The Ken Borden Clinic

So, over the weekend, I bit the bullet and signed up for the semi-annual Ken Borden, Jr clinic in Rhinelander, WI... a quick three hour jaunt to the south. Of course, I was feeling a little bit broke, which was the one and only reason that I hesitated for a fraction of a second to sign up. But who needs money, am I right?
Anyway, I headed on south for my two rides on Delight.
I was the last rider on Saturday, so I had plenty of time to scope out the other riders and listen to Ken's teaching style again. Even better, I had along my own personal groom/videographer so I could spend more time watching and learning and less time knocking the layers of dirt off of Delight (thanks, Donna!).

I know it's silly, but I tend to think of clinics as pesudo-horse shows, in that I do NOT want to be the lowest or worst one there. I realize we're all there to learn, but I want the clinician to be impressed with me, at least a little instead of one more training level lesson. Petty? Yes. But I recognize that about myself.

As I walked Delight around the arena, I told Ken about what we've done in the last six months and what I'd most like to work on: the lengthenings. I don't think Ken recognized Delight from the spring clinic, and after reviewing my spring clinic video I can understand why. She's really filled out!

Tired pony says "Turn off the lights!"

On day one, we worked on mostly improving the quality of the trot using our canter. Delight has a great canter, but a much less expressive trot than what the show ring is going to ask for... And those darn canter walk transitions. We've mastered the walk-canter transitions from last time, but the canter-walk remins tricky for us....

Ken critiques my shoulder in

Pony say's NO to lengthenings

Temper tantrum turns canter depart

Which gets reined back into a decent trot...

Day two we worked on the lengthenings, using a half 8 m volte with counter bend to the lengthening to the rail... As you can see, she was not a fan of the counter bend....

Caution: Dangerous Curves

Last weekend was yet another MD clinic. And I learned that I am still not doing enough right. Who would have thought that Dressage is more then just sitting up there and looking pretty? And who is better to pound that lesson into my poor sore body then AT the UberJerk. This sport doesn't have a learning curve, it's a learning slalom course.
Since RC is out with a tendon injury, I rode AT and Delight. AT was pulling out tricks left and right. He spent the whole 45 min all three days trying to thwart me. Catch his shoulder, find his inside hind, lower his poll, rinse and repeat. What a dork. He's teaching me to prepare, prepare, prepare though. I cant just sit back and let him do it for me (drat!), because he wont. Lots of learning there...

Today I shall make mistakes in the flying changes.....


And Delight was learning how to pay attention to me, even if there is something going on over there. We only had one "pony says NO" incident, so I'll call this weekend a win for her. She's getting there, but like always, the steps seem so small. One of these days she'll be an adorable little diva dressage pony....

Oh, and London came home. Mom is thrilled... and so is he.

A-Clinic-ing We Shall Go.....

So, over the weekendMD held a clinic here in the Houston area. Again, I realize that I have a long, long way to go.
On saturday, I rode RC. As it turns out, just lengthening his neck to get a nicer canter is not enough to get a nice dresage canter. But sitting him down for a few strides to engage his stifle and fetlock and every joint in between worked wonders. He sat down far enough so that he actually stood on his own tail bag (never fear, no tail hairs were harmed!) and pulled it out. His trot work was amazing, right from the start. MD and I got it slowed down and more engaged then did some shoulder-in, ten meter circles and half-passeswhich earned us the ellusive "Perfect!". Yay! My little dressage quarter horse is going to conquer all this year! Or, maybe more realisticly, second level.

London was the first to go of the Crew. He showed the most improvement since the last clinc (I know, thats not enitrely fair since RC had a whole summer's work with Martha). MD actually LIKED him this time. Evidently it's not all me (some of it is me) that causes him to think that collection=short. So after a breif wrestling match which resulted in sore calfs and arms, I was able to convince him to work with his shoulders UP. And when he decided that was OK, his work felt AMAZING. Day two was even better. On the second day I worked on collecting the canter and getting more jump in the working canter (use that huge butt). Again, with the shoulders. Now I know of his ability I suppose that means I need to school harder... darn.

And finally, Deli. Deli had a thirty minute lesson with martha. We worked on not running/falling through her right shoulder. One sided? Maybe. Even though she had a little temper tantrum near the end, she was really very very good for this being her first time out. She was quite look-y on the lunge and very nervous when taken out of the trailer, but she tied next to the trailer with no problem, and once lunged (working lunged, not running around like a moron lunged) she settled own to work... She was so adorable!!!! (Even if she had a little temper tantrum)