Rijkens was relaxed and happy.
The take home message? I must be "busy" at staying relaxed and supple in my own body.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Victory
Our first off campus date together at Belle Terre Farm was a success. Rijkens and I learned together at our two day mini clinic with Lurena Bell, then followed up by doing well at third level in the schooling show on the final day. We now feel confident to go out and conquer at the bigger rated shows!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Tough
Training horses is easy.
Learning to train horses is VERY hard.
The things I know that I know how to train a horse to do, such as trailer loading, in-hand work, or shoulder-in for example, come simply and seemingly effortlessly for horses I've worked with. The struggle for me is learning to teach a horse the things that I haven't yet taught multiple horses to do. Yes I could write a lecture on how to get a horse to do these things but I'm finding in the actual lab of the arena it is sometimes tough to create and maintain the alchemy of balance and harmony.
However I persist in my study of the art and science of training, and my horses continue to instruct me how to best educate them. Of course the diligent and intentional instruction from competent horsemen/women who have multiple years on multiple horses of experience is indispensable.
Learning to train horses is VERY hard.
The things I know that I know how to train a horse to do, such as trailer loading, in-hand work, or shoulder-in for example, come simply and seemingly effortlessly for horses I've worked with. The struggle for me is learning to teach a horse the things that I haven't yet taught multiple horses to do. Yes I could write a lecture on how to get a horse to do these things but I'm finding in the actual lab of the arena it is sometimes tough to create and maintain the alchemy of balance and harmony.
However I persist in my study of the art and science of training, and my horses continue to instruct me how to best educate them. Of course the diligent and intentional instruction from competent horsemen/women who have multiple years on multiple horses of experience is indispensable.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Shoulders and Haunches
...are what we focused on in our lesson with Karen Brown today. Specifically intended to sharpen Rijkens' half pass, the exercise of moving the shoulders over then activating the (in the case of half pass) outside hind to bring the haunches in.
It works like this: develop good impulsion and self-carriage in trot on a circle. Then counter flex to the outside of the circle and carry the shoulders toward toward the inside of the circle ("in"). When that is crisp ask for steps of haunches in (toward the outside of, or away from, the circle); this is like half pass around a circle. If/when Rijkens "falls" on his shoulder I again ask him to carry his shoulders in.
Key for me is absolutely insisting that Rijkens maintains energy and impulsion, thus maintaining through-ness and self-carriage on his part.
It works like this: develop good impulsion and self-carriage in trot on a circle. Then counter flex to the outside of the circle and carry the shoulders toward toward the inside of the circle ("in"). When that is crisp ask for steps of haunches in (toward the outside of, or away from, the circle); this is like half pass around a circle. If/when Rijkens "falls" on his shoulder I again ask him to carry his shoulders in.
Key for me is absolutely insisting that Rijkens maintains energy and impulsion, thus maintaining through-ness and self-carriage on his part.
The gleam in my eye:
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