"Good news for you - not so good news for him" - and it takes a small village to cover for us

Yesterday Roz hopped on Remy to see how he feels, and also to test the waters as she has agreed to work with him while we are in Europe.

After carefully checking the 'gears' Roz pronounced the good news for me "yes, indeed, Remy is well trained but needs a tune up", the "Not so good news for him: He needs to be sharper and quicker in his reactions". Completely agree. My limited riding due to the breathing issues taught Remy that I will eventually lay off pushing him when he just 'ladidad' because I didn't have the strength to challenge him. So now that this is no longer a problem, Remy needs to learn to listen better and then come quicker with his correct responses.

Other than that JP and I are basically scrambling to get the house and critters ready to leave for Europe. My friend Ellen will stay in the house, Ed and Angie (our friends and neighbors) are checking in on Jaas, Ziggy goes to Carl (bird dog trainer and Viszla breeder), Remy will be at Roz'. The cats stay home but I worry about Jerry, my favorite. He doesn't like to come in the house when there are strangers. I have been typing instructions, contact info, etc. hoping to cover everything (i.e. where's the Bute if Teddy, the pony, gets gas colic?) It's quite the production!

Add to this the gathering of gifts for all the people we are visiting and staying with, plus trying to address a myriad of special wishes such as Nike shoes, smoked salmon, Moose Munch, Allergy meds, Hemorrhoid cream (...) and you can see why we are not doing this too often.

We'll be traveling through France, from Paris to the Loire-Atlantique region and back to Paris with a stopover in Saumur (yay!) visiting friends along the way. Then JP heads home and I continue on to Germany to add more friends and family visits to the mix. Whew!

It truly takes a small village to cover for us while we are gone - including getting us on the road. Thanks, Ed, for the airport shuttle service!

And after all that we will probably be in desperate need for a vacation... but let's make that a 'Staycation'!

Seems we got our Mojo back - and when one thing doesn't work try something else

Today was day three of lessons with Roz. It's been a steady progression, and it seems Remy and I got our Mojo* back. Without me having to fight for each breath we both have been getting 'in the zone', working through Roz' program from walk warm-up to flying changes. Remy feels like a different horse. In hindsight, I am sure my heavy breathing and tight body confused and actually blocked him. I can now concentrate on him and giving him correct and subtle aids instead of trying to find a way to suck in enough air through the mask. Win-Win - if you ask Remy and me!

Roz' program and philosophy jives with us: When one thing doesn't work don't stick with it and repeat it ad nauseam. It will most likely go downhill from there. Instead, try something else. All roads lead to Rome, as the saying goes. Case in point: Our flying changes. I've been trying them on the diagonal where they were hit or miss. Repetition led to tension and frustration. Roz has us work with subtle exercises, like haunches-in in the canter to make Remy more responsive to the leg aids. Counter canter on the rail proved to be the magic trick: The changes were easy - and the reward was not doing them again.

We went back to trot to see if the canter did improve the trot - which was the case. However, the trot half-passes to the left needed work. Remy got frustrated when I repeated it too often for his taste (see above about repetition leading to tension and frustration...I am blonde, what can I say??). He voiced his displeasure by going into the canter, and clearly saying: Lady, I don't get what you want. Be clear! So Roz to the rescue, she asked me to think of having the haunches lead close to the last quarter-line (haunches leading is normally a no-no for the half-pass) but that image did the trick: Big improvement.

Remy and I left the arena happy and relaxed - what more can you ask? Nothing more - especially as our incomparable "Mann fuer alle Faelle" (man for all situations = go-to guy = JP) was happy, too.

Seems we all got our Mojo back. Correction: JP says he never lost his!


*The word “mojo” derives from an African language and relates to magic and spells to generate luck and power. In today's language, the word still refers to a source of vigor, energy, sexual potency and power.

Giving my first workshop - in a barn

Saturday I gave my first workshop on the "Bladder Meridian Technique*" at Julie Arkison's Synchrony Farm in Saline. It was a lot of fun, her students were interested and attentive, and Violet -the demo pony- was a gem.

*The Bladder Meridian Technique is the part of the Masterson Method of Integrated Advanced Bodywork. In Chinese medicine there are twelve primary acupuncture meridians in the body. The Bladder Meridian is one of the major acupuncture meridians and has an unique effect on balancing the other acupuncture meridians. 

With this technique we only use air-gap or egg-yolk pressure (no acupuncture involved). It helps humans to better read a particular horse and the horse learns how to read the particular human. It gets both on the same page. It gives the human a sense on how their horse is going to respond to touch, and the horse will get an immediate sense of what he can expect from this interaction. Along the way the horse will let the human know where it is guarding tension and will begin to release that tension. 

Just wondering - could that be applied to management training (better understanding, letting go of tension)? Probably not, it would be a lawsuit waiting to happen  - touching involved!!

The "artisanal approach" to training - and getting used to "Equine home schooling"

Remy, JP and I made our way this week to an evaluation lesson with Roz. I had ridden with Roz a few times previously when she gave clinics at Judy's, and really enjoyed her style of teaching: If one thing doesn't work then let's just try another exercise to get there. So when I was contemplating my 'Plan B', Roz immediately was on top of my list. However, the question was, would I make it on her list? Roz is very selective and can chose her students. As JP puts it: Her approach is "artisanal". I was very happy that she would consider Remy and me.

Our new relationship got off to a rocky start, though. I had googled the address, and sure enough, the address that came up for the barn led us to an abandoned property, covered with chains and padlocks, and numerous "No Trespassing!" signs. (Note to self: Don't rely on Google! If you go somewhere, ask the people you will meet for the address). We got quite lost on those dusty country roads, with nary a way to turn around the trailer. Even the friendly sheriff we found lying in wait for speeding cars couldn't help. 

After some phone tag with Roz I got the correct address and we made it at last. It is not a huge, fancy set up, the barn is rather small and intimate. The indoor arena is large and has good footing. Best of all: I can breathe!!

So we are trying a schedule where I trailer in twice a week and the rest of the time Remy is home schooled. Roz will give me exercises to work on, and I'll throw in work in hand, long reining, and trail riding. Only fly in the ointment: The weather! Currently our outdoor arena looks like a set up for aquatic exercises. Pass the swim fins, please.

Same corrections for long reining and riding - and a beautiful weekend in KY

Remy and I had a great time at the clinic with Marius, the Bereiter from the Spanish Riding School. I had to scramble a bit to get started as I had prepared the equipment according to what had been requested by a different clinician last year. For me, Marius' approach was way clearer as it was along the lines of what I had seen and learned a long time ago back in Europe. For in hand work it meant longing cavesson over bridle with regular snaffle bit, side reins adjusted not too tight (head in front of the vertical). The lead rope was attached to the cavesson, and then Marius showed me how to lightly tap Remy's hind legs with a long 'Piaffe Whip' to ask Remy to lift the leg and place it further under his body.

Here is where Remy's training created a bit of a hick-up: As part of getting used to all kind of things around him, we taught him to stay calm should a rope accidentally be wrapped around his legs. (Believe me, that was a life saver when I forgot to open the leg straps on his blanket once and Remy was all tangled up. He stood quietly until I got him out of my self-made mess). But now he had to actually move and lift the legs when touched. He's a smart guy, and picked it up quickly - and hopefully he knows to make the difference should I mess up with the blanket again!

Long reining was fun, but also quite challenging. The biggest eye opener for me was that Marius pointed out the same flaws I have when riding: "Take your shoulders back, more outside rein, look ahead, no cutting corners, more half-halts... "

And then off we went to the Kentucky 3 Day Event in Lexington. What a fabulous weekend! Spring, horses, foals frolicking in lush pastures, lovely dinners at Le Deauville - and of course a super competition. Now, if Roxy just could have left the one jump up it would have been perfection!