The Value Of Turnout

Arabians in Dressage- Aragorn Strikes (again)

Aragorn Strikes, an 18 yr old Arabian gelding winning the Prix St. George and Fourth Level championship at the Region 12 Arabian and Half-Arabian Championships in May 2009. Aragorn came to me for training as a 12 yr old stallion that had 'issues' with the show ring. Basically, he lacked the confidence to deal with the outside world, including anything on a trail and especially the center line of the dressage arena (and the scary judges booth at 'C'). I used a lot of cross training , and spent a lot of hours conditioning him outside the rectangle resulting in him winning the Reserve National Championship at the Arabian and Half-Arabian Sport Horse Nationals. He is shown here with Debbie Hill in the irons and his proud owner, Stefanie Martinelli , who recently won her silver medal aboard Aragorn competing against warmbloods in South Florida.

Cross Training the Show Horse

When new clients visit my training facility, they are often dismayed by the trek they make up our wide lime rock road, especially after a heavy rain. Karel and I sometimes complain about the road, too, but today's training sessions reminded me why I love living and training (these beautiful, expensive show horses)in the country.

Sometimes it is drudgery for the horse to go day after day into the rectangle (aka the dressage arena). I have a weekly training schedule, but I know when it is time to bypass the arena and head out onto the wide lime rock road and hack (long trot or gallop on a long rein). We can go straight ahead for 1.5 miles without stopping. I let the horse decide how fast he wants to go, and when the energy is there, maybe I collect him and do some lateral work. There are little detours along the way, shooting off into the woods where there may be a log to jump or a grass easement to ride down, and now and then there are new baby calves to spot on a spring morning. There is also traffic, trucks and cars that pass and once in a while a farming machine. We ride past a vast watermelon field where dozens of workers are busy picking and throwing the fruit into old school busses.

I use trail riding for training, conditioning and building the horse's confidence. The training includes mastering all paces (working collected and extended), leg yielding, negotiating obstacles and backing up. The conditioning gained improves the horses fitness level so he can meet the rigors of showing. The horse also gains confidence by accepting unfamiliar surroundings and all types of terrain and other horses.

Horses have to be trained to be confident in the great outdoors. It is not possible to expose the horse to every situation he may encounter at a show or on the trail, but I try and do a lot of preparation in advance by taking him over cavelettis, jumping gymnastics and going into the back forty ( a large pasture where he can see no other horses) and gallop.

This training is not limited to the young or training level horses. I take the FEI horses that I compete out more frequently than the others. I try and limit there 'schooling sessions' to twice a week in the dressage arena. Even those sessions may be short, beginning or ending with a trail ride. For instance, if the lesson is pirouettes that day, and the horse gives me an exceptional effort, I may leave the arena on a long rein and go out to the big world to do something else. This way the horse leaves that lesson on a positive note, and trusts that the next training session will not be grueling.

Quarter Horses in the Sport of Dressage

A year ago a client sent me a few mares that she had bred at her facility, Vision Farms in El Paso TX, by way of another trainer here in Florida. They had been sent to me emaciated, injured and the youngest one had an unknown vitamin deficiancy that had not allowed her hair coat to shed even though it was approaching summer. My client had not seen them in a few months and was appalled to learn of their condition. I had sent her photos and she almost cried when she saw them.

Of course I set straight out to rehabilitate them and she was happy to support the cause. We worked on their health, feet, coats and finally started to condition them by long walks up the country roads, and eventually hacks. Their stamina increased and their dispositions brightened up. 

Around Christmas time we started to work on figures in the dressage arena as a means to improve their gaits and  otherwise 'downhill' frames. It was a different ball game for me, as I am used to riding warmbloods or Arabian crosses. But after a while the downhill battle showed glimpses of becoming at least level and before long we advanced to shoulder in and counter canter excercises for balance.

This past weekend I took two of them, Dali's Artful Legacy (Dali) and Barpasser's Vision (Ziggy) to the May Days Qualifier at Canterbury Showplace and they were shining stars! Dali was second in all lower first level tests with a high score of 69% and Ziggy won all four lower training level tests with a high score of 70%. They quite possible were the only representatives from the AQHA but they held their own. 

I just looked back at the photos from last year when they arrived looking like rescues and feel quite proud of them both. They are sweet mares and give 100% of their hearts in everything they do!

Riding Consistently Builds Trust

I was recently reminded by a long time friend and colleague that 'you cannot change your warm-up with your horse no matter what the arena'. As I have made known in my website and teachings, I am a huge proponent of cross training. I take my horses out on long hacks in the dewey misty mornings here in Newberry, or hack down fields, or in work over gymnastics in a huge jump field. No matter what the horses mood or temperament at the start, I try and give him the benefit of the doubt and let the reins long so he can find his rythym, balance and schwung. Sometimes this is hard to do as the horse may be fresh or fractious, or may even break into a canter and give a happy buck. If I start to alter the warm-up and take the reins or punish this happy behavior, I usually lose the whole continuity or the work out. 

In the case of my friends horse, he starts out stiff and almost 'off' as he is a teenager with a history of lameness. We have his hoof angles perfect, his hocks and stifles well greased, and all the best supplements that are on the market on board. I know that in 60 meters or so he will warm out of it, and I have to just stay steady with heels low, and back strong and wait for the gentleman to get his kinks out. Almost always he comes into the work with enthusiasm and collection in a light, kind manner.

At the horse show today my horse came out a little hot and I almost changed my warm up to put him into collection from the start (cuz he was 'up'). His mouth was busy and I could hear the bits clanking around and his neck was up. But, this little voice inside me reminded me to pretend that we were on the dirt road on our morning hack and to warm up with a low poll (or wherever it wanted to be) and a strong back and a low heel. Then when the time was right we re-created the relaxed workout that we have at home and in the end the tension was gone.

I may not win the blue ribbon tomorrow but I will know that it wasn't because I took a short cut and compromised the trust that I have built in this horse.

Viva Las Vegas!

I had the great pleasure of witnessing history in the sport of dressage at the World Cup in Las Vegas last month. To see Steffen Peters win was such a pleasure and truly remarkable how much of a team he was with his horse after only 14 months. The ride was the epitome of harmony, self carriage and truly exhibited a happy responsive Grand Prix horse. Thanks to Johnny Robb for being a great traveling companion!

Photo is of Debbie McDonald and I.  (photo credit Johnny Robb)