Yesterday we were invited to watch the lessons and training at Betsy's Havensafe farm. By the time I got there I was quite a bit rattled. Driving on the country roads I seemed to be the only car in between all Amish buggies. When I came over the top of a hill I had just time to pull to the left as a buggy was stuck on the right side. There were only kids around, a little boy had the horse unhitched, the others held on to the carriage. I held on with them until I saw their dad drive up. But the poor horse ... skinny, and when a little girl lifted the harness to give the horse some relief I saw the open sores that had developed all over. Very sad.
Havensafe is a different world. Everything is perfect, but not 'in your face' bragging perfect. The first thoughts that come to mind a peace and quiet. The staff is very friendly, everybody shakes hands and smiles. Betsy also introduced me to her farrier, another person exuding top professionalism, who comes once a month from Florida. It was interesting to listen the discussion of "shoes or no shoes" for one of the competition horses. The consensus was if he goes well, and the hooves hold up, no need for shoes.
And then of course, the horses. I saw George ride Cleopatra and Horizon, absolutely stunning mares. In addition, I got to watch Betsy and Liz take lessons. Everything stayed quiet, focused, very precise. After Betsy's lesson I told her now I know what to aspire to in flying changes (she had started with fours, finishing with one tempis, all straight, engaged, and clean).
In the afternoon it was our turn. Just as I got on Saumur the heaven's opened and a storm broke lose. George reminded me that little things like the weather have no bearing on my riding. We had an awesome lesson, focusing on precision in the transitions, and then collection in canter and trot. George had me work around him on a very small circle, haunches in - then straight, in the canter. The beginning of a pirouette. Our canter half passes with either counter canter or flying changes at the end also improved considerably. The trot work consisted of medium to collected, then half passes. On the smaller circle we worked on the smallest trot possible (while staying engaged), and had some excellent steps. George quipped that Saumur will learn piaffe in no time!
With Remy I got a surprise: George said he'd like to ride him. Well - of course!! My stirrup leathers were barely long enough to account for George's long legs. He worked Remy like in the previous lessons but then focused on the canter. Remy's left lead canter is good ("very age appropriate"), but in the right lead he loses his balance and then breaks. Remy stayed attentive and focused the entire time through, didn't argue, and it was more than I had asked of him before. At the end George asked me to get back on to feel what he created. Sure enough, we finished with the best trot work ever!
JP arrived in time to watch the lessons, so that was great. I try not to think that I only have two days left here, I definitely would love to stay longer. Wonder if I could stay on as working student? After all, Denny Emerson had 76 year old working student in his event stable, so it's not too late yet!
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