Love the commentary, and of course I love the Trakehner Biotop and Dr. Klimpke (note Dr. Klimpke is warming up for a major show in a snaffle!):
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
The Premium
Delphi is quite knattily doing her tricks and movements; her shoulder in is reliable, the change of bend to renver is getting good, and she could travel around in haunches in all day. She obediently steps away from the leg for lateral movement and she can change the bend from leg yield to half pass and back again. A nudge of the inside seatbone sends her off into an obedient canter, or just as obedient counter canter, either straight lines or bending. She can canter around in counter canter with as many simple changes as you please.
That's all well and good but not worth a darn if she's going around hollow with her snout up in the air or even flat and only tenuously on the bit. Today during our lesson Karen insisted we get round and through, especially in the canter where Delphi can be tenuous about being on the bit. We finally had to resort to relatively quick bends and counter bends; to do this one must keep the elbows down and change the bend from the rider's shoulders (that must be back!) rather than the hands alone.
More elegantly, one can do shoulder in, activate the inside hind, any lateral work, or shoulder in around a circle. The premium must be on keeping Delphi round-- deep even-- so that we push past her mediocrity zone into staying reliably through.
For the love of Pete, SIT BACK!
That's all well and good but not worth a darn if she's going around hollow with her snout up in the air or even flat and only tenuously on the bit. Today during our lesson Karen insisted we get round and through, especially in the canter where Delphi can be tenuous about being on the bit. We finally had to resort to relatively quick bends and counter bends; to do this one must keep the elbows down and change the bend from the rider's shoulders (that must be back!) rather than the hands alone.
More elegantly, one can do shoulder in, activate the inside hind, any lateral work, or shoulder in around a circle. The premium must be on keeping Delphi round-- deep even-- so that we push past her mediocrity zone into staying reliably through.
For the love of Pete, SIT BACK!Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Refinement
In order to be a more elegant rider, one must allow the horse the element of self carriage, alignment, and lightness.
I learned an example of this in my lesson with Karen Brown this morning (where it was raining cats and dogs-- glory be!). When straightening the horse after renver (as in second level test three) allow with the inside (of the bend for renver which in this example is toward the outside of the arena) rein, then wait with what will now be the new inside rein, so that the horse's shoulders come back in alignment and the horse is then prepared to make a good bend through the corner. (As an aside, it not only makes since to finesse this movement for the sake of harmonious riding but also for the sake of one's score as it is shown twice each with a coefficient of two in this particular test.)
It's less about busy-ness on the rider's part and more about waiting for the horse and allowing the horse.
I learned an example of this in my lesson with Karen Brown this morning (where it was raining cats and dogs-- glory be!). When straightening the horse after renver (as in second level test three) allow with the inside (of the bend for renver which in this example is toward the outside of the arena) rein, then wait with what will now be the new inside rein, so that the horse's shoulders come back in alignment and the horse is then prepared to make a good bend through the corner. (As an aside, it not only makes since to finesse this movement for the sake of harmonious riding but also for the sake of one's score as it is shown twice each with a coefficient of two in this particular test.)
It's less about busy-ness on the rider's part and more about waiting for the horse and allowing the horse.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Windy Knoll Summer Shows I and II
Mailed our entry today for the two summer shows July 23-24 at Windy Knoll Farm.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Intentional Riding
Flying changes over cavaletti:
A very happy Ceil and Bailey:
'Round we go:
Eight little campers all in a row:
Belle Terre camp was an awesome experience of schooling round canters; through trots; marching and collected walks. We practiced flying changes over cavaletti. We learned the importance of keeping the canter round and collected, yet bendable and counter-bendablle. We made new friendships and deepened existing ones. Even with the 105 degree heat, I'm looking forward to doing it all again next summer!Thursday, June 2, 2011
Off to Camp
Summer camp at Belle Terre Farm starts today. The 11 campers' focus will be position and "intention" of the rider. SO looking forward to this training over the next three days!
Delphi gives a swish of the tail.
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