MizElz
Well-Known Member
I'm feeling incredibly disheartened about the way mine and Ellie's 'dressage' transition is going. For those who don't know, we used to SJ at a reasonable level, until a nasty accident during gridwork made me completely lose my nerve over fences. We then did nothing competitively for three years; last year, however, I had the 'wonderful' idea of trying to make Ellie into a dressage horse. We went back to the instructor who taught me to ride, eighteen years ago, and after a good number of lessons we started going out and about. I began to actually enjoy competing again - even though it was at a much lower level than we had ever SJed! Ellie has lovely paces, but she doesnt find working in an outline very easy; she is very resistant in canter, and struggles to engage her hindquarters - something that didnt seem to matter so much in showjumping, but which certainly presents problems now and, if I'm honest, may have been partly to blame for our gridwork accident. I know that these issues would be helped greatly by frequent lunging, but this is practically impossible for me due to the fact that I have nowhere to school her - there are no schools within easily accessible reach, and at the moment, most of the fields are waterlogged
Ellie was also badly frightened by her previous owners when they lunged her as a youngster, and so if I was to lunge her now, I need a good consistent surface with secure fencing, just in case she panics. Most of my schooling is done on our round robin hack route - mainly on country lanes. Tonight, however, I made the most of the fact that the farmer has just spread a load of fresh muck on the field in front of our house - half-rotted straw makes a lovely surface! Elz, though, was a nightmare - we havent done anything competitive, or had any lessons, since way before xmas, and so I didnt intend on asking her to do too much. But even asking for her to soften and deepen resulted in a short, choppy, crab-like canter - then, when we finally managed a few steps of a nice forward going, impulsive trot, she spooked so violently that I was flung up her neck. I hate falling out with her, but today she just refused to listen! Although during the time when we were jumping we thought nothing of using aids like the bungee or draw reins, I am now so aware of the false sense of security they give that I am determined to get Ellie working naturally. Today, I persevered with her, and in the end we managed 10 minutes or so of semi-decent trot work. But, since last year, we have gone so far backwards I think we are even worse than when we started this dressage lark.
I cannot afford regular lessons - nor competitions - at the moment, but I'm wondering whether I should abandon schooling her until I have the time and money to really concentrate on doing it all properly, and just hack out in the meantime? Mum was watching from the window and told me that I'm beginning to set my hands against Ellie again - something that last year I worked very hard to stop! I think I'm going to get her teeth looked at, too, just to eliminate the possibility that her resistance may be due to any kind of pain. I guess I'm just feeling a bit lost at the moment! Sorry for rambling; it's not often I get down about my girlie, but when all we do is fight each other, I begin to wonder whether such radical reschooling was such a good idea. Maybe we should have just stayed happy hackers....
