Tuesday - considering music and rhythm

Very curious and new thoughts.

In thinking towards creating a training level musical freestyle for Try and I, MH had advised matching music to video of Try for rhythm. Kathy had advised a cohesive approach to avoid a piece meal group of music with jarring transitions--more of an overall piece of music--likely a classical piece with variety that means something to me.

So I took video of MH and Try as they seem to have such a good rhythm together and played various possible music selections to their walk/trot and canter and found NO Match with any of the music. Just no connection.

Next I tried video of Try and I in a lesson with MH and the music fit.

How very curious is that? So a horse is that different with different riders. Also, what does that say about the way I ride? My ballet background survives within me when I ride?

Very interesting to consider.

Monday, December 30

Saw Try today after taking a break though I did visit with her last week some, taking her for a walk to her favorite off the farm grazing spot.

Today she was happy to see me and left her hay to come. Groomed, played around riding in the ring, some passenger, some review of leg yield and downward transitions walk and trot in the muddy ring. Then walked down the drive and up the road to the grazing spot. Dismount and remove bridle to Parelli halter and 15 minutes of grazing and visiting with the geldings.

Session with MH, her two warmblood yearlings and Dan Thompson

Session with Try and Dan Thompson on Attitude

2013 December 20 – All About Attitude - Session with Try and Dan Thompson

This session was about changing Try’s hohum, bored, monotone attitude of doing things that makes dressage study and being together less fun for both Try and I. So we played with ideas to create sparks of enthusiasm, energy, connection and interest through mirroring. All of this can lead to improved dressage riding.

1.            Use music and go from moment to new moment playing many Parelli games with BOTH of us staying in rhythm with the music and Try mirroring my energy and intensity, rhythm and quality of the music. Try and I have lost connection in stick-to-me with focus on dressage this fall.

2.            One game is for me to store up energy and explode similar to preparation for ballet lifts or big leaps (grand allegro). At first the explosion need not be pretty as I explode into Try BUT can be channeled into positive, purposeful movement. With this stored energy, the purpose is precision and intricacy of movement. BUT Try has to have the attitude part of this before it will happen.

3.            Right side: there is no reason to expect any less of Try—we had some great sideways away with energy on her right side.

4.            Circling game: when I get a good trot or canter, can we quit and hang out BEFORE she has the thought that she is bored—most important can I identify this moment?

5.            Circling game varied with change of direction and HQ disengagement—play with varying my energy, tempo and level of intensity through the process (light, slow, big energy and slow, faster tempo with less intensity, etc.) and have Try mirror me.

6.            Stopping is important. Will Try stop on a dime in stick to me?

7.            Plan: fit in between lessons and homework and fill her + bucket of dwell/grazing/hanging out, at least 15 minutes of this kind of intensity play to make progress in attitude.

8.            I set a goal that I will have a video of play to Dan by January 7-10 so I don’t get side tracked.

Note: I had sooo much fun and joy. It really turned loose the full positive expression of my RBE self!!

Thursday

MH rode Try. (I groomed and rode bareback first and Try was feeling lazy in the warm weather.) I saw improvement in the canter--for a longer time, using HQ--also a nice, relaxed, pleasant frame at the trot and walk. MH says Try does not like much leg pressure in the canter.

Homework for me: downward transitions--keep the frame and play with leg yield--MH added rail leg to rail rein cues to prevent front end from escaping.

After the ride Try and I went for a nice long grazing walk up and down the drive.

Tuesday and Wednesday

Tuesday
My goal was to review a bit for Dan's visit Friday and have a ++s bucket filling day. Try was GREAT at the review--right side sideways away and towards for instance and circling at liberty. BUT she was most annoying with the bucket part--she only wanted to leave the farm and eat grass in the ditch. Ask BA if she is getting enough to eat? Anyway, we played circling game variations to get on the same page and reviewed a bit from Monday lesson with MH and then some dwell time.

Wednesday
I just did not want to go to barn but did it anyway and had a pretty nice ride with Devon. Warmup wtc--some nice canter. Cool down with stretching at the trot and walk. Peaceful. He has ??cold?? with runny nose really bad--cleaned him up 1/2 dozen times.

Monday - Lesson with MH

My Notes: 

1. good to alternate straight lines and circles and fix on the circle. 

2. leg yield think neck rein on the rail side rein--and move opposite hip with leg cue with goal to remain parallel to the rail, 

3. canter trot transition to keep the body position/connection together in the transition. 

Also I did download the training level musical freestyle: lots of circles.