Three days of training

More boos! Sorry to miss you this week, I was trying to get over there with D on monday but the day job got in the way, repeatedly ?
 
Here we are, sorry it's a bit long but I had three very productive days at AM Dressage.
Day 1- I led Rose down to the indoor school in a gale and pouring rain, with the building work in progress next door she decided she couldn’t cope and went into melt down. Rose is generally a very polite mare but when she has a moment she is a handful! Thankfully my trainer stepped in and lunged her. What a treat to see a really experienced person lunge a completely lit up horse. I am in awe, it is such a skill (which I don’t have) and she had Rose focused on her almost immediately, controlled the shoulder, the speed and the direction so easily and moved her round the long arena taking her into places I knew she didn’t want to go! TBH I wanted to go home but knew I had to get on. We did the control exercises that we’ve been working on, round enough, soft enough, will she flex, off the leg, listening to the leg, lots of changes in direction to make sure she’s listening, all of it in trot and canter so there’s no opportunity to stop up and start being silly. It’s been a huge leap for me to accept that I’m safer when she’s going forward, my natural tendency is tolet her dribble around and that’s when I have a problem. Interestingly although she was still quite lit up, she did some of the very best work ever and I felt quite safe. I’ve been having huge problems with the canter trans since I got bucked off and had been riding very defensively, that seems to be a thing of the past. I realise now the extent to which I had been causing the problem, not riding forward, asking for canter whilst holding onto the front end, sitting back and bracing my seat just in case she bucked, no wonder we’ve been having problems! We finished the session on a really good note with some super lateral work. This session really brought home to me the wise words of Adam Kemp which were basically that you can’t control what’s going on around you so just focus on controlling your horse!

Day 2 - Still vile weather with the builders next door, but I got on and went straight into the control exercises but she was really onside and listening, we did some lateral work to get her more supple then into the canter work early as I am finding it quite challenging. Now I’ve got a nice forward horse that goes into canter without a problem I have to learn to influence the canter better. ATM her canter is too free and not sufficiently on the hind leg. We worked on me using my seat and upper thigh to collect the canter whilst pushing my hands forward so I wasn’t using too much hand. TBH I found it really hard to get the right balance, my go to is always too much hand and not enough leg so she breaks or too much seat whilst still holding too much in my hand so she breaks or too much hand so she just gets strong. Finding the confidence to just push my hands forward once she is in self carriage then using my seat or my lower legs to maintain the correct tempo is a challenge. It’s also quite physically demanding and my legs and back were aching! However it started to feel easier and we moved on to simple changes across the diagonal through trot and got some nice transitions both up and down on both reins as long as I made sure I wasn’t letting my seat slip to the right when asking for left canter!. We finished off the session with more trot work, transitions within the pace, which resulted in some good med trot and turning accurately onto the centre line with a good square halt. TBH I was exhausted but really pleased with Rose as I felt she was really trying to give me what I was asking for rather than just getting a bit pissed off with me because I make mistakes. Anyone who thinks this dressage business is easy and all you need is a quality horse is WRONG! It’s a bit like learning to drive in a Ferrari or in Rose’s case a very smart sports car! None of my previous horses (Mr B excepted) had Rose’s natural movement and talent but they were a doddle to ride in comparison.

Day 3 – Still raining! Builders still building but Rose was really onside, her trot work was good right from the start and we went into leg yield and shoulder in pretty early on in the session. My tendency to sit to the right was evident in the quality of the work depending on which rein we were on, so when we started travers I really made an effort to sit correctly. I’ve not ridden half pass on Rose before but we managed a few half decent trot HP on both reins and I felt her back soften to the extent I could do some sitting trot which is also a work in progress. she’s not particularly supple laterally but I felt an improvement over the three days. Then we went into the canter work. Something seems to have sunk in and I started to get some really nice collected canter and for the very first time I had a real sense that I was influencing it rather than just trying to keep it going or stop it boiling over.

I am very lucky as Rose has three very good paces and I think she likes doing the more advanced work so it bodes well for the future. I came home physically and mentally worn out but very upbeat. Over Xmas and the New Year I’d begun to wonder if I was just too bloody old and she was just too much horse for me but I have come home tired but weirdly rejuvenated.
 
Sounds fantastic, I hope you got a lot out of it.

I would love to do something like that but not many opportunities here in NI
 
Thank you for sharing! It sounds like you and Rose are beginning to click and have some exciting times ahead ?

I love how AMD always seem to help get you to the next level (not in terms of competition, but in terms of training). I had many breakthroughs there with Indio, can’t wait to get my loan horse established enough to make a trip there worthwhile.
 
j1ffy said:
Thank you for sharing! It sounds like you and Rose are beginning to click and have some exciting times ahead ?

I love how AMD always seem to help get you to the next level (not in terms of competition, but in terms of training). I had many breakthroughs there with Indio, can’t wait to get my loan horse established enough to make a trip there worthwhile.
Click to expand...
The biggest mistake I made with Rose was deciding to get her fit and muscled up before taking her for regular lessons. She got stronger and sussed me out, clever madam, so by the time I started going again I was going with a problem and I was losing confidence. Not the same with you I'm sure, but I won't make that mistake again.
 
I’m having lessons with another excellent trainer about every 3 / 4 weeks (he gives us a load of homework and doesn’t feel the need to see us more often at the mo!) so I think we’re ok. He’s also Talland so has a similar approach to AMD, so I think it will all tie in. I’m too unsure of myself to go too long without guidance ?
 
Sounds like you had a fantastic few days - I often feel like I get the most out of lessons when I end up shattered mentally, but buzzing!
 
What a great report! I’m pondering something like this but didn’t know where to start looking. I’ve looked at their website - I see the weekend clinics. Did you tag a day on? Or did you go midweek? Did you stay over? Presumably the lessons are one-to-one? Any idea if the place is dog friendly?



I’ll be getting my annual bonus at work next month - I can feel a splurge on training coming on!!
 
At the weekend clinics there is food provided in the gallery so it's quite sociable. I've been to several of the 3 day clinics that used to be run on a regular basis but now I just book either two or three consecutive days lessons. They tend to be very flexible with times so I have a late first day and an early next day (if you see what I mean). Yes dog friendly as long as dog is under control and not allowed in the indoor school. Lessons are individual 45ish mins but you can enter and warm up as required prior to your lesson. They also have a long arena with a superb surface which is outdoors. If there are others staying during the week they often provide a cooked meal in the evening, people take wine etc and sit around and chat. I always try to sit and watch as many lessons as I can too or Matt riding his lovely horses.
 
the social side of the weekend clinics is what made them really enjoyable for me. I don't go to them any more because I have too many horses at home (and I'm only 45 mins away by lorry anyway so pop down at least fortnightly) but I found it so much fun to follow other horses over 3 days, watch their lessons and chat with the riders. I had a real sense of camaraderie that I only really had with occasional 3 day eventing before ;)
 
Great write up. Sounds like you had an amazing time. As someone who is turning 50 this year and beginning to wonder if I am a bit past it you are an inspiration! Plus it is nice to know you can come back from a setback with a talented but challenging horse and get better and better xx
 
Ambers Echo said:
Great write up. Sounds like you had an amazing time. As someone who is turning 50 this year and beginning to wonder if I am a bit past it you are an inspiration! Plus it is nice to know you can come back from a setback with a talented but challenging horse and get better and better xx
Click to expand...
I often feel a bit out of my depth and have very shaky confidence but having the right trainer has made a massive difference to me. I doubt I would still be riding if it weren't for Justine's help. I noticed your trainer said Amber is sensitive and needs sympathetic riding, does she then train you to work effectively with that so you know how to handle her when she "lights up"? I think that is what I would be wanting in your situation. Rose can "light up" but generally she can just be mareish and tricky and I feel I come away from lessons with tools in my box to help me deal with that.
 
oldie48 said:
I noticed your trainer said Amber is sensitive and needs sympathetic riding, does she then train you to work effectively with that so you know how to handle her when she "lights up"? I think that is what I would be wanting in your situation. Rose can "light up" but generally she can just be mareish and tricky and I feel I come away from lessons with tools in my box to help me deal with that.
Click to expand...

Yes I need to ride with tact. And I think I generally do - at least I try and I think Amber knows I try so when I lose balance or jab her in the mouth she forgives me. (If that does not sound too anthropomorphic.) But her behaviour on Saturday was different. I was with the same RI who has taught us regularly throughout the 3 years and she messaged me saying she has never seen Amber like that. The question is was it a one off - shooting/busy/fresh etc or a sign of things to come!

But I don't want to derail your lovely thread - I am glad you have found a way to ride her so well. Onwards and upwards!!
 
I did a three day there a couple of years ago - really enjoyed my lesson with Justine who as you say is great for confidence and I still repeat to myself the canter mantra Adam gave me although whether I am actually doing the actions at the same time is another thing! Would like to go again if get organised at some time.
 
humblepie said:
I did a three day there a couple of years ago - really enjoyed my lesson with Justine who as you say is great for confidence and I still repeat to myself the canter mantra Adam gave me although whether I am actually doing the actions at the same time is another thing! Would like to go again if get organised at some time.
Click to expand...
Oooh I love a good catchphase, what was your canter mantra? :D
 
Ambers Echo said:
Yes I need to ride with tact. And I think I generally do - at least I try and I think Amber knows I try so when I lose balance or jab her in the mouth she forgives me. (If that does not sound too anthropomorphic.) But her behaviour on Saturday was different. I was with the same RI who has taught us regularly throughout the 3 years and she messaged me saying she has never seen Amber like that. The question is was it a one off - shooting/busy/fresh etc or a sign of things to come!

But I don't want to derail your lovely thread - I am glad you have found a way to ride her so well. Onwards and upwards!!
Click to expand...
Not derailing the thread at all. I have never seen Rose behave like she did last Monday but she hadn't been ridden for several days and had not been turned out that day (she normally gets at least 3/4 hours) I had upped her feed because she'd lost some weight and although I feed very low starch , it's still calories and she is very fit. Add to that Storm Brian, the building work, the doors of the school being closed and that was enough to tip her over the edge into complete silliness. If she'd landed on me, I might have been posting a similar thread to you but fortunately she didn't. Will she ever do that again, well she might but I'm going to try to avoid setting her up for it. If you think about Amber, I suspect she's also quite fit, she's not getting much turnout and she's probably short of the right sort of work to keep a lid on her exuberance. It's January and loads of horses are being stupid ATM, it was very cold and bright here on Saturday and Somerford is an exciting place for her to be. AND they are shooting. It is a bit of a recipe for any horse to be sharp and Amber is a very forward thinking horse. Was it a group lesson and were you able to get her going straight away, using her brain and some of her energy? If not, did the situation set her up to be explosive?
 
oldie48 said:
If not, did the situation set her up to be explosive?
Click to expand...
i think this is a key question :) I've got better at recognising when I'm walking into a potential problem with my projects and I now back out when I can see a problem coming at me that I don't think I can solve. As they get more established the threshold for what i can solve changes, obviously. But same principle.

I'm not suggesting you shouldn't try and tackle a tricky situation with a mature horse obviously but sometimes it's important to recognise when the challenges have piled up and you may need to deal with them differently. (even if it's just for your own sanity to stop overthinking) tbh this sounded like it may be just a freak thing that just meant she boiled over when you probably would have coped without the shooting, bit like Rose and the storm/builders combo.
 
Thanks for helpful comments. I will reply on the other thread so this one can stay focused on Oldie's fab 3 days and not my wayward beast!!
 
Really enjoyed reading, thanks very much. I think training blocks over 2 to 3 days back to back are really valuable and enable reinforcement and consolidation all round.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top