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.

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.

The gleam in my eye:

The Back as a Sensory Organ

Especially important in transitions, cultivating the back as a sensory organ is necessary for me to ride Rijkens, Tiede, and indeed all horses in harmony and with finesse.  Today during our lesson with Karen Brown we worked on "pushing into the glass wall" with my half halts-- that is using my back and pressing my elbows down.  For transitions I use my seat to spring up up up into the transition which allows me to fluidly go with the horse, and communicates to the horse through his back to make the transition (rather than using the reins).  A simple, and elegant lesson. 

Baby Boy

What a treat it was to get these precious baby photos in the mail from Rijkens' birth mom who still owns Rijkens' dam Ladybug.  Here they are together when Rijkens was about four months old.

Excellent conformation even as a baby: 

 Adorable face:

 Nice neck, even then; Rijkens still rocks the punk mane look:

 Cuteness defined:

Though these photos show he does look a lot like his mom Ladybug, there is no denying Rijkens is a true son of his sire Rantares.  Here is Rantares with Cheryl Kellerman, Rijkens' breeder and first trainer:

Peace

Mondays are becoming my favorite days of the week.  Typically the day off for horses and horse-folk, Monday 'round the barn is very peaceful.  No trainers, almost never any boarders, only Rijkens' quiet grooms are around and we have the whole place to ourselves and we can move at whatever pace we choose.  Today I rode Rijkens in the outdoor dressage court during an unexpected but luxurious overcast and breezy several minutes of cool-ish weather before it rained.  Among other things we schooled canter transitions, counter canter, and collected and extended canter.  Once we established maintaining the same canter lead, we progressed to changes of lead on straight lines.  I did not count strides as in the tempis, rather changed leads three times on each straight line when the canter was sufficiently balanced, uphill, and collected.  Rijkens and I really communicated today and were able to achieve harmony.

 

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  John 14:27

Allowing Lightness

Rijkens is definitely uphill, light and springy.  My job is to keep the engagement and and continue to lift and lighten with my aids.  Snapshots from our lesson today:

Video clip of Karen Brown schooling Rijkens:

Fiver

Each of the five horses I schooled today were absolute pumpkins.  Here's a one-word description of every pony today:

Rose: intelligent
Apashia: easy
Rijkens: advance
Juno: flying
Rocky: through

As my trainer Karen would say, it's been a red letter day.

Bonus: we had a good break in the rain and all the horses enjoyed their paddock time today.

Snapshots for the Scrapbook

Rijkens schooling in Florida:

Medium trot:

 Jump in canter?

 Collection:

 Piaffe:

Bending the hocks:

 Lest we begin to think he is a unicorn, yes he does have the occasional opinion:

 But oh how I love, love, love him!

Show Off

Today during our ride my barn buddy Racine was schooling her lovely Dutch warmblood mare at the same time I was working Rijkens.  While we were both at the free walk on the buckle she asked "So what can he do?"  Now I don't think she was baiting me but rather making polite conversation when this elegant German rider questioned "Can he do piaffe?"  My response was "Er, ah, um well yeah, but--- you know I only just got on him and it wouldn't really be fair to ask..." my voice trailed off as she raised her eyebrows.  I mean yeah my pony is trained but I'm no Grand Prix rider after all...

But then I thought let's just see here: so I shortened the reins to collected walk and with my body and aids said Energy! Tone! GET some energy.

Rijkens lifted into a bee-you-tee-ful piaffe and as I gave the rein lofted forward into passage.  It only lasted a few moments as I threw the buckle at him and made big fuss.  I had one of those superstitious moments where you look over your shoulder since you just can't believe it's happening.  Yeah, this is going to be fun.

Rijkens' earliest attempts schooling piaffe with his first trainer Cheryl Kellerman: 

Lead Up

My barn buddy Lisa recently made a comment about how she wished all horses could be brought along kindly and by generous owners, and I wholeheartedly share that wish.
When I was in the throes of searching for a suitable FEI horse, there were many spectacular moments on Rijkens' sales videos: canter pirouettes, sweeping trot and canter half pass, piaffe, passage that were fancy and flashy and made me want to see more.  But the following is an excerpt from his sales video that made me almost certain, even before I ever visited Rijkens in Michigan and rode him for three days, that I wanted to know him.  In this short clip witness Rijkens' first trainer (and breeder, and his first owner's best friend) school Rijkens' earliest attempts at the two tempis.  No, it isn't perfect and he struggles a bit.  What captured me is that Cheryl gives a big accolade for effort and "makes much" of her horse for really trying.  Oh-- and all in a plain snaffle.  Yes, that was the moment I realized this horse was for me.