Insist on Personal Excellence

Beautiful Freestyle Farm was the venue for our most recent show Sunday July 11, 2010. Though Delphi got two blue ribbons for two rides, our scores did not improve. Delphi was much more relaxed and obedient however; now I need to continue to develop the engagement of the hindquarters, lightness of the forehand, and insist on personal excellence in making my aids effective.

The helpful collective remarks from judge Leslie Cummings reveal where our homework should focus:
Second level test two: "Attractive team. This level requires much more engagement of the hindquarters with thrust and ground-covering strides. Expect more. Sure seems to be in there!"
First level test four: "Pleasant team. 1st 4 gets serious about thrust from behind, an elastic connection back-to-front with straightness AND ground-covering strides. Re-balance that 'lengthening' trot as your starting point!"

Delphi's medium and lengthened trot got "some ground cover but needs more-- 7" and "some thrust shown; use this energy in your working trot--7."

Also telling were our respective collective marks. Delphi got "7" for GAITS while I got "5" on RIDER. I need to expect as much personal excellence from myself as what I expect Delphi to give; if I will bring my A game every day, every ride-- no excuses-- our scores will improve.

7IL Trail Ride

A quarter horse, a thoroughbred, a fresian, a standardbred and a trakehner all walk into a bar...
No not really, but the five of us DID go on the 6.3 mile "Red" trail (see map above) today at beautiful 7IL Ranch. The footing was perfect and the long slow distances up and down hills were an ideal compliment to our dressage fitness program. The steeper banks, where the horses have to sit pushing up the bank and collect coming down the bank were also excellent practice for our dressage mounts. Fording through belly-deep water was exciting. Mostly though the trails and company at 7IL are just plain fun.

Photo Highlights from Hearthstone

These photos were videographed by Karen Brown (yes, she CAN coach, call, and operate a camera all at once-- I've seen her do it). The indoor dressage arena at Hearthstone is shredded rubber tires over a sand base- makes for lovely schooling. Witness:

Product Review: Ariat Paddock Boots

Behold the new and old Ariat Heritage III Zip Paddock boots:
After a couple years of punishment:

Product claim: upgraded full-grain leather and a moisture-wicking and breathable lining will hold their own at the barn. Scuff, stain, and water resistant leather wipes clean with a damp cloth, and self-cleaning tread make the Ariat® Heritage III Zip Paddocks a breeze to keep clean.

Review: I'm now on my fifth pair of Ariat paddock boots, and this is my second pair of their zip up variety; this last one was purchased from SmartPak for $110.

Pros: I spend several hours every day of all seasons in these boots. They are exceedingly comfortable and fit me as though custom made. For me there is no break-in time for the paddock boots (not so for Ariat's dress boots- but that's a different product) and each successive pair purchased goes right into service with no blisters or stiffness.

Cons: I can only get about two year's worth of use out of one pair of paddock boots; however to be fair they get daily extremes of temperature, moisture, dryness, mud, manure, uric acid, water, and sweat. Trust me, neither I nor the Texas weather baby these boots.

Bottom line: I like these boots, and am loyal to Ariat for comfort and predictability. They're not the least expensive nor are they the highest quality available, but they meet my needs and stand up- for a couple years at least- to weather, environmental, and employment extremes.
I recommend them.

Consistency, Please

As everyone who shows their horse knows, it takes a huge amount of effort and a certain amount of good luck to make it to the summit of riding for six minutes in front of a judge at a dressage show. Delphi got marks everywhere from "good" (8) to "insufficient" (4). We are working to become more consistently through, with more engagement of the hindquarters and more thrusting power- with relaxation- in all gaits and paces.

For example, in the leg yield at Saturday's schooling show in first level test 4, judge Grace Harris gave the first leg yield to the left: "Fluid, but needs energy: 7 (Fairly Good)."
But leg yield right got: "No crossing shown: 4 (Insufficient)."

The transition to canter: "Hollow in depart: 5 (Marginal)" but the change of lead through trot was: "Few too many trot steps but straight and balanced: 7 (Fairly Good)."

The halt got: "Straight; balanced: 8 (Good).

In second level test two the walk work and halt/rein back got 7's (Fairly Good) while the travers ("too little angle" and "hollow- no angle or engagement") got 4's (Insufficient).

The first medium trot was: "hollow, losing rhythm: 5 (Marginal) but the second medium trot got: "lacks throughness: 6 (satisfactory)."

Delphi's gaits and my rider score were both 6 (Satisfactory).

Of course we're striving to improve our scores at the summit experience of shows while keeping in mind that it's the journey to the summit-and how we build on it- that really matters.

Hearthstone Schooling Show

Left to right: Dezi, Sarah, Tina, Delphi, Carrie, Karen, Karen, Christy, Rogue, Marlene, Allie, and Crystal

The Hearthstone Riding Stables schooling show was a blast this past Saturday June 26, 2010. Photographer Laurie Virkstis was there capturing memories like this one of a group of some of the Centerline Training students. View more proofs of the show at www.laurievirkstis.com.

Another group photo:

Left to right: Christy, Bailey, Ceil, Karen, Allie, Crystal, Carrie, Delphi

Jeff Moore Clinic June 19, 2010

Test riding strategies was the theme for our rides with Jeff Moore at beautiful Belle Terre farm. Among other topics, Jeff discussed:

• For the turn down centerline, aim for an 8 meter turn, thus allowing yourself room to correct an overshoot and then glide straight onto centerline; also applies for turns at E or B
  
• At home, ride 1 meter in from the rail, then ride deeply into each corner of the arena as if describing the corner pockets of a pool table; do this militantly unless you are specifically doing another figure such as a circle etceteras
• When showing medium gates, show an immediate and impressive surge of medium directly AT the starting letter, then show a distinct return to the collected gait at the ending letter- think trot (or canter) in place for two or three steps
• When showing leg yield or half pass, exaggerate the sideways movement immediately AT the starting letter; at the lower levels show exaggerated sideways early in the movement then glide along the rail if you reach the rail somewhat early
• On entry, line up your centerline with the judge and some (very) distant focal point behind the judge rifle sighting style; ride to the judge not necessarily the letter C marker
• Always brighten 10 meter circles so they are even more lively than your regular gait
  

Topics not covered by Jeff but exceedingly helpful if, like me, you are fortunate enough to have these tough-to-come-by but very appreciated additional items:

• Have an incredible support team surrounding you with positive vibes and encouragement (cheering is optional but valued!)
• Have your horse ridden regularly by, as well as take lessons from, a remarkable Dressage trainer who not only teaches your horse and you, but apprentices you how to train your own horse
  
• Have the world's best slave/therapist/friend/all around competent horseperson as your groom

If you accomplish all of the above, you're sure to succeed!

Guenter Seidel Breaks Pelvis in Horse Related Injury

Yesterday, June 13 2010, Guenter Seidel fell from a bucking runaway horse at Klaus Balkenhol’s farm in Germany, breaking his pelvis and puncturing his lung. After repair surgery, Guenter is in stable condition in the ICU at Munster. With a good prognosis from his surgeon, Guenter is expected to recover well hopefully within several months. See a more detailed update at Dover's World blog.

The Pupil Exceeds the Master

Delphi is fast approaching surpassing me in her Dressage training. It's true there are many things we can still work on together, but I've reached a point in my own training where I need to again start riding a variety of horses, this time at the upper levels of Dressage, to push beyond my current limits.
As a seven year old when I purchased her, Delphi could walk trot and canter in a round pen environment. Her primary-and only- job before I owned her was as a broodmare. Never having lived off the farm where she was born, Delphi led a somewhat protected life. In fact the one and only time she ever left the farm where she was born during her first seven years of life was to go to her inspection. When her previous owner and breeder dropped her off for my initial two week trial period, she casually mentioned that Delphi did very well getting on and off the trailer especially since it was only the second time in her life she'd even seen a trailer, and that by the way I might want to have her ultrasounded because they had recently implanted an Andalusian embryo in Delphi as a recip mare in their breeding program. WHAT?? Turns out all was well in the end-- she was open.
Thank heavens for our trainer Karen Brown, who we increasingly rely on for the campaigning of team Delphi. In the mean time I'm looking forward to riding the FEI movements on mounts such as Fee, Gryphon, maybe even Poder and Alli.
It is both a satisfaction and spur for action that I have taught Delphi almost all that I possibly can at this point. From learning to trailer obediently and quietly, standing passively for ear, face, leg and tail trimming, mane and tail pulling, to making accordion steps up and down the training scale and ultimately learning elements of self carriage and straightness, ours continues to be a fun and satisfying erudition. I'm very proud of Delphi and how much she has both learned from me and taught to me, and continues to do so.

A Clinic and A Lesson

Delphi got "A's" on her report card this week. Her stablemate Bailey and she took a clinic lesson with Lurena Belle Stanley (a Christmas present-- thanks Ceil!) last Saturday, and Delphi's regular lesson with Karen Brown was today. Lurena had me focus on my aids: when giving a half-halt make it "quick or sharp" so that it creates a fast response ("almost as though you're shaking the rein at the horse"), rather than mauling on the reins for a long period of time. On transitions and gaits Lurena reminded me to make the walk as good, energetic, and light as it can be for a second to third level horse (ABANDON the training level walk, she insisted) then just ask for the up trans to canter without over-preparing the horse. Do this several times in a row and soon the horse will be cantering off nicely from a very good walk into a very good canter. Lurena suggested I save my leg aid for medium gaits rather than waste it in the walk-- to smarten the walk use whip (preferably on the inside gaskin as Karen showed me today).
Delphi's counter canters are strong, balanced and lovely. Remember to keep the horse fairly straight in counter canter; there is only slight flexion in the jaw toward the counter-bend in canter, otherwise the horse goes along almost as though on the "true" lead. To further straighten the counter canter ask for half pass out on the circle. Then, when she is very balanced and straight, we changed the bend deliberately to the inside of the circle, changed the leg and seat aids to ask for a flying change to "true" canter, and backed up the seat aids with the whip- Karen suggested using the whip on the shoulder for the change. We actually got a couple good attempts at the changes and Delphi stayed relaxed and obedient throughout.