PSA - now in bumper sticker form!

Going into spring, there are often car/rider accidents. This year was a particularly bad one, ending in the death of both horse and rider in our area.

I know when I'm in traffic, I get bored - so I read people's bumper stickers.  I now know my other motorists have an honour student, golden retrievers, and often their political leanings.  So, time for all of the riders out there to get the word out - by putting one of these on their bumper!

As you can imagine, this is specifically for my area, however if this takes off I'd be willing to do graphics for other areas. Just got 100 printed, hope they get snapped up right away!

It's been a while

Unfortunately not much to report.  Felix is still at home with my coach, and doing VERY well.  I got a week or so of riding in near the end of April before leaving for work, this time on a fairly grueling schedule away from home again.  I'm lucky if I can even keep my excersise up while I'm away - nevermind ride this time! 

I promise you all, I haven't forgotten you :)

How to properly read a dressage test.

OK - so we've all been at a schooling show where the test that you've supposed to use has been changed. If you're anything like me - you can't memorize a test in minutes,so what do you?

The obvious answer is to get a reader. But unless you've got a good friend that also rides dressage and happens to be at the show, there's no promises the person reading for you will do it in a way that you can follow the test.

Here are my personal hints and tips for both the reader, and the rider in this situation.

For the reader:
If you had the test ahead of time, verify with the office (or the scribe) what test is being ridden. If different, make sure your rider knows.

Read Clearly, and loudly. I have a short, sharp "arena voice" that carries which helps a LOT. Unfortunately if it's dad or a male helper reading the test, it's likely to be harder to hear. If they can use a slightly higher pitch this often carries better.

Read ONLY the test, and read the full instruction - nothing more, nothing less. Yes, it's redundant to say "working trot, rising" over and over but do it anyways. Do not insert words or further explanation. At a recognised show any instruction other then what is written on the test is grounds for elimination. It is however appropriate to repeat an instruction if it looks like your rider didn't hear you.

Watch your rider while reading. Give them lots of notice of the next movement - at LEAST 2 letters ahead of the movement to give time to prepare. Try not to give a new instruction during a transition unless you have to, better to give the 2nd instruction ahead of time then too late (for example if you have a "A - Left Lead Canter, followed by B - Circle Left 20m - you'd read these 2 together before the rider gets to A - because once they pick up canter you're not going to have time to read the entire next instruction before you get to B. Also, read the first instruction after the bell has rung, and before the rider arrives at A.

If you're rider gets off course, try to wait for the judge to ring the bell before you read further. After the bell - simply re-read the next instruction. The rider needs to work this out on their own, if you try to tell them "no, no, Left rein and then pick up at A" you're coaching them and they could be eliminated.

If you've never read a test before - try to watch another (good) reader first. A person's coach is usually a good choice because they know how to read well. Another good bet is if there is someone that's read for several other riders.

A note for parents - I know you want to help your kid out, but if you're not confident get help first. I promise you you'll feel worse if you were the reason your kid didn't ride a good test. I've seen people rapid fire read the entire test aloud while the rider is still going down the center line. If there is an experienced reader handy, ask if they'll read for them, then watch and learn.

For the rider:
You have a reader because you aren't confident in the test. Verify that your reader has the right test, and then just follow the instruction. Discard what you practiced at home and just follow the instruction. You'll feel foolish if you ignored your reader and started riding a different test.

Realx, breathe, and have a good ride!

Sometimes it is "just the horse"

Here's some conclusions I came to while riding Ellie this morning:

She's a crabby witch of a mare that spent 12 years as a trail horse. She's got no work ethic at all, and has been allowed to get her way FAR too much, and she's SMART!

Here's how a ride with her went the first time I rode her: great till she gets to the gate, then, she's done. When you try to steer her back out that's where the fun begins. She'll cow-kick, crowhop, wring her tail, and carry on - that is until you give her a little swat with the whip, then business as usual until you get to the gate again. It took me 5 or 6 rides to really get her going well, now she tries her tricks ONCE, and then gets right to work - and is she ever a lovely little thing. I convinced the owner to switch her from a curb into a snaffle, and she moves like a perfect little dressage horse now. honestly, if I could afford another one I'd probably buy her.

You could have spent a year with this horse trying to fix her "pain" issues (if she were mine I'd probably have her in a different bit for other reasons, but the plain snaffle is 100% better then the curb!) and gotten nowhere. All she really needed was some stiff discipline. Apparently she's still a nappy little witch with the lesson kids, so she's still for sale - but I expect she'll be bound for a better home now that we know she's a good horse as long as she gets good riding.

I still think that 90% of bad behaviour, especially out-of-character behaviour is related to something being a little "off", but in this case acting somewhat naughty is actually in character but undesirable. In Ellie's case, she had years of training that "if you scare the human you don't have to work", so this is what she does.

This is where the advice to just ride through it really comes to mind. The first time Ellie and I really had it out she was pretty determined that she was NOT going to work, and I was determined that she was - and if that meant we were going to circle the arena in a crow-hop rather then canter, then that was how it was going to be... I was in a western saddle, I'm not going anywhere! Then, the lightbulb went on that she had to be nice for me, and all is well in the universe.

You have to always keep in mind that most horses don't care about working. Sure, they can enjoy it while they are doing it, and some horses have better work ethic then others - but they'd equally enjoy sitting in the pasture all day eyeballs deep in a round bale. It's up to the human to convince that horse she's prefer to work nicely.

It's the good horseman that can look at a situation and be able to figure out why the horse is being a pill, and make the call as to weather it's a dicipline issue or a physical pain issue. It's a fine line, because there is nothing worse then beating a horse for telling you it hurts.

I think people are finally starting to see the light!

Or at least manage to find the COTH message boards when they google "horse care" and such.

I've been riding at an adorable little lesson barn in Florida this past month, as I've been here working. This morning as I was untacking a new student and her mother showed up. I overheard the following conversation with the BO:

"We were wanting to get (daughter) her own horse, but after doing a bunch of research on the internet I decided we have NO idea what we're doing - so I want (daughter) to take at least a year of lessons first before we go out an buy her a horse. Before doing the research we were thinking we should get her a young horse - which I now know was totally the oposite, and we also have a lot of work that needs to be done to the property to get it ready, so a year will give us time to replace the fence and build a shelter."

I wanted to run over and give this woman a huge hug. These are responcible horse owners in the making, and I hope to see more and more like her!

Little bit about the new place by the way - total diamond in the rough for me. It's a small and reasonably new facility, they just opened about 9 months ago. The BO is somewhat inexperienced but responcible young lady, that has pulled together some ex-trail horses to teach beginner lessons on.

The little mare I chose is a 14.2 hand crabby paint that spent too many years in a trail string, but with a little persistence she's got some nice work in her. She bucks, and is nappy but in a controlable way, so this is giving me valueable time just riding through bad behavior without getting scared or panicky. Here is what miss Ellie looks like :)

I've got another 2 weeks with her - I'm hoping to leave her with a few more basics that will help this lady with her lesson program.

Why riding is like Star Wars

Today we have an entry from a guest blogger - my good friend and trainer Heather Campbell.

She recently participated in a Dressage clinic with Eddo Hoekstra, and had a great time, as well as some realizations that really apply to all of us.  Below is a copy of the letter she sent to Eddo the day following the clinic:

I want to share with you a few things. Everyone in the barn thought you were the best clinician they had ever worked with. Everyone took something home with them. I was very pleased! Even the Barn owner wanted to sign up at the last minute! You were great with everyone. Thank you. :).

It was nice to have you over for the weekend and I spent some thought on our discussions about showing and the state of the horse world. When you asked me why I quit showing well It took my session with you at the end of the day and another 12 hours of thinking to put my finger on it exactly....although I think I already knew.

Ready (this should almost be a published article).

Riding is Like Star Wars.

When I was talking with you over breakfast and then we were having our session, I felt like young Luke Skywalker. You are Yoda. Balance. Feel the force.
Its so easy to go to the dark side, to bully crank and push our horses, and so much harder to just let go and wait for everything to balance worry about myself let my horse have a say land let great things happen. (moment of brilliance).

I realized at that moment why I quit showing. As a professional I was expected to go in the show ring and win. Often this is rushed by the owner of the horse. (Right now the people who own the Vanner keep asking me WHEN I am going to get on him) Well I just got him Friday he doesn't know me and I don't know him I like to take my time so we have a relationship based on trust. He is 3. I want him to feel confident and happy. It seems that in today's world the emphasis is on winning and money. Quantity not quality. Its a shame.

Anyhow thanks. The reason I quit showing is because I like to win and especially when faced with a paying client...who is expecting more, I will cheat. I will use the methods I know to quickly get the result (and marks) I need. I don't hurt my horses but at the end of the day their opinion is not considered I'm not riding true. I quit because I want to be a Jedi master. I want to take the time and Not take short cuts, Id rather work now on what we did and keep reminding myself to just balance and be quiet. So I can get more input in June from both Walter (Zettle) and hopefully yourself. More then I want to show and win ribbons.

I needed that.

Cheers
Heather
(See it sunk in)
Oh yes and if you have been under a Rock somewhere and not seen Star Wars..Well you should watch it.

This is of course the lovely horse that Heather was riding (though the pic is clearly from the summer).

Big thanks to Heather for allowing me to post her letter on our blog - I found it insirational and hope you do as well.  

Moved without a hitch

And Felix is settling into our new barn well.  He's been there for about 4 days, and is starting to calm down.

We're having to go back to scratch as far as standing to be tacked up, as the new barn has crossties which he'd only ever been on once before.  So far I am thrilled with the new place, I get to see my coach nearly every day, and the care couldn't be better.

Yesterday I got a call that he had a swollen shut and runny eye.  I went out to take a look, and couldn't really see a cause of the swelling myself.  The vet came out this morning, and we have a diagnosis of conjuctivitis, with instructions to ointment it with BNP and have him wear a fly mask with something to block the sun for a week.

The only good thing about the eye thing is that it did not happen at the old barn, as it would have likely gone entirely unnoticed.

Sandy will be starting to ride him this week while I'm away working, so hopefully he'll learn some things from her by the time I'm fully healed and back to riding as usual!