Saturday Show Photos

Tristan Did A Thing

Tristan has talked about wanting a tattoo for several years. His desire was for a full back tattoo of an eagle with the wings coming over his shoulders and down his arms. I suggested he might want to do something a little smaller for his first tattoo (I was thinking something on a shoulder or pec that could be finished in one sitting. He opted for a half-sleeve on his right arm.

Six weeks or so ago, we had our consultation with an artist I met at the barn. She does a lot of grey scale tattoos and Tristan didn't want any color. We met with her and he talked about what his expectation for the design was. She finished the design and sent it to Tristan, who wasn't sure until he talked to her about what the finished product would look like. Sunday morning, our whole herd, including J and Tia, accompanied him to the parlor for his first tattoo.

 He thought he was going to listen to music, but my witty conversation kept him distracted better than music.

 Bands are hard, but our tattoo artist did a great job.

 The ditch is a bitch.

At least he will be able to see the best part of the design.

 Design touch up with Sharpie.

He sent this pic to one of his friends and his friend asked if it had hurt.

Tristan was like "dude, it's sharpie."

Made me laugh.

 Overall design.

 I was so proud of him. He sat without moving that arm for a solid two hours while she inked the lines. We knew he had to finish the lines in one setting and he rocked it.

He asked her to start on the shading, since he was doing okay and we still had an hour to go in the appt.

 She shaded the bottom band. It was pretty sore. I could feel the deep tremble of his body trying to deal with the shock of the trauma by the time we were almost done. I recognized it from my own tats and told him he was about done. Between the pain, holding himself still, being hungry and where they were in the tattoo, it was time to stop.

I did offer at one point to whack him in the balls to help distract him.

He said no.

This was right after. It looks even better a couple of days later. The lines are crisp and well done.

There was no blood, just a bit of fluid from the skin. No sign of scabbing.

He's already talking about what to do to finish the sleeve.

Practice Ride

I have videos of today’s practice ride. We rode early to beat the heat, since it broke 100 in a couple of places in Colorado today. Ashke was so very good that I wanted to pinch myself. Tia, T’s godmother and good friend, said at she thought he looked happier than she had ever seen him. And he is the perfect weight. It’s an amazing thing.

 

Ashke in the front and Kat (Friesan Sport Horse) in the back

Not the single slalom pattern. 

We were working on leg yield to half pass keeping the same bend.

And again. Trying so hard for me.

This was the first time we had tried this exercise.

There were several attempts at the single slalom. Ashke seems to have figured out this obstacle is easier when he is moving very slowly.

Working the canter transitions on the straight away.

Focusing on keeping his body straight and fewer steps between transitions.

And again on the straight away.

Square corners. Not as good as I rode them yesterday.

I did not have him as well put together today as last night. And he had too much rein.

So hard to break that habit.

And again in the other direction.

It didn’t feel as good as the night before, but since I haven’t watched him do it right, I’m not sure why.

More connection, and more of an ask with my outside thigh, I think.

Leg Yield to half pass at the canter

And in the other direction.

This horse just makes my heart soar.

Transition Epiphany

If you had told me four years ago that I would start loving dressage so much that I would want to take lessons several times a week (I'm not, since I am not that well heeled) I would have laughed my ass off. Plus, I do need time to practice the stuff we are learning. However, I am really enjoying myself. And Ashke seems to be happy about it too.

We were in the outdoor last night, working on the stuff we've been working on. Ashke was in a very relaxed mood and tried very hard for me. We started with some simple trotting serpentines, to get him moving around my leg with changes of bend at the mid point. Then we started the canter to walk serpentine, followed by shoulder in and haunches in.

Amanda had me do a half circle to center line, leg yield to the rail, half circle at the far end, and then a half-pass across the arena (20m) almost to the rail, where I was to remain in haunches out until we reached the end of our riding arena, where I was supposed to switch to a shoulder in and then ride the pattern the other direction. It was a great exercise. Hard at times, but still very good practice for us to move his shoulders and hips where I want them at will in the arena.

Next was some canter leg yields and then I worked canter walk transitions down the center line. He was still falling on the forehand with each transition. We stopped and I asked Amanda why it was happening. She said it was a timing thing and that I needed to time my half-halt to a different place in his canter. She said I was asking when he is going into the high point of his canter (two feet on the ground) and that I needed to ask when he was in his low point in the canter (one foot on the ground). My response was "how the hell am I supposed to figure that out?"

She laughed. Told me to close my eyes. Feel the canter. Be one with the force.

So, I get why my transitions are the way the are. I am asking him to go to the walk when he is up, and him being the obedient horse he is starting to be, does it with alacrity. Which dumps us on the forehand and makes him feel like he just plowed to a stop. Instead, if I can change my timing, he is already down in the gait, which means that he comes UP into the walk. Years ago, N told me you had to ride the horse up into its transition, but I had no idea what that meant. Last night, it finally became clear to me. At least, I can wrap my head around the idea. Implementing it consistently will take time, however, I was at least aware and making the attempt last night. The transitions got better and he wasn't dumping as bad, so at least that is a good thing. I will practice it going forward.

One of the things that Amanda said was much better was the straightness we've achieved in the canter. He is holding himself so much straighter. Cantering down the centerline in a slight shoulder fore is helping. Although, we still have an issue with transitioning to the canter in that body position. It will come. I also am trying to be so much more subtle with my spur when asking for the canter. He really moves his hip away when he feels the spur, so I am using my calf and inside heel to ask, which is also helping him remain straight through his body so much better.

He is awesome at picking up the canter lead from my leg on the straightaway. I don't worry any more at all that he will pick up the wrong lead.

We worked on bending at the trot in our ten meter circle, trying to ride the outside rein without falling in on the circle and getting our change of bend in the straightness between the two circles. We included some medium trot with me really remaining focused on keeping my hands where they are supposed to be so he remains in his house.

During a break after the trot work, we realized we still had half the lesson left, so Amanda had us do square corners at the canter. Ashke is really good at that. Then Amanda had me shorten the strides between the corners. So we started out straight stride, turn stride, straight stride, three canter strides and then the corner again. After one round, we went to two strides between the straight strides, then one stride after that. That was the smallest we could get thus far. It will be an exercise we work on in our practice rides. Amanda said it is a great training tool and will continue to strengthen his back and core as prep for the canter pirouettes.

We worked on our medium canter which was quite hilarious. Amanda told me to keep my hands where they were and let him figure out how to meet me there. During my first attempt, Amanda started laughing and said "when I told you to keep your hands where they were I did not mean for you to straighten your elbows! Keep them bent." I had to laugh. This is the biggest issue for me right now. The muscle memory is awful and retraining it is really hard.

I asked Amanda if she could help me with our sidepass since he really stalled out on me at the last show. He sidepasses so nice, I want to maximize our points on that obstacle. Amanda had me go through the first time and then coached me to change our angle. We need to be more straight in the cross, instead of being angled too much in the direction of the pole.

We even have video of the last two attempts.

Better transition and nice crossing both front and back

The other direction

We ended the lesson with the setting sun. Ashke just gets better and better and seems to really like the intricacy of the stuff we are working on.

Wordless Wednesday: July 4 Trail Ride

 After a very long hiatus, K is back on the blog. She found a new home for Eddy and is now riding a very sweet QH/Arab mare named Aria.

 While not Aria's first trail ride, there were lots of firsts on the day.

First time in water, first time dealing with a lot of fast bikes, walking next to and then under a busy road, and more miles than she has done before. Plus, bridge practice.

She's definitely an upgrade over Eddy in my opinion, as she wants to take care of K.

And now we have twinkie horses.

 It doesn't look like much, but it was right at the edge of what I could physically do.

I have lost my ability to ride lots of miles, quickly. 

Love this trail

Party for Squish

We have a Russian imported warmblood in the barn by the name of Nyuushka, or Noosh, or Squish. He is ridden by G, who is doing dressage with Amanda, or Ree, her daughter. Ree is Ardee's mom, so she also jumps.

Last night Squish turned 20 years young and we had a party.

Squish in his stall, pre festivities.

There was cake and carrots and a big bag of apples

The four of us did a trail ride: Ree on Ardee, me and Ashke, Amanda on Jackson, and G on Noosh.

I cannot tell you how happy my horse was to get out and explore. He was forward, swinging in the walk, engaged and soooo very happy. He looked hard at a tarp and a storm drain. I encouraged him with "good boy" to approach the storm drain and he did. The only time he wasn't calm and moving easily, was when Ardee and Noosh were in front of us and Noosh was between Ashke and his girl. Then we piaffed. 

 SD Jackson and Ashke (not happy ears)

SD Jackson is a three-year-old gypsy cob Amanda has in for training. He showed in his first dressage show last weekend and won with a 67%. He is for sale and will make a wonderful horse for just about anyone. He is calm and likes people. We had a bike go past a couple of times and his only response was to flair his nostrils. This was the first time off property and there were zero shenanigans. Plus, he is taller than Ashke. Nice poneh.

 SD Jackson with Amanda up.

 Noosh and G in the front and Ree with Ardee in the back

Ree was bareback in a hackamore. No issues.

To be 21 again and fearless.

 More of the Jack man

Big smile and relaxed mare

See my unicorn horn? I wanted it on Ashke but he was not willing to stand still long enough for me to put it on his head.

Headed home. About 40 minute walking ride and almost two miles (I figure).

Ashke was not happy to be headed home already. It bodes well for his attitude on the 4th (we are doing a trail ride). Jackson and Noosh were ready to be back, however.

It was a great way to celebrate the birthday of Noosh, who speaks Russian, btw.

Straight Egytian Unicorn

Our first attempt at the canter leg yield.

We had a great training ride and I feel like Ashke is getting straighter at the canter, but we will see at our next lesson. 

Sidepass. Trying to keep him moving forward with impulsion, instead of stalling out.

L brought an accessory for my Unicorn.

 I absolutely love the look on his face.

He wanted carrots and was displeased that there were no carrots for him.