Muscle memory

I had a very big, important 'ah-ha!' moment today in my jumping lesson.  What was it?  I remembered something I was taught probably thirty years ago.  I remembered how to fold over a jump.

Sounds dumb, right?

I've been struggling since I got back into lessons to undo the training I picked up as an eventer that gave me a more open, defensive riding style.  Galloping down to a drop on a mare with questionable brakes taught me a lot about how to stay on top when things get a bit chaotic.

This is not equitating, but I lived to tell the tale

But I want to do equitation now and I'm riding a very, very different horse.  It's all about the pretty on my safe, lazy horse.

I've been struggling to close over fences and stay in my two point through gymnastics.  I can't seem to move in the right way.  In order to stay over the saddle I had to round my back on the way down from the apex of the jump.  That is kind of not the right thing.  Trainer D has been struggling with what words to use to make me move correctly.  It's such a split second thing and so nitpicky but I know it's important if I want to do equitation.  I'm in no danger of coming off or interfering, it just doesn't flow.

We're not polished, but we're getting in done in a safe way

I used to be able to flow.  Deep in the recesses of my mind is a rider that could cruise around a course of fences in a smooth way.  It took my eventing trainers years to beat that movement over a fence out of me.  It's not safe to close like that in cross country.  Now I'm trying to get it back.

Today I had to stop for a few minutes while a TB had a spaz.  I'm not big on wasting time in a lesson so we had a verbal discussion about what I was feeling and the mechanics.  Tiny minutiae that I damn well know most clients don't talk about.  I know my lower legs are swinging because my lower back is doing the wrong thing.  To which she said no, not your lower back, your hips.  I stopped, put my hand on my hip flexor, and said here?  She said yes and said I should feel the pull in my hips and hamstrings as I drop into my heels and fold.  I went back to the gymnastic and was hyper focused on my hips.  Heels down, legs still, feel it through the hips . . .

I botched fence one badly (my horse is a damn saint and didn't even notice) which set me up for muscle memory to take over while I was clinging to his mane with both hands.  It wasn't my eventing reflex that kicked in.  It was the older muscle memory that pushed my butt back and made my hip flexors burn as I properly closed over the second two fences in the gymnastic.  Trainer D suddenly started yelling 'yes, that!  Do that again!'.  I cantered around and went through again while thinking 'butt back' and sure enough, the back rounding suddenly disappeared. 

It's still in there

Then I stopped and jacked my stirrups up two more holes while she put the fences up another couple holes.  We both knew I'd managed to unlock something I was starting to think I'd lost forever.  I went into the grid again with my shorter stirrups and I could almost feel the neurons reconnecting.  My body KNOWS how to do this.  It's just been a very long time.  I went into the grid and with the shorter stirrups and bigger fences, I found my fold even easier.  It hurt like a sunovabitch but I found it.  Trainer D was delighted, I was ecstatic, Theo was stuffed full of cookies for being such a machine while I figured things out.

That is probably the last major piece I needed to get my jumping back in order.  Most of what I need is polish.  And pain killers.  Those muscles are not at all used to moving that way (and she had me doing posting trot without stirrups, wtf I'm too old for this crap).  I'm going to be very sore for awhile now that I have remembered how I'm supposed to be moving.

But I'm okay with being sore like this.  I got a bit of my h/j mojo back.

Jumping evidence

One of the teens was taking pictures during our recent clinic.  She had some technical difficulties and the lighting was not cooperating, but we do have some evidence that we now jumpa da jumps.

I'm happy to see my hands on his crest and loops in my reins since we've been working hard to make my demented hands behave but I'm making way too big a move over this cavaletti in warm up.

Bending to the jump on the left, my shoulders are looking better.  Theo is far from challenged by this turn, he's such a balanced boy.

Fuzzy and scruffy looking but you can see the dressage pony lurking.  

Hands are on the crest, elbows are sort of in, eyes are up on the next fence, and Theo's got everything else completely under control.

I was sad to see that none of the later courses made it into the photos but I'm super happy to have any media of us jumping.  Now to find some media of our attempts at flying changes.  Might have to resort to bribes at the barn.  I want to know what they look like!

All rounder

We've certainly embraced the jumpy jump life.  We've been in consistent jumping lessons for two months after our extended hiatus from any kind of serious business jumping.  We've been taking it slow and low, letting Theo redevelop those muscles and the cardio that jumping courses demands.  I've been rebuilding my position and my eye.

Media is pending so have an adorable picture of my dog

Fortunately my eye appears to have survived it's hibernation.  My first couple lessons were pretty sketchy but I can now spot my distance (or lack there of) from far enough away to actually act on the information.  Or have the moment of 'damn it, gonna eat this one', depending on how close the jump is to my turn.  Theo, for his part, is up for sainthood.  Seriously, he is so freaking amazing to fences.  If I've developed a good canter and do a decent job of getting him pointed at his target, all I have to do is smile and grab mane.  He will handle everything else and now, with Trainer D's help, it's in the right number of strides.  No more pony distances for papi!

Friday was my first jumping clinic since . . . 2015?  Something like that. Grant Wilson dropped by to teach some lessons.  I shared a lesson with my friend and her mare Legs.  I was a bit intimidated since I've just started to get my groove back and my friend is an eventer and field hunter with her mare.  Gallop and jump is kind of their thing and they can jump big.  Oh dear.

Just a smidge athletic

Grant is very laid back when teaching so I didn't stay intimidated for long.  We did a lot of unusual turns and bending lines with lower fences.  Nothing was straight except for the one stride.  He really wanted the horses to change bends back and forth while schooling so they used their bodies more.

Theo started to jump and was apparently quite a surprise.  He's all cold blood and he warms up like a plodding beginner horse, even with our gusty winds and cold temps today (wind chill of 22* for our lesson).  Next to Legs who's 16.3h of gorgeous, elite Hannoverian mare with motor to spare, he looked even more earth bound.  However, we started jumping and papi started to wake up.  Grant was surprised to see that Theo is actually a light, correct jumper that finds it easy.  He started to bring fences up and Theo had zero issue with the fence height.  I don't think we got higher than 2'9" but it felt good to go over some bigger oxers and feel Theo really use his body.  He was as honest as anyone could ask, the only blooper was when he wasn't sure which one I wanted on the bending line.

I bowed out after about 30 minutes of jumping since Theo was starting to blow hard.  It looks like he's due to be clipped again already.  Legs and her rider went on with the fences up at 3' or so, working on the mare waiting for the aids and getting her balanced turning in both directions.  It actually worked out well since she only needed a couple rounds at height and Theo was happy to be done on a positive round.  I bundled him up in his cooler and he hung out with the trainer while Legs jumped the bigger stuff.

We didn't really have much in the way of suggested changes.  Just keep him in front of my leg and that I need to not wimp out and add strides on the bending line.  He can make the distance just fine, go for it.  Theo, being a dressage horse, was quite comfortable with all of the requests to change his bend and his shape.  I might have yelled 'come on dressage pony!' on course.

Our only struggle is opening up again after he collects, but it's getting better.  He answered every exercise easily and on the first try. Only one rail and that was due to him not noticing the cross rail had become a vertical.  He jumped the snot out of it the next time around.  I knew he was getting tired when he started to tap rails behind and we bowed out.

Theo was, yet again, declared a very cool horse.  You can't complain about a horse that will absolutely jump and does so in a safe, sane, eager manner each time.  He was almost too easy to turn and once he learned the course, he almost turned out from under me on the roll back left (his stronger turn).  He was quite displeased by the lead changes through the trot that were being used to rebalance and offered pretty much any other variation you could think of to change his leads.  Poor Third Level pony.

He'll get a day off, then it's dressage time again.  Trainer Z is out on Monday and we've got changes to polish up.

Spring in his step

Let's talk about how amazing my horse is.

Our jumper lesson outfit, I loathe the way this browband fits him, I can't get it to lay nicely with his very broad forehead

Boring topic, yeah, but sometimes he just blows my mind.  Last weekend he went out and marched around at Second, looked totally like a dressage pony.  Collection, laterals, the whole thing.  Today I had my second jumping lesson.  I told Trainer D that I am struggling with ditching some of my eventer habits like opening up my position on landing.  I'm also supposed to be working on forward per both of my trainers (4.5 for a medium is NOT cool).  Trainer D nodded and said she saw that in my jumping since both Theo and I will shorten when going down to a fence.  That's kind of the opposite of what I'm supposed to be doing.  When coming out of the corner, you maintain or go forward, it's very rare you actually need to shorten.  Especially on Theo.

We warmed up and Theo was very distracted by all of the activity outside of the arena.  The family that owns the corn field behind the arena was out with their kids and Theo thought I'd brought him to visit the Children of the Corn.  Trainer D got to see his spin for the first time when I didn't guard the left appropriately and she was quite impressed.  It really is one hell of a spin.  Not much I can do about it but keep him working and make damn sure I manage that left shoulder.  At least he quit dropping that shoulder.  Now he tries to bring me with him.  Progress?

Aside from that, we focused on rhythm while changing the size of his stride.  Everyone knows the spiral in, leg yield out exercise.  Yawn.  But this was a variation I didn't know.  Start with a big, open, jumping canter.  Start bringing your circle in smaller and smaller.  Don't let your rhythm change, don't lose the impulsion.  The stride will naturally shorten to make it possible (especially with fancy pants that took it down to just under a 10m circle).  But when you open it up, open the stride back up.  Why did I never think of this?  I can tell this exercise is usually for horses that don't shorten well but it works just as well for horses that shorten easily but don't open back up.  We did this a couple times both ways, working on Theo shortening and lengthening while not changing his rhythm.

For our jumps, we started cantering over a cross rail with a rail a stride out.  I wasn't allowed out of my two point until after the rail.  And I had to move my hands up to a crest release.  I was hanging on to Theo's mane with both hands while fighting my reflexes.  I actually dropped a rein at one point because I was so focused on grabbing mane.  Trainer D was very happy with my softer position and me not snapping open but it's such a struggle right now that I can't do much else.  If Theo needs me to actually, you know, ride?  The two point falls back apart.  Good thing he doesn't need me much right now.

 I need a different bridle so badly but no idea what to get to go with my red saddle and weird shaped horse

We moved on to a little course with the barrels and an oxer with a plank.  He's such an honest boy.  Squished in the extra stride to the new, looky fences but jumped nicely.  We worked on pace.  More pace.  Move up to the fences, don't touch his face.  He compresses off nothing, you don't need your hands.  I knew when we had it because I could get up off his back and see that perfect spot four strides out.  The light bulb started to flicker and Theo started to push toward the fences rather than shorten.  Our last oxer got us a 'yes!' from Trainer D as we pushed forward out of the corner, nailed the distance, and had tons of impulsion for the jump.  I grabbed mane with both hands well up his neck and didn't let go until well after landing.  It's a good thing he's got all that hair.

I'd forgotten how addictive it is to have a horse carry you down to a fence with enthusiasm and then jump the dickens out of it from the perfect distance.  He's no hunter but he does have a stylish way of getting over the sticks.  

He's so much damn fun to jump.  I can barely remember the days when he was tricky and refused everything.  His ears come up and he locks on like a heat seeking missle.  He may spook or spin at things between fences but when we're on approach, he's all business.  We're not jumping big right now, probably 2'3" - 2'6" but he's having a blast.  It's serving the purpose of lighting him up in a positive way.  I had to ditch my crop for our last couple rounds because he was getting a bit hot and reactive.  Which is a good thing.  Sort of.

The jumping addiction is back in full force.  Good thing Trainer Z is coming out to visit on the 22nd.

Hello two point my old friend

You've come to hurt my legs again.

I had my first lesson with the resident h/j trainer who I will dub Trainer D.  I wasn't too nervous going into this because, let's face it, the bar was not set high.  I'm a middle aged ammy on her middle aged draft cross.  Everyone knows we do dressage.  I was quite clear that I haven't had a jump lesson in about a year and equitation?  That last happened over a decade ago.  I've been doing the eventers and survival trumps all in that discipline.  We confidently and safely jump 2'6" but that doesn't mean it's very pretty or polished.

We're not really known for being pretty and polished

For the curious, I wore my brown knee patch Pipers with the purple piping, a dark purple polo, and purple belt with rhinestones on the buckle.  Brown croc open front boots, purple PS of Sweden saddle pad, and black bell boots for Theo.  I went with the loose ring snaffle because I tried him in his old french link D ring and he hated it.  Like head around his ankles and actively avoiding the bit.  WTF, Theo.  Trainer D was also mystified when I told her so we'll play with bits to see what mouthpiece he wants in a fixed cheek bit.  For now, skinny loose ring snaffle it is.

We warmed up like usual, trotting and cantering on the buckle.  She was quite pleased to see him so comfortable working on the buckle and complimented his steady canter rhythm.  Not as much knee action as she was expecting with his breeding but definitely not type-y enough for the hunter ring.  Sorry, Theo, it's just not in the cards.  2'6" eq horse, though?  Trainer D is solidly on board, especially after we started cantering around a course.  Theo is so good at coming down to a fence with a nice, steady rhythm.  Even over the barrels he hadn't jumped yet, he neatly tucked in an extra stride and over jumped rather than doing anything dramatic or changing his rhythm.  Trainer D declared him very cool and a great partner for equitation.  My homework for him?  NOTHING.  Not a damn thing.  Just let him get used to cantering in a more free, less managed way since he was a bit puzzled by the sudden lack of seat and contact.  He is perfect as is and got no homework.  Show off fancy pants pony, geeze.

No lesson media so have a picture of what he did right after our lesson when I turned him back out, filthy pony

As for me?  Well, I laughed a lot because I knew this was coming.  She said two point and I got right up out of my saddle.  No, no, more angle.  Get your butt out behind you.  Hands up his neck.  More.  I can hear all of my eventer trainers of the past screaming.  Muscle memory did eventually kick in and I trotted around the ring with my fanny back and my chest closer to his withers and my hands further up his neck.  My butt is solidly over the saddle because I've ridden so many dirty horses that I don't get in front of the motion (I like living), but it definitely felt weird to practice a crest release after so many years.  My heels aren't used to me really focusing on them and the ankle stabilizers have atrophied, so that was uncomfortable.

Who am I kidding, everything has atrophied!  Thighs, hammies, ankles, even parts of my abs and butt were protesting.  I was cantering around the course with my horse being damn near perfect and I'm struggling to stay down in my eq position and not open up into my eventer position or sit deep to micromanage like a DQ and my thighs burning all the way around.  I'm going to be spending a lot of time trotting and cantering around in two point while I rebuild those muscles.  I was hurting when I got home and had to rush upstairs to my office for a meeting.

Starting to hack him outside after his rides as he gets more comfortable

But the lesson went super.  Trainer D was very calm, positive, and clear.  She hit things like shoulders popping out, not being straight enough in the canter, and other details that I really need to focus on.  I know it, but it helps to have someone else keep me on top of things.  She didn't call for anything dramatic in terms of my position or Theo's way of going.  Yes, crest release and no opening up on landing, but I'm also not allowed to fall on the neck.  She agrees that we'll probably spend all winter putting polish on me while Theo basically keeps being amazing and builds up some jumping muscles and confidence for jumping without me micromanaging him.  He's grown up so much that he doesn't really need me at the jump.  If I canter down in a good balance with plenty of pace, he knows what to do.  I just need to look pretty.  Which is what an eq horse does.

Might have to shop for some new field boots while I'm getting those dressage boots this winter.

Culture shock

Something dawned on me while I was talking about the new digs with the girls at the barn:  I need h/j outfits for my jumping lessons.

We have been pretty focused on this look lately.  From our most recent Second level outing

It's been a few years.  Okay, a lot of years.  I last did the h/j ring back in . . . 2005.  It was 2006 when I moved Allen from his h/j barn to an eventing barn to try my hand at a new discipline.  Yes, I took Theo to a h/j show, but that was all about survival and I don't think it counts.  I didn't look to see what had changed in the ring.  And he tried to kill the other horses and buck/farted over a lot of fences.  Lets just say there were no ribbons that day.

He did not look repentant

For context, I'm approaching my lessons as an adult eq rider looking to do the little local stuff (2'6" to 2'9").  Not the modifieds but I'm also not thinking we're going to New England finals or anything.  I think Theo would throw up as much as me in that coliseum. 

I've been rereading all my favorite h/j blogs and sites with a bit more focus on the pictures.  Yes, pretty ponies, nice knees, but what are they wearing?  Fortunately I never really left jumping behind so I have some ideas on how I'm supposed to look.  Some things don't appear to have changed.  My Charles Owen helmet is totally acceptable.  Long sleeve sun shirts?  Done.  Tan breeches?  I have one pair in the back of the closet, but I'm seeing other conservative colors as appropriate for lessons.  I probably shouldn't use my favorite pair since they're super purple, but the brown pair should be fine.

Black leather gloves, a belt, a hairnet, and my little spurs should finish my outfit off.  Or close enough.  Thank goodness equestrian fashion moves very slowly.

It's totally a picture of him refusing, but the outfit is good, right?

And then there's my tack.  I'm pretty sure my croc print open front boots are okay for lessons because they're very subtle.  I have both black and brown.  I'll swap in my plain black bell boots instead of my beloved LeMieux bell boots in white.

Oh right, rubber reins, I think I have my laced reins around here somewhere, are those bell boots navy?  Son of a . . .

The saddle is fine because it's a nice, broken in close contact saddle in brown.  And nothing else fits Theo so it's just going to have to work.  Feeling quite happy with my choice four years ago to go close contact and not something more eventing oriented.  I'm planning to slap his D ring back on his jumping bridle, I don't think we'll need our magical power steering NS loose ring if we're not doing collected work.  He has a pelham but that would be massive overkill while in a ring.  The bridle is a D'yon knock off franken bridle I cobbled together to fit his weird head, but it's fine for lessons.  I hope.

Omg, why are we allowed out in public?

The saddle pads?  Let's just say I don't even own a white jump pad.  I think I still have my fitted pad from our hunter outing in the back of my spare tack pile.  I have brown, champagne, hunter green, and grape square pads.  All from PS of Sweden. Color is going to be a thing but I'll save my gorgeous new grape pad with the gold and white braid for schooling rides.  For now, anyway.

Seriously, why do they let us out in public when I can't remember to pack the right boots?  But the saddle pad is pretty on him

I really am going to try to blend, at least for my jumping lessons.  I'm just not very good at blending.  Even fellow dressage and eventing riders raise their eyebrows at some of our . . . brighter outfits (looking at you, azalea pink with matching polos and browband).  I can take it down a couple notches while I'm trying to convince people that Theo's a serious business show horse.

We'll save these for after introductions have been made because you know I'm not giving them up