Feature Feedback Friday

Diversity...

 

Those who know me know that I can be a little unconventional or let us say diverse with my ideas on things. I am very sensitive to detail and application so when I am passionate about something it seems to dominate my thoughts. Most call this OCD but I like to say that I am devoted. (A crazy person would know they are crazy no?)

My biggest passions are DIY... or well DIY directing as hubby does the 'do-it-yourselfing', (I must save my precious energy for my riding you know), cooking and of course horses. But you really are not here to read about my fav meal plan or my latest DIY's... yes, I make meal plans...but it is not OCD!

This last year I have been really digging deep into my riding and not just focusing on my hunt seat training thanks to a friend who thinks I am 'too hunter'. At first it was a struggle but I cannot believe where my riding and horse are now compared to winter of 2013.
I am a DIY-er with my riding in respect to both dictating and doing. I take lessons and clinics periodically yes, but mostly I read, listen and observe.
Reading articles within many different disciplines anywhere from hunter, jumper, eventing, reining, western pleasure, dressage and natural horsemanship you get to experience all sorts views and opinions and some times flat out different thinking. But incorporating the ideas that resonated with me into my riding has been the most enjoyable part.
I am not a rider who believes that there is one way to do, train or explain something to your horse or yourself for that matter. I believe in doing what works for you and your horse. Along with classical equitation of course.

Using what I have learned in the past year I have uncovered a new leaf sort of speak. My horse understands me better and I understand her MUCH better. We are both happier. What more could you ask for right?

Now, you are probably wondering what my biggest revelations have been. For sake of keeping this blog post within the restraints of a 15-20 minute work break I will share one per week on Friday's. Let's call it.... Feature Feedback Friday?

- Treading the canter; or otherwise posting the canter. I remember watching some HITS footage and seeing Kelly Farmer, (I believe it was), posting in the canter. I immediately turned up my nose and said to a fellow hunter friend. "What the freak is that? It is hideous!". I don't honestly remember what she said but I recall researching it shortly after, like I do with many of my new found riding materials, and quickly discarding the thought of ever using it.
Well. I realized if I am to say I educate my horse, how can I do it without knowing all material. How/if it works and why? How are we to say what is right and wrong if we don't understand it?
Anyways, I tried it these last couple weeks and I have to report great things. Needless to say I am going to be incorporating this into my training. I admit it is ugly but this is a great training tool for my mare and I feel it would be for both slow or quick horses.
This is a fabulous warm up tool for regulating and balancing the stride whilst staying off the horse's back.

Lately, with all the work we have been doing on compacting my mare's long body to really get that impulsion from the haunches and bringing up the poll to a good working 'box', as I like to call it, her canter has gone from *insert music*, 'home on the range smooth' to quite rocking horse like.
I am happy with the progress don't get me wrong but she just isn't strong enough to keep herself together on her own. And as I help her I have to maintain my own position, balance etc thus, I was on the lookout for little tricks to help us both.

Note; I have only tried 'treading' on Pal but what I found was that it enabled me to warm her up in the canter, stay off her back, meanwhile, working on helping her balance, regulate the stride/tempo AND give me a little strengthening exercise for my core and legs.
I have to mention that getting the hang of this exercise was hard. The canter just didn't seem to have the impulsion that the trot has to get out of the saddle. Well, it does! It is just different. It is more of a onnneee-twoo-onnnnee-twoo, compared to the trot's onne-Two-onne-Two.
End result of this, I found Pal was almost instantly softer on the bit, her back was really lifting creating a supple but supporting 'drawbridge' from haunches to shoulder and she was leading me forward! Not pulling. What! This effect normally takes me 30-40 minutes and by then my ride is ending.

Overall, I cannot say enough about this exercise. However ugly and unconventional it looks, it is note worthy.
Apparently those Pros with with six figure horses really do know their... manure. Cool!