Valentine's Fun Show at Blue Fox Farm

Centerline Training students from left to right: Carrie on the Trakehner mare Delphi, Crystal on the Trakehner gelding Gryphon, Lisa on the Hanoverian gelding Allie, Rachel on the Spanish Barb Wizard, and Marlene with the Haflinger gelding Notice:

Not pictured: Marcella on the Percheron/Thoroughbred mare Daphne and Judy on the Fresian gelding Tiede.

What an awesome "all for one, one for all" group! Everyone did a stellar job and had a blast in the perfect weather. Congratulations to Rachel on high point of the show!

Boot Camp Finale

We had our final Boot Camp lesson with Lurena: the premium was on keeping Delphi through and light in the hand and keeping my position and balance "up" and correct with me sitting "flat" in the saddle. Flexions and counter flexions create throughness, as does insisting that Delphi sit more in all gaits, particularly trot and canter. Quick half halts and quick gives, even "shaking the horse off of the rein" create lightness.

Keeping Delphi busy by changes of bend (bend and counter-bend) with lots of lateral movements such as few steps of leg yield-to few steps of half pass- to few steps of leg yield- to few steps of half pass. Delphi never gets to choose the rhythm or balance: if she wants to plod along in jog trot, she has to sit over her haunches and step lively; if she wants to rush or run through the aids, she has to sit over her haunches and do half steps in slow time. The rider, always and only, dictates the gait.

Delphi is genius at having long drawn out conversations and talking me into doing it her way: rather, I need to consistently keep my elbows down (they're MY elbows, not hers), keep my balance back flat in the saddle, and create the walk, trot or canter that I decide on, insisting Delphi is in self carriage and light in the bridle.

For our boot camp finale, Delphi and I will be showing Second Level Test 3 and debuting Third Level Test 1 at this Sunday's Valentine's Fun Show at Blue Fox Farm. The journey continues...

Boot Camp Day 32

Due to missed rides secondary to extreme winter weather, Delphi has been invited to stay at Belle Terre an extra couple weeks- yay for Delphi, boo for bad weather!

Our most recent lesson was under less than perfect conditions: Delphi had not worked in several days, the weather had been cold and downright nasty, Delphi was slow to warm up with a clamped tail and tight, cold muscles.

So- the half halts, particularly in canter, weren't coming through nicely, or at all. Rather than circle in the hopes that Delphi would relax (circling really only dropped her further to her forehand or at best just allowed her to continue plowing through my aids), Lurena taught me the best way to re-establish the half halt. In canter when the horse runs or otherwise ignores the half halt, it's not because she doesn't know what you're asking or that you've given an incorrect half halt: it's just that situations aren't always lovely 75 degree sunny days on ideal footing with wonderful horse/rider attitudes.

Half halt once- firmly but "nicely;" if the half halt doesn't come through: halt, rein back as many steps as it takes for Delphi to be submissive, then immediately canter off. Again test the half halt; if no: halt, rein back and repeat this testing cycle as many times as it takes for the half halts to come through correctly.

In addition to re-establishing the half halt, this exercise also adds crispness and obedience to the equation. It also builds in a level of safety since it's pretty difficult to bolt or spook if you're halting and reining back every few strides. This was an excellent reminder of how to ride in tense or otherwise less-than-superb situations.

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

This is a Halfling:

This is a Halfling with a Haflinger:

This is a Haflinger:
The Haflinger is WAY cuter, don't you agree? This is Delphi's new stablemate and the latest student on the Centerline roster- Marlene's pony "Notice Me."

Among other things, this is what Haflingers are capable of:

Delphi and I have noticed, and we give notice that we expect great things! Eagerly looking forward to watching Notice's career develop.