Saturday, April 28, 2007

Getting better all the time

One of these days I will have a bad lesson, one when I think I rode poorly. But not today.

When I got there, I saw Dada and Kate had rearranged the fields so one was an official dressage ring size. The riding went really well. I need to do a little better on my serpentines and the first part of my figure eight, but I am feeling great about riding. It is such a joy to be outside feeling the ground move underneath me without any wheeled conveyance. And with good friends!

I rode one of the three tests I will be riding in June. One of the tests is freestyle, so that one is not made yet. I make it up (well Dada does). There are just certain maneuvers you must perform, and it is set to music. Yes, just like freestyle figure skating. And my partner will be another guy even, so it will be just like Blades of Glory.

I have to find the other test online tonight.

Louie was so easy to read today. I knew why he stopped or walked backward or whatever. And I didn't have as much of the balkiness I did last week.

My friend Donna also rode for the first time. She also uses a service dog and it was funny to compare Claren and her dog, Cagney. Cagney was all jittery when Donna rode and wouldn't let her out of his site. When I ride, Claren hunts for horse poop to eat.

It was also a special day because I got to meet the latest addition to Spirit's stable, Angel. I like her long white sock.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

I need to get rhythm

I practiced my dressage test today, and it went pretty well.

It is not very hard, but it has two figure 8's and two serpentine patterns between the side and the middle of the ring. By serpentine I mean the pattern shown in figure 3 here but it is not the full width of the ring, just half the width.

That actually was kind of tough because our ring is a little narrow to begin width so I was turning a little sharper than normal, I think, to try to get Louie to touch the sides in the right places.

I did do the figure 8 circles a little better, not perfect by any means. One time Louie just stopped mid-8. Dada is aware of everything that goes on in Spirit field, I think, so when Louie stopped walking and stared at a shrub, she said there is something in there moving. There was, but I never saw it. Louie did, though, and he did not want to turn his back on it. Dada said to give him a little reminder with the reins when this happens to make sure he knows I am in charge.

He also stopped to relieve himself mid-test. I had trouble getting into a good rhythm. Once Dada caught me using my hands to adjust myself and pointed out that that was why Louie had stopped. Dada said I should just repeat "rhythm" to keep us walking.

Kate and the others there thought I looked great. I think Kate may be right when she said all the dressage I rode in my mind when it was too snowy or muddy to ride might be paying off.

Oh, and it was so nice out!

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Best ever

Well, that's what Kate said of my ride today.

It was really awesome. I don't have any proof, though, because my dad – my official photographer – wasn't there. That did make it trickier than usual to get on Louie, too, but after that we had a good time.

I seem, just in the past few weeks, to be able to keep my back straight and sit up, not hunched forward. Louie responds so much better. I don't know why I am just now getting it.

I think a lot of credit goes to the strap that lets me hold something and sit straight. Even if it was a hassle to get on. We forgot till after I had mounted, so Kate and Dada were trying to loop it through parts of the saddle. Louie kept moving forward. Eventually, Dada said to me, he is moving because you are digging your heels into him. I thought I was just holding on to Louie with my legs. Whoops!

When we got the strap fixed on the saddle, the ride was great. Kate said I was straight and not wobbly. Louie is wonderful. He rides close to the rail and responds really easily. I tried to go through corners just using my body to turn him, not the reins. And it worked!

I used the reins on circles and I even made some circular shapes. I am not sure how I will do without Dada as the center of the circle, but I will get there.

We also figured out that I ride better when no one touches me or is even too near. Dada and Kate spent most of the lesson at a distance, so it was just me and Louie. It was great.

And we'll get a chance to show off June 9 and 10 at Morven Park at the VADA/Nova Summer Dressage show.

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Cold schmold

Today was the best ride in ages. It was also the first time in a long time I have actually ridden two weeks in a row. It felt so good even though it had snowed this morning and was cold.

I was usually alone, with no helping hands, which always feels cool. It's a short video, but look at me! No wobbling, well not a lot, and I am sitting pretty straight.

Dada had a necklace thing for Louie to wear that I could hold onto if I needed. It was a little far from my hands, though, so she ran a strip of leather through holes in it and in the saddle, so I had a nice square loop to hold for extra security.

I needed it.

Dada says that I use my arms to balance in my wheelchair life, but I really need to use my back and butt. We worked hard on me sitting up straight. She even threatened me with a whip ... which she said she would weave in front of my arms and behind my back to force me to sit straight.

I tried. My balance is not good. Twice I really needed Louie's necklace to keep from falling. The necklace made me much more confident, though.

I think I was getting back in some rhythm for riding circles. A few of them were actually circular. I just hope I can improve. My big fear is that when I do something right, it is kind of luck and I may not be able to do it again despite all the practice in the world.

But it felt so good to ride sitting up straight. And even though it was cold, I looked darn good.

Plus, my friend Lynne donated some money to Spirit. We may use some of it to enter a dressage competition this summer in Leesburg. There was one in a few weeks, but we couldn't get all the paperwork in in time.