Anja Beran, on training, from Eurodressage

I really really love what she has to say here:

Training horses with lightness and great feeling, Anja knows the importance of creating a relationship with our equine partners and says this is crucial if we are to really dance with our horse.

"Only a rider with emotions can show the brilliance of the horse. The rider should be completely in love with the horse! A rider who is “empty” and cold can never present the horse´s beauty with pride. This rider will show just boring, not touching work!"

Aside from helping to draw emotion from the audience a rider, who feels and is sensitive in training, will also give the horse self-confidence.

"A horse should not learn to adopt the emotions of the rider, but trust them and trust who they are," Beran explained. "It can help a great deal if a horse can learn to trust us, and trust in our relationship.However, this will only happen when we are riders with stable characters in the saddle!  If we are afraid of the horse, nervous, or insecure, it is better when the horse doesn´t listen too much to the rider. Through positive emotions, on the other hand, we can transmit all our positive feelings to the horse!"

Certain that horses have emotions of their own, Anja knows that each horse has a unique personality and the key to top training lies in getting to know each and every one.

"Some horses have more happy emotions, while others are always afraid of something and some feel always nervous," she admitted. "It is important however, that we recognize the horse's character, and understand that he does not use his emotions for or against us in training, it is just part of who he is. Horses are like they are! They don´t play games with the rider. We have to learn to handle them as they are."

Therefore, to be a rider of an elite level, we must learn to understand the horse emotionally and physically, so we can train with him as equals, not be all the time acting as his master.

"That is what makes the quality of the rider, the ability to go deep inside of the horse's personality and to listen to the horse. A rider of this ability will try to get influence in a positive way and it means they are a rider that is sensitive and understands his horse," Anja explained. "Only when a rider starts to understand, can he work with, and try to get the best out of, his horse."

may we be master/artist/sage

"The character of the human, too, will find its expression in the training and performance of the horse.

The level-headed one becomes a master, 

the inspired one an artist, 

the correct one a controller, 

the violent one a subduer, 

the crafty one a conman. 

The faint-hearted one makes compromises, 

the timid one capitulates, 

the hot-tempered one becomes unfair, 

the malicious one a torturer, 

the melancholy one a trifler. 

The hasty one becomes frustrated, 

the impatient one becomes unhappy, 

the fool becomes complacent, 

the snob becomes a more or less happy boaster on his horse. 

The prudent one remains a student forever, even if he is a master; 

the sage, however, …?
 

The sage in the saddle is rarely encountered. He is recognizable by his extreme modesty, because he knows that no-one can solve all the riddles the horse presents to us – life is too short."
 

(Udo Bürger, 1959)

nice perspectives on working with horses

http://thecognitivehorse.com/2012/04/21/equine-welfarewellness-a-critical-review-of-the-natural-horsemanship/

apropos of nothing, really, a reposting of my appeal for humane and connected horsemanship

an appeal for humane and connected horsemanship

Seventeen years ago I was given a book by William Sears, M.D., called The Baby Book, in which Dr. Sears talked about his theory of parenting, referred to as attachment parenting.

Dr. Sears' theory of attachment parenting (often called AP), calls for developing a secure bond with our children, the goal being a secure, connected child who grows into an empathetic, connected adult.

Attachment Parenting International offers the following guiding principles, which facilitate strong, nurturing connections between children and their parents:

1. preparing for pregnancy, birth, and parenting
2. feeding with love and respect
3. responding with sensitivity
4. using nurturing touch
5. ensuring safe sleep, physically and emotionally
6. providing consistent and loving care
7. practicing positive discipline
8. striving for balance in personal and family life

With only a few tweaks of language, all of the above could easily be set forth as guiding principles for living humanely and in connection with horses (and donkeys, and all equines).

Last week it was Pat Parelli and Catwalk.

This week I have read an article about a miniature donkey strapped into a harness against her will and parasailed up and down a beach in the name of "publicity." The donkey was terrified, landed quite roughly, and apparently was in such distress while in the air, left many children crying in upset confusion. And yet, after a public outcry when the owner was finally located and the donkey examined by a veterinarian, there will apparently be no charges of abuse or cruelty because the donkey sustained no physical injuries.

In the smaller circle of equine community, I have read a post on a forum about the need to keep working our horses, despite the heat, because of the need to maintain a training schedule. Heat indexes where I live have ranged from 112-119 degrees for the past week. It's easy enough to see that extreme heat affects horses more quickly and more seriously than it does the average, healthy human. They have hair covering their entire bodies. Their digestive tracts rely on regular intake of forage and water to remain functional. When we ride them, they are not only working, but carrying our weight.

I received an email informing me of things to do to haul horses safely in heat, in advance of Pony Club National Championships coming up next weekend in Virginia. Nationals are held in Kentucky and Virginia on alternate years, always in late July/early August. Why schedule something that involves hauling horses and ponies from all over the US during the hottest time of year?

I read a Facebook entry referring to a pony as a "butthead" because he didn't want to go into the ring for a show class, tried to leave, and bucked. Has the pony been checked for physical pain? Bit fit, saddle fit, muscle soreness, feet checked, chiropractic issues? The pony's behavior is indicative of something being wrong, either physically or emotionally. How else can he express it? My guess is that if he didn't want to go into the ring to jump, and that was paid attention to, he wouldn't have then needed to buck to get his point across. And yet no one listened. He was a "butthead."

Is there no end to the narcissism, self-centeredness, and downright ignorance of human beings? I can't think of any reason save an emergency trip to the vet school that would call for loading any horse or donkey into a trailer at this time of year, in this heat, with the expectation that the horse/donkey stand in a strange stall, hot, stressed, and yet ready and willing to perform strenuous work in a competitive setting.

I can't imagine having hauled any of my horses to any event this week and being remotely capable of disparaging them because they resisted being ridden.

And I could no more strap Rafer Johnson or Redford in a harness and drag them through the air for the sake of making a little money than I could one of my human children.

What in the world are we thinking when we expect animals to serve as vehicles for our bank accounts, our egos, and our apparently desperate need for external validation?

Alice Miller wrote a number of books about parents who expect these things of their children. She describes in great psychological detail what this does to children, and how the effects ripple into adulthood.  It's time someone wrote a similar treatise on people and their horses. There is no ribbon on earth, no amount of money, and no genuine self-gratification worth the cost of treating animals like objects, with no feelings, no rights, and little effort on our parts toward creating, nurturing, and maintaining a deeper relationship.

When we ignore the deeper, unspoken needs of the equines we ride and use for our own purposes, there is a cost. Not dollars and cents, although certainly we may end up with broken down horses and big vet bills at some point down the road. The cost I refer to is a psychic, soul-deep cost that I'm not sure we even know the consequences of incurring. It's a cost to humanity and to growth as human beings.

 I know this sounds serious. I believe it to be true.

I'm not opposed to competitive horse sport, but the reward of competition should be based in the maturing of the rider's increasingly connected relationship with the horse, and in the making of sound, safe decisions based on the needs of the horse, who can't leave a voicemail saying "oh, by the way, I really don't feel like carrying you over jumps in 90+ degree heat - how about we do it another time?"

As much as our children rely on us to intuit and meet their needs when they're too young to do it for themselves, our horses and our donkeys (and our cats and dogs and birds and all the other wonderful animals we surround ourselves with) need us to be their biggest, most thoughtful advocates and partners.

And I can say with certainty borne of experience, when we say NO to "smack him harder," when we say NO to "that noseband needs to be TIGHT," when we say IT'S TOO HOT TO HAUL, WE WON'T BE THERE when we get the email asking about the upcoming horse show, and when we say "I'll do what it takes to find out why you bucked in that last class" - what we get in return is something far more valuable than a training schedule checked off, a thumbs up from an unenlightened trainer, a few new clients for our company, or a fistful of cheap show ribbons.

We get connection. We get devotion. We get to participate in the magical relationship that is the amazing and most genuine gift horses and donkeys offer humans.

And more than that, I think we elevate ourselves as humans. We raise the bar for our own species. Instead of expecting more of them, how about we expect more of ourselves?

heartbreaking story of ponies in Australia - please read and act

You can read the full story HERE on Billie Dean's blog.

sad news: Fugly blog is for sale

I have not been a daily reader, but periodically loved getting a hit of someone so to the point and honest in her reporting about bad horsemanship and bad horsekeeping practices. Sometimes it feels good to hear someone say what really needs to be said in a situation.

Go read THIS POST for a wonderful list of things she hopes folks have learned from reading the Fugly blog over the years. It should be printed out and posted on every horseowner's wall.

Spalding's Official Response to the Schmersal reining video

I received the following email last week from Spalding:


Ms Hinton

I am sorry I am late with this e mail. I acknowledge I promised you an answer three days ago.

This matter is of great concern to us as well and we are trying to gather all the facts we can from various sources including FEI and the NRHA. We have also spoken with people other than Craig Schmersal who were at Malmo Sweden and at the practice arena when this session was happening.

In your last e mail you suggested that EPONA-TV had produced a letter stating Craig Schmersal had offerd to sue them contrary to what he told me.

The video on You Tube used text to offer a quote from Craig Schmersal. " If you post and try to damage my reputation as a true and fair horseman I will sue you."

When I read the editorial from EPONA-TV on your blog, they offer proof  by posting a letter from a attroney demanding cease and desist.

This may seem like splitting hairs but it seems to be a stretch to publish "I will sue you" quoting one person, and then offer as proof, a letter from that persons attorney that demanded cease and desist.

This is Spalding Labs position. You may post or quote if you choose.

Spalding Labs is waiting for a ruling from the FEI or the NRHA on this matter and will act based upon those findings.

Larry Garner



My response to this was to contact Epona TV to see if they had anything to say. It is my understanding that there is in fact evidence that Craig Schmersal not only threatened to sue, but said/wrote other things as well. As soon as this is published by Epona TV I will provide a link to their information.

As you can read from Mr. Garner's response, Spalding has not sent a form letter in response to my inquiry. Mr. Garner sent me several emails responding specifically to my concerns. He went even further and made several efforts to contact me by telephone to discuss the matter personally. This company obviously goes a great distance to respond to the concerns of its customers, and I do believe they have looked into the Schmersal incident.

Whether they come to the same conclusion that I have come to remains to be seen. There is still more information to be revealed, and I still suspect that Craig Schmersal has not in fact been honest with Spalding in his responses to their questions.

My bottom line is that I want to support companies who provide high quality equine products as well as excellent customer service. There is NO DOUBT in my experience that Spalding provides both.

However, I also want the companies who make their livings selling products for horses to stand behind the horse in one more important way: by ONLY sponsoring riders, trainers, farms, and organizations that treat all equines with the highest level of respect and kindness. Those who make money off horses imo have the most responsibility to treat them well. (I'm not excusing poor treatment of any horse anywhere, but if the horse is being used as a vehicle for gain, it is imo imperative that the horse is treated with the highest level of care and concern)

I am waiting for Epona's response and continue to ask that Spalding, Purina, and all the companies who sponsor Craig Schmersal take a long, hard look at what exactly they are endorsing. The horses deserve this.

Epona TV answers every possible question about the Craig Schmersal debacle

GO HERE to read the editorial.

And if you are Purina or Spalding, please read it and most especially click on the link they have provided to the Cease and Desist letter they received by Schmersal's attorney. Unless Craig has an attorney who acts on his behalf without his knowledge or permission, this is clear evidence that in fact Craig DID threaten legal action.

I have been told that Craig has denied having done so. If the video of Craig's riding alone is not enough to bring about a re-examination of company sponsorship, does the fact that he lies to you make any difference?

Epona TV's goal is to document what happens at the upper levels of equine sport. They did not target Craig Schmersal in particular - they simply aimed their cameras at what they recognized to be abusive riding.

My goal is to vote with my credit card, giving my business to companies that stand squarely on the side of the horse and of riders/trainers who use humane training methods, humane horse-keeping practices, and who sit on the horses' backs who win them fame and money in a kind, respectful fashion.

And my secondary goal is to make the information I uncover in my effort to do this available to anyone else in the world who wants to read it and do the same.

Spalding has promised me an official response on Monday. Purina has promised nothing, but I will ask them again if they would like to address this given Epona's editorial.

quick update: Purina, Spalding, Schmersal

I'm fielding emails, phone calls, and trying to get to the bottom of this, so please stay tuned. Craig Schmersal has denied that he got a verbal warning in the warm-up/training session (part of which was videotaped by Epona TV), and he has denied threatening to sue.

I am in the process of talking with Epona to see what their response is.

And I am appreciative that both Purina and Spalding are paying attention and looking into this situation.

As a friend just wrote on my Facebook wall: Take a deep breath and remember that you're only one person! One thing at the time and you'll get through it! I have confidence that you can tackle it all!!

Wise words.  I will stay on top of this, collate the info, and write it up as soon as I can. Meanwhile I have horses to feed, trims to supervise, teenagers to chauffeur, and book sales to celebrate! But I will follow up on this AND on the BLM issue very soon.


 

Purina's response to my email about their sponsorship of Craig Schmersal

Billie,

Purina appreciates your concern and FEI is reviewing the video of Craig Schmersal.  Purina Horse Feed is not involved in the decisions made by the governing bodies of the sport of reining and leaves decisions regarding reining and other equestrian competitions to the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) and Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). At this time, no statement regarding EponaTV‚s video of Craig Schmersal has been released by either organization. Until Purina Horse Feed learns of a rule violation in the sport of reining, Craig Schmersal will remain in the ambassador program.

Regards,

Beverly Fischer

Customer Service Manager
Land O'Lakes Purina Feed
100 Danforth Drive
Gray Summit, MO 63039
800-227-8941
636-742-6220
636-742-6170 (fax)
email: BJFischer@landolakes.com

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened"    Anatole France


I guess they will wait and see if anyone ELSE is going to address this. Which is particularly ironic considering the quote at the bottom of the email.

We don't buy Purina products anyway, so I can't take my business elsewhere. But if I did, I would. Purina is a big enough company to make a statement without threatening their profit margin.

ADDENDUM:

I just received and published a comment from Malina at the FEI with a link to their official statement, which I am pasting below (and sending to Purina and Spalding for their information):

STATEMENT ON FEI WORLD REINING FINAL, BÖKEBERGS GARD, SWEDEN

25 May 2011

The FEI is constantly reviewing and amending the rules for all its disciplines to ensure that horse welfare is maintained.
Three working groups were set up in January of this year to conduct a full review of the discipline of Reining which will address all aspects of the sport, including rules and veterinary issues.
The working groups have already reviewed the Reining rules and regulations, the competition format and educational standards for all FEI officials within the discipline and will be giving their recommendations to the Reining Committee shortly. Also included in the review process are new Stewards’ guidelines and details of permitted training practices.
Representatives from FEI HQ spoke to the Chief Steward in Bökebergs Gård and were assured that all practice sessions were fully monitored, that each training session was timed and that all practices were within the rules that are currently in place. However, a preliminary report from the Chief Steward has been received by the FEI which records that a number of verbal warnings were issued to riders about their training methods during the practice session.
As part of the review process that was initiated in January, footage from the FEI World Reining Final and the resulting debate will be included in the file that will be submitted to the Reining Committee for inclusion in the review process.
The new FEI Reining rules and regulations will be voted on at the 2011 General Assembly in November for implementation on 1 January 2012.
As the international governing body for equestrian sport, the FEI condemns all training methods and practices that are contrary to horse welfare.


ADDENDUM TWO, PURINA's SECOND RESPONSE:


Billie,

We have now included the link from FEI with their official statement on our correspondence concerning Ambassador Craig Schmersal.  Malina emailed me too with the information you had posted.   We appreciate your feedback and please always feel free to call or email us with any concerns.

Regards,
Beverly Fischer


Not very satisfying, but it sounds like they might be getting some correspondence about this issue, which is good. If you haven't written or called yet, it's a good time to let them know what you think about sponsorship choices. They make a big part of their living due to horses. I think they should be the first to step away from affiliation with people like Craig Schmersal.

wild mustangs, donkeys, and the BLM

 I'm  not sure what we can do to change what happens in this video. Madeleine Pickens is asking Oprah to do a show to raise awareness and force the BLM to stop these practices and to release the horses and donkeys from holding pens back to the range where they were brutally and heartlessly herded by helicopter.

Tonight while reading my Facebook feed I've burst into tears (wailing tears) at a series of photographs of a rescue mare (not a mustang) that is now in safe  hands. Then I came across this video. I watched it once, and I can't watch it again. But every one of us who love horses and donkeys, each of us who know how special these animals are, and how much they matter in our world, need to see this just one time, and get one other person to watch it just one time - so that one by one and two by two, we can create a group of people big enough and intent enough to figure out a way to stop this.


The idea that one cent of the money I pay in taxes is supporting this program makes me ill. If anyone has more information on what we can do to help change this, please post it in the comment section. I am beyond appalled. I've seen some of what they've done in the past, and I've signed petitions and sent emails. There has to be a way to do more.

very wise words for living and working with horses

Progress in very small increments. Make smart choices in the sequence of exercises. Never ambush your horse. Never skip a step. First establish trust. 

-Faverot de Kerbrech

I read this quote this morning on Thomas Ritter's Facebook page and immediately copied it to print and put in the tack room on my bulletin board. 

I absolutely love the line "Never ambush your horse."  I think much of what we do to horses in the name of training them and dominating them could easily be considered ambush - not so much the what we do but the HOW we go about doing it. 

Usually because we get in a hurry, expect too much, and then blame the horse for being rude or not responsive or stubborn. 

When I get impatient and demanding with my horses, I try to think about what it feels like to them. They know me. They trust me. And yet, it's still rude if I march up and suddenly demand that they do something without engaging with them first - letting them smell my hands, blowing softly into their nostrils (and then breathing in THEIR breath that they are giving back to me), allowing them to smell the halter or the brush or the bridle or the saddle pad or the whatever it is I've decided they need me to do to them in the name of "good horse care." 

What would I do if someone, even someone I love and trust, marched up and said "Get in this box. I'm taking you to a show. Sorry you have to leave your friends. We'll be back soon." I assure you it wouldn't be a very pretty sight.   

Long-time readers here will know that I have a needle phobia, and that one of the things that helped me overcome it to the degree I have was when Keil Bay needed Adequan injections. 

(note: he no longer needs them - I discovered that human grade glucosamine and chondroitin given together at tx doses for his weight works even better and costs MUCH less) 

What most readers won't know is how I got the needle phobia. When I was very young, I was afraid of the shots I needed to get, and at that time it was considered okay to simply hold the child down and administer the injection. They did that to me until I was old enough that I have a very clear memory of two nurses (it took TWO) holding me so the doctor could stick me with the needle.

By gosh, I got those vaccinations! But I also got a lifelong phobia that really needn't have been the result had they only stopped to think:

Progress in very small increments. Make smart choices in the sequence of exercises. Never ambush your horse. Never skip a step. First establish trust.

Funny how the words apply to all of us. And that NOT following them can have similar results whether we're dealing with a child OR a horse. 

How many times in a day of working with our horses do we simply demand that they submit to our will? It makes about as much sense to them when we demand and insist as it made to me when those two nurses held me down. And you can bet I never did cooperate. I fought harder the next time.

Some of us fight harder, others give up and comply - but in some ways that is worse. A little bit of our spirit dies when we have to submit to something we are not sure about. 

Find your own example of a time you were ambushed. And then think about that the next time you do it to your horse. You might be surprised - I always am - at how that impatient, demanding person you've become in the moment simply melts away. And even more surprising - your horse will feel the melt happening and what was difficult will likely become that much easier to accomplish.

would you use Gumbits to alleviate teeth grinding in your horse?

As usual, I've been on my morning meander through the internet, catching up on various blogs, doing the clicking that leads me from one thing to another thing to yet another, and enjoying all the information that unfolds as I click and read.

Today I was quickly caught up in a post about the use of Gumbits, a small "treat" that is apparently being used to deal with the grinding of teeth in horses.

It caught my eye because Keil Bay has occasionally ground his teeth under saddle. His previous trainer both told me about it and demonstrated it when I first looked at him. He didn't grind during any of my trial rides, and as it turned out, he has ground them with me three times since he came to live with me, 6 years ago. All three of those times were when I was riding in a lesson, following the instructions of a trainer. My sense was that when pushed hard to do an exercise (not the same one), he resorted to the grinding.

He also did the grinding fairly regularly when ridden by my trainer.

My response to the grinding was to ride him in such a way that did not lead to tooth grinding. That led me to go against the recommendations of my trainer at the time: instead of entering the arena with contact and warming him up doing walk, rising trot, and canter, I came in and rode him on the buckle using walk, sitting trot, and then a big fun canter. Instead of insisting that we drill movements over and over, I began to leave the back arena gate open and take little "mini-hacks" in between our arena work. By accident, I discovered that he loved to pop over baby jumps, and so we used that as a way to insert some fun into the arena work as well.

As it turned out, my doing these things not only led us away from the grinding of teeth, but led to the most beautiful, light, relaxed, classically correct rides I've ever had on any horse. And for Keil Bay, it led to a trust that I would not ride him straight into resistance and then rely on his kindness and general safeness to wrestle him through a movement, but would do everything I could to ride him into relaxation, and only then would we try some of the more difficult movements.

But still, even given all that, even given the fact that he has not ground his teeth in at least two years, I wondered this morning if I'd had the Gumbits to use when we were dealing with this, would I have tried them?

This is what the company says about the product:

GumBits was conceived and developed by two Atlanta women in a quest to aid in the daily training of their dressage horses. By promoting the salivation process, they eliminated the teeth grinding which often can occur during the intense training of high performance sport horses. 

Not only does GumBits encourage chewing activity, trigger salivation, and eliminate teeth grinding, horses love the sweet taste. GumBits are made of all natural FDA approved ingredients and is safe and palatable. 

I tuned in to the line:  eliminated the teeth grinding which often can occur during the intense training of high performance sport horses.


What is it about the intense training of sport horses, in particular dressage horses, that leads so often to teeth grinding?  Apparently the Gumbits are being used to address the grinding of teeth, to create "foam" at shows, and to make the training sessions more pleasant.

My take on teeth grinding is that it is a symptom of something. Dental issues, tmj issues, ulcer issues, pain/discomfort issues, or perhaps the only way a horse can "resist" a style or session of riding that is physically or psychologically (or both) uncomfortable.

Does using Gumbits therefore mask a symptom we need to be paying attention to? What does it say about the show scene if creating foam via a treat in the horse's mouth is used as a way to make it appear the horse is "on the bit?"  (don't get me started about the whole "on the bit" thing)

I can easily imagine Keil Bay loving a sweet treat. And maybe it would cause him to salivate and forget all about whatever it is that pushes him to grind when being ridden a very specific way. But if I give him the treats, am I simply masking a bigger, deeper issue?

Where is the line between creating a dressage "facade" and actually doing the slow, kind, layered work of training that leads to a relaxed, happy, balanced horse that both looks AND feels good doing his job?

Certainly, to a large degree, the answer to this question depends on one's riding goals, as well as one's philosophy about what constitutes solid horsemanship. While I know what my own answer is, I concede that there is no one right answer - we are all where we are on our paths, and so each person's answer might be different.

The critical thing is that we each think through scenarios like this regularly, to examine our goals, to look at, step-by-step, the pros and cons of what we do in our work with horses.

Often we do things simply because it's what the majority of riders and trainers do. And we use the justification that, hey, it works.

I maintain that by questioning things, and most importantly, by listening to our horses, and letting our horses be our trainers, we end up with a much greater depth of knowledge, and even more, a much greater connection to the animal carrying us around on his/her back.

I would love to know what readers think about this.

warmer, sunshine, and poetry in motion

This morning I was getting feed tubs ready for mixing. Salina had already come in to her stall to wait, and the donkeys were lining up as well.

Cody had gone through the open back gate into the arena, where he'd been herding Redford a few minutes earlier, so I asked Kenzie to open the closer arena gate so he could come through into the paddock and get ready for breakfast.

She opened the gate, but Cody didn't come out. He tossed his head in his characteristic circle toss, inviting both Keil Bay and the Little Man to come in and play.

I was shocked when Keil Bay accepted the invite, since he tends to be so focused on breakfast he is nearly always waiting at his back door, ready to bang if need be.

But this morning, after all the wet stuff that came down yesterday, I guess he welcomed the no longer frozen footing, the sun beginning to shine, no ice in troughs, and a generally warmer day. The knowledge that breakfast was coming was such a sure thing he was willing to forego it for a little romp.

Cody trotted around the arena, soon joined by Keil Bay. The Little Man really didn't do much except hunt for acorns, but my guess is he'd already done his morning exercise.

Although I am usually pretty focused on serving breakfast, I dropped the tubs I was carrying and stood watching the two big boys move. At one point they trotted toward the center of the arena from opposite ends, whirled their heads at one another, pivoted, and bucked, each kicking one hind leg up, completely in sync. It looked like they were doing a dance, mirroring one another's every move.

Keil Bay started at C and cantered straight up center line, doing an absolutely gorgeous collected, balanced, powered from behind canter. Cody trotted like an upper level dressage horse, with absolutely gorgeous suspension (and he's a Quarter Horse!), and that elusive schwung that is hard to describe but when you see it in action you absolutely stop and hold your breath it's so beautiful.

I recently tweaked their minerals, tightening the ratios (Ca:Ph and Fe:Cu:Zn:Mn) even closer to the "ideal." I have no idea if this is why they are looking and moving so beautifully or if they just both hit their best strides at the same time on this welcome morning. Whatever the reason, it captivated me. Even Redford stood and watched, as if appreciating each step.

Sometimes when I watch competition dressage I am disheartened by the mechanical movements that seem to get the high scores. The whole discipline begins to look labored and the horses look constrained and unhappy.

And then I see what Keil Bay does when he feels good and wants to show off, and what Cody does too. The fact that what they are doing with their bodies so obviously FEELS GOOD to them is all the difference between classical dressage and competition dressage.

Watching horses in double bridles, muzzle to chest, looking like something is going to literally explode out of their necks, always causes me to tighten up. I feel the muscles in my shoulders clench, feel my own neck draw up as though it's being pulled out of alignment with the rest of my body.

But this morning, watching the Big Bay and Cody, my entire body relaxed. I felt like my legs had taken root in the earth, and yet at the same time my upper body felt free and flowing. It occurred to me that this is the way to judge what you see when you watch horses being ridden. How does YOUR body feel?

With every step the two geldings took this morning, I could feel the movement as if I were riding it. And I wonder, when I get back on either/both, if that sensation will carry through and bring my own lightness and balance up a notch.

I suspect it will. Even now, writing about it, my body feels soft and supple. Poetry in motion. A simple but profound gift.

to leg yield or not to leg yield - interesting article

I've been reading over the past six months about the finer points of using the leg yield - or not using it, as the case may be - and when several blogs I read had leg yielding info this morning, I decided to look for something that concisely addresses the controversy over the movement, which many classical dressage riders feel should never have been put into the first level tests in the United States.

A quick Google search found an article that does a great job looking at the leg yield and outlining its benefits and its disadvantages - GO HERE TO READ.

You'll need to scroll down to get to the article itself, and once you've read that one, there just happens to be another article below it about the older rider - written by a dressage rider who is also an MD. Interesting material and recommendations for those of us "riders of a certain age." :)

Over the past few years I have gradually stopped using leg yield when riding Keil Bay. He much prefers shoulder-in as a suppling exercise and the immediate benefits are glaringly apparent in whatever exercise we move on to in that ride.  I get the best canters from him when we do shoulder-in first, and I also sometimes use shoulder-in as a "go-to" exercise if he is being spooky towards any particular part of the arena or any object - especially if the object is known to him.

With Cody (although it's been ages since I rode him - daughter keeps him working well!) I used to do spiraling circles using the leg yield, which seems to balance him and get him using his hind end in a more engaged way. However, the last time I watched daughter do spiraling circles on him, I made a note that it's beyond time to teach him shoulder-in (I'm actually not sure if he's ever done it or not) and see what the benefits are for him. There are only so many spiraling circles one can do in a given ride, and that exercise is not one I'd drill over and over again.

I'd love to hear folks' thoughts on the leg yield, and what your experiences are using it, or if you don't use it, what you do instead that works well.

Let's all say thank you to the HORSE - Nov. 17th at 11 a.m.

This comes from Mark Mottershead and his Horse Conscious newsletter. It's an email he received from Monica, who makes a wonderful proposal!


Please give 1 Minute of your time to say Thank you to the Horse.

At 11.00 am Wednesday 17th November, 2010

"Over the past few years, I have been lucky enough to meet many people involved in the horse world and what sticks in my mind as I work, is how diverse the role of the horse is within their lives.

For some the horse provides an income.  Farriers, vets, livery yard owners, tack shops, feed companies, therapists, instructors, racehorse trainers, studs and many more; their income is based on the horse.

For some they provide the ultimate achievement. From winning medals for our country in many different disciplines, or winning outstanding horse races all over the world, to mastering the first day of rising trot, or the first leap over a small jump, this sense of achievement comes because of the horse.

For some they provide a social network.  For example pony or riding clubs; people getting together to share experiences outside of their working lives.  They provide a social network at a time in society where many network avenues are being shut down.

For some, they are healers.  Horses are being used in several therapeutic riding programs, not just for physical improvement and well being, but for cognitive and emotional conditions in both adults and children.

For some, they are part of the family.  They provide routine, stability, they stretch our emotions; they provide a bridge of communication between children and parents, a way of teaching responsibility, leadership, vocational and educational skills.  They become friends, soul mates, and most importantly, they provide joy!

Horses deserve this recognition.  As modern society encroaches in to land space, the horse and the activities that we enjoy with them, are being squeezed.  We are seeing more unusual horse illnesses, some apparently originating from the soil or land that the horses naturally feed on.  In certain countries, horse welfare has become critical as the breakdown of social and economic structures has created poverty. In other countries, wild horses are being restricted and/or slaughtered allegedly for the land that they stand on. We as humans have affected the balance of nature, which in turn is affecting the horse.

The horse gives us his generosity, his strength, his ability to 'know' how we feel.  They show us, with their herd structure, how to create leadership and order, how to work in harmony and unity.

The Horse deserves a universal 'Thank You'

Whatever the way that the horse enriches your life, I would like to ask you that on Wednesday 17th November, 2010 at 11.00 am, you think about their role in your life and say thank you."

If Monica's message resonates for you, then please feel free to forward this email on to your friends so you can 'thank you' to the horse together.

zooming in for the moment on seat and the 6 points of contact

As often happens, as I was thinking and writing and focusing on the phrase "on the bit" the past two days, an email from a list I'm on popped through and mirrored some of what I was trying to express.

I'm paraphrasing, but this is the gist:

In conversation with one of the Spanish Riding School instructors, the instructor offered that the rider should never ever close the seat - but in fact should do the opposite, especially in transitions.

He noted that the SRS asks that their riders be capable of allowing the horses to come "through" utilizing 6 points of contact - calves, seatbones, and hands.

The scales of training cannot be attempted unless the rider is absolutely relaxed with a wide seat at all times - which is why it takes so long to develop into a classical rider and why time on the lunge is so precious.

If a rider tightens the seat at any time, the horse will tighten his back in response, which will create discomfort and put the horse onto the forehand and/or increase the front leg action.

He notes that with horses even a tiny bit of tension is felt as a lot of tension.

*******

The above is why I think the phrase "on the bit" can be so dangerous in its broad, misunderstood usage.

Six points of contact must be independent but at the same time utilized in harmony in order to create a horse who is "through" and on the aids.

But nothing can proceed classically without the complete relaxation of the rider, most importantly with the rider's seat. After all, this is where the weight of the rider literally bears down on the horse, onto a particularly vulnerable part of his body.

For riders not capable of relaxing their bodies completely (how many of us can even come close on a daily basis?) the horse is continually protecting his back against our tension by creating his own tension, which then brings everything we're trying to accomplish to a halt.

The focus of getting a horse "on the bit" - as it is most often used - misplaces our attention totally.

Even "on the aids" is confusing, as so many riders don't even consider the seat an aid. Think of instructions you hear from the vast majority of riding instructors: glue yourself to the saddle, plug into the saddle, etc. I see riders pumping the canter, grinding the sitting trot and the canter, posting like jack-in-the-boxes, many times while legs are pinging with every stride, and forearms are stiff. In worst case scenarios, the reins and contact to the horse's mouth has become the balance bar the rider must hang onto to accomplish all of the above contortions.

We should all be hearing instructions that focus on the relaxation of our bodies - I was fortunate that when I came back to riding I did it with a classically trained friend whose instructions to me as I went around on the lunge line week after week were: breathe, breathe out, look over your outside shoulder, let your legs drape quietly, breathe, breathe, breathe, close your eyes, feel your seat bones, etc.

The answer to every single problem I encountered in the saddle was to breathe. 

She didn't allow me off the lunge line until I could use my seat (and breath) to initiate a walk, trot, change of tempo, and halt with my seat alone. And if she saw me "scooching" at all while doing it, it didn't count!

She is the trainer who taught me to "think" half halt - as opposed to doing anything with those six points of contact. "Think" the transition. There is always the opportunity to consciously add aids, but if you "think" them first, you at least allow for the subtle energy aids that our horses understand and respond to so easily - if we only let them.

Really, if we were smart, we'd teach every new rider to "get on the relaxation" with nothing else said until they do that as a matter of course. Children are good at it - and if we make the connection for them early, by showing them that the horse or pony responds when they breathe out, when they drop their legs, when they close their eyes and feel their seat bones move, they can carry that with them as the mantra for creating beauty and harmony in their riding, and in their relationships, with horses.

So, I fell up onto a soapbox here, but when it comes to being "on the bit" or being "on the relaxation," I think this is actually not a soapbox, but higher ground. 

my take on being "on the bit"

I personally wish the entire term "on the bit" would disappear from the riding world and magically be replaced with "on the aids" which would hopefully lead to a larger focus on riding a horse lightly and softly as the result of an entire gestalt happening between legs, seat, and hands.

I was recently reading a debate about whether or not a horse without a bit (halter and clip-on reins, bitless bridle, nothing) can ever do dressage b/c there is no way for the horse to be "on the bit" if indeed there isn't one.

As we know, a horse with a good rider can create beautiful, classical, and imo "correct" movement with no bit! Because it isn't just the bit that allows this to happen.

I've eradicated the notion of "on the bit" from my brain as much as possible when I ride b/c I really want to focus on the bigger circle of movement - that I'm finding more and more comes from my own balanced seat, comfort in accepting the forward motion that happens with impulsion and schwung, which THEN circles back up and doesn't get blocked or stopped by a stiff rigid (hard) rein contact.

In other words, the bit thing sort of takes care of itself if I do my job as rider. This sorts itself into different ways of going with our different horses:

Salina basically knows the drill to a T. She moves from behind, lifts her back, and responds instantly to leg/seat aids. She creates her own contact which if you allow with a soft hand, puts everything in exactly the right place. I was referring to that the other day calling it a "lightness in the bridle" that I always felt with her when I rode her.

Keil Bay is not as easy - with Keil I have to get him into his high gear - the instant he goes into high gear and I am able to ride that gear comfortably and well, the rein contact takes care of itself. The problem is when you stay in slug gear he is not "on the aids" and goes on the forehand - and leans on the bit. It feels heavy although from the outside it looks mostly correct.

Cody is still learning, but he was trained to respond to the seat, and if you focus entirely on balance in your own body, he takes a lovely light contact and is like riding a much more advanced horse. But his balance relies completely on the balance of the rider.

The pony defies all logic - he goes okay with a bit but when he truly gets "on the aids" is when daughter rides him bareback. I suspect he feels her leg/seat aids more clearly that way and his contact completely softens and shifts.

Given that I tend to go off on my own paths with this kind of thing, melding together things I've read and things I've experienced, and things I simply *think* make sense, I consulted my copy of Dressage in Harmony to remind myself what Walter Zettl says:

"A rider must RIDE the horse on the bit, not PUT the horse on the bit... When the hind leg is working properly the horse comes on the bit automatically, but when the rider tries to put the horse on the bit with the hands, the hind leg will never swing through, and will push instead of carry."

He goes on to look at stiffness in the poll as a common problem:

"The problem of 'putting the horse on the bit' should really be thought of as getting the horse to yield in the poll. The first and foremost step is to be sure that the horse is good and relaxed.... After relaxation, the second ingredient is a quiet hand. The hand must remain still so that the horse can have the trust to go to the contact. It is generally easier to overcome the resistance in the poll when the horse is moving forward than at the halt... Think always that when the horse is doing something wrong with his head that something is wrong in the back."

And my theory is that much of the time, what is wrong in the horse's back has to do with the rider. Stiffness creates tension, which blocks the circle of energy that happens when rider and horse move into harmony of motion.

Which I know perfectly well was true of me when I came back to riding in 2002! So my journey into this has focused on getting my own body out of the way of the horse, and without ever really trying to get "on the bit" that's where I find myself when I take care of the other stuff.

today's ride

I started early so as not to end up riding into the night - Keil Bay was so impatient for me to let him into the barn aisle to tack up he kicked Cody's back door and broke one of the white cross-pieces off. I'm starting to wonder if my telling the Big Bay that I will be leaving for a writing retreat for 6 days was a gigantic mistake. All of a sudden it's crazy around here!

I was soaking Keil's hooves in warm water with oil of oregano (my fancy word is "oil of oregano infusion hoof bath") while I groomed him. Rafer Johnson was with us and decided to roll in the barn aisle. He ended up underneath Keil Bay's belly, one tiny donkey hoof in the infusion with Keil's hoof, and bless the Big Bay, he did not move a centimeter.

They are all full of beans right now - I watched Rafer roll and thought "oh no" - but it was fine.

Used the mounting block again today and popped right on. Suddenly it doesn't seem like all that big a deal! A good thing.

Today's challenge was the afternoon sun illuminating the now empty hay tent (see previous post for details on why it's empty) in a way that did indeed seem a bit scary. Keil was absolutely ears pricked blowing through nostrils each time we came around that end of the arena. I realized that with the sun blazing, we were both half blinded and what we could see looked very much like a huge, glowing silver ghost. I decided maybe this monster was real for Keil and tried to find some ways to approach without pushing him too hard.

Initially I simply made preemptive choices to change direction, circle to the inside, or otherwise avoid that specific corner. We did a lot of walking and then more big walking. After he was warmed up, we did serpentines along the entire arena, ending up so that the last one came up to the tent. Because he was so focused on the pattern, he didn't really have time to get scared, so that succeeded in getting us close without much reaction.

We then did some trot work on a big figure 8 using the entire arena. This too brought us close to the tent, but again, the repetition of the pattern lulled Keil into a working mode that allowed us to go right by the tent with no reaction.

We did some work on turns on the forehand/haunches that were pretty much perfect. Reinback and square halting were not as good as yesterday but I didn't belabor them.

We spent a little time playing dodge the donkey - Rafer was meandering around the arena, periodically crossing our path. This actually plugged in a little fun - when we encountered him I'd make a quick decision about where to go to avoid him and Keil had to act fast.

At the end of the ride, I dismounted and took Keil Bay over to the hay tent. He was truly alarmed by it. He walked nicely with me but was blowing as we got close. I went ahead to show him it was okay, and we stood together and gazed at it for a minute. We stood until he stopped blowing and then circled past it again, and then headed out. I walked him around to the other side to make sure he saw it from both angles with the sun shining in.

And I made him a little meal of warm timothy cubes and a few oats sprinkled on top, which he ate while I untacked and groomed. Of course as soon as I was done he marched right out to the scary hay tent and befriended it again.

a ride at dusk and the herd goes wild

Addendum:  When I went out this morning I found a 12 foot, 1.5 inch thick, solid oak board kicked cleanly in half and lying in two pieces in Cody's stall. :0  I suspect Keil Bay did the kicking, but not sure. No injuries on any geldings, thank goodness. I'm thinking instead of buying a new mower we should probably buy hitches, harnesses, and farm implements and put this crew to work!



Yesterday I had a chiro adjustment and massage scheduled for the middle of the afternoon, so decided I would ride immediately upon arriving home around 5 p.m.

A quick note about regular massage and chiro work: last week I had a massage. I'm currently getting chiro with massage after every other week. On the off weeks I'm getting massage only. Last week was the first week that I was able to get a "wellness" massage, meaning there was no specific issue to work on. I was so excited - feeling great and happy that my body was in such a relaxed, balanced place.

The massage was wonderful, as usual. I floated out of the office and came home, and was so relaxed and happy I decided to fold the mountain of laundry and just enjoy the weightless feeling of my body. I was in the living room in front of our smaller sofa, happily folding, unaware that a certain Corgi pup had placed himself right behind my feet. I took a step back, sensed him there, lost my balance, and literally fell flat on my back on the hardwood floor. All I remember thinking was "damn, the good feelings from the massage are getting ready to end."

The funny thing was, after I hit the floor and got over the shock, I realized that I couldn't really tell what part of my body had hit. I could tell I'd fallen, but nothing was especially painful. I decided to use an ice pack from the neck down and just try to alleviate bruising or swelling. I never had bruising or swelling. Or any serious impact at all. I think I was so relaxed when I fell that no part of my body tensed. I didn't twist in any way trying to stop the fall, or break the fall. I just fell like a tree.

So, back to yesterday. The chiropractor adjusted several places and the massage focused on my back. I walked out feeling fabulous again, and came home ready to ride. As I walked through the house I decided not to change into riding breeches to save some time. I called out to my daughter to come out and help me with mounting, put on my riding boots, and went to the barn. Keil Bay was waiting at the gate. He came in and I did a quick grooming, tacked up, put on the bitless bridle, and went into the arena. As he did the day before, he lined himself up by the barrel. But when I got up on the barrel he turned his head back to me, and Cody came up on the other side of the arena fence. Suddenly I was standing on a barrel with two big horse heads sniffing my legs.

Daughter hadn't come out. I got down and tried to get Keil lined up again while I also tried to shoo Cody away. Meanwhile, the sun had set and it was getting shadowy. The arena light came on. In a moment of total frustration, I grabbed the mountain block, shoved it with my foot into place by Keil Bay, and climbed on, the regular old way.

Keil looked back at me, like "now wasn't that easier than the barrel?"

And it was.

I think the bodywork was a huge factor in my hopping right on instead of fidgeting.

Our ride was a lot different than the day before. Keil is not fond of riding in the arena at night, although he generally doesn't do anything crazy. He's just super alert and ready to go at the slightest hint. We warmed up in the entire arena, with me focusing on keeping one of his ears on me as we went into the two darkest corners. I could hear deer crashing around every few minutes, and Keil was acutely aware of every sound, but he did a great job.

Given the increasing darkness, the very active deer, and the fact that I haven't been in regular work with him lately, I decided to work in the middle 20 meter circle in the arena. At first Keil wanted to cut the circle on the back field side, but we eventually got a correct circle and decent bend. We did a lot of walking and changing direction inside the circle, and then took a break around the entire arena, plus a circuit through the very dark barnyard and back. I'd left the gate open so we could easily do that.

We ended with some trotting in the circle, both directions, and then walk/trot/walk around the entire arena. While I'd rather have ridden in daylight, it was a nice exercise in connection - no need for tuning up response to aids! The deer in the woods took care of that.

About the time I dismounted my daughter came out. She smiled when I told her I'd hopped on from the mountain block.

*******

This morning my husband came in from the barn exclaiming. The herd had broken the paddock gate and spent at least some portion of the night in the barnyard. One of them went in the hay tent and brought the entire round bale core out into the middle of the barnyard and UNROLLED it so they all had plenty of space to stand and eat.

I've seen Keil pick up an 80-lb. square bale with his teeth and toss it like a jolly ball, so it wouldn't surprise me if he's the culprit. I have no idea who rolled it out - but I guess I should be thankful one of them did, since that allowed the entire herd to have equal access!

There is never a dull moment around here.