Windy Knoll Farm spring dressage I and II snapshots

Good Show

Delphi and I showed at Windy Knoll Farm spring dressage shows I and II this weekend March 16-18, 2012.

What did I learn from this show? Arriving on the showgrounds the day before the show is extremely helpful as Delphi and I were able to school with our adjunct trainer Lurena Bell in the actual competition arenas which gave us time to focus and relax. Delphi improves as the day goes on, but only if I am careful not to overtax her especially on the final day of the show. Giving Delphi a "mercy lunge" for just a few minutes very early in the morning helps her to relax both days of the show. Having a trainer to direct our warm up and otherwise coach us at the show is indispensable. Finally, using my seat and body in a swinging, relaxed way especially in transitions allows Delphi to stay relaxed.

Five positive things that went well at this show:
1) Delphi and I made our individual and collective debuts at third level at a recognized show.
2) We were able to work through much tension to achieve calmness and relaxation, even in the face of over a week's worth of stall rest secondary to wet weather and no riding secondary to some swelling in one of Delphi's legs.
3) Delphi remained calm and navigable before, during and after all her flying changes.
4) We gained show mileage and learned a lot about show strategy, especially warm-up and relaxation tactics.
5) Even in the midst of raging stallions, uncontrolled rogue horses, lunge whips cracking almost directly in her face, strange dogs in strollers, and myriad other wind-flapping distractions, Delphi remained extremely obedient and safe all weekend.

Jeff Moore Clinic

This weekend February 18 -21, 2012 Delphi and I spent schooling improved canter, trot half pass, extended gaits, flying changes, lateral work and even passage and piaffe; both in hand and under saddle.

Flying changes:


Delphi's piaffe steps with me in the long lines:


Schooling half pass, extended trot, passage and piaffe under saddle:


Collected, extended, and counter-canter improves:


Jeff takes the long reins to school piaffe:

Jeff, me and (a seemingly sleepy) Delphi the final day of the clinic:

High Cotton

Delphi will arrive in style in her new 2012 two-horse straight load trailer with walk in dressing room and two 7 foot walk-through side doors. With seven feet, six inches of head room and a full ten feet of stall length, Delphi will now have room to invite even the largest of her buddies to join her for trail rides, shows, or wherever she wants to travel stylishly.
Just sold the "little trailer that could" last night and the new trailer on order from EquiSpirit should be delivered by some time in March.

Full length solid doors with ramp over to provide the best in safety; and wide open, light and bright interior with no rear divider and a completely removable shoulder divider:

Easy to step over no-slip low angle ramp:

AND, a walk-in (seven foot door!) dressing room with plenty of bridle/saddle space and a custom made tack trunk/seat in the nose:

Can't wait for it to get here!

Another Fat Envelope

Mailed our entry today for the Windy Knoll Farm Spring Dressage I and II March 17-18 2012. Our goals at these two shows: 1)complete our score requirements for our USDF bronze medal by earning 60% or better- once in second level and twice in third level, and 2)qualify for the Region 9 championships at second level by earning 61% or above at second level on each of the two days.

Lofty (and attainable!) goals I know so I'm really thinking positively. Oh and doing my due diligence by generating wet saddle pads. The Jeff Moore clinic February 18-21 will be a perfect tune-up.

Seventh Annual Teeth Float

Dr. Mike Davis visited Delphi today to float her teeth. Once the speculum is in Dr. Davis always invites me to feel her teeth. I'm amazed at the sharp edges I palpate, and a little saddened when I see the irritating lesions those sharpnesses can produce. I can't help but think of the horses that do not get regular dentistry care who suffer in silence.

Note the lesion where the sharp tooth edges rubbed against the outer gums:

Here's a video clip of the process:

Gnat

Already ~1,600 pounds, at five years old Freya is a big little girl. Another one of the horses I've been riding lately, Freya is learning to go forward in relative balance and is even beginning turns around the forehand.

Dream Boat

This is Poder, one of the horses I rode today. Poder (pronounced Potter) is happily teaching me all the school movements through fourth level. He is THIS much fun to ride and an absolute sweetheart.
At twenty-something years old, Poder has much to offer. Seemingly my destiny lies in riding grey horses.

I Learned to Canter Today

Trot work, including lateral work, extensions, collection etceteras comes very easy for both Delphi and me. We have historically struggled however with canter work, both separately and together. I had a canter breakthrough in our lesson with Karen today. At the beginning of the lesson Karen gave me some insider theory concerning how best to ride the canter. Karen's seat at all gaits is impeccable, and particularly so at canter-- other top trainers such as Lurena Bell and Jeff Moore have noted this also. So, in considering the way that she-Karen- rides the canter, she came up with a simplified version of how she sits for canter:

by pressing your elbows down toward your thighs, keeping your elbows firmly and stably attached to your torso, you create and maintain the rhythm of the canter from the balls of the feet upward by sitting in such a way that you let yourself get pulled into the saddle. Be sure to maintain the canter rhythm to prevent your seat from popping out of the saddle, and you can give and take the reins while still maintaining your elbows pressing firmly down.

Note how firmly my elbows are attached to my core:

Here we see Delphi's relative elevation improve and though my elbows remain firmly down I could sit more securely by letting myself get pulled into the saddle:

Delphi maintaining self carriage and collection and me maintaining upright posture, core, and elbows down; a true feat for us in canter!

Photos, theory, and training courtesy Karen Brown.

Gryphon Schooling December 2011