I am working on the Fall schedule, so please let me know when you can ride as soon as you know your schedule for September to December.
I will continue to teach Monday afternoon, and in the mornings on Tuesday and Thursday if there is demand. Evening lesson times have changed slightly, so I will be teaching later on Tuesdays to accommodate people with day jobs a bit better.
I know many of you are dreading the end of summer and the return to school, but September is going to be a great month with shows every weekend, and October is always lovely and the bugs are usually gone.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Rob, Ginger and I spent Sunday at the Darwell Fair, in Darwell Alberta. What a fun show/fair!
I was judging and Rob and Ginger were there for a day away from the farm. Rob's family also came out to see some of the show as they had been camping nearby.
It was an early start to the day with us leaving at 6:30, and we didn't get home until close to 8pm, so many thanks to Christine and Jessie who looked after the farm in our absence.
The show should have been done earlier, but we had to break at 2:30 to allow the heavy horse pull to take place; that was cool to see! I think they got to 8500 lbs! Lots of teams competed; mostly Belgians and Percherons, but there was a team of HUGE Fjord/QH crosses there that did very well.
As well as the horse show, there was a cow show going on; hearing mooing all day was interesting. They also had face painting, an impromptu water park (thanks to the volunteer fire department), and some other games going on. Definitely a fun day out for a family.
The show itself was pretty good. Class sizes were decent enough, and the people running the show were a lot of fun and did a great job. The riders represented a variety of skill levels and brought an assortment of horses, which made things interesting and fun. I wish we had fairs like that locally.
This week in lessons, riders who are planning to show dressage next weekend can practice their tests. They still have stalls available, so if you are wanting to come, please let me know!
For jumping and flat work we are going to continue to work on getting the horses to listen between jumps with lots of transitions. I think I may even add some leg yielding to the course this week to keep it interesting and to make sure riders are still using their legs while negotiating the course. It sounds like rain is expected for most of the week, so likely riding inside again for lessons.
Karen
I was judging and Rob and Ginger were there for a day away from the farm. Rob's family also came out to see some of the show as they had been camping nearby.
It was an early start to the day with us leaving at 6:30, and we didn't get home until close to 8pm, so many thanks to Christine and Jessie who looked after the farm in our absence.
The show should have been done earlier, but we had to break at 2:30 to allow the heavy horse pull to take place; that was cool to see! I think they got to 8500 lbs! Lots of teams competed; mostly Belgians and Percherons, but there was a team of HUGE Fjord/QH crosses there that did very well.
As well as the horse show, there was a cow show going on; hearing mooing all day was interesting. They also had face painting, an impromptu water park (thanks to the volunteer fire department), and some other games going on. Definitely a fun day out for a family.
The show itself was pretty good. Class sizes were decent enough, and the people running the show were a lot of fun and did a great job. The riders represented a variety of skill levels and brought an assortment of horses, which made things interesting and fun. I wish we had fairs like that locally.
This week in lessons, riders who are planning to show dressage next weekend can practice their tests. They still have stalls available, so if you are wanting to come, please let me know!
For jumping and flat work we are going to continue to work on getting the horses to listen between jumps with lots of transitions. I think I may even add some leg yielding to the course this week to keep it interesting and to make sure riders are still using their legs while negotiating the course. It sounds like rain is expected for most of the week, so likely riding inside again for lessons.
Karen
Monday, August 13, 2012
This week in lessons...
Yesterday's fun show was a lot of fun and I want to thank all those that participated as well as those that helped out! I will post results in the barn this week! I think Zander/Chelsea were the clear winner for the gymkhana type events, and Shawn/Stephanie for the hunters.
The most interesting even was the obstacle course, where I set up 9 obstacles, assigned them points, and competitors tried to get as many points as they could in 2 minutes. The rope gate proved to be the most challenging, and showed some holes in training that we need to work on! The rope gate event may find its way into lessons....
The other thing the obstacle course and the pylon race showed, was a big tendency of riders to look down at the obstacles they are trying to avoid...this isn't a particularly effective way to avoid something as we tend to end up going to where we are looking, and looking down really shifts the rider's weight forward and tips the horse even more on the forehand. A horse on the forehand is much less mobile and able to respond than a horse that is balanced more on its haunches.
So, what will we do in lessons?
Advanced horses and riders will work on leg yielding...at the canter. This helps to balance the horse, and set up for lead changes. Leg yielding at the canter is not something you will see in a dressage test, but is a good schooling exercise. Leg yield at canter will make it even more obvious that you need the horse's body STRAIGHT for the leg yield, with only flexion in the jaw, but at canter, you may find it best to keep the jaw/neck straight.
We are also going to work on better downward transitions to make sure all horses are rider's are set up to be able to do successful half halts. For a horse to be able to half halt, it needs to be able to do a downward transition that starts with its haunches, and stays light in the bridle. Once the downward transitions are correct, then all a half halt is, is you asking for the downward transition, but as soon as you feel the horse start to rebalance and take increased weight on its hind end, you allow it to move forward again.
The aids for the half halt will vary a bit from horse to horse, and from dressage to jumping, but are basically the same aids you need to use for a correct downward transition...which HAS to include leg so the horse doesn't pitch on to its front end like a bike going downhill and the rider using the front wheel brakes...
Off now to take Oreo to be neutered...if anyone is looking for a very affectionate, and handsome kitty, we have one that will be looking for a new home shortly!
The most interesting even was the obstacle course, where I set up 9 obstacles, assigned them points, and competitors tried to get as many points as they could in 2 minutes. The rope gate proved to be the most challenging, and showed some holes in training that we need to work on! The rope gate event may find its way into lessons....
The other thing the obstacle course and the pylon race showed, was a big tendency of riders to look down at the obstacles they are trying to avoid...this isn't a particularly effective way to avoid something as we tend to end up going to where we are looking, and looking down really shifts the rider's weight forward and tips the horse even more on the forehand. A horse on the forehand is much less mobile and able to respond than a horse that is balanced more on its haunches.
So, what will we do in lessons?
Advanced horses and riders will work on leg yielding...at the canter. This helps to balance the horse, and set up for lead changes. Leg yielding at the canter is not something you will see in a dressage test, but is a good schooling exercise. Leg yield at canter will make it even more obvious that you need the horse's body STRAIGHT for the leg yield, with only flexion in the jaw, but at canter, you may find it best to keep the jaw/neck straight.
We are also going to work on better downward transitions to make sure all horses are rider's are set up to be able to do successful half halts. For a horse to be able to half halt, it needs to be able to do a downward transition that starts with its haunches, and stays light in the bridle. Once the downward transitions are correct, then all a half halt is, is you asking for the downward transition, but as soon as you feel the horse start to rebalance and take increased weight on its hind end, you allow it to move forward again.
The aids for the half halt will vary a bit from horse to horse, and from dressage to jumping, but are basically the same aids you need to use for a correct downward transition...which HAS to include leg so the horse doesn't pitch on to its front end like a bike going downhill and the rider using the front wheel brakes...
Off now to take Oreo to be neutered...if anyone is looking for a very affectionate, and handsome kitty, we have one that will be looking for a new home shortly!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Long time no blog...
Stupid rain last night reflooded everything. It was crazy out here, with lightening surrounding us, and thunder shaking the ground. Horses didn't seem to care though.
Hoping the outdoor dries for lessons tonight as I have another grid set up, but if not, I will plan something for inside.
Reminder that this Sunday afternoon is the Hillside fun show. Let me know if you want to come out to help or to ride! Start time is 1pm. Entry fees are $1 for regular classes, or $2 for stake classes. Money raised will go to the lounge improvement fund.
The show will be weather permitting as I would like to hold it outside.
Amelia, Miranda, and Stephanie put a lot of effort into cleaning the upstairs lounge, and have made a list of items they hope we can procure to make the lounge liveable; there is a list of items we are looking for posted on the bulletin board.
Karen
Hoping the outdoor dries for lessons tonight as I have another grid set up, but if not, I will plan something for inside.
Reminder that this Sunday afternoon is the Hillside fun show. Let me know if you want to come out to help or to ride! Start time is 1pm. Entry fees are $1 for regular classes, or $2 for stake classes. Money raised will go to the lounge improvement fund.
The show will be weather permitting as I would like to hold it outside.
Amelia, Miranda, and Stephanie put a lot of effort into cleaning the upstairs lounge, and have made a list of items they hope we can procure to make the lounge liveable; there is a list of items we are looking for posted on the bulletin board.
Karen
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