Here begins Cody’s adventures at the Dressage Center for 6 weeks. Feb 16 thru March 31. After 6 weeks off, (and I really think I needed it more then he did!), I started Cody back to something kinda resembling work the middle of January. During the week it was in the dark after I got home from work. Br-r-r, though I always feel better after talking to Ann Record up in
Wisconsin. I found these really warm insulated riding pants, the only downside is the full seat is made of some synthetic material and I squeak when I ride, very amusing, though it makes Cody spook once in awhile…he is not amused.
This year Cody and I need to correct some things that we were getting dinged on in our dressage tests all last year… too much angle, too much bend in the neck and leg yields that were too tense and irregular. In my works I kept it short and sweet for 15 – 20 minutes concentrating on being absolutely correct through the poll and the bend all at the walk and only a little trot since the ground was frozen. To work on regulating the leg yield so he would step lightly over and lead with the shoulder, we did many walk voltes on the qtr line to a leg yield to the wall over and over until I could control each foot step.
Feb 16th we arrived at the Dressage Center, no great journey as this facility is only ten minutes from my farm! The Dressage Center is home to Todd Fletrich when he is not traveling the world qualifying for Pan Am games et al. And also Jessica Steiner, Betsy’s daughter, comes and teaches once a month. This is a place where I have to clean my tack every day and wear clean britches and my good winter riding jacket!
I am just a winter boarder. The Farm owner and her horses have all gone to Florida for the winter. The other regular boarders in the barn are all elegant and fancy Warmbloods, Andalusians and Lusitanos, from young prospects to grand prix. And then there in the middle is Cody not looking too shabby, I must say, as I clipped him and he has new blankets. But he resembles more the andalusians.
Day one we just got used to our surroundings and explored the indoor. Ohh the footing, rubber and sand. Nice! I tested where Cody was physically and mentally and he was responsive an attentive. I was able to do some canter. Day 2 he got turned out. The turnout is why I picked this facility over others I looked at. All the horses are turned out by themselves to avoid injuries to these ultra expensive 5 and 6 figure dressage horses. Not that I am worried about Cody getting hurt but more concerned about the damage he would do to other horses as he is very aggressive with new horses he is introduced to.
The downside to turnout at a facility like this is that they don’t go out if it is raining or snowing or if the footing is frozen or too muddy. But Day 2 he did go out for 5 hours rather then his normal 12. When I arrived to work him he was out standing in the middle of his field looking confused, but very happy to see me. I gave him a bit more trot work and tested the canter some, went over all his lateral work, working on the half halt so he wouldn’t hang on my hands in the shoulder in and travers and renvers.
Day 3 it rained all day and, you guessed it, the horses didn’t get turned out. When I arrived that night he was standing in his stall with a pained expression on his face. I had to spend the first 20 minutes of riding just letting him power trot around the indoor to blow off steam, but he was very obedient to my half halts and didn’t buck or take off. I got 4 floating leg yields at the end and some lighter shoulder in so I was pleased. And he was much happier in his brain when I was done, his eyes weren’t spinning in his head anymore. Going from 12 hours turnout to 5 hours or zero will be quite an adjustment for him!
What’s up with Keen? All winter I have spent most days doing something with him so he would stay connected to me and review things he had learned. I did a lot of tacking him up and sacking him out in the wash stall and standing still at the mounting block I can trim him all over with the small clippers. This weekend I started lunging him in tack on a rope in a makeshift round pen. He can do that for awhile to get some muscle back on. I am in no hurry.
Update on all the Nokota Dressage stuff is that the Nokota Horse Conservancy is now listed in the All Breeds section of the USDF website. The paper work is in for the Dressage at Devon Nokota class. I won’t know until the beginning of April if the class goes in or not, they give preference to breeds that have already been on the show roster in past years. The new breed classes are added as second priority, so fingers crossed.
I’ll have another update on Cody’s progress on the weekend. Hopefully with some photos. All of this is going to culminate with a big recognized show at Morven Park in Virginia the second week of April.
Cheers!
Jill Murray
