Collection Continues...

Lately it seems that I've been on this strange desire to delve into dressage in a big way (for me anyway) and especially collection.

Today Max and I took our customary weekly lesson and naturally the focus of the training was on various aspects of collection at the walk, trot and canter. Also, attention was paid to transitions between all three gaits with the focus on SMOOTHLY making those transitions and maintaining a seat on the vertical- I sometimes have a tendency to shift forward.

While working on collection at the trot and especially at the canter, for the first time I REALLY felt/experienced what it means to have a horse shift their weight onto the haunches. It's a weird feeling and if you didn't know what was going on, you would think something weird/bad is going on- in some instances it almost feels like the horse is literally falling apart.

The think that never fails to blow my mind here is that Max and I are getting to the point where in many instances Max VOLUNTARILY begins to collect up with little urging on my part. I can guarantee that NO amount of muscling on the reins or other force on my part is going to force Max to do what he's doing- it's all coming from him.

Now this by no means absolves me of my responsibilities as a rider and in fact, it demands even greater attention and physical effort- the rider cannot just sit and ride their way through- they have to actively ride this. What's also key is that I have to constantly ensure that my seat is correct- most of the time this means being on the vertical (i.e., I'm sitting perpendicular to the horse's back)and allowing my body or legs to swing forward (it's so easy to do), especially when collecting at the canter.

While collecting at the canter, as the horse collects up, the front of the horse seems to grow a little taller and the haunches drop down (duh!) and my tendency is to follow the horse's front with my body so that I'm leaning forward of the vertical. Naturally, this may seem to be the right thing but it's not and I have to constantly remind myself. Moreover, because the half-halts require "tucking" your pelvis underneath you (the best analogy, and it's a bit crude, is imaging having a hard bowel movement- yeah gross, but it's it the only analogy that works, at least for me). By allowing yourself to move forward, your actually lifting your rear off the saddle and thus you can't engage in complete half-halts.

As a final note, I've also begun to be more aware of just what my body is supposed to be doing in half-halt- it's almost like coiling oneself a like spring in the shape of a "c" with the pelvis being one end and the diaphragm being the other. You really learn to use those muscles!

Although I don't pretend to be any sort of an expert and I'm sure that I've missed a lot of technical points, I do find it amazing, especially since most of the people who do this started at a very young age and I started WAY later.

Finally, I also think Max is getting better at this and there's been times where he's now collecting spontaneously while trotting and cantering (at times when I don't necessarily want it)- very interesting! :-)

Back on the Trail

After a week of rain, things finally cleared out and slowly the ground has begun to dry. The downside is that it's been very cold at night and even during the day it was a bit crisp...the end result was something that's not normally seen here in this part of Southern California: SNOW!

Needless to say, I had to get Max out on the trail again and so I decided to scout out some of the storm damage. I avoided low-lying areas since there's still a lot of water and the attendant risk of quicksand. Also, any of the usual stream crossings in the Hansen Dam Basin are going to be higher than usual with a fast current (all the run-off from the mountains). My area to ride in was going to be somewhat limited.

I rode down the wash and except for fast moving water in the stream, it wasn't too much of a problem. When I rode under the Foothill Blvd. and 210 bridges, I noticed that the stream was only running on one side and it was fairly easy to cross so I could have accessed a fairly large area of the basin in either direction.

I decided to go towards the Equestrian Center and Gabriellano Park, working my way around the Equestrian Center and then heading east on the Haul Road. I then took a loop home that took me past the Park (where I decided to work Max some). Finally, I made my way up Orcas Ave. towards the stables.

Overall, there was the usual sort of earth movement and the run-off had deposited a large amount of ash from last August's Station Fire. There streams running through the basin had definitely expanded so it's going to be awhile before I get down there. I took a few pictures with my cell phone- not the best camera, it was more beautiful in person.

Max did pretty well and he was eager to get out after a week in his stall but he wasn't crazy. Working him out in the Gabriellano Park was definitely a good idea and we even reviewed some basic dressage moves and collection. Hopefully the weather will stay relatively clear for awhile (although another storm is supposed to be coming on Monday- we'll see) so I can get back to working Max.

Little Tujunga Canyon


Haul Road looking east


Looking east from Gabriellano Park


Big Tujunga Canyon, looking northeast


Another view of Big Tujunga Canyon, looking northeast

Infantry vs Cavalry

Some thoughts on the old "Infantry vs Cavalry" debate:

1) Horsemanship- The state of horsemanship was abysmal. For the most part, there was no formal instruction and it was up to the individual companies to train. With motivated/competant officers and NCOs, results could be achieved in time but to a great degree, training was of the character of "on the job", especially if the company was going on campaign (before departing, companies were reinforced with new recruits, some who had just barely enlisted).

2) Logistics- A good part of the horse's normal garrison ration was grain. Out in the field, supplies were spotty and for the most part the horses depended on grazing the local grass. After three or four weeks of campaigning, horses frequently broke down and if nothing else, lost a lot of weight. The horse breeds used by the Indians were far more hardy and capable of subsisting on a lot less. In fact, it could be argued that the march rates after three or four weeks were actually more favorable for infantry.

The reality was that for the most part, the cavalry was incapable of catching up with Indian war parties, who operated mostly in the Spring and Summer. The key strategy that Miles employed was the winter campaign when forage for the horses was hard to find and limited food supplies. Snow and severe rain limited mobility and especially with the women and children. Basically the Indian villages were "fixed" during the winter, making them a target. Miles basically gutted the Sioux with the 5th Infantry in the Fall of 1876/Winter of 1877.

IMHO, much of what we see and hear of the infantry vs cavalry debate is tainted by a combination of officers attempting to save their careers and justify their actions after-the-fact and later with Hollywood movies and just plain BS. The record is fairly mixed and I believe that both cavalry and infantry were essential, cavalry to provided a wide-ranging "presence" and the infantry to act as the proverbial "rock" to anchor a campaign.

The 1870s Walk-A-Heap

One of my interests has always been the military side of things in the Old West and especially things that people don't usually associate with the West such as infantry. When it comes to living history, people often only think about Custer and the 7th Cavalry and that unfortunate encounter at the Little Big Horn. This ignores 99% of what else was out there and contrary to Hollywood movies, bad novels and other media, infantry played a key role in the Army's campaigns during the Indian Wars.

I originally posted this on another living history board but I thought that it might be of interest here...and yes, believe it not, there actually WAS infantry in the West and they were often more useful than cavalry for heavy campaigning. :-)

The following is some general information for those who would like to put together an 1870s infantry impression so here's a brief overview:

First, you have to ask yourself what year are you portraying? Uniforms and equipment were in a state of flux during this era and often times key items were different from year to year. Contrary to popular belief, soldiers were not simply issued with leftovers from the Civil War (in fact, it was due to poor storage that a lot of these items were rendered unuseable which prompted the Army to seek replacements).

With that said, I'll start with the necessary kit for an 1876 impression:

1874 Sack Coat w/ branch of service trim on the sleeves. This was a four-button sack coat, unlike its Civil War cousin.

1872 Trousers or Civil War era trousers (preferably Schuykil pattern). There is very little difference between them and both were used.

1851 or 1872 Shoe (aka brogans). Both appear to have been used throughout the 1870s and the 1872 model was made with copper screws which in turn made them especially unforfortable in the winter.

1872 Forage Cap with appropriate branch of service, company and regiment brass. These are arranged a bit differently before and after 1875.

Campaign Hat- At this point there was no official issue model (in 1877 there would be) and the soldiers bought these from the post trader or other civilian source. These would be non-descript slouch hats in a variety of colors, mostly black, brown and grey. One note: DO NOT PUT HAT BRASS OR HAT CORDS ON THESE!!! The actual soldiers rarely did so (and it wasn't authorized) and it will mark you as a farb.

1873 Greatcoat- This was a pretty warm garment and was blanket-lined and had a double-cape.

1874 Canteen- This would be a converted Civil War era canteen and there were at least two different models.

1874 Haversack- This came in two basic models, the earlier in cotton duck with a tarred cover and a later one with a thick canvas cover.

1874 Meat Can- The Army's first attempt at an issue piece of mess wear. Descendents of this basic model were used by the Army up until the late 1980s.

1874 Knife, Spoon, and Fork- Once again, the Army's first official issue eating wear. Before this, soldiers bought whatever they could at the post trader.

1874 Cup. Similar to it's Civil War cousin in size and configuration. Unlike those in the Civil War soldiers did not install wire bales and efforts were made to keep these clean (from what I can tell from the research I've done).

1874 Clothing Bag- Rarely carried on campaign, this was intended as a means carrying clothing and along with the haversack, made up the Palmer Brace System.

Blanket- Can be either the Grey pattern found in the Civil War or the later 1873 model with purple stripes (yeah, purple! ).

Gum Blanket- Same as it's Civil War predecessor (it was the same item).

Shelter Half- Identical to the Civil War model, mostly the 1864 model. Wooden stakes simliar to those found in WWI/WWII were also issued along with two-piece poles.

Prairie Belt- This was the ammo belt consisting of loops. At this time there was no official issue item like this so soldiers would purchase their own from either civilian sources or from one of the Post saddlers. Old 1851 waist belts and NOC belt buckles were popular for conversions. By 1877/78, the Army finally developed it's own issue belt.

1874 belt and McKeever Pouch. These were garrison items and along with the haversack and clothing bag made up the Palmer Brace System.

Bayonet and Scabbard. The Bayonet scabbard was developed in 1872 and the bayonet was usually a converted Civil War era bayonet (althogh there some bayonets specially made for the 1873 Springfield Rifle. The bayonet was also a garrison item and was left behind on campaign.

The above is only a rough sketch and I'm partially going off memory here so I might have gotten a few things wrong so please bear with me. Also, while it can be successfully argued that it took time for items to be put into the Army supply system and distributed to the troops out West, the process still occurred in a reasonable amount of time so using this as an excuse to use Civil War stuff really doesn't cut it.

Also, and this is a gripe of mine, all too often the "it took time to issue new items" is used as a cop-out by people to weasel out of having to expend the money and time to procure the right stuff- in some cases, it simply doesn't work and makes you look like a farb. Also, while in some instances you can justify the Civil War item, in order to really set the Indian Wars impression apart from Civil War, you really have to use the stuff that's unique to the 1870s to really stand out. Just my opinion there.

Unfortuantely, there are way too many half-assed Indian Wars infantry impressions out there (and don't get me started on cavalry) and they're not even good Civil War impressions. LEAVE THE CIVIL WAR BEHIND! OK, that's my dos centavos on that matter.

Also, just an observation: While it's easier to put together a c. 1867 impression using mostly Civil War items, procuring the 1866 Springfield (aka Second Allen) is a killer- apparently the prices have gone through the ceiling.

On the other hand, doing a more latter impression such as the later 1870s or 1880s is easier from a weapons standpoint (though not much with the prices), getting the proper unifroms and equipment is a bit more of a challenge.

Finally, the one thing really holding back things is the lack of a good uniform vendor. The only game in town is the Quartermaster Shop and the authenticity of some of their items is pretty questionable (although the workmanship is pretty decent). Perhaps things have changed but at least that's what I encountered about four or five years ago.

Just my dos centavos but I hope people find it helpful.

Uniforms, Arms, and Equipment: The U.S. Army on the Western Frontier 1880-1892

Here's something people here might be interested in. I previously posted elsewhere in regard to Douglas McChristian's new book, Uniforms, Arms, and Equipment: The U.S. Army on the Western Frontier 1880-1892.

Although this two-volume set has been out for awhile, the price tag has been a bit of a deterrent to me until now (it was a birthday gift)...I just bought and I have to say the volume of information is overwhelming!

This set is a follow-on to McChristian's earlier book which focused on the Army from 1870-1880 and it surpasses his earler work both for scope and depth. There's a lot of stuff I never knew about or was confused about and this book has gone a long way to filling in the gaps. I especially found his explaination of the marksmanship badges and how they were earned to be especially interesting.

I've just begun to examine it but I think I can safely say that if you're serious about recreating/reenacting the US Army of the 1880-1892 timeframe, you NEED to get this book. What's also interesting is reading about how some of the items were designed and the personalities of the personnel involved- sometimes, resistance to introducing a new item was simply a matter of "I don't like it, so there!".

McChristian also provides interesting details as to how equipment was marked and he contrasts what the "official" policy was versus what troops did out in the field. The pictures are also an excellent resource.

Max and I Join The Cavalry

Last weekend Max and I participated in our first Civil War cavalry training event and it was interesting, to say the least. The unit putting on the event is a newly-forming unit, the 7th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and it was held on a ranch up in Soledad Canyon, not too far away from Vasquez Rocks. The unit itself is a bit of a "work in progress" so this was more of a "meet and greet" than a full-blown training event but it was still a good introduction. After hitching up, Max and I arrived early Saturday morning ready to go. Max trailered with no issues and he soon settled down into his new environment- it was a bit exciting for him but nothing bad.

The unit is a mixed bag of men and horses and many of the people had defected from other units for one reason or another. Apparently, there has not been a real Federal cavalry presence in a long time and the organizer/leader of the 7th Ohio is attempting to change that. For me, I've been away from the Civil War reenactment scene for a good five to six years and it's clear that things have changed quite a bit (I used to go Federal infantry but fell away from it for a variety of reasons to include getting into horses). The level of equitation was a bit mixed with a combination of green and experienced riders and some of the horses were pretty obnoxious- nevertheless, it wasn't a deal-breaker. I view it as a work-in-progress and it kind of reminds me of what I've read about our historical forbearers first forming up in 1861.

We worked on a variety of formations and movements and it was not anything too different from what I do with the Warhorse Foundation practices on Saturdays. I was able to work through the commands and formations fairly easily although Max could sometimes be bit obnoxious. Fortunately, Max is used to bumping butts so he wasn't too concerned about being pushed around in formation; at one point I was stuck next a green rider who couldn't control her horse so I had to keep an eye out for a horse that fish tailed all over the place- Max didn't mind the bumping butts though. No horses fired or tried did anything.

We also worked on weapons handling and this went a little better and people seemed to be very much in control and always conscious about safety (in fact the guy who organized the unit left a Confederate cav unit because of repeated safety violations/issues).For pistol shooting, I approached things a bit cautiously with Max and while I didn't fire off of Max (I suppose I could have but I've learned from bitter experience that rushing things leads to disaster). By the end I was able to place Max between two horses (maybe 2 or 3 feet on each side) with each person firing a half-load pistol charges. Max didn't flinch a bit.

Sword work was pretty decent and by the end I was working with steel- the sword fights are not too different from what Max and I did at Anza. Everything is controlled with safety in mind. The one big rule is that the sword point is to be kept up at all times and don't extend your arm out (i.e. lean out). I was also informed that some of the Rebs can be knuckleheads (nop surprise there) about the swordplay but usually things are fine- if necessary, break off.

One interesting thing about the site where we practiced is that it's in close proximity to train tracks (this is east of the 14 by Vasquez Rocks)so you're constantly hearing the roar of trains passing by. Good thing for de-sensitization. The other thing is that there's a wildlife center (sort of a Wildlife Waystation kind of operation) up the road that houses lions and other wild animals. With the wind blowing from there, the horses could smell (I imagine) the lions this seemed to make some the horses a bit more excited at times. You could also hear roaring throughout the night (at first I thought it was mules braying until I put it all together).

Overall, it was a good start and we'll need to work some more but I think it's got great potential. Moreover, for the first time, I can really get Max out to events and in the long run, this will make him a better horse. We just have to approach the whole thing intelligently and not rush things, especially in the mounted shooting area. More soon.

Below are a few pictures from the event. The ones of me are not the best but oh well...:-)

Max in the Movies Again

As a follow-on to the the film work we did back last May, some friends and I were called upon to do perform in the some pick-up shots for a trailer that an aspiring director is filming so he can get financing for the larger picture. I can't really give more specifics than that due to a non-disclosure agreement.

Unlike the last time which involved a large group involved in various fights et al., this involved three riders and we were supposed to be highwaymen/baddies/no-goodnicks racing down a trail. We filmed this close to Gabriellano Park along a trail that I've ridden many times- it's covered by trees. The perfect setting for a chase. It's kind of reminiscent of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and I was half-expecting Christopher Walken to pop out from behind a tree and pursue us on horseback.

I was dressed up in pseudo-18th Century clothes complete with a wig that gave me stringy long hair (I sort of looked like either a roadie in a rock band or pirate, take your pick). It was pretty amusing.

Max and I basically performed in a number of scenes where we're cantering down the forest trail. Max was with horses he's very familiar with and naturally he was a bit excited. Overall, Max was manageable although on several occassions we had to have a discussion on what's acceptable. We were out filming for about three hours and has time passed, Max was definately buzzed up to the point where I'd have to circle him several times before springing into the canter- basically a moving start. After the take, I'd walk Max around to calm him down.

Max was a lot better than when we last filmed in May and hopefully he'll be even better in the future. Although the film shoot wasn't that long, Max definately got a workout so a rest was in order. Naturally, Max got a nice bucket of Omolene and A&M after we got back to the stables. :-)

Collect the Set...

Today we had our weekly dressage lesson- it was good to back a break from the whole McClellan issue and use my nice, comfortable English saddle and get some serious work done: :-)

Max and I did more work on collection and it's interesting to see that as we've been practicing, Max has begun to develop his muscles to the point where he can hold a collected trot or canter for a longer period of time. More importantly, Max seems to be "getting it" more and more. This is not to say he's the perfect little horse- no- BUT he's making an honest effort in spite my mis-cues, bad seat, etc. (i.e., operator error).

Sometimes it seems that Max tries to collect even when I don't want him to do so- for example, I cue Max to transition into a working canter and he then attempts to slow down and collect. Excellent horse but it's not necessarily what I wanted. It seems to be a phase that will ultimately work out but it's kind of amusing to watch.

The other element that I've got to work on is using my aids to keep Max straight and to then bend him when going into corners/turning/etc. The key thing is that it's all about using my body to bend Max in the ribs and flanks and NOT using the reins (just maintain a light contact). If the body is pointed in the right direction, the nose should follow- it's not about pulling the horse around. Sounds simple, right? Well, sometimes it isn't so obvious and I know a lot of people who drag their horses around by the reins.

Anyway, this is a gradual process but I'm optimistic. Now my trainer wants me to read up on shoulder-ins and haunches-in because there are coming soon...:-)

I Really Hate the McClellan Saddle...

OK, this is just a start on a somewhat controversial subject- the McClellan saddle.

The more I use this saddle, the more a really dislike it. For the 1904, one of the biggest issues is that no matter how much I configure the cinch and billets, there's always a significant bulge of leather formed by the billets being doubles over and tied (just like with a western saddle). This bulge is also located such that the only way to position my legs is to the front of the bulge and this in turn makes me seat a lot less centered than what I'd want it to be. Worse, it seems to make Max dull to the leg aids (plus I need to use longer spurs...like the Army issue ones...hmmm!).

Now, no doubt I might have gotten things wrong but I just don't see any way around it. I decided to study what original sources I have at hand and I studied the pictures intently. I noticed that many of the riders have the same seat that I have- legs forward, in front of the "bulge". To me, this seat feels like you're sitting in a chair versus my usual position with my English saddle which is a bit more up and down.

Perhaps this is the way it was for riders "back in the day". If so, it definately forces me to ride a little differently and it's obvious that certain dressage movements are going to be hard to do (not that this is sort of saddle you would use for showing dressage! :-)).

The other disturbing element is that unlike my Germany Army saddle or my English saddle, this one rests more directly on Max's back and to me, it seems to focus my weight more directly on the horse's back and inhibit his movement more than with the other saddles. Now, I admit that I could probably stand to lose some weight but still...

OK, I'm still working this out in my mind and I could be totally off-base so I'll have to think some more about this...

Making the Jump...

One thing I forgot to mention from my last Saturday's trail ride is that while trotting along, at one point we encountered a log about 2 foot tall lying accross the trail. Now we could have easily stepped over the log at a walk but instead, we all decided (quite quickly) to jump over it.

I was at the back of the line so I had plenty of opportunity to prepare for it. I've jumped cavalettis before so this wasn't new but still, in a trail situation one has to be careful.

I spurred Max forward, firmly put myself into a two-point seat, and gave Max his head. I was expecting Max's usual way of "jumping", which is pretty much of a small hop. Well, much to my surprise, Max dug in deep and LAUNCHED himself over the log- the amount of power was amazing and it took me a bit by surprise. When Max landed on the other side, he speed up into a canter so I had to slow him down quickly (with no issues).

I was amazed and it was a bit of a rush- I've never seen him display that kind of power off his hindquarters. While I haven't done much formal jumping (and what I've done is pretty wimpy) and Max is not a "jumper" in the formal way, it was pretty cool and perhaps I'll pursue this in the future. :-)

Wow!

Serving in the 7th Cavalry c. 1940

I came accross a short but interesting article about William Richardson who served in the 7th Cavalry in the early 1940s. He enlisted in 1940, just prior to the US entering WWII. A lot of what he says mirrors the more detailed account of life in the peacetime US Cavalry writen by Charles Willeford in Something About a Soldier but what was especially telling was his describing how one or two horses would invariably dump their riders and run off during a large-scale formation or review. Very revealing and goes to show that even back then, riders still experienced the same sorts of issues with horses that we deal with today.

Click HERE for the article.

Starting Swordwork with Max

Let me preface this by saying that I am not an expert on swordplay and up to now, I haven't delved much in this area (although I suppose THAT will change in the near future). That said, follow me and Max as we learn...:-)

After my regular lesson last Sunday, I decided that it was time to start getting Max desensitized to swords. I'm not going into this cold in that in the past I have worked with a dowel rod and some rubber swords so Max is actually pretty comfortable with me swininging them around him (and tolerating the occassional miss where I wind up smacking him). Now it's time to step up to the next level and needless to say, I will have to be a LOT more careful in how I swing them.

I managed to borrow a functional sword that sort of mimics the US 1860 Cavalry Saber (he didnt' have the exact item and I'm a bit stretched on funds at the present to order one up) and in fact, is probably a bit longer. I started by placing Max and I in an arena with Max fully tacked up. I then rubbed the sword all over his body (it was securely in the scabbard), and especially on his back and hanches.

Next, standing on the on-side, I reached over with the sword and rubbed it on the off-side (this is important because often, horses spook when they see objects suddenly "appear" out of nowhere that don't seen to be part of the rider- remember, a horse's vision is severely limited in looking back and up). While doing this, I observed Max's body language and especially his eyes and ears. I also made sure to do it all slowly while at the same time talking softly to him and praising him. It all appeared to go well with Max pretty much accepting everything and in fact, it appeared that he was bored with the whole thing. Had at any point Max reacted negatively, I would have backed off and lessened the intensity of what I was doing- back off, just touch Max's body, etc.

Seeing that everything looked good, I then took the sword (still in the scabbard) and began to lightly tap him along the barrel, flanks and haunches. This is intended to get him used to the scabbard bouncing off of him or any sort of accidental contact- you don't want the horse to react to it (i.e. shy, run away, etc.). When this appeared to go well, I then tapped him lightly (and carefully) on the neck and the poll. I even tapped the muzzle a couple of times (wasn't thrilled with it but he tolerated it).

I then took the sword and rattled it in the scabbard a bit. Max wasn't sure abot this and he began to back away and give a concerned look in his eyes. When this happened, I'd stop, draw Max near again, let him sniff the sword, and then start again. He got better as we went along but this is something I'll be working more on in the future.

Finally, I decided that he was talking it all very well on the ground, so I decided to mount him wearing just the scabbard. There were no issues with this and I then proceeded to tap Max's flank with the empty scabbard- no siginficant response. I then started to ride around with the scabbard moving around and banging him on the side. He didnt' appear to react and soon I had him in a canter and even jumped a couple of poles lying on the ground.

Now came the climax...taking the sword in hand, we rode around and I proceeded to move it into all sorts of positions. No reaction. Next, I began to swing the sword and and ride around at the same time. Once again, no reaction. Great! I wound up taking some practice swings at some traffic cones and finished by setting up a line of traffic cones and then galloping through them while trying to strike them as a passed by. Max had no problems with this and he did his job even though my aim was pretty poor and I didn't strike too many targets. One observation is that a real sword is a LOT heavier than a dowel rod or rubber sword and my arms was exhausted in no time- got to work on that!

I finished by practicing drawing the sword and returning it to the scabbard multiple times. It's a pain to do on the move but not so bad at the halt. No issues there with Max.

Now the "training program" I employed is not a formal program and probably wouldn't work on all horses but it seems to have worked fine with Max. Of course, it's probably going to be a different story when he's with other horses so we cannot assume anything. Also, it helped that I did lot of the prep work long in advance with the dowel rod and rubber sword. The key thing here is to be patient and take your time- don't wait to do this just before the event! Also, realize that this is all about desensitization and gaining the horse's respect- he needs to accept your leadership and that you're not going to get him injured or killed- that's the horse's natural instinct and you have to work at using this to your advantage. Using force or "cowboying" this horse isn't going to cut it.

Anyway, things look promising so we'll see how it goes in the near future. More soon.

What I'm looking at using- the 1860 Light Cavalry Saber. An original would be nice but a reproduction will have to do for now. :-)

Mary Rose

Here's something I stumbled across the other day in regard to salvaging and preserving the wreck of the Mary Rose, a Tudor Era warship that abruptly sank on July 15, 1545 during the Battle of the Solent:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Rose

And the ship itself:

Max the Collecting Horse & Other Fun Stuff

After the run-up for the holidays and dealing with finals, I've finally been able to turn my attention to working with Max again on collection and the like.

Lately, my lessons have been progressing to the point where we've been working on more advanced dressage movements and in particular, collection. While I am no dressage guru or expert, I've come to realize the collection is a whole new ballgame and it is not easy to do. Moreover, the horse has to be in condition to do it and that takes time to develop. The best analogy I've heard is that you are putting the horse through a weight training program- they have to be able to carry themselves AND you while shifting most of the weight to the hindquarters. Not easy!

We've been working on this for roughly two months and the progress has been amazing, especially in doing the collected trot and canter. Once I realized that I can signal half-halts by simply tightening and releasing my grip on the reins while at the same time using my breathing and legs, it went a long way towards signaling Max to reduce his stride while at the same time tansferring his energy. It's hard to describe except to say that you really feel like the horse has the energy to instantly launch into a fast trot or canter.

The collected canter has been especially tough and it seemed that he wouldn't slow down sufficiently and transfer energy to the rear. However, after working on my seat and half-halts, it's become a lot easier. At first, the motion felt very choppy- like a machine shaking itself apart but now it's more of a smooth vigorous up-and-down motion. What's also amazing is that Max is starting to naturally bend his haed and neck in the correct position with little urging (and certainly not by cranking the bit- not happening, especially with a snaffle bit!).

One important element in all of this is that moving slowly doesn't equal collection. Also, attempting to use the bit to "crank" the horse's head down is also useless and completely 180 degrees from what collection is all about. The key is that you are training the horse shift his weight to teh hindquarters and you have to be an active part of the process- this is something that just doesn't "happen".

The whole thing is kind of mind-blowing, especially since I'm no expert or rider with decades of experience like most riders who do this and my horse is by no means the "dressage horse". Sure, we're probably never going to compete or anything, but in my mind, it's path to understanding the nature of the riding experience plus understanding the horse. I'm sure there are other paths to this (no doubt the Western riders out there think that this is all BS) but for me, this is the way.

Finally, all of this has also helped out on the trail- there are situations where you want to be able to direct and re-direct the horse's energy (and at the same time, his mind).

Click here for an interesting explaination of collection, and it describes it far better than I can.

Finally, below is a good illustration of what happens to the horse when it collects (top picture) versus the normal posture (bottom picture).

Saturday Fun

With New Year's having passed by, it's definately time to get back into the normal flow of things so today Max and I attended Warhorse practice at Gabriellano Park.

I arrived at the arena with more than enough time to get Max warmed up. The weather was clear and warm and Max was definately a bit sluggish- he definately wasn't motivated. After about a half hour's worth of work, Max began to get the idea that I meant business and that it was time to work.

It was a small group today, no more than eight people, and when we were all assembled, we began to practice. The practice was pretty much the usual combination of individual movements and group movements, first at a walk and then at a trot. What's nice about these is that Max tends to perk up when working with "his herd" so by the end of the practice session, he's a lot more energenic and "ready for anything".

One interesting twist we did was that we practiced cantering, first individually and then in pairs and finally in fours. Also, each of us cantered individually while the others watched and critiqued. Naturally, Max decided to act like a brat and at first he refused to transition into a trot from a walk- basically he would balked. It definately wasn't due to soreness or being scared, it was just because he didn't feel like working anymore. We solved this pretty quickly by growling at him, spinning him in a circle and then kicking him up into a canter. What was funny about the whole episode is that Max somehow thought that I wanted him to do a collected canter and he'd tuck his head and attempt to collect- I actually wanted an extended canter. I fixed this but it was kind of amusing.

Max got much better as we progressed and he loves to canter in line. Of course, the one problem is that most of the group is made up of Arabians and Throughbreds and they move out a lot faster than Max so Max struggles to keep up. He definately THINKS he's an Arabian although the reality is different. When cantering in line, Max does a lot better when he's either in the middle or the inside. Cantering on the outside a tough and that's where he was most of the time during this traning session (I think it's good for him nonetheless).

What's also nice about the formation work we do is that gradually Max has learned a lot of the movements to the point where he will do them with little direction on my part. The one element that's interesting is that whereas you want to align the line of horses with the riders legs lined up (for uniformity and safety since each horse varies in length), Max attempted to line up so his head is next to the other horses. He's definately trying to do the right thing but from his perspective. :-)

Afterwards, we decided to go on a trail ride so we followed a circuit leading through and around the Ponds. This area sometimes makes me nervious because of the narrow trails and the heavy vegetation (this is where Max blew up during the trail trials). However, Max seemed to be allright and we rode a lot of these trails at a trot- there were times that Max would become anxious about keeping up with the other horses but it was very manageable.

The one challenging thing about riding at the trot along these trails is that because of my height, I had to constantly duck low-lying branches and at some points I had to flatten myself on Max's back and do it quickly. Also, being able to keep a two-point stance is essential because of all the twists and turns in the trial. My seat was definately firm but I can see where someone with a weaker seat could get messed up quickly.

We trail rode for about an hour and then headed home. What was interesting here was that Max moved with an extended walk (no surprise there since we were headed back to the barn) but what was interesting was that he attempted to maintain pace with my friend's Arabian.

Max and I definately worked up a sweat on this ride and Max got a nice bucket of A&M, Omolene and carrots. Wheew! :-)

For All You Romanoff Fans...

Here's "God Save The Czar", the anthem of the late Russian Empire. The pictures of the Royal Family are amazing!

New Year's Day Ride

New Year's Day dawned sunny with not too many clouds so naturally I decided to take Max out for a ride. :-)

After getting Max tacked up, I was joined by some friends and decided to take a leisurely ride around the Hansen Dam Golf Course (the trail actually runs behind the dam). We really weren't in too much of a hurry so we alternated walking and trotting. The only tricky part was at the west end where the trail crosses the dam itself and then turns into the park- the motorcycle bar is about 2 1/2 feet high and you have to make a sharp left turn (not good if your horse isn't a jumper). The alternative was going around the fence and that requires a sharp bend to the left. Most of us opted to walking about the edge of the fence but it's never a good feeling, especialy with so many walkers/joggers about.

After passing this hurdle with no issues, we made our way back around the park. The only other issue were some ATVs running around places where they're not supposed to be (actually, the public isn't allowed to drive ATVs in the park anywhere but this is rarely enforced unless someone gets hurt real bad).

Overall, while it wasn't a partcularly challenging ride, it was nice to get out and about with friends and bring in the New Year. Also, any clear day is a good day for riding and not something to be missed.

Anyway, I've got high hopes for Max and I in the new year and this was a nice way to start off. :-)

Happy New Year!

I want to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year for 2010. Although 2009 wasn't the greatest in many areas, Max and I did have some major breakthroughs (well, maybe not with the parades) and I'm looking forward to more in 2010.