Energy Breakthrough

Isn't this the truth?  Riding is a series of peaks and valleys sprinkled with despair and triumph, served with a side of humility for all that is unknown or misunderstood.  I've recently had one of those peaks in coming to understand energy and a valley in that Jet is currently sidelined with an abscess.  Horses.

After our last dressage outing, which I was quite pleased with, we have a break of about 6 weeks before our next show.  The plan is to spend 4 of those weeks working on the weaknesses in First Level and then doing 2 weeks of TRT ground training and test/spook training right before the next show.  When I sat down and thought about what element we are most challenged by for First Level between Relaxation, Energy, and Balance, the answer was definitely Energy.  Doing the Training Level tests for shows is great, but it does lead to more focus on having a lower energy horse with an emphasis on relaxation.  All good as per our last show, but how does that pan out for First Level?  Not well, apparently.  After I had a nice post show first ride, but very dull in the transitions and lateral work, I had a lightbulb moment.

I had been trying to ask for more energy before each transition and during certain movements.  I had the epiphany that INSTEAD I need to keep a level of energy commensurate with the needs of whatever I am riding all times.  For example, on an energy scale of 1-10, a Training test might be ridden at an energy of 3, but a First test might be ridden at a 5.  What I had been doing in reality, is riding for relaxation, having an energy level if about 2 for Training, and trying to "energize up" for transitions and before and during things like lengthens and lateral work.  Instead, I need to be asking for a higher general energy level, say a 3 for Training or a 5 for First, and just release into the upward transitions, lengthens and etc..  So, this was my working theory and I went out to test it post show ride number 2.  I rode exactly the same warmup and exercises but early in the ride did the matching energy exercise of building energy on a loose rein at the walk, releasing into a trot, and melting to a stop at 100% effort(backed up by a tap with the stick if necessary to get the match).  Then I started out the working gaits asking for a higher energy from the beginning and Jet was so much more engaged, the transitions were like a release, and the gaits were light and free.  Just lovely and effortless.  I thought it and he did it.  You know, the Sweet Spot.  

Anyway, a big breakthrough about the different levels of Energy needed for different things in my riding and also in understanding the interplay of Relaxation, Energy and Balance.  Now we just need to get the abscess cleared up and we can take this breakthrough into the First Level work.