More Words from Debbie

The thing I love about being a teacher, trainer, judge and active competitor is that the view from one side affects the perception from the other. This week-end as I was teaching Judith at Steel Prize on her seasoned Grand Prix horse, I was reminded that the rider's position is often influenced by the horse's position. Judith was sitting in a very elegant and functional position in the left lead canter and yet when she went right the seat was not centered and supple. And on this day the difference was quite obvious.  So I asked Judith what she was feeling in her position. And the answer was focused around how the horse felt,  not normally the answer that the dressage trainer is looking for (the ones that KNOW that every fault is the fault of the rider). So the end discussion and conversation ended up focusing on the quality and straightness of the right lead canter.  And as the horse's canter showed it's crookedness through the shoulder's it became apparent that it was difficult for the rider to keep  even position. So Monday comes around and I was home schooling a horse for a student (who by the way has difficulty staying positioned in the right lead canter) and I was able to transfer what I had seen over the week-end to really getting this horse straight through the shoulders in the right lead canter and have no doubt that the rider will be able to sit the right canter with a correct position once this straightness is more confirmed. So once again the benefit of taking the same issue from different (teacher, trainer)  perspectives comes in handy to reinforce the solution.

Words from Debbie Rodriguez

Debbie sent me the following to post on the blogspot.  I enjoyed reading the words and hope that you will too.

Many brave souls braved the cold temps to take their rides with me this week-end.  Knowing that once you start trotting around you warm up doesn't make tacking up any easier.

The horses were fresh with the low temps and limited turn out. However this made for some nice energetic rides on horses where that is not the norm. So many riders got a chance to feel the impulsion that comes through when a horse maintains the desire to go forward. It is so much easier when the horse helps keep the energy and the half-halts become  a balancing and organizing aid. It allowed several riders to lighten their driving aids, relax their legs and let the horse come through. Now the challenge will be to keep that feeling over the next week as the horses return to their normal schedule.

One of the fun parts about teaching is when a rider has an "Aha" moment and gets something that you might have been trying to get across for some time. This week-end, one of the riders that often allows her horse to go on the forehand was able to rebalance over and over and really started to feel how even a slight drop down on the forehand affected  the  quality of the movement. Once you can feel what is wrong and what is right in the balance it becomes a lot easier to fix and influence.

   

Happiness is..............

a buddy in a snow storm.  Goliath (on the right) confers with Patches while James and Majestic (on the left) look on.







Picture by Nikki Cecil

Happiness is ........

having a clear spot of water while the rest of the lake is frozen.

Welcome to Debbie Rodriguez

We are welcoming Debbie with a few snow showers and some of the
coldest weather we have had in a long time this coming weekend. The
horses are glad we have the indoor with good footing and the riders
are glad to be out of the weather and a little bit warmer. The
clinic is Saturday and Sunday from 8:45 to 4 o'clock and we welcome
auditors. We will have hot cider to warm the inside while you watch
and learn.

Judith gets a new horse for Christmas...

well, maybe not a new horse but a new picture of Goliath, her Gold Medal winner.

More Christmas Party

Here is the Steel Magnolia Quadrille Team of eight saluting the

audience and getting ready to perform their musical ride:

After the outdoor rides we went into the indoor for the canine agility demonstrations.  No pics since those guys went too fast.

We were then ready for the Star Spangled Banner sung by our own operatic diva, Catherine Hoop.

The only thing left was to attack the food tables.  Which we did !!

Again, many thanks to those who braved the elements to make our Open House such a success.

Christmas Party

  We would like to thank the more than 125 hardy souls who showed up

for our 26th Christmas Party and Open House. They braved overcast

skies, serious cold and cutting wind for some great rides and

excellent food.

Here are some of the "Rail Birds" watching the rides in the upper ring.

One of the rides they watched was a Musical Pas de Deux by Sarah Williams and Brittany Gambee.  They rode to an introductory song "Silver and Gold"  sung by Burl Ives.  Their costumes reflected this theme.  Here they are saluting the audience before starting their ride.

We also had the Magnolia Buds added by their instructor, Nikki Cecil in a "Doggydrille".  With real dogs yet !!

More to come........

USDF Symposium 2009

The Symposium featured an excellent selection of riders and horses
to illustrate Jan Brink's Communication: A Two-way System of
Understanding. Jan discussed and demonstrated the importance of
expressing a signal system that eases the communication between horse
and rider. I thought he did a great job of communication but when it
went awry he smoothly turned to finding a solution for horse and
rider that made the experience better for both. With the clinics
that I have attended and the Symposiums on the National stage, I
think many attendees don't realize that the rider has quite a role to
fill -- to be able to ride to the standard expected and execute the
instructions given. It can be quite a challenge.

SPS Christmas Party

We have had our last practice for the Christmas Quadrille and it was
fitting to be in the mist and we will be doing the performances in
the upper competition ring for the first time. Looking at the
weather: wear warm clothing, good warm shoes/boots and we will be
performing regardless of the weather. The good part is the food and
dog agility will be indoors! My direction on what food to bring: we
will be furnishing ham and turkey, rolls, cider, coffee, and hopes
that there will be lots of chocolate.