the kick and the whip at the same time. Then pat him for a correct reaction to the correction. Then he knows to stay in front of your leg and stay more open. You should feel that if you take your leg off fast he wants to come in front of you.
An exercise to improve canter pirouette: Make a regular collected canter circle at A and ask the haunches to come in a little to activate the outside hindleg. The collected canter should stay active with the outside hindleg as the haunches come in. Then come straight across the middle centerline at L onto a fairly small counter canter circle (like drawing a snowman's body of two circles on top of each other) without a diagonal line. In the counter canter ask him to really stand up and really keep his outside hind under him to collect him so the collection improves ("be daring!"). Really stand him up with your outside leg. Then as you cross the centerline at X in the counter canter circle do a true canter pirouette at X from the improved collection and balance of the counter canter. It's hard! "No use doing easy shit."
Concerning flying changes: ride forward, and then the change. Rijkens has to be more active off of both legs. Count the tempis a little faster to stay ahead. It gets better even though the count may be wrong-- don't worry about messing up the count rather keep the canter quality and active. Keep the count quicker and active.
Rijkens learning sharpness and engagement.
Arriving in tall fluffy half steps:
"Sitting on his outside hind forever."
Monday, June 23, 2014
Lyndon Rife clinic June 2014
The take home message of this weekend's clinic with Lyndon Rife was to make Rijkens sharper to to the aids so that I will have access to his generated energy for the increased requirements of collected and extended work of an advanced horse. For example in walk to canter transitions, get Rijkens' shoulder in front of my leg then cue for canter while keeping a still, strong position. If he does not canter right off from a small cue, then one sharp reminder from the whip immediately. My legs must remain long with my heels down and toes turned in.
To collect, I do less, or sit still in my strong position. The whip can be used as a reminder to increase cadence in collection, while the rider's leg is used for more giddyup (or "forward") into extension.
An early in the ride suppling exercise is start with counter flexion for example on a large circle to the left, while having the horse's ears look right but keeping his shoulders (and haunches) turning to the left. Then return to normal flexion left while the horse continues to turn left. Then flexion right again while the horse continues to turn left. You can spiral the circle in smaller as you continue turning the horse left. Of course ride the exercise on both reins in both directions.
The inside hind must be active, yes, but also the outside hind must be addressed for straightness and collection. A good exercise to address the outside hind in trot and canter is nose to the wall leg yielding. Start in trot on the longside with nose to the wall leg yield thereby activating the outside hind, then turn onto a large circle and ask for canter. This improves Ri's canter as the outside hind is in a state of readiness. In canter do nose to the wall leg yield, then return to shoulder fore position in canter. Again since the outside hind is active in the leg yield, this improves the regular collected canter and helps build strength for pirouette canter.
To collect, I do less, or sit still in my strong position. The whip can be used as a reminder to increase cadence in collection, while the rider's leg is used for more giddyup (or "forward") into extension.
An early in the ride suppling exercise is start with counter flexion for example on a large circle to the left, while having the horse's ears look right but keeping his shoulders (and haunches) turning to the left. Then return to normal flexion left while the horse continues to turn left. Then flexion right again while the horse continues to turn left. You can spiral the circle in smaller as you continue turning the horse left. Of course ride the exercise on both reins in both directions.
The inside hind must be active, yes, but also the outside hind must be addressed for straightness and collection. A good exercise to address the outside hind in trot and canter is nose to the wall leg yielding. Start in trot on the longside with nose to the wall leg yield thereby activating the outside hind, then turn onto a large circle and ask for canter. This improves Ri's canter as the outside hind is in a state of readiness. In canter do nose to the wall leg yield, then return to shoulder fore position in canter. Again since the outside hind is active in the leg yield, this improves the regular collected canter and helps build strength for pirouette canter.
"How are my ears?" Lyndon wanted to know as our barn buddies tapped whips and tossed arena sand behind the photographer.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Walk On
Don't tell my husband or dressage coach, but deep down inside me there's a person who is secretly happy to put training and showing goals on hold and just go out for a trail ride. And let me just tell you I have a really fancy trail horse.
All kidding aside, I'm so grateful for all the excellent footing options at Twinwood while Rijkens is recovering from a bruise in his foot. We have about a mile of groomed race track, and several acres of groomed sand footing outdoor space, and dozens of acres of soft turf on which to saddle walk.
I contacted Adrienne Lyle this weekend and told her about mine and Rijkens' situation-- so similar to hers and Wizard's last year. Adrienne graciously took time to inbox me while busy competing at this weekend's Adequan Global Dressage Festival CDI5* in Wellington Florida. She and her horse Wizard went through the same scenario of recovering from a coffin bone bruise last year.
Adrienne shared this wise advice:
"The good news is that it should heal 100% and not be a reoccurring issue, as long as you give it ample time to heal."
"I think tack walking is a good idea. It keeps them a little fit and it also keeps them mentally sane. And as long as you stay at the walk, you can do a lot of work just doing collected walk, medium walk, work on halts etc. No lateral stuff and I wouldn't make him walk so big or fast he puts undo stress on the coffin bone. Obviously, make sure the footing is good and not too hard. With Wizard we gave him 4 months of tack walking twice a day. He has been fine ever since coming back, so I'm sure you will be in good shape too. It just takes time."
"Best of luck!" Adrienne told me. And right back at her and Wizard!
So it is with great gusto and happiness that we watched Adrienne Lyle and Wizard claim back to back victories in the CDI5* Grand Prix arena this weekend, winning the class with a more than six point margin. Doing the right thing by your horse proves successful once again.
To Adrienne's good advice I'll add another pearl of wisdom I learned from trainer Lurena Bell. When I asked Lurena previously if trail riding is indeed a good idea for dressage horses, she said "Yes" but with this caveat:
"As long as they're marching with their ears lower than their withers, and not allowed to strain their necks upward like a llama gawking at everything in site. Keep their neck low and their walk marching."
Our 90 days of saddle walking has begun.
Treasuring the small yet meaningful moments between six minute bouts in front of a judge,
Ri and I were both unaware we were being photographed during this amicable moment:
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Silver Lining
A truly impressive equine hospital that I hope never to visit again, the folks at Texas A&M University (TAMU) large animal clinic were amazing during Rijkens' recent visit there.
The silver lining is that he will make a full recovery from the bone bruise in his front right hoof. It may take up to 90 days of time, but he will return to 100 percent.
Similar to what Adrienne Lyle's olympic horse Wizard went through last year (see the full story here and here) Rijkens was a bit off so we decided to have a lameness evaluation with our veterinarian Dr. Bill Stone who suggested an MRI based on his findings. We now know exactly what we're dealing with, and as Adrienne Lyle expressed so well in an interview last year:
"He [Wizard] sustained a bruise to his coffin bone. We went and got that MRIed, and they said he should have two to four months off. We ended up giving him more than four months because we wanted to make sure he was 110 percent. We didn't want to start him back, find out it was still there and then have to give him more time off. He was tack walking the whole time, but it just takes a long time for a bone bruise to heal. It's something that heals 100 percent-- you don't have to worry about it later-- but you have to give it the time."
So time is what we're giving to Rijkens. He is definitely a horse worth waiting for.
The silver lining is that he will make a full recovery from the bone bruise in his front right hoof. It may take up to 90 days of time, but he will return to 100 percent.
Similar to what Adrienne Lyle's olympic horse Wizard went through last year (see the full story here and here) Rijkens was a bit off so we decided to have a lameness evaluation with our veterinarian Dr. Bill Stone who suggested an MRI based on his findings. We now know exactly what we're dealing with, and as Adrienne Lyle expressed so well in an interview last year:
"He [Wizard] sustained a bruise to his coffin bone. We went and got that MRIed, and they said he should have two to four months off. We ended up giving him more than four months because we wanted to make sure he was 110 percent. We didn't want to start him back, find out it was still there and then have to give him more time off. He was tack walking the whole time, but it just takes a long time for a bone bruise to heal. It's something that heals 100 percent-- you don't have to worry about it later-- but you have to give it the time."
So time is what we're giving to Rijkens. He is definitely a horse worth waiting for.
My first visit there, TAMU campus was interesting in its own right:
TAMU large animal clinic, Rijkens in foreground:
The place was amazing. The doors below that look like mouse holes were for people. All the other doors were 10 feet tall and opened wide enough for a carriage to drive through:
A TAMU large animal veterinary ambulatory vehicle from the 1950s:
The appendage of interest. They scrubbed his feet so clean they were almost white. Dr. Chad Marsh MRIed both front limbs from the bottom of the hoof through the cannon bone:
When your babies are down, even for a short time and a very good reason, it ages you:
Don't you just hate those hospital gowns that tie in the front? Rijkens waking up healthy, if hungover, in his hospital attire:
The detail an MRI shows is amazing:
Why yes, I believe that IS the emblem for SuperHorse:
Prescribed treatment for Rijkens is: put regular steel shoes on to support the coffin bone, NSAIDs for fourteen days, and up to 90 days rest from work.
As Adrienne Lyle so aptly put it when this same scenario happened to her own horse last year:
"It just needs a little bit of time," said Lyle. "He'd been schooling so well before, so it's disappointing. But that's horses. There's never a good time for an injury."
The plan is for Rijkens to continue to be turned out at our home base of Twinwood Equestrian Center, and we can start tack walking next week.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Jan Ebeling Clinic March 2014
Before I ever picked up the reins, Jan asked me how things were going. I told him it was going very well, that I had been doing well showing just a couple of times at fourth level, and that I'd like to take a break from showing to focus on training to ready myself for Prix St Georges and then resume showing at that point.
Jan emphatically told me that showing is part of the overall approach to my training, that I should continue to show at fourth level until I'm ready to go out and conquer at PSG. He said that show butterflies never completely go away (he would know, he's shown all the way up through the Olympics!), and we as riders must keep going to shows until it is second nature to continue to grow our confidence. Nothing can re-create a show experience, not even braiding and wearing show attire at home; nothing is quite the same for taming show nerves as riding often at actual shows in front of real judges.
In our warm up we schooled shoulder fore in trot and canter, and Jan said I must do lots of transitions both between gaits but as importantly withing gaits as well. Working, collected, medium, extended walk trot and canter every day, every ride, thousands of times in a week. And by thousands per week he was NOT exaggerating. The response to my giddyup aids must be prompt, crisp and when I give a driving aid it can be strong, but then I must sit there and let the horse do his job of carrying me and himself forward.
To improve canter pirouettes he had me do the following exercise, in addition to riding transitions in the canter from schooling canter to medium canter and back again. Bring the horse onto a ten meter circle between the quaterlines. From working canter go to four steps of medium canter then four steps of collected canter. Spiral the collected canter in to a pirouette in school canter, remembering to keep the rein aid VERY LIGHT while the horse is in collection. The aids should become lighter and lighter in the collected pirouette canter. Rijkens has to maintain as much energy as a medium canter, but doing so while in a school canter. Riding those thousands of transitions weekly will facilitate this access to medium canter level of energy as the horse becomes more and more prompt and obedient to my aids.
It was exciting to hear Jan talking about his plans that will include the upcoming WEG in Normandy, France!
Jan emphatically told me that showing is part of the overall approach to my training, that I should continue to show at fourth level until I'm ready to go out and conquer at PSG. He said that show butterflies never completely go away (he would know, he's shown all the way up through the Olympics!), and we as riders must keep going to shows until it is second nature to continue to grow our confidence. Nothing can re-create a show experience, not even braiding and wearing show attire at home; nothing is quite the same for taming show nerves as riding often at actual shows in front of real judges.
In our warm up we schooled shoulder fore in trot and canter, and Jan said I must do lots of transitions both between gaits but as importantly withing gaits as well. Working, collected, medium, extended walk trot and canter every day, every ride, thousands of times in a week. And by thousands per week he was NOT exaggerating. The response to my giddyup aids must be prompt, crisp and when I give a driving aid it can be strong, but then I must sit there and let the horse do his job of carrying me and himself forward.
To improve canter pirouettes he had me do the following exercise, in addition to riding transitions in the canter from schooling canter to medium canter and back again. Bring the horse onto a ten meter circle between the quaterlines. From working canter go to four steps of medium canter then four steps of collected canter. Spiral the collected canter in to a pirouette in school canter, remembering to keep the rein aid VERY LIGHT while the horse is in collection. The aids should become lighter and lighter in the collected pirouette canter. Rijkens has to maintain as much energy as a medium canter, but doing so while in a school canter. Riding those thousands of transitions weekly will facilitate this access to medium canter level of energy as the horse becomes more and more prompt and obedient to my aids.
It was exciting to hear Jan talking about his plans that will include the upcoming WEG in Normandy, France!
My barn buddy Carla, the Percheron cross Gryphon, and Jan:
My barn buddy Maddie, the PRE Sandalo, and Jan:
The Holsteiner Rijkens, Jan and me:
Friday, February 7, 2014
Freestyle Notes
In organizing my thoughts for a freestyle with Rijkens, here are some notes:
Rijkens approximate beats per minute (calculated from a video of his most recent showing at fourth level):
Walk = 48 bpm
Trot = 72 or 76 bpm (so music with a 74 bpm can work well)
Canter 96 bpm
Fourth level choreography requirements:
WALK:
Walk (20m minimum continuous collected)
Walk (20m minimum continuous extended)
TROT:
Shoulder-in (left and right)
Trot half-pass (left and right)
Extended trot
CANTER:
Canter half-pass (left and right)
Flying changes of lead,every fourth stride (3 minimum) note: coefficient 2
Canter working half-pirouette (left and right) note: coefficient 2
Extended canter
Halts at beginning and end of test
Clearly Forbidden
•Full canter pirouette
•Tempi changes (2s, 1s)
•Piaffe
•Passage
Clearly Allowed
•Everything that is not
clearly forbidden
•Note that flying changes
of lead every third stride
and true canter half
pirouette are permitted Monday, February 3, 2014
Deworming Info
So I just had a conversation with Rijkens' veterinarian Dr. Bill Stone about Rijkens' deworming schedule. In the year and a half that I've owned him, Rijkens has been on Strongid C2X daily dewormer, and a bi-annual paste deworming. Last year I did a five day Panacur power pack followed by Quest plus in January 2013 and then Zimectrin gold in July 2013.
Dr. Stone's program is to keep him on the daily dewormer, then he rotates yearly between ivermectin/praziquantel (delivered as Equimax) and moxidectin/praziquantel (delivered as Quest plus gel). Dr. Stone explained that for the horses at Twinwood he likes to de-worm every two months from Labor Day to Memorial Day then give them the summer off.
Dr. Stone's reason: here in the Houston area parasites can't really live out in the pasture in the summer months due to the heat. In Dr. Stone's words "It cooks them." Yet it never really gets cold enough in the winter to kill parasites. He explained that praziquantel has less resistance while products like Panacur (fenbendazole) are more likely to have parasites build up a resistance.
For Rijkens going forward, Rijkens will continue the daily Strongid C2X (pyrantel tartrate). Dr. Stone will deworm him this week (February 3, 2014) with Quest plus (moxidectin/praziquantel), then again in April and again in June. Then give the summer off of paste deworming and re-start the fall/winter/spring deworming every two months with Quest plus again in September. In 2015 he will rotate back to ivermectin/praziquantel (Equimax) following the same every-two-months-from-Labor day-to-Memorial day.
Dr. Stone's program is to keep him on the daily dewormer, then he rotates yearly between ivermectin/praziquantel (delivered as Equimax) and moxidectin/praziquantel (delivered as Quest plus gel). Dr. Stone explained that for the horses at Twinwood he likes to de-worm every two months from Labor Day to Memorial Day then give them the summer off.
Dr. Stone's reason: here in the Houston area parasites can't really live out in the pasture in the summer months due to the heat. In Dr. Stone's words "It cooks them." Yet it never really gets cold enough in the winter to kill parasites. He explained that praziquantel has less resistance while products like Panacur (fenbendazole) are more likely to have parasites build up a resistance.
For Rijkens going forward, Rijkens will continue the daily Strongid C2X (pyrantel tartrate). Dr. Stone will deworm him this week (February 3, 2014) with Quest plus (moxidectin/praziquantel), then again in April and again in June. Then give the summer off of paste deworming and re-start the fall/winter/spring deworming every two months with Quest plus again in September. In 2015 he will rotate back to ivermectin/praziquantel (Equimax) following the same every-two-months-from-Labor day-to-Memorial day.
Friday, January 31, 2014
In the Shower
My barn buddy Ceil suggested I occasionally take off the USDF bronze medal Rijkens earned in 2013, such as when showering. What I've discovered is: I can't. Ok I don't literally wear it in the shower, but I might as well.
I'm so proud of my good boy Rijkens for all his accomplishments, and grateful to him and our team for allowing me to ride my dream.
Some highlights from 2013:
I'm so proud of my good boy Rijkens for all his accomplishments, and grateful to him and our team for allowing me to ride my dream.
Some highlights from 2013:
Spring at Windy Knoll Rijkens gets our initial third level score requirement:
We earn our final third level score and achieve our bronze medal at the HDS labor day show:
Rijkens earns in the 69+%, making my fourth level debut at the fall Belle Terre schooling show:
Fall 2013 Rijkens moves to Twinwood to start training with Andrea Attard and Jan Ebeling:
Achievement certificate for Rijkens' third level work in 2013 from the HDS:
Rijkens and Delphinia have their photo in the winter 2013 USDF Yearbook:
Rijkens' wall of fame including his 2013 blue (and the one red from his bronze medal ride!) ribbons, glass trophies, certificates from the USDF and HDS and his USDF bronze medal and lapel pin:
What's next? I'm currently working on a fourth level freestyle for Rijkens. In order to be eligible, I have to submit a score of 60% or higher at either fourth level test three or Prix St Georges. Since I am aiming for my silver medal I've set my sight on showing PSG to both qualify for freestyle and earn the second half of my silver medal scores. His FEI work with Andrea is continuing well and we plan to move him up to Intermediate later this year as he's ready.
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