I quickly decided that I was on board with this and would submit a video of Q and Grif. At the time of my submissions, it was only $25, so I ultimately submitted one video of Q and two of Grif. Unfortunately, I'm still awaiting the return of Grif's second video. I'm hoping it will be returned soonish? I'd like to share the feedback videos of him in the same post to compare/contrast the feedback I received. Until then, we'll focus on Qdle Doo.
I opted to submit Q's video to Lauren Sprieser. I've seen Lauren teach in person, loved her style, and have read numerous accounts from other bloggers who have ridden with her. I've wanted to trailer to her for lessons (likely from one of her assistants at first), but my finances have been directed in other places in recent years (totally worth the barn and bringing the horses home lol). One day!
To preempt Lauren about Q, I provided the following description with my video:
Q is a ~15 year old Morgan x Arabian mare. She's my 100-mile endurance horse and has completed the Old Dominion 100. My dressage friend has been after me to get this mare into the dressage court for years, so that is my aim for the future in addition to an endurance ride each year.This mare is opinionated and stubborn AF. I love her to death, but she's not easy! Also, Newton's 8th law of filming dictates that you're guaranteed to have a not-stellar ride when the camera is out, and that's definitely what this day was. Q rode like an angry little Morabian motorcycle, ignoring my leg and seat like a boss and bracing hard against the bit (very typical for her).This was our first time in an arena in ages (there are only two privately owned arenas here in rural Canaan Valley, WV) and she thought that was a bit of BS. Because she's an endurance horse damnit, and this dressage business is a load of crap in her opinion.I was good humored about it (the reason the video is sans audio due to my rampant giggling, laughter, and making fun of Q), but it definitely wasn't an easy ride and I have a LOT to work on with her.
The beginning clips are Q motoring around the arena like her tail is on fire. She was super go-go-go and not a lot of whoa or listening. I was trying to get her to calm down a bit (she's never been in this arena before) and relax before trying something more structured like a dressage test. The last two clips are her first ever attempts at dressage tests in an arena - Intro C (2019) and Beginner Novice Test A (2018).Thank you in advance for taking the time to give us feedback.
Lauren's feedback basically boils down to the following: do lots of transitions to keep Q more focused, do smaller figures to keep her attention, more inside leg, more outside rein, more leg, and do some spiraling in-out on a 20m circle.
None of Lauren's feedback is a surprise to me. But it is very confirming because many of the exercises she recommends are things I've pursued in the past. It's nice to know that my approach/thinking has been in-line with what she'd recommend!
Something about summer weather makes me want to school dressage more often, so my plan is to work on these things with Q throughout the summer with the hope that maybe? MAYBE? I'll be able to go somewhere for a schooling show in the autumn. At the moment, endurance competitions just don't have me as jazzed as they used to. And honestly, with the pandemic and restrictions on gatherings, a dressage schooling event seems much more friendly for keeping people at a distance from one another than an endurance event.
At any rate, it is nice to have a focused direction to work with this little mare. I'll do my best to do monthly recaps on my progress with her now that I have a Pivo to capture All The Media. 😁
honestly i haven't been particularly tempted to submit any videos for these type of services... but actually that video & feedback was awesome. i haven't heard Lauren teach before so idk how different this is from her normal style, but what's most interesting to me is how much explanation is happening, and how much she's talking about the big-picture approach to training vs fixing each individual step and moment like what might happen in a typical in-person real-time lesson. the real-time step-by-step stuff is great for getting those "aha!" feel moments... but sometimes that's not as easily reproduced later on without all the explanation.
ReplyDeletealso, her points about when it is vs when it is *not* useful to run through a whole test are really helpful for me to think about too (for different reasons, but still).
anyway. sorry. long rambling comment haha but that video was awesome, thanks for sharing it! (lol at her telling Grif not to bite Q.... poor muffin!)
Real time feedback for developing feel is absolutely necessary and something I'll absolutely need to attend IRL lessons to get. But for now with this horse, it's great to have some homework! Mostly because there is a lot I can do to get Q to a more "teachable" place with super rudimentary things before traveling to a lesson so that when we do travel, we will get the most possible from it. But you're absolutely right re: hard to reproduce later. I'm gonna need looots of practice to reproduce feel after IRL lessons no matter how much of this kinda homework I do beforehand.
DeleteHahahaha I love her words of "Jesus take the wheel approach" LOL On that tho, as she goes to explain what she means by that I actually really really like how she phrased that, and it's enough to certainly get me to remember it! I also like how she was talking about when to do a test and when not to (like Emma mentioned) and good things to carry through when training. I wish I'd paid more attention to this because I think this would've been fun to send in a video. I hope they'll do this again!
ReplyDeleteThey still are! The cost has gone up a bit, but still totally worth it.
DeleteYAY I love this!! I've been waiting to see the feedback. I've watched so many of the videos submitted to Lauren and my favorite thing about her is finding the best in every horse she's looking at no matter their level and this video is such a good example of that. Like Lauren, I am totally obsessed with Q's walk, it really is such a blessing she's forward thinking (as opposed to my land hippo, who like Lauren wouldn't run 100 miles unless he was chased by something with teeth). Can't wait for Grif's videos! (PS I think they're behind because they had a million submissions and it's all volunteers pasting feedback over videos).
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm so, so impressed with Lauren! If this is still going on in another month, I very well may send a follow-up video of Qdle Doo.
DeleteAnd that's good to know re: lag. I kinda figured. I tend to drop a check-in email every Friday just to see.
I loved this- I really enjoyed her observations and sense of humour. What a great thing to do. And Q has so much potential for dressage....
ReplyDeleteYou and Austen are going to be so overjoyed if/when this mare enters the dressage court for the first time in a competition setting.
DeleteI want to come and groom!
DeleteThat is really cool! I lol'd at her "Hello grey spectator" comment when Grif popped into view. :-D
ReplyDeleteSounds like her feedback is actionable while riding at home. More transitions, more figures, etc. are totally do-able on your own. Looking forward to seeing Grif's video(s).
This was a real pleasure to watch. I will watch it again tomorrow. Q's got the foundation of the dressage pyramid down. Rhythm, relaxation, and then further up, impulsion.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! Did the trainer say anything good? Like how forward and rhythmic Q is?
Nice to see your new banner! But I ** AM ** going to miss "in omnia paratus", of course used in Gilmore Girls.
ReplyDeleteYou beat me to it with my official post announcing the change! ;-) And yes, I will miss that name, too. But after 10 years, it's time for the next chapter of this blog. In Omnia Paratus is still very much my life's motto and is both on a ring I often wear and the last line on my RoadID on my watch. <3
DeleteHow cool. I didn't know this was going on, not that I could participate anyway. If it is still available once we get to cantering again, I will be all over this.
ReplyDeleteI love her take on the ride and Q. It reminds me so much of my Gem days and how we never went straight for more than a few strides. Though she was tricky, and I suspect Q is this way too, in that I couldn't circle endlessly either or she'd get bored with that too. Gotta stay ahead of these quick thinking mares!