It was wonderful reading this update from Claire about her training journey! (I wish she had added a before picture as it certainly did not look like this!) I love helping my students to become better trainers of their horses — this path takes a lot of patience and dedication. Hearing about this sort of real progress makes me so very happy!
From Claire-Cumbee
Swatch and I have been able to put down some of the more competitive dressage tests, over the past few months. But, if you look at our first events this was not the case. Add 10-12 points.
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We spent three days with one of my first coaches, @allisonspringereventing in March which was a bit of a turning point.
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Up until this point, the way in which I was seeking connection was a little backwards. Riding front to back, not so much back to front. Meaning- I was just squeezing the bit until he tucked his little head underneath himself, not so much riding him into the bridle. I’m not certain, he had a tendency to tuck his nose into his chest as if he’d been ridden in draw reins, which I’m not always so against, but for his sake he had no knowledge that taking his nose out, lifting his body up and out, putting some weight in my reins was a good thing. You could throw the reins at him, and he’d stay in the same frame, never stretching out to the contact.
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In those three lessons, we painfully worked on the most simple exercises to improve the connection. (We may have spent 20 minutes at the halt)
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Back home, I kept riding those same exercises.
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Could I fully descend Swatch’s frame from the ground, up to competition frame. Picking him back up from my leg, not my hand. Halt, walk, trot, canter.
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Turn on the forehand.
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Turn on the haunches.
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I do these exercises every warm-up. At competitions, horses trotting around, I start with the above.
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I feel like it took me a little longer, finance wise I can’t afford more than one lesson a week, so prioritize jump lessons at home. So working on these dressage exercises alone, I’ve just tried to stay consistent, really study how I was training him, make sure I can do these fundamental exercises, then proceed.
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Who knows, maybe the wind was just blowing right.
