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

Wish List

Includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Canter pirouettes
• Piaffe
  
• Canter half pass
• Flying changes

During our lesson with Lurena Bell at Belle Terre Farm yesterday, we schooled the prerequisites for all the above. Lurena reminded me to continue strengthening and suppling the lower back by doing walk exercises such as shoulder in, pirouettes, walking turn on the forehand, etceteras to continue to teach Delphi to articulate her lumbo-sacral joint which will in turn improve all her canter work, including pirouettes and changes. We schooled half steps while keeping Delphi round yet up from the withers. We schooled large canter pirouettes by doing haunches in on a circle. We schooled canter half pass with the premium on keeping Delphi engaged, supple, and sitting over her haunches.

Asking Delphi to sit more over her haunches in canter:

Canter half pass right:

Slightly more up from the withers in canter:

Half steps:

Half steps:

A soft, happy eye at the end of the lesson:

Chiropractic Adjustment

Frankly I am still getting adjusted to the idea of taking a perfectly sound horse to a veterinarian. However that's just what I did this Friday: Delphi had her very first chiropractic consultation and adjustment with Robin Robinette,DVM at Veterinary Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Clinic. Jeff Moore has commented upon Delphi's "stilted-ness" at canter and her need to more fully articulate her lumbo-sacral joint; the clinician Michael Vermaas also commented that Delphi could benefit from a chiropractic adjustment; and our trainer Karen Brown not only has suggested having Delphi evaluated but uses Dr. Robinette for her own horses as well.

Turns out that Delphi was out in her pelvis (confirming the lumbo-sacral joint needed attention) as well as at the poll and bilateral jaw. While we were there I also had Dr. Robinette do a saddle fit evaluation that confirmed Delphi's Albion saddle fits her well with no pinching of the spine, back or withers and ample spine clearance in the gullet, over the back, and under the cantle-- though it was suggested the saddle could eventually be re-flocked as it seemed I sit heavier to the right side based on the flocking distribution. After she performed the adjustment Dr. Robinette suggested two days off work but with ample turn out, which Delphi got. Today I worked Delphi.

Did I notice a difference? Well, there is no magic bullet, so if I expected chiropractic to be enchantment, it isn't. However I did notice slightly more fluidity in Delphi's lateral work today, particularly in canter half pass. She gave me two excellent flying changes- one in each direction. Most importantly: first we did no harm. Delphi was not stiff or sore, and even seemed slightly more supple in the neck. In canter she felt through and balanced.

Dr. Robinette suggested that after Delphi's return visit scheduled for one month there is no particular set schedule for follow-up adjustments, but that one allows the horse to tell us when they are needed. All in all I am pleased with the result and will definitely return to Dr. Robinette in future.

Delphi arriving at the beautiful Veterinary Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Clinic:

Dr. Robinette begins her evaluation by having Delphi stand squarely:

During the adjustment Delphi looks almost as skeptical as I felt:

Dr. Robinette performing a saddle fit evaluation:

A nice moment at the last Jeff Moore clinic:

Music Sound Check

Busy Bees

Since we have a longish break between our next show that is not until March of 2012, Delphi and I are taking this time to focus our efforts on continued, intentional training. Four rides at the Jeff Moore clinic helped us learn to "approach collection."

(When I asked Jeff to help me learn about collection, he gave me this anecdote: at the 1984 Olympics Jeff was there to watch Reiner Klimke and Ahlerich win all the medals, etceteras that they won that year. As he was coming out of the arena after his gold medal grand prix ride on Ahlerich, Dr. Klimke commented "Wow, I think I just approached collection." Jeff's point was that I shouldn't worry too much about judge's remarks on collection, for now.)

Delphi and I have the upcoming Michael Vermaas clinic here at our home base, and will be taking supplemental lessons at Belle Terre Farm with Lurena Bell as well as continuing our lessons with our trainer Karen Brown.

With the idea of "approaching collection" Karen has had me doing exercises to engage Delphi's hindquarter while keeping the forehand light: you put x amount of pressure into the reins (and x becomes less and less as the horse becomes more and more responsive) then use leg reinforced with whip where needed to activate the hindquarters. When the horse gives and the balance changes, the rider gives. Karen pointed out that if you get the horse to commit to it right off the bat at walk, then the other gaits will come easier.

During the warm up for our last lesson yesterday we were working on just that, at the walk. As Delphi became more and more engaged from behind and lighter and lighter in the forehand, I gave with the reins and continued to ask for engagement with my legs and springy seat. Out of the blue and from her own volition Delphi offered piaffe! After just a few steps I let her free walk out of it and made "big fuss." I was happy but wondered if it were repeatable: after a few minutes I asked again and voila, there it was: piaffe! When Karen arrived for the lesson I told her what happened so we schooled it a time or two more formally with the trainer walking alongside with the whip and me asking for the steps from my up-springing seat and our "collection" exercise. It is so fun when your horse offers you such a gift!

Delphi and I "approaching collection" at the trot:

Lagniappe. Reiner Klimke's and Ahlerich's gold medal winning ride at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Burbank:

Changes

Of course the best flying changes occur when there is no videographer, but here are a few of the changes we've managed to catch while the camera was rolling:

Cupcake

Delphi was an absolute pumpkin at the Jeff Moore clinic this week at Belle Terre. With Jeff's help we were able to improve the canter by adding more engagement via improving the the way the canter is ridden- with active reach back on my part and passive, NOT driving, coming forward of my seat. We schooled clean, straight flying change where the priority list is line of travel and don't make me work (I can kick Delphi and make her work), but cross canter is not important just keep riding her through 'til she changes. We worked on improving the renvers and travers by keeping Delphi's forehead perpendicular to the line of travel. Our biggest breakthrough was in the extended gaits back to an "uphill climb" to collection. I came away being able to say we "approached collection" through keeping her tall with "palsy" action of the rein.

We started out with Jeff Moore giving commentary and scores while Delphi and I performed second level test three:

Back at home I calculated the score and got 60.0%. The good news is this was the first few minutes of the first lesson of the entire clinic so I'm positive the scores will improve now on the other side of the clinic.

Canter Work

Delphi's canter continues to develop. The counter-canter work definitely improves her true canter:

With special cameo appearance by Prissy the Border Collie.

Centerline Sweep

The Centerline Training group was a hit at this weekend's All Heart Horse Farm Houston Dressage Society show. We took champion, first, and second places in all levels entered: third, first and training; with Rajah and Tiffany champion training level (and overall show highpoint training level and above) and Allie and Lisa champion first level.
Amazing what solid coaching, supportive atmosphere, and excellent training at home produces! With thanks to our wonderful trainer Karen Brown who empowers us- horses and riders alike- with solid principles of classical dressage, plus that extra something that is empathy, respect, and love for our equine partners and each other.

Long time buddies Allie and Wizard arriving:

The Centerline group from left to right Marlene, Tiffany, Lisa, Karen, Rachel and Carrie, with a Wizard nostril in the foreground (with thanks to helper/photographer Amy, Rajah's owner!):

Having a blast; Wizard/Rachel, Rajah/Tiffany, Allie/Lisa and Delphi/Carrie:

Perspective

Having chosen the slow, intentional path to learning the art of dressage, one expects good days and poor but with an overall progression toward harmony and influence over one's horses.

At least that's how I'm trying to keep perspective after two unsatisfactory scores at our most recent one day show. At 59.4 I was just shy of getting my final second level bronze qualifying score, and when I received a 47 from a different judge at the same show I couldn't help but feel disappointment.

To gain further perspective I began thinking about disappointment versus perseverance. While it's true my goals include an element of prize riding, that is not the ultimate objective. I contemplated my personal dressage odyssey that has serendipitously overlapped with some pretty awesome and amazing people and horses, and realized that a couple of bad scores shall not deter.

My trainer Karen Brown, to whom I owe a debt of gratitude and whose experience and knowledge I benefit from on an almost daily basis, just celebrated her tenth year anniversary of being cancer free. Beautiful Windy Knoll Farm, where Delphi and I spent this past Saturday in idyllic surroundings, was 1/4 mile from being burned to the ground by the recent Texas wildfires but by the efforts of local and volunteer firefighters was spared. My gentle and trustworthy mare obediently travels with me to shows, clinics and trail rides and is my daily partner, teacher, and co-scholar.

Yes, 47% on a second level test sheet with not receiving my qualifying score stings. Yet with so much to be thankful for I decided this weekend to graciously accept the red and blue ribbons on behalf of my "white horse" and march ever gratefully forward toward harmony and understanding.

Far from perfect but enjoying the journey.
Delphi and me at our first show in 2005:

Delphi and me on a trail ride earlier this year:

Delphi Beginning to Learn Half Pass

Our lesson this week focused on trot half pass and counter canter with steps of canter half pass. In counter canter along the wall I worked on bringing her haunches over toward the direction of the canter lead (as I would for canter half pass) which stood her up for a more balanced, more collected counter canter. To do this I kept stepping my weight into the leading stirrup, brought my outside (of the canter lead) leg back to ask her haunches to come in, thus standing her up. The counter canter work helped to improve Delphi's natural canter.

Here are some stills of Karen Brown schooling Delphi the previous day:

Delphi shows good relative elevation with good use of her shoulders in right canter half pass:

Delphi is still developing the required strength to maintain the bend:

"Sufficient" for third level, this reach of shoulder shows promise for improved half pass as Delphi gains strength and training:

You can see the balance still comes and goes; here she is in right canter half pass slightly on her forehand but still showing good energy and bend:

Good again with the shoulders and reach, however we expect improved collection and lower haunches as her training continues and her strength increases:

Here she is in right trot half pass; again "sufficient." Good crossing and bend but will work toward developing more impulsion:

I'd say this is "fairly good" to "good" for a third level initiate's left trot half pass. Like the energy and it has good crossing, reach, and bend.

Good crossing and from this angle we can really see the lightness of the forehand:

Again we see moments of Delphi struggling as if trying to balance with her neck. Though we wish we had more impulsion I like the crossing and bend, and we anticipate better use of the shoulder as her strength develops:

Again good crossing and lightness of the forehand. And from this angle-wowza that is one looooong body Delphi has to collect and carry:

(And no, she's NOT currently carrying a foal, just a rather large hay belly!)

Better use of the neck, and as her strength increases we will see more consistent collection; at this point the uphill tendency is consistent but there are still varying degrees of relative elevation as we see here:

And here, though with good crossing and shoulders leading the half pass:

Unfinished Business

It's true we're not quite ready to take it on the road, but with perseverance we'll definitely be ready for the 2012 show season at third level.
Witness as Delphi attempts bits and pieces of third level:



Note that Karen is riding in the outdoor arena. Dare we hope for cooler days?

Stardust

The very first horse I ever owned, my parents bought her for fifty dollars. After years of reading The Black Stallion series, Black Beauty, My Friend Flicka and others in the same genre, I had built up a pretty insistent theme of wanting a horse of my own. Our family having recently relocated from town to a small farm in the country, one day early in the school year of my fifth grade I came home to find this exquisite gray mare in one of the stalls of the 100 plus year old cypress barn that stood on the acreage adjacent to my parents' farm house in south central Louisiana. Truly the stuff of dreams come true.

(As an aside my parents still live in the same house but one of their farmer neighbors [my old school bus driver] has since reclaimed the wood from our old barn but made a lovely cypress bench from the wood that made up Stardust's stall which he presented to Chris and me as a wedding gift-- and my parents still have the board on which I painted her name above her stall door.)

The following several years a friendship deepened between me and "Girl" that only those who have had the privilege of calling a horse a comrade will ever understand-- and for those no words of explanation are necessary. After several months my dad finally purchased a western saddle for Girl but even after that I preferred to ride her bareback. The saddle was reserved for the weekends when Dad would saddle up Girl and the three of us would ride out together on the turnrows of the acres of surrounding farms.

Late in my junior year of high school Girl developed a gas colic and we had to take her to our local country vet. She stayed over night and back then my family just wasn't in the position to authorize surgery on a twenty-something fifty dollar horse-- though priceless in my eyes-- and she was humanely euthanized to prevent further suffering. I remember praying for her to recover and even "making deals" with God but He saw fit to take her away. As hard as it was then I've since learned that as we become sensible adults with goals of medals and expensive riding habits and many blue ribbons and lessons later it is still just as hard, just as sad, just as miserable to say goodbye. The years have mellowed the frustration and sadness of that moment into fun and beautiful memories but her loss is still keenly felt.

My heart goes out to each one that has lost an animal friend. They will always be remembered and as hard as it is when we lose their physical bodies we will never lose the love that grows between two friends.

Singing in the Rain

Today it POURED rain at the barn, glory be! At about nine in the morning, however, the rain hadn't started but the sky was overcast and a brisk breeze was blowing from the west. We actually got to ride outdoors today on the the dressage court in 80-something degree weather! It felt like Christmas-- it really did.

In the 20m x 60m space we schooled lots of canter-- simple trans's, counter canter, ten meter circles, trans's through trot. I focused on keeping Delphi's neck lower with her frame rounder over her back. She is definitely learning to maintain it better in canter but I could keep her even that little bit more round/deep/low especially in the medium canter and counter canter.

She is getting more consistent but I need to keep developing the tendency for Delphi to lower and relax her neck when I give toward her withers. She must be as elastic and through in the collected and the extended gaits as she is in the working gaits.

Working on canter in the outdoor arena:

Monkey on My Back

My ride times for Delphi's last show were prior to 7am, which meant in order to have time to feed, clean her stall, lunge, and warm up we had to leave the hotel long before the continental breakfast was served, and the in-room coffee service had everything to make coffee but no actual coffee. Never mind, I thought, I'll just grab a cup at the show concession stand.

Which wasn't open at the hour we got there and by the time it did I was already mounted. So here I am at 5:30 in the morning sucking down a cold, nasty diet coke just for the sake of the caffeine. I looked it up later: a typical cup of coffee has about 200mg of caffeine while a soda has about 80mg. It was enough to keep a headache at bay but only just.

There I was in the 100+ degree heat having to slurp down a coke zero every couple of hours just to stay functional. Ridiculous! I have vowed to kick my caffeine habit so this week I've cut back to a single diet soda per day, and then only when the headache, nausea, and irritability are no longer to be borne.

I want to be free to focus my best effort in all situations, and being caught off guard in an unfamiliar environment really drove home my dependency on caffeine. I'm trying my best to get the monkey off my back.

Braiding with caffeine withdrawal shakes is NOT my idea of efficiency at a show:

Rode four horses today.

Delphi is solidly schooling the third level movements. For now I'm leaving the changes alone due to our upcoming show which will (hopefully) be her last second level tests. Worked on flexions and counter flexions at canter. Continuing to develop throughness and lightness in the hand in all gaits.

EXCELLENT work from Wizard today. I was able to get fluid, round canter. His trot following the canter work was to die for. The trot lengthening was buoyant and full of impulsion-- and round and through too! Delphi's pas de deux partner, I schooled Wiz with the first level requirements in mind.

Appassia- learning to neutralize her little tensions by saying, "No, really, you must" and staying firm and positive with her. Schooled some nice canter even on her trickier left rein. She tried to pull the "I'm scared of the swimming pool" routine but I didn't buy it and we had a nice ride instead.

Re-visited the changes today on Rajah: he drops to trot for less than one stride then canters off in the new lead rather than flying through. The first time I schooled Rajah I got good changes but his owner told me today that they are difficult for him. For strengthening we schooled shoulder fore in canter. Got some fantastic trot half pass and walk pirouettes.

32 right, 6 left, 17 right

The combination of riding a particular horse oneself, then having the opportunity to watch as someone else rides the same horse, then following up by again schooling the horse has proven extremely beneficial for both me and the horses I ride.

Two examples:
Wizard- Centerline Training's Spanish barb- and I are working toward being soft, through, and round. We achieve this in walk and trot but canter and transitions have proven more difficult. Yesterday I got to watch as Wizard's Aunt Rachel schooled him in the canter. I saw her lighten the aids immediately following the canter up transition. I considered that she gave deliberate and obvious, if big, rein aids with a return to subtle rein aids as often as needed (no knitting upon the reins did she!).
With all this in mind during my ride with Wiz today, I intentionally aided him into a very good trot that was favorable to become a very good up trans to canter. Once in canter I thought about what I had watched Rachel doing the previous day and visualized a collected, through, and soft canter. Much to Wizard's contentment I neither fiddled with the reins or got stronger in them. We were able to canter 'round smoothly with several lovely transitions, and it was repeatable in both directions.

Appassia, my barn buddy's lovely Arabian mare gave a new-to-Centerline student a lesson that I audited. This well schooled and elegant horse has a quirk in the canter up trans that if you're not prepared for can take you by surprise. Having experienced the quirk myself from the saddle, I had formed the opinion that it was rather large and alarming, akin to a buck. Watching the student school through it, however, proved to me that what felt to me strangely appalling from the saddle was actually a much smaller difficulty than I perceived.
Today when I rode Appassia I channeled all that Wiz had taught me with his excellent cantering and Appassia and I skipped through the minor difficulty with ease.

While watching others ride I often ride with them in my imagination: making corrections, adding impulsion, or straightening the horse as I follow along. It's neat to be able to follow up from the saddle on what one has learned visually.

Wizard and Rachel schooling canter:

Another Fat Envelope

Mailed in my entry for the Windy Knoll Farm Fall Dressage Show today. Goal: to earn our final second level qualifying score toward our USDF bronze medal.

Guest Blogger

My barn buddy and fellow adult amateur has agreed to be a guest blogger today. Also working toward her USDF medals, my friend's current projects include rehabbing from injury her eventer/foxhunter/dressage partner and campaigning her current schoolmaster at second, third, and fourth levels.

She shared this breakthrough:
"I had a great lesson on my schoolmaster this morning, which helped my trainer and me to decide that I will send in my entry for the upcoming show.

We did a great exercise for putting jump in the canter: canter half-pass to quarter-line to halt. Then, from halt, strike off into canter IN half-pass to X, etc. across the diagonal. It took some doing (and incidentally got some volunteered trot half-passes to die for; unfortunately for my schoolmaster, it wasn't what I was asking for), some halt to rein-back, but finally did it. Then ended with canter full-pirouettes in each direction that were really uphill and relaxed.

The breakthrough came while riding my injured horse. She was her normal fussy self at the beginning--didn't want to go on the bit, didn't want to walk, didn't want to do haunches-in at the walk, tail-swishing, waaa waaa waaa. I had been determined to keep my hands still (Madame De Farge casts a very long shadow, my dear), and I was getting frustrated at her shenanigans. Suddenly, I thought, 'Just ride her the way you ride the schoolmaster.' So: my half-halts became STRONG, but very clear. I got out of the reins quickly. I asked once, then demanded. And, guess what? She was delightful. hahahhaahhahaha.

Just ride the frickin' horse!! What a concept. No, my injured horse and I did no canter pirouettes. But we did a 20-m stretchy circle (at the rising trot, a first) in both directions, and a trot serpentine with real bend. On the bit. Calm. I don't know why I'm so dumb-founded, but thought I ought to share. I'll bet if you ride Delphi the way you're riding Wizard/Gryphon/Fee, etc., you'll have a similar breakthrough."

Thank you my friend for that. Point taken!

It takes a village. These folks are a few of the villagers.

Madame Defarge

The thing about riding a variety of horses is that it exposes a rider's faults that can sometimes be hidden when one rides the same horse all the time. The habit that is currently driving me nuts is the tendency to fidget the reins in a most un-dressage-like way (Jeff Moore once said of me "you have very supple wrists").

Help has come in the form of my trainer Karen's Spanish barb Wizard. My fidgety-ness drives him as crazy as it does me-- more so. He will absolutely not put up with it and exposed my less than perfect hands instantly.

With all this in mind during my ride on Wiz today I disconnected my inclination to fidget, channeled my inner Edward Gal, and quietly but deliberately and independently controlled the movements of my hands with elbows down and half halts coming from the shoulders.

Wizard unlocked something in me today: when we finally communicated it was suddenly Zen: Wizard happily went forward from a through and supple connection, and I was able to maintain it by continuing with my deliberate and independent rein aids, working with yet independent from my leg and seat aids.

Wizard just may make a dressage rider out of me yet!

Wizard the wonder pony,
and Zen master.

Canter Quarter Pirouettes-- say THAT three times fast

Karen said of Delphi today that she is now consistent enough that Karen is able to simply add to Delphi's daily training things like canter and trot half pass, single flying changes, and canter quarter pirouettes. It is very satisfying to be schooling all of these as well as watching Karen get half steps and teaching Delphi to be very tall, uphill, and maintain more consistent self carriage.

Karen and me busy at work

This Just In

Horses never cease to amaze me. Today I witnessed a job swap: the first time my trainer Karen's Trakehner filly Lola jumped under a rider, and the first dressage lesson Blue Fox Farms owner and hunter/jumper trainer Teri's Oldenburg stallion Jeepers experienced in a dressage saddle. At first glance all this doesn't seem so spectacular; Lola has free jumped and has been lunged over cavaletti and is a sensible, willing girl; Jeepers has been in consistent work and is a kind, mannerly boy.

But Lola was so relaxed and workmanlike over her fences: she didn't get strong before the jump or rush after it; she basculed nicely over the jump and tucked up her knees-- "very photogenic jumper-- she hangs her body over the jump" as pro jumper trainer Teri Bludworth put it from the saddle.

Then Jeepers displayed amazing suspension and gaits; he happily moved from shoulder in to leg yield to lengthening, and his canter is simply beautiful. As pro dressage trainer Karen Brown said, "If I didn't know better I'd think I was just riding a very pleasant gelding."

The very fact that these two youngsters took so easily to their earliest lessons in a whole new (to them) discipline and that their respective owners so completely confide in them is what I find amazing and inspiring. Wonders, even the expected ones, never cease.

Pas de Deux Plus Two

A cute sixpack from our Pas de Deux lesson: Prissy, Rachel, Wizard, Carrie, Delphi, and Nephyn. It takes a village. Photo by Karen Brown.

"How many horses did you ride today?"

...my barn buddy Marlene asked of me. "Only three" I replied.

It's official: I have left a career in ophthalmology to embrace my destiny of riding full time. The first few lesson horses I've been riding are as varied as they are awesome: a powerful if compact Haflinger that teaches me the meaning of correct tempo, two noble Quarterhorse schoolmasters that are as eager to do upper level dressage movements as a southern gentleman is to hold the door for a lady, a pretty Arabian mare that teaches me I can ride one tempis, a Rhinelander mare that has earned several riders their bronze and silver medals and who considers the third and fourth level movements I'm learning as the easy stuff, and of course the challenging but rewarding world of the Trakehner.

While I may not take three riding lessons every day, it will be more common than not. I am excited and humbled at the opportunity afforded to immerse myself in the teachings and daily enterprises of my remarkable trainer-cum-mentor Karen Brown.

Mare on Fire

As Karen put it, we "cleaned up" this weekend at the Windy Knoll Summer Dressage I and II show.

Best of all, I earned my initial second level qualifying score, putting us halfway to our USDF bronze medal. Delphi and I were on the USDF Adult Amateur Team "Stranger's Danger" and won first place for the team gold medal. Delphi earned two firsts under Karen and me respectively, which earned us the blue ribbons and two lovely crystal wine glasses.

Karen's ride-- which was awesome-- earned her the Reserve Champion for Second Level Open and a gift certificate to Charlotte's Saddlery! All in all, a fun weekend!

Trakehner trot:

Nephyn served as show Director:

Taking a break from the heat:

Swag, swag, and more swag:

Delphi earned two blue ribbons, two wine glasses, a red ribbon, and the USDF Adult Team Competition Gold Medal (Delphi was real impressed, can you tell?):Karen earned Reserve Champion Second Level Open, a gift certificate from Charlotte's, a blue ribbon, and a crystal wine glass:

Karen rode Delphi to the absolute razor's edge and pulled the utmost out of Delphi. After being inspired by Karen's ride and with additional coaching from Karen, our scores improved the second day.
Some score sheet highlights:

In my second level test three:

• medium trot = "expressive" 7
• both shoulder ins = "good bend, needs activity" 7 and "angle varies a bit" 7
  
• up trans to collected canter from shortened stride in walk = "prompt" 7
• simple change (canter-walk-canter) = "smooth, could stay better connected" 7
• 10 meter canter circle, then simple change = "smooth but needs to improve connection" 7 and 7 respectively
• GAITS (freedom and regularity) = 7
  

In my second level test one:

• halt, rein back = 8
• rider's position and seat = 7

The judge's comments were, from Maryal Barnett: "Attractive horse with lots of potential. Needs better connection back to front."

From Creeky Routson: "Attractive horse." [At least they didn't say "Nice tail!"] "Improved suppleness in connection will help consistency."

Maryal Barnett said of Delphi "Seems like a very honest horse." [HA! Delphi's got her snowed.] "Work on getting a more through topline."

Update: click for Delphi's results on the ATA page.

From the Equestrian Training Center PFERD24 in Germany, Totilas has sired a black filly and a chestnut colt. That filly is a wowza! (And I'm partial to girls!) Her "mommy" is a recip mare and the dam of both foals is an Oldenburg.

Totilas' sire is Trakehner while his dam is a Dutch mare so neither he nor his offspring can officially be registered as Trakehner since the Trakehner breed has a closed stud book (open only to purebred Trakehners or mares of pure Thoroughbred or Arabian bloodlines after inspection by the Trakehner association). But we all know he's a Trakehner on the inside-- only have to watch him move!

From PFERD24:

Foals by Totilas out of state premium mare Solotänzerin by Sandro Hit/Canaster

"Our black filly by Totilas out of state premium mare Solotänzerin by Sandro Hit / Canaster was born on March 20, 2011. The foal was carried by the recipient mare Atesse. Mare and foal are alive and well.

On May 15, 2011, Solotänzerin became a mother herself, giving birth to a healthy and superb moving colt by Totilas. The modern and willingly working mare Solotänzerin is full sister to the exceptional mare "Silberaster OLD" whom we purchased at the Oldenburg Elite Auction in 2007. "Silberaster OLD" won the Federal Championships in 2006 and 2007 and in 2008 the bronze medal at the World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses in Verden."