Looking Ahead

Mailed in our entries yesterday for the March 27 Topsider show. Our goal at this show is to earn our final score in first level and our initial score in second level toward our USDF bronze medal.

11th Hour Breakthroughs

Delphi had her annual teeth float done yesterday by her veterinarian Dr. Michael Davis. Added to that, today was my fourth ride trying a new bit: a straight bar egg butt snaffle with natural rubber wrapped over the bar at each outside edge.

After the first 20 minutes of the lesson grinded by and I still had not managed to get my horse on the bit, I was beginning to feel frustrated. Karen, knowing that I've been working on raising Delphi's neck Jeff Moore style, noted that I am simply "posing" Delphi's neck and not really ever getting her back up or getting her through the aids. Karen asked me to abandon for the moment raising the neck and having only a tenuous on the bit connection and focus for the time on allowing Delphi to relax her neck by riding her deep and what would seem to me over-round or "behind the vertical."

My breakthrough moment finally arrived only after Karen got on Delphi for a show and tell session: Karen kept Delphi's neck lower and her frame rounder. When I got back on, it occurred to me that while my elbows are nicely down as they should be, my hands are too far up and far too busy. By keeping my elbows down and my wrists set in a straight line to the bit (to me it felt as though my elbows were straight though they certainly were not) with my hands low and quiet, I was able to keep Delphi's head lower and relaxed in a deeper, rounder frame (read reliably on the bit). To add more impulsion I simply spring quicker and higher, thus activating the back-as-sensory-organ thereby improving collection, suppleness, throughness, balance and self carriage: all prerequisites to second level.

The straight bar egg butt snaffle bit? Karen told me that while occasionally trying different bits can indeed be beneficial, for now go ahead and put the bit back in the ol' tack trunk and go back to riding in my reliable, if plain, loose ring snaffle.

Jeff Moore Clinic at Belle Terre

February 28 (my birthday!) found Delphi and me at Belle Terre again for two lessons with Jeff Moore. Some key points follow:

• In shoulder in to renver (such as in 2nd level test 3) the rider's sagital plane is at a 35 degree angle from the wall (we'll say we're in left shoulder in) left, with the horse's head turned a little left. When you turn the horse's head right, keep the rider's sagital plane exactly the same and this is now renver. You must release the left rein when you turn the horse's head right. Make the angle with the sagital plane left for "left shoulder in" then turn the horse's head right and GIVE the left rein, keeping the rider's same left angle with the sagital plane angled 35 degrees left. The rider's guts hold the horse at the left angle while her head is turned right. The rider's sagital plane stays the same in shoulder in and renver. The horse's body angle stays the same in shoulder in and renver.
  

From shoulder in, I give the left rein, keep my sagital plane the same, and will then turn Delphi's head right to begin renver:

• In canter, the rider's seat must reach back and each time the thigh and knee should slither back as well. To develop the horse's back as a sensory organ in the canter to trot transition: in canter give the reins until they're floppy and then trot with your body until the horse flows into trot. Also to cause the horse's back to be a sensory organ in the walk (or trot) to canter: give a floppy rein in walk (or trot) then ask the horse to canter. Jeff suggested doing this a couple times in each warm up. Later you can add contact to keep the horse round, soft, light, bent etc rather than using contact as a handbrake. We must re-develop the horse's back as a sensory organ.
  

In canter I work on active reach back and allowing my thigh and knee to slide back:

• For walk pirouette, put your outside seatbone back and across. That does two things in one: 1) it displaces the rider's weight to the inside and 2) it turns the rider's sagital plane to the outside. The strongest influence for getting the horse's legs to work right in walk pirouette is the sitting with your outside seatbone back and across. Then the inner rein can say "you could turn dear-- you're fine." If you put your right seatbone back and across that turns your entire upper body to the right. The outside hindleg must keep stepping to midline: cause this by putting your outside seatbone back and across.
  

Delphi's outside (left) hindleg stepping toward midline as a result of me putting my outside (left) seatbone back and across and turning my sagital plane left:
Delphi's outside (right) hindleg stepping toward midline as a result of me putting my outside (right) seatbone back and across and thus turning my sagital plane right:

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.

Boot Camp Day 25

The lesson with Karen on Gryphon focused on transistions, particularly into and from canter. Karen used a sand bag analogy: if you sit in the saddle with your butt equally balanced and across the seat as a sandbag, then you will ride with the same efficacy as would said sandbag. The sandbag, after being carefully placed and balanced in the saddle, would roughly bump a stride or two then fall to the ground once the horse started forward in canter. If one affixed the sandbag to the saddle, say at the pommel, the sandbag would pop up out of the saddle on each canter stride. Even so with my butt.

The solution: yes, ride with the seat "flat" on the saddle and balanced over both seatbones, but also use the balls of your feet with soft knees and shoulders back and down with engaged "armpit" muscles and elbows down to keep you balanced over the saddle and not flopping loosely like so much sand in a bag.

Think of a dot painted on the rider's point of hip right where the breeches pockets might be, moving in a circle during each canter stride: in collected canter the circle moves more in a vertical oval, while in extended canter the circle is more of a horizontal oval.

Important for me is quietly having the rhythm of the transition in my head, and not hurrying the transition. Rather, calmly and quietly establish a good balance with the horse in self carriage and light in the hand, then quietly give the clear aid for the canter trans (for Centerline horses that is to step into the inside stirrup and think of turning the rider's sagital plane slightly to the outside), wait for the horse to respond, then calmly continue the new canter rhythm enforced by your quiet seat (ie ball of foot in stirrup, soft knee, upright position).

Summary of pearls:

• Quietly establish the rhythm, whether that is counting, feeling it as a musical beat, or however, but never rushing rather calmly directing the balance and rhythm with your position. Maintain the rider's correct position asking for balance and lightness even when mistakes occur, and before, during and after all transitions. Test that the horse is balanced and light in the hand at all times.
  
• Avoid trying to be a "balanced sandbag." Rather use the balls of your feet from the stirrups, soft knees, shoulders back and down with armpit muscles engaged to stay kinetically correct in the canter stride. Use these aids to ask the horse to lift his whithers in collected canter or free his shoulder in extended canter.
  

Protective Headgear Bulletin

Protective Headgear Rules for Dressage

Effective March 1, 2011, the following rules apply to Dressage Competitions and Regular Competitions holding Dressage classes:

1. Riders under age 18 must wear protective headgear, as defined by DR120.5 and in compliance with GR801, at all times while mounted on the competition grounds. This includes non-competing riders as well as those competing at any level.
   
2. While on horses competing in national level tests (Fourth Level and below), riders must wear protective headgear as defined by DR120.5 and in compliance with GR801, at all times while mounted on the competition grounds. This includes non-competing riders on horses competing in national level tests.
   
3. While on horses competing in USEF or FEI Young Horse Tests, and FEI Junior Tests, riders must wear protective headgear as defined by DR120.5 and in compliance with GR801, at all times while mounted on the competition grounds.
   
4. All riders competing in Para-Equestrian tests must wear protective headgear at all times while mounted on the competition grounds. Riders who compete in PE tests must wear protective headgear on every horse they ride, no matter the level or test.
   
5. All riders of any age while on non-competing horses must wear protective headgear at all times while mounted on the competition grounds.
   
6. All riders under age 18 and all riders while on horses competing in national level tests, who choose to wear Armed Services or police uniform, must wear protective headgear as defined in DR120.5 and in compliance with GR801 at all times while mounted on the competition grounds. Riders age 18 and over who wear Armed Services or police uniform on horses that are competing only in FEI levels and tests at the Prix St. Georges level and above must wear either protective headgear or the appropriate military/police cap or hat for their branch of service.
   
7. When a horse is competing in both national and FEI levels or tests (e.g. Fourth Level and PSG), the rider must wear protective headgear at all times when mounted on that horse on the competition grounds and during all tests.
   
8. While on horses that are competing only in FEI levels and tests at the Prix St. Georges level and above (including FEI Young Rider Tests, the USEF Developing Prix St. Georges Test and the USEF Brentina Cup Test), riders age 18 and over are not required to wear protective headgear in warm up or during competition. However, these riders may wear protective headgear without penalty from the judge.
   
9. In FEI-recognized (CDI, CDI-Y, CDI-J, CDI-P, etc.) classes, FEI rules take precedence and protective headgear is permitted but not required.
   
10. All riders while on horses competing in national level classes such as Equitation, Materiale and DSHB Under Saddle are required to wear protective headgear at all times when mounted on the competition grounds.
    

Protective headgear is defined as a riding helmet which meets or exceeds ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)/SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) standards for equestrian use and carries the SEI tag. The headgear and harness must be secured and properly fitted. Any rider violating this rule at any time must immediately be prohibited from further riding until such headgear is properly in place.

Recommendation to competitions:
In order to distinguish riders who are required to wear protective headgear from those who aren't, it is suggested that entry numbers in a different sequence be assigned to the entries in each group (e.g. use numbers from 1-700 for entries where riders must wear protective headgear and use numbers from 800 and above for entries where riders are not required to use protective headgear).

Short summary statement for use in prize lists:
Effective March 1, 2011, for dressage: Anyone mounted on a horse must wear protective headgear except those riders age 18 and over while on horses that are competing only in FEI levels and tests at the Prix St. Georges level and above (including FEI Young Rider Tests, the USEF Developing Prix St. Georges Test and the USEF Brentina Cup Test).

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United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. 4047 Iron Works Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40515 859-258-2472 webmaster@usef.org

Boot Camp Day 23

Today's lesson with Lurena reinforced what I've been learning throughout this entire time of intentional education: simply, the rider must dictate and maintain the proper balance by keeping the seat "flat" onto the saddle; requiring the horse to travel in self carriage by quick half halts up (even "shaking the horse off of the rein"); and never dwelling on the rein but continuously cycling through the quick-half-halts-followed-by-completely-giving-one-rein-the-other-rein-or-both-reins maneuver.

Some epiphanies, in no particular order:

• When the rider thinks and feels things are getting easier, i.e. the horse is traveling lighter and in self carriage with seemingly very little assistance from the rider, this means the horse is actually working much harder and engaging new muscle groups, and more frequent rest periods or changing the exercise to a different gate is in order. The muscles used to articulate the joints and carry the horse in a more uphill, "sitting" posture must be developed systematically over time and when the horse does engage those muscles in a nice way she should be allowed rest breaks. Avoid the temptation to say "oh this is so nice and easy" and ride 'round and 'round while the horse is actually working much much harder; rather respite this hard work with a tangible reward.
  

• When mistakes occur (and they will), the rider must remain in balance and insist that even the mistakes are done in balance and light in the hand. Follow the exercise through to completion: completion being when you've achieved a balanced and light in the hand approximation of what you set out to do and only after the mistakes have been corrected or addressed and the horse is traveling in balanced self carriage, through the aids and light in the hand. Only then allow the horse a break or rest period that they have rightly earned.
  

• If you want to give the horse a "light day" or an "easy" ride, work for less time (say ten or fifteen minutes) of high quality rather than allowing the horse to go around for any amount of time on the forehand or in an otherwise incorrect frame. The horse never has to guess if this is a day she can travel 'round with her snout up or if this is a day she'll actually have to be on the bit. Consistency is what makes it "easy" for the horse.
  

• Trail rides can be a great way to encourage a very good free walk. However insist that the horse travels in a relaxed way: that the head is out in front swinging from the shoulders as a part of the overall swinging back. Never allow the horse to travel with her head up, thus tightening the back and neck. If she pricks up her ears and shoots the head upward to gaze around, quietly insist with the rein that she keeps her head out in front of her body to swing with the back in a high quality free walk. She doesn't have to march around on the bit, but even when on the buckle she should have her head slightly lower and in front of her body to encourage a good free walk.