Melanie Smith Taylor Clinic

I went up to one of the bigger A circuit barns on Saturday to audit the Melanie Smith Taylor clinic.  It was a two day clinic, with three groups (2'6", 3', 3'6") but I was only able to go for the early groups on Saturday.  Based on the schedule I should have been able to watch the 2'6" and most of the 3' groups, but the first session ran long and I had to leave before the 3' started.

Melanie

There were 7-8 riders in the first group,  a couple pony kids, a few teenagers, and the rest adult ammys.  The first thing Melanie said as they were coming in to start the clinic was she wanted them to stand in a circle around her and let go of the reins; let the horse stand on the buckle. Having contact while stopped is unnecessary; "pressure without purpose". She also wanted them to lightly bump the horse if their heads were turning or they were looking outside the circle.  She wanted them tuned in to their rider, or centered as she called it.

Melanie had them go out on the rail walking on a loose rein and ran the riders through a series of stretches. Dropping stirrups, one hand reaching up over their heads (ride long and tall), arms out to the side, lifting one leg off the saddle, then both legs off to help feel their seat bones.  Next was some walk-halt transitions, trying to do 5 steps walk, halt, 3 steps walk, halt etc..... Melanie really wanted the horses paying attention to their riders, again focusing on centering the horse. She had them do the same thing in their trot and canter work as well.

During the 45 minutes that the group spent of flat work I noticed a majority of them either picked up the wrong diagonal or the wrong lead many times.  One girl, maybe 13ish?, (who was obviously incredibly nervous and over-horsed) never picked up the correct diagonal, and never checked it.  Her trainer was standing at the rail and would whisper to her as she rode by, and eventually Melanie started telling her to change.  Melanie also had to announce to the whole group that making sure you have the correct canter lead was more important than getting it at a certain spot.  In my mind, if you are jumping 2'6" and shelling out $400 to ride with an Olympic gold medalist and World Cup winner you should be able to get the right diagonal and leads.  It really surprised me how something that is so basic seemed to be so overlooked. /Rant over/

So deceptively simple

For their first jumping exercise Melanie had the group trot in to a line of crossrails with placing poles and a set of cones halfway between the jumps.  To continue the theme of precise transitions and having the horse tuned into you, the group was to trot the first jump, walk between the cones, then trot the second jump and halt on a straight line. Simple, right?  Almost all of the riders had trouble, either not being able to walk between the cones, horses going sideways, not stopping on a straight line, and quite a few had refusals. Some of my favorite quotes came from this exercise. "Do you want to ride in the Olympics one day?  Then you need to ride this, today, like an Olympian. These simple exercises are the basics you need to learn now in order to use later." And  "she's [the mare] is trying very hard for you, but she can't jump the standard. You have to direct her at the center and give her the confidence to do it." The mare was petering out to the base of the jump and drifting sideways, not dirty stopping but the girl (the one who can't find her diagonal) was doing nothing to help the horse.

Sorry for the crappy phone pics

After the riders somewhat got the exercise Melanie had them move onto what she called "the hourglass". They started with the same outside line, then trotted a diagonal crossrail, came back to a trot and did some raised ground poles in the center of the ring, then trotted out over the red crossrail oxer.  They continued onto the little white gait, back to the trot over the raised poles again, then a bending line to a far crossrail oxer. The more advanced riders of the group were to canter in, trot the poles, then canter the oxers.

During this exercise two girls fell off, one twice at the same fence, and I counted three instances of crying (one fall related). Melanie was getting slightly frustrated, but was still kind and encouraging to the riders.  She was happy if they took a circle to collect their horse, or if they asked to come back and do something over. Her main focus with this exercise was to get the job done, ie the transitions, then smooth it out. "Do as much as necessary, but as little as possible." I really liked watching this part, and wished I could have seen the more advanced group do it.  You could really see how some of the riders thought out their rides and how the horses had to think through it too. A few riders really got it, while most had trouble getting the canter to the second jump in the lines. One woman in particular had some very nice rounds and make it look super easy. I would highly recommend watching or riding in one of Melanie's clinics if you ever have the opportunity!

Brought to You by the Letter D

Vitamin D is something we here in the PNW are normally lacking this time of year.  Usually it's gray, rainy, gray, cold, wet, and gray.  This year it's been fairly dry with a mix of foggy/gray days and sunny days.  And now that its staying lighter later (and thank goodness for the time change this weekend) I've decided to take advantage and ride McKenna outside more.

I think part of the mare's resistance going right is that we're riding in the indoor, where the footing can be a bit slick if it's wet.  The few times it's rained this winter it's poured pretty hard and unfortunately a few spots in the indoor flood.  The gutters can't handle it and some water seeps in. I've seen McKenna slip while being turned out in the indoor, and I'm wondering if this A) caused her back injury; and B) makes her more nervous and unwilling to go forward inside.  I rode outside Sunday and yesterday and lunged her outside Monday and she was a lot more willing and seemed happier. 

Photographic proof that we ride outside.

Brief barn tour: My barn has two aisles, the upper and lower, with the indoor arena between them. The long side of the indoor arena run east-west.  Our outdoor area is directly off of the indoor, and it's long sides run north-south.

Marvel at my awesome paint representation of the barn

About 10 minutes into our ride yesterday as we were coming around the lower corner of the arena heading up the long side the big sliding door from the indoor to the outdoor started opening. McKenna spooked hard, jumping backwards and sideways at the same time. Thankfully she didn't do more than that; I had visions of my ass ending up in the dirt. I yelled at the boarder (very sweet but utterly clueless woman) who was sticking her head out of the opening and I'm pretty sure I dropped a few f-bombs at her.  She was very apologetic, saying she didn't know anyone was outside.   Once the door was all the way open I walked McKenna past it and she tried to run sideways again.  Since my heart was still in my throat and McKenna's whole body was vibrating, I figured we needed a break so I got off and put her on the lunge line.

One of my fav pics of Phoenix and Buddy standing at the offending door.

Once I was able to breath without shaking and McKenna was lunging past the door quietly I got back on.  My plan for the day was to work over some ground poles but I scrapped that and settled for some nice w-t-c. She was still a little sticky going right, but I didn't push it since she was being so much better than she was in the indoor. The weather is supposed to stay sunny and nice for the next week so we'll be able to get some hopefully good rides outside.

I can haz stretchy trotz?

The Great Boot Debate

Last year my 8yr old Ariat Heritage boots finally bit the dust. I thought I had scored a deal on some Tredstep's, but they ended up not fitting.  I did turn around and resell them for more than I paid for them, so that's a win.  I was somewhat boot desperate and everything with the calf size that I needed was either on a huge back order, or flat not available.  I ended up getting the Dover Middleburg Square Toe Field Boot.

Pic courtesy of Dover

While being around the same price as the Ariat Heritages, the Middleburg boots are no where near as nice.  The leather isn't great, the zippers tend to want to fall down, and after a year of use (I only ride in my tall boots maybe 1-2 times a week and use them at shows) the insole in one of them is coming off. They surprisingly broke in pretty well, and after they dropped they're a nice height for my leg but that's the only good things I can say for them. I've also lost some weight and they are too big in the calf now.  Last week I was able to get them on over a pair of boot cut jeans, without tall socks.

So. Much. Want.

I'm starting the search for new boots again.  I would love to get customs but I can't afford that. My top pick for off the rack tall boots is the Ariat Volant S boots.  I would need an XW calf from Ariat, and from what I can see Ariat doesn't make this boot with that calf.  There is one online site that I found that says they have them, and I have an email into them confirming it, but I'm not holding my breath.

My guilty secret

I also really like the Ariat V Sport boots. I know they are impractical to get as show boots, since I couldn't/wouldn't use them in the hunter and eq rings.  But I like them, and they come in a XW calf.

Boring boots

I'm most likely going to get the Tredstep Donatello Plus boots.  I like the look of them slightly more than the Ariat Heritages and I like that I can get the XW calf with a shorter height.  But after the Ariat's they just seem boring. 

A Little R&R

When TS adjusted McKenna last week not only was she out in her poll, she was way out in her hips. TS hit one spot on her and poor McKenna dropped her back so fast I was afraid she'd fall down. TS said she also has muscle and ligament soreness in her lower back and hips.  She wasn't worried about it and after the adjustment McKenna wasn't reacting when TS was palpating the area. She actually said the muscle soreness was good thing; McKenna's developing a top line and her hunter bump is almost gone. TS recommended some time off and a few days of bute then slowly bringing her back into work.

She also figured out the Lickit

Being the over protective horse mom that I am, McKenna got to go in her BoT sheet for a few days, all the treats she could eat, and some long turnout time in the outdoor paddocks. The outdoor time only last two days before she figured out how to open the gate and let herself out.  Luckily she didn't go to far (found a stack of alfalfa to munch on) and one of the other boarders saw her go trotting out the gate so she was easily caught.

McKenna's view from her stall of the scary loud tractor and trailer.

I lunged her lightly Thursday and Friday in some loose set side reins to see how she'd be, and after getting some impressive bucks out she was quiet and relaxed.  Yesterday I got on after some more lunging, and while she was still not thrilled about going forward to the right, she felt pretty good.  If I tried to pick up the trot tracking right she would sully up and get pissy, but we worked through it. I did a lot of circles, figure 8s, and changes of direction trying not to pick or put too much pressure on her. Our BO was loading a trailer full of manure for a landscape contractor while I was riding and it made McKenna tense (read: lots of noise and scary sounds), but she didn't spook and kept it together.  We only did about 20 minutes of walk-trot with the focus on going forward and relaxation. I'm hoping that she works out of this right side stickyness but luckily TS is coming back in two weeks to recheck/do a makeup lesson.

Lesson 2 of 2: Motion is Lotion

For my second lesson on Sunday we only did a half hour with our dressage instructor since Tia has already gone once.  Tia's usually a pretty easy going mare, not super demonstrative or emotional, but man the look she gave me when I went to tack her up again was pure evil.  She was not a happy camper.  It was very close to the look she gives when you try to pull her mane.

Pic from before my jump lesson, forgot to put with the other post

TS, our dressage instructor/chiro, has adjusted Tia before but never seen her ridden.  As I warmed up at the walk, she talked about how a lot of hunters tend to be very stiff and locked in their neck.  They go in that hunter frame, but don't use their neck correctly and their neck muscles tend to be very ropy and stiff.  And unfortunately Tia is a good example of that. She's happy to go along in a hunter frame, but if you ask her to really round up and go in a more dressagey way she actually comes up lame.  TS said that's because she's trying to use muscles that she hasn't in a very long time and has to change her way of going.  TS said that the only way to get her to change and get through it was to get her to move correctly. Our plan for the lesson was to work on unlocking Tia's neck and trying to develop a deeper, dressagey frame.

My trainer said that with her long whiskers Tia looked like a goat, so we started calling her goat mare.  I did take the not so subtle hint and clip her.

TS had me go into the trot, and do a lot of the same exercises she had me do with McKenna last time.  Post on the inside diagonal, push Tia out, exaggerate the bend.  To the right Tia was lot better than the left and after a couple times around the ring she really started to soften and give.  It was like once we worked through the "scar tissue" as TS put it, she unlocked this gorgeous flowy stride.  She was super light in my hand and I could feel her back come up and start swinging. I'm really sad we didn't get pics or video of it.  The canter was the same, I could feel her come up to me and she had (at least it felt like) this ground eating, hack winning stride. TS checked her neck again after the end of the lesson and said she could feel a difference in her neck muscles even after that short of a ride.  Made me feel pretty happy!

Lesson 1 of 2

I wasn't really thinking earlier this week when I scheduled a jumping lesson with my trainer on Tia for this morning that I was riding in a dressage lesson with McKenna this afternoon.  But once I realized I figured, what the hell, it'd be good for me and I really don't need to be able to walk tomorrow. Unfortunately when I had our dressage instructor/chiro check McKenna before the lesson she declared the mare very out in her back and poll so I didn't ride her and she got an adjustment instead.  My BO, who owns Tia, said she'd pay for part of my lesson if I wanted to use Tia.  So I did. But that's a post for tomorrow.

Tia's opinion about having to go twice in one day

My jump lesson in the morning started with a stiff Tia, but after a good long and loose trot warm up she felt pretty good and was raring to go.  It was bright and sunny, but windy and only around 40* so it felt pretty cold. We started by attempting to trot a crossrail but the big mare kept trying to canter it. I had to really focus on keeping my posting rhythm the same and not giving my hand away to keep her with me. 

The jump then went up to a 2'ish vertical that we cantered.  My job was to have a good pace and impulsion coming in, bend and balance in the corner, then let her go and support her to the fence.  It was a bit rough at first, my micromanagement tendencies were in full force, but we had a couple pretty nice fences.  Changed directions and did the same thing to the right and had a bit more of struggle since Tia tends to overbend going right and I had to work a bit harder.  But once we got it it felt really nice. 

Throwback to summer 2013 when Tia and I were jumping big sticks

We finished by putting a small 2' course together, just an outside line, diagonal, single outside, other diagonal but considering it's the most both Tia and I have jumped since last summer it was pretty exciting.  We accidentally added in the line, but it was a well done add and my trainer was fine with it since both of us are rusty. Tia did get a bit strong going downhill to one of the diagonals and I had to hold her a bit, which pissed her off, but oh well mare. When we went back to fix it she got over herself and it flowed really well.  I was super happy even though we were jumping tiny that I could go out and put together a fairly nice round after so much time off.  And I talked with my BO and trainer and hopefully I can take her to a show next month.

Wraps and Whips

McKenna got to make the acquaintance of both a dressage whip and standing wraps yesterday.  I'm pretty certain she's had exposure to both (maybe not a dressage whip, but some type of whip) at the track.  She's got an old splint on her left front so I'm 99% certain she's at least had front wraps on.

Bad mom for not noticing before tunout

When I pulled her out of her stall I did just a quick glance at her before turning her out in the indoor to get her yayas out while I did her stall.  I watched her move around at both the trot and canter and she looked fine.  When I put her in the crossties to tack up I noticed her right hind was slightly swollen and there was a cut and scab on the inside of it.

Not super big, but big enough

 She was fine about me messing it with it, and it wasn't hot so I decided that because she looked sound in turnout I'd still ride.  If I'm being super picky, she was maybe a touch hitchy when we first started our warmup, but by the end of the ride she felt more than fine.  We had some really nice trot work and our first few steps of an actual leg yield. Left lead canter wasn't a problem but the right lead was where we went off the rails.

McKenna's started this fun new habit of getting twisted and sucked back in our right lead canter transitions.  I almost have to crank her head around to the right because it's like asking a brick wall to turn right.  She also completely ignores my leg and a couple of times I had to thump her pretty had while growling at her to get any forward movement. I finally gave up today and had my friend hand a me a whip.  A few light taps behind my leg worked and suddenly she remembered she could go forward.  The actual canter itself was pretty nice, so we just focused on the transitions. We are supposed to have a lesson from our chiro/dressage instructor on Sunday and this issue is #1 on my list of things to talk about.

Once we were done I cold hosed the leg and put some antibiotic cream on it.  I was waffling back and forth over to wrap it because I was worried she'd get mouthy and pull or eat the wrap off overnight.  I decided I'd go for it and wrapped her.  She wasn't very happy about it but oh well mare.  For extra insurance I sprayed the wrap with some no chew spray my BO has for the horses that like to eat the wood.

Buddy's wraps are a touch too small, and Phoenix's were a touch too big

I ran out this morning before work (the perks of living 8mins from the barn) to check on her.  She was super good girl and the wrap was in perfect condition.  I pulled it off and while there's still a little swelling the cut looked good.