Motivation and My Own Training Holes

Finding motivation to ride in this weather has been difficult! It's been cold and miserable for the last few days, and this cold, overcast weather hasn't allowed my arena to dry. The good news is that I can use the rail, so Rico is getting exercised. The bad news is that I can only use the rail, so Rico is getting bored. 

The most bored horse!

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about my riding and the way my horse has been going. I tend to do this when I can't take enough lessons. I'm fairly broke these days, but on top of that, my close trainer is leaving for Florida well, today, and my far-away trainer is too far for me to ride with regularly because I usually work on weekends. So I'm feeling a little lost in my riding lately. This coupled with not being able to use my arena properly is frustrating for me.

My frustration stems from a knowledge of WHAT problems I need to fix to get Rico to the level where I want to be at, but not fully understanding HOW I can fix these problems.  I know a few exercises to say, fix a problem in the canter half pass zig zag, or in the pirouettes, but I don't have nearly the "toolbox" that I have at the lower levels. If a horse has a problem with counter canter, say, I have about ten exercises that I could name off the top of my head to introduce counter canter and fix almost any problem. But my horse struggles to the right in the pirouettes and my only idea is to do more of them until they get better. If someone came to me and said "I'm fixing the counter canter by doing more of it until it magically fixes itself," I'd laugh at them.

Perhaps the answer is more treats to bribe the pony?

This problem is likely due to the fact that I have ridden one horse at the FEI levels. I do not regret this in the slightest though!! I can confidently say that Leo was the main reason why I can actually ride my horse now. Leo helped me understand so much about riding upper level horses that it allowed me to break through the lower level problems I was having with Rico and bring him to the level he should have been at years ago when I had the money to pay for training. The problem with riding Leo the Magnificent, however, is that Leo spoiled the hell out of me.

Leo the Magnificent

Leo, now retired, was a Grand Prix horse. I had some of my favorite lessons on him, including one where I made my trainer get away from me because I was convinced that he was only piaffing because she was nearby. It wasn't all fun and games, I also had a few frustrating lessons as well, including one where I threw down my reins and proclaimed to the roof of the covered arena that I hated the Grand Prix zig zag and that I would never be able to do it.  But the problem with learning on a Grand Prix horse is that you start to get used to a level of collection and perfection that should not be expected of a Fourth level horse. Poor Rico has some big shoes to fill.

Rico the Soon-To-Be-Magnificent

So at my last lesson, I realized that I have some big holes in my training. I have never ridden a Fourth level working pirouette. I have ridden a Grand Prix quality pirouette, and have certainly ridden my fair share of bad Grand Prix pirouettes, but never a decent Fourth level pirouette. So there is me, thinking I'm pretty cool because I'm a Grand Prix rider, and there's Rico, trying to learn how to do a Fourth level pirouette as I'm asking for what I know- Grand Prix pirouettes. I'm having to learn how to do a Fourth level pirouette just as much as he is!

Good amount of collection and engagement,
needs more activity from the hind legs...?

This is what led me to become frustrated. Even though I've personally DONE all of these movements I'm teaching Rico, after my lesson I couldn't help but to worry that I'm doing this to him in the other movements. Am I asking too much of him in the half passes? The tempis? The lateral work at the trot? How do I know what to push him to do, what is too much? How do I know if I'm not pushing him enough?

You are always pushing this horse too much!

What I figure is that I have a serious gap in my riding ability. I can ride at Third level all day long. Give me a horse, I'll take it to Third level, which is a lesser known quote of John Watson's (sorry that my inner psychology nerd is showing). Give me a Fourth level horse though, and I will flail around until you give me a Grand Prix horse. There is no middle ground in my training and this is frustrating for me, and likely for Rico too. I feel lost.

Never fear, Rico the trusty trail horse will find his way home!

So my plan is to refocus my energy on learning more between now and when I win the lottery so I can take more lessons. I plan on getting through this mini-semester, which is kicking my ass, and then putting effort into reading books and watching videos specifically for training at the Fourth and Prix St George levels. I know my basics, I know the advanced work, I need intermediate education!

Stop smiling, it's your turn to learn now!

In the mean time, I plan to work more on my position. I've already started riding without stirrups more, which has been great for my sitting trot, but I also want to work on keeping my leg long and shoulders tall. I want to be able to influence Rico with lighter aids and to become even more coordinated with my seat and leg, which tend to want to work together at the canter.

And tipping, no more tipping.

So overall, I'm frustrated but I have a plan! That is, if my arena EVER lets me ride in it again... Time to break out the hair drier.