Musical Ride Company

After stumbling across the Musical Ride Company page a few weeks ago I was more than intrigued. I am always taking my iPod down to the arena when riding alone and trying to find some decent music to ride to. Unfortunately the moment "i'm sexy and I know it" blasts out I seem to lose all focus and start singing instead. Not a good combination and all I can say is good job we don't have that indoor arena with windows or my singing would have broken them by now.

I emailed Hannah at the Musical Ride Company asking if it would be possible for me to do a product review and whilst I waited for her reply I entered a competition to win a free CD on another page. To my delight I won the competition so won a CD and Hannah also replied saying of course and to send my address. Think I killed two birds with one stone there.

The Musical Ride Company offers a bespoke CD that contains four different workouts which vary in length. Each workout includes music that is specially selected and produced for the beats per minute for walk, trot and canter. When the pace is about to change there is a vocal instruction that gives you a warning.

Music is a tool often used by many to help both horse and riders relax and concentrate. If you're someone that suffers from nerves when riding or you find your horse becomes excitable of fizzy then the Musical Ride CD can help to sooth nerves.

Based on riders using an arena approximately 40 x 20, the Musical Ride Company offers workouts that can help to keep work sessions interesting, stimulating and enjoyable to both horse and rider by offering variety and something to work towards.

The specially created music on the CD helps your horse maintain rhythm and energy.

Because horses are different sizes and move at different speeds there are three CD's available that are designed for this.

- Large horse: For horses 16 hands and over.
- 14.2h - 16h: For small to medium sized horses.
- Pony: For ponies up to 14.2h

Workouts will run for set times and the CD has cool down tracks at the end of each workout, allowing you to relax and stretch. It really is a great tool for those that have little inspiration when it comes to schooling or find schooling boring.

I can't wait to start using my CD and will let you know how I find it! In the meantime to check out the website where you can purchase your own CD click this link.

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Dare I might say we could be getting there...

Before I started having lessons again I was struggling to cope with Ceaser's ever-changing moods. One day he would work perfectly, the next I would struggle to get him focused and instead he would be looking at what was going on around us rather than concentrating on work. I've mentioned before he has always been like this and as a 10-year-old was branded simply a "naughty pony" when we got him checked over by the vet to ensure nothing was causing his behaviour. Not many can say they have a big fat "naughty pony" written in red on their vet's records.

Right from day 1 of owning him we had good days and bad days. Some days he would be an absolute darling for me, others it seemed he had devil horns rather than ears. I went through instructors like they were going out of fashion, none of them seemed to listen to me that he wasn't "naughty", he just needed to do something that kept his brain ticking all the time. Every time I tried a new instructor we ended up doing the same thing of trotting around the arena, doing the occasional circle and then going large. I knew it wasn't enough to keep his mind busy. If I incoporated changes of reins, some leg yield, lots of halts and transitions then he behaved. It's almost as if he didn't have time to even think about being naughty because he was too 'busy'. If I schooled at home he could be a nightmare, if I went out and did a competition he was perfect. Why? Because he had to be focused. Before moving to Lincolnshire an old riding instructor told me he was a horse trapped in a ponies body and when riding him I should be more sensitive towards him, like many would be when riding a big fizzy 16.2h rather than a 14.1h pony - okay so that made sense.

Last winter

After a particularly bad winter last year of struggling to keep four feet on the ground I was beginning to feel my confidence taking a knock. I tried bit changes, various nosebands, lowering feed, everything. My saddle fitter suggested I look at changing my dressage saddle as she felt that could be causing a problem but it wasn't definite. I also contacted my feed company and we decided to lower Ceaser's feed and then a livery offered me a trial of her Neue Schule bit. I needed something to work as I wanted to be well prepared for this winter where he wouldn't get out too much due to the weather.

So, when someone suggested I try Amy I was looking forward to finally seeing if there was someone local that could help and give me weekly tasks to keep him focused. When Amy first met him he did an impressive show of bucking and spooking a few times, but as soon as we got working he stopped. She told me she didn't think he was naughty, but I always needed to be one step ahead of him and keep his mind on work rather than what is going on the other side of the arena fence. If he spooked or tried to buck she told me to simply do nothing but kick on and keep him going forward. For the first time in quite a long time my lesson was filled with lots of different things to focus and work on. Maybe mentally I was kept occupied as well, so it took my mind off the attitude that "was he going to behave or not?".

Amy commented that he appeared stiffer on one rein quite a lot compared to the other which could be why he bucked so much, so recommended I get him checked out by a physio. She said there was lots to like about him but we just needed to keep him busy rather than allow him to get bored.

Slowly, but surely after a few lessons I began to notice improvements. If Ceaser tried to misbehave I kicked on and changed what we were doing so he didn't have time to think. Before long the bucking almost stopped and for the first time in 6 months I was able to use the whole of the arena without having to worry that he would get to the top end and bolt back down because he had noticed something out the corner of his eye.

I like that at the beginning of a lesson we give ourselves objectives and if I tell Amy there is something I want to get right she addresses this. I have noticed a small improvement in our dressage scores and up to now they are a lot more consistent than last year.

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This week was the first lesson I had since going to the BD clinic. I spent a few minutes telling Amy what we had gone through and once again we looked at my aims for the spring time and what level I want to qualify at and what for.

A much happier pony!

When warming up she said she couldn't believe the change in our work and as an overall picture we looked much more in tune and like we were working together. Additionally she said the trot seemed a lot better and he looked to be relaxing into the contact much better rather than being a little reluctant or stiff. He now works almost evenly on both reins and barely struggles on one rein more than the other.

We worked on the counter canter a little more ready for my first BD novice test next week and although we
had a buck initially due to dad working on some fencing in the next field, he was fabulous. Amy feels the counter canter really helps lift our correct canter lead and makes it more bouncy.

Next we worked on some traver and shoulder in, flipping between the two. Initially we struggled to get either correct and I got a little annoyed that last week we had got it first time. Amy suggested using my arena mirrors to help and working towards them to do the lateral work rather up the long side. Funnily enough upon doing this we did shoulder in and traver first time, so she then said try using the quarter line to do the lateral work as he may pin himself against the arena fence and struggle to bend correctly. Again, this worked perfect and he did some lovely work. It's funny how a simple change of where you ask for something can make all the difference. Of course we will go back to doing this on the track, but for now if it all feels easier on the quarter line then that is not a problem. We worked on some of the movements that may come up in my Novice test next week and before long it was time to finish again.

Looking back at the videos Mark took I can see a huge difference in our way of going if we compare back to June time. Mark also agrees every thing seems to look more fluent and 100 times better. This week I will be hacking him twice and then schooling Friday and Saturday before our two tests on Sunday. Can we get our first BD point? I'll let you know!

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BD Northern Region Tracey Woodhead Clinic

Last Saturday we made the 50 minute journey to Grimsby to attend a riding lesson hosted by the BD Northern Region and given by Tracey Woodhead.

Tracey has ridden up to international level as well as trained her daughters through ponies, juniors and young riders in dressage and eventing.

The week leading up to the lesson with Tracey I had two really disappointing rides on Ceaser that made me think again about what I am doing and where I am trying to aim him for. With the pressure of trying to get it right in front of all the riding school kids at the yard I feel I probably put too much pressure on him and quite rightly he just said "stuff you mum!" and decided to do the opposite of everything I asked. Right from the beginning of owning Ceaser we have found that he has a strong mind; if he doesn't want to do something he won't and if you tell him to do something he'll do the opposite. I have always found it's best to ask him nicely, if he doesn't respond you ask again, this time a little firmer. If I fight, he fights harder. If I then fight harder, he fights even more and it's not a case of keeping going until I win, it's best to always say "ok, look just chill out" and try again after a few minutes. It may sound like I am giving in and many have often told me to just give him a slap, jab in the mouth and make him get on with it. Yeah, I'd like to see them try, and plus, I don't work that way. I want us to understand one another and I want him to work nicely for me because he wants to, not because he's forced to.

In the two times I rode last week he was a nightmare. Spooking, bucking, bolting and basically doing everything opposite. Dad started a strimmer up in the neighbouring field which usually doesn't faze him, but this time it cued an almighty buck, rear and then him taking off with me bucking his way down the menage. How I stayed on I don't know, but I suppose I'm used to it. Only a few days before I'd had a lesson with Amy and she had commented on how behaved he was despite Dad hammering away at a door opposite the menage, so I don't know what had gotten in to him but I did have an idea.

That Sunday I didn't have time to ride because I was clipping all the riding school ponies, so I allowed one of the kids at the yard to have her lesson him - I knew he would behave. She was over the moon and part of me broke into two watching him behave and work foot perfect for her. But, as always, it was because she wasn't putting the pressure on him to get things perfect and correct. So, I knew what I needed to do and instead of schooling for the rest of the week I scrapped the idea of riding in the arena and took him hacking every day before work, allowing him to have a long rein with barely any contact and go in a nice forward trot. He seemed to love the freedom and was brilliantly behaved. I think he knows me far too well and keeps a check on me at times. It's like he is telling me he's bored and ready for a change and then almost rewarding me for giving him a change.

So, having done no schooling for 7 days we went to meet Tracey. Firstly she asked me what my aims and goals were over the coming year and what we had achieved this year. I told her I wanted to be picked for the teams in 2014 and hopefully move up to Elementary affiliated. She then asked me to move off and show her a quick warm up, showing walk, trot and canter on both reins. Tracey said my warm up was brilliant and needed barely any alterations. She liked how I added lots of transitions, circles and changes of rein into it and this is something she likes to see. She also said because of his age it would benefit him to get everything loosened up.

Next up she said I just needed to get his hind legs underneath him a little more to help give him that uphill look which we struggle with. To do this she had us trotting around the arena and then doing travers all the way up the long side. In the beginning he was reluctant to give but when he did it felt amazing. Tracey noticed I seemed to push and push him too much, instead of sitting back, enjoying the ride and allowing him to get on with it. She said in pushing him constantly I'm never going to get that uphill look and it causes him to nod. So, she made me focus a lot on slowing down and then asking for travers up the long sides. It sounds cliche but I could really feel the difference and could for once feel his hind legs underneath me. Once we got it she asked me to lift my hands slightly and give him his head. When she told me I had it and he looked 100 times better I couldn't believe it, but the pictures really do show the difference!

We then tried this in canter and added 20 metre circles in to get him thinking a little more. After a quick breather we then knocked it up a notch and did simple exercises like trotting up the long side in travers, circling a half 10 metres to the centreline and then half passing back to the track. The first was a shambles and I completely lost my bearings, but on the second attempt I got myself together and Tracey said we had it! Fantastic! We did this on both reins ensuring to change the flexions and work him evenly on both reins. Tracey said she wanted us to stay in travers throughout the whole circle, keeping the neck bent and then simply move off to half pass without difficulty.

There is honestly no better feeling that getting something like this right and each time I still feel the wave of emotion hit me that this pony is the one that we were told would never amount to anything...the one that was rescued as a scrawny 2 year old.

After we had finished we spent 5 minutes reflecting on how I felt the lesson had gone and whether I had any questions. Obviously my first question was "will we get to where I want us to?". Tracey said she had no doubt that he could make the teams and go against the big warmbloods. She said I needed to seriously consider moving him up to Novice and Elementary now and not waiting as he is more than capable. She also said if she was judging him she felt he would get consistent marks throughout all his tests as he is a very consistent mover. She felt his movements were worthy of 7's and so long as I kept him steady to keep him uphill and those hind legs underneath him she couldn't see why I shouldn't be aiming for 70% at Novice level and even Elementary. She also felt I should try to get to more venues if I could to experience a variety of judges.

I was thrilled to bits with Tracey's feedback and now feel more determined than ever to go and aim for those BD teams next year! I have another lesson with her in a couple of weeks so I am looking forward to what she gets us doing next!

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Early mornings and dressage lesson. The dreaded counter canter.

I feel like I'm getting really bad at updating here, yet I promised myself when I got a job it would be easier to update as I would be in more of a routine.

Now I find myself in the: Wake up, get dressed, go to yard, ride, go to work, come home, muck out, sort ponies out, eat, go to bed, routine. I am sure all horse owners know that routine very well as it's one we all become familiar with during winter. With dark nights there isn't much time to get anything done in an evening so I am trying to shove everything into a morning. However, it does mean I get perfect rides on my boy in a morning where all I can hear is the birds singing. Moments like that are just perfect and remind us all why we do it.

Last week I booked myself in for a lesson on Saturday after the riding schools lessons had finished. Ceaser had been going nicely but I was beginning to feel like we were hitting that winter block again, where there isn't many competitions going on and the weather seems to be restricting all we do. Thankfully I have been more on the ball this year and we have managed to keep liveries turnout open. Usually by now we have allocated what we call trash fields, shut most of the fields down and are working on a turnout rota. However after last years long winter we have done all we can to make this years as short as possible and are hoping to just shut fields for one or two days at a time rather than permanently.

The lesson was actually one of the best I have had with Amy. Firstly we worked on our warm up and getting Ceaser supple before we begun to work him harder. Amy commented that he didn't seem to take so long to give and relax which was great to see. Phew - my practising is paying off! I did lots of changes of reins, flexing left and right, circles and serpentines to get him focused and listening.

Amy wanted to work on fine tuning our marks this week, so where we are losing out on 8's because of silly things she wanted to sort out. The focus went on Ceaser coming above the bit occasionally during transitions. It didn't happen all of the time, but it happened sometimes and Amy felt we could be aiming at higher scores if we sorted it out. So, she told me I needed to set the bend up in his neck and don't be afraid to hold him a little if he didn't give as he soon would. Then ask for transition, then ride forward and then ask for the bend again for the next transitions whether it is upwards or downwards. It seemed to go really well and from keeping that contact a slight bit more I noticed a huge difference in our transitions by the end.

Next up was some no stirrup work. Amy noticed I don't 'hold' my knees up so much when allowed to let my legs free so we did some no stirrup work which would help keep my legs long and get me more balanced. I don't really want to admit that this was my first time doing no stirrup work in months and after a lot of begging Amy said I could have my stirrups back but the lesson where I wouldn't be allowed any at all was looming as I need it! My walk and canter work without stirrups is fine but it's the trot where I struggle and seem to hold Ceaser back into his bouncy spring like trot, so I need to learn to sit to his bigger trot more and let him go. Easier said than done but I don't doubt I'll be doing it in no time during my lesson!

Ceaser's clip!

We were both really pleased with how much counter canter seemed to loosen Ceaser up and how much of a difference it made to his correct canter, so we spent more time focusing on that and getting the bend the correct way to help keep him balanced and then changing

the rein in the canter and cantering on the correct lead. I couldn't believe the difference in his counter canter from our first lesson and although improvements are slight I am finally glad to be noticing them. Doing this small exercise really makes a difference in his lift on the correct canter lead and definitely makes him more uphill. All this time I've been told he didn't work uphill and probably never would...and we've mastered it by doing a simple exercise!

Next up was using the corners properly and allowing myself time to prepare for transitions coming up by using them. We trotted down the long side, counted 1, 2, 3 and turned, then trot, counted 1, 2, 3 and turn. It's really hard to explain but a great tool for helping with using corners efficiently and helping to plan what is coming next. The turn then becomes a proper corner and not a circle which in a test gives you that second more to prepare. You have to imagine the words "and turn" are at the exact point you're going around the corner. Try it, it'll make sense.

Amy said we were going to have a look at my medium trot to finish us off as that needed a little work. She said all the movements we had done tonight should have helped him warm up and prepared him for producing a fantastic medium trot. Usually it feels rushed and is quite choppy so as usual I wasn't expecting anything different. We trotted up the long side, counted our corners properly and then Amy asked me to turn across the diagonal, give a little flick with my whip to show him I was asking for more, hold the nice uphill trot and then allow him to go. and.......WOW!!! Which is actually exactly what came out my mouth at the time when Amy asked how it felt. I was speechless.
I had no idea all we had been doing had been to set us up for the most perfect medium trot and he had it in him! Coming round again we did it on the next diagonal and again he produced something I had never felt him produce before. "Do you want to do it again?" she said.... "Of course I do!!!" was my reply, and so off we went. Trot up the long side, count my corner "1, 2, 3 and turn, hold, balance, flick with the whip, then ask for the medium..." and he went... simply like a dream! Soon enough it was time to cool down and Ceaser was definitely going to be on the carrot list tonight.

Feeling on cloud 9 I asked Amy if that was definitely worth an 8. "Nope" she said, "there's work to be done yet!"

Oh to be a dressage rider!

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Food for thought - allergy free food.

If any of my followers - both on here and on twitter - struggle with day-to-day eating because of their food allergy then please head on over to my good friend, Sophie's blog.

Sophie is a 22-year-old qualified journalist currently working in PR. After struggling for many years with finding food she could and could no eat, Sophie decided to delve deeper into the world of allergy-free cooking and has surprised herself by actually beginning to enjoy cooking.

Check out her blog by cliking the following link. Additionally you can find her on twitter: @sophieleigh1991

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Can A.P MCcoy storm to his 4000th win today at Towcester?

A.P MCcoy is heading to Towcester this afternoon to try and ride for his 4000th win.

Church Field (2:10) is running in the Agetur UK Handicap Hurdle and Moutain Tunes (3:10) in the Weatherbys Novice. Both horses are owned by A.P's boss JP McManus.

Needing one more victory to get him up to having ridden 4000 winners, A.P MCcoy has hinted that Mountain Tunes may be his best shot.

McCoy is the only rider to have won more than 3,000 races and has been crowned champion jockey every year since he began his professional career in 1995.

Keep your eyes peeled to the internet this afternoon then folks!

Good Luck A.P McCoy!

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