I had to share with you all what I did this past weekend. I spent the last three days in Bozeman, Montana teaching a clinic. After doing clinics for the last forty years all over the world I am pretty sure that this is the best one I have ever done.

No, it wasn't because I stayed in a beautiful home where I ate lobster, steak, and shrimp; where I lay in bed at night and woke up in the morning looking out over the most glorious view of the mountains, the trout jumping in the pond, the hordes of pheasant families, the magpies, the hawks, the deer grazing, the groundhogs, and even a badger, and the impressive cloud formations. Well, OK, that may have kept me in a good state of mind.

I worked with 7 riders on 9 horses -- thoroughbreds, warmbloods, an Andalusian, a percheron cross, Morgan -- 4 years old to Grand Prix schoolmaster. That isn't unusual. What was unusual was that there wasn't one horse/rider combination that I had to go back and fix things with. In every case I said, "you can do more -- challenge yourself and your horse more!." They had lovely positions (yeah, there was a tweak needed here and there). What a pleasure to work with horses and riders with really sound basics who haven't pushed and shoved their horses, jammed then together, tried to do things before they were ready. Perhaps it's because there is very little competition available so they are truly riding for the love of it. 

The horses were really so well schooled, so comfortable in their work, and so ready for a challenge. What a pleasure. I can't wait to go back in October.

The other thing I loved was that the riders I had worked with 6 months ago were able to tell me what I had worked on with them then and what was working or not quite working now from the previous lessons. My favorite kinds of students.

I have to say that one of my pet peeves is that people cannot tighten their girths or shorten their stirrups safely and quickly while mounted. I think that most people do not tighten (or at least check) their girths after riding around for a bit. I was always aware if my girth was a bit loose because I could feel the saddle bouncing a bit on the horses back. Tighten the girth and it was easier to sit the trot. 

A rider must be able to quickly adjust the stirrups without taking the foot out and while keeping one hand on the reins and it should take a few seconds only. Sure you'll have to practice to be able to do this. I used to adjust my stirrups while trotting or cantering. :-)

Anyone who feels that this might be too difficult, check out this video: http://www.barnmice.com/video/metropolitan-mounted-police

Make sure you get to the end. What wonderfully trained horses! And riders with independent seats and hands. WOW!

riding to music clinic

Just a quick note to tell you about a clinic we just had with Mike Matson on riding to music -- not developing freestyles specifically, but just have fun, suitable music to listen to when working your horse. The participating riders included one who has trained the most wonderful Grand Prix horse -- a top horse who doesn't go to shows -- to a rider who hadn't cantered around the indoor arena all winter due to fear -- and with the music around and around she went -- to one highly competitive professional with a fourth level horse. Without exception everyone thoroughly enjoyed Mike, his music selection, and his ability to broaden their enjoyment level when they ride. It truly is amazing how the right music can help the rider to relax, to focus, to be aware of the horse's rhythm and tempo, to be distracted from the problems that so often get in the way. I have never had a clinic where riders of every level, professional to very amateur were so pleased with their rides. Each rider now has her own DVD with her own music on it.

He has already been invited back for another clinic on May 3. Mike has a website with lots of music for anyone to try --  www.equimusic.com. The site also gives some help on how to create competition freestyles. 

To Barbados for the USEF and FEI

Here I am flying back from my quick trip to Barbados. The FEI with help from the USET has started a program assisting developing countries in Dressage in hopes that they will be able to create teams for the Pan Am Games. I was asked at the last minute to go to Barbados to observe their riders at the FEI Dressage Challenge.  Two international judges, one from Finland and one from Columbia, have been on the road for about a month, judging shows in Trinidad, Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua, Bermuda. At each show there are FEI classes for Children, Preliminary. Medium (about 2nd level), Advanced (about 4th Level) and PSG. Each country names 4 riders to be their team before the show starts and then the country with the highest score is the Group winner.

I arrived in the early afternoon and went directly to the jog. They were holding the jog at two venues where almost all of the horses are boarded. We waited in the hot sun for almost an hour because the vet was dealing with an emergency somewhere. The horses went from average paints and appy’s to Swedish warmbloods crossed with their local TB race horses, to imported schoolmasters.  The horses looked well but by our standards were a bit thin (translate into, were not overweight). One rider was bemoaning the difficulties of getting her horse shod properly because there was a week or two where there wasn’t a shoeing nail to be found on the entire island. Not to mention that the farriers don’t have much education in farriery. The jog was fine, a couple were held for the next day. Then the judges went off to the other end of the island for the next part of the jog and I went home with my hosts, Alison and James Elliott. He is the president of the National Federation.  They had a nice home on the top of a hill where the breezes were delightful. Windows are open all the time. They had two little sparrow/finch type birds who fly into and out of the kitchen all the time. Apparently a few years ago they had two pair — one pair came in the windows on one side and the other pair came in from the other side and if they ever met, all hell let loose.

Off to a press conference at the incredibly elegant hotel on the beach where the judges stayed (donated by the Hotel). To no one’s surprise the press was an hour late, but our time was used up when a call came from the chief judge that he did not feel the footing at the second stable which is where the competition was to be held was sufficient and could not be used. So anyone who has ever had anything to do with organizing can now imagine the consternation. But in about an hour’s time the owners of the other stable agreed to hold it, tents, chairs, port-a-potties were organized, competitors were informed and transportation was arranged. There is some rivalry between the two stables as can be imagined, but that was also dealt with. Oops, forgot to tell you about the jog at that stable. A stallion got away from his rider and left......was found 2 hours later, after he had found a girlfriend mare. Someone received a free breeding! Trailering can be a bit of an ordeal since they move their horses very seldom. The trailers and the vehicles pulling them made me a bit nervous now that I am used to our elegant solid trailers and trucks. Since the horses are trailered in, just for the day it can be tough because some horses get pretty up tight trailering and I can certainly understand after driving on the roads. They are barely wide enough for two vehicles, with absolutely no shoulder and the traffic is a bit.... Well let’s just say I as glad I wasn’t driving. They don’t have many lights, but lots of confusing roundabouts.

So we had a wonderful dinner finally, to bed, and on to the show which went well. Most of the riders had nice horses, some could be very competitive with the riders getting a little more help. And Barbados ended up winning their group challenge. I spent Sunday AM writing up my reports for the FEI, the USEF, and the riders.

A bit of Barbados trivia for those who don’t know much about it. It is the easternmost island in the Caribbean, 166 square miles,  was fairly safe while the European countries were fighting over the islands because while it is easy to sail from England to Barbados it is extremely difficult to sail from the other islands there. The island has mongooses, only one type of snake, a harmless garden snake that is pretty rare. The pelicans have become pretty rare because of loss of habitat and appear to be adapting to eating freshwater fish. There is one oil well. Horse racing and polo is very active. Lots of sugar cane fields. The gorgeous coastline beaches with fabulous homes and hotels. Thee interior is pretty unimpressive. Lots of tiny brightly painted homes jammed together with tiny very clean yards, but you weren’t aware of terrible poverty.

It's the end of 2008

Hi all! It's been a long time and the year is almost over. Just before Christmas I started following daily a story about two horses abandoned in the mountains of Alberta above the tree line in 6+ feet of snow and the efforts of rescuers to safe them I wanted to share the storyhttp://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2008/12/29/7871216-sun.html. Some people are just so incredibly wonderful.

I hope that everyone is coming to the Weekend Educational Program that Dressage4kids puts on. We have a truly amazing program this year. A full day just for kids competing at the FEI level or getting ready to. This should be required of all riders planning to try out for NAJYRC (which is being moved to KY, lots closer than CO!) Also a full day on How to Teach -- this is a unique program for all instructors and also should be a requirement.  There is a three sessions series for Supporting (not smothering) your competitor for parents and instructors. We are also honored to have two wonderful vets -- Brendan Furlong will speak about Keeping the Dressage Horse Sound -- he has been the team vet at numerous Olympics, World Games, etc. and Michael Stewart will talk about the new treatments for laminitis as well as the mental and physical aproach to preventing burnout in the horse. There will be special programs for pony clubbers and special sessions for little kids. There are also sessions just for parents. And general talks cover stable management, riding theory, judging, and going to the Olympics as a Groom. All the info will be on the dressage4kids website shortly. And best of all thanks to very generous sponsorship the fees are very low.

I want to thank all the amazing people who have been part of my life in 2008. None of the things for which I get credit would happen without the efforts of many people behind the scenes. Those who have written me lovely notes, Thank You. Those of you who have challenged me, I thank you. Those of you who have shared your love of horses, and learning with me -- how lucky we are.

I want to wish everyone a wonderful 2009 -- it's going to be a challenging year, but we are up to it, I know we are.

Are our instructors and trainers continuing their education?

I just returned from a clinic/symposium with Michael Klimke that was excellent. There were about 100 auditors. As I have noticed while auditing many clinics and symposia, there were very, very few professionals there. It concerns me that many teachers and trainers are not getting good ongoing education. Riding lessons are wonderful, but the only way to develop a good eye and a broad spectrum of useful exercises is watching others teach and train.

Often when I ask professionals why they are not attending educational activities they tell me they cannot afford to lose a day of lesson income. That is a legitimate reason. So here is my idea. Those of you who are being taught, why don't you get together with other students of your instructor and go to an educational program as a group -- even split the cost of taking your instructor. It will be to your advantage in the long run.

With this is mind I want to recommend two programs coming up: the Eckart Meyners Seat Symposium August 2/3 http://www.equestrianeducation.org/calendar_events.html
and the Symposium with Klaus Balkenhol, Col. Christian Carde, and Gerd Heuschmann on October 18/19 http://www.maplewoodwarmbloods.com/mw_news.html.

Both of these should be superb programs and somewhat unique. Wouldn't it be fun for a trainer to go with students so they could all discuss what they are seeing and hearing with each other?

I just finished a lovely weekend. Scott Hassler came to my stable to teach my students. He worked with Courtney King with her top horses, Mica Mabragana with the horse she rode in the YR World Cup, Meagan Davis who is trying out for the North American Young Rider Champs, three certified instructors, some other upper level horses as well some lovely young horses. What a fabulous teacher he is – challenging but encouraging, positive, a wonderful command of the language, and fun. As a long time teacher I was invigorated. I learned some new exercises as well as new phrases to use in my teaching. And I got hit on the head (figuratively) for missing some things with my students or letting some things slide by. We had a small group of auditors who were enthralled. How I wish more people would spend a day at a clinic like this just sitting and watching – filling their eyes with good quality riding, filling their ears with good quality teaching.

I know that I was started on the road of knowing what to look for by sitting for hours in Michael Poulin’s indoor arena watching him ride and watching and listening to his lessons. In the freezing cold huddled with blankets and Michael’s dog to keep warm, I wasn’t even aware of what I was learning. In the beginning I had no idea what to look for. Later I was able to guess what he was going to say as my eye became educated to seeing what he was seeing. Later I spent some wonderful days in Herbert Rehbein’s indoor arena outside of Hamburg, Germany. I speak no German and Mr. Rehbein spoke almost no English. But just sitting and watching some of the world’s top riders as they trained sent me home with a raised level of awareness.

On another hand I had two less known professionals at my stable last week. Corinna Scheller and Cheryl Reeve are working on their instructor certification and come to Gleneden to get some help in their riding and teaching. These nationally unknown teachers gave some wonderful lessons to my regular students. I find that very often riders only want to ride with the big name. We have some truly wonderful teachers who can teach lower levels superbly. I believe strongly in the USDF instructor certification program if only because you know that these certified instructors are interested in their own education and improvement. If an instructor is not willing to have their work evaluated and is not getting more education every year, perhaps they are not the best for you.