Germany Update!
Sunday, October 1st
No work for Fizzy (or any of the horses) today. I took him for a ½ hour hand-walk around the whole property and on the track around the perimeter. Klaus leaves tonight to do some teaching in England, so we are on our own for the next few days. It’s funny, I am so used to riding on my own usually, but I am enjoying my rides with Klaus so much, I am sad I will miss a few lessons. J Hopefully we will be better when he comes back!
Monday, October 2nd
Today I asked Michael Barisone, who is also here training, to help me a little with Fizzy. He said he had similar issues in the tempi changes with his horse, in that the horse gets almost too big in the changes, and becomes somewhat unbalanced. He helped me a lot to make Fizzy’s changes more through, but what I was most excited about was that from my work with Klaus just in a week, our changes are already much straighter! If I get my count right in a test we almost always get a “7” on the two tempis and one tempis, but I know if they were a little straighter and more through he has the potential for an “8” or “9.”
One of the problems I ran into today was that I was having a lot of mistakes in the changes, especially at the end of the left-right diagonal- he was adding in a change back to the left lead at the end. I though about this after, and yes, we haven’t done the tempis much lately, so I was a little rusty, but most importantly, I need to keep my seat in such a way that I don’t let these silly mistakes happen. I know if we have a problem it comes from me, so I need to make sure I am riding always in a correct position, and not confusing him. Tomorrow I will be better!
Tuesday, October 3rd
Well today was completely different from yesterday. I don’t think I made one mistake in the changes, and they were more through much earlier in the ride. I have trouble sometimes in the snaffle keeping him round enough- especially in the right-left change he comes up in the neck and dives down. Michael explained it really well by telling me to think about pushing Fizzy’s neck out in front of me, but in a round way, and keeping him more with my seat and less with my hand. And he also reminded me to stay a little more back with my seat. This made all the difference, and we had some really super changes today. Michael and Belli also helped me with my passage a little, and again, by staying a little more back on my seat, he came better with the hind leg and the whole thing became more expressive.
Every day I have been riding Winzi (previously Vinci in my journals because I didn’t take into account the fact that “W” sounds like “V” in German :-)), Eden, Robin, Dautre Fois and Troy. I have been learning a lot since they are all at different stages. It is hard to say who my favorite is because they are all so different! They range in age from four (Eden) to eleven or so (Robin) and from training/first level to just below Grand Prix. I am so happy to get to do some more riding than just Fizzy because I think it is important to be able to ride lots of different horses and adjust to them. For example, Eden is very sensitive in a really nice way, but can sometimes be a little strong in the hand. Robin, on the other hand, is so light in the hand, but starts out sometimes a little stickier to the leg. They all though have such unbelievable temperaments, and really enjoy their work.
Wednesday, October 4th
I know I always talk about Fizzy first, but I wanted to share that Robin and I did a super line of two tempis today! He can be a little sensitive about the changes and I have just done singles so far, but today he felt really good so we tried the tempis and he was super! I also found his, “fancy” trot- he has an outstanding extension, but sometimes I feel like I ride his collected trot too flat. Today I figured out how to bring more expression into the collected trot, and he was just lovely. He is really beginning to grow on me :-) And little Eden (well, 16.2 hand Eden) was wonderful again, as always! I told Klaus a few days ago that perhaps Eden would like to go to Florida for vacation when Klaus comes in January :-).
Now, on to Fizzy! Today we just did a light day- Klaus is home tomorrow so hopefully he can see him go a bit. Fizzy has felt great the last few days, so I figured Wednesday a light day, then Thursday, Friday, Saturday a bit harder work, then Sunday off. I think we may do a few shows in the not-too-distant future, and I am really excited that I’ve now had that feeling of really good tempis- hopefully I can keep them for the show ring! I know he can do everything from the Grand Prix, now I just need to keep making him stronger and more fit.
Germany Update- October 11th, 2006
Hello Everyone!
I have actually been doing things at night now, like watching movies, going to dinner, watching Balkenhol home videos, etc., so I haven’t been as diligent about writing. Sorry about that! Fizzy is doing very well, and I am hoping to show him soon. He had Sunday off, like usual, and had a light day on Monday as he had his feet done.
My lessons with Klaus have been so fantastic, and I feel like I am learning so much. I also try to watch as much as I can, especially Klaus (for obvious reasons) and Belli (since she has been working with him for so long, obviously). They are both such quiet, effective riders, most of the time it is difficult to even see their aids! Of course, that is what dressage is all about, but it can be a little tricky when you are trying to learn how they are using their aids.
So far I think the most important lesson I have learned is about letting the horse work for himself. I am lucky in that Fizzy has a super “Go” button, but sometimes, for example in the canter pirouettes, I push too much, and make things more difficult than they should be. On Monday we schooled the canter pirouettes just a little, and they were so much easier than they have been in the past (before coming to Germany). I think it is because I am learning to push less, and allow more. It is an incredible feeling.
But the MOST incredible feeling I have had since I’ve been here was today, in a trot half-pass. Fizzy is very good at half-pass anyway, but sometimes I think I get too strong in asking for the bend. “Forceful” is the wrong word to use, because I don’t think I could ever force Fizzy to do anything, but you know how you almost push for something too hard, that you get in the way? Well, today in our trot zig-zag, he made a lovely half-pass left, a nice change of bend, and then a nice half-pass right. I have been making sure after a half-halt I always become soft (obviously so) with the rein, and give my hands forward so that I give Fizzy room to “grow” in front. It was the most “ah-ha!” moment I’ve ever had when, after giving both reins in the half-pass, I gave a little extra as we approached the wall, and completely maintained the bend (from the Grand Prix half-pass) on my seat. It was so easy, with no pressure or pushing, and was just the most glorious feeling.
I know that we have a long, long way to go before we are confident totally in the Grand Prix work, but I am gaining so much confidence from Klaus’ way of teaching. He never gets angry or impatient (at least not yet!), and he always tells me, “you have time, easy, take your time.” He really has opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking, where with Fizzy, and I would think most really talented horses, that it’s like you’re just allowing them to work- and the less you do, and quieter you are, the more possible you make it for them to be expressive and supple. Of course this makes sense, but so often you feel like you need to struggle to get to a certain spot. With Klaus’ teaching, there is no struggle. There is no point where you think, “I will never get this.” Every day I feel like I improve a little bit, and things that were previously hard aren’t anymore.
For today (Wednesday) my big news is that my new Albion Platinum Ultima came, from Kate Athenas-Wilson at Dutchess Bridle and Saddle. It is a BEAUTIFUL saddle, and feels amazing on Fizzy. I already felt better swing in his trot today in the warm-up, the same feeling I had when I tried the tester a few weeks ago. I can’t wait to see if it makes a difference for us- I hope he likes it!
No work for Fizzy (or any of the horses) today. I took him for a ½ hour hand-walk around the whole property and on the track around the perimeter. Klaus leaves tonight to do some teaching in England, so we are on our own for the next few days. It’s funny, I am so used to riding on my own usually, but I am enjoying my rides with Klaus so much, I am sad I will miss a few lessons. J Hopefully we will be better when he comes back!
Monday, October 2nd
Today I asked Michael Barisone, who is also here training, to help me a little with Fizzy. He said he had similar issues in the tempi changes with his horse, in that the horse gets almost too big in the changes, and becomes somewhat unbalanced. He helped me a lot to make Fizzy’s changes more through, but what I was most excited about was that from my work with Klaus just in a week, our changes are already much straighter! If I get my count right in a test we almost always get a “7” on the two tempis and one tempis, but I know if they were a little straighter and more through he has the potential for an “8” or “9.”
One of the problems I ran into today was that I was having a lot of mistakes in the changes, especially at the end of the left-right diagonal- he was adding in a change back to the left lead at the end. I though about this after, and yes, we haven’t done the tempis much lately, so I was a little rusty, but most importantly, I need to keep my seat in such a way that I don’t let these silly mistakes happen. I know if we have a problem it comes from me, so I need to make sure I am riding always in a correct position, and not confusing him. Tomorrow I will be better!
Tuesday, October 3rd
Well today was completely different from yesterday. I don’t think I made one mistake in the changes, and they were more through much earlier in the ride. I have trouble sometimes in the snaffle keeping him round enough- especially in the right-left change he comes up in the neck and dives down. Michael explained it really well by telling me to think about pushing Fizzy’s neck out in front of me, but in a round way, and keeping him more with my seat and less with my hand. And he also reminded me to stay a little more back with my seat. This made all the difference, and we had some really super changes today. Michael and Belli also helped me with my passage a little, and again, by staying a little more back on my seat, he came better with the hind leg and the whole thing became more expressive.
Every day I have been riding Winzi (previously Vinci in my journals because I didn’t take into account the fact that “W” sounds like “V” in German :-)), Eden, Robin, Dautre Fois and Troy. I have been learning a lot since they are all at different stages. It is hard to say who my favorite is because they are all so different! They range in age from four (Eden) to eleven or so (Robin) and from training/first level to just below Grand Prix. I am so happy to get to do some more riding than just Fizzy because I think it is important to be able to ride lots of different horses and adjust to them. For example, Eden is very sensitive in a really nice way, but can sometimes be a little strong in the hand. Robin, on the other hand, is so light in the hand, but starts out sometimes a little stickier to the leg. They all though have such unbelievable temperaments, and really enjoy their work.
Wednesday, October 4th
I know I always talk about Fizzy first, but I wanted to share that Robin and I did a super line of two tempis today! He can be a little sensitive about the changes and I have just done singles so far, but today he felt really good so we tried the tempis and he was super! I also found his, “fancy” trot- he has an outstanding extension, but sometimes I feel like I ride his collected trot too flat. Today I figured out how to bring more expression into the collected trot, and he was just lovely. He is really beginning to grow on me :-) And little Eden (well, 16.2 hand Eden) was wonderful again, as always! I told Klaus a few days ago that perhaps Eden would like to go to Florida for vacation when Klaus comes in January :-).
Now, on to Fizzy! Today we just did a light day- Klaus is home tomorrow so hopefully he can see him go a bit. Fizzy has felt great the last few days, so I figured Wednesday a light day, then Thursday, Friday, Saturday a bit harder work, then Sunday off. I think we may do a few shows in the not-too-distant future, and I am really excited that I’ve now had that feeling of really good tempis- hopefully I can keep them for the show ring! I know he can do everything from the Grand Prix, now I just need to keep making him stronger and more fit.
Germany Update- October 11th, 2006
Hello Everyone!
I have actually been doing things at night now, like watching movies, going to dinner, watching Balkenhol home videos, etc., so I haven’t been as diligent about writing. Sorry about that! Fizzy is doing very well, and I am hoping to show him soon. He had Sunday off, like usual, and had a light day on Monday as he had his feet done.
My lessons with Klaus have been so fantastic, and I feel like I am learning so much. I also try to watch as much as I can, especially Klaus (for obvious reasons) and Belli (since she has been working with him for so long, obviously). They are both such quiet, effective riders, most of the time it is difficult to even see their aids! Of course, that is what dressage is all about, but it can be a little tricky when you are trying to learn how they are using their aids.
So far I think the most important lesson I have learned is about letting the horse work for himself. I am lucky in that Fizzy has a super “Go” button, but sometimes, for example in the canter pirouettes, I push too much, and make things more difficult than they should be. On Monday we schooled the canter pirouettes just a little, and they were so much easier than they have been in the past (before coming to Germany). I think it is because I am learning to push less, and allow more. It is an incredible feeling.
But the MOST incredible feeling I have had since I’ve been here was today, in a trot half-pass. Fizzy is very good at half-pass anyway, but sometimes I think I get too strong in asking for the bend. “Forceful” is the wrong word to use, because I don’t think I could ever force Fizzy to do anything, but you know how you almost push for something too hard, that you get in the way? Well, today in our trot zig-zag, he made a lovely half-pass left, a nice change of bend, and then a nice half-pass right. I have been making sure after a half-halt I always become soft (obviously so) with the rein, and give my hands forward so that I give Fizzy room to “grow” in front. It was the most “ah-ha!” moment I’ve ever had when, after giving both reins in the half-pass, I gave a little extra as we approached the wall, and completely maintained the bend (from the Grand Prix half-pass) on my seat. It was so easy, with no pressure or pushing, and was just the most glorious feeling.
I know that we have a long, long way to go before we are confident totally in the Grand Prix work, but I am gaining so much confidence from Klaus’ way of teaching. He never gets angry or impatient (at least not yet!), and he always tells me, “you have time, easy, take your time.” He really has opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking, where with Fizzy, and I would think most really talented horses, that it’s like you’re just allowing them to work- and the less you do, and quieter you are, the more possible you make it for them to be expressive and supple. Of course this makes sense, but so often you feel like you need to struggle to get to a certain spot. With Klaus’ teaching, there is no struggle. There is no point where you think, “I will never get this.” Every day I feel like I improve a little bit, and things that were previously hard aren’t anymore.
For today (Wednesday) my big news is that my new Albion Platinum Ultima came, from Kate Athenas-Wilson at Dutchess Bridle and Saddle. It is a BEAUTIFUL saddle, and feels amazing on Fizzy. I already felt better swing in his trot today in the warm-up, the same feeling I had when I tried the tester a few weeks ago. I can’t wait to see if it makes a difference for us- I hope he likes it!
posted by Liz @ 3:52 PM
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