Life, the Universe and Everything

new blog!

2010-10-22T23:45:00.000+02:00

I have started a new blog, mostly because i liked the setup and want to try to experiment a bit with it. For those of you who want to follow, the adress is sbjolseth.wordpress.com

Clinic time!

Clinic with Edward Gal at KOHS

2010-10-18T01:56:00.000+02:00

Kingsland Oslo Horse Show is a yearly event here in Oslo, it is also the first indoor competition in the Rolex FEI world cup in show jumping. This is mainly a showjumping and family show, but there are some dressage classes aswell.

This year they managed to get Edward Gal to have a clinic in the evening on the first day. I attended this clinic and was asked to write a blog about it afterwards, so here goes.

First of all, I think mr Gal is a highly talented rider, he knows what he does and succeeds at it. I just don't like his training methods. You can call it rollkur, LDR or what ever you want, riding hyperflexed does not do the horse any good. You get the "amazing" front leg action, but they also carry a lot more weight than they are supposed to. I could go on and on, but this post is about the clinic.

The horse mr. Gal brought for the clinic was a 6 (?) year old stallion which he had ridden for 3 months I think it was. It was a beautiful horse and in some ways reminded me of Tootilas, a powerful, black stallion. Throughout the clinic he talked about changes in tempo, always keep the horse alert and thinking forwards even when you want him to go slower. Change the tempo, not the rythm. Since he rode an unexperienced horse he wanted him to go round, which by his standards means low, deep and round, which he did throughout the clinic. He only talked about 2 aids, legs (spurs) and hands, he has a good seat and uses it correctly but didn't mention it by one word, which i found quite weird.

After showing how to get the horse relaxed and alert by changes in the tempo in all 3 gaits, he started doing more difficult exercises. Like half-pass, canter changes on the diagonal and so on. To me and many others who aren't at that level, showing all these exercises were not so much something to learn from, as showing us how you can train your horse once you are at that level.

In the end of his riding session he actually collapsed somewhat in his seat. I am no one to talk, and we were a bunch of "seat nerds" (if I can call it that) who can find an error on anyone, but its good to see that even the best of the best can struggle with basic stuff.

The second half of the clinic, Edward was instructing the winner of the norwegian championship for junior earlier this year. I thought it was really brave of her to ride for Edward Gal, in front of that many people, but she did fine. She was asked to work with the same excersises he him self worked with on his horse. Especially getting the horse responsive to the aids, this horse was a bit lazy so everytime he was told to go forwards, he did for 3 steps then slowed down. They worked on getting him forward until he was told otherwise. The rider said that the horse was a lot better after the lesson.

A little bit of energy in this one aswell

Edward instructing the norwegian rider, this is at the end of the clinic

In the end i thought the clinic to be ok. I knew about his training methods before going to the clinic, so no surprises there, I just wanted to see how he trained his horses outside the competition arena. And you can say what you want about his training methods, but he is still a really really good rider. I especially like the fact that he uses light aids and that he has a good functional seat.

Spanish tack

2010-10-08T21:17:00.000+02:00

Years ago, a friend of mine went to a horse show in Spain and bought some bridles. I think she used them a couple of times before leaving them somewhere, until now. I said I wanted to buy them, and now I have tried them on Bosco. I have only pictures of one of them, the other one looked weird at the moment. I have a feeling that it will look better when he gets a bit older, but now it was a bit too much.

Here are the pictures!

Hoof issues

2010-10-03T02:28:00.000+02:00

In the past few weeks my motivation has reached a new low, mostly because we have no arena. But this week a new problem emerged. Bosco is barefoot and has never worn shoes. He grew up at Trollspeilet where the ground is mostly made up by river sand. This will not become as muddy or as hard as the ground where I keep him now. And we have got alot more gravel roads so his hoofs needs to adjust abit and before they do, he is not comfertable.

This was a problem in may, when it was wet everywhere, exept on the roads, and its a problem now.

The other day I wanted to train him in the round pen, but quickly realised that was not a good idea, as he was so touchy on his frontlegs he was almost lame. The roundpen is usually ok, but now anything else than grass was not comfertable. Of course I get worried that there might be something else than just sore hoofs (have no idea what the english expression for this is), so when the vet was at the stable on thursday I asked him to take a look at Bosco. He did not think it was anything else and I should keep him where he is comfertable until he comes back next week to see if there is any change.

This has also given me a kick in the butt, I have to get boots for him! I have been planning to order some for a long time, but since its impossible to buy boots over the counter I have hesitated since I want to try them on. I got a tip about someone who imports Renegades and she has boots I can try before ordering, nice! I think renegades is the way to go with his hoofs, atleast according to others who has tried different boots. So now we will try them out and be more carefull at spring and autumn, where his hoofs are the most sensitive.

Hopefully he will be allright with the boots, or else I would have to consider to shoe him, but I don't want to do that unless I have no other choice. Whats most important is that Bosco is comfertable.

He showed me today that he is more than comfertable outside in the pasture. When I let him out after feeding him he was really playful. Tried to get the other horses to play with him. Fist victim was Stelpa, a small medium aged icelandic horse who is the lowest ranked horse in the herd. She wasn't that interested, but Bosco kept chasing her around, throwing his neck, rearing and rolling over multiple times. After a while he got bored with her and moved on to "Flekken" (the norwegian version of the nickname Spot). With a full fronal assault he tried to get him to play with him, but no luck there either. I was watching with a friend and we tried to get her horses to play with Bosco, but no luck there either. We quickly realised that her horses are his ladies, and not playmates. Oh well, atleast he doesn't have any pain when he is in his pasture. I will just give him the time off while I buy boots and hopefully we have a solution!

WEG warmup

2010-09-28T10:09:00.000+02:00

Here are some pictures form WEG warmup, seems like the new rules against rollkur doesn't work.

http://www.st-georg.de/bilder_popup.php?objekt_id=8357&next=1

Clinic with Paul Belasik!

2010-09-24T23:36:00.001+02:00

A friend of mine managed to get a riding spot in a clinic with Paul Belasik on the 23-24th of October. I was supposed to work that weekend, but by some lucky coincidence I managed to trade my shifts and got the weekend off. So I'm going to Sweden with my camera and my notepad, can't wait! :D

Paul Belasik is a highly respected international rider, trainer, writer and teacher, and an avowed proponent of classical equestrian ideals. It has been said that his diversity of qualities and skills place him firmly in a lineage of riding masters that traces all the way down from the Renaissance, but also marks him out as exceptional in a modern era that places ever more emphasis on specialization. (http://www.paulbelasik.com/)

Mr. Belasik is also the author of the books, Riding Towards the Light, Exploring Dressage Technique and The Songs of Horses, aswell as Dressage for the 21st century and A Search for Collection: Science and Art in Riding.

Picture stolen from www.paulbelasik.com

Lazy Blogger

2010-09-20T00:40:00.000+02:00

Yes I have been a lazy blogger lately, but just needed to bring you one more update!

Last weekend, september 10th I entered my first dressage competition with Bosco. My goal for this year was entering LD, which is just walk and trot, mostly straight lines and transitions. It was not intentional to enter this competition, I had decided I didn't want to do it because I had no time to practice as we still don't have an arena (!) I'm not going to mention that I'm starting to get quite upset about this, ups, I just did *grrrrrr*

Last weekend there was small competition at Trollspeilet, and after riding for a bit a few hours before it started I was talked into entering. And when I was to decide which class to enter, I quickly decided to enter in LC. LC is above LD and you have to show walk, trot and canter, transitions and so on.

Funny enough it went quite well, we got 56%, not that I wasn't happy about that, but everything was a lot better earlier the same day. But still, our first competition, and we got approved! score:D

Bosco and his buddies outside in the pasture.

From left to right: Aradis 4 months (Icelandic horse), Rikhard 7 months(or Banderas, his real name, Warlander (PRE+Friesian)), Bosco 4 years (Lusitano), Tussa 4 years(norwegian Dølahest) and in the back Bradamante, yearling (Lippizaner)

European Championship, Horsens 2010

2010-09-19T23:41:00.000+02:00

The last week in August there is a huge medieval festival in Horsens in Denmark, during this festival a norwegian jousting group arranged the European Jousting Championship. There were competitors from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Belgium, France and England.

I was there as a squire for one of the Norwegian competitors, but when I got there they told me that the other girl who was being a squire for one of the other norwegian was sick so I helped them both during the competition.

I have too many photos from this weekend and I have spend enough time uploading them to different sites so I'm just going to post the links to my two blogs in norwegian so that those of you who want to can see the pictures :)

European Championship, part one

European Championship, part two

There was 3 different prizes in the competition. 1 place in skill at arms, 1 place in jousting, best score in total and the prize for most chivalrous knight.

First place in Skill at arms; Ole Bach from Denmark. His skills in skill at arms (no pun intended :p) was amazing, he was in a totally different class then all the rest of the knights.

First place in Joust; Petter Ellingsen from Norway. New horse made the skills course a bit difficult for Petter, but he was best during the joust!

Best total score, and the winner of the European Championship 2010: Klas Lundgren from Sweden. Good scores in both jousting and skill at arms, a just winner!

Most chivalrous knight; again Klas Lundgren from Sweden, he was surprised by this, but I think he was the only one! Always nice and helpful.

Below is a list over the different exercises the knights has to perform during the skill at arms competition, just to get a picture of the riding skills they need to show.

The different positions and transitions:
*Staying in halt until signal is given
*Transitions from halt to canter
*Transitions from canter to halt
*Transitions from canter to trot
*Transitions from trot to caner

Technical riding skills
Some of the exercises will be done in a conjugated lane (serpentine or circle) shoulder-in (in circle) in trot or canter to the right and to the left.
Leg yield in canter both ways (on the left lead, leg yield to the right and opposite).
Flying changes of simple changes (the last one is transition to trot before new canter) /alternatively staying in a wel. performed counter canter.
Haunches-in both ways in canter leading to: Half a pirouette to the left or the right (in canter).

Exercises with light lance (approx 2,3 meters long)
Quintain: The center of the small shield is 2m above the ground. in the opposite end there is a chain with a spiked head in latex attached to it (like a flail) You will get a better score by hitting a specific point of the shield (painted in white), to show you have control of your lance. If you miss this and hit the shield, the spiked head is comming to get you.
Catching the big rat (la rata grande) Running after a bit "rat" which is drawn in a rope. You shall touch it by placing the point of the light lances on it so it stops for half a second - enough for the "runner" to feel the resistance. Once the rat has managed to take cover under the guillotine, it's a lost case, so speed up... You shall continue with the lance in your hand.
Collecting high rings (also done with spear): the ring-poles are 2m and 50 cm high and the rings will have an inner diameter of 3, 5 and 7 cm. You will get a better scoring for collecting the smallest rings.
Dropping rings and placing the light lance in a barrel while you are cantering in circle: While you continue in canter, lead the horse into a circle and point the lance sideways and forward - approaching the barrel. Drop rings and place lance in barrel before you let go - if you have total control, place the lance in the barrel and canter around before you let go.

Exercise with more heavy lance and 30 cm balsa (approx 3,3 meters long)
Shock quintain: Heavy wooden "mounted knight" that you will splinter your lance on, if you and your horse have the power. A hanging timer-log with helmet and shield. We will measure the hit and give scoring regarding to this. (Last year the hardest impact was measured to transfer the power of 400 kg)

Exercises with spear (approx 2,3 meters long)
Picking up the spear out of a fallen soldier (known as 'Ian the impaled') while you pass in canter. (the 'soldier' is made in hessian/burlap stuffed with straw wearing partly a black tunic)
'Divide and conquer': separating and surrounding two soldiers in black tunics and helmets by riding a shoulder-in in trot or canter. You shall ride pointing the spear over the horse's neck in the left lea and on the right side of the horse on the right lead (you will achieve a better score the nearer you are the target -and to make it easy for your score: touch the helmet so the judges can hear you)
Plant the spear in standing soldier (known as 'Tim the target') while you pass in canter (the 'soldier' is made in hessian/burlap stuffed with straw). You will get points regarding where you hit. You achieve the best score if you hit the heart - which in this case is approximately 10 cm in diameter.
Collecting high rings: the ring-poles are 2m and 50 cm high and the rings will have a inner diameter of 3, 5 and 7 cm. You will get a better scoring for collecting the smallest rings.

Exercises with sword (preferably your own, but you may also use ours):
Saracens head; 3 heads (cabbages) to be cleaved on the right hand side, and 2 heads on your offside (left hand side) in course 1 while you pass. The massacre will be performed in a conjugated lane (circle) and in an alley. The run down Saracens alley allows you to take a rerun down again if you missed someone (higher score if you take all in the first run; collect your canter!)

Saracens 'brain': 1 apple to be cut.
Pommel strike; use the swords pommel agains a soldiers crest. Point is received for removing the crest.
Guillotine; A device on a pole is holding the rope attached to a guillotine. When striking and hitting a metal arm, this will release the rope and the cruel guillotine making evil heads roll.
Trebuchet: A device on a pole is holding the rope attached to a trebuchet. When striking and hitting a metal arm, this will release the rope and fire off the trebuchet. Beware of falling debris... choose your riding lane carefully.

Exercises without weapon
Soldiers jump - the fallen soldiers jump will be about 40 cm high and 3 meters from side to side and the soldiers themselves are three lying 'soldiers' made in hessian/burlap stuffed with straw, wearing dark, neutral 'wigs' and dressed in black tunics.
Farmers fury: a jump over two long cases filled with fruit (primarily apples/cabbage). Approximately 30 cm high. There will be a cart standing to one side of the cases.

More pictures in the links to my other blogs :)

Clinics and Jousting

2010-08-21T21:26:00.002+02:00

It's been a while since last post. First of all, it hasn't happened that much and when something interesting happened I didn't have time to write about it. But here comes a small update.

Last weekend I attended a clinic with Andrew Murphy. I was just watching some of the sessions and participated in the theory session on friday night. I have some notes but haven't had the time to go through them and make a blogpost, which I intend to do if I get the time! I was happily surprised about the content of the clinic and the theoretical approach. Next clinic is 2-4. september, I'll be watching the lessons on the first day, and I believe there is going to be a demo this time. Exciting!

Next week there is a medieval festival in Horsens in Denmark. The European championship in jousting will be held during this festival and one of the norwegian knights needed help with his horse and I'm stepping in. So for the first time 5 years I'm going to a big medieval festival, apparently the whole city is "dressed up" and apparently it's a lot of fun with loads of nice people. Just 3 more shifts at the hospital and I'm off to Denmark! :D

http://www.middelalderfestival.dk/?sc_lang=en

Long reining/ground driving

2010-08-04T10:08:00.000+02:00

I've been playing with the thought of being able to drive Bosco. I have never done that before, but the Lusitano is used for almost everything so why not give it a go? Several people at the stable have good experience with driving so I'll probably get some of them to help me eventually. But before that I've started long reining/gound driving (not sure what the correct expression is as the internet says a lot of things).

We have tried this once or twice before, and yesterday we took a little trip down the riding path. Bosco is not so used to me being behind him, but behaved remarkably well for the first time out of the arena. He only got spooked once, and that was from his own shadow I think. Transitions walk - halt - walk -trot went very well and I think he really enjoyed himself.

Hah! you want me to pose? think again *gnafs*

Clinic with David and Skills at Arms!

2010-07-31T00:44:00.002+02:00

At wednesday and thursday this week I've been attending yet another clinic with David Oliveira. Seems it will be the last one of this year so I'm happy that I managed to attend.

Bosco is still quite young both in his physique and in his mind so we mostly worked at easy exercises for loosening of the neck. The day before the clinic I had asked Pelle to help me a bit with the left side since I've had some troubles with it for the past few weeks. Luckily for me, Pelle had just picked up David from the airport so they were both sitting beside the arena and cooperated on helping me. Win! This "lesson" I was to exaggerate the flexing to the inside on both hands. Keep the flexion until he released, then push forward with seat and legs. This worked really well and we managed to get the left side almost as good as the right side.

During the clinic we worked on the flexibility of the neck, alternating flexing to the outside and the inside. We also worked at mobilization to the outside and to the inside, not as much as we have done before but some to engage his hindlegs a bit more.

Cantering has been a problem for us because of the small round pen, we have just a small space, and Bosco isn't really strong enough to canter as collected as he has to. So while we had an arena we worked a lot on the canter. First we worked on both canters only in the big circles, then during the clinic we proceeded to canter at the circle, then over the diagonal, trot in the corner then new canter. We actually managed to do this quite well, I think we only missed one of the transitions. It was hard to maintain the right rhythm across the diagonal, but this will get better when he gets stronger. The last lesson we could actually do canter serpentines with canter, trot, canter transitions on the center line. They might not be good enough for a dressage test yet, but we're getting there, slow but steady! We also used trot, halt transitions, while at halt I was to collect Bosco and back up a few steps before going forward again. After doing this a couple of times his trot became more collected and I had some really nice rein-backs, which I don't think I've ever managed to do with Bosco. Fun fun!

Cantering is still heavy work, but at least he got his hindlegs with him

David managed to get Bosco a bit worked up and crashed into the other horses who, by coincidence was on the exact same place in the arena.

Pelle is showing off to the photographer

(he has got a whip in his hand, but aims quite well so you can't see it :p)

David and Pelle is playing knights with whips as lances

Wednesday was a hot day, Bosco almost changed color

Flexion to the outside

I just want to finish off with this picture. I have never seen myself sit as correctly as this before. I'm quite amazed actually! Still got things to improve here aswell, but this is a huge step forward!

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from thursday as it was pouring down all day. There was some pictures taken but the rain was so heavy that the automatic focus, focused on the rain.

After the clinic was finished I stayed for one more night so that I didn't have to drive home the same day. This morning me and a friend wanted to try out skills. Skill at Arms is a competition where you use sword, spear and lance in different exercises. Here is a video of Luke Binks, a knight from Australia who has been at Trollspeilet the last couple of months, riding through the skills course I trained at today. The amazing commentaries is done by Pelle.

I tried the spear, sword and the lance and Bosco behaved amazingly good. I was quite surprised. Even with me hitting the quintain in full speed canter he didn't even flinch when I hit the metal plate. He might be a good horse for jousting! We also jumped the small jump, and Bosco jumped correctly and didn't even try to run on the outside! I beat my old record of spins on the quintain, the old record was 4 or 6 (don't really remember), now I got 8 and that was the only time we counted. Fun Fun!

And on a side note to this last bit, during the second weekend of july there was an unofficial world championship in jousting, in France. Norway won, out of 10 teams! The Norwegian team consisted of Lisa Holar, Petter Ellingsen and Erik Ryen. Second place went to the Australian team who consisted of one norwegian, Pelle, one from australia, Luke Binks and a german guy. Lisa, Petter, Pelle and Luke are good friends of mine so this was fun for many of us!

These guys compete in full scale medieval armor and it looks spectacular! Pictures can be seen at this thread (on both pages). Pelle has a green shield with a white horse, Luke is wearing black and yellow, Petter has the brown and white horse and Lisas horse has a green cover.

For you norwegian readers: here is a couple of articles:

http://hest.no/artikkel.html?news.nid=7472

http://www.dressursaklart.no/?p=4792%22

Equine education?

2010-07-18T02:06:00.000+02:00

So for the past year I have thought a lot about my future. What do I really want to do with my life, where do I see myself in 20 years and what do I need to do to get there?

First things first, I do not see myself working at a hospital ward for the rest of my life. The work is exiting and I learn something new about people everyday, but the payment is not that good, work-hours are horrible and somehow you always have to be the one that gets yelled at. Both from patients and doctors.

The first thing I thought about was further education within nursing. I have always pictured myself as an anaesthetic nurse, but this will not help with the work hours. I have also thought about taking a degree in economics, it would be helpful in combination with the nursing degree and by itself.

Then today, I had a nice chat with my aunt and uncle who asked me if I had thought about getting and education abroad. And yes I have thought about it, but not really considered it, until now. One of my dreams has been to have my own stable and run it the way I want to. Never really considered it an option because of the finances and my own thoughts of "no, I can't do that, no you need a safe job" and so on. So I have spent this evening surfing colleges in the UK who has equine degrees, and it seems like the kind of thing that would suit me perfectly. I'm already in contact with one of the norwegian agents for one of the colleges, but I need to get some more information about the different places before doing anything else.

So to you bloggers out there, anyone got any tips on different colleges out there with equine studies on the schedule?

New Saddle!

2010-07-14T00:20:00.000+02:00

After talking to the saddler I got an appointment for today. So, with the help from a friend, I loaded Bosco on to the transport and drove for about 2 hours to the saddelers workshop. It was a combined indoor arena with a small stable and a working area at the side.

When we arrived the saddler was busy with another costumer so we just placed Bosco in one of the stalls. The transport we were using was of the old sort, with crappy ventilation so he was soaked with sweat when we arrived. He wanted to roll around in the sawdust, but had some problems due to the small space in the stall. Bosco has never rolled over in a stall, only outside, so he had to lay down and get back up about 5 times before he was happy. And he repeated this about 10 times before it was our turn.

After a while it was our turn with the saddler. First she took measurements of Bosco, and looked at his muscles. The first thing she noticed was that he had less muscles on the right side. This might explain why his right side is his "difficult" side. The saddler found a lot of saddles who could fit Bosco, some of them did, many didn't. Like most iberian horses he has a short and straight back, with some height on the withers. This makes it a bit difficult to find a saddle that is broad enough for the back and still gives room for the withers.

We tried out a lot of different saddles on Bosco, then took the best ones and I tested them to see how they were for me. After this we had eliminated all but 3, one of them I wasn't going to buy anyway (waaaaay to expencive) so we tried out the two others in the indoor arena.

The first saddle was a Santa Cruz Artur De Lux, this one was my favorite during the testing. It has a quite deep seat and it was really nice and comfy to ride in. After testing this saddle for a while, we changed and tried the other one, an Ideal Tonishia. The first thing I noticed when I got up in this saddle, was that Bosco felt more free in his shoulders and through the withers. I tried the saddles once each and both of them seemed to be correct for Bosco. At first I was leaning towards the santa cruz, since they both seemed correct and the santa cruz was the cheaper one, quite a lot cheaper than the Tonishia.

Then I changed again, and once i tried to trot with the santa cruz, Bosco tried to buck. There was another horse in the arena at the time, and it was cantering towards us, trying to buck as well so this might be why Bosco tried it as well. The thing is that he never bucks, if he does anything it's rearing, stopping or running sideways away from the aids. So after a while we changed the saddles again, and only by the way Bosco moved I decided to get the Tonishia. If it was up to me and my wallet, I would go for the santa cruz, but Bosco was quite clear about which saddle he preferred.

Happy horse and happy owner, altho one who would have to take a few extra shifts the next month to make up for the hole in my savings account.

What the Ideal says about the Tonishia model:
The tree in this saddle has been technologically designed to allow room for the muscle mass found at the thoracic part of the trapezius (base of whither). This is usually created by correctly schooled horses that are in top level/advanced work, but can also be found in Lusitano, Andalusian and some Warmblood horses naturally.

This prestigious saddle comes in a luxurious and durable ’Texo’ leather with calf seat and knee pads.

A truly inspired saddle that is already proven and esteemed by many top riders and their horses.

I'm going to Golegã!

2010-07-12T03:38:00.000+02:00

The Golegã horse fair (Feira da Golegã), also called the National Horse fair (Feira Nacional do Cavalo), has been the main meeting and traiding place for Lusitano horses. This fair occurs one week in November, and this year I will be attending!

Some friends of mine went there last year, but I couldn't afford it at the time. So when they told me they were going back this year there was no doubt in my mind.

We'll combine the trip to Golegã with some riding lessons at an, for the moment, unknown stable and a trip to Lisboa. I have never been to Portugal so I'm really looking forward to this trip.

Saddle issues part 2

2010-07-11T01:15:00.000+02:00

Another session in the "arena" with Bosco today. After warming up for a bit, I started to shorten the reins and searched for contact. Quite fast I noticed that something was abit off, I couldn't really put my finger on what it was, but things weren't like they are supposed to.

The past sessions it has been easy on the left hand, good support on the right rein and I can do almost what I want to without any protests at all. On the right hand he wants to have the support of the right rein and not use his right hind leg, but after some warm up exercises this is not really a bit problem to ride through. Today, he kept throwing his head about, everytime I tried to pick up contact on the right rein, on the left hand. I tried almost everything, every exercise I have used before and yes it got better, but not good. And for the first time I had problems with impulsion. He just didnt react to leg aid.

After a while I realiszed that there was something wrong. First thing I thought of was his wolf tooth, which was on the right hand side. If there was some more left it could become painful. So I searched his mouth, and he did not react to anything, other than he didnt like to get my fingers in his mouth.

So my next thougt was the saddle. I know it hasn't been the ideal saddle for him and I was planning to change it in the near future. So I took it off and tried out how he was bareback. BINGO! there was the problem. After removing the saddle I had my old horse back, just as reactive and sensitive as i know him.

So now I have called the saddeler and if I find a transport, I'll fix it during the next week!

Oh how I love that my horse lets me know when he is hurting! I have tried out saddles before, last time he would not trot, only canter. And at this time I had problems getting him to canter at all in the arena, so that one didn't fit either!

Observations from a day at the stable

2010-07-07T21:26:00.000+02:00

Some interesting observations from today.

A single-jointed snaffle is weird when you are used to double-jointed. Horsie does not want to stand still while I try to tighten the girth, he goes against the bit, weird feeling, he rears. Then he gets frightened that I become unbalanced, and rears again. Next thing that happens is that I jump off (so I won't fall off), he gets spooked by this and tries to get away, again with the pressure and rears once more. 2 seconds later he realize that there is nothing to fuzz about, he snorts and walks up to me as if nothing has happened. "I have no idea what just happened, but I'm done! let's go!". I tightened the girth from the ground and get back in the saddle. Now he is allowed to walk freely down through the fields, relaxedly he blows his nose.

Going for a hack with the TC saddle is quite alright, lots of freedom to encourage swinging of the back and lots of natural impulsion!

Riding with one hand is no problem. "Hey, this is what i was born to do!"

It's easier to sneak behind the bit while using the single-jointed snaffle, especially with a sloppy contact! When I took the contact as I am supposed to, it was working as intended. (I still like the double-jointed snaffle better)

Getting scratched on the head, forehead, the jaw and behind the ears has been underestimated for a long time. Now it's time to catch up for all the time spent not getting scratched! WITH interest! Bosco is like a huge brown (but very cute) mosquito, following me around the pasture "come ooooon, scraaaatch meeeeee!". This is only outside, when I take him in to groom him, he is not interested unless i scratch him on the areas he always loves getting scratched. Inside he is only focusing about what happens outside. He definitely prefers the pasture, he is much more relaxed outside with all his buddies (and enemies) around him!

saddle issues

2010-06-30T22:53:00.001+02:00

The fun of having a young horse!

Bosco has had the past week off, just staying outside eating grass. During this period he decides it's time to get a bit larger. So suddenly his withers has raised quite a lot, which then again leads to the saddle not fitting! *MEH!*

Well, it's not completely wrong yet, but if he keeps growing like this it will. Luckily I've got a nice Total Contac saddle, which is perfect in these situations, but not a replacement. I'll see if I can get a saddeler to take a look at him during the summer. It's just so irritating to change saddle when I know he will continue to grow for at least 3 more years. I can't afford to buy a saddle every 6 months :/

oh well, we will see how it goes, perhaps he has changed again in a week or so...

New riding boots!

2010-06-20T23:14:00.001+02:00

During the last clinic with David my poor riding boots slowly died. They have been quite ugly for a while, but now they almost fell apart. The heavy rain was too much for them. They had survived for 10 years so I felt it was time to let them go.

So this week I went to the shop to see if they had any boots that fitted me. I have tiny feet and quite thick calves so I wasn't sure if I was going to find anyone, but I was wrong. When I told the lady who worked at the store that I had thick calves she just laughed at me. So we discussed what kind of boots I wanted and for which purpose, and eventually she found a pair of Mountain Horse Richmond High Rider Boots. They were a bit tight around the calves, but got elastics in the sides. They were also a bit too high around the knee, but after some use they will get a few cm shorter.

They look like this:

I tried them out for the first time yesterday. First of all it was quite hard getting up on the horse with new boots, had to pull down the zipper to get the flexibility in the knee. They were a bit uncomfortable to ride with at first, mostly because they were new and stiff. They give loads of stability around the ankle and once they have been "ridden in" I think they will be great!

Until then I'll have to ride with some protection on my heels :P

On a side note, Bosco was great yesterday. I had a short session in the round pen where we had some fights but mostly an understanding of what we were doing. After riding in the round pen I took him out for a short hack on the riding path, there I wanted to see how well the gas and brake worked together. After trotting for a while I asked for canter, as always he started in the left canter and after a while I did a transition to trot, then focused on getting him in the right canter. After a few tries I managed it, and on a straight line aswell! woho! A few 100 metres further on I started to push him a bit, he gently excelerated, I pushed some more, and gently he excelerated again and there was no tension or wanting to run away. So I started thinking about the brakes, funny thing with this horse is if you think hard enough about stopping, he will stop. Almost at once, and as a result I almost fell off. Haha! Nothing wrong with either the gas or brakes on this boy!

Training week and clinic with David Oliveira

2010-06-15T11:09:00.000+02:00

This week I have been at Trollspeilet, I've been working for food, housing and training. I was so happy to be able to work at an arena again and Bosco (and I) has improved from day to day.

During the week we went out for a midnight hack in the forrest. This made me think about Marias blog "reckless riding". We were three girls and the horses was one cold-blooded trot horse, a knabstrupper and a huge old eventing horse. It was twilight and a bit of rain, so we could see the road a head of us. It was really fun, and it has been a long time since I've been riding in that tempo through the forrest :D

The training this week has been about adjusting the aids, and I've started working with lateral movements. Which means more adjusting of my seat since everything gets screwed up during lateral movements.

My back is almost straight! Still tense up in my legs and I need to sit more forward in the saddle.

The weekend we had the walking clinic it was so dry and dusty that Bertie danced a little rain dance every night before going to bed. The rain waited for a week, and started pouring down when David arrived in norway. It was everything from heavy rain to light rain during the weekend, and when the last horses were let out after the last lesson on sunday, the sun peeked out from behind a cloud.

This picture: Trollspeilet

Almost every time David has a clinic its raining, this one was no exception.

This picture: Trollspeilet

Lovely weather

This picture: Trollspeilet

David and Bosco

My back is straight, but my legs are tense.

Need more contact

This is from the first lesson on sunday. Bosco had a lot of energy and got easily tensed up, which led to me getting tense and fall back into my old habits. Need to use my abdominal muscles more to get my pelvis in the right position and relax my legs.

This picture: Trollspeilet

One of Boscos small explotions.

As David put it "perhaps (he has) a little more energy" hah! That's a huge understatement.

"sometimes little fight, no problem"

Bosco didn't want to go correct and started fighting against Davids aids.

But when he realized what he was supposed to do he behaved.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from the last lesson, it seemed that Bosco had some time to think about the previous lesson and figured out what was expected of him. David rode him a little while this lesson as well and Bosco behaved really well and did almost everything he asked without fighting. Even canter transitions from halt, walk and trot. Good boy!

Through out the clinic I worked with transitions in big and small circles. I was to stay off the wall, only work inside the arena so he would lean on wall of the arena. During the last week I have just started getting the right contact and use different exercises as shoulder-in and different kinds of lateral work. This means I have to start almost all over again with my seat because while doing lateral work i tense up all the way from my ankles up to the pelvis. I notice this on most of the pictures taken from the clinic and the previous week.

I have gone from quite loose contact to an a lot more supporting contact in a short while, and my hands have to get softer! David talked about using elastics so that I could use these as a support and it would be easier on Boscos mouth. The problem with the elastics is that they wont solve my problem. I talked to Pelle about this and he agreed with me, so we are going to work at being softer in the hands.

David also installed some sort of power recharger on the outside flank, it's like you can almost hear him powering up when using the outside leg. And if you just power up and don't use the energy for something you will get some sort of explosion. Luckily he never bucks or do any big movements when he explode he just do weird stuff.

I have had quite a few problems with the canter and the last week I have been using shoulder-in and made the transition out of that exercise. This has been working nicely, but now I got some new aids to work with. In preparing for canter, open outside rein, move inside rein forward and use outside leg for the transition. Works perfectly as long as I do it correctly. Fun! Canter transition version 1.2 :D

David said that Bosco has improved a lot since last clinic, he also looked at his pedigree and says its quite good. Now we have sent all the papers on Bosco, Bilro and Brasil with David, he is going to help us with the passports and get the papers right. Good to know someone that knows how the system works, especially in a country where I don't know the language or how these things are done. Hopefully the passports will be finished until next clinic.

Things to work at until the next clinic:

*softer in the hands

*canter

*canter to improove the trot

*Mobilisation to the inside and outside. A few steps inside, a few steps forward, a few steps outside, a few steps forward and repeat.

*contact

*shoulders back (the unique problem with the norwegians)

Funny thing this weekend, we had horses doing piaffe, passage, flying changes, (on purpose) capriole, levade and courbette (not on purpose) all done by 4 year old lusitanos. Fantastic horses! (and just to clarify, this is not the daily training routine.)

Pelle helped me get Bosco Lillestrøm where I could drive him the rest of the way home. But before we left Lillestrøm he got a nice pedicure by Lisa, Tank you! He walked straight on to the new transport and stood completely still the whole way home. When we arrived home there was noone there so I had to take him out all by myself, but he behaves when he has to so I had no problems unloading him myself. Good to know!

Little sweet Bosco

Walking vs Riding

2010-06-09T15:36:00.000+02:00

This weekend I have been attending a course designed to give us the knowledge on the similarities between walking and riding. The course was at Trollspeilet and Pelle and his brother, Torodd were the instructors. Both of our instructors have an educaution in human physiology, and Torodd is working as a physiotherapist at a huge training facility. They got a lot of knowledge between them as to how our body works, how it affects both us and the horse when we are riding.

On saturday we started off with general physiology and how we walk. Most of us who were attending this course know each other from before and we all know we got some things to work at, and many of us struggle with the same problems. After going through some of the theory we went out to the arena to have some practice First we were told to walk around while they corrected us. My main problem while walking is the same problem I have while riding. I have to get my pelvis in the correct position. At the moment I'm no where near strong enough to keep it in place without too much of an effort. This is something I have been working on for quite some time while in the saddle. Its really weird working at the same problem while walking. Another problem I got is that my feet are facing too much inwards, so I also have to focus on walking straight with my feet. This first exercise was just walking straight forward in our own tempo, just trying to adjust to the new movement.

The next exercise was standing straight in bearing, then shift the weight on to one leg, then lift the other by just lifting the pelvis on one side. We were walking around, in bearing, with straight knees and just lifting the pelvis to go forward. This was a fun exercise and you really had to work to get loose enough in the hips and keep the pelvis in place.

After a few rounds in the arena we decided to "take a break" and have a riding lesson before the next walking session. While riding we were working on the same things as we did while walking and i was surprised of how much easier it was now that I had more control over the movement in the hips.

During the next sessions we walked, ran and sprinted uphill. None of us were in any good shape, but it was fun when you got the technique right. This is easier on the joints and very effective training.

In the end of the course we talked about nutrition and exercise. Not that much I haven't heard before, but one thing he said and it is very true. It is very important for a rider to exercise other than only riding. While riding we are mostly using the core muscles, if we get tired it always affects the core muscles before the others. So after this I'm going to try to train in other ways than just riding, perhaps some intervals?

Summertime!

2010-06-01T04:06:00.000+02:00

We opened the last section of the pasture today, loads of green grass, dandelions and pictures!

Newest member of the herd, borned 00.45 on may 31st. This was her first time outside.

Everyone wanted to say Hello, but mummy dearest kept them away from the little one.

Mai and Tussa, came from Årungen on saturday

Thursday we are leaving for Trollspeilet. I got a week + a few days off work so we are going to attend two weekend courses. The first one june 4th-6th is a course where we will be focusing on not only our seat while in the saddle, but also how we walk. We struggle towards making the horse carry it self correctly, but so few of us actually walk correctly in our daily lives.

The next weekend, june 11th-13th, we are all set for a new clinic with David Oliveira. Unfortunately we haven't been able to train as much as I had hoped between the clinics, but I'm quite sure we will learn alot anyway.

In the week between these courses I'm just going to work at Trollspeilet and earn a living while I am there. Not sure what my assignments will be, but it doesn't really matter as long as I get to train my horse in an arena! I can't wait until we get one at home!

Bosco in the round pen

2010-05-25T09:29:00.001+02:00

I took some pictures after a session in the round pen yesterday, he managed of course to get nice and dirty before I was able to get my camera from the car.

New improvements

2010-05-21T23:49:00.002+02:00

After the productive lesson last time, Bosco has mostly been sore so I haven't been able to train very well. I have tried to make the best out of it in the round pen, but somehow I haven't made it work. This thursday, Pelle was at Årungen with all the others who haven't moved yet, and he was so nice to come over to Røed just for me.

The lesson was quite intence for my part. We started out in walk, flexed to the outside. Bosco didn't really want to do it and I usually tense up when doing something "new". Need to remember to relax the legs, be flexible in the hip and follow the movement. After a few rounds on each hand we started working in trot. Pelle told me to change hand, and when I did, he asked me "what did you do when you turned the horse?" to that I answered "hmm, not sure". He asked me to change hand again, and asked the same question, still no good answer from me. After doing the same thing 5 times I noticed what I did, I pulled in the inside rein. *sigh* When I pull back the inside rein, he tenses up and "fall apart".

So next excersise was to change hand with the same work we started last time. When riding alongside the wall: start by looking the direction you want to go, push forward with the outside rein while relaxing the inside leg and step down in the inside stirrup. Sit on the inside seatbone and lift the outside seatbone, support the outside with the outside leg. The horse will then turn, when it has turned "enough", push forward with the inside rein while relaxing both legs, stepping down in both stirrups and sit with both seatbones, the horse will go straight forwards. Go straight for a few steps, then push forwards with the previous inside rein (now outside), step down in the new inside stirrup, relax the leg, and sit with new inside seatbone while lifting the new outside seatbone, support the new outside with the outside leg. I had to do this "a few" times before getting it correct, but it is funny how easily I can manouvre the horse when I do it right!

This lesson I really noticed how much space he needs on the outside, especially on the left hand. The left side is the stong side, while the right side is the flexible side. He gets easily tensed on the left side, right side is alot easier with the flexion and almost no tension, on the right side we lack impulsion.

I have been struggeling with the canter almost since I got him, but it goes up and down. Pelle told me to canter, and I said I don't know how to do it. Every time I try to work at it, we both just tense up and always end up with the left hand canter. First Pelle took the "motivation stick" and poked abit on Boscos hindlegs. He wasn't too pleased with that, but in the end he did what he was asked to: step further with the hindlegs. So after waking up the hindlegs I was supposed to canter. We quickly discovered that I am no way near precise enough for this sensitive little horse. First, I have to ask for canter at the right time. To do this I got Pelle to flick his fingers everytime his hindlegs were at the correct position. Almost everytime I was too slow and Bosco did what I asked of him, I just asked for canter at the wrong time, so he began the left hand canter instead of the right hand. I think I was precise enough two times, and the result was a nice right hand canter.

Now I atleast know what the problem is, then I might be able to do something about it aswell! Poor Bosco was really tired after the lesson, really sweaty too. When I went to let him out into the padock after the lesson he was in a hurry to get "in the shower" and had just passed through the door before he threw himself on to the ground and got his fur all muddy and dusty :D

I wish I had a personal photographer to take pictures during these lessons, but it felt really good and Inga, who was watching said it looked good aswell. So I trust her until I get some picture evidence!

Updates!

2010-05-19T23:45:00.000+02:00

This week I moved Bosco to a new stable. I had actually payed to stay at Årungen through out may, but for a number of reasons I felt like I just had to move. First of all I did not really trust the owners on the hay they were feeding the horses. Three horses have had colic during the past few months. Other people have found moldy hay that the horses were eating, and the feeding rutine was really weird the last few weeks. The hay is also abit too strong for Boscos sensitive stomach :/ Second, the mood had changed in the stable. I didn't enjoy the time I spent there and I felt I just had to get away.

Bosco relaxing at Årungen a few days before we left

So now I moved to Røed, which is basically 5 minutes drive from Årungen. This was the place that I could find, that were closest to what I was looking for. One big drawback, there is no arena... yet. The plan is to build one over the summer, but I'm not sure when that is. In the meantime, there is a roundpen I can use and there is a road made only for horses, where I can get some training done.

Took some pictures in the nice weather today, suddenly summer arrived!

The stable, not quite finished yet

The stable, the door in the end leads to the indoor area of the padock.

This will become the washing booth

This will become a common room with sofa and a small kitchen

Toilet

Food for all the hungry horses

Where we keep all our equipment

The roundpen

Just behind all this rubbish is where they are going to build the arena

Indoor area for the outdoor horses

Bosco right outside the indoor area

Outdoor area

Outdoor area. This area will expand all the way to the houses in the background and the horses will have lots of green grass to eat. They just need to adapt to the new grass.

The road made for horses only, straight forward as far as the eye can see

Walk, trot, canter, do what ever you like, the road is all yours :D

Bosco with my new handmade Total Contact saddle

(first time I tried to braid his mane, looks weird, but working as intended)

The last week Bosco has had some trouble with his hoofs. They have been really sore and he has not been comfertable with a rider. This is ok now, but I have only trained him twice since he got well. We have both been abit rusty after almost one and a half week break, but tomorrow Pelle is comming over to set things straight. Hah!

Houston, we've made contact!

2010-05-08T00:16:00.000+02:00

For the past weeks I've been struggeling with contact. Too strong, too loose, nothing at all or just really uneven contact. It has been a while since my last lesson so it was about time to get some pointers on what I'm doing wrong and what I'm doing right. For the past week, we have been training with a cavesson and it has not been ideal, but at least he has gotten som exercise. I started out with the birdle again on wednesday and it went fairly ok.

Yesterday I had another lesson for Pelle, and we worked mostly on the contact. Before we started the lesson, Pelle tested my hip to see if there was any improovement in the "looseness". He did this by taking hold of my leg and se how far he could move it backwards, forwards and to the sides without any tension in the muscles. Even I could feel that there was improovement! yay!

During the warm up I was told to keep my focus on my hip and make sure that I kept using it in all the exercises. Turns, straight lines and changing the direction is no longer a problem, but the problems arrive when I start to work at the mobilisation exercises. The moment I want the horse to move sideways i tense up and he stops. There is nothing in between, when I remember to use the seat correctly he does the exercise correctly. If i tense up, he stops, at once! hah. No need for an instructor to tell me what to do, the horse does it all by himself.

After the warm-up, I told Pelle that I was struggeling with the conctact. My problem is that I don't want to be to strong in the hands, but then it goes the other way and the contact is more or less nonexisting. So I was told to shorten the reins abit, and take contact so that it was even on both sides. Then, by using the horses natural response of going against pressure, I was to use the reins and put his head where I wanted it. The inside rein shows him the flexion, the outside rein determines how high/low his head should be.

We worked on flexion both in walk and trot. To get the flexion in the horse, we want him to bend around the inside seatbone. So weight on the inside, contact on both reins, when you get contact, slowly push the outside rein forwards so that the horse will follow the pressure and bend to the inside. If he looses the flexion or he thinks it's too hard, I use the inside rein and lead his head to the inside, when he obeys remember to give the rein. My problem is that I move the hands to fast and then loose the contact because the pressure goes away. When this happens, start all over with even contact on both reins.

It took me about half a cicle to see how that I haven't really been working on contact at all, because this was a huge difference! Suddenly, the horse was alot calmer and more susceptible to the aids. We worked in this exercise throughout the lesson, and in the end the horse worked alot better than he had done in weeks. We even had a few moments here and there where he actually worked really well! Now I know we are on to something!

During this lesson, I realised what different instructors has been trying to tell me, but it haven't really come through to the brain until now. It's when you suddenly get the feeling of contact you can actually really understand what it's all about. And I think this is a major part of what riding is, you can read all you want and know all the theory, but you don't know it until you feel it.

At the end of the lesson Pelle said; "You haven't ruined the horse! Nice work!" So I ask my self, was that to be expected? nop, don't think so. I think it was more Pelle talking to my subconcius that keeps telling me "don't do anything wrong! don't ruin the horse!". And I haven't, so I'm happy :D

On a sidenote; I might have found a new stable. It is only 5 minutes away from where I am now and it is under construction. The outdoor areas are in place and have been for a while. They are building a stable and an arena which is supposed to come up this summer. I think it will be quite promising once its finished and the bus stops right outside, brilliant. The girl who runs this place seemed like good old farmes daughter, with both legs firmly planted on the ground and a healthy view of the horse. And last, but not least, we can have whatever instructor we want!

Trouble at the stable part 2

2010-05-03T19:11:00.000+02:00

So yea, we have to move. The owner insists on keeping this instructor and noone else for atleast those three months. Allthough, according to the email she sendt out it seems it could last longer.

Anyway, I have to find a new place and that is going to be hard. I haven't seen any places with the same standard as where I am at the moment, but I'll keep looking, perhaps there are some places just hiding out there.

Trouble at the stable

2010-05-01T23:39:00.001+02:00

The last few weeks has been abit weird if I may say so. Before I got Bosco I was used to horses kept in stables and with shoes. Now, Bosco was barefoot when I bought him, and has been so all his life so there is no reason to shoe him. He has also been kept outside in a paddock all day, all year round and I didn't want to change this because he is more comfertable living outside in a herd.

Anyway, when I got Bosco I knew I had to find another place to keep him. None of the places I have kept horses before, keep horses outside and in a herd, so I had to look elsewhere. I got lots of tips from other people who also have their horses outside and finally I found a nice place.

Bosco, loose in the arena

This place was at the other side of Oslo, but it doesn't take me extra time to get there so I'm happy. The horses are kept in two different herds, one for the fat horses and one for the horses that are able to limit their eating. In other words, one fat herd and one thin herd. They got a big area indoors where you can groom your horse and give extra food if they need it. There are 4 stalls and a few places where you can tie up your horse. There are also a few places outside where you can tie them up. We also got a "washing booth" in a separate room. The thing I like the most about this place is all the people, mostly grown ups who only care for their horses and their well being.

Bosco in the indoor area

Now, on to the thing that troubles me. We got one of the best arenas in the area, and I think we got 3 different instructors on a weekly basis. Last week there was a note in the stables that said that after the 21st of june, there would only be one instructor. If we wanted to take lessons from someone else we would have to ask this person and he/she could say yes or no. And there would be a 3 month quarantine where only this instructor would have lessons, noone else. Apperantly there has been some discussions before I arrived at the stables about different training methods and that some people are cruel to their horses because of the way they train them. This has led to some bad mouthing and some people has felt they have been looked down upon. That is why they want this quarantine, to calm things down.

First of all, I really don't care which training methods other people use, I might not like them, but thats my buissness. Secondly, I have never met a single instructor everyone likes. There will always be someone who doesn't agree or just don't like the way they do things and that is why I dont get why they want to keep just one instructor at this place. I have nothing against this instructor personally, but when someone comes and says she is really good and uses techniques she apperantly has invented her self, there is a red blinking light going "DINGDINGDING" in my head at least. She has no educaution when it comes to riding or instructing and from what I can tell, she does not ride for instruction.

One of the reasons I moved to this place was to be able to train for Pelle on a weekly basis. This has worked perfectly and the other instructors have lessons on different days so nothing is colliding. Since everything is going smoothly the way it is I really dont get why they want to close down the stables for any other instructors. If she is having a hard time getting students, this is not the way to do it! This is practically pushing people away.

We had a meeting today where everyone exept the stable owner agreed that we wanted the opportunety to choose who we wanted to ride for. Now she got until monday to come up with a set of new houserules, and if she keeps the 3 month quaranteene, quite a few of us will move out. I have no intention of being controlled by someone else, I want to choose whats best for me and my horse and I can not see why they want to do it this way. But its their stable and they get to set the rules, I just think its sad if we have to move since we are really happy with the way things are.

Now I just have to wait until monday to see if I have to start looking for a new place. I don't want to go all summer without being able to have any lessons and the summer is the highseason for us who got outdoor horses, I want to use it!

On another note, since Bosco pulled a "wolfs tooth" the previous week, I have been riding with a cavesson. It's not going great. He is not comfertable with the pressure and I'm not comfertable with the little control I seem to have with it. The good thing about it is that I have to ride with my seat, if i cheat he wont work. When I really focus, he is working aceptable, not great, but its ok. Main problem is me, as usual. I just really hope he wont have much problems afterwards and that I can go back to riding with the bridle soon. The vet told me to check the wound in his mouth, but that's not easy when he keeps throwing his head about every time I try to look inside.

Perhaps a bit too much complaining in this blog, but I just had to get it out. I'll keep you updated on how things are progressing.

Signing off with another picture, just because he is so cute !

He will soon has lost all of his winter coat, can't wait!

working equtation speed test

2010-05-01T20:38:00.003+02:00

Found a video of David riding Otario in Working Equitation from 2008. I have only seen videos from the "slow" part of the program and the dressage part, this is during the speed test. Fun!

Edit:
Also found a video of a dressage test, David riding Mulato in 2006.

A visit from the dentist

2010-04-28T07:57:00.000+02:00

I don't think anyone has checked Bosco's mouth before so when I had to have him revaccinated I figured we could take a look at his teeth at the same time.

We quickly discovered it was about time, lots of sharp edges that had made some wounds in his mouth, and he had what we call "wolf tooth" in norwegian. It is the tooth that comes up right where the bit lies in the mouth. After a closer examination, the vet discovered that the tooth was broken and he couldn't say if he would be able to get everything out. Poor Bosco was not comfertable with the vet digging inside his mouth, but after lots of sedative, local anaesthetic and deep local anaesthetic he actually managed to get all the pieces out! Took quite a while, but then I won't have to worry about a remaining shard becomming a problem later. After removing the tooth he used one of those drills to smooth out the edges of the teeth. The vet was a really good, explaining evetything he did and showed me what was wrong, and let me feel the difference before and after the treatment.

Sedated Bosco supported by the vet's assistant

Not sure what to do, hindlegs go further and further back.

Not a pleasent "first trip to the dentist"

Still drugged, the vet checked his genetalia to make sure there was no dirt in the skinfolds and that everything looked normal. After the vet left and I was just waiting for the sedation to wear off, I took the opportunety to groom his face abit. Usually he doesn't like to get groomed in the face so he still got alot of fur left. I took my time and managed to get quite alot of fur off of him. At the same time i cut some hair of his ears and cut the mane behind his ears so its easier to fit the bridle without all the mane messing it up. After a little trip into the "shower", he woke up and was ready to go out again.

This weekend, most of the horses changed herds. They are now divided into the fat herd and the thin herd, so that they can easier control the amount of hay they eat. Bosco was very happy about this because this meant he got his mares all to himself. Before the change he was in a herd where the boss was a gelding called Petrick. He was not really good at it, he only kick harder than the rest of them. Petrick, Mamora and Miriel knew eachother from before at Trollspeilet so they were friends. Bosco was friends with Mamora and Miriel, but Petrick didn't really want him near them. Now Petrick is on the other side of the fence and Bosco got Mamora and Miriel all to himself! He is a happy horse at the moment :)

I can't use a bit in a while and Bosco needs to take it easy after being vaccinated so not much training for us the next few days. Anne, who has a couple of horses at the stable had both a sidepull and a cavesson I could borrow, so I can do some light training. I want that cavesson, the one i got is really ugly and doesn't fit. I might wish for a portugese cavesson, we'll see.

woot wooot

2010-04-21T14:11:00.000+02:00

I just passed the drivers test for the BE lisence, which means I can drive with a trailer. At last! Now I don't have to depend on other to drive me to clinics or shows :D

And today is Boscos birthday! 4 years old, big boy! Hooray!

This picture was taken April 4th, he has alot less fur now!

Just keep swimming

2010-04-19T03:54:00.002+02:00

This thursday I had a most interesting lesson with Hanne. It is usually Pelle who stops by, but this time he was sick and Hanne came in stead. Hanne and Pelle are marriend and they've got the same opinions and teach by the same principles, they just approach them in a different way. Pelle is straight forward and very talented at removing flawes from the rider. Hanne, on the other hand, picks up the pieces and combine your strengths with new input. The different approaches complete eachother quite well and makes the learning prosess more fun.

It has been a while since I last had a lesson with Hanne, and I had a feeling it would be tough. I was right. Apperantly Hanne had been "spying" on me for a while, I guess during the Oliveira clinic, and had a clear mission for the lesson. The main problem with my seat is that i sway in both my upper and lower back, and I have a tendency to get what we call "stiff in the hip", which means I don't follow the horses movements correctly. When I tense up in my legs, I block all movements in Boscos back and the result is not plesant.

So, as I said, Hanne had been spying on me and knew exactly what she wanted to "fix". As usual it was my lower back that was the problem. I had too much movement in the back so we needed to straighten up the back, and keep the movement in the hip-joint. The "mental image" I had to think of was to try to pull the symphysis and the sternum together, and this worked like a charm! I felt like the hunchback of Notre Dame, but both Hanne and Sissel asured me that I was quite straight.

I was working with my seat in seated trot for a while and tried to make Bosco stretch his back and into the contact. The last part was quite difficult as Bosco didn't really want to and I keep struggeling with keeping my weight on the inside, which again makes him struggle to keep balance. In the end, we had some moments where we managed to do what we were supposed to, but during this lesson it was mainly my abdominal muscles who took the beating.

The mental image of pulling the symphysis and sternum together was a bit of an eyeopener to me this lesson. Since the trainee course I have been struggeling with the fact that my seat often works backwards instead of forwards. The reason for this is simple, I am seated too far back in the saddle. Thinking about the symphysis and sternum being pulled together, just like doing a "crunch", automaticly placed my seat correctly, and as a result, my seat was working forwards. So, mission acomplished! Now I just have too keep this in mind and do this everytime i ride so I'll strengthen my muscles (they need it!).

Other things I need to work at; floppy elbows! For a while I thought I had them under control, but during this lesson where I got my torso in place, my elbows started flopping again and made sure i could not keep a steady hand. Unsteady hand = no contact! *sigh* To keep my elbows in place I have to think about flexing the trapezius and latissimus dorsi. However, this time that did not work. I'm not sure why just yet, but it might be related to a small overload on the thinking part of the riding. I will try to explore this subject further during the next sessions.

Checklist for me

Pull the symphysis and sternum together
shoulders back
"lean on" the abdominal muscles
chin up, look forward (with the head, not only the eyes)
loose in the hip joint
during light trot, remember the two-beat-rythm. Light seat, weight in the stirrups, not on the back.
weight down in the stirrups
weight on the inside while riding circles and other exercises.

Checklist for Bosco

warm up with mobilisation to the outside and to the inside
contact
if you want him to bend to the inside, give him room on the outside
transitions, transitions, transitions
while doing transitions to canter, use the "outside mobilisation"

Some day I will manage to keep both my body and Boscos in place, but until then I'll just keep training!

Bosco, showjumper?

2010-04-17T18:46:00.001+02:00

Friday, I decided that I wanted to check out how Bosco would react to fences in the arena so me and Astri let Bosco and Miriel have some fun.

All pictures: Inga and Astri Rebbeng

Bosco and Miriel, quiet before the storm

*vroooooom*

Bosco had a lot of fun, running around like a complete maniac

No need for fences

Look what I can do!

*boink*

Miriel knows how to jump aswell

Yeeeha!

I love this picture! They are so cute together

I look like I'm almost asleep, but Bosco knows how to pose

One day, I'll test how he reacts to fences with a rider on his back. He has alot of power in his hindquarters allready so I think he will do allright in showjumping, just needs to get a little older and stronger.

Clinic with David Oliveira

2010-04-12T09:58:00.002+02:00

This weekend we were attending a clinic with David Oliveira. David is from Portugal and is a former world champion in Working Equitation. He has tried show jumping, dressage, eventing and didn't think it was much of a challenge so now he is trainig for bullfighting.

I am always a bit nervous before loading Bosco on to the transport, but everytime we have rented an Ifor Williams trailer, he doesn't even hesitate. Such a good boy and I love those trailers! At Trollspeilet he was reunited with his old friends, Brasil, Misty and Ares. Brasil is Boscos brother and the same age, Misty a Norwegian warmblood, also 4 years old and Ares, a 3 year old Norwegian warmblood. A few high-pitched noises from Brasil when i let Bosco out, after that they ran around and played for a while.

First I just have to appologise for the weird english in this blog, Davids english is a bit limited so I get used to using the same words, but I'll try to explain.

Before this clinic we have been training like David has told us to train the young horses, "Training young horse, boring, circle, cricle, circle, turn, circle, circle, circle. Forward." Now we started on the exercise David calls "mobilisation to the inside and to the outside". This means you face the horse to the outside or inside of a circle and get him to step in under himself with the hindleg. I have been struggeling alot with the right hand canter, so we used this exercise and voilá right hand canter is no longer a problem ! "See?, it's easy!"

David rode Bosco for a few minutes during the second lesson, and he said that he was alot like the spanish horse I had last year. Even tho he called Bosco a baby he said it was a good horse and that he would be really good in a couple of years. Thats always nice to hear :)

The last lesson he was quite tired, but we started working on transitions, transitions, transitions. Difficult for me, dificult for Bosco, but in the end you could really feel the difference, even tho the horse was tired.

So until next clinic in june we will be working on transitions and mobilisation with Bosco, and I have to keep working on my seat. Shoulders back, weight in the stirrups and I need to "detatch" my legs from the pelvis, so I hopefully will relax more in my hips.

It was a wonderful sunny weekend, and for once I watched my trainer, Pelle, really struggeling while riding Jupiter. It usually looks so easy when he is riding, but this time he had to work hard. Moahahah!

David

David riding Bosco

We had to ride in a roundpen, since all the fields and the arena were too wet. Quite crowded but not a problem.

Not sure what David is doing here, it might be the chicken dance

Right hand canter, yepee!

Bosco is a little tired

Sunday without the icy wind, almost summer!

Behind me is Hanne (one of my instructors) with Brasil, Boscos brother

Now I just have to recover from this weekend, it hurts all over, but it was worth it!

Here comes the sun

2010-04-04T22:21:00.001+02:00

Today, the sun came out again, I took my camera to the stable and here are the result.

Bosco and friends

Foood

Fooood

Smilla

Trying to make some dry areas so the horses won't have to stand in the mud all day. They didn't mind the big machines.

Hestehov!! First one of the year :D

Miriel, Astris new horse, came from Trollspeilet today. Meeting an old friend, Petrick. Bosco watches in the background.

Everyone wants to meet the newcomer

and follow her around

a popular little lady

Bosco, who had been the newest arrival, followed Miriel around and wouldn't let her out of his sight

Such a sweet couple

Fun fact: Last year they discovered by accident that Miriel was pregnant, one of the stallions was the father, noone know who. Maybe these two has had a little adventure in the past?

Jumping!

2010-03-30T06:40:00.000+02:00

Not with Bosco, but Herkules. It has been almost a year since last time i rode him. Now he is for sale and ha has only jumped 3 times before so the owner wanted to see if he got too excited and just generally how he would react.

I joined the jumping class in the riding school for a warm up, and stayed abit longer afterwards just to test him abit. In the end, the obstacle was raised to about 1.30 m. I havent jumped that high in 10 years I think, but it was FUN! :D

Springtime!

2010-03-26T09:07:00.003+01:00

Yes, spring has arrived with its nice warm temperatures, and what does that mean? Well, lets just say that we take off our big winter coats, so does the horse ><

It was actually more fur than it looks like, most of it is wet here.

Bosco is not the only horse who sheds his fur!

He is alot more calm when he is inside alone now, than what he was just a few days ago.

Tired after some work in the arena

Good pictures isn't easy when you are alone with a cellphone camera and the horse wants to follow you where ever you go.

The work in the arena keep improving. Or i should say, I am improving. Bosco works just fine if I can keep my seat where it is supposed to be and keep my hips free of tension. So I've got some work to do, but thats nothing new.

I have a few weeks left to train before I will be attending a clinic with David Oliveira. Will be fun to see what he thinks of Bosco. Hopefully I will find someone who can transport us up to Trollspeilet! Next time I will be able to drive myself!

Yes, I have changed the layout again. The other one messed up my headlines.

First week!

2010-03-21T22:34:00.001+01:00

Bosco last summer.

So, first week has come and gone, and I have had a wonderful time!

Bosco had to be vaccinated from the beginning again because of the old ones had expired, so he had tuesday off and wednesday we only did some light work in the arena.

Thursday we had our first lesson for Pelle. I was focusing on three things;

*flexible in the hips

*contact

*forward!

I started working in walk, working to get an active seat with a flexible hip and get the right contact. At the beginning I tried to use my legs to get impulsion, but my hip wasn't flexible enough so that didn't work. Pelle told me to relax my legs, weight down, but relaxed, and just use my seat and ride him into the contact. Suprise! it worked. For a while I kept working on riding him into the contact and once I got contact, try and stretch his neck down and forwards.

After a while we started working with the same in trot and I learned a new thing today! While working in rising trot I kept a two-beat-rythm with my feet. Weight down both when I stand up and when I sit down. With this technique I had a lighter seat and Bosco responded immediately! I had to keep working on this rythm, contact on the reins and turn my upper body to the inside of the circle so to keep my shoulders in line with Boscos shoulders.

We also tried canter, the main obstacle here is my hips. Bosco will not canter faster than I can move my hips, so if I tense up he simply won't canter! So the key is to relax and really get the motion through the hip, I did and he was cantering around. Pelle told me to try to speed up the rythm, I did and Bosco responded with a brisker pace. Then he told me to slow down a bit, and Bosco responded better than I think I've ever felt before! fun!

The next few days I have been practicing the same things as we worked on, on thursday. There is improvement from day to day!

Today I had more or less good contact for almost the intire duration of the work in the arena. After finishing the work in the arena I wanted to take him out for a little walk in the area around the stable. I have never been on hacks out here so I really had no idea where to go, so I just followed the road for a while before heading home again.

Bosco has been known to be some what "hysterical" before so I was prepared for almost anything. I was quite suprised of the way he acted, I wouldn't call it "calm". But for a young, iberian who has just come to a new place I think he behaved quite well! He is what I would call "awake", he looks at different things, but he never turns around or try to run. He might stop or trot a few steps, but thats easy to prevent when I just focus. We passed lots of different things today, scary things like mail boxes, garbage cans and tarpaulin blowing in the wind, and he just walks forward with his ears topped at all times. Good boy!

Before I left him today, I went outside to look at him from the stable. You can look down from the indoor area and on to the pen, where all the horses are. He was on the part furthest away from the stable, eating. He noticed someone up where I was at, looked directly at me and neighed at me, before he continued to eat. Weird, I thought and went back inside. 5 minutes later I went back out to see what he did now, and once again, he looked directly at me, neighed and went back to eating. He is weird, but cute! :D

Weird horse

2010-03-15T23:15:00.001+01:00

Yes, I have a weird horse. After some light work in the arena, i let him out back in the herd again. The first thing he did was to roll over a few times before he sat up and did this;

First i thought he couldn't get up, then I realised that he was scratching and was enjoing it aswell! Look at his muzzle :D

And he didn't want to wait for the water, ice is the same thing, only frozen !

The Bosco has arrived!

2010-03-14T20:59:00.001+01:00

After having a few problems with car, driver and transport we were finally on our way to pick up Bosco.

Last time we tried to load him on to the transport he didn't really want to. I think we spendt about 25 minutes to get him in. Today he stopped twice, then walked right in, Good boy! While driving he was so quiet i was almost worried because there was no sound, has he jumped out? But no, he was just eating and did not seem too worried about it.

Once we arrived at Årungen I had to put him in a stall and leave him there while I returned the transport and the nice drivers could get themselves home. That took about an hour, and I came back to let him out in the new herd.

The herd consists of all kinds of breeds and they were quite interested in this new guy. Only one, I think he is the boss, was "mean" to him. He only told Bosco, who the boss is, and that he should stay away. Which he did ;)

Other than that a few other horses tried to push him around. It was funny looking at this big, fat Fjordhorse tried to chase him, but Bosco was abit faster in the turns than the other horse. He easily gets away from kicks and bites. It's nice to have a horse that is bred to bullfighting, they know how to turn quickly!

This is fun! :D

Bosco de Almeida

2010-03-12T10:40:00.002+01:00

That is the name of my new horse! Yes, he is MINE! teehee

Bosco was borned April 21st 2006 in Portugal. He came to Norway with his two brothers, Bilro and Brasil, in december 2007. Since then he has lived at Trollspeilet. Now some pictures!

Bosco, Brasil and Bilro in Portugal 2007

The iberians look so weird when they are young, haha

Same as above, Bosco in the middle

First winter in Norway, Bilro, Bosco and Brasil

And yes, they do get a nice thick wintercoat! spring 08 i think

Summer 2008

January 2009

June 2009

June 09, first time with a rider.

Summer 09

September 09

also summer 09

Now I only have to arrange for transport to get him to his new home. Stupid of me not to take the BE drivers license before winter came!

Bosco is a wonderful, sensitive horse and I can't wait to get him home and start training :D

Picture spam! Dressage show march 7th

2010-03-08T12:05:00.002+01:00

I got up early on sunday to watch a dressage show at one of the stables i used to ride at. Unfortunatly I had to go to work so I could only watch a few of the equipages i wanted to see.

Chistral

Inger Line and Chistral

Hjalmar and Tarzan

Winner of LC:3: Kate and Cash's King

First time in a dressage competition!

second place Lilliane and Carana

Third place: Ida and Drummer Boy

*hmm you say blue ribbon? I say foood!*

12 year old Mette got a ribbon for entering the competition. The horse, Venabus Hårek, is twice the age of the rider, a sweet equipage!

The lap of honour!

Kate and Cash

Siri and Zanday

I wanted to stay and see the last classes aswell, but I had to get to work :(
Another time perhaps !

Layout changes!

2010-03-03T14:22:00.000+01:00

The sun is shining, the snow is melting and spring is just around the corner. Black was not the right colour for this blog anymore :D

On another note, Bosco will get a full check up by the veterinary next week. Fingers crossed!

Farewell to a Lady

2010-03-01T22:15:00.000+01:00

Earlier today another horse lost the battle against colic.

Lady, a lovely knabstruper died after a serious attack of colic. In the end she just gave up, lied down and refused to get up again. They had to humanely euthanize her at home.

My thoughts go out to all of those special to Lady; Lisa, One and most of all, her knight in shining armour, Petter.

May you rest in peace.

From left to right: Pelle and Hugo, Tore and Vitesse, Petter and Lady, and Luke and Laszlo

Wrestling on horseback; Petter and Luke

Petter and Lady during the midieval festival in Oslo, june 09

Getting ready for jousting

Jousting

Petter and Lady

More photos, and better ones, at this page

Workout

2010-03-01T21:23:00.001+01:00

No horse yet, so I have to fill my time with other stuff. Thanks to Maria, I get to ride Charlie a couple of times a week, wich is fun and educational for me! Besides this and alot of work, I've started working out at the gym again. This week I have attended two different classes; catslide and pilates,

Catslide is something I have never tried out before. When i joined the gym and said I wanted exercises that would strengthen the core, the PT recommented that I tried catslide. Catslide is a series of normal exercises like squats, push ups and another exercise that is just called "the plank" in norwegian, you just do them with 4 small slippery mats on the floor. Like in this video, only these guys are ALOT stronger than me and the exercises are alot harder than what i did during my first lesson!

The catslide lesson was only 40 min, but I was a wreck. Went to visit my grandmother right after and I couldn't even lift my arms to pass over the vegetables at dinner. Puh! Later that evening i got really sore, and it was alot worse on friday (workout was on thursday). I usually get sore the day after, and really REALLY sore the second day after a workout like this. So I was actually quite surprised when i woke up saturday morning, feeling better than on friday. score!

Saturday I went out to the stables to ride Charlie once again, and either the workout had done wonders with my body, or all my muscles were sore and stiff so my seat was muuch better than it usually is. haha! I wonder what is correct ;) Either way, the workout with Charlie went great, even tho he tested me once. He is a wonderful pony who usually goes quite correct and you just have to sit there, but he can be exellent if you just push him a bit, so I did. I was riding along the short wall in the arena, asking for canter. Charlie starts cantering, but just almost, and not with a 3 beat-rythm, no he wants to go in a 4-beat-rythm. So I try to wake him up abit, seat and legs dont do the trick, ad the whip and WHOOPI, he starts bucking. I think it was about 4 or 5, not really big ones, but just big enough for him to earn a correction! First FORWARD then I had to steer him into the snowy wall of the arena, yell at him once, and start cantering again. He got the picture and was a good boy for the rest of the lesson :p

Today I tried something new at the gym, Pilates. I have read and heard alot about how good training this is, so I wanted to try it out. It was abit funny, for one hour I abused most of my muscles and didn't even break a sweat! It was mostly about breathing correctly and using the muscles I really need to work at, the lower abdominal muscles! The million dollar question is, how sore will I become tomorrow?

I will try to have at least one catslide lesson each week, it was so hard, and so much fun! And it really had me working all the muscles I need to work at, I'm too weak! I think I had my very first endorfine shock after the first lesson, I couldn't shut up, haha!

Once more unto the breach, Dear Friends

2010-02-20T22:16:00.003+01:00

This weekend I have been attending a workshop for trainees who wants to teach according to the philosophy of Trollspeilet. The philosophy is often mistaken for something that has been invented by Hanne and Pelle (who is Trollspeilet), but this is not exactly true. The main focus is balance between horse and rider, and how important the riders seat is. In my own experience I have learned how important it is to have a balanced and stable seat, and how to use each muscle to get the desired effekt. The theory behind this philosophy is that of Müseler, Guerniere, Belasik, Podhajsky, Kottas, SRS (spanish riding school), the german training scale and the rules of dressage from FEI. Trainers that has contributed to the development of riding skills and knowledge include David Oliveira (portuguese WE world champion and bullfighter), Arthur Kottas (previous first chief rider of SRS), Claire Lilley (student of Arthur Kottas) and Inger Helsing Hansen (educated at Le Cadre Noir de Saumur).

So, this weekend 12 trainees, 2 trainers and lots of different horses gathered to learn, discuss and put it all into practice when we taught eachother. It was a weekend packed with theory and practice in a lovely mixture!

Theory
The first theory lesson started at 9 am, so it was an early start since you had to plan how to avoid the queue to the bathroom! Anyway, Pelle talked about what Trollspeilet is all about and what we have to look for and correct while teaching others.

Some people who attended the workshop work as instructurs on a weekly basis, but others, like myself, has never or only a few times tried to teach others. I don't know about the others, but I was afraid to be the one at this workshop who didn't really know what to do when trying to correct the other participants. This was adressed by Pelle during the first theory lesson. Nobody is perfect, and there will always be something to change or enhance in every rider. Even those who have been teaching for a long time will be nervous about new students because you never know what to expect.

The trust between rider, trainer and horse is one of the most important aspects of instruction. If the rider doesn't trust the instructor, he will not try his best. If the rider does not trust the horse, he will not relax. If the instructor does not trust the rider, he will not be able to get the best out of him.

Trollspeilet works on a daily basis with horses that has picked up bad habits or has an unhealthy pattern of movement, and most of the riders we will encounter at the beginning will be both riders and horses who has a bad seat, or the horse moves in a way that will be harmfull over time.

To quote Müseler:
"A rider often complains that his horse:
* has a hard, dead mouth
*is stiff at the poll (in the case of highly strung horse)
*gets above the bit
*leans on the bit
*jigs/jogs
*has a wrong bend in the neck (behind the third vertebra)
*throws its head about
*is ewe-necked
*gets behind the bit
*draws itself in at the poll
*hollows its back (in the case of highly strung horses with weak backs)
*makes one or both hind legs stiff, takes short over-hasty steps (in the case of highly strung horses)
*goes crookedly
*lets its tounge hang out
*throws itself against the leg
*loses its pace and impulsion
All these bad habits disappear immediately when the horse is obedient to the aids." (Müseler, p 69, 2007)

So to change this pattern of bad movement, Müseler has a small "recipie":

"*The horse must first learn to go forward in response to the driving influences.
*When it succeeds in this, it should be taught to bend towards the inside.
*When that has been learned, it should be taught to stretch its head downwards.
*From this position, it must be encouraged to accept the bit.
*When it has freely accepted the bit, its is given collection by half-halts."

(Müseler, p72, 2007)

"Many riders are puzzeled by the necessit of obtaining a low head and neck carriage when the aim of the horse's schooling is to make it higher in front and lower behind. Raisning the forehand is of value only when it is the result of achieving a lowering of the hindquarters (relative head raising). (...) Teaching the horse to lower and stretch its neck is essential in encouraging it to loosen up in the back, in giving it collection and making it bring its hind legs further forward." (Müseler, p 74, 2007)

Therefore one of our goals for the weekend was to get different horses to stretch its neck down and forward. This is not to be mistaken for Long-Deep-Round, the nose of the horse is to go forward. It was fun to see that by following the "recipie" that Müseler has written down, all the horses stretched their neck and engaged their backs. Now, it might not be as easy as it sounds. This will work, if the rider has a good seat that can follow the horse's movements. And the problem with many riders is that they actually don't follow the horses movements. You are supposed to controll the backmovement with your own movement of your hip, not the other way around. So if your hip joint is stiff you will actually stop the swinging of the horses back. If this is the case you can stand in the stirrups or just do light trot, this will make it easier for the horse to get movement in the back, without you interfering with your weight.

The next thing we wanted to focus on, was the hind legs. If you control the hind legs, you control the horse. The power of the horse mainly comes from the hindquarters, either as a propelling role with the racehorses or a carrying role as with the dressage horse. The horses centre of gravity is, from natures side, just behind the front legs. "A dressage horse, and most certantly one that is to do Haute Ecole work, has to do rather more carrying than propulsion with its hind legs and has to get them well forward and under the center of gravity. This is called collection. (...) Collection is achieved partly by training, such as bending the haunches and sideways movements, particulary shoulder in, and partly, if more indirectly, by the overall training program; and of course, by every single half-halt that is asked for generally." (Müseler, p 65, 2007)

There are different exercises you can use to engage the hindlegs, one of the most common is the shoulder in and the one we use frequently, the giravolta. This is an exercise you work in-hand and the movement should circle around the trainer in a kind of turn on the forehand. The inside legs step forward and across the outside leg. If you are the instructor and want the horse to bend the joints more, you can use the whip and gently tap the joint you want it to bend. This is an exercise you need to use with caution, since each horse react very differently to the whip. For example, the horse i had this summer, you could just point at the leg you wanted him to lift, perhaps just barely touch him. On the other end you got Hugo, Pelles horse. He needs alot more stimuli to bother move his legs.

Practice

The trainees instructed each other in pairs, two hours saturday and two hours sunday. I have instructed others before, but then mostly jumping, so this was my first time and I was quite nervous. After talking to some of the other trainees I discovered that most of the others, even tho they had more or less expreience, was some what nervous about the lessons. On saturday our only focus was to find the riders weakness and try to help them improove their weakness. We were 6 riders and 6 instructors at the arena at the same time, in other words almost total chaos! Luckily, no accidents!

We started out each lesson by instruction on our own, while Hanne and/or Pelle observed. After some time, Pelle went around the arena, talking to the instructors and gave us tips on what to look for and correct in the riders. This gave us the opportunity to discuss what we thought might be the issue and what to do about it.

First lesson on sunday we were focusing on getting the horse to use the back and seek the support of the reins. Hanne and Pelle chose horses for everyone so that both the riders and instructors were given a challenge. This lesson I was instructing another of the trainees on Chico, a big hanoverian who was given to Trollspeilet because he was lame in the frontlegs and the vet didn't know what to do or what caused it. He is usually very tense through the back and really needs to stretch his neck forward and down. We worked him on a circle, inside leg to outside rein, while leading in with the inside rein. The rider wasn't able to be loose enough in the hip to do seated trot so I got her to ride light trot and focus on contact on the reins. The horse is easily spooked and I think she might have been abit afraid to let go of the rein and make him stretch his neck. But when she did it, the horse responed really well and at the end of the lesson he was relaxed and through the back. I wish we had photos at the beginning and at the end of the lesson, would have been fun to see.

The last lesson on sunday we were focusing on the hind legs, we wanted the horse to shift the weight backwards and really use the hind legs. This lesson we both (me and my partner) rode young lusitanos. I was riding Bosco and the other one was riding Brasil, they are are half brothers and 3,5 years old. Since they are so young we didn't demand too much of them, other than go correctly and use their back and hindlegs. The fun thing about young horses is that if you sit in balance and use the aids correctly, the horse responds so quickly, they almost surprise you! The last lesson we were laughing half the time, because every time I corrected the rider, the horse responded so well we just had to laugh.

The rider I was instructing was struggeling with almost the exact same problems as I do, and it was fun to see them from "outside" and find solutions to them. At the same time getting instructions from someone who knows what I struggle with and who is able to use other words to describe certain feelings.

I learned ALOT this weekend, most imporantly to trust myself, my own skills and knowledge and that I can instruct others and actually help them! I believe everyone who attended the workshop had a great time and learned alot, it was a great group of people and we all look forward to next time!

So, once more unto the breach, Dear Friends!

Unfortunatly I don't have any photos from this weekend, but if you follow this link there is alot of pictures from the different lessons. Remember, this is in a training situation, it's not always picture perfect ;)

NO TO ROLLKUR

2010-02-09T08:19:00.008+01:00

Billie over at camera-obscura has posted the logo and text, and invited us to do the same in solidarity with Dr. Heuschmann and his message at the meeting on Feb. 9th. Please consider adding your voice to this important debate, and adding logo and text to your blog as well.

The FEI is holding a closed-door round table meeting on Feb. 9th to discuss the training method known as rollkur, or hyperflexion, which involves pulling and holding the horse's muzzle to his chest. This practice is known to have many negative effects on the horse, both physically and psychologically. Gerd Heuschmann, the lone voice for the horse at this meeting, has my support and appreciation as he presents his case "for the good of the horse" along with petitions and letters saying NO TO ROLLKUR.

Please take a moment today and again tomorrow to think positively about the outcome of this meeting. It will make a difference

One-day-course with Pelle, and tryouts round two!

2010-02-07T22:45:00.003+01:00

Pelle from Trollspeilet had a one-day-course at the stable today, he brought Bosco so I could "test drive" some more. I have to say, I really like that horse!

My assignment for today was to get the right movement in my hip. The movement is the same as when you are doing "squats", and apperantly I didn't know how to perform them. Luckily for me, Pelle is also experienced with training people, not only horses. The trick is not to just collapse in the knees, but to push the bum back and pretend to have a weightbar across the shoulders and lift it up. Lift the horse, through the back, and up in each step.

It's funny how well you can feel Bosco's back when he works correctly, and almost everytime i manage to get the aids correct he "prustet" (horse blows through his nose, relaxing sound). He gives good feedback on whats right and whats wrong. We did mostly walk and trot, some canter but not to much.

pictars!

Pelle having fun, running infront of the camera

A big thanks to Sissel, for being my photographer for the day!

Tryouts, round one!

2010-01-30T23:28:00.003+01:00

Today, I drove up to Trollspeilet to try out Bosco. Bosco is a 4 year old lusitano, came to Norway in 07 and has been at Trollspeilet since then. They just started to ride him this fall, and I tried him out for the first time in November.

Bosco is a funny little guy, very sensitive and he reacts to everything I do. It was cloudy and snowing so the photos didn't turn out great, but this is what I got. Furball alert!

And on another note, I finally got "dressage for the 21st century" by Paul Belasik in the mail today! and it was signed! :o

I'm getting a horse!

2010-01-22T05:12:00.000+01:00

Oh yes I am! The financials is in place so now i just need to find a horse and a place to keep it :)

*bounce around with a happy grin*

budgeting, work and training

2010-01-19T14:11:00.001+01:00

Not much training these days... Been trying to get over a lung infection I've had since November, the antibiotics does not seem to take care of it:/

Still riding North Peak two days a week, allthough just until February. After that I'll concentrate on making the economy to go around with all the expences I get with my own horse.

The past week I've been budgeting to see how my outcome vs income will trun out with a horse involved. My problem is that I have a different salary every month and I haven't worked enough to be able to see the average salary. So I have to work with the amount I know I'm going to get. Right now I overestimate the outcome and underestimate the income and hope for the best :D My mum and dad have said they would sponsor me with the starting amount, meaning, buying the horse. Going to have a meeting with them on thursday, after that I'll probably have a more realistic veiw on how much longer I have to save up money. Scary! And on top of all the saving, I work as many extrashifts as they'll give me. Preferably working nightshifts, that means longer shifts and more money! yay!

Last weekend I have been trainig Elins (Marias daughter) pony, Charlie. What I quickly realised is that my seat is alot more effective than before, and when I really focus I can make him do almost whatever i ask of him. The problem is me. Since I got sick in November I haven't been training anything other than the few times a week I'm at the stable. Peak is a young horse and most of the training is in a light seat so some of my muscles haven't been properly used in a while. *sigh* I have a gym membership but since I've been sick and most people are so scared of the swineflu I haven't been there in a while, but this week I'll go back! I need to strengthen especially my core and leg muscles.

Goals for the next few weeks, train more! Need more strength and stamina!

Sad message from the stable yesterday :( Tia Maria, the TB brood mare at our stable gave birth to her foal, 4 months before she was due. This was what they found in her stall =(

"Old" pictures

2010-01-12T22:21:00.001+01:00

When going through my harddrives to find old riding photos, I found quite a few other ones as well.

Lovejoy!

Me and Modena at the race track

Lovejoy, 1.10 m. showjumping competition at our stable.

Same competition, we won!

Søndervangs Unik

Thunderbird "Birdie", LotR costume competition. I won a DVD i think.

Lovejoy again

Lovejoy and me tries out cross-country for the first time. Lovejoy did not like the drop, he was used to jump over stuff, not drop down.

In the water

more cross-country

Jumping Birdie

Winning another show jumping class at our stable

Scanned from a newspaper. First time competing 1.10 m.

Tia Maria and me.

Development

2010-01-10T21:19:00.002+01:00

Sometimes when I ride horses i feel like I'm just banging my head against a wall and not getting anywhere. A post on a forum gave me the idea to look back at old photos and se how far I¨'ve come with my riding skills. I started looking through my old photos and learned that i haven't got that many pictures before 2009 of me riding anything else than jumping fences. Oh well, this past year I have learned ALOT so there is much improovement! Most of the improvement is in my head, but still you can see some of it in the photos.

Søndervang's Unik, Aug '04

Herkules feb 09

Herkules march 09

Herkules march 09, weekend course with Trollspeilet at our stable.

First clinic with David Oliveira. Licero, july 09

Clinic with Kristina Berggren, aug 09

Course with Trollspeilet, sept 09

Sept 09

Oliveira clinic sept 09

Sept 09

Trollspeilet, dec 09

Will be fun to see if there is any improovement from now until summer. I guess it depends on how often I'll be able to train and if I find a horse by then!

Så var det på'n igjen

2010-01-02T00:31:00.004+01:00

A new year, new beginnings!

The past year has been great in many ways. I have, after 19 years in the saddle, realised what I want out of my life with horses. I know how I want to train, and more importantly, I know how i don't want to train. I have a job which I like and feel that i manage to do it well.

New years resolutions

Be more positive! think before i speak and don't be to eager to judge people, there is usually a reason why people do what they do.
Be myself and don't take it personally if other people judge me or don't like the choices I make in life. It's my life and I'm going to live it the way I want to!
Buy a horse!
Improve my riding skills
Get a job! (not only the deputyship I've got now)
Eat healthier, which means more planning from day to day. This also means; money saved!
Exercise more. (not only riding)

That was all i could think of for now. Head goes empty while working nightshift!

Weekend course at Trollspeilet dec 09 (translation numero dos)

2009-12-31T01:19:00.003+01:00

Day 1, december 18th.
Of course, i managed to choose the coldest weekend of the year to attend a new weekend course! Friday afternoon it was -17 centigrades/1 farenheit, lovely!

I had two lessons on day 1, it was cold and quite slippery so we used one of the fields for arena. First lesson was with Pelle and i rode Vitesse. Pelle had just returned home from a clinic with Claire Lilly and had learned a new thing, which meant I had to learn it aswell! This lesson we worked with the upper and lower leg aid, means squeeze with my thighs and calvesn and keep the knees firm agains the saddle. At the same time, relax in the buttocks and let go of my hip, difficult? Uhu! After riding for a bit, i had to get of the horse to try and find the right muscles in my calves and how to feel them work the right way. I stood on the ground, raised up on my toes and felt the muscles in my calves work. This was the feeling i was supposed to be searching for while riding. Exept that i was not supposed to stand on my toes in the stirrups, the power from the muscle was supposed to go against the side of the horse instead of pushing up. Easier said than done, but I got it sometimes, and when i did, the horse worked so much better! We also worked on walk-halt transitions with only squeezing with my knees, when we managed to do this, we worked on walk-halt-walk back.

Halt – squeeze with my knees, keep the elbows fixed by using latissimus dorsi and frame the horse between the aids by using upper and lower leg, seat and latissimus dorsi. While in halt, be able to correct one of the hindlegs without everything falling apart by walking forward or backward.

Back – First transition to halt as described above. Squeeze with knees and calves to create energy, then lift the seat and lean a cm forward which will release the energy backwards and the horse backs up.

Some pinpoints to remember
Weight in the stirrups, weight down and use the muscle in towards the side of the horse, keep the heel down!
Think about holding a 1000 kr (120 €/170$) bill with my knees, one on each side. Do not loose the money!
Let go of the hip, active seat, make the horse move forward with seat and leg, frame the horse with the elbowes (tight latissimus dorsi)
The rein should never be used backwards!

I rode Faustino on the other lesson that day, Hanne was the instructor. Faustino was quite worked up, bucking and tried to be tough, but he had to give in eventually. We worked on the same stuff as with Pelle, but now we also focused on my upperbody. I tend to sway in my upper back, which means that my sternum «opens up» and points out. To correct this i have to think sternum down and inwards, at the same time stretching upwards with my head and use latissimus dorsi to keep my elbows and shoulders down. I managed to get everything together quite well in the end and my hip is much better than last time! Improvement! :D

Day 2, december 19th.
Two lessons today aswell, first one was abit delayed since one of the foals here broke out and ran into the big herd and was impossible to catch again. After a while Hanne and Pelle came to the conclution that the foal had it better in the big herd and let him stay there, he imidiatly gained to uncles, Bilro (3 yo Lusitano) and Viplan (20 yo Trakhener) looked after him.

First lesson with Hanne, I rode Vitesse. Same work as yesterday, legs and seat. If the horse is above the bit = stronger seat. If it is behind the bit = more leg. After the warm up we worked on one of the David exercises «mobilisation to the inside» and «mobiliation to the outside» on both hands. Vitesse wasn't really cooperating since this was heavy and she'd rather not use her hindlegs. But after working for a while she loosened up and worked nicely. After a while with theses exercises we made a transition to trot and worked on «lifting» the horse with the help of seat, upper leg and lower leg. At times we worked quite well, and Vitesse balanced great even tho it was icy and slippery on the field.

The second lesson was together with Berit and Petter up at the tournament arena. Some icy parts, but the arena was better than the field! This time Pelle was the instructor. I started the lesson by working with transitions walk-halt-walk. After a while i really got the hang of the aids. I managed to relax the buttocks at the same time as using upper and lower leg. In the transitions i usually sway in the back and by doing that i think that im shifting the weight, but im not. The trick for me was to push forward with the seatbones, inwards and down with the sternum, easy peasy transitions after that!

After this i got a new assignment. Transistions walk-trot. We managed to get a fair few nice transitions, Vitesse moved forward by leg and seat aid, i felt i could «squeeze» her between my legs, up and forward and lift her with my seat! Talk about getting the connection and being as one with the horse! Fun! New assignment, walk – prepare transition to halt, but instead do a half pirouette. After practicing «tale between my legs» for quite some time i remember it in halt, walk, trot and canter but when i want the horse to move sideways or do anything else i suddenly forget. So about half the times the half pirouettes were quite bad, because i just forgot to ad the seat. But when i do remember all the aids, it usually goes ok. I also have a tendency to loose my balance and get the weight on the wrong side, which doesn't really make it easier for the horse. We also worked with HTTW (head to the wall), so Tessa really had to use her hindlegs, and at the end of the last one she let go a big snort! Hah!

At the end of the lesson, we worked in trot at the circle. On the upper half of the circle I was going to extend her trot a bit. We managed to do it once! Pelle said it was close to medium trot, Tessa followed my hand, stretched her neck and extended her step nicely. After this we called it a day! Tired horse, and tired rider!

Day 3, december 20th.
New day, new possiblities.

New lesson with Hanne, rode Vitesse today aswell. Berit and McNiell joined us up at the tournament arena. We worked on the same stuff as the rest of the weekend, but this time i got Hanne to take a few pictures, so here goes!

Berit and Mc'ern

Light trot

Light trot, Vitesse would like to say; "glærghp"

Sitting trot, I have a tendency to pull my heels up. Need to remember to keep the weight in the stirrups and the power of the muscle towards the horse.

A bit beter, but still need to keep the weight in the stirrups and more power in the seat. You can also see Vitesse has a broken neckline, about the 3rd vertebrae, which means more leg and power from the hindlegs.

Picture series: Vitesse doesnt want to work, pull forward, the result is I tense up, pull up my heel, hard contact and a passive seat.

This leads to: Tension in the horse, gets above the bit and rushes forward. This makes me try to keep still but you can see i twist my elbowes and my whole seat collapses.

I then straighten out my thoughts, seat, legs and elbows are almost where they should be, and miraculously the horse loosens up as well.

Here you can see i still poke my toes out if i don't concentrate.

Kip!

Once again it has been an educational weekend. I have figured out more about my body and managed to detatch parts and use them as seperate aids. Feks squeeze with upper and lower leg, and at the same time keep a loose hip and an active seat. I have also discovered why I often fail to make the transitions down, I sway my upper back and by doing that i counteract my own aids. So when doing transitions I need to think; sternu down and inwards before using the seatbones. When I do this, it actually feels like I'm leaning forward, but I don't. That's what makes this so hard! It is a different feeling for each rider, so I have to find the feeling that is right for me and train after that feeling. No matter how wrong it feels the first time!

Who said riding a horse was easy?!

Weekend course at Trollspeilet nov 09 (translation numero uno)

2009-12-30T23:46:00.001+01:00

This weekend I have been at Trollspeilet and have learned loads of new stuff! Or perhaps its more correct to say, I have taken another small step forward in my equestrian educaution. For the first time I have managed to «let go of my hip», which means I was able to correctly follow the horse with my seat without tension in the hipmuscles.

The weekend course is build up by 4 1hr lessons and there is supposed to be an hour theory a day, but in this house, the theory behind riding is discussed from the moment we get up, until we sleepwalk to bed :) I rode Faustino, a 5 year old TB gelding in all the lessons. He was given to trollspeilet for free because he was a «lost cause», trained wrong from the beginning, only muscles on one side, lots of pain and just not friendly with people. They've had him since April and he has come a long way since then!
These courses are first and formost a course in gaining a correctly balanced seat, so I mostly work with myself and when i get my act together i can start to demand the horse to work. Faustino likes to keep his head high and tensed so we worked on long and low the whole time.

Hanne (one of the ridning instructors) used the first lesson to correct the seat. Every rider has his or her own problem with theire seat, and as each problem is individual, every solution is individual. I have to sit more forward in the saddle and think «tale between my legs». While doing this, keep my leg further back and twist my femuralbone so that my heel feels like it's pointing outwards. Hanne pulled my legs abit and showed me where they were supposed to be and how that felt. To be honest it hurt like hell in gluteus medius, and my abdominal muscles had to work real hard!

I need to think up, up, up while i ride, often use the image of a tree growing upwards on the top, and the roots pulling themselfes to the ground (thanks Sally Swift). We worked on this for a while, in walk without the stirrups, before we made the transition to trot and tried to keep the same seat. Faustion worked quite well after a while, but I could really feel how uneven he is in his muscles. On the right hand he fell inwards in the circle, and on the left hand his right shoulder didn't really want to keep in place. Tried some transistions to canter this lesson, but my hip was too stiff so the canter was not efficient and really bumpy.

Second lesson: continuation of the work we had started with on the first lesson. We started out by trying to correct our own seat with Hanne for support if we needed it. I thought it went quite well, allthough i still need to be reminded to keep my heels down and in place, but it's getting there! During this lesson i felt i managed to let go of my hip quite well in trot, the horse responded quicker and i felt i could actually use my seat to lift the horse up and forward, and controll the tempo with my seat! Fun!

Third lesson: same word ;) It is funny how the things you work with, gets so much easier after a while. Today it was alot easier to keep my leg in place, and at the same time, relax my leg. I have a tendency to tighten my leg when i have to keep it in a place that feels unnatural and weird. This lesson i worked with transitions trot-canter-trot, with main focus on the transitions. Faustino likes to just speed up and fall into canter, and the transitions from canter to trot usuallu leeds to Faustino falling completely apart. After a while we got the hand on the trot-canter transitions, I wish I could say the same for the caner-trot transitions, but oh well, we worked hard on them! :p The big new improvement was that i managed to let go of my hip in canter! For the first time! I have never felt it before, and it was weird how easy it was to sit correctly. I must say i only managed to keep it for a few steps at a time, but little is more than nothing!

Forth lesson: my seatbones and coccyx were so sore i had a hard time just sitting in the saddle, funny enough i manage to «forget it» during the lesson (get a hard reminder afterwards tho). Last lesson, worked on same stuff as earlier, tale between my legs, let go of the hip, half halts and loong and loow. At the end i rode light trot so Faustino got the chance to really stretch his neck long and low, this is quite hard for him, and he doesn't really want to do it, but we managed it in the end! He worked well through the back and he almost even made a sound! Faustino usually keep his «prust» (can't find the english word for it) inside, so it came out in the form of sigh and moans, but we take what we can get! :)

Looking back at the course i feel that I have taken a few steps forward in my riding. I have, for the first time, really understood what it means to let go of the hip. Which means training, training, trainig!
I think I'm going to take a new course in december, perhaps a few more lessons since i got the time for some intensive workout! Hopefully I will find a solution to my coccyx problem, which was really annoying! The problem might have been the saddle this time, not the most comfertable thing i have ridden in...

Anyhow, a list of what to remember and practice on, until next time

tale between my legs, all the time, not just when i remember it.
The leg in its place
twist the femur, heels out!
Shoulders in their place
head on top of the shoulders, not in front of them!
Look forward, don't tilt the head!

Go me!

No photos this time, only three of us in the course and the last person on the farm had to babysit the kids, perhaps next time.

Siri gone english!

2009-12-30T16:33:00.004+01:00

Since I've got, not one, but TWO comments on my post the last couple of days in english, I have decided to translate my blog. That is, I've translated some of the text on this page, but not the previous blog posts.

From now on I'll blog in english. It's been too long since I've written anything in English, and I dare say i could use the trainig :) It will be fun to see if I can manage to write from ridinglessons, since I'm not quite used to the different horse-phrases in english. Will be educational though!

Even more fun that anyone besides the 6 i know actually read my blog :D

gone english, and a bit asian...

Ekte glede er ny vaskemaskin! :D

2009-12-29T18:40:00.003+01:00

Vaskemaskinen her i huset har vel egentlig hanglet helt siden jeg flyttet inn 15. juli 2008. Den er ikke til å stole på, skal en vaske klær kan det fort ta et par dager da den ikke tømmer seg for vann. Man må sette den på gang på gang og sist Sindre skulle vaske klær tok det 5(!) dager.

Såh! I dag hadde visst Sindre truffet på Ole Bjarne som vi leier av og snakket med han om vaskemaskinen. Har snakket med han før, men av diverse grunner har det aldri blitt no orden på den stakkars maskina. Så i dag kjøpte han like godt en ny maskin!

Stakkars Sindre ødela ryggen sin ved å bære den opp trappa, men vi fikk den innstallert og satt på en vask. Vi satt foran maskinen i stillhet og bare så på at den arbeidet.

Det er herrrligt å vite at hvis en planlegger å vaske så blir faktisk vaska ferdig når den skal :D

O Jul med din glede!

2009-12-27T00:05:00.003+01:00

... og barnlige lyst!

Ja da var jula over for denne gang. Kan vel egentlig ikke si at jeg har hatt en helt ordentlig jul siden jeg har jobbet hver dag, men det har da vært koselig lell!

På gavefronten må jeg si at jeg er særdeles godt fornøyd med årets fangst! Jeg fikk nytt objektiv til kameraet mitt, 70-300mm så nå kan jeg zooome i vei og prøve å ta bedre bilder av disse dyra som, som oftest er et stykke unna fotografen :P I tillegg fikk jeg kamerastativ, enda et hjelpemiddel i retning bedre bilder !

Foruten om dette fikk jeg diverse småting; sokker, CD, hestegodt, kapsun (må desverre byttes da butikken ikke hadde den jeg ønsket meg), longeringspisk, sengetøy, penger og et par bøker.

meeen, det beste kom til slutt! En liten konvolutt var det siste under treet. I denne var det et kort hvor jeg ble innkalt til møte angående eventuell sponsing av hest! Dette møtet skulle foregå i løpet av julen 09 og jeg måtte komme forberedt med et realistisk budsjett og plan over denne investeringen! jeg trodde vel egentlig ikke mine egne øyne, men dæven døtte sykkelstøtte altså. Så nå sitter jeg å budsjetterer for harde livet, søker rundt etter staller og diverse måter jeg kan redusere utgifter på... haha! En glad liten Siri i romjula :D

Kurs Trollspeilet, dag 3

2009-12-21T00:44:00.009+01:00

Ny dag, nye muligheter! Opp kl 0820 i dag som i går, første time måtte være unnagjort før Pelle skulle være julenisse sammen med Hugo på Skotterud.

Anywho, red Vitesse i dag også, var på turneringsbanen sammen med Berit og McNiell. Hanne var instruktør og vi jobbet med stort sett det samme som vi hadde jobbet med hele helgen. Fikk Hanne til å ta litt bilder så here goes!

Berit og Mc'ern

Lettridnig

Lettridning

Lettridning, Vitesse sier; "glærghp"

Nedsittende, har lett for å trekke opp hælene. Må huske på å ha vekt ned i stigbøylene og rette leggmuskelstyrken inn mot hesten.

Noe bedre, men fortsatt trykk i stigbøylen og på med sete. Vitesse knekker også i 3 nakkevirvel, altså mer sjenkel og trøkk bakfra!

bildeserie. Vitesse vil unndra seg og legger seg på, resultatet er at jeg spenner meg, opp med hælen, hard i hånden og passivt sete.

Det fører igjen til at Vitesse spenner seg, slår opp og går i mot. Her ser en at jeg også vrir albuene utover.

Så samler jeg hodet igjen og får sete, sjenkel og albuer mer på plass, og jaggu faller ikke hesten mer på plass også.

Jeg ser jeg stadig har en tendens til å vri tåa ut, Fy!

Lille Kip var med!

Pernille og Pelle var nisser lørdag, Hanne og Pelle på søndag. Red rundt i Skotterud sentrum og delte ut twist.

Igjen har det vært en veldig lærerik helg. Funnet ut av en del mer av kroppen min og stadig klarer jeg å koble fra deler og bruke de uavhengig av hverandre. Som for eksempel, klemme med under og oversjenkel, og samtidig ha løse hofter og aktivt sete. Jeg har også funnet ut hvorfor jeg ikke alltid får innvirket nok med setet i holdt, når jeg skal bruke settet for å bremse så svaier jeg øverst i ryggen. Altså jeg lener meg tilbake med kun den øvre del av ryggen. Så når jeg skal gjøre holdt er jeg nødt til å tenke brystben ned før jeg bremser med sitteknokene. Dette føles da ut som at jeg lener meg frem, men det gjør jeg ikke, jeg bare retter meg mer opp. Innviklede greier dette her!

Skulle egentlig ha en økt til søndag ettermiddag, men jeg var så støl og sliten etter de forrige øktene at jeg heller utsatte timen til en annen anledning hvor jeg har litt mer overskudd!

Kurs Trollspeilet, dag 2

2009-12-19T16:26:00.005+01:00

Ridd to økter i dag også, red Vitesse begge øktene.

Første økt ble noe forsinket da lille føllbassen som står her til avvenning fra mor, ble mobbet ut av padocken og var selvfølgelig umulig å få tak i. Klarte tilslutt å bryte seg inn til storeflokken og etter å ha prøvd å få tak i han en stund fant de ut at det kanskje var bedre for han i den flokken. Han fikk seg fort to beskyttere, både Bilro og Viplan forbarmet seg over det ensome føllet!

Første timen ble ca tre kvarter forsinket, men det hadde ikke så mye å si for min del. Red for Hanne på jordet og jobbet med mye av det samme som i går. Sjenkler og sete på, går hesten over bittet = mer sete. Går hesten å krøller seg bak = mer sjenkler. Etter å ha varmet opp litt jobbet vi med "mobilisation to the inside" og "mobilisation to the outside" på begge hender. Dette trengtes litt overtaling, da det var tungt for Tessa å bruke bakbeina. Etter å ha jobbet med dette en stund gikk vi frem i trav og jobbet med å løfte hesten opp og frem med hjelp av sete, over og undersjenkel. Dette gikk til tider veldig bra og Vitesse balanserte flott selv på glatt og isete underlag!

Mellom timene skulle Berit, Petter og jeg ta en tur over grensen og shoppe litt. Vi kom så langt som rett ned i svingen før bilen ville til høyre, veien gikk til venstre, resultatet ble bil i grøfta og tre stk lattermilde mennesker, samt en mer eller mindre trøtt, valp. Vi gikk da tilbake til gården og hentet min bil og kjørte riktig til Sverige. Bilen ble ikke påført noen skade, er av det eldre og hardføre slaget, og bilde følger :D

Andre timen var sammen med Berit og Petter på Turneringsbanen, Pelle som underviste. Først jobbet jeg med over og undersjenkel og overganger mellom skritt og holdt. Fikk etterhvert til flere gode overganger hvor jeg fikk til å legge på over- og undersjenkel, samtidig som jeg klarte å slappe av i rompemusklene og sette sittebeina ned i salen, skyve de frem uten å svaie øverst i ryggen. Ned med brystbenet samtidig som sittebeina gikk frem, da løsnet det gitt!

Da jeg fikk til det fikk jeg ny oppgave, overganger skritt - trav. Vi fikk til et par veldig gode overganger hvor Tessa gikk frem for sete og sjenkel, og jeg følte jeg fikk "skvist" henne opp mellom beina og frem i trav og løftet henne videre med setet. Snakk om følelsen om "å være i ett med hesten"! Gøy. Da jeg fikk til dette et par ganger fikk jeg ny oppgave. Skritte langs langsidene, overgang mot skritt, men i stedet ta bakdelsvending. Fikk dette til et par ganger, men merket at jeg hadde lett for å få miste balansen litt og dermed ble hjelperne feil og Tessa la seg på. Jobbet med dette et par runder før vi gikk over til HTTW på langsidene, med mye tverring så hun var nødt til å bruke bakbeina sine. Den siste runden endte den ene langsiden med et skikkelig prust! hah.

Til slutt jobbet vi i trav på volten igjen, samme som tidligere, men skulle øke steget på den ene siden av volten. Klarte det en gang, noe pelle mente var helt oppmot mellomtrav, Tessa strakk seg ned og frem og økte steget fint! Etter dette gav vi oss da både jeg og Tessa var relativt slitne. Er sabla gøy å få til ting og virkelig jobbe med hele kroppen! Siri ønsker seg hest!

Kurs Trollspeilet, dag 1

2009-12-18T18:27:00.006+01:00

Jeg klarte selvfølgelig å velge en kaldeste helgen i året for å dra på helgekurs på Trollspeilet. Digg! -17 viste gradestokken rundt kl 15.30. Brrrr.

Har ridd to økter i dag. Det er kaldt og relativt glatt så har ridd på en litt nedtråkka volte på et av beitene. Første timen red jeg Vitesse for Pelle. Fikk øve på ny ting, klemme med legger og lår, knærne inntil heletiden og "skvise" hesten mellom bena. Slitsomt? ja! Skulle samtidig slappe av i rompa og være løs i bekkenet. Etter litt ridning måtte jeg gå av hesten for å finne de riktige musklene jeg skulle bruke. Stå på bakken, opp på tå og virkelig kjenne hvordan jeg bruker muskelen på baksiden av leggen. Deretter satte jeg meg opp og prøvde å overføre det til når jeg satt på hesten, var litt vanskeligere, men fikk det til bedre etterhvert. Skulle tenke på vekt ned i tærne i stigbøylene og i stedet for å gå opp på tå, bruke samme muskel til å klemme med leggen uten å dra opp hælen. Alle disse tankene fikk som regel ikke plass samtidig så det var stadig noe jeg glemte, men med ett jeg fikk det på plass funket hesten mye bedre! Øvde også på holdt overgang ved å klemme med knærne, da vi fikk til det skulle vi rygge også.
Holdt - klemme med knær og holde igjen albuene med Latissimus Dorsi, ramme inn. Når hesten står, klare å rette på bakbein uten at hesten går frem eller tilbake.
Rygge - først holdt som beskrevet ovenfor. Klemme med knær og legg, skape energi for så å løfte på rompa og slippe energien ut bakover = hesten rygger.

punktvis

Vekt ned i stigbøylene, tråkk ned og bruk muskelen inn mot hesten istedet for opp med hælen.
En tusenlapp holdes fast mellom sal og kne på hver side, IKKE MIST PENGER!
Løs i hofte, aktivt sete, drive hesten frem med sete, sjenkel og ramme inn med faste albuer.
Tøylen skal aldri virke bakover!

Andre timen red jeg Faustino for Hanne. Han var relativt gira, bukket og stod i, men roet seg fint etterhvert. Øvde på litt av det samme som forrige time, samt rette opp overkroppen. Inn med brystbenet, opp med hodet, bruke latissimus dorsi for å holde skuldrene nede. Fikk det bra til etterhvert og føler jeg har klart å løsne bedre i hofta enn tidligere!

Sitter nå og tiner foran peisen! Nye økter i morgen!

Ny verdensrekord i dressur! yey or ney?

2009-12-18T00:59:00.003+01:00

Edward Gal og Moorlands Totilas slo for andre gang sin egen verdensrekord denne uken. Red inn til svimlende 92,300%.

En utrolig hest og et godt program. Jeg synes også det var et bedre program enn under EM, skal bli spennende å se hvordan hesten utvikler seg videre med noen år til på baken.

Det som gir en bismak er treningsmetodene. Edward Gal bruker rollkur/hyperflexion som jeg synes er en forferdelig treningsform, men er tydeligvis det som "funker" i konkurransedressuren i og med at det er disse hestene som vinner klassene. Problemet er når hestene går så bra som Totilas gjør her så er det jo dette han blir bedømt for og ikke treningsmetodene han brukte for å komme dit. Er derfor jeg sitter igjen med en liten bismak etter et flott gjennomført program, og det synes jeg er synd da denne hesten er noe for seg selv og ville kunne nådd like langt med rettferdige treningsmetoder.

Clinic med Edward Gal og Totilas

Edward Gal og Gribaldi under oppvarming

Desemberlønn er fan-frikin-tastic

2009-12-15T08:07:00.002+01:00

Stor donasjon til sparekontoen der ja:D

men på den andre siden; legge seg etter nattevakt kan ikke skje før en har inntatt Solvipect, Noskapin og nesespray (frisk sykepleier? HAH!). La meg legge til at jeg ikke så godt på nesesprayen før jeg kjøpte den og fikk meg en real overraskelse! Menthol?! Aldri prøv det, det er ikke morsomt en gang! det svir no så grådig, den gjør jobben sin og rensker opp, men skulle gjerne hatt en som ikke var så smertefull!

gawd damn!

en natt igjen, så friii i nesten en uke :D:D

shopping og tidenes barnekolleksjon på HM

2009-12-10T20:01:00.003+01:00

Fridag før jul betyr juleshopping. Jeg tok turen til Sandvika storsenter for å se om jeg klarte å få unna juleshoppingen og for å titte etter antrekk til julebordet. Det første som møtte meg da jeg kom inn var matlukt, etterfult av en skrikende mage. Teit som jeg er hadde jeg ikke spist og skjønte fort at det første jeg måtte gjøre var å få i meg litt mat. Valget falt på bakeriet, en kopp kaffe og to rundstykker med pålegg.

Dette til den nette sum av 94 kr!!! WAT?!

Jeg klarte jo da selvfølgelig ikke finne noe som minnet om noe jeg kunne bruke på julebordet og beveget meg til CC vest for å se om jeg hadde bedre lykke der. HAh!

Men jeg traff på Berit som hadde kjole, belte, øredobber og sko (som desverre ikke passet) å låne bort. haha Flaks sa suverin suveren!

Før jeg ble med bort til Berit for å se på kjole gikk vi innom hennes og maurits for å kjøpe strømpebukse og hva finner jeg der? Star Wars barneklær :D hoho gensere, t-skjorter you name it. Måtte jo da selvfølgelig kjøpe en t-skjorte, ikke så farlig at det er barnestørrelser så lenge det passer!

Foran

Bak

Nerden i meg våknet for til live igjen ja :D

PepperkakeBORG!

2009-12-06T16:22:00.007+01:00

Planen var et pepperkakehus. Vi hadde pepperkakedeig, former, melis, sukker og pynt. Så kom byggmesteren og hadde med seg et hefte (!) med grundig gjennomgang av sikkerhetsrutiner og alt annet viktig innen pepperkakehusbygging. I dette heftet var det bilde av en borg, ikke bare en firkant, men en stor flott borg som faktisk minnet litt om Hogwarts! Med andre ord, ny plan!

Vi satte oss rundt bordet for å finne ut hvordan vi skulle lage borgen. Vi kom frem til 4 tårn i hvert hjørne, med vegger i mellom, samt en hovedbygning inne i selve borgen hvor de herskapelige bodde. Hvert tårn måtte ha skyteskår, og vi skulle egentlig lage en port vi kunne få opp og ned.

Store planer og resultatet ble.. ja hva kan man si? interessant?

Pictars don't lie!

Oversiktsbilde

Her ser vi inngangen til borgen med djevelsauen(?) bak. Flyvende reinsdyr pryder den innvendige borgen. Ser du ned til høyre kan du se uventede gjester sniker seg rundt.

Nå er vi da rundt på høyre siden av borgen. Her er det flere uanmeldte gjester som har med seg en tanks, samt taustige. De er snart på vei over muren! Legg også merke til taggingen, flott!

"Beware of the Bunny!" (kommer tilbake til den) Dette er da venstre siden av borgen.

Det er selvfølgelig bak borgen alle lovbryterne er! Her er det tagging og andre ulumskheter som herskapet vet lite om.

Tagger'n har også skaffet seg en taustige. Lettere å ikke bli oppdaget på den måten.

Her ser vi hvordan det kan gå dersom man ikke holder seg godt nok fast. En soldat er på vei til å falle ned fra tårnet i herskapsboligen inne i borgen.

Herskapet lever i et hus med overflod! De bader i det!

Soldat henger ut av skyteskåret og speider etter fiender. Er tydeligvis ikke så god...

Soldat som av en eller annen grunn har fått amputert det venstre beinet og holder på å falle ned i ett av vakttårnene.

Soldat med nisselue i et av de andre vakttårnene.

Til skrekk og advarsel henger en halshugget mann på veggen på herskapsboligen. Ser du nøye etter kan du se hodet hans på bakken i en blodpøl. Det ser også ut til at en soldat har falt ned og skadet seg stygt!

Mens andre innenfor borgen koser seg blandt all elendigheten.

("Let me tell you about the birds and the bees")

BUNNYLADY!

Uventede gjester er på vei opp og over muren.

De har med seg en tanks med heavy artilleri.

Noen har kommet seg over muren bak herskapsboligen, nettopp hoppet over og har ikke fått organisert seg enda.

På andre siden av herskapsboligen har det også kommet soldater over muren (mest sannsynlig brukt taustigen til taggeren, her ser vi hvordan uansvarlig oppførsel straffer seg) og disse har fått organisert seg og venter på hovedangrepet.

Det ferdige resultatet =)

Julekalender! 1. deseber

2009-12-01T06:47:00.003+01:00

Ja, jeg har faktisk julekalender, stor og fin gavekalender! hihi

1. dag - mal til pepperkakehus! :D yay! og ikke bare det, pepperkakehus + pepperkakeBORG!! hoho skal bli moro til helgen når jeg skal bake bake kake!

men nuh, jobb...

Bøker! igjen...

2009-11-25T22:45:00.002+01:00

For en tid tilbake bestilte jeg flere bøker fra nettet, når har to kommet og byr på mye moro lesning!

The Principles of Riding - German National Equestrian Federation

Advanced Thechniques of Dressage - German National Equestrian Federation

ooog

Dressage for the 21st century - Paul Belasik

Den siste boken har desverre ikke kommet enda, men satser på at det ikke tar så alt for lang tid. Dessuten har jeg nok ikke klart å lese ferdig alt annet stoff jeg har... Den som hadde mye tid jah! (dog jeg har mer tid nå enn det jeg hadde før, så jeg har kun en slapp liten unnskyldning)

\o/

Jul just around the corner

2009-11-23T23:11:00.005+01:00

Siri har vært på IKEA og handlet inn lys for den neste måneden. Starter Juleforberedelsene litt før desember, men jeg føler at jeg har lov til det ettersom når jula starter så jobber jeg stort sett hele tiden.

Lys til vinduet

Store telys :D

Mormor har også kjøpt sjokoladekalender, den største hun kunne finne! Det vi si Kindereggkalenderen! namnam Så gjenstår det å se om mamma har sviktet i år eller ikke....

Om å være viggo-venneløs

2009-11-21T22:37:00.002+01:00

Jeg vil si jeg har en del venner, ganske mange faktisk. Jeg har en hel haug med bekjente, men kun noen få nære venner. Jeg har aldri vært en del av en "jentegjeng" som holder sammen i tykt og tynt, jeg har alltid vært den som har vært i mellom gjenger og venner med alle og derfor aldri vært en fast del i noen av "gjengene". Jeg liker også å være alene, men det at man trives i sitt eget selskap vil ikke automatisk si at man ikke trives med andre.

I kveld på jobb fikk jeg høre noe rart. En av de eldre hjelpepleierne på jobben lurte på om jeg noen gang kom meg ut. Jeg svarer da som sant er at jeg stort sett ikke er så gira å dra på byen, det ender stort sett opp med å være noe kjedelig og dyrt. "Jammen du må jo komme deg litt ut, utenfor stallen". Jaha? jeg kommer meg da ut, treffer til og med kompiser som ikke liker hester i det hele tatt. Jeg prøver å si at jeg har jo masse venner i hestemiljøet (kan jo kalle det for det ettersom jeg laller rundt på mange staller for tiden) som jeg tilbringer masse tid i stallen med, og som jeg også treffer utenfor selve stallen. Men dette er tydeligvis ikke godt nok for min kollega. Hun virket bekymret for at jeg ikke "hadde et liv", det vil si, et liv utenfor stallen. For det å være interessert i hester og ha ridning som hobby kvalifiserer seg visstnok ikke til å "ha et liv". Dessuten er visst ikke de vennene man har i stallen "ordentlige" venner. Wat?

Er det virkelig så sett ned på å drive med hest? At det ikke er godt nok som hobby? Jeg vil jo forresten trekke det litt videre forbi hobby, for for mange av oss er det jo en livsstil. Det er ikke noe en bare kan legge fra seg og være ferdig med, tar man seg en pause ligger det i bakhodet å murrer og en skjønner at det ikke tar lang tid før en er tilbake på hesteryggen. Du har jo til sammenligning de fotballinteresserte. De bruker tid og penger på kamper, resultater, reiser til Old Trafford eller Anfield og diskuterer fotball og spillere opp og ned i mente. Blir ikke det det samme?

Jeg må innrømme at jeg ble ganske satt ut av det hele. Det er som på barneskolen da en fikk høre at man var "Viggovenneløs" dersom en ikke hadde noen å stå med i friminuttet eller pulten ved siden av var tom. Jeg har hatt denne diskusjonen tidligere, en venninne som også fikk påpeket hvor få venner hun hadde. Hvordan kan noen andre si noe om hvor mange/få venner en person ha, og hvorfor i allverden bekymre seg over det. Normale oppegående mennesker har som regel ikke problemer med å skaffe seg venner, man er kanskje bare mer selektiv i hvem man ønsker å tilbringe tid med? Jeg vet ikke... det jeg vet er at det provoserer meg at andre skal synes synd på meg fordi jeg ikke har "nok" venner.

Jeg har "nok" venner, og jeg har plass til mange fler dersom de skulle komme forbi! Og ikke kom her å fortell meg at alle de jeg har en stor felles interesse med ikke teller, hvem i all verden teller da?

oppdateringer

2009-11-20T14:53:00.003+01:00

blitt litt dårlig med oppdateringer her i det siste ser jeg. Tenker jeg skylder på tre uker med nattevakter og generelt ødelagt døgnrytme!

Har de siste ukene ridd litt mer enn vanlig, godt å komme litt i gang igjen! Har ridd Charlie, Jupi, Kamilla og den nye fôrhesten North Peak (lager muligens en liten blog dedikert til han etterhvert).

På søndag ble jeg vekket av Maria som lurte på om jeg ville være med på time for Jimmi med Charlie, super ponnien til Elin. Rullet ut av senga og ut i bilen og rakk det sånn ca akkurat. Etter timen hadde jeg litt blandede følelser. Ponnien gikk superbra og vi fikk til det vi prøvde på, men følte at mye av det jeg har jobbet med den siste tiden falt totalt sammen.

Først og fremst måtte vi ri mens resten av Sørkedalen (føltes sånn) bygde sprangbane i HELE ridehuset. Hadde jeg ridd en hest som var litt "heitere" enn Charlie, hadde jeg vært særdeles misfornøyd for å måtte betale for en time hvor man måtte passe seg for de som bar hindermateriell, for de gadd i hvertfall ikke passe seg for oss!

En annen ting var at jeg følte ikke at det var noe særlig fokus på selve ekvipasjene, dette kan ha noe med at det var første gangen jeg red for jimmi og han er kanskje flinkere med de han kjenner bedre, but still. De siste 20 min av timen virket han mye mer opptatt av hvordan banen skulle bygges, hvilke avstander de ulike hindrene skulle ha og om det skulle være oxer eller rekk de forskjellige stedene. Kan jo si at når jeg betaler 250 kr for en time så synes jeg at fokuset på ridelæreren kan være på ekvipasjen, ikke de som skal ri etterpå.

Når han underviste virket det som at han bare satte igang en båndspiller og den stod på resten av timen. Greit at mange får høre de samme tingene og man da må gjenta seg selv, men når samtidig instruktøren har fokus et helt annet sted føler i hvertfall jeg at det blir litt rart.

Tilslutt var jeg litt skuffet over meg selv egentlig. Jeg VET jo at Jimmi vil ha tempo tempo tempo, dette tempoet ble til tider så høyt at jeg virkelig ikke klarte å sitte ordentlig. Hele sitsen min falt sammen, og i ettertid har jeg slitt med få til alt det jeg klarte på det forrige helgekurset med Hanne. *Sukk* Dagen etter ridetimen var jeg veldig støl, men i feil muskler...

Man lærer noe nytt hver dag, og nå har jeg lært at jeg ikke bør ri for Jimmi igjen før jeg klarer å sitte riktig med den fremdriften han ønsker. Vil heller bruke lengre tid på å få til sitsen enn å få slike "set-backs".

Red for Annie med Peak på torsdag, hun krever noe av det samme tempoet, men da skal jeg jo også ri lett, så det blir noe lettere. Får bare jobbe steinhardt med sitsen når jeg har mulighet. Eventuelt se om jeg kan låne noen andre hester når jeg ikke rir Peak, så jeg får jobbet med den utenom, og jobbet riktig når jeg rir unghesten :)

Helgekurs på Trollspeilet

2009-11-08T20:22:00.003+01:00

Jeg har nå vært på helgekurs på Trollspeilet igjen og lært en hel masse igjen. Rettere sagt, jeg har kommet et lite steg videre i ridningen. Hofta har løsna! til tider i hvertfall *host*

Jeg red Faustino alle timene på kurset, jobbet først og fremst med meg selv, men etterhvert også med å få han til å strekke seg ordentlig, noe han som oftest har store problemer med.

Første time ble vi pirket på av Hanne, sitsen skulle på plass og den skulle holde seg der! Jeg måtte lenger frem i salen, huske på halen under meg. Jeg fikk også beskjed om å legge sjenkelen lenger bak og tenke på å vri om lårbenet slik at hælen kom "ut". Altså, jeg må tenke at hælen skal ut for at den skal ligge riktig! Hanne dro litt i bena mine og forklarte godt hvor de skulle ligge for at de skulle fungere best. Det strakk som et sant helvete i gluteus medius, samt magemusklene fikk kjørt seg skikkelig.

Jeg tror at treningen på Elixia har hjulpet meg en del, det kjennes ut som at jeg er mye sterkere i magen enn jeg var og da blir det ikke fullt så tungt å ri riktig. Fortsatt vanskelig men noe lettere.

Jeg må fortsatt tenke på å strekke meg opp opp opp, tenke vokse oppover og plante hælene i bakken. Jobbet med dette en stund uten stigbøyler i skritt, før vi gikk over til trav og jobbet videre med å holde den samme sitsen. Faustino jobbet etterhvert ganske greit, kjente godt at han var skjev, han la seg inn i volten på høyre hånd, og høyre skulder stakk laaaangt ut på venstre hånd. Prøvde litt galopp under første økten, men klarte ikke å løsne ordentlig og det ble dermed en lite effektiv og relativt humpete galopp.

Andre timen fortsatte vi med det samme vi hadde jobbet med, Hanne lot oss prøve oss frem og finne ut av sitsen selv og rette på oss etterhvert dersom vi trengte det. Jeg synes det gikk veldig bra, dog jeg må stadig bli minnet på at jeg må ha hælene ned og bak, men det kommer seg! Denne timen synes jeg at jeg klarte å løsne ganske så bra i travet, følte at jeg fikk med meg hesten fortere og at jeg faktisk kunne bruke setet til å "løfte" hesten opp og frem og styre tempoet med setet i stedet for sjenkler og tøyler. Moro!

Tredje timen jobbet vi stadig videre med de samme tingene. Rart hvordan de tingene man øver på blir lettere etterhvert. I dag var det mye lettere å holde sjenkelen på plass, samt slappe av i benet samtidig. Har en lei tendens til å spenne beina for mye nå som jeg må holde de på en plass som er "ny" og dermed merkelig. Denne timen jobbet jeg en del med overganger trav-galopp-trav, med fokus på overgangene. Faustino liker å løpe seg i gang i galoppen og ramle frahverandre i overgangene fra galopp til trav. Fikk etterhvert til et par gode fatninger, kan desverre ikke si det samme om overgangene nedover, men vi fikk da øvd på de:p Store resultatet av denne timen var at jeg klarte å løsne skikkelig i hofta i galoppen! aldri kjent før, var nesten snålt hvor lett det plutselig var å sitte rett! Det varte ikke så lenge av gangen, men jeg fikk det til!

Fjerde timen hadde jeg så ømme sitteknoker og halebein at jeg visste ikke helt om jeg orket å sitte i salen, det var en sann pine å skritte opp til turneringsbanen. Merkelig nok klarer jeg å holde ut mye av smerten under timen... Siste timen jobbet vi stort sett med det samme, løsne i hofta, halen mellom bena, halvparader og streeeekke. Helt til slutt brukte vi litt tid på lettridning og fikk Faustino til virkelig strekke seg ned og frem. Det er vanskelig for han, og han gjør hva han kan for å slippe unna, men vi fikk det til! Han jobbet godt over ryggen og det var nesten så han prustet. Ettersom han helst holder alt av prust inne i seg så ble det vel heller et par sukk og stønn, men vi tar hva vi kan få :)

Alt i alt et bra kurs og jeg føler jeg kom et par steg videre i ridningen min. Jeg har endelig virkelig forstått hva det vil si å løsne i hofta, så da er det bare å trene og virkelig løsne hver gang jeg rir, ikke bare et par glimt innimellom. Men jeg er på god vei i riktig retning!

Mellom øktene på søndagen fikk jeg prøveri Bosco, en 3-årig lusitano som skal selges til våren. Han er ikke ordentlig innridd enda, og er fortsatt ganske så ung i sitt hode. Veldig søt liten hest, som forøvrig fortsatt ser ut som en liten bebis, og meget var for hjelpere. Ikke så lett å ri ettersom jeg var bare stiv og støl fra kurset, hadde publikum som kjente hesten bedre enn meg, pluss at han satte meg på utsiden. Til tider klarte jeg å komme meg ordentlig på innsiden og fikk han til utvendig tøyle, men var tungt for en sliten rytter ja! Tror desverre ikke jeg har råd til hest til våren, men er jo moro å sjekke da :)

Skal opp på kurs igjen i desember, tenker da å ta et 5 dagers kurs. Litt intensivtrening gjør kanskje mye nytte for seg? Forhåpentligvis klarer jeg å finne ut en god løsning på halebeinet mitt som er det som plager meg mest etter denne helgen. Jeg lurer på om det kanskje var salen som var problemet nå, men er ikke sikker. Red i en kombinertsal som ikke var den mykeste i klassen, så det kan jo godt være det.

Any who, huskeliste å øve på til neste gang

Halen mellom beina, hele tiden, ikke bare når jeg husker det
Sjenkelen på plass
Vri om lårbenet
Skuldrene på plass
Hodet oppå skuldrene, ikke foran
Se opp og frem! ikke "tilte" med hodet

Heia meg!

(skulle så gjerne ha fått tatt litt bilder, men vi var 3 på kurs, og bare en til på gården til å passe ungene så ingen fotograf tilgjengelig desverre. Får prøve neste gang!)

Ridelærerpraktikant

2009-11-01T18:16:00.004+01:00

Da har det seg slik at jeg har blitt ridelærer praktikant på Trollspeilet. Jeg synes det er morsomt med undervisning i alle former, er jo fra før instruktør i grunnleggende førstehjelp og D-Hjerte-Lungeredning.

Da denne ordningen ble startet tidligere i år fikk jeg lyst til å være med sånn med en gang, men følte at jeg ikke var helt på noen plass i forhold til å kunne undervise andre. Jeg sitter nesten daglig å leser ridelitteratur, tar notater og prøver å sette meg inn i mye av det som har gått meg hus-forbi de 19 årene jeg faktisk har drevet med hest. Det er mye å sette seg inn i og jeg har på ingen måte nok kompetanse på dette tidspunkt å kunne instruere andre, og det har jeg lyst til å jobbe med.

Som ridelærer praktikant vil jeg kunne delta på kurshelger som er rettet mot nettopp det å undervise andre og få råd og tips til hvordan man kan gjøre dette. Vil også få trening på å undervise sammen med de andre praktikantene. Jeg tror at samspill mellom det å undervise andre, lære seg teori og praktisere selv vil føre til mye mer kunnskap rundt de ulike aspektene ved ridning. Det er dette jeg har lyst til å oppnå!

Jeg ser jo også det at det er hester og ridningen som tar opp all fritid så vi får se hvor lenge jeg arbeider som sykepleier. Kanskje jeg ender opp på en gård med masse dyr og arbeid.

Akk ja, en er enda ung :)

"nye" bilder!

2009-10-30T01:23:00.005+01:00

Etter å ha gått igjennom diverse harddisker etter bilder av Licero kom jeg plutselig over noen bilder jeg ikke hadde "sett" før! Merkelig siden jeg har nisett på alle bilder jeg har opptil flere ganger, moro er det nå i hvert fall!

Dette må være det søteste bilde jeg har av Licero, ser rett og slett ut som at han sier "huh?"

Pene lille mulen

Tournament of the Phoenix

2009-10-27T22:50:00.002+01:00

Petter og Luke har deltatt på Joust tournament i Statene i helgen. Deler en liten video fra turneringen.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SJUTV#p/a/0/b6mxPITt94E

Luke forteller i videoen om en episode da både han og motstanderen traff hverandre litt for bra, begge lansene splintret og begge riddere gikk i bakken. Risikosport!

Siri (som gjerne vil dra på en skikkelig ridderturnering en dag :) )

sukk

2009-10-25T14:43:00.002+01:00

Jaja, det har nå gått snart en måned uten hest. Jeg savner det mer enn jeg trodde jeg skulle gjøre, og på mange måter så er jo det bra. Det har fått meg til å innse at jeg vil ha hest igjen, og ikke bare på fôr eller helfôr, men helt egen hest som jeg ikke skal gi fra meg!

Men for å få til dette er jeg nødt til å spare penger, ikke bare til å kjøpe hest, men også til å ha et kriselager dersom det skjer noe. Så det blir nok ikke noe hestekjøp med det første :(

Får bruke mellomtiden til å lære meg å ri, men da må jeg først finne en hest å ri. En potensiell fôrhest skal til vetsjekk i morgen så får se hvordan det går.

tåååålmoooodiiiigheeeet... jadda

Videoblogg!

2009-10-09T13:11:00.006+02:00

Ja da har jeg endelig fått summet meg og lagt ut de videoene jeg har fra siste tiden med Licero. Blogspot samarbeider ikke helt så jeg legger ut linkene så kan de som har lyst til å ta en titt, gjøre det :)

Video fra Dressurstevne 20. september.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8bOEDQcuyU

Video fra Clinic med David Oliveira

del 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQTN1ZckDr4

del 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdVuYrLk4E0

David rir Licero under samme clinic, det han jobbet med var sidebevegelser og at Licero skulle bruke bakbeina ordentlig for å forberede til Piaff og Passage. Licero var ikke alltid like enig, som man kan se i videoen, men skjønte etterhvert at han var nødt til å gi seg og dermed bruke bakbeina. Stor forbedring under dette kurset!

del 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWPk34LHOaI

del 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga5AGQilEKQ

En dag jeg har tid prøver jeg å legge de inn som videoer her, men for nå er dette "the best i can do".

Livet uten mule

2009-10-05T19:00:00.004+02:00

Ja da har det gått ca en uke uten hest, det er både veldig, veldig trist og litt avslappende. Bare litt. Licero dro på tirsdag, onsdag var jeg i stallen og ryddet etter oss. Torsdag fri, før nytt Oliveira kurs i helgen. På kurset red jeg Mamora på en time, og Viplan på de tre neste. Det var moro og god erfaring å ri andre hester, men er ikke i nærheten av å være så moro som med egen hest. Jeg kjenner det på meg at det er nok ikke lenge til jeg prøver å få meg egen hest igjen, selv med alt stress og styr som følger med så er det verdt det når det går bra!

Men frem til den tid får jeg prøve å få trent litt, først må jeg da finne en hest å ri på. Var visst ikke så mye rundt i nabolaget, så får vel ri på kurs når jeg har mulighet.

Piff og Paff à la Portuguese

2009-09-28T23:01:00.009+02:00

Da var siste Oliveirakurset med Licero overstått, litt vemodig, men mest av alt kjempemoro!

Jeg startet helgen med å stresse værre fra jobb slik at jeg og Berit skulle klare å komme oss av gårde i relativt grei tid. Som sagt så gjort, ca kl 17 kjørte vi ut fra stallen. Tok en del lenger tid enn vanlig å kjøre til Trollspeilet, var mye kø og med henger på slep tar ting tid!

Vel fremme på Trollspeilet får vi vite at det er streik i Portugal så David kommer seg ikke til Norge på fredag. Neste avgang var lørdag formiddag som førte til at David ikke var på Trollspeilet før ca 17 lørdag ettermiddag. Akk ja, man tilpasser seg og har intensiv trening lørdag kveld :D

Jeg var med i 2. gruppen så hadde god tid å varme opp på, gikk derfor på en tur opp i skauen med Lisa og Tootsie. Første David sier da vi kommer ut på banen "my favoruite horse!", før han ber meg varme opp litt før han vil sette seg opp og ri. God start! Da David hadde ridd hadde han bare gode tilbakemeldinger å komme med, han sa at Licero var blitt bedre og sterkere enn sist og at vi var på riktig spor. Resten av økten jobbet vi med sidebevegelser, inn og ut, stor volte, liten volte og på rett spor. Jobbet også mye overganger.

Tenkte jeg skulle skrive et referat fra time til time, men i etterkant har de glidd sånn over i hverandre at jeg husker ikke helt hva jeg gjorde på hvilken time. Det har også mye med at vi stort sett jobbet med de samme tingene. Sidebevegelser (få med innvendig bakbein!), overganger, impulsion! impulsion! impulsion! På slutten av 2. time begynte vi med forberedende arbeid til piaff og passage. Noe av det samme arbeidet vi har jobbet med sammen med Annie, men David pushet Licero litt mer enn det Annie har gjort. Søndag morgen satte David seg opp og jobbet med Licero fra ryggen, og etterpå fra bakken mens jeg red. For hver gang ble det forbedringer og jeg storkoste meg!

Se på det, hun kan se opp og frem! It's a miracle!

Rumpa under meg sa du?

Piff og paff!

Dragehest!

Også har jeg litt bilder fra da Licero ikke visste helt hvor han skulle sette beina eller baken og energien kom ut litt her og der :D

Skavvise, er jeg nødt til å ha med meg bakbeina også da?

jammen!

Streng portugiser med pisk vs liten gressbakke, jeg vil uuut!

Flink gutt

Jeg kan trampe høyt med beina jeg såh! *stamp!*

Meget, meget fornøyd etter endt kurs! Skulle ønske jeg var millionær og slippe å tenke på økonomi! I dag reiser Licero fra meg, han står stille og pent på boksen og venter på at en fremmed dame skal komme å hente han. Hun komme til å få en super hest og kompis, og jeg kan med hånden på hjertet si at jeg er kjempesjalu! haha. Jaja, en vakker dag skal jeg få meg en ny hest som jeg ikke skal kvitte meg med, men som jeg skal beholde til naturlige årsaker setter stopper for det! Frem til da får jeg prøve å skaffe meg en forhest slik at jeg kan holde all den kunnskap jeg har opparbeidet meg i det siste, vedlike.

Men, neste helt, nytt kurs for David! Skal da ri en fremmed hest, så det blir spennende å se hva jeg lærer av det :)

Har forsåvidt også en del film fra helgens kurs, skal få lagt over på maskinen så kanskje det kommer et par filmblogger etterhvert :)

Siri, som er noe nedmuntret i dag og kommer til å savne Licero utrolig mye!

Dressurstevne

2009-09-22T19:06:00.004+02:00

På søndag var det tid for dressurstevne, vår første og siste :(

Oppladningen til stevnet gikk så som så, lørdagen brukte jeg næremere en halvtime for å få avstresset hesten etter at noen unger lekte på skrittemaskinen. Hurra! Han roet seg nå etterhvert, men jeg var litt urolig for hvordan han kom til å være på stevne dagen.

Søndagen gikk rolig for seg frem til det var på tide å komme seg ut og opp på hesten. Pernille hjalp meg med å flette den uregjerlige manen så Licero så meget staselig ut!

Oppvarmingen gikk fort (synes jeg) og plutselig var det min tur til å gå inn på banen. Under oppvarmingen var Licero treigere enn vanlig (kanskje han hadde fått ut overskuddsenergien dagen før?). Jeg følte at jeg satt å maste litt på han gjennom programmet ettersom problemet i det siste har vel vært for mye energi, ikke for lite. Akk ja. Etter endt program var jeg forsåvidt fornøyd, vi hadde jo overlevd! Fikk også gode tilbakemeldinger fra de som hadde sett programmet, inkludert den ene treneren min. Ble dermed litt skuffet da jeg fikk prosenten, 52,69. Men som jeg sa til en av de andre, "jeg er ikke fornøyd eller ufornøyd før jeg ser hva dommeren har skrevet og trukket for".

Protokollen bestod for det meste av 6'ere. Noen 5'ere og et par underkjente øvelser. De underkjente øvelsene var sjenkelvikning til venstre som vi har slitt litt med på trening, da han liker bedre å gå til høyre og i trav. Øket skritt fikk vi 2'er for og den er det i tillegg Koeff 2 på så der tapte vi mange poeng. Vel fortjent dog da Licero gravde seg ned bak loddplan, samme i holdt og ryggingen. Var litt overrasket over at jeg fikk 5 på sits og holdning, helt til jeg så bildene og filmen... haha har sett bedre sits ja! Faller visst lett tilbake til gamle synder når man plutselig skal vise seg frem.

Jaja, det var første og eneste sjanse vi hadde til å vise oss frem sammen og det gikk jo greit. Ikke over all forventning, men uten store overraskelser. Dommeren var jevnt over relativt streng, 5 av 9 ekvipasjer fikk underkjent i LB, men hun var i hvert fall like streng med alle og slo ned på riktige ting. Problemet var bare at det som var bra ble ikke fremhevet og beste karakter på samtlige ekvipasjer var karakteren 7. Vi tar det som trening og ser fremover tenker jeg!

Et par bilder fra dagen (det måtte selvfølgelig regne akkurat i LB klassen!)

Licero fikk til ganske greie økninger, rytteren derimot, klarte seg ikke like bra:p