Gratuitous Dog Photos

Because, why not?

We love living in the city, and Buffalo Bayou Park is the best dog-friendly urban wilderness for roaming, sniffing, and seeing the sights.  Home of the Wortham fountain, the Waugh bat colony, the canoe trail and more.  Rosco's favorite is eating breakfast sandwiches on the patio at The Dunlavy.

Here is downtown Houston from our street with Rosco the Cocker spaniel and Gunner the Border collie.  Gunner is an AKC Canine Good Citizen and holds an AKC Trick Dog Novice title as well.  Rosco, at twelve years old, is ruler of all he surveys.

There's always someone interesting in the park, and today we met Alisa, who loves saying hi to the pups.  Alisa writes the naturalist blog for the Buffalo Bayou Park, an awesome blog about a variety of naturalist topics, not least of which is the multitude of animals in the park.  Among other animals, Alisa said she loves Border collies and especially Corgis!

Some principles to remember

Upon reflection of Jazzy's and my ongoing dressage training this past year, the following principles continued to emerge from our training with Andrea Attard, Conrad Schumacher, and Lyndon Rife, and are worth reviewing:

This is how to increase reliability: if the horse does something you don't like, just keep going, riding correctly, and make an improvement a little later in motion.  Always ride with the outside leg, so that the connexion will be correct.  Use the rider's outside leg to hold the horse round in the connexion; have the outside leg in a guarding position.  It is very important that when you are riding the inside leg to the outside rein, you are also riding the outside leg which is guarding, as well as you can say a guarding outside rein.  The principle is you bring the horse to the outside, not that you're holding the outside tight, rather bring the horse to the outside rein in a soft way.  And when you have brought the horse to the outside, then the neck gets stable and gets soft and stays round.  

Be very fussy about riding very accurate geometry, such as in circles.  Understand the arena and know exactly where each size circle should be ridden according to the letters and your position in the arena.  

Timing is everything.  Strong position is everything.  Correct contact and connexion is everything.  

If you get a not-perfect walk to canter transition, freshen the canter and make it better first, then go back and improve the walk to canter transition.  Otherwise if you immediately go back to walk, the horse learns that he was still a bit slow to the leg in the transition; instead make the canter better first, then go back to the transition.  

The idea of training movements for a particular level is not worth much without the overarching idea of developing the horse correctly right now and to build on for the future.  The idea of developing the horse by teaching him to carry and be in self-carriage is of utmost importance.  Always examine and challenge the straightness, the bending, the connexion, and the lightness of the aids.  In a moment of crisis, first establish that the horse is carrying itself (you are not holding it up nor pulling it down on the forehand with the reins), then establish that the horse is in alignment (the horse is not falling over the outside shoulder with neck in, but rather the horse is established into a good outside rein connexion and the rider's inside [and outside] leg is being used to keep the ribcage out in correct bend), and then make the contact good by suppling the horse within this already established correct balance and alignment.  Developing the horse for the future by teaching it to move correctly in the way of a dressage horse is the most difficult thing, but the most important thing.

It's been a good year for learning, and I'm grateful to all my teachers including this four-legged one:

Lyndon Rife Clinic October 26-27, 2019

Improving rideability was the theme that developed over the weekend.  Remember to keep your hands more side by side, and keep the horse "on your outside elbow" with your wrist closing your hand on the outside rein, and you can lift your inside hand to flex him them your hands are side by side again.  An exercise to help steady your hands is to bridge the reins, keeping your hands side by side and quiet, and occasionally the inside hand up the crest.

Before asking for the alignment in lateral exercises, be sure that the horse is good in the ribcage first by riding him straight, then getting the inside flexion while he is still straight and then adding the alignment last, keeping his shoulder from falling in and keeping his ribcage in a good position from your inside leg.  Be able to separate it, that you can get flexion without aligning him right away, which makes him better in the ribcage. For Jazzy, ride him less low, with his ears up at the end of his long neck.  It is more important to get the flexion without him getting low in the neck.  Sometimes you can ride him rounder, deeper as an exercise but I need to work on the lateral suppleness so he doesn't think everything to do with the bit has to do with only being deeper.  As he warms up, Jazzy gets cruising so use that to keep him more uphill, otherwise he'll be really forward but still a little on the forehand, so be sure that all the time you're working to get him off the forehand more and more.  One way of doing this is to stay taller in your position, squeeze the outside rein and make him wait on you a bit.

If you get a not-perfect walk to canter transition, freshen the canter and make it better first, then go back and improve the walk to canter transition.  For canter to walk, step down into a deep inside leg, freshen the canter, then make the canter shorter, shorter, shorter, walk.  For walk to canter: keep your inside leg deep, take it off a couple times and bump bump down a little to wake him up, squeeze on the outside rein and keep the outside rein in the transition, take your outside leg off, bring it back and then ask for the canter with your inside heel down (bring your outside leg back without it being on him and then your inside leg).  If you slide your outside leg back, then you push the haunches in.  Remember he has to be prompt and pay attention to your leg.

An exercise to improve rideability for the canter: ride half pass toward the centerline and then change the flexion, stay cantering on the same line then change the flexion back to the true lead then turn in that direction without doing a change.  So half pass from the longside toward the centerline, keeping his shoulders on the line, then counter flex him but keep his shoulders in the same positioning then flex him back to the true canter lead flexion then track in the direction of the canter lead.  So you can play around with the flexion without doing the change.  So that you can control the shoulders and that you can flex him without him thinking about doing the change.  It helps to half pass directly out of the corner because you can really bend him and put his haunches to the inside and make the point that his ears and his shoulders lead slightly because you already have control of the haunches.  On the short side, get the haunches more to the inside so that you know they'll be available when you start the half pass.  You need to be able to keep the haunches caught up (for Jazzy, especially the right huanches when cantering on the left lead).  If he gets too strong and won't let you half pass, walk and do the half pass at the walk, almost halting and really bringing the haunches with the half pass, then canter and do the half pass in canter.  Remember to keep the outside rein, outside leg control, keeping him on your outside elbow.

Note: when you counter-flex him (let's say to the right while cantering on the left lead) don't turn him right, he has to keep turning left and you flex him right, using both reins.  The new outside rein (the counterflexion rein) yields him over and the left rein keeps him and is supported by your deep, weighted inside leg keeping him really cantering on the left lead.  When cantering on the right lead, keep his shoulders right but be able to flex him left.  Keep him in shoulder fore right, and your left rein can flex him left but the right rein has to lead him right.  Looking left, but turning right, even on a straight line.  On a circle, the line in the middle of his chest stays on the circle, and you can flex his poll right or left your choice, but his shoulders and chest stay turning on the circle in shoulder fore.

Conrad Schumacher Clinic September 20, 2019

When schooling the halt, do not correct the halt if the horse fidgets or is a bit tense; don't move just be quiet.  Rather wait for the halt to settle, even if for just one beat, then walk on again.  For Jazzy, Conrad suggested it is okay to ride him a bit shorter in the neck even during the warm up phase.  To encourage relaxation, school several halt, walk, halt transitions, waiting for Jazzy to settle in the halt.  After you start the trot, do trot, walk, halt transitions with your seat wide and heels down, and do walk, trot transitions from the halt.

A warm up excercise in trot is to ride a three loop serpentine, making a ten meter circle each time you come to the wall.  After the serpentine, go down centerline and make a ten meter circle figure of eight left then right near G (or D), coming to a halt again at the end on the centerline.  When bending be sure to keep your inside leg down and carry your inside hand a little higher to ensure that the horse keeps the flexion.  As necessary walk on and halt again, remembering not to correct anything, rather allow him to settle in the halt then walk on again.  To reward him, soften your shoulders (rather than petting him).  

When cantering a twenty meter circle, keep him in shoulder fore on the circle.  In the walk to canter transition, follow the horse's motion with your hips.  To get a purchase on the outside hind you can think baby travers (haunches in).  Conrad commented on the good quality of Jazzy's canter, saying it is a very pretty canter.  

Ten meter circles in canter are an exercise to improve bend.  If you have a not so perfect walk to canter transition, do not imeediately go back to walk to do it again, rather stay in canter and make the canter better again before going back to the walk and reschooling the walk to canter.  

Another canter exercise is to ride a ten meter circle right from the centerline near L (or I), then go on the diagonal and stay in right counter canter through the short side, then do another ten meter circle right near I (or L), then again make a counter canter half twenty metre circle through the short side.  Then ride the diagonal back to true right canter followed by a walk transition.  

When schooling medium trot on a twenty meter circle left, be sure to guard the outside (right) hindleg.  Conrad commented on how beautiful Jazzy's medium trot was.  At this point in the ride, Jazzy was allowed to stretch onto a twenty meter circle in trot, holding the rhythm while staying in self carriage.

This is how to increase reliability: if the horse does something you don't like, just keep going, riding correctly, and make an improvement a little later in motion.  Always ride with the outside leg, so that the connexion will be correct.  Use the rider's outside leg to hold the horse round in the connexion; have the outside leg in a guarding position.  It is very important that when you are riding the inside leg to the outside rein, you are also riding the outside leg which is guarding, as well as you can say a guarding outside rein.  The principle is you bring the horse to the outside, not that you're holding the outside tight, rather bring the horse to the outside rein in a soft way.  And when you have brought the horse to the outside, then the neck gets stable and gets soft and stays round.

While test riding: In the renvers, allow the outside shoulder to allow the bend.  In the extended walk, the rider should remember to move the hips with the motion of the horse, and keep the contact so that the neck does not get too long; a slightly shorter neck will help you later in the next transition.  Allow in the right rein in the counter canter.

To improve the walk, ride the walk through the neck.  Do not be stiff, rather follow the horse with your hips.  When the walk to canter transitions improve, the walk will improve with it.  

 Jazzy having a chat with Conrad:

2019 USDF Region 9 GAIG Championships

Ultra Jazzy once again held his own in excellent company at the USDF Region 9 GAIG Championships, where he was GAIG second level championship fourth and GAIG first level championship tenth with scores to 68.3 and qualified for USDF National Championships in Kentucky at second level.  I am especially grateful to Jazzy's dad Chris for supporting my dream and always being our biggest champion.  Also extremely grateful to our trainer and coach Andrea Attard who is with us day in and day out, in the trenches, through the bad and the good.  We have had so much support too from excellent clinicians including Lyndon Rife.  So many people have come forward to express good wishes; our braider Bree and my friend Ceil who works every show in the scoring office or the announcer's booth have volunteered to come with us to Kentucky to groom, and we've already had friends extending help with travel logistics.  I feel so much appreciation for everyone around us both at home and the barn, all Jazzy's veterinary, farrier, grooming and additional support people.  If it takes a village then Jazzy and I live in a metropolis.

Sporting some favorite pieces of jewelry, my USDF medals (thank you Rijkens!) lapel pins:

Leg Aid Position

When riding lateral movements such as renvers, the rider's leg position should be very obvious so that the horse can bend around a deep inside leg at the girth (this is the horse's center of gravity) and the rider's outside leg back to create the bend, supported with the connected outside rein and keeping the inside flexion with the carried inside rein.  For now especially, I need to focus on keeping my inside leg at the girth with a long leg and deep heel, and my outside leg behind the girth ready to give a good aid to keep bend and angle on a four track renvers.  The inside leg almost feels like it is forward in front of the girth; that is the feeling I need for now until it becomes automatic for my inside leg being at the girth with a long leg and deep heel.  Always riding from one half halt to the next, keeping a strong position and keeping the horse tall in self carriage. 

Strategy Continues

When schooling during warm up, be very fussy about riding very accurate geometry in 20 meter circles, 15 meter, 10 meter, etc.  Study the arena diagram and know exactly where each size should be ridden according to the posted letters and where you are in the arena.  

In transitions, bend Jazzy between both legs with the outside leg back to bring the haunches and the inside leg forward at the girth, dynamic (not holding constantly but rather deep, elastic and available to give a good aid).  Carry the inside rein even a bit wide in the warm up to avoid crossing your hand over the neck, and to encourage Jazzy to bend and swing through his body.  At this point push the tail out on the circle and have your outside leg back to keep the bend and the outside hind leg active.  Keep the horse bending-turning-flexing while doing multiple, prompt transitions walk-trot-walk-trot, keeping Jazzy's inside hind leg active and stepping under, and maintaining a loose but dynamic inside leg with outside leg back to keep the outside hind leg active as well, and heels down, toes up, deep inside leg and strong position in all transitions.  

A helpful exercise to school both bending and simple changes: starting in right lead canter, canter down the long side from R to F and make a half 10 meter circle turn down centerline at A, collecting the canter (you can eventually even use this to school large schooling pirouettes); canter a diagonal line toward B, making a transition to walk before you reach the long side while still on the diagonal line.  Continue in collected walk to B, then make a transition to collected canter left lead on the long side.  Repeat by cantering B to M and make a ten meter half circle turn down centerline from C and canter a diagonal line back to B, collecting the canter as you go; make a transition to collected walk while still on the diagonal line.  Making the transition to walk going toward the long side wall helps by using the wall to back the horse off a bit.  

Riding the ten meter half circle on the short side between M and C (or between F and A) is your opportunity to really bend the horse well between the outside and inside bending aids.  Timing is important: in the upward transition from collected walk into collected canter you must keep the outside rein to maintain collection while first (at the walk) establishing flexion with the inside rein but softening the inside rein to keep the nose up and out in the transition into canter itself.  Strong position is important, loose legs, deep heels (toes up), and correct positioning of deep inside leg and outside leg back, while maintaining a deep seat and shoulder blades back and together, and keep the outside rein to keep the collection.  In the transition from collected canter to walk, Jazzy must be very supple in the contact and light in the hand so he can land softly into a forward walk; to do this I must have him up and out in a forward carried hand and I must bring the hind legs with me into the transition to walk.  Timing is everything.  Strong position is everything.  Correct contact and connexion is everything.  

Show Strategy

Jazzy and I had a good show this weekend at the HDS Laborious Day Show.  My trainer and I talked about improving our show strategy.  Of course doing well at shows is NOT why we ride and train and work hard, we do dressage for the improvement of our horses, to make them increasingly beautiful and sound, and to improve ourselves in the journey as noble equestrians.  However, it seems reasonable to have an element of test riding skill if one continues the not inconsequential effort and expense of going to horse shows.

With that in mind, and as USDF Region 9 championships are a few short weeks away, I did an analysis of all Jazzy's second level test three scores and individual marks from this year by building an excel spreadsheet.  Here are some of the trends that emerged: 

Test movements I need to improve most (in order of urgency):
Travers left,
Transitions to and from medium canter left lead,
Simple change right to left (double coefficient),
Travers right,
Medium canter left lead, 
Walk pirouette left (double coefficient),
10m trot circle right, and
Transitions to and from medium trot left to right rein (double coefficient).

The other double coefficient movements are worth improving too, they are (in order of average score lower to higher):
Transitions to and from medium trot right to left rein,
Simple change left to right,
Halt-rein back,
Walk pirouette right, and
Free walk.

Interestingly, the walk pirouette right scores higher than the walk pirouette left.  The simple change left to right scores a bit higher versus the simple change right to left.

Jazzy's top four highest scoring movements: 1) Centerline halt and salute at end and beginning, 2) transitions from canter to trot near the end of the test, 3) shoulder in left, and 4) free walk.  

Notes on Canter

In schooling the canter, keeping my outside leg back and inside leg long with a deep inside heel and bumping Jazzy with my inside leg into the outside rein then letting my inside leg be dynamic by keeping it soft yet deep and available, are the bending aids that create engagement.  Especially in the counter canter, I must use activating half halts, (not holding him up nor pulling) by establishing his balance so that he can raise his withers and shoulders at the same time bringing the hindlegs by keeping the deep position of my seat and legs cuddling the fat (round) part of Jazzy's belly.

The activating half halts, where I keep Jazzy tall in front and bring the hindlegs with my strong position and maintaining correct inside and outside leg position, allow Jazzy to travel in self carriage and be lighter in front so that he can maintain the counter canter, and so that he can collect again after the medium canter lines.

As I am using activating half halts, remember the outside rein should be filled (inside leg to outside leg) but I must test that the inside rein is carried and even softened from moment to moment, so I can give a strong re-balancing half halt, but then give again (especially the inside rein) constantly and immediately so there is nothing to frustrate Jazzy nor hold him.  Once he is in a taller, more self carrying position with active hindlegs, I can them supple him in the contact within this taller carriage.  A key element is to carry and soften the inside rein, while maintaining a strong position (even think sit back at this stage) and accessing the hindlegs with my deep seat and deep heel with my inside leg correctly at the girth and dynamic, and outside leg back to establish and maintain the inside leg to outside leg connection.

In this photo example, my inside heel should be deep which would allow it to be more correctly forward at the girth, and my overall position should "sit in to him" with a deeper, more adherent seat.  The outside rein can be filled, while the inside rein should be carried.  Shortening my reins a bit in this photo example would help too, allowing me to keep my elbows in front of my waist and my hands carried.

Lyndon Rife Clinic August 2019

Warm up included bending Jazzy with my bending aids so that his ribcage moves out away from my inside leg and his flexion is to the inside and his hindquarters are to the inside of the bend so his ribcage is out and he is bent around my deep inside leg and my outside leg back to establish bend.  I mustn't hold my inside leg on constantly, Jazzy will just push against it, rather I must bump him off my inside leg and even surprise him with it if he is not responding by moving his ribcage out (bending) and then consistently allow my inside leg to be light again.  

Warm up also included shoulder fore on the long side, where I first establish straightness on the straight line, then establish the inside flexion, and only then get the definite angle with the outside aids as well as the inside to establish shoulder fore.  Separate out these three elements, and eventually they happen quickly but be sure to establish first the straightness, then ask for inside flexion, then get the definite angle for shoulder in.  

When riding onto a diagonal line, say on the left rein, keep the left flexion on the diagonal line to prevent the horse from automatically changing the flexion right and tumbling over to his left shoulder.  This helped me to ride a definite straight diagonal line.  Also when riding the medium, it is most important that the horse carries himself by bringing his hindlegs; I facilitate this with balancing half halts and when I come with my usually light leg and then hold it on for the moments of medium he responds to my leg aids by bringing the hindquarters with me and keeping the forehand light with good freedom of his shoulders.  But his free shoulders have to be carried by developing bringing the hindlegs with me.  

In the counter canter, remember to keep the inside (of the canter bend) flexion, and have my outside leg back to support the canter lead.  This keeps Jazzy from falling onto his inside-of-the-lead shoulder and then just changing leads to keep his balance. Instead, my inside leg must stay forward at the girth with a deep heel with my outside leg back, and keep the flexion of the lead so that he can counter canter in balance. When preparing to develop flying changes, a pre-requisite is that the horse can do prompt, uphill walk-to-canter transitions, and that the horse can counter canter in balance.  In canter transitions from trot, keep the inside flexion and half halt the outside rein a couple times to rebalance, think slow-slow-canter.

The idea of developing the horse by teaching him to carry and be in self-carriage is of utmost importance.  To do this you always examine and challenge the straightness, the bending, the connexion, and the lightness of the aids.  In a moment of crisis, first establish that the horse is carrying itself (you are not holding it up nor pulling it down on the forehand with the reins), then establish that the horse is in alignment (the horse is not falling over the outside shoulder with neck in, but rather the horse is established into a good outside rein connexion and the rider's inside [and outside] leg is being used as described above to keep the ribcage out in correct bend), and then make the contact good by suppling the horse within this already established correct balance and alignment.  Developing the horse for the future by teaching it to move correctly in the way of a dressage horse is the most difficult thing, but the most important thing.  The idea of training movements for a particular level is not worth much without the overarching idea of developing the horse correctly, right now and to build on for the horse's future.