Friesian Stallion Training Journal/blog

[pintopiaffe]

that's exactly it--the calloused bottom thing.  It just takes time and mileage.  Most of our saddles at the ranch were slick seat... lemme tell you, riding 13 hours my first day, after being out of riding for about 18 mos left me almost CRIPPLED. :ouch:

I'm a little worried myself.  I'd left my Fhoenix in the trailer for those Arctic days, and so sat on a quite frozen Fhoenix t'other day, and OW!!! It hurt!!! Of course it was no harder (and probably softer!) than a traditional saddle, but I'm afraid I've gotten 'soft' from the SeatboneSaver Seat...  

So... you get a SeatboneSaver... I guess...

Nothing WRONG with treed if you can find one to fit!  Albion makes a very, very nice product.  Tree is adjustable quite affordably too.  Have an internet aquaintaince who was beginning 2nd/3rd level work in her Ansur and just couldn't sit her big guy's medium.  Tried a Prestige (which I *highly* recommend!) and immediately had leaps and bounds improvements.

I *can* send down a seatbone saver for you to try if you'd like.  I'll need it BACK, but you're welcome to *try* it. lol! Problem is they are illegal for dressage, and I'm worried I'll be too used to it/dependant on it.  So it's a saddle with the SBS built in for me.   :P  

[Linda Baia]

You need a seatbone saver! i am addicted to mine. in fact i have two, one western, the other one english.

But I agree with PP, I am becoming very dependent of them  

I have never ridden in a treeless, always treed saddle. OMG, I got bruised, burnt,  :ouch: and  I had to say to Hubby "oh not tonight Darling, we did sitting trot, today"  

Get yourself a seatbone saver  :lol:  

[shoveltrash]

so if a seatbone saver (or tush cushion, or whatever) isn't dressage 'legal,' maybe Heather needs to market a 'seatbone saver jodphur?' :P

due to my SORE seatbones, i didn't ride today.  probably a good thing, as we are attending a clinic tomorrow.......(how WILL i cope? ).
i lunged Little Buddy, first long & low at walk/trot.  he was over tracking at walk!  really stretching out over his back.   very very stretchy/swingy at trot too.  makes me thing that our work yesterday must've exercised his topline well, so today he is stretching those very same muscles.
i asked for left lead canter transition from the 'stretchy' trot - hooray!!!  no problems at all.  
i then attached the side reins and did just a *tad* of trot in an outline.  we circled at working trot, then went to a lengthening down the long side.  lovely lengthening!
i haven't worked lengthenings on the lunge in a while, but he remembers well
LB knows that when i open my upper body & raise the whip slightly, that he is supposed to lengthen stride....then he KNOWS he's been good, so he stops & waits for the big *praise* & patting :lol: .    i worked thru this little phase a couple of times, so that he realizes that lengthen does not equal stop right afterwards.  
not much more than that, 15-20 minutes max.
stretchy walk & trot at the end.  then a nice grazing session in our grassy backyard (his favorite part!).

not much to report, but i was pleased that we were successful with left lead canter, and that he was so willing to stretch over the topline
i hope i don't DIE riding in this clinic tomorrow :(

I had to say to Hubby "oh not tonight Darling, we did sitting trot, today" 

edited to add:   :lol: my OH expressed concern in regards to this..... :lol:  

[epona]

i hope i don't DIE riding in this clinic tomorrow

  I hope you dont either   but if there is a slight possibility, have you considered leaving him to me in your will :P Only joking

Let us know how you get on

vicky
 

[shoveltrash]

well i didn't DIE
and you've already GOT a lovely Friesian Vicky!

clinic started at 10am and ended at 6:30 pm (long day) yesterday.....then i had to take a power nap & lug off to work all night :blink: .

it was a FANTASTIC experience!  eight riders, with their horses.  mostly aimed at "position" and the basics for a correct foundation.  we got a very nice handout book, with tons of great info & quotes (one of which i'm going to add to my signature line!).

the best part:  each rider rode one at a time, then got off & someone else rode their horse under the watchful eyes of both instructors!

i rode first, with my old dusty Cashel Tush Cushion firmly in place (thank GOD, it really really helped!).
Iverzon was a star!  definitely the most advanced horse there in terms of lateral work & sensitivity to aids :blush:.    i rode and was able to do all the great stuff we've been practicing, all very well, then got trot lengthenings!!!!  GOOD ones!  "open thighs, nudge with seat, bounce legs slightly against horse's sides, give reins slightly/imperceptibly forward, and PROJECT forward with my center"
i worked!!!  people actually "ooohed & ahhhed"
Iverzon is so sensitive that he is easily 'shut down' though.  instead of just trotting round & round we mix up all sorts of figures & lateral work, but it was pointed out that every time he got sluggish it was my POSITION that was compromised, that caused it!  fascinating.
anyway

THEN another gal got on him (!).  she couldn't get him to WALK FORWARD .
he started backing up for China.....instructor had to come grab his bridle, stop her, and reevalutate HER position & aids.  seems she clenches her butt when applying legs for "forward."  well Iverzon was only doing what he thaught was right i guess.  she finally got walk, albeit very very hesitant.  then tried trot.
holy MOLY - he did PASSAGE!!!!  for five/six steps!  i would never have believed it if i hadn't seen it.  gal had been clenching her butt muscles like crazy, and squeezing firmly for trot - and he gave passage (he has never ever been 'taught' this!).  my little star! :blush:   she almost bounced off  :lol: .  
so at least i know that the ability is there, and the basic training.   the ride was revelatory for both her & i.   now she knows better what to alter in her own riding!

i rode a fizzy TB mare....who was being trained late in life (9 y/o).  she was very fearful, and very rushy.  she has spent most of her life as a broodmare until just a year ago.  KUDOS to her rider!~  she made it look easy, when it was NOT.  steadiness, quiet seat, and finally finally she stretches down thru/over her back & relaxes.  but it's quite a bit of work staying so *quiet* on a horse that is so so jiggy/jumpy.

i won't digress into all of the rides, but it was a really good experience.  at the very end i was asked to ride one more horse - another FRIESIAN!
unfortunately, my seat bones had suffered from the unpadded riding i did on that other saddle.....and i wasn't able to do much.  but this i know:  this older gelding was nice, but not fluid/"through."  he felt bone-jarring at trot!  not sensitive to aids at all -- but his rider was a novice/just learning to ride, so he was perfect for her!  a bomb-proof steady guy.  and very pretty

all in all a great day!
and i now know that my training is going GREAT.  my horse is sooooper-sensitive to the aids, which is lovely.  i just need patience to do the work to build his muscles, & patience to keep it "positive" & "fun" for him as well as myself (i was told by the audience i needed to SMILE instead of scowl while riding! :lol: ).
AND patience to keep plugging away at improving my riding.......

[shoveltrash]

forgot to add:  i was bemoaning my sore/blistered seatbones, when all of these other women at the riding clinic started chiming in:
"oh yes, happened to me too" and "gosh yes, took me a while to get over it"
etc etc etc
that is CRAZY!
the woman who rode Iverzon told me she had switched from a Torsion treeless to her treed, and shortly thereafter had huge sores!  (said that her gynecologist was mystified as to WHY someone would want to do something that caused such pain!).

i think i'll keep using my Cashel Tush Cusion, 'til i've fully mended  

[Danni]

I'm so thrilled you both had a great time by the sounds of things

You are so lucky you have a blank canvas to work with; you can keep the finesse & sensitvity & lightness, we are trying to rediscover ours  <_<

Don't know about you but I LOVE watching my horse move.  It gives you a picture in your head of what to strive for & shows you that the ability is there, you just have to find the right combo of buttons

Hope your bum heals up soon, can't believe people think it's normal to have sore seatbones though.  Maybe I'm just a wimp, maybe I just have a terribly fat *rse! :blush:

[Sonora]

Wow! you're doing great Trish! You must be so proud LB is a lucky chap to have you as an owner, so conscientious, caring and putting so much time work + effort in to improving both of you ~ it's really inspiring When I get my boy I will be the same! And I'm learning lots from reading this thread, so thanks for sharing your progress
(Ps can you please pm me your email address so I can send those pics~have not forgotten just can't send pics via pm!)  

[pintopiaffe]

oh, Trish!  What a great report.  VERY interesting concept.  I'm not sure I"d be brave enough to let someone else ride mine...  was this with your regular teacher?  Or someone outside?  (you can email me the name if you don't want to post  :P  )

How WONDERFUL to see the passage!  He was just jealous then of us.  <yup>  :lol:     It *is* very exciting to see a glimpse of the future.  

 

[epona]

well i didn't DIE 
and you've already GOT a lovely Friesian Vicky!

Hey Trish!  You can NEVER have enough Friesians    :lol:  :lol:

Well done at your clinic - I REALLY wish I could come and see you and Iverzon, you really sound like you make a great pair

I'm not sure I"d be brave enough to let someone else ride mine...

 :lol:  :lol:  - Id be too much of an interfering b**ger for anyone to enjoy riding mine <_<  

holy MOLY - he did PASSAGE

WOH! Way to go LB :lol:   I agree Pintopiaffe - it is really exciting to get a glimpse of what they are capable of.

Vicky

ps - hope your posterier feels better soon - sounds painful :ouch:
 

[shoveltrash]

i think it's fascinating to see someone else ride my horse!
(under strict supervision of the instructor, MY instructor)
the main goal in the clinic was to see how the *horses* responded to different riders, & how position affected them.
as a group we critiqued rider position, and got feedback from the instructors (there were two).  IMHO horses really reveal alot that is difficult to SEE in regards to tension/tightness/imbalances in the rider.

and OH GLORY BE that brief *vision* of things to come, that bit of passage, was just awesome :P  
Jaeme, i think that Iverzon didn't want Mac to outdo him :lol:

today the Accupoint/massage/saddle fitter lady came.  'fitted the Albion - it only need a tiny bit of flocking adjustment.  she LOVED the ALbion for him!  great wide gullet, room to grow with the XW tree.  fits him like a glove.
she also did a check & found some mild low back tightness, mostly on his left side, with a tad bit of soreness.  Iverzon got a massage (which he obviously like, cause he *dropped* all the way out during it ), and a "Moxa/Mugwort" heat treatment for his low back.  the difference in his back muscles was very noticeable, they got much softer/pliable.

now if my poor seatbones can recover
WHY are treed saddles made so HARD?
(still looking forward to demo-ing a Fhoenix........)

[shoveltrash]

catching up here.....

yesterday i was SO tired, after working all night, all i could manage was hand walking....so we had a "tarmac promenade"
it was a good reminder for me, i need to keep up the in hand work with Little Buddy.  he was FULL of himself!  and the soundest he has ever been on tarmac.  we walked for about 45 minutes - good exercise for both of us!

today i took him to my friend's place.  we had a GREAT ride!  
<btw,i get scared posting the "ups," cause i know we'll have "downs" too >

LB was the most consistently "through" that he's ever been.  really really stepping thru with the hinds, back coming UP, on the bit, the whole thing.
the last half of our ride, we were around two other mares.  boy now THAT is the ticket for suspension/impulsion!      he gets so so animated.
someone suggested that we station a pretty mare by the arena, when i show/ride a dressage test :lol:  (not a bad idea)

all we did was basic trot work, very little else.  some transitions.  i once asked for left lead canter (our previous buggaboo/problem area), he struck off on the left lead so nicely that i tipped forward in surprise, at which he stopped :blink: .  but that's ok!  i left it at that.
at the end we just trotted 'round the other mares, rising trot with nice stretching.  it's so good to expose him to other horses under saddle.

i theorize that my improved position has helped Iverzon - i've become more stable & balanced, and with that he is now using himself better.
***i decided to edit here:  because some credit must go to Vicky, my Accupoint therapist/saddle fitter.  she took a lot of time working with LB's back tuesday, so that might've made a big big difference***

[shoveltrash]

ps - and yes, my seatbones are still tender :unsure: .  the Cashel tush cushion is a lifesaver!  i must say that the Albion provides a much MUCH better balanced ride for me, than the Ansur.  it alone has made a big difference in my riding.  

[Linda Baia]

Do you think that the difference in the saddle is due to the tree? If I remember, one has a tree, the other one has NOT a tree ???

just asking, I do not want to start a polemic  <_<  

[shoveltrash]

hmmm......
the Ansur has very short flaps, very little 'structure' (yes it's treeless).
the Albion has longer flaps, much more structure & more twist.

i find it easier to *feel* my seatbones on the treed saddle (which can be detrimental if they get SORE :lol: ).  but i can definitely feel the subtle differences in weighted seatbones rt/lt.  i really struggled with this in the Ansur, tending to collapse to the inside (overdoing it).
my leg falls very naturally ear/hip/heel alignment in the Albion.  not so with the Ansur.  Albion also has big knee rolls, and a very deep seat (didn't think i'd like this, but it is actually very secure).

i don't think it's necessarily treed vs. treeless, as from what i understand, the Fhoenix has more structure to it than the Ansur.
dunno --- WON'T know 'til i have the opportunity to trial a Fhoenix.


today we took a nice long relaxing trail ride.
we had our very FIRST hand-gallop
there's a nice open uphill spot by the lake that is perfect for trot/canter.....Iverzon seemed excited about the prospect, so i let him *go*.  boy he WENT.  he is POWERFUL .  weird, i could swear he did flying changes every time we went over so much as a stick or tree branch....never disunited, but definitely changes!  however i was more preoccupied with keeping myself SAFE than assessing it, at that moment in time :lol:
he is much more sound on the rocky portion of the trails - i bought Epic hoof boots for him about a month ago, and haven't had to use them!
we got back & used an herbal salve on his low back, and put a heating pad on it for 30 minutes (as prescribed by Vicky).  he LOVED this.
nothing much else to tell - just a nice day for a casual jaunt thru the woods