Quadrille is in the Air

A link to the USDF quadrille guidelines.

Possible music suggestion; what do you think of it?


More inspiration here.
And here:


And my favorite, the Trakehner quadrille:


Eight beautiful Trakehners:

The Learning Continues

Clips from our lesson with Karen Brown this week:

If Delphi Had a Second Job

It would be as an anatomy model:

These are the artwork of Gillian Higgins, sent to me by my trainer Karen Brown. Cool.

Canter Work on Center Line and Renver

Cantering straight down the center line, circling 10 meters off of it, cantering straight down center line, simple change of lead at x on the center line, cantering straight ahead down center line in the new lead, circling 10 meters off center line in the new direction then cantering straight ahead down center line (did I mention it should be straight?) sounds a lot easier than it actually is! Karen (of Center Line Training-heh) had us schooling just that during our lesson today. Remember to keep the horse straight by using both legs at the girth. For the canter depart from the halt or walk, keep your outside leg at the girth (AVOID putting your outside leg back which instantly causes crookedness) and use your inside seat bone to ask for the canter depart. If the inside seat bone does not illicit a prompt, crisp canter depart, you can "stomp" into the inside stirrup, and remember to keep your outside leg neutral! The key for nice 10 meter circles from the center line is (of course) GIVE THE INSIDE REIN and use the outside rein to bring the horse around a round, geometrically correct circle. Then straighten on the center line, keeping your eyes up beyond C and both legs at the girth.
We also schooled shoulder in to renver transitions. Establish the shoulder in, then prepare for the transition to renver by putting your leg that is to the interior of the arena back (your new "outside" leg) and your leg that is to the outside of the arena (your new "inside" leg) forward, ask the horse to change it's bend with your new "inside" leg but the haunches remain on the track to the outside of the arena and the forehand stays to the inside of the arena. To help establish the bend, "raise" the (new) inside rein and support the horse with the outside rein to allow the change of bend. Be sure to straighten at the end of the renver by moving the shoulders back "out," but not in a shoulder in, just in a true straight line along the track.
Phew! Fun lesson today and ironically Delphi does renver better than shoulder in. And her center line canter work did improve in straightness.

Top 10 Exercises to Become a Better Equestrian

10. Drop a heavy steel object on your foot. Don't pick it up right away. Shout "Get off, Stupid, GET OFF!"

9. Leap out of a moving vehicle and practice "relaxing into the fall." Roll lithely into a ball and spring to your feet.

8. Learn to grab your checkbook out of your purse and write out a $200 check without even looking down.

7. Jog long distances carrying a halter and a carrot. Go ahead and tell the neighbors what you are doing- they might as well know now.

6. Affix a pair of reins to a moving freight train and practice pulling to a halt. Smile as if you are having fun.

5. Hone your fibbing skills: "No, really, I'm glad your lucky performance and multimillion dollar horse won the blue ribbon. I'm just thankful that my hard work and actual ability won me second place."

4. Practice dialing your chiropractor's number with both arms paralyzed to the shoulder and one foot anchoring the lead rope of a frisky horse.

3. Borrow the US Army's slogan: Be All That You Can Be-- bitten, thrown, kicked, slimed, trampled, frozen...

2. Lie face down in a puddle of mud in your most expensive riding clothes and repeat to yourself "This is a learning experience, this is a learning experience, this is..."

1. AND THE NUMBER ONE EXERCISE TO BECOME A BETTER EQUESTRIAN: Marry money.

The Sleep of the Innocent

Only truly domesticated horses could sleep this soundly with people and dogs milling about.

To the Victor Goes the Spoils

A day off work and plenty of horse cookies and carrots to be specific. Job well done, Delphi. This time she truly "threw a little dirt on the judge's score card" at yesterday's Freestyle Farm schooling show.

More Second Level Feedback

Pam Grace was the judge at today's Freestyle Farm schooling show in Fulshear. Some of her comments:

• Halt: square and balanced 8
• Medium trot (test 1): first four steps very high quality, then cantered (7 crossed out) 4
  
• Medium trot (test 2): good from behind 8
• Halt, rein back: through and balanced 8
• Circle right and shoulder in: nicely through and connected; cover more ground with more energy 6
• Free walk and medium walk: good overstep and good stretch 8
  
• Counter canter: better 7
• Travers: above bit, lacks angle and bend 5
  
• 10 meter canter circle: above bit 5
• Simple canter change of lead: stiffening, trot steps 5
• Collectives: Smooth ride- encourage more engagement and throughness and Attractive horse- encourage better throughness and better engagement
  

Take home lesson: I need to be consistent in my aids to keep the throughness in all gaits and transitions, to keep Delphi supple through her back and her hindquarters engaged. Overall a better effort on Delphi's part.

Pieces of a Dream

Watch as Delphi schools elements of second level test one:

Inside Leg to Outside Rein

Seems so simple, and it is. I'm continuing to learn. The following is what I gleaned from an article in Practical Horseman (September 2009) by Kristina Harrison, given to me by my trainer Karen Brown.
Rhythmically squeeze with your inside leg as your horse's inside hind leg comes off the ground, then relax. This is what Karen calls "activate the inside leg." Concurrently regulate the forward energy with your outside rein so the horse balances her weight back on her hind end. When the horse rounds over her back and gives with her head, relax your inside leg and outside rein a little and allow the horse to travel in self carriage. If she picks up her head or slows her tempo, repeat your aids to connect her from your inside leg to outside rein. Guard against allowing your outside rein (and hand) to go forward; rather, keep your reins even, your outside elbow down, and your shoulders even. To prevent the horse from counter-flexing, be sure to use sufficient inside leg (and whip as needed) and keep your hands even as you take and relax the outside rein. To prevent evasion by raising her head up or out, guard against half halting too firmly with the outside rein. Rather, relax your outside rein enough to allow the horse to give, then use your inside leg to ask for more bend so she can relax forward and "down" to the contact. On the other hand be sure not to overbend to the inside by regulating the horse's balance by increasing the frequency of give and take on your outside rein.

The Daily Grind

Work-a-day schooling captured on video by Karen Brown:

The One Rein Stop in Action

Or, what a week of standing in a stall will get you.

Hooray for the one rein stop!