Tik Maynard Clinic in Oxfordshire in August

milliepops

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sometimes it's almost better to go to things like that on your own because it forces you to strike up conversations with others :)
You can also easily get adopted by other groups so I'm sure you won't be on your tod for long ;)
 

Ambers Echo

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Ok more dressage thoughts.... At Brand Hall we scored 35 pens which is still not very good but is 7% better than at Somerford! And I have been averaging 38 dressage all last season so this is a step in the right direction. I have been schooling Amber strong leg into firm hand since my last lesson.

Then yesterday I had second lesson with my new instructor. She didn't remember me from last time (she teaches about 10 people a day when she runs clinic days!) and was saying from the beginning SOFTER HANDS, SOFTER HANDS, GIVE FORWARD. And also SLOW HER DOWN.... Which was great but pretty much the opposite of what she said last time which was ride much more forward into a firm contact. I stopped and asked her why the advice was so different and she then remembered me and said 'because your horse is different today!" Last time Amber was strung out and lazy behind and braced against the hand. This time she was active behind, moving freely and accepting the hand. So everything was lighter and softer. So the lesson felt 100% better and Amber gave me the nicest work I've ever had from her. But left me realising again that I can't feel what is going on so can't adapt to what she needs on different days. So I am happy but also frustrated! I feel like I will never learn feel since I've been riding 30 years and don't have it yet! But I am happy with my new instructor and feel like we could work well together, Especially if she remembers who I am next time!
 
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Mule

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Ok more dressage thoughts.... At Brand Hall we scored 35% which is still not very good but is 7% better than at Somerford! And I have been averaging 38 dressage all last season so this is a step in the right direction. I have been schooling Amber strong leg into firm hand since my last lesson.

Then yesterday I had second lesson with my new instructor. She didn't remember me from last time (she teaches about 10 people a day when she runs clinic days!) and was saying from the beginning SOFTER HANDS, SOFTER HANDS, GIVE FORWARD. And also SLOW HER DOWN.... Which was great but pretty much the opposite of what she said last time which was ride much more forward into a firm contact. I stopped and asked her why the advice was so different and she then remembered me and said 'because your horse is different today!" Last time Amber was strung out and lazy behind and braced against the hand. This time she was active behind, moving freely and accepting the hand. So everything was lighter and softer. So the lesson felt 100% better and Amber gave me the nicest work I've ever had from her. But left me realising again that I can't feel what is going on so can't adapt to what she needs on different days. So I am happy but also frustrated! I feel like I will never learn feel since I've been riding 30 years and don't have it yet! But I am happy with my new instructor and feel like we could work well together, Especially if she remembers who I am next time!
I suppose it makes sense. You have to ride the horse you have under you. I know mine can be very soft and supple one day and then not so much a couple of days later. I'm glad you're happy with the instructor, she sounds good.
 

Wheels

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well you do have feel - you mention there in your comments that Amber gave you the nicest work she has ever given you and if you didn't have feel then you couldn't have known that.

try and get some vids of schooling at home - usually when it looks nice it feels nice too and you can compare what you were feeling to how she was going.

The Tik Maynard clinic looks very interesting - I am sure you will enjoy it
 

Roxylola

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Feel is not a switch, you don't just have it or not, it grows and develops. I get the impression recently at least you have been taking on a lot of info from different sources and trying to put it in to practise which is great but it's not always appropriate all of the time.
I'd guess you were so preoccupied about doing what you had been asked to do last time you rode with this instructor and reproducing that it's not that you didn't feel Amber was different it's that you weren't engaging with her - your head was full of strong hand strong leg. That's one technique - it got you a better score the other day and that's great. That technique works for Amber some of the time clearly, but it's just one tool in your kit, a hammer works well on a nail but not so well on a screw - it will get the job done but it is easier and quicker to use a screwdriver. So on a day where Amber comes out in this way riding that way works, but when she comes out a different way then you need a different tool.
So take all the tools anybody offers you but spend 10 minutes looking at the job you are doing on the day before you decide which is the best tool for the job
 

milliepops

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But left me realising again that I can't feel what is going on so can't adapt to what she needs on different days. So I am happy but also frustrated! I feel like I will never learn feel since I've been riding 30 years and don't have it yet! But I am happy with my new instructor and feel like we could work well together, Especially if she remembers who I am next time!

haha! it's always tricky when you feel like you've got totally different instructions to last time, I have had that before. But you did the right thing by asking. I think there's another thing to throw in there, not only is the horse different to last time (and we all know they can feel different on different days, just because), but also if you've been riding her a bit more ... "positively" since last time then maybe she's already adapted to that and is more active etc as a result, and therefore you need to adapt your riding to take into account the effect of that bit of training you've already done.

I think it's really hard when you are developing something.. you have to notice when the horse has learnt something and it's time to change tactics.

as for learning feel, I think some people just never get it, but that tends to happen to people who think the communication with the horse is all one-way, which definitely doesn't apply. I also think it sounds like you've been pulled in different directions over the years and you need a bit of consistency to start to see the progress you are making, which would make it easier to tell when you're doing it right :p
 

Ambers Echo

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I'd guess you were so preoccupied about doing what you had been asked to do last time you rode with this instructor and reproducing that it's not that you didn't feel Amber was different it's that you weren't engaging with her - your head was full of strong hand strong leg

That makes a lot of sense. I definitely set out to ride in this 'new' way rather than spending a bit of time checking in with her and seeing how Amber was going that day. But I also know (or at least believe) that sometimes I think it feels lovely because she is light in the hand but actually her legs are trailing out behind her. I need to get better at feeling what her hind legs are doing.
 

Roxylola

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sometimes I think it feels lovely because she is light in the hand but actually her legs are trailing out behind her. I need to get better at feeling what her hind legs are doing.
On those occasions she's probably on the forehand but light because she's not going forward and actually imo that's not a bad way to work in - a little long a little low and loose. Then though do you keep the lightness if pick her up a bit and ask her to vary the stride etc
 

Ambers Echo

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if you've been riding her a bit more ... "positively" since last time then maybe she's already adapted to that and is more active etc as a result, and therefore you need to adapt your riding to take into account the effect of that bit of training you've already done.

This also makes sense. Maybe we did have to work through that bracing and backwardness quite firmly but she's now moving more freely and is more active now so can soften and lighten it.... I am going to enter a dressage test in an arena to get some more feedback before Stafford.
 

milliepops

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it's a never ending journey ;) But I would say again, try and get a bit of consistency with one person for a while, it sounds like you are getting on with this instructor so that's great.
If you get any unexpected comments on the test sheet then don't go into overdrive changing things again. I have a policy of not changing everything on the basis of one test sheet. Judging can be a bit random, your horse can be on an off day, etc etc. What matters is the longer term progression. I'm just throwing that in as a consideration, because I know how it feels when you are on a bit of a journey and you check in for a progress check at a show, and you have had a funny result which ends up derailing you ;) whereas the judge at the next show might not have made that comment or observation.
 

Ambers Echo

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I really do think I need consistent eyes-on-the-ground person but it's been hard finding one. My previous RI is great but has gone back to uni to retrain as her competitive career was derailed by illness so she is very hard to get hold of and quite far away. I met this new one at PC camp when she taught the girls and have persuaded her to do clinics locally to me. And there are about 20 people trying to book in every session so she is now doing 2 a week! So I can go 2-3 times a month. I am determined that this will be the year Amber and I stop being a bit rubbish at dressage!!
 

milliepops

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it'll transform your jumping too - last vids looked super in terms of rhythm and confidence, but I think when you get her between leg and hand really effectively, then you will have that adjustability you need for the other phases too :) well worth the effort ;)
 

Wheels

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I hadn't heard of Tik before this thread but have since bought and read his book. It's very interesting and he seems like a very interesting person too.

I really like some of his thoughts and ideas
 

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I am going to watch. Has anyone else tried any of his suggestions? Wheels?
Like just being with the horse - doing nothing and not asking anything of the horse. Relaxing.
My share started yawning. What does it mean when a horse yawns?
 
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