Program

From a public post written by Denny Emerson: “For the many, many, many riders who are defeatist pessimists, who torpedo their chances of becoming good riders before they even try, who equate having lots of money with riding ability, who----well, maybe you know some of these riders---

You can buy some nice OTTB for under $7,500. You can train it yourself. You can learn to sit the trot without bouncing. You can learn to have a good eye for a distance. You can read, study, practice, all the things they tell you to do that most people won't actually do--------------------

You can be that old fashioned rider who starts with one building block, one tiny level of ability. Then you add another block, Then you add another block, Then you add another block, Then you add another block---

You watch some other kids, whose parents or sponsors buy them elite horses, go flying past you, but instead of wasting fruitless energy by wailing against the fates, you keep stacking those little building blocks----

And maybe, just maybe, by having the grit to grind it out the hard way, your skills will become greater, and deeper, and more profoundly owned, than the abilities of those who took the easy street.

Or, of course, you can choose to decide how unfair it all is, and spend the same energy complaining when you could have been practicing.

I see this ALL THE TIME. I wrote a book about this topic, how the making of choices either opens or closes doors. Why squander your talent by telling yourself it's no use? Tell yourself that, yes you can---Even if you half think it's a lie. Better a positive lie than a negative lie, don't you think? Choose.”  —Denny Emerson


I pretty much agree with this, with one caveat, that is: be in a good program with a trainer you trust and has who your best interest at heart.  Anna Burtell once told me that most riders (adult amateurs especially) do not need Olympic level trainers, rather we just need an average trainer that we stick with and follow their program day in and day out, year in and year out, and actually DO WHAT THE TRAINER SAYS.

I’ve tested this in the actual lab of life and found it to be true, and have been lucky with three excellent trainers.  Gary Moss in my college years (she was not an Olympic trainer, not even a dressage trainer but a mentor who truly had my best interest at heart and helped me so much figuring out my “formative” years in riding [and life for that matter]).  With help from her advice I campaigned three OTTBs on a ghost of a budget during my college years.

Later in “grownup” life I was fortunate to find Karen Brown who taught me so much in the saddle and out, and gave me many useful tools for making agreeable horses out of sometimes not so willing partners (it is from Karen I learned how to load reluctant horses [at times downright difficult and even dangerous horses] safely and calmly into a trailer, and Karen taught me the one rein stop that has saved my neck more than once on a big, rambunctious horse).  Under Karen Brown I achieved my USDF bronze medal and was able to school much of the FEI on not-expensive horses.

For these past going on seven years I’ve been grateful to work under the analytic eye of Andrea Attard.  She has improved my position and ability to influence the horse through relentlessly staying on top of “position, position, position.”  I’ve learned more about horse and rider safety and keeping horses sound from Andrea than I have ever done in a lifetime before being in her program, including undergrad and advanced degrees in equine science (yes, Andrea has taught me much more in seven years than any universities could possibly teach a student— not a criticism against college, just an understanding that one’s printed degree is only the beginning).  Andrea excels at “riding a horse sound” and I’ve witnessed hands-on how horses in her program become more sound with increased ride-ability.  Within Andrea’s program I’ve earned my USDF silver medal and have gone to regional championships each year I’ve shown with her on three horses, and qualified for national championships on two horses. We’ve achieved champion (HDS fourth level) or reserve (USDF all breeds second level) on multiple horses.  One of Andrea’s specialties is purchasing the correct horse that will be a good counterpart for a specific rider, and I’ve learned valuable lessons about suitability of the match while staying within budget (a seemingly impossible task that Andrea has miraculously pulled off time and again) while purchasing two horses under her guidance.

The point is: develop a relationship with a good trainer, stick with their program and do what the trainer tells you, practice, practice, practice (as Denny says above), and I’m living proof that even “just about anyone” can achieve success!

Lyndon Rife clinic February 9-10 2020

To address rideability, keep the horse in shoulder in position while being able to counter flex in the opposite direction of the bend.  An example exercise: ride right lead canter on the rail staying in shoulder in right position, half pass right onto the inside track then counter flex him left at the poll, then back to right flexion, all while staying in right shoulder in positioning.  Also you can check in on this on a circle, while circling right maintain right bend and see if you can counter flex left while keeping the right bend and right shoulder in positioning, so turning right but flexion left, then back to turning right and flexion right.  

An exercise to school flying changes: canter up the long side (let's say in right lead canter); from the corner half pass right toward the quarterline, then turn it in to leg yield with a slight flexion left to the centerline, then straight on the centerline with a straight flying change on the centerline then track left.  With Jazzy, ride his outside hind by vibrating your outside leg back and keep your inside leg almost off of him while really riding his outside in the canter.  

An exercise to school pirouettes: start on straight lines in canter, then half pass in toward the centerline, after a couple lines of half passing in, come onto a circle at the end of the arena and then as you bring the circle in add a feel of half pass while continuing to bring the shoulders around the circle and then canter back out on the circle, then bring the circle in with half pass around the circle again and then back out onto the larger circle.  

When half passing, have a feel of shoulder in to begin, then start the half pass with your weight aid so that Jazzy is not just falling into your inside leg but that you have the correct alignment to begin.  Positon Jazzy so that your outside knee is pointing toward the letter to which you are riding.  

In the medium (and extended) trot, think of first creating taller, rounder steps with Jazzy's knees stepping higher and rounder so that his shoulders stay up in front (rather than his shoulder getting a bit flat).  Then when you turn onto the diagonal line, be sure to maintain straightness (Jazzy can fall into your right leg so even think about the feel of leg yielding him away from your right leg).  Then put your lower leg on and grow the strides longer but keeping him higher and rounder, bringing the hindlegs with you.  Be sure to look up and ride from letter to letter on the long diagonal.