Gridwork is Genius

Since Toler and I are rehabbing hardcore (and I don't have a job, meaning I can go out to see/work him every day), I try to have a balanced schedule of activities. Toler's a smart horse (don't we all say that?), and he gets bored very easily. Also, since we're doing a total training and conditioning rehab, I'm leaving no cones unpassed.

Typically, in one week: Toler gets two days off, and I generally spend extra time fussing with him or I'll let him play in the arena. We play together, really. I'll run up towards him and stop a few feet away, spin and kick up my heels at him. Toler in turn squeals (he has the most adorable squeal he makes when he's feeling frisky or excited) and kicks his heels up, then one of us ends up chasing the other. He thinks it's pretty fun considering I'm a two-legger. Anyway. The other days I'll split between dressage work, basic rail work (or a trail, if it's nice out), lunging (either free lunging or on the line with side reins or the balance system--a post for later), or jumping.

Lately I've been doing quite a lot of free lunging over fences, particularly gridwork exercises. They may be simple lines if I were riding, but after our jumping accident, I realized how much Toler relies on me when we're jumping. He's never been particularly good about knowing when he should take-off or how to approach a line, which means we frequently have misunderstandings where he'll throw in an extra "hop" stride right before a fence and chip it, or he'll take off from a stride away and barely stretch over it--all despite any insistent guidance I try to give him.

Gridwork is essential. Be it for the learning rider or the learning horse, if you've never done gridwork ("jumping gymnastics") you're doing something wrong. Even for dressage riders, gymnastics are essential to a well-rounded and supple horse. I can't begin to describe the difference in Toler's jumping under saddle after rehashing gridwork. It makes things click for him. I think free lunging over gridwork is probably even more beneficial to riding over gridwork (with a possible exception to no-handed riding over gridwork). When you're riding, chances are very strong that the horse is following you and not fully thinking for himself. Free lunging makes them think about every step, and gives them the ability to jump every line successfully--a must for a horse needing a boost of confidence after a jumping mishap.Yay for crayons! (I may be a fair artist when it comes to drawing, but I'll warn you now that I'm not going to be spending long on making diagrams. Function over form here, guys.)

I started off pretty slow with him, because I knew Toler's issues were mostly with picking the right take-off point consistently. He gets excited, rushes the approach or goes too slowly or cuts the preceding corner, you name it, he does it. And for such a large horse, he's not very good with the "pick the feet up" part. At least not if it's under 2'3." He has a very fine line between a worthy jump and something he'd rather step over. He's literally stepped over a 2'6" jump on me before. It was a tad messy and he hasn't done it since, but, he did it. I set up a 2'3" vertical at B and measured out a landing stride on each side, where I placed a ground pole. That way he can jump it from either side and be okay. Toler doesn't like trotting over 2'3" (too close to a trotting pole to be truly worthy of a jump), so I had him canter over it both ways. He made a few mistakes, but because of the ground poles marking his strides, he quickly learned exactly what to do. I even raised the jump to 2'6" and again to 2'9."

The next day I decided to up the ante. I wanted something completely symmetrical still, so I opted for: ground pole, landing stride, vertical, landing stride, ground pole, canter stride (three steps rather than four), ground pole, landing stride, vertical, landing stride, ground pole. This made him think a bit. The inital approach was always fine--even if he cut the corner he figured out to adjust his stride for the pole to align his take-off accordingly. But the canter stride in the middle threw him off just a little bit. He kept wanting to rush the line, something he likes to do with me as well, and would try to extend through the middle rather than come back. He even had a few slip-ups where he rushed so much he had to break into a trot for the middle. One time he stepped on a pole and had to scramble over the following vertical. But he never knocked down a single jump. Even when I raised them through 2'3" to 2'6" and 2'9".

Next time we have a free-lunging day, I think I'm going to put two canter strides in the middle. If he does well that day I'll see about either putting in oxers or changing the stride. I'll also need to do a "test day" and leave out the ground poles to see how consistent and scopey he is.

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Moving Forward with a Mullen

Things are probably going to be a little scattered around here as I "move in." There are a few equestrian-related posts on my photoblog that I'll be copying and posting here, simply because I feel they're of interest. They'll also help me get the ball rolling--I have issues with that when it comes to new blogs. XD

Two nights ago, I was looking online and found a promising looking book on bits and bitting. It goes through some 4,000 bits and their purpose, plus the history and development of the bit, a discussion on the equine mouth and bitting philosophies, and thus choosing bits. I was all set to look it up, but it's 80 freaking dollars. And of course, they don't have it in our library system. I filled out an OLL for it, so hopefully it'll come soon.

Anyway, it got me looking up horse and riding books. I was interested in reading up on double bridles, more for a future "this way I'll know when we're ready to use one" than for anything else. I then came across an interesting book written by a rather grouchy, possibly elitist classical dressage rider on training young horses. (Luckily amazon had it on their "look inside" thingies.) It contains awesome diagrams and really good exercises and insights into training movements. I did order it through our library system, so it'll be interesting to read. In one section I could look at, he was talking about how 98% of the time, riders are misusing their bits. Mostly because modern riding doesn't teach riders about bits and bitting--which is exactly true.

Sure, through my ten years of riding experience I've worked up a repertoire of bits--when I used them with each horse and why, what affect they had on the riding experience, and how I worked with them versus how the horse felt with them. But, when it comes down to it, I don't know a damn thing about bitting. I understand the basics of the equine mouth and how bits come into play, but if you told me that Horse X was having ___ and asked how better he could be bitted, I really wouldn't know what to tell you. Unless of course the situation fell under bits I've already used myself.

Considering there are AT LEAST 4,000 bits, and new ("& improved") versions are coming out all the time, my knowledge of bits and bitting is equivalent to a middle-school-level French student trying to live in Nice without a dictionary.

He went on to talk about how, of that 98%, 96% are using too strong of a bit. It's kind of a simple notion: a horse is going to be strong or heavy on the bit not only when the bit in his mouth is too mild and simply doesn't enter into his equation of communication, but also when the bit in his mouth is too strong and he feels he has to brace or tense or be strong on the bit in order to interfere with communication lest it cause more pain. It's so simple a notion, in fact, that a lot of riders simply don't think of it that way. "He's pulling? Oh, well, take out that loose ring and try a kimberwick." Not, "He's pulling? Well, maybe the bit is too strong or sits uncomfortably in his mouth and he's avoiding the pain the only way he can think of." I know for a fact that even very experienced riders/trainers make that mistake. We're only human, after all.

So, eyeing the mullen mouth bit beside my desk, I decided to try using it yesterday and again today. A mullen mouth bit is essentially a slightly curved bar bit. There are no joints or links. Consequently, it is considered (one of) the mildest bit. Because there are no joints or links, the pressure is not broken. Links also impact the roof of the mouth, causing pain and discomfort. However, because the mullen does not have any joints/links, it is generally considered an upper level bit. (It's also a good choice for horses with injured mouths, though some horses, particularly off-track thoroughbreds, need a ported bit because they don't like tongue pressure.) Joints allow each side to be independent. Horses, therefore, need to listen well to seat and leg cues (or, as in western riding with a curb bit, neck reining). Another problem with mullen mouth bits is that the absence of a joint or link means it is very easy for the horse to lean on the bit, so the horse should be fairly self-sufficient with his carriage and balance before bitted with one.

To be honest, I don't remember buying a mullen mouth bit. Especially because the mullen mouth I have is a 5" bit, rather than the 6" bit size Toler needs. Since I own one, even a small one, I figured I may as well try it out. Toler wasn't too happy about it being small. His lips were a little pinched, but because my bit is a non-uxter styled kimberwick cheek (no rein slots), the bit stayed put and didn't slide through his mouth or pinch too much. I gave him a reassuring face rub and told him it'd only be for one or two rides, to test a theory.

Just as I half-expected (I'll be honest, it was a rather blind "let's see what happens" bout of guesswork), Toler bridled up with hardly a touch from my hands. He was slightly above the bit at times, but mostly because I wasn't used to the less direct feel of the reins. I don't do much one-sided riding anymore; I try to use solid, equal pressure on both reins and release forward as Toler softens, just as I try to use my seat and legs to move him through turns and circles. Inside leg to outside rein and all that dressage-commandment jazz.

The fact remains that when I'm freelunging Toler, he does gorgeous tempi (two stride usually, but sometimes single stride) flying changes down the rail. To do a flying change well (read: correctly), the horse has to be balanced, moving in a "true," straight canter. If Toler can do flying changes by himself like that, it means that he's achieving a truer, straighter canter on his own than under saddle. Which by turn implies that *I'm* doing something to negatively impact that straightness and balance. My trainer reminds me all the time that I need to work on straightening him under saddle--a problem that developed after his hind leg injury.

Yes, I know, all our riding (communication?) problems aren't going to dissolve simply by changing a bit. However. Correct bitting can be the difference between fighting and struggling against one another, and coming together in harmony. That may not be a whole staircase, but it's sure as hell more than a single step.

Today was even better than yesterday. I didn't do a whole lot--mostly basic railwork. Getting him to engage into the bit and round through his back. I also decided to make today a halt-to-trot/canter transition day, something he usually makes quite the fuss about. Again, only the slightest even pressure on the reins and LOTS of leg (my spur strap broke before I got on), and he bridled up splendidly. Now accustomed to the feel of the bit myself, I wasn't hesitant to push him into the contact. And, much to my surprise, he was very responsive when it came to the to-and-from halt transitions. They weren't perfect--he still needs just a bit more drive, especially into the canter--but they were vastly improved.

Usually when I ride, we go through a first few minutes of "hey now, listen!" with the bit. I love my KK Ultra 3-link, but it took half the ride before we weren't struggling against each other. With the mullen? Two laps of the arena during warm-up walk, and we were in perfect agreement the whole time. He felt softer, more giving, more responsive. I had worried he would lean on the bit--he does that with the KK. But not even that was a problem. Granted, I never did any real circling work (there was a lesson going on in the arena that limited me) or lateral work, so I don't know how he'll be with that, but I'm genuinely looking forward to it. I feel like we're closer to wanting a double bridle than I'd thought. Maybe not in the conventional, "we're doing 3-4th level movements" kind of way, but in the respect of contact and communication way--which, in the end, is more important.

I just have to attempt the impossible--finding the specific bit I want in a 6". I don't understand it, but bit companies seem to think that the only people who own large-mouthed horses are Grand Prix (aka well sponsered) riders and trainers. Thus, I can typically ONLY find 6" bits that are in the $180-250 range. RIDICULOUS. Broke people can own large horses, too, you know!!!

I didn't find the exact bit I was looking for, but I did find a mullen mouth pelham for around $30. (Thanks drafttack!) Which honestly might be even better than the bit I'd originally been looking for. With a pelham, I could ride with it on the snaffle. Or I could use it as a transition bit in the two-reined pelham. Or I could use it as a schooling weymouth and just have the reins on the curb shank.

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About Us--Why a Training Blog?

Welcome to Not Quite Hercules!

I've been riding for (gosh) 11 years now, maybe slightly longer. I'm an eventer at heart, though I've never been able to ride cross-country, but I do love dressage. And I'm not just saying that like most eventer-types say that. For me, dressage isn't a necessary phase or way of training. Dressage, for me, is an art as much as my photography, more so than jumping. Despite my affection for it, I wouldn't say I'm the next Steffen Peters. Far, far from it. But hey, riding is all about learning, right? All about attempting perfection. Riders, especially and particularly dressage riders, know that no horse and rider can attain perfection. It's simply not possible. But that doesn't mean we don't give it our all each and every time we climb into the saddle.

I also have to admit that I wasn't always so affectionate about dressage. You might say it's a recent development, even. I have always loved those moments of total harmony and union between horse and rider that I think dressage brings about better than other disciplines, but I was still more of a jumper. I was that gutsy, obviously crazy short girl who galloped down steep hills and leapt before looking. But somewhere along the way, I've grown up. That's not to say I still don't gallop down hills (well, I haven't, but as soon as Toler's in shape...) and that's not to say that jumping doesn't give me an incomparable high. I am more cautious, though. Perhaps I'm simply more in tune with the fragility of human and equine bodies. Pretty fair bet, actually. Two summers ago I was involved in a jumping accident. My friends are probably sick of hearing about it, but it has affected me more than even I would have thought. I won't delve into it hear, but let's just say that neither myself nor my horse are quite fully recovered from it. He's much further along than I am, of course.

Itolocus (aka Toler, pronounced like "taller"), is my 11 year-old Hanoverian/Thoroughbred gelding. He's 18.1 hands tall, coppery chestnut, registered as both Canadian Sport Horse and Canadian Warmblood, foaled near Winnipeg in Canada. "Itolocus" in Greek mythology, was the best friend of Hercules (hence my self-proclaimed witty blog title), and quite the ladies charmer. Which is true of the horse (or moose, as I like to call him), as well. His Hanoverian sire, Icarus, was lead stallion of the RCMP Musical Ride for a few years before making his life as a dressage horse. His Thoroughbred dam, Little Mary, started in a few (apparently succesful) races before making her heyday as a stadium jumper. I got him just as he turned 3, already 17 hands, and rather gawky as a youngster. But I knew from the moment I first saw him we'd share something special. I even thought his noble nose and overgrown ears were adorable.

I probably should have recognized from the get-go that Toler was creative when it came to injuries. When we bought him, he already wore a long scar at the top of his right foreleg--a yearling attempt at escaping a fence, we were told--but only superficial. Training came naturally to him and virtually hiccup free. At first, at least. We did have to teach him that riding outside did not mean he could play (i.e. buck or run alongside the paddock fences). And we have always had to be rather patient with the simple notion that he has 4wD.

He learned the hard way that branches should be avoided (scratched his cornea), though he takes particular pleasure in finding the low branches to go under when I'm in the saddle. When he was five or six he acquired a hematoma on the inside of his left stifle (to this day we can't figure out how), the first injury that resulted in a major training setback. A few years later, time for college came and I was two hours away from him for more than half the year. Three winters ago he slid in the paddock and cut his left hind leg quite severely. A laceration to the cannon that required four months of stall rest and hand walking, light indoor turnout only at the end. It was six months total by the time he was ready to be worked again (also the soonest I was back at home for the summer), and rehabbing was slow. At this point we'd started the process of retraining twice already.

But that third time wasn't to be the last either. Two summers ago while jumping just over 3', Toler caught a pole between his legs that brought us both down. While he was largely unscathed (shaken up, bruised, and sore, certainly--with a chunk of mane missing to boot), I came home from the ER with a concussion, chipped tooth, broken nose, a hole in my upper lip, gashes in my mouth, sand/gravel bits in my sinus cavity, and a slew of bruises, cuts, and scrapes all over. We spent the rest of the year mostly just picking up the pieces and figuring out how far back to go.

Starting last summer, after the completion of my BA, I have started to kick it into high gear. Derailed only for the time it took to recover from a bad delayed reaction to the intranasal Strangles vaccine, we are now going strong. Slowly, but strong.

From here on out, it's only forward movement.

So, if you're interested, this is where I'll record the day-to-day progress of our (re)training. I'll include overall progress, diagrams, exercises, thoughts on equine nutrition, tack, training philosophy, rider fitness...anything and everything. From dressage to jumping to trails. From silly character stories, random rants, posts from the horse's perspective, to equine book discussions. I hope you stay with me, and above all, enjoy the ride.

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