It all comes at once

After a few rains the world has become green again. Kentucky grass is amazing and resilient stuff. Two rains and the fields are back.

Spring has allowed many things to begin growing again, including Sincere who is in his second growth spurt this year. Gone is the balanced six month old, replaced is the goosey ten month old baby with the sparkling, confident personality.

He is preferring human company to his herd at the moment and does come to the fence when called.  

Watching him come to the fence today, his movement, despite becoming conformationally unbalanced, is starting to develop more. I'm excited to see him go, I just hope he likes dressage.

All the right moves in all the wrong places

Spring is finally here, however timing, if anything isn't.

After working for five straight weeks on a varied schedule, I finally, at least temporarily, get to return to a normal work week.

Sinari and I returned to normal work in the outdoor.

Capitalizing on the come-back lessons from the prior weeks, we split the work down into segments. Somedays we would work on solidifying bend, flexibility and lateral work, the experimental stuff and the others working, insistently, on the consistency of the work at hand.

Returning to work is never easy.

To get to the goal of FEI, we have to address a few issues that are currently popping up. In reality they aren't really issues, but a contract negotiation for the upcoming work. But, she is coming back, improving from prior work and has becoming all much more stronger.

This week she achieved bigger, more educated, flying changes. We reconfirmed the shoulder-in to half pass to shoulder in work, and sharpened the half halt. As for myself, I need to learn to sit back again.

101 Things: Number 95 Many roads of Rome

I had the pleasure of sitting down to dinner about a week ago with a few USEF official-friends who were in town on business. Collectively sitting at the table was at least 80 years of dressage experience.

These individuals saw the foundation (and actively participated in founding) of the USDF, the L Program, were active FEI riders, still active coaches, and have brought along the best and brightest the industry has to offer. While the conversations ran many directions, it inevitably led to the state of the union of dressage stateside.

The individuals at the table have seen many forms of dressage, good, bad and every shade in between. They have seen abuse, and riding at it's finest. It was a hugely enjoyable experience listening to them.

One of them had the pleasure of seeing the major schools train on a tour of Europe. The Portuguese, Vienna, Samure, Jerez, German, Swedish and Dutch/Netherlands schools, all very different, with different individuals, styles, and different methods to achieve their goals. But all producing the same product: the Grand Prix horse.

Lately, the word 'classical' has become a blanket term in dressage. You frequently hear classically-bred, classically trained, classically-rode, classical-this or that when you frequent forums, conversations or dressage circles. Classical in America, has taken a life of it's own. It's become a selling point without a basic understanding of what it is.

Due to that lack of understanding, many tout one school of thought or method over another, sometimes ad nauseum.

As a dressage rider, disregard the labels.

Any method, wonderful, good, bad or horrible is something you can learn from. Look at it, look at what individuals it is used with, how it is used, digest it and move with it. Learn what and why it works for an individual, take it, and use it. Or don't.

All roads, no matter how long, lead to Rome. There is no main one that is ultimately correct for everyone, but, because the end is just the same, we, as riders must learn to accept and utilize .  It is this understanding that breaks down barriers and creates a richer, more diverse community of riders and teachers and only seeks to better the sport in the long run.

Oh horsefeathers!

I had the opportunity last week to go out and ride a friend's four year old Fell. What a fantastic pony. Moved just like a little Friesian with three times more hair and attitude. He was a good sport throughout my fiddling and asking for new things that he's never been asked for (half steps).

Here he is in the warm up gallop:

Just darling isn't he?

Time is on my side

February, in all it's polarizing glory is gone!

I'm happy to see the sun, and be back in the outdoor where the footing is a little thinner and the area a little bigger.

Sinari, who has been languishing because of the weather, is not as eager to see the return of spring or warm weather. We hit our full stride this week, returning under saddle to some fantastic early work. By fantastic, I mean a hattrick of days where she showed her stripes for FEI work. Piaffe, tempi changes, the zig-zag and the super collection.

It was fantastic, but unexpected. I was hoping for a non-pressured week of transitions, bend and cleaning up a few things along the way. But, in this case, you get and enjoy it while you get the freebie work.

After all this fabulous work Saturday, she became frustrated at not being able to do the changes and started to buck. Amusing, and something I can't punish, we changed subjects and had a lovely school with deep bends and pushing the balance more up and out.

It doesn't seem like much, but recapping February's goals:

The adjustable outline/ the accordion
Lateral work, specifically half pass. Needs more flow, and of course, the zig-zags.
Pirouettes, canter and walk
Transitions out of the halt to canter. She gets jiggy (not that I mind, it will come in handy for piaffe), and becomes stoppy at the up transition (resists contact). I want her to become comfortable with the transition itself.
Tempi Changes (at least green ones) and regular uphill, straight changes.
If the weather will allow- conditioning.

Weren't met due to weather, but were somewhat met this week.

So March's goals?

The above in addition to consistency.  I would like to get back into the double at the end of the month, but it depends on how the weather holds out.

Shameless self-promotion

I mentioned in a prior post that I co-own a company, I've had a few questions thrown around about it, and I'd be more than happy to answer here.

My company's name is Team EnGaged Clinics.

We host educational clinics (and soon to expand to symposiums, camps) for the equestrian population. 

The idea of it was initially started in 2008, where my partner started hosting dressage events semi-regularly, and I helping out, with a few clinicians. We weren't particularly serious at the time because of our time commitments. I was busy with work, and riding and she was busy doing her thing as well.

So while we were mildly successful- we had shelved the possibility of expanding or devoting seriousness.

2009 rolls around and the educational scene in the area becomes comatose for a variety of reasons.

In short, the area was being stunted by a lack of variety, and a lack of availability.

This, we felt was incredibly wrong.

As someone who has been at the bottom of the pole, I recognize the need for people to feel included within the community. Not just specific people, or circles, the community. I also recognize the need for transparency within an organization.

So, my partner and myself formed Team EnGaged on these core tenements:


First, it's our opinion that education is and should be accessible to everyone. Whether it be an equestrian education or a regular education, it should be available. If you're a serious equestrian, you are always, continuously learning. To progress, you must learn, you must seek help from a higher source.

Secondly, we believe to progress an area, region, or even neighborhood, you must look outside for help. The United States has a bevy of international riders, trainers and speakers. Europe is a power house. We need these people here to help bring new ideas. We also believe in looking at unusual sources for information, people who wouldn't normally be affiliated with the equine world, but still have a lot to contribute. 

Continuing in that same vein, we believe it takes more than a village to raise us. The concept of a team provides resources not just from a wellspring, but again, the community that chooses to participate with us. 

Third, we believe in honest customer service. I personally work for the company that puts customers beyond first and I believe that the horse industry itself can benefit from this. We also believe in treating the people that work for the common goal with love and respect. We are our volunteers' biggest fan.

Fourth, and finally, Kentucky IS horses. It should be, that in Horsey Town USA every weekend you should be able to attend something horse-related.

It is our hope that we not only provide the opportunity to learn, but help the community grow as a whole.

We hope you'll join us for the ride.

Rumble young man rumble

February, in all it's slothful glory, is finally over.

I'm never happier to see the ugly stepsister month go away. 

It was the month that left most of us homebound in the south. One minute it would be clear, next, it there would be two feet of snow and ice.

For those of you who don't live below the Mason-Dixon, two inches closes schools for about three days. Two feet puts an entire towns in to a catatonic state.

Kentucky is no exception, and to add to our lack of weather awareness, we add narrow, twisty roads flagged by Irish stone walls.

It's sad and amusing at the same time.

My time with the young man was trunkated at best. I felt bad just removing the blanket somedays.

But March's luck is already rubbing off. We've had a series of warm days, several events have conspired in just the first week alone to make up for 28 days of misery.

Despite the in and out status, he did meet most of his goals for February.

 -Standing for the farrier. 

Tony came by the other week. He stood up without pulling or fussing for twenty or twenty five minutes while his feet were trimmed and reshaped. 

-Clippers

Couldn't do that this month, just couldn't find a free plug due to the defrosters.

-In and out of the arena
Success! He goes in and out of the arena, leads and turns left and right. 

-Tying 

He does this oh so well to begin with, so it really was a gimme goal.

March's goals?:

-Clippers (I would really like to get rid of the full Manchu)

-Work on the triangle. Namely setting him up, he already knows how to trot in hand.

-Teaching him independently to pick up his feet by the touch of a whip (comes in handy later).