Riding Update!
We are gearing up for the 2018 show season with clinics clinics clinics!
Learning from specialists and from eventers is such a privilege in a clinic setting. Since late September The Pony and I have done 4 clinics so far, and plan on another dressage clinic at the end of January with Donna Weinburg at our trainer's barn.
These clinics are invaluable in setting us up for success this upcoming season. Doing more homework over the winter was a major missing ingredient last year when my work schedule at a previous job did not allow for such gallivanting. Now that I have the time and the means, The Pony has quite the busy schedule and we are both having a blast.
We went back to the basics and did not one but two dressage clinics with Michael Lieberg in the fall of last year at my eventing friend's facility.
After a failed attempt to move up to Training last August The Pony and I needed more adjustability, confidence, and trust in one another. Michael quickly pointed out a few gaps in my riding that affected The Pony's education and balance: stiff elbows and needing to be quicker with my aids. No surprises, but Michael gave me some great exercises to increase The Pony's use of her trunk and hind end as well as to quicken my leg aids.
Learning from specialists and from eventers is such a privilege in a clinic setting. Since late September The Pony and I have done 4 clinics so far, and plan on another dressage clinic at the end of January with Donna Weinburg at our trainer's barn.
These clinics are invaluable in setting us up for success this upcoming season. Doing more homework over the winter was a major missing ingredient last year when my work schedule at a previous job did not allow for such gallivanting. Now that I have the time and the means, The Pony has quite the busy schedule and we are both having a blast.
We went back to the basics and did not one but two dressage clinics with Michael Lieberg in the fall of last year at my eventing friend's facility.
After a failed attempt to move up to Training last August The Pony and I needed more adjustability, confidence, and trust in one another. Michael quickly pointed out a few gaps in my riding that affected The Pony's education and balance: stiff elbows and needing to be quicker with my aids. No surprises, but Michael gave me some great exercises to increase The Pony's use of her trunk and hind end as well as to quicken my leg aids.
At our 2nd Clinic with Michael Lieberg
One exercise Michael gave us was simple and yet effective: trot into a turn on the forehand, then after a full 360 turn on the forehand in the walk on the centerline, immediately trot away towards the rail. This is an exercise I still do once or twice a week. It gets The Pony's hind end engaged, encourages self-carriage, while also forcing me to be quicker with my aids and keep The Pony balanced and straight.
Another life changing exercise Michael had us do at both clinics was shallow zig zag leg yields (2-3) at the trot and canter on the long side of a dressage court with a lengthening on the short side. This presented an additional balance challenge, especially at the canter. Again, this was a great exercise for quickening my aids.
Next up was a show jumping clinic from Soehnke Theymann at our trainer's place, Trinity Eventing, in Buellton. Soehnke quickly assessed where we are in terms of balance and adjustability by having us trot and canter poles and jumping a simple grid. After that, we did several jumping exercises with related distances before putting together a course, and then finally having us jump the course at 1.0m height to finish up. Getting me to be quicker about using my leg and staying with the motion of The Pony over jumps were top priorities.
Next up was a cross country clinic with my trainer, Jennifer Wooten, at Fresno County Horse Park the first weekend of January. The first day we schooled on the cross country course, and the second day each of us ran through an entire cross country course as if we were at a show. The Pony felt confident overall, but still needed extra support when things looked iffy to her (she's a very careful pony) and I failed to help her balance and engage leading up to a few jumps.
Our last jump during our clinic with Soehnke.
The Pony jumping the maxed "dog chow" Novice table at FCHP with Trinity Eventing
Our winter progress report came last weekend with a cross country school followed by a Combined Test schooling show at Twin Rivers Horse Park in Paso Robles.
The Pony nailed the cross country schooling we did with our trainer at Twin. She was game for everything I pointed her at, and felt strong, powerful, and balanced. Even better was her responsiveness to my leg aids, something we have struggled with since she was started under saddle 4 years ago.
The Pony slaying a Training coup at the top
of a mound XC schooling at Twin Rivers
The following day at the Combined Test Becky Leisz of Trinity Eventing coached us. The Pony laid down a respectable dressage test with a 26.1, and went double clear in show jumping to end up 2nd place in her division for the Combined Test. The Pony felt confident and game the whole weekend, and I got great feedback from Becky about ways to improve: Our trot work needed to be smoother in the dressage test and not so "sticky" in spots, and coming into the two-stride in our show jumping round I needed to have The Pony in a more engaged balance and longer step (if it was a triple and at Training dimensions, it would have been dicey--lesson learned).
A huge thank you to all the fabulous trainers we've worked with over the past few months. It's made a world of difference in our confidence and skill set. I highly recommend all of the trainers discussed here, and cannot wait to work with them again. Each of them really challenged me while also increasing my confidence and motivation. Looks like these clinic things do work. 😜
The Pony feeling so bold she takes the long spot like a beast
in this seven stride bending line at the Twin CT
I'm excited for an upcoming two-day dressage clinic with Donna Weinburg to continue working on my communication with The Pony, and polish off the winter clinic season before we head out for recognized horse trials in the 2018 season.
Checking in with the judge before beginning
our show jumping round at the Twin Rivers CT.
Until next time, happy riding! 🐴
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