Sasha says, “Yes, Dressage is fun”

A few weeks ago, after my lesson on Flicka, Amy asked me if I had had fun. Well, I remember a long pause before I finally replied “yes”. Upon thinking about that moment I have come to the conclusion that for me riding, and in particular riding dressage, is “fun” when that light bulb clicks on and you know the feeling of getting something right. Dressage is fun when you really understand what is being taught, when you can correctly use what is being taught, and when you give the horse those correct aides.

That particular lesson started out badly for me. I felt frustrated because I was riding incorrectly. I still feel very new to dressage. I have not had much consistency until now and that is part of my problem. The rest is all me. As Feather said to me one day “we are dyslexic when it comes to dressage”, at least in the beginning. I do still have some fear associated with riding and maybe that is part of my problem. If the wind is up, I get nervous. If the horse tosses her head, I get nervous, or if either one of us is distracted, I get nervous. We all know, if the rider is nervous, the horse is likely to be as well. Or…. The rider gets the aides wrong and the horse responds… Well, you get the idea.
Anyway, that lesson ended on a good note and the lessons since then have started out better and ended very well. I have learned a lot since that day.

Like anything else worth doing, dressage is hard work and can be very fun” Dressage is something I want to do because I love horses and want to be a competent rider.
Thanks to Flicka, Feather, and Amy

Happy New Year

I’m pretty sure almost every equestrian has been been in the position of being puzzled, perplexed and frustrated when their horse reacts and evades our requests, turning a deaf “ear” to our aids and marching on (or in some cases, not budging an inch) to his own tune. I know I’ve been there, and I remember the consternation it caused me, wondering how I could resolve the problem without causing harm to either myself or my horse.

Once we gain a good foundation from our education in the classical approach to horsemanship, we soon find almost all problems can be corrected by using the new skills we’ve developed. We also find that it becomes easier to spot difficulties that others may be having with their horses, noticing the little things that should be corrected with patience and practical application of correct training methods for both horse and rider.

It’s been a genuine pleasure to meet Jan and her horses Wiseguy and Boss. Wiseguy is a sweet, itty bitty miniature horse that Jan has had lots of fun with, he has a special little cart that he can easily pull, and it must be a blast to take a tour of the ranch from this view! I hope I get to watch the two of them in action this coming Spring. Boss is her new, very first, full size riding horse, and she has spent the last couple months getting to know him better and forming a bond. A smart lady, she took riding lessons before buying a horse and continues to hone her skills as she rides and works with him, visiting him at the stable almost every day. Her goal is to be able to ride comfortably and safely on the nearby trails, to have a good relationship with her horse, knowing he is trustworthy, obedient and happy.

Boss is a former working ranch horse and has a good temperament, but lately he has shown a bit of negative attitude when under saddle. As at most stables, many well intentioned folks have offered Jan all kinds of advice, but it seemed like nothing was improving. We know that it doesn’t take long for situations to get out of hand, the problem intensifies, and we soon become even more confounded. The frustrated rider thinks, “what am I doing wrong, what is my horse trying to do and why is he doing this?”

Flicka and I went on a little arena ride with Jan and Boss, the first loop around the ring went fairly well, but soon he was acting a bit naughty, nothing horrid, but rather resistant and uncompromising. I offered to get on Boss just to see for myself exactly what he was doing under saddle. Within a few strides I was pretty well convinced of what was going on…that old evasive move that Flicka loved to pull on me, yep, the stiff neck, shoulder out, “gotcha in the corner” move. I learned from Feather how to correct this problem before the horse goes crooked, but even with that knowledge I still appreciate how GOOD horses are at evading us. Boss caught me off guard several times before I could fix him and keep him straight. Phew, I thought, “this needs to be fixed soon, before it becomes a real problem”.

I told Jan that this was no fault of hers. Like all horses, Boss has found an evasive tactic that worked and allowed him to make the decisions. He says to her, “I’m done working and I don’t want to do this anymore”.

I mentioned to Jan that she might want to read a few of the posts on this blog, specifically a couple posts by Tammy and Sherrie C, just so she could see that her situation isn’t unique and all of us have been in her position at one time or another. And then Feather offered to give a brief evaluation of Boss on the day she was coming over to help me with Sage’s training.

As Judy, Cherie, Jan and I looked on, Feather worked with Boss on the lunge line, side reins attached to surcingle. He’s a smart boy and soon figured out that nothing harmful would occur, and presently he gave a nice marching walk, his stride lengthening as he relaxed and loosened his back muscles. Trot was also asked for and again he was soon moving out of the short, choppy jog and into a better rhythm with lengthened stride.

Jan observed and had several questions that Judy adeptly answered, and as usual, Feather kept Boss quietly moving around her, even as she gave us commentary on what she was asking and looking for as he responded to her requests.

I want to mention that there is a great little book titled, “The Art of Lungeing”, by Sylvia Stanier (it can be purchased online), and reading through sections of it tonight, I’m struck by how closely it coincides with the way Feather has instructed us during our groundwork classes. There is so much that we can do for our horses, and ourselves, through excellent groundwork.

After the lunge line work, Feather surprised Jan by asking her if she had time for a brief lesson in the saddle. Heehee!
She’s good at pulling that one! Better too, Judy, Cherie and I all got to join in for a quick, mini-group lesson.
We had fun, I hope Jan had a good time too, but best of all was that even though all of us are a bit rusty, our horses all got into the swing of things and we had a great little refresher course just working at walk, halt and even a tad bit of shoulder-in. I wonder what Boss thought about being in a Feather Touch class?

Happy New Year to all!

ps: Feather asked me to remind Jan, “Keep it simple, straight, and even”. I think we know what she means by that, but if anyone else would like to explain these rudiments to Jan even further, please do so in the comments at the bottom. Thanks!

Lessons

Last September my family took a vacation to Washington to visit relatives and to get a nice break from the routine. Sherry Clinger was also going out of town for a trip around that time, so I suggested she take a riding lesson while on vacation. I also encouraged her to take some photos so she could write a post about the lesson when she got back home. Since I had talked Sherry into taking a riding lesson (and this also at the suggestion of our Tall One) on her trip it only seemed right for me to take one as well while I was in Seattle. After talking with Feather she suggested going onto the USDF website to select an approved trainer in the area. We were going to be staying in the Seattle area so I chose Jim Dimilte from the Unicorn Dressage website. He looked very affordable and the stable was a 1/2 hour from where we were staying, so I thought I would give him a try. Although I was gone for 10 days, I was only able to take one lesson from him because it was hard to coordinate the week with family and other activities we wanted to do.

My lesson was scheduled for 11 am, knowing that it only takes a 1/2 hour to get to the stable, I gave myself a good hour just in case. As it turned out the exit that we needed to take was closed and we were trying to find out how to get there with an alternate route. We finally arrived and we found a Starbucks so I could change into my riding gear in the bathroom. Hind sight…maybe next time come in riding clothes. Anyway, we pulled up the the stable and got out, it was a beautiful area, green rolling hills and big trees. I was nervous and excited to get out of the car. I walked over to the covered arena and saw two women working a horse with a trainer standing next to them. They could see me watching but did not come over to say hello. At this point I doubted whether he was the trainer I was looking for so I asked a women and she told me that was him. Hmmm, I thought, first impressions do tell a lot. So I walked over to him and introduced myself. We exchanged pleasantries and started the lesson.

I prepared the horse; grooming and tacking, then grabbed my helmet and headed to the arena. After mounting it was apparent the bulk of the lesson was going to be vocabulary. Jim explained that it was important to know muscle groups and terms in order to develop a good seat. To be honest, I was not familiar with any of the muscle groups and the terms that I understood he thought were too vague. I felt like I was so deficient in this area that I wanted to take some time to study before I would want to proceed with anymore lessons with him.

Moving on with the lesson, I did a couple of circles at walk and then a little trotting with posting. He would ask me my diagonal and I would look down, but he told me not to. He explained that I should learn how to feel which one I am on with my riding. He explained that one side feels wrong and the other will feel right. After analyzing this statement with my instructor at home, she explained that If the horse is balanced then there isn’t really a wrong side, but I should be able to feel the horse underneath me moving me forward. Then I am on the correct diagonal. Next, he asked me to do a sitting trot and was actually impressed with my ability and said that looked pretty good. He went over body position and more terms. All in all he said, I had a good seat and was a pretty good rider.

He said that this is how he liked to conduct the first lesson to asses my ability as a rider and establish a vocabulary. I untacked the horse, brushed him out, blanketed him and put him back for the day. Mr. Dimilte encouraged me to study and know the terms from the USDF website and become more involved in judging. I thanked him for the lesson and he offered to travel to Nevada to do a clinic if my group was interested.

I headed back to the car with a great sense of accomplishment in my heart. I had gone to a new place and taken a lesson from a new trainer on an unfamiliar horse and I did it with confidence and pride. I realized that I already knew that I was a pretty good rider and had a decent seat but it was good to hear it from someone else. I already knew it in my heart I just didn’t have the confidence in myself to trust it.

I realize this concept also holds true in other life situations. I already know what is right but have difficulty because it’s hard to believe in myself or because it is scary to make change. Deep down I know that I am strong and I can do anything I set my mind to.

So the lesson within the lesson is to follow my heart and believe in myself because deep down inside I already know what’s right.

Sherrie’s Riding Lesson in Georgia

My adventure of taking a lesson while in Georgia began while I was still home in Nevada.

The first thing I had to do was determine where I should go. Feather helped by directing me to the USDF web site which gave me a list of dressage instructors in the area of Atlanta.
I located them on a map and looked to see which were the closest and the furthest from Atlanta. I checked out those who had websites, and in the end that was the deciding factor, not the distance. After stressing myself out because it was a  51 mile drive from Atlanta”,  I discussed it with my husband and we decided Garland Farms was the place I would try first. Not the closest, actually almost the farthest from Atlanta, but the one that felt the most comfortable to me.
After reading their website I felt that the people who run the farm, Gina Krueger and her husband John, seemed like regular folks. I called and made arrangements to take a lesson on Friday at 11:30am.

Friday morning comes and armed with my map and instructions from Gina’s husband I head out. I had dropped off a friend first, and the map showed a 20 mile connection from where I was to the freeway I needed. It looked like a regular highway on the map, so I figured approximately 20 minutes, then another 40 minutes on the other highway, and I should make it with 15 minutes to spare.

I learned a valuable lesson . All highways are not created equal. My 20 miles of “highway” had a stop light at 1/2 to 1 mile intervals, and I hit almost every one when it was red. It took me an hour to get to the other freeway and I still had another 40 minutes of driving. And only 10 minutes to get there to be on time.
Now here at home I’m normally running late but everyone knows that about me. I was trying to not be my “normal” self. I had to call and ask if it would still be OK if I came late.
Pressure is off! Gina says that it’s fine, she’s just doings odds and ends today so whenever I get there is OK. After our phone conversation I am able to relax and enjoy the beautiful drive to Dahlonega.

My first impression as I turn off the road onto a narrow one lane drive surrounded by trees is, “how can this be a place to ride dressage when all I can see is dense forest”? A minute down the road and the trees opened up to pasture and soon I see the barns. I had stopped the car as I didn’t know which way to go when a nice lady came up and directed me to a parking area near the lower barn.
I am introduced to Maggie, my noble stead for the day, and given a grooming box. Feels just like home! I meet the trainer Gina, and after saddling and bridling we’re off to a covered arena with mirrors!

First I ride at a walk and I can’t quite get Maggie to the rail. Then I go on to rising trot. After one time around Gina stops me and tells me that my upper body position looks good (I’ve heard that before) but…. Here it comes…My seat needs work. She proceeds to adjust my leg and takes away my stirrups, then asks me to post. I thought, “how??? I have no feet!” But I did it anyway. It was very hard, especially when the horse wasn’t moving. I would like to say my leg stayed in that perfect position for the entire lesson and now I have a great seat, but this is real life and proper position takes time and patience. so I tried to maintain that leg as best I could.

We worked on posting and an exercise to take back for homework called the “mast position”, which is like two point only straight up and balanced, (which I could only maintain at the walk and a few steps of trot before falling back into the sitting position, but practice makes perfect). A lot of things were said which I know I have heard before and probably will have to hear again about a zillion more times before I finally get that “aha’ moment when it finally sticks.
Overall I had a great time. This lesson was the highlight of my trip. I felt that I learned a little more on my journey towards the goal of being the best I can be for my partner, the ever patient horse that carries me along as I slowly try to get it right.

Getting Back into the Groove

So my riding is a bit rusty, there is no denying it.  We have come off a long, cold winter and our riding has been very sporadic.  I wish I was far along enough in my training that even if I took a long break from riding, I could just hop on any horse and ride as if there had been no break, but this is far from the truth.

In fact, the first time back on Relentless at the new arena I felt awkward and was unable to keep him straight.  It is always tough keeping this guy’s rubbery neck straight, and although I used to be able to keep him pretty straight, I just couldn’t do it.  My mind was rusty and even though I remembered all the concepts and techniques I’ve learned, it was hard to get my body to do them on cue.  I remember that day clearly. It was windy and he was very nervous, which as a result made me nervous too.  I wasn’t even sure I felt comfortable mounting him.   Noticing his jittery skittish movements while tacking up, I wasn’t confident I could get him to listen to my aides.

Tall One had me walk him around the arena a few times, introducing him to the new surroundings.  This calmed him a bit and gave us both enough reassurance to attempt mounting.  I remember spending the whole time trying to keep him calm and discourage him from darting off back to the comfort of his friends.  Where was the confident and comfortable rider that I used to be?  Why couldn’t I fix his crooked neck so that we could walk one straight line?  Where was inside leg to outside rein contact or even the attempt to get some contact?  It was all gone, vanished somehow, but why?  Shouldn’t this be like riding a bike, you never forget how to do it?

When this has happened in the past, I would react with complete disappointment–feeling as though I was never going to get this.  I would think to myself, this style of riding is just too hard, I can’t do it.  Being the most inexperienced one in class, I have always been especially hard on myself.  Watching everyone get praise for good work and feeling like I was the only one that needed constant correction.  It’s frustrating.

Now I know that it just takes practice, and the more you ride, the better you become (this only applies when you have an amazing instructor AND you listen to her). Being patient, persistent and giving praise also applies to oneself.  I can finally say that I am becoming more confident and I’m “getting” this.  Maybe only bits and pieces here and there, but it’s coming at a slow and steady pace.  When I take a break from riding it takes a couple of times to get comfortable, relaxed, and to remember to be patient with myself.  I rode Relentless last week and already felt like I had much more control–we both felt more confident.

Today was really nice because Sherrie brought Maida for lesson, Amy rode Breeze and I rode Flicka.  It felt so good to get back on track with classes, getting back into the groove again.  Even though we are all a bit rusty, it was nice to see all of us still make such clear improvements in our riding.  Sherrie’s leg position had greatly improved, her leg was gently on and her heel was down and you could see that she was working to point her toes in.  I also noticed she had much more control while posting, and she was able to lead the group on several circles, keeping tempo and position.

Amy looked great on Breeze too, she made it look so easy (we all know that takes work).  Her quiet correct aides seemed to keep him relaxed and at ease.  Breeze likes to lean on the rein, but you wouldn’t know it today.  I was on Flicka and she was very exuberant and had no problem showing me that she wanted to run and play.  She was sick of doing schoolwork and wanted to see if she could beat Maida in a race.  It was very cute, and although I am still trying to remember what inside leg to outside rein feels like, I was able to keep her listening to me, and all the while I stayed confident that I could handle whatever she wanted to dish out.

So all in all, it was a really fun day, just getting back in the saddle and spending my time with friends and horses, what more could I ask for?  I know that every ride won’t be perfect, and even though I may feel like I didn’t get any farther with my training, I am doing what I love and I am enjoying every minute.  What a joy to be able to spend my days this way. I am so lucky!

Cheers to you Tall One, for generously offering your time, your home and your guidance.  We are all better people because of you.

Establishing Contact

This weekend ranks as one of the most exciting for me in my advancement toward better communication, listening and riding skills. I got a glimpse of the concept called “contact”. For two years I have wondered about this elusive concept and hoped someday it would be revealed. This was my weekend to enjoy that epiphany. “Contact”, I wondered when would it happen and would I know I had it? I could just pull harder on the reins but I was smart enough to know that wasn’t contact. It, like other riding skills is a feeling, I was told. Just be patient and you will know.

I was a bit skeptical, believing possibly I would be the only one who never recognizes it, if it even happened at all. What if it passed me by and I never knew it? I am happy to say you do recognize it when it happens correctly, you can feel it, just like they told me again and again. It is like the switchboard operator years ago who plugs in the telephone line and all of a sudden there it is “communication”. You can feel it, you can hear it, you can see it, and it is all around you. Being an analytical type of person, “what did you see that I had mastered that I was finally ready to attempt to master this new tool?” I asked.
“The driving leg”, came my answer.
For you see without the “consistent driving leg” creating impulsion, contact only retards the forward. But with impulsion the energy recycles over the top line into beautiful, athletic movement. This process is what gives you that wonderful “feeling” of communication with your partner. Your Partner’s energy floats through the reins to your fingers and through your body and then is transmitted through your aides back to your partner, in one flowing circle. So now you can see why I am so excited about my experience this weekend and remain hungry for more.

A Lesson with Judy

Today was my lucky day as Judy was so gracious to give me a quick lesson on her special day. Judy had plans this afternoon with her husband to go out to dinner and a movie as a late celebration of her birthday from last December (what a wonderful husband she has)!

Are those mud flaps sticking out or duck feet? Plus tilting and looking down…

I was so excited because Judy has been taking photos during my lessons; photos that vividly portray the areas I need improvement (as I saw today because I finally took a look at them). I was curious to see what areas she thought needed the most attention and how she would go about helping me work through them. I already knew that Feather’s instructions were clear, “Keep that heel down!” Actually, I agree completely after viewing my photos from the last few sessions, weight in the heel and toes pointing forward, all the while keeping weight on the big toe too.

Leg scrunching….reins too loose, need to go straight back.

First, Judy had me warm up on Flicka with a nice walk, reminding me not to over-move my hips, but to just move with the motion of the horse. She said to close my eyes and visualize our movements in unison. That was great! I was instructed to keep my feet out of the stirrups, leg long and back, and heel down. I can say it 10 thousand times if I want, but why is it so hard to do? I was trying to figure it out on the way home, how do I do all that and not clench my thigh? I just need to keep practicing, I know it will come, a little recognition with each exercise helps.

Looking down, robot arms, mud flaps….

Next, Judy asked me to walk on a 20 meter circle around her, driving to the bridle with my inside leg. Remembering to keep my outside rein with good contact. Again, a lot easier to say it, much harder to actually do it. It was very easy to see after not being able to stay on the circle that I did not have good contact on my rein after a correction, and it was clear I still wasn’t getting the driving leg that I wanted. Judy changed the exercise to try and help me get the driving leg concept. She had me do a leg yield to the right for a few steps, then straight a few steps, and then ask for leg yield left for a few steps, and again back to straight. This way I would have to get the driving leg active in order to do this exercise. It was funny though, as I managed to then get a turn rather than a leg yield!

It was good to go out with my friends on a beautiful day and get some much needed practice. I enjoy trying to get my body to figure out, what my mind thinks it is trying to tell it. After a the practice we whisked Judy off to her pumpkin carriage so she could ride off to the ball. Amy and I finished up turn out and divvied up grain buckets to our perfect angels, then headed home.

Sweet Judy

Judy, you are a patient teacher, a skilled rider and very sweet, dear friend, thank-you and Happy 2nd Birthday! Amy you are an excellent photographer, although you could have made me look a little better in my photos, HA!

The Summit

About 5 years ago I purchased my first “equine love” and began a journey of learning that has had many twists and turns. Cori was an elegant mare with a noble carriage and a huge heart, she taught me many things and instilled a passion for the correct and kind treatment of equines that continues to build to this day. In order to gain more knowledge I began taking riding lessons in hopes of learning that elusive style of riding called “classical riding and training”. It looked so easy and elegant when I watched the masters’ ride, so much so that I wanted to be a part of it. Some lessons, I reasoned, would point me in the right direction and I could take over from there. Just show me the correct leg placement, correct rein contact and the correct seat pressure and I will have that “push button” horse that complies with every request I make. Eventually after much expense and effort I came to the conclusion that I was not making the kind of progress I had hoped for.

So next I went searching for the perfect trainer, surely a more qualified trainer could simplify the mystery for me and make this an easy process where everything falls in place. Again I reasoned as soon as I learned the correct aids I would be on my way to success. Well, it happened that I did find the perfect trainer and my second “equine love”, Cinnamon Tea, but as they say “be careful what you hope for”. Instead of making this an easy “push button” process, my new trainer opened my eyes and showed me that I have chosen a most difficult journey indeed. I have come to realize there are no easy shortcuts, and now more than anything I want a willing equine partner, not a “push button” robot, an equine that listens to my whispers and agrees out of respect and love to comply with my requests. And yes, I am willing to take the time and patience to get there. I have chosen the more difficult path. but when we reach the summit my equine partner and I will be looking down enjoying the view.

Some Thoughts on the Art of Teaching

Above: Students Kristy and Cabo….Ready for their Language Class

Each new student is a primitive island unto themselves with a large amount of interfering baggage that must be sorted, weeded out, and discarded, all the while keeping the fragile human mind willing and eager to learn to listen to their equine partner.

Vocabulary Translation~~~~~~~A Guideline for Teachers~~~~~~~

Student——————————Teacher

Nagging—————————————Attention to Detail

“I want to canter”—————————-Needs to trot first (and stay in the saddle)

“I don’t need straight lines”——————–Cannot steer

“My horse won’t listen”———————–You are not listening

“My horse won’t listen”———————-You are shouting

“My horse won’t listen”———————-You are demanding with force

“I want to ride, but this is too hard”———-Get a bicycle

~~~~~~~~Chapter II The Horse Arrives~~~~~~~~~~

This is most often a twelve hundred pound confused, concerned, and very defensive animal that has baggage of their own. Two uneducated personalities that must now start school together to learn to speak the same language…..With harmony

Attaining A New Perspective

above: Cherie and Tea = January 9, 2010

How do you sum up an entire year of learning and growth? For me it is difficult to remember where I was and compare that to where I am now, however I do know that I have changed from a frustrated rider to a confident individual who can now see a glimpse of where she hopes to be in the future.

In an April 2009 class

At the beginning of 2009, I still believed my horse and the others I rode could be compared to a computer program. Put in the correct programming language (aides) and get the correct result. With that approach I was definitely not getting the results I wanted. Horses and other animals are living breathing creatures with and incredible sense of loyalty and love, in return they ask for a caring partner who gives them fair and just treatment. They talk to us all the time, in so many ways, and my assignment in 2009 (unbeknownst to me) was to begin to listen and communicate effectively. WOW what a bond it creates when you just “know” what your horse is telling you. Feather has showed us in so many ways how to observe, and also how to communicate, we just need to slow down and listen.

Cherie and Tea during a June ’09 class
Communication begins with observation and then moves to 2-way communication. Along with learning better observation and communication skills, this year has been a year of confidence building. I have moved from being a frustrated and confused rider to a more confident rider and trainer. Having better observation and communication skills has made this confidence building possible. Along with my confidence boost comes a confidence boost in the horses. They are truly looking for a leader whom they can trust and follow, but this is a gift that is earned with hard work.

Pretty Tea during January 2010 Groundwork class
Added to the improvement in my communication skills and confidence is the improvement of my athletic skills in the saddle and on the ground. I have learned to “simplify” as Feather reminds us so often. “Don’t fuss, simplify, slow down, listen”; these are all lessons that improve my riding and training skills as well as my own personal life. “Prioritize, be patient, and work on changing what you can”, again are lessons learned from Feather that enhance the quality of my training skills and my personal life skills. I guess I could sum up this last year as a year of introspection and growth, which would also be my goal for 2010; increased communication, increased confidence, and increased athletic ability in the saddle and on the ground, for both me and the horses. Thank you Feather for all the lessons I have learned this last year and I am truly excited to begin another year of challenge and growth.