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.

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!

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.

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.

What a ride

Wow, I missed riding.

Today was only the fourth time I have been on a horse since November, and I missed it. The day was close to perfect: sunny and dry.

Kate and Dada reconfigured the riding area to make it really long rectangle. I couldn't believe what a difference it made. It was so cool to ride Louie down the long straight-aways. I didn't go fast or anything, but he builds up a head of steam and I really felt great riding with him.

The vest is a little huge, but it really does a wonderful job keeping me sitting straight, don't you think?

I am riding with a dressage saddle, so I don't have a saddle horn or anything to hold on to except Louie's neck, which is pretty strong. I think, though, Dada is going to put some other bit of tack, real or improvised, on to give me something to grab.

Again, the only bad part was getting off Louie. I think I stop before I am really exhausted to keep from riding too long, but I wonder if I should push myself more.

Of course, it was my first ride in almost a month. I think stamina will come.

After I rode, my friend Caroline rode. She hadn't ridden in almost five years when she started riding a few months ago. I couldn't believe how good she looked on Louie. I may need to ride twice a week or she'll get better than me!

Movie stars

It was rainy and snowy last week so I couldn't ride, but I played around with iMovie and posted a Spirit slideshow on this page.

Ridin' high

OK, maybe not what Bob Marley meant, but I had a great time.

It felt like forever since I had ridden, but I soon forgot that because it was so beautiful out today. Louie was wonderful so was everyone at Spirit Field.

I was a little worried when I got on Louie because my right hip stiffened up, but it felt good soon after.

Most of the lesson we just threaded through cones. Dada said it's a great way to get back into dressage and it was pretty muddy in the ring anyway.

I was trying to use my legs and weight to get Louie turning. Dada noticed, and both she and Kate said I looked really good.

I kept feeling like I might pitch forward, but I didn't, not even when we trotted. Louie has such an eager stride anyway, it seems easy to get him trotting. My head bounces around like crazy but it is so fun.

Spirit invasion

We had a board meeting of Spirit yesterday at my home. It was quite good, perhaps because one of Claren's best friends came over to play. The daughter of the Spirit president has a service dog, and he and Claren were kennel-mates. I so love watching them play.

Spirit is branching out to Middleburg! It sounds great, but I won't say much so I don't jinx it. Hopefully, I will be in Middleburg the weekend of Memorial Day to help show it off.

We'll stay in Great Falls, too, so I will keep riding there, assuming of course that the ground finally dries out.

There are unofficial rumblings that the para equestrian trials might not be in Morven Park in May, so we will wait to hear more about that. I hope they stay there, but even if they don't, the plan is to enter more local competitions even if they aren't designated as para-equestrian. Apparently, as long as the judges are OK judging me then it is OK to ride.

That will be cool. Now I just have to start riding.

Snowed out

I couldn't ride yesterday. It is warming up but is still pretty cold and the snow is covered with a layer of ice. My dog doesn't break it. I am sure Louis would, but that would add crazy dimensions to my riding. It is hard enough to stay balanced without worrying about my horse losing his footing. I am sure Louie would not like it either. Maybe next week.

Curves are tough

I got one lesson to get used to riding again; today Dada the dressage taskmaster was back (just kidding, Dada!). Actually, I was glad to get into it again. I like riding, but it is even more fun to try to guide the horse through the dressage moves.

We ride two tests that I will have to ride in the competition at Morven Park. I also have to ride a third test, a freestyle one, where there are certain compulsory moves.

The first test was the team test. It wasn't too hard, although I got confused by one of the serpentine moves. In serpentines, you make an "S" kind of shape with an extra curve, so three curves. The test called for a narrow one around the center line, but I did one between the side and the center line. I know what you are thinking, "Buy a clue, Matt."

The individual test was next. That was harder, especially the figure of eight with 8-meter circles. I do know what circles look like, but it is awful hard to ride them, especially 8-meter ones because you really need to feel your way. There are no letters at 8-meter intervals. One of the hardest things is that to make the circle look good the horse needs to curve his body. You do that by pushing with your leg, but my legs are a weak point in this killer body. My right leg is especially bad, which is odd cause I am right-handed, but I sit too much on the left I am told, and when I shift to the right, Dada likes it but I feel very unsteady. This is fixable,, I know. I am not discouraged or anything. We got some improvement by making the right stirrup lower than the left.

This was my sister Emily's favorite picture. She yelled out to our mom when she saw it: "There's a picture of Matt on the horse and four women looking up at him." Of course, they are my teacher and helpers. I will know when I have truly arrived on the dressage scene by one thing: dressage groupies. Maybe they will throw their jodhpurs at me. Maybe not.

It was a fun day, still cold. Our friend Lynne, who was one of my first side-walkers, came by to see me ride. That was great.

Now I am off to study the tests to memorize them and ride them in my mind. It will be like "The Music Man." If you think dressage, you will ride dressage.

More Spirit

Here is a page on Spirit's opening day.

Spirit Triumphant

We did it! Spirit Field is real! And I rode!

Today was the day I have been waiting for. Judging by the crowd that watched my first lesson and the opening of Spirit Field, others have been looking forward to it as well.

We were at least 20 people joined together by a love of horses, riding and one amazing woman. I'd like to think they were all there to see my dramatic return to the ring but I know better: They were there to support Dada and marvel at what she has put together in just a few months.

I was worried early in the day that I might spoil it by committing an egregious equestrian fashion faux pas: I could not find my black practice riding pants and thought I'd have to wear my dress whites that are for competition only. In regular fashion it would be like wearing white shoes after Labor Day. I found the black pants but wish now I had worn the white ones and my tux because it was such an occasion.

There was food, drink, a cake that said "Spirit rules." The only thing missing was the warm weather. It was a little chilly. I didn't notice because I had on my helmet over a hood, and a monster protective vest over my body and half-chaps over my legs.

Then I got on Louie. I am comfortable enough in my sexuality to say that.

He was so great. He was easy to ride and easily motivated to walk. A little too easy, actually. I tried encouraging him by clicking my tongue a few times and he about started to trot.

He responds really well to the reins, too, so I have to go easy on him, and he does not mind walking close to the wall at all.

In short, he was a dream. Again, comfortable enough to say that about a guy.

Dada said at one point, "There is that smile." I don't think that smile disappeared the entire time I was riding. It was definitely there when we were trotting. I totally can't see a thing because my head bounces around so much but it is so fun.

And that wasn't all. After I rode, Caroline, who hadn't been on a horse in four years, gave Louie a workout.

It was a great day. Thank you to everyone who came out and those who couldn't make it but had us in their hearts and minds.

I'm riding again!

YAHOO!

I have a riding lesson Feb. 3! It's like waiting for Christmas.

In the Spirit

I made a tweak or two to the Spirit website.

Here we are!

Louie, me and Claren, my service dog.

Louie louie

We had our first board meeting this morning. It was good. Everyone on the board and the volunteers seems so enthusiastic and full of ideas. well, everyone but me.

Afterward was even better. We went to Spirit so I could meet the new horse, the one I'll be riding SOON.

Louie was great, even if he did bite me. I was trying to feed him carrots but I have problems opening my hand completely and when I did the carrot would fall off. Louie got tired of waiting for me to get it right and started scrounging around. He decided the back of my glove look good enough to eat and so he tried.

I was in a part of the field the horses don't go but of course Claren found the one little pile of poop to eat. But back to Louie.

He didn't look too tall or big, but he is very wide. Kate said he is so comfortable to ride and is very mannerly. What I noticed mostly is how hairy he was. It wasn't ugly or messy, and as it was about 30 degrees out and windy, I certainly did not begrudge him his coat. In fact, I was jealous.

We are still on track to start riding in a few weeks.

Get me on a horse, quick

My legs have been stiffening up on me lately. It is really annoying when your leg won't bend at the knee. I hope hope hope that the stiffness is the result of my forced retirement from riding and that it goes away when I start riding again.

All sorts of news

I am still not riding and miss it, but things are happening. We are planning the first board meeting of Spirit, there is a new horse at Spirit, I joined the U.S. Equestrian Foundation, and I learned a little more about this competition we hope I can join. It is at Morven Park in May.

The new horse is an 18-year-old Morgan with dressage experience. Louie is the brown one; Spirit is the whiteish one.

I am getting pretty excited. February (when riding will probably start up) can't come soon enough.

I'm official!

I got a letter today from the U.S. Equestrian Foundation with my National Classification card. Apparently, I need to carry it with me to all events. How about that? It's just a little paperwork, but it is pretty cool.

Spirit has a home

Dada found an unused pasture and the owner was happy to have a horse and little riding program there. It's a temporary home and pretty rustic, but it is a great start. Dada says she hopes I can start riding in about a month. How exciting!

Spirit seems like a wonderful horse. I fed her a few carrots, and when Dada opened the gate into the pasture she took off into it. She looked so amazing. She reminded me how much I miss riding. I won't even complain about having to ride outside in February, I promise.

Claren, my service dog, really liked the pasture, too. It is well-enclosed, so she can run free in it. Unfortunately, she decided eating horse poop was more fun than running free, so I need to work on that.