Oh The Irony....

So. Look at my last Blog from March... It's about Listening. Hmmmmmmmmmm...as most of you know, I suffered a concussion. I suffered this concussion because I wasn't listening to Trevor. There are a lot of emotions that run through the mind when one is injured in a rather serious fashion, especially by a fall from one's own horse. Here is the rundown...Trevor was IN A MOOD. It was a side of him I hadn't seen in a long while. He was fussy, pogo-sticking around not wanting to do anything. He had some minor rearing moments and I just sent him forward. I chose to work on the walk & trot since he kept having "moments." Had it been anybody else, i would have had him/her get off and work through the issue in-hand. I broke my own rule. He did settle a bit and I was just about done. There was another horse that just started working in the arena and she had a woo-hoo! moment behind Trevor. Well, I've experienced those woo-hoos before and just hunkered in for the ride. Well. I HUNKERED. Then Trevor turned right and turned right again, only this time straight up. I was sure we were going ass-over-teakettle...but...only I did. And landed on my head. I was in the air and then on the ground. I remember thinking, "there's my saddle." My left foot was stuck in the stirrup and I was being dragged as Trevor looked at me like "WHAT! are you doing down there!" That was REALLY scary. Luckily, my stirrup leather slipped out and I was free. THAT was when he decided to run around like a nut. He finally looked at me, recognized me, and let me catch him. I adjusted my saddle and helmet (the crank blew open in impact) and got back on. We rode for another few minutes and then I was dizzy, so I got off. We stood there for another 10-15 minutes and he (we) processed, or "cooked," over the situation. Then he cooked some more on the standing on the wall. It has taken me about 5 weeks to recover from the concussion. I can't imagine what would have happened without the helmet. I have a soft spot on my head where the actual impact. It used to make me sick when I touched it. Not so much anymore. The effects of concussion were i n t e r e s t i n g. I wanted to close myself off from the world. Stimulation of any kind was difficult to deal with. I moved like I was walking though molasses. I was nausated. I was dizzy. I was carsick. I had to step back and let my self heal. That was a something new for me to learn. I had a hard time making decisions. I was REALLY tired. No appetite. Doctor's orders (I had a CT to make sure I wasn't bleeding in my brain) were that I couldn't ride for 10 days...I waited almost three weeks. That's how long the dizziness lasted. I figured if I was dizzy, getting on a horse was pretty damn d.u.m.b. As far as Trevor...He was cautious around me for a couple days. He was subdued, yet fussy. We went back to relaxation and lunge work since I couldn't ride anyway. As he was worked, our sessions were productive. I had his teeth floated before I chose to ride him. Our first ride was quiet and FUN! I thought I was going to be really nervous with those memories, but I was really glad to be back in the saddle. The rides we have had have been VERY GOOD. We went to a show at the end of April. I was able to work through his anxiety by allowing him to process his stress while I was on him and create a quiet space for both of us. Our first test was ok (before we relaxed), our second test was wonderful (after we relaxed). Mishaps with our ponies can be VERY HUMBLING. However, each time we have "moments" with them, it is an opportunity to learn and create another way of being with them. I now feel that if I get on Trevor and he is IN A MOOD...I will choose another way of going with him and work the issue from a different angle. I still like to change up our working sessions and not do the same thing over and over. I do know that I don't ever want to have another concussion. I will continue to create new ways of being with Trevor so I can be aware when he (or I) is (am) not up for what I have in mind.

Listen & Learn

What do you want to know about horses?

What do you want to know about your horse?

When does the learning end...?

For me, I don't ever want to stop learning.

I want to be a Dresage student until the day I die.

I want to be a sponge that takes in all views from all different areas around the horse world.

I want to question.

I want to see.

I want to teach.

I want to LISTEN.

Listening is one of those skills that few people posess. Everyone says they listen, but only a mind quieted can really hear what is really being said.

Those who are called "Whisperers" are called that not because they talk quietly, but because they LISTEN.

And to listen, your MIND must be still. Your MIND must be present.

When you learn to be still, your learn to be "in the moment" or present and THAT is when you know you can LISTEN and really hear what is being spoken.

Re-Defining Your Horse on the Lunge Line

When did it become acceptable to use the lunge line as way to let your horse be a moron because they have "get their energy out?" ??????

IT doesn't make sense to allow your horse do to WHATEVER it wants in circles around you, then expect him/her to BEHAVE when you handle or ride him/her. ?????????

The things I see people do with their horses on the lunge line is

One. Of. My. Pet. Peeves.

Does it show??

Any time you are with your horse, your are TRAINING your horse how to respond to you. Whether it is feeding time, blanket time, turn-out time...the list goes on, it is YOUR JOB to be the Alpha of the herd - no Ifs, Ands, or Butts! about it.

Yet, there is still this idea that the paces people put their horses through on the lunge line somehow do not apply.

IT IS ALL TRAINING.

With that in mind - Re-Think your expectations on the lunge line. It is YOUR time with your horse, Sooooooooooooooooo...turn that session on the lunge line towards YOUR benefit, and eventually the horse's.

When Trevor was towards the end of his official recovery time from colic surgey (three months), I did not want to hop on an expect him to be rideable. So, I lunged him. Since he was still in a muscle-building recovery mode, he did not have the options to be a moron on the lunge line. With weak belly muscles, no topline, no hindquarters, the last thing I wanted him to do was compromise his already delicate muscle structure. Granted - I used the lunge line from a "working" point-of-view before, I just re-defined the expectations.

My re-defined expectation was that the lunge line was a) the horse's job for that session b) RELAXATION.

Yes - I was able to teach my horse to RELAX while lunging.

You can, too!

Began your lunge session with the horse at a walk. Re-direct any behavior that isn't consistent with a walk (that! is usually pretty obvious...). Then, the horse's job is to walk until he/she chews. Now - this could take a while with an uptight horse still learning the art of relaxation, so give you and your horse that time. When you do get the "chew," change directions AT THE WALK! and do the same thing the other way. It may be that your first few sessions are at the walk only, but don't fret! The expectation of something, anything!, new to a horse takes sometime to learn.

When you get the chew in both directions, then do the SAME THING at the trot. Wait for the chew on the lunge line, ask for the walk, and then change direction.

A note for the TROT - to help your horse fine the relax and chew, ask him/her to SLOW the Trot down. A horse trotting a million miles an hour will have great difficulty finding a space to relax. Not only does slowing the trot down help your horse relax, it helps your horse find a RHYTHM. Rhythm is a key element in any successful horse and rider combination. Have the expectation of relax and rhythm.

When you get the chew in both directions, then do the SAME THING at the canter.

As the canter can be a difficult gait for the green and/or unbalanced horse, be a bit more forgiving (only in the gait, not in attitude!). I look for other signs of relaxation in the canter due to it's three beat nature. Trevor tends to "blow" when he is relaxing in the canter and then chew after the down transition to the trot. Help the horse to find the rhythm, give the horse trot breaks and get the chew in the trot before asking for the canter again.

Another kudo that happens when you lunge for the chew and relaxation is the

S T R E T C H Over the topline.

Some horses naturally do this, others need help. Encourage your horse ANYTIME he/she offers to lower his/her head. It can start small, but soon they learn that it is nice to stretch down and move those back muscles. It then becomes a good indicator of how relaxed horse is that day.

So! RE-THINK! the lunge line and create a new way to play with your horse.

Leg Mover?? Back Mover??

Read Dr. Gerd Heuschmann's book about Classic vs. "Modern" Dressage and you will read about Leg and Back Movers.

Watch horses that are compressed into a frame and you will see a Leg Mover...

Watch horses allowed to stretch through their frame and you will see a Back Mover...

The labels imply exactly what happens when a horse is ridden in a "compressed" frame as opposed to a "through" frame.

COMPRESSION is created when a horse is ridden from front-to-back and the major focal point of WHERE the horse is ridden from is the rider's reins.

In a compression frame, the horse is ridden with short reins, the legs and seat are used to drive the horse forward, and "into" the bridle. This is what has become to be understood as "Collection"....However, when the reins are shortened and the horse is driven, the opposite happens...

As the legs push the horse forward, the seat tends to be heavy and pushes down on the horse's back, causing tension over the topline, driving the horse's back away from the rider's seat in a concave arch.

The reins are then short and restrictive through the overuse of the halfhalt, creating lack of movement throughout the neck and poll, therefore allowing the horse to drop his/her shoulders (incorrect).

This style of riding creates a horse who is locked in his/her poll, stiff in his/her neck, dropped in his/her back, locked in his/her ribcage, and! not using his/her hindend correctly, therefore heavy on the frontend.

It would SEEM that this would work to ride a horse this way...but what this style of riding creates is a sore and grumpy horse who lacks muscle tone in all the right places. Tense Back. Tense Horse. Only the legs move...

It creates a LEG MOVER.

THROUGH is created when a horse is ridden from back-to-front and the
major focal point of WHERE the horse is ridden from is the rider's body.

In a through frame, the horse is ridden from the body where the legs and seat allow the horse to find the bridle, therefore, be ridden "into" the bridle. "Collection" can also be achieved in this frame, but it takes time as the horse is slowly brought into a state of collection...

As the legs push the horse forward, the seat is soft and allows a "place" for the back. When the seat needs to "drive," it is in an upward, forward motion. The back follows this motion, creating flexion in the belly muscles and the topline.

The rein length can vary with a horse that is "through" depending on where the horse is in his/her training. The halfhalt is still incorporated, except it initiates from the body, before the hand. The "hand" halfhalt reinforces the "body" halfhalt. The reins are like "sticks" and pushed towards the front, giving the horse incentive to find the bit and, eventually, "into the bridle." Given the opportunity, the horse will lower his/her head into a "headset" without much work on your part.

The more green the horse, the longer the frame. The more schooled the horse, the shorter the frame.

HOWEVER, A SCHOOLED HORSE THAT IS THROUGH WILL BE ABLE TO FIND THE LONG AND LOW FRAME NO MATTER WHEN IT IS ASKED.

When a horse is ridden over its topline and allowed to raise the back, the neck naturally balances by stretching down, creating a horse with SPACE. Space creates fluidity in movement.

Space in the connections between the poll and neck.

Space in the connections between the shoulders and ribcage.

Space in the belly and back.

Space in the hindquarters.

When a horse can swing his/her back you have relaxation.

Relaxed Back. Relaxed Horse. The whole body moves...

It creates a Back Mover.

The Fulcrums

The Fulcrums

The Fulcrums are "hinge " point on your horse that create different angles in the joints. They are where the energy is stored and released, the body in flexed and relaxed, and the "correctness" of the gaits are found.

HOW you use your horse's Fulcrums creates the ride. When the Fulcrums are used in balance - meaning equal flexion and relaxation at each hinge point - then you and your horse have maximum flexibility in each gait and within each gait.

This image above is an example of the Fulcrum angles (generally) when your horse is in a standing position.

Fulcrum #1 - this is the hinge area of the Poll and the Atlas.

Fulcrum #2 - this is the hinge area of the Shoulder Balde and the Ribcage (the area just below the withers).

Fuclrum #3 - this is the area of the Sacroiliac joint and Pelvis.

Note the angles of these areas...Fulcrum #1 is at a slightly smaller angle then Fulcrum #s 2 & 3. Since the horse is not in motion...not really a problem...

This second image is when the head is "tucked high" while being ridden.

When the horse raises his head and tucks his/her nose in the angle of Fulcrum #1 changes most drastically. With the closed angle in the poll, the area becomes less accessible to the horse and the rider. The back of the skull and the vertebrae tend to "lock" together and create lack of flexion. This then drops Fulcrum #2, creating another "lock," in the shoulder blade/wither area, essentially putting the horse on its forehand, leaving Fulcrum #3 hanging out behind at larger, yet ineffective, angle. It becomes a Front-to-Back motion with low withers and a high hindquarters.

The third image is when the head is "nosed-out" while being ridden.

This would be considered a "GREEN" way-of-going, where the horse is allowed to go forward without any restrictions on his/her bridle.
Note the angles of all three of the Fulcrums...all of them are relatively EQUAL. Fulcrum #1, #2, #3 have similar angles. When a horse is in this position...there is a free-flow of forward energy, allowing the horse to be soft and supple in all his/her movements: the poll can be flexed left and right, the belly can lift and raise the back softly, and the hindquarters can swing freely creating movement from the backend, over the topline, and out the front. THIS IS THE GOAL!!! No matter what stage of training your horse is in...THE FULCRUMS SHOULD BE EQUAL!!!! Then you can get the free forward, get the same angles, get the maximum energy, flexibility, and correct Back-to-Front movement that makes our horses so fun to ride!

This last image shows what is, unfortunately, a HUGE MISPERCEPTION of what is "correct" collection.

This is what people think "collection" is suppose to be. What this is, is "over-flexion." The head is unnaturally put down so the ears fall below the withers AND the nose is tucked into the chest. This, therefore, over-flexes the shoulder blade/wither area and hyper-extends the vertebrae of the back (Note the excessive angle at Fulcrum #2) leaving the horse unable to flex it's belly muscles. In turn, with a hyper-extended back, the hindquarters are, again, left out behind and the horse is on it's forehand. This is an ugle way to train and abusive to the horse.