Handsome is as Handsome does -- NOW A VIDEO ADDED

[epona]

Hi Steph, You have a BEAUTIFUL posture when riding  

I think the turning issues / hand placement problems you are having is to do with Amicus not being fully from inside leg to outside hand.  I know this sounds an 'easy' concept but actually it is quite a refind place for the hores to be, they have to be fully on the aids to be fully accepting the inside to outside aids    The biggest tell tale sign is on the last video where you bring the inside rein against his neck and the outside rein away from his neck in an effort to gethim off your inside leg    The trot work just before it was really nice btw  

This is my take on things:  Amicus is still a little on his shoulders and becuase his weight is on his inside shoulder he is using your leg for support rather than move away from it    To free up his shoulders to allow you to use your inside leg properly he has got to use his hind end more.  Lateral will help this such as shoulder in and travers.  Also work on a small circle in Giravolta will help him really engage his inside hind.  You can do this on the ground or ridden.  A good exercise ridden is to do the small circle work engaging his hind quarters riding one handed   for one, when he fills the outside rein as he should he also give himself the inside rein which is a great bench mark for the rider.  Secondly, you can use a long schooling whip with the insdie hand to 'animate' his hind quarters so he is actually using his inside hind to turn and not pivoting on the inside shoulder.  If he pivots on his inside shoulder (which he will probably want to) then he will struggle with the inside bend and he will want to bend to the outside.  It might take a few minutes before he *gets it* but when he does it will feel GREAT!

Also as Heather says, if he struggling with the concept make your body position face to the inside, even your shoulder to start with.  He will probably resist at first but keep asking and allof a sudden he will be truly bending around your inside leg and you cant mistake the feeling  

On another note, you wrists are a little limp at times    Think of them like a running hose pipe, straight but fluid, it should help your connection  

[Bejay]

Another person here who is envious of how elegantly you ride!!! 

[luckyrider]

Thanks Vicky, another great batch of exercises to try. 

Riding one handed on a circle
Small circles and whip-tickle to animate the quarters
Inside leg to outside hand
Filled hose pipe for wrists -- actually here I may need to think steel rods at first, to get away from my pansy-wristed floppy look!

I see what you are saying about Amicus using my inside leg for support on circles, but if he is, he can never truly prop himself up on my inside leg, logically, can he -- since I am on his back and not touching the ground... it's a big puzzle for me, what exactly is he getting out of leaning in on my leg?  Is it just that he likes to cut corners and do smaller circles?

Thanks again for the comments.  On the whole I am reassured and much, much more importantly I have concrete things to work on.

[epona]

Filled hose pipe for wrists -- actually here I may need to think steel rods at first, to get away from my pansy-wristed floppy look!

Steph!!!  I implore you not to do this!!  This would be typically ME, just my kind of mentality, but after a really good AT session at the weekend I am starting to realise that ‘over egging’ my position or trying too hard is not always helping me LOL!!!  I am laughing while saying this of course, but I am also a teeny bit serious as you could end up training your floppy but feeling wrists to become very stiff   I said hose pipe because I wanted to get the feeling of when water runs through a pipe the force of it makes it strong and straight but you keep that sense of ‘fluidity’ in your mind rather than unbendable steel.  Plus if your wrists ‘kink’ just like a hose pipe your energy or feeling will be cut off from the horse. Its a very subtle difference I know but I think the visualisation might help? 

As for the inside leg, I think you are right that Amicus cannot truly prop himself up onto your leg, but he isn’t responding to your inside leg as he should be.  He should be in fact ‘stepping away’ from your inside leg with his INSIDE HIND and the energy from this action should be contained with your outside rein to harness the energy.  If you do not collect the energy in the outside rein he will loose it through the outside shoulder
Now, this is the essence of ‘self carriage’ work and is blimmin hard work for the horse!  So you will find that to relieve himself of a bit of effort, he will use his shoulders to take the weight rather than his haunches. Particularly his inside shoulder which will then cause him to have the feeling of falling into the circle which of course can also feel like he is leaning on your inside leg!!  Which of course he isn’t exactly leaning on it, but he isn’t ‘off’ your leg either. 
What he is getting from not being off your inside leg is that he is able to relieve his inside hind by taking some weight onto his inside shoulder.  The outcome of this is that he will fall in through the shoulder and the end result is cutting corners and smaller circles. 

[luckyrider]

Thanks again, yes I see now how the hosepipe analogy works on a couple of levels and I will try to do that.  Funny, you've picked up on my usual pendulum effect of seeing a problem, over-correcting it and getting something equally ridiculous but opposite!!!

And as for his way of going, we need to get those hinds taking a more active role, basically.  I feel the trotting poles will help strengthen him, so that I am not asking anything too difficult of him when I insist on him going this way.

Hang on, here is a photo from two and a half years ago, when he was stabled and we were doing lots of pole work -- does he look better with stepping under, here?  I think he does...



Will have to try and get back to that... (without of course me reverting to riding as if I had a broomstick for a back, and permagrip legs!!)  Thanks so much for your help, everyone... and for your incredibly kind comments (cos I really am terribly sensitive about how I ride...)

[epona]

Funny, you've picked up on my usual pendulum effect of seeing a problem, over-correcting it and getting something equally ridiculous but opposite!!!

Ah well, thats because I suffer from EXACTLY the same thing!!!  Im learning though................slowly! 

I think Amicus is stepping under better in that pic too    Steph, do you mind if I ask a question?  Is Amicus's belly because of a lay off from work?  I only ask because his muscle tone now is quite different to your first picture. And although I might get shot down............. sometimes horses who that do a lot of baucher work flexions without the proper engagement can get a droopy tummy    Proper engagement with baucher flexions are hard and Ive seem too many horses that are quite hollow.  I think you and Trish touched on the difficulties of this work a page or so earlier?

If it IS because a lay of from work then there is no real problem as he will soon gain his tone again. If it isnt perhaps be really mindful about how he is working through his back?

Ill shut up now 

cos I really am terribly sensitive about how I ride...)

  Youre doing a great job 

[epona]

ps - I couldnt master the flexions either just so you dont think Im pretending to be any kind of expert    I found Antsje started to become very hollow and 'mincing'  ..... I think I borrowed your phrase!!

[luckyrider]

Thanks again Vicky, you're being very tactful, as ever.  A lot of people comment about the belly... really I don't know what is going on, everyone here calls it a "hay belly" and in fact he had it a lot less when he was stabled and on very little hay... but of course a lot of things changed when we came to la Cense, not just the diet.

So I am puzzled about the belly.

Baucher flexions we cannot blame, as I have not been even trying, though I watched them on my PK DVDs... but I have been doing the "hollow mincing" stuff for about a year, and his belly predates that!  So go figure!  I certainly can't figure it out, but the proof will be in about six weeks time after this new work we are doing, which is very forward, with his back nice and rounded underneath me all the time.

Stirrups -- went up one hole today, and felt in better balance... but for someone who has a fixation about how far her legs come down her horse's sides, it felt a bit like a sacrifice! 

Amicus did not wander into my inside leg at all today, thanks to the tips you and Heather have given me. 

Ankle getting stronger by the day, since I have embarked on a gruelling series of physiotherapy sessions.  I was only moved to do this in order to help my riding -- Rob was scratching his head -- I will happily walk with a limp, but if it gets in the way of my riding... I'll go and do something about it.

In a nutshell we had a great time!  More trot and canter poles, with changes of direction coming out... simple changes are asked for, though flying changes iff offered are not unwelcome.

       Bet you never knew Amicus did one-time changes???........

                    ......... (ie one flying change per session!)

actually today he offered three, and the Rebel was very pleased.  They felt good too.  I rode almost entirely off of the snaffle rein, and Amicus was great once more (he was stiff and heavy when I used the curb rein too much -- the day of the videos).

After Rebel left I did a lot of SI and travers on the straight and on the circle.  He was good.

That Portuguese WE Pelham has a great feel on the snaffle rein -- you could not feel any better if your fingers were actually inside his mouth.

Vicky, thanks so much for your interest and help.

[shoveltrash]

Amicus did not wander into my inside leg at all today, thanks to the tips you and Heather have given me.

what exactly did you do?
(i'm fascinated by the "solutions" part of horse training/riding!)

I will happily walk with a limp, but if it gets in the way of my riding... I'll go and do something about it.

a great discussion.......Vicky's advice is good.  i wish i were so eloquent & insightful!

[epona]

Erm Trish!!  You have helped me COUNTLESS times with your 'eloquent and insightful' advice 

Steph, glad you had a good session today  I also would be interested to hear what you put into practise 

About the belly - I will also watch with interest the improvements made through this 'new work' as this kind of exercise would be just what I would advise.
Barney has a similar kind of conformation, his belly isnt properly toned and he lacks top line (although I dont think Amicus does?) So while Antsje is laid off, he is my new mission!!  Barney is VERY protective over his back, his initial way of going is head up, back hollow and rushes.  We have made big improvements in his walk and trot, but even though he is working rounder and I can feel his back 'up' I know it isnt completely released.  So over this next month I will be working with Barney to try and improve his 'swing'  A good exercise to test your connection is allowing the horse to take the rein down and stretch while keeping round and in the same rhythm and then say after a circle, bringing them back 'up' into a working frame again.  If they are fully into your hand they will be able to do this and SWING through the back in the stretch.  Try it with Amicus - if his head shoots up, he looses impulsion or rhythm then he isnt fully 'through' He most likely needs to be stepping under more and reaching for the contact. The more 'forward' work will help as long as he is 'forward in balance' and not just rushing 10 to the dozen 
Also, as you suggested, pole work would be great for the 'swinging back' both on the lunge and ridden.  Raised poles would be even better!!  Now Amicus is really built for power IMHO so you will feel his back up even at half power    Try the stretchy trot over raised poles and tell me how his back feels then    Then try and aim for that same feeling on the flat 
Then you can join my club of 'HOLY COW HOW WILL I EVER SIT THIS TROT' club 

Please take some more piccies in a months time, I would be suprised if there wasnt a difference 

ps - I feel the urge to ask you if he has a pre-biotic in his feed regime?   

[tollertwins]

I don't think the legs look bad where they are, either, but think that you could go up a hole w/ no issues...

Thot that the last trot vid looked pretty nice!

but what was with the 'OH MY GOD YAAAAGGGGGGHHHH' from the trainer during the canter poles...   

[luckyrider]

Thanks again... pre-biotics, check (I think... he has TopSpec Comprehensive Supplement sprinkled into his feed...) he takes three small handfulls of the yard's regular nuts/flakes mix, topped up generously with D and H Fibergy, twice a day.  Two slices of hay morning, two again evening.

Rebel was saying the same, that this kind of work was going to strengthen his top line and get him using his back and hocks properly.  He did not mention losing the gut, either he took that as self evident or he sees no problem (possibly purely because he is used to seeing Amicus's gut!!!)

The down and forwards stretch, then back up again with no change in rhythm, we were playing with that last ride, and Amicus apparently got top marks for that. 

TT -- The "Yaaaggghhh" shout, I have worked out, is a sort of "well done", at least I hope so 'cos we are getting more and more of them, but he was not saying "oh my god" 'cos he was speaking French!!! 

That's the thing, Vicky, with the trot -- I'm not sure I want the full power version as I know I could never sit it.

ST -- what did I do to stop him wandering into my leg?  It's funny, the answer I think is very, very little, but as Heather suggested I turned my shoulders ever so slightly inwards and hey presto, either because of this or by some other magic (I am inclined to think the former), he pinged right off my leg.  Heather said turning my shoulders slightly in would weight my outside seatbone and bring his weight off the inside foreleg.  At the time, such subtleties were miles from my mind but luckily I remembered to turn my shoulders in very slightly and the rest seemed to take care of itself.


Perfect day today
-----------------
No lesson, so we were free to Clicker Train.  We did targets, Amicus's favourite -- free treats for him.  Then had trouble getting him to move away from the targets, and once I had put them in a corner of the school it was hilarious how a 15m circle gradually expanded until he could park himself in front of the targets and give them some shoves.

Concentrated on a few little holes in my clicker technique, such as presenting the treat correctly (ie placing it where you want the nose to be).  Withholding the click for a moment is hard for me.  I know I am going to have to withhold soon, when actually every fibre in me wants to click that beautiful transition.  I will have to work on that!

I knew he was feeling great today, he just looked spot-on and whinnied when he saw me.  So after some CT warm-up I hopped on and just set out on a short hack.  Like it was nothing at all to set out alone on a hack of any description.  This is the serial napper we are talking about.  Just like Becky advised, I clickered like mad all the way out and...

         ......... he could not have been better.  We visited the spookable corner, the loathesome copse and the deadly bridge.  No hesitation, only stopping to get his treats.  Jackpot, hop off, walk home with girth loosened.

The shortest, most perfect ride.  Thank you Amicus.

[epona]

WOW!!!  Sounds A-Mazing I just LOVE those perfect rides 

The down and forwards stretch, then back up again with no change in rhythm, we were playing with that last ride, and Amicus apparently got top marks for that. 

That speaks volumes for your connection Steph  Its suprising how such a simple exercise can reveal so many flaws LOL!!  So that is a real achievment    Thats the catch 22 with the tort - good for the horses development, hard work for the rider..............although also good for thier development 

I like the sound of Rebel very much 

[luckyrider]

Thanks again, and I really meant to say, and this is where it gets a little    and I need a glass of wine first... that not only your interest, but also everyone's kind comments on my videos,

        have made me feel a million dollars!


really put a spring in my step.  It seems obvious to me -- a video is for help, not self-aggrandisement...  and I was seeing my faults, of course, but also seeing that the entire picture was not too bad... so this is just a big THANKS from the heart because you all put a massive smile on my face for the rest of the week!

In my last lesson with Rebel, you will laugh, Vicky, but I caught myself with my limp wrists a few times and said aloud -- "HOSEPIPES, STEPH"!!!  And Rebel said, "qu'est-ce que ça veut bien dire, euz-payeeps?"

Things are going great, and I am appreciating the moment.  Cos we all know how horses like to throw you a spin ball from time to time.

[luckyrider]

A few more training sessions since my last post, all in-hand and lunge work due to (my) minor health issues.

Lunging with the clicker, Amicus is a scream.  I had spent one session about a month ago concentrating on rewarding uppity self-carriage, and as a result, we have been getting the most hilarious postures from Amicus who has decided that "more is more".  He is offering all sorts of mini cabrioles and levades to get his treats.  I don't know what to do!!!  I was initally treating him when he lifted his shoulders and lowered his croup.  Now he is taking things to an extreme, and holding this sort of static rear (accompanied by a squeal and a snaky head) until he gets clicked.  It seems churlish not to click!

I have been approached by one of our top teachers here, asking me if he can take Amicus out on competitions (he had seen us working last lesson we had with Rebel, and must have liked what he saw in Amicus).  Thing is!  he is talking about show jumping.  I said I liked the idea of Amicus jumping, though nothing over one metre (which I think rules out competitions!!). 

This guy is a very good rider.  Otherwise I would not entertain the whole idea.  But I said he could try some small jumps with Rebel in attendance, but had to stop straight away if Amicus did not seem keen.  But that competitions were out.  Unless they were local and just dressage.

I am of course remembering PK's assertion that all horses, even "dressage" horses, should be jumped regularly. 

So the last couple of lunging sessions I have set up some jumps alongside the trotting poles, to try and build up his back.  Small, with canter poles in front, trotting poles in front, bounce jumps, very small spreads.  He is loving it, he gets very expressive over obstacles.

Today we had Andy B's dog, who goes by the name of "mate", escort us to our workout venue.  He obviously felt we needed a little help keeping Amicus properly rounded up.  Amicus does not like this dog at the best of times, as he is very "predatory" in his body language and he does have this mania about rounding up any stray horses he finds.  So Mate was trying hard to keep control of himself, but couldn't help darting in from time to time while we were lunging to help urge Amicus on (who believe you me needed no urging).  I could see Amicus getting more and more annoyed, until, upon landing after a jump, he did a whole circuit of what I can only call

                               SPANISH GALLOP

cantering fast, throwing his forelegs out in turn trying to squash the dog.

I wonder if I can free shape Spanish Gallop and get us some ribbons?