Lesson #213: Some Nitty Gritty to Get Excited About

The best instructors are forever students and want to keep learning by keeping people around them, whom they can learn from. On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to take a lesson from my instructor's coach!! *swoon* I wasn't sure if I should since it's considerably more expensive but I justified it as a "special lesson" and that I could use it to learn more about my situation and take the information and address what's keeping me behind.

I'll be referring to him as "A" and give you an idea of how awesome-sauce he is. First thing, he's German trained and has been riding since he was a kid and was vaulting by the time he was 10--if you can do a handstand on a cantering horse... I'd say you're pretty darn good. He has a centred calmness about him so when you meet him for the first time, you're not shaking in your breeches. He also relates to his students through appropriate illustrations on what he is trying to say, so they understand. And for someone like me, his technicality and sheer focus to the lesson tasks just draws me in even more.

We start the lesson with me puttering around doing what I would normally do, so he could get an idea of how I ride, where I am etc. Sheri and J told him that I am trying to sort out my inflexible hips/back and uneven seat. Because we all know, everything comes from the seat ;)

"A", on the walk
"A" immediately gets me back to basics... when Ariel and I walk, I should be swinging my legs, in tandem with her rib cage. Legs don't just dangle there. We work on this throughout the lesson any chance we walk. I am also asked to keep at least 1 metre off the rail... this is to ensure I have Ariel's attention because it doesn't give her the chance to lean on the rail--in short, we're doing what I want us to do. I try to stay straight too... yea, good luck. Ugh.

"A", on the trot
The trot isn't so bad except as the speed increases, so does the difficulty with keeping straight. "A" reminds me that I should be using my seat, not my hands: "Ariel stepped beneath you, to stay balanced. Can you feel that?," he says. For the first time, I notice that because I'm actually looking for it. In short, it's how you use your weight in your seat that is what "seat" is all about. I am asked to take my feet out of the stirrups and trot. Immediately, both seat bones drop and now my job is to get my pubic bone properly balanced too. The three points of our "seat" is what we are balancing on and the stirrups are not meant to act as a balance point (while on the flat anyway). "A" gets technically anatomical and tells me that the horse's 14th vertebrae is where our seat should be aiming to connect, or as close as possible.

I am reminded how unusual this sport is, compared to others where the participant is getting 'traction' through their feet. Here, riders 'contact' (for the lack of a better word) through their seat and their feet are not meant to do much of anything--"A" reinforces this concept when he asks me how much pressure should be placed in the stirrup: practically nothing! Even though we are asked to drop the weight through our heels, we are not meant to use our feet as balancing points even though our brains tell us that when something is beneath us, we balance there. Phew. Overwhelmed yet? When I put my feet back into the stirrups, I am attentive about not putting much weight... and I feel the support coming from my lower legs!

"A", on the importance of correct posture
My posture is one of my biggest issues and "A" asks me to sit and "hold two pizzas, one in each hand to the side". Immediately my posture is fixed and I sit back appropriately and my chest is open. Now, without changing anything else, grab your reins. HA! I'm also reminded that if Ariel disappeared from underneath me, where might I want to land... not on my backside, that's for sure! So make sure your legs are where they need to be.

I didn't get a lot of time to work on the canter but where I did, I was reminded of the same things we talked about above. Easier said than done! Sheesh. Perhaps next time I"ll have the chance to do more at the canter.

"A", on Ariel and Deb
Imbalances in rider or horse are common. It's based on habits that we develop and we unknowingly strengthen (or loosen) something we're not intending. Hence we each have a dominant/strong side that tends to take over. It shows up in riding when two beings who have different imbalances try to coordinate with one another, physically.

Horses are inherently good and do their best to please their rider. That means that as moody as Ariel can be, it's on me to set her up for success. Otherwise there isn't anyone to blame for failures or struggles except me. Mare did fantastic despite everything!

In the end... there isn't a lot of "new" stuff that I wasn't somehow aware of at some point but rather, a way of refining what I have been taught, and a different way to look at these things. I hope that if you ride, that this little review might have been helpful to get you thinking about some of the things that you might be struggling with. And if not, hopefully this has given you a more in depth look at what it takes to get just the basics right.

Lesson #200: Whips, Crops and Progress

I had a Thursday lesson in the outdoor jumping arena with one of the other youngsters. She just got a new horse (went from bossy mare pony previously) to a new gelding. He's still new so I don't know a lot about him. I pulled Ariel from her paddock and she's covered in mud despite only having been on there for about 30 minutes and wearing a fly sheet. Seriously. After getting right in those nooks and crannies, I saddled her and we went off to the outdoor. For some reason, it was a super busy night (usually it's just me and MAYBE one other) so both indoor and outdoor were being used.

I incorporated bending and circles into the trot warm up but noticed that my right leg tends to hug Ariel too much and she ends up leaning on my leg. During one circle, she leaned so much on my leg that she tripped--not something that typically happens. She's also more pokey and slow than usual probably because she's got a slightly heavier work load with all the kiddies wanting to ride and show her!

The rest of the lesson is mostly just working on the flat at trot and canter and transitions. I have been doing yoga this past week and notice that my balance and whatnot is better and I'm able to initiate the canter transitions more effectively. I suppose it helps that I had a dressage whip too. BTW, I didn't realize that the way to use a dressage whips is different than a crop/bat!

Riders generally know this but for those who read the blog and aren't aware... there is a continuum of severity in communicating with your horse. It's like I was always told to ask, ask louder, demand. I personally prefer not to use one because I find it distracts my position but some days, I need extra help.

Top: dressage whip; below: crop/bat

Crop/Bat: after asking and asking louder, you can demand your request with the bat/crop by angling it towards the shoulder and tapping them with it. And if that doesn't work and you need more go, get that thing behind your leg and give them a good smack with it. Nobody (including horses) like getting hit so they'll likely move forward.

Dressage whip: you hold this piece on your thigh and when you require the "demand", you simply lift it and tap it against your leg because it's flexible enough to 'kiss' their hinds to get them moving. When you're not using it, you want to avoid accidentally tapping them so direction is down a bit, against your thigh. With the dressage whip, your position remains more consistent since you're not moving your arm as much.

Back to the lesson: I tried to maintain the canter without breaking so I have to remember to sit back when I ride and not lean forward. Continuing on the flat work, I am asked to do some leg yield and wow, what a hot mess for both of us!! It isn't a very successful portion of the lesson and I'll need to come back to it another time.

To finish the lesson, I am asked to do some jumping of single jump. The first one I take is a nice low one where the pole is placed on the seat of two patio chairs (so not all that high but a good start). My first try was actually quite successful and I felt good about it. J asked me to move it up a notch and try the two wood crates/boxes that are about 2'6 in height and also a source of anxiety formerly. I am really happy to report that that jump didn't phase me at all and while my position is still a work in progress, I didn't freak out while riding into the jump and my recovery following a poor position was quick.

A Review: 40 Fundamentals of English Riding--Essential Lessons in Riding Right

I received this lovely book as part of a Christmas gift from +ADW's mum and I am so happy to have it! There are plenty of riding books out there and I'm sure there are many that are suitable to go through the technical theory of riding and provide some counsel about addressing errors (nothing beats getting an accredited coach/instructor for regular lessons, though). This book is logically put together to break down the various basics of riding--yes, it isn't just "that simple" and the contents provide insight into basic components for beginners/novices. While it focuses on the English style of riding, the basics are applicable to any discipline of rider especially at the beginner and novice levels.

Hollie McNeil is the author and is the head trainer at Riding Right Farm in South Cambridge, New York. Hollie holds a German Trainer's License and an International Trainer's License. Needless to say, she knows a thing or two about riding.

The layout of the book is bang on. Hollie starts with basic foundation stuff such as Control, Riding Position and Riding Aids. Then you move on to the Gaits in detail and to the German Training Scale. She rounds out the book with Key Riding Techniques, School Figures and Lateral Work. These last sections are very basic and give the reader a taste of what is available. While none of this is as complete as practicing and instructed lessons, it gives a breakdown of what to look for. For someone like me, I find it helpful to understand the technicality as well as the feel of things.

The breakdown of the information is short and concise, without fluff and the images are helpful to understanding what she's referring to. I like the no nonsense approach to getting the facts out there and the DVD further complements the content. I wouldn't say this would replace lessons or that a rider could learn every little thing about riding well, simply by reading this book but it gives good basics, is technical and short enough without losing the reader.

Despite all the positives, I'm not certain I'd go out to get this book for myself to learn in place of a coach/instructor. I do find it more fruitful to take lessons but appreciate the information being presented too; I might be more likely to consider borrowing this book from the library instead, if I didn't receive it. The title of the book is the objective of the author and she successfully achieves reviewing the 40 fundamentals of English Riding within 150 pages or so and DVD.

Riding In Iceland

I received an email from a reader about my trip to Iceland and how I handled the disinfecting of riding equipment. I realized when I was responding, that I never actually posted any resolution about how I did handle this aspect of my trip. So, to help other equestrians who are thinking about going to ride in Iceland, I have a summary of what I ended up doing and some details I encountered while I was doing the research.

Note: as I did run out of time during my research, I wouldn't say my summary is complete but this should be a good start for those looking; my information is also specific for equestrians so anglers or hunters or vets need to do more research.

Background

Iceland is an island nation that has its own population of horses, called the Icelandic Horse. Their horses are not vaccinated against any seriously infectious disease. As like any isolated country, their biosecurity measures are meant to protect all their flora and fauna. Anglers, hunters and equestrians alike need to take appropriate biosecurity measures to protect the ecosystem during their visit.

Researched Options

When I spoke with my small animal vet, she told me that vets generally travelling to different animal populations practice 2 weeks prior and 2 weeks post travel, to avoid any contact with animals, period. That is a very general practice and wouldn't hurt to employ, if you can. But, I was never asked to do this for my travels.

Travellers can approach this requirement by two options:

1. Prepare prior to travel: riding clothes like pants and tops should be wet washed and dried (or dry cleaned) and then "rested" 5 days prior to going. Boots and half chaps can be washed and dried and then further disinfected with Virkon-S or a similar disinfectant (you can probably find this at most tack shops). Then you can get your veterinarian to write up a letter, sign and stamp it to certify that you have completed as needed.
2. Address the requirement upon landing in Reykjavik: if you want to do things in Reykjavik, you'll want to stay longer than a few days. There is a service available at the airport called Icepark. They can do all that stuff for you (they also do this for anglers and others) but hold things for a few days before providing them back to you. I didn't go this route and didn't further investigate it but it sounds like it could prove to be logistically challenging.

Limitations

There are limitations about certain items that absolutely cannot be brought into the country... such as used riding gloves and any used horse tack. The reasoning behind this seems to be that there is a high chance that these items would come in contact with equine fluids such as saliva etc so were simply prohibited to tourists to bring.

Keep in mind though, that Icelandic horses have their style of tack and plus, it's probably not possible to know the size of your mount. Gloves on the other hand are not terribly expensive so it likely isn't a major issue to get new ones for your trip.

What I ended up doing...

I didn't end up getting the veterinary certification that was referred to me because I ran out of time. I did have correspondence with a representative from MAST, the Icelandic Food & Veterinary Authority, as well as my small animal veterinarian. Because my trip was not solely focused on riding and I wasn't staying a long time (over a week), I did as simply as possible. I washed my riding clothes (as directed) such as tops and bottoms and then bought new gloves (I didn't have winter gloves anyway), and used the rest of their equipment when I got there.

Because of the amount of stuff to bring and the coordination that would be involved, I didn't think that doing more was worth my time. However, if your trip is more horsey focused or longer, you might feel otherwise.

Resources

Check out the MAST website (English version) and contact them to get more information. They are helpful but you'll want to do it well ahead of time so you don't run out, if you need more extensive information.

Bonus Tip

I found taking photos or videos was easiest with a mounted camera such as a GO Pro to keep your hands free during the ride.

Hips Don't Lie

It can easily be said that the most important aspect for a rider is their seat and how strong and flexible it is. For those non-riders, the 'seat' is the part of your body which includes the parts of your body which are seated on the horse's back. On the surface, the seat is your butt and your thighs but beyond that, it is also the weight of your body which you control, through the "seat". Unfortunately for adult riders like myself, starting out later in life could be a disadvantage if you have particularly high aspirations and not a lot of time both for riding daily and for committing to improving fitness. That said, I'm by no means in that boat and I'm perfectly fine with it.

While I understand I'll never get to an A-circuit (or even Trillium) level, I am the nerd who gets super into something and then gets borderline OCD about and do my best to attempt to absorb as much as the universe is willing to bestow upon me. I didn't have a lesson this Sunday due to the buckets of snow dumped on the Hillsburgh/Erin area over the weekend so I decided to catch-up on sleep, deal with the house and of course, read about horseback riding.

The internet is a huge database of information ready to be plundered and this time, I decided to look into something that has been affecting me of late: my right hip. It has been bothering me for the last several weeks by feeling tight or just plain stiff. As a result, there was at least one less than stellar time where it was rather evident that things haven't been going well. I found a very simple article that outlines the situations well:

Lack of flexibility and stability in the hips is especially common in riders over 30, because hip mobility often diminishes with age. Whereas someone in the general population might not be inconvenienced by their gradually diminishing hip mobility, a rider is. Unlike other sports, your primary contact with "ground" as a rider is your seat and thighs. In other sports, it is your feet, and all motion is relative to the body's ability to transfer force from the ground, through the body. In riding, you are balancing on your seat, using your thighs for further balance and to communicate aids, and your feet must remain "soft" to allow for the stirrup irons to rise up and down with the horse's stride.

--Heather Sansom (Dressage Today) 

Regardless of where I read or take information from, about riding, it's stressed that the seat (and thighs) are the most important communication tool with the horse when riding. Keep in mind that the way in which riders 'communicate' with their horses is a language that is significantly physical and few words or even sounds are exchanged. A simple shift in weight or placement of a leg is all it takes to "tell your horse" what you want. Riding looks easy enough to the average spectator and that's what riders are supposed to look like but the anatomy involved is quite extensive particularly in the seat. Horseback riding is a demanding sport, regardless of what onlookers might think and so requires the appropriate stretching that any other physical activity would require.

Interestingly enough, hip flexibility and strength is an important component for yogis too. One of my favourite yoga instructors never rides yet always stressed the importance of hip flexibility and strength. This explains why yoga is such a helpful activity to supplement riders in their 'off time'. Going back to my research over the weekend, in order to improve on my riding, it is imperative that I supplement normal physical activity with deliberate stretching, strengthening and overall care. As it stands, I'm already,

1. an adult student starting late;
2. over 30 so my hip flexibility and strength is on the decline; and
3. I have an office job that keeps me chained at my desk for the better part of the day and it's super easy to get sucked into something I'm working on and end up eating my lunch at my desk and never getting up except for bathroom breaks.

I'm not sure exactly what's tight or sore or broken or whatever in my hips, but I do know that I have to make a regular effort to focus on addressing my issues through strengthening, warming up and stretching in my non-riding times as well as before and after lessons.

Doesn't the Horse Do All the Work?

This is probably a question that comes up regularly for horseback riders (novice or otherwise) when speaking with non-horsey friends and family (or strangers). This post's underlying theme is a rant but I am running out of patience and, polite responses! Granted, sometimes it's genuine ignorance and they're reasonably open of the discussion we have. I have yet to meet anyone who is belligerent about the response but here's the question for you riding readers, what do you say?

Well I have to, when Deb's not paying attention!

The background to this post started with a dinner meeting in October: I met up with people who don't ride (but are physically active) and was coming from my lesson. I live in the city but these people live in the 'burbs and have really close access to riding stables and have zero (ZERO! Can we go negative points?) interest to explore the sport. We start on a bit of the usual banter and I try to avoid talking about what I had been up to. The question of where I was coming from came up casually but one of them asked "Why are you so tired and sweaty? Doesn't the horse do all the work when you ride?" I was too shocked and offended (b/c I'm sensitive, like that) to be flabbergasted. I raised an eyebrow and slowly (and calmly) replied "no". Clearly I looked like I was ready to punch them in the face so someone else piped up and asked about what it's like and what I do etc. The instigator continued to rub me the wrong way by asking things like "... that's the highest you go? (yea, because they can do more, right?)... don't you just sit up there and have the horse take you around? (because horses have become mind readers)... you like the stink of horse and poop? (oh come on. because if they haven't showered in days or weeks, they smell like roses. And everyone poops!)..."

I wish I had the cojones/balls/bullocks/chutzpah to whip out my smart phone and then make them watch this (the authors do need to get the grammar right in this vid but yea, "take that, jerkface!"):

Have a good day, everyone! :)

Cleaning Horsey Stuff, Part 2: Grooming Brushes

This is the second instalment for newbs cleaning horse stuff. The first one I did was done out of pure necessity because the saddle pad I bought early this year smelled like every horse in the stable used it as a sweat towel. It was also the first time I've ever cleaned a saddle pad so I felt it needed to be documented properly. This time, I'm documenting cleaning the grooming supplies found in my grooming caddy. I'm washing with basic dish detergent.

Hi, I'm Buckingham!! And I'm going to help wash brushes.

I have a range of items from stiff jelly curry brushes, synthetic dandy brushes, soft jelly curry brush, soft face brush, metal mane and tail combs hoof picks, a rubbery pointy curry brush and a pair of scissors.

Contents of my grooming caddy

After emptying the contents of my caddy, I notice that I haven't washed the caddy since I bought it and that even after dumping out the loose dirt and hair, it's got a layer of grime coating the inside.

It asks for a gentle wash in cold water.

I fill up the bucket with water (I probably should have used warm but I was using the hose and it's not too cold) and several pumps of dish detergent. Then I dump all the synthetic brushes in and swirl things around and scrub them against one another until the water becomes brown. In hind sight, I probably should have manually removed the loose dirt before doing this.

Bubbles!

Some things I use more than others and so the vigour of cleaning would vary, depending on what I'm cleaning.

After their bath

I pull out the brushes and dump the dirty water into the dry parts of the garden. Then I rinse.

It's got to be easier to do this outdoors than indoors...

Once I finish rinsing all the synthetic brushes, I decide to wash the face brush in the same fashion and see if that works. Things look dirt free again and without any suds so I leave them out on an angle, to dry.

Check the weather before leaving them outside...

Note that the dandy brush is placed with bristles down, as is the face brush. I take a rule of thumb from when I was being told about how to clean your make up brushes where you have to keep the water from entering the wood of the brush--basically where the handle meets the bristles. I figure it's not different in this case with brushes.

That face brush came out just fine!

All in all, this process took less than a full hour (I was doing a quick saddle pad wash too) to do and should probably be done more frequently. I don't travel to multiple stables nor do I use the same brushes on many different horses so I figure I'm relatively safe... but if you do, I'd suggest to wash more frequently and perhaps add a little bleach or other antibacterial agent to disinfect those bristles!

Note: I have not tested this method on animal hair brushes as I don't own any. Perhaps an opportunity will arise where I will be able to test that out!

Cleaning Horsey Stuff, Part 1: Saddle Pad

Ariel isn't my horse per se, and I don't own a horse (yet...) so logically, I have little horse tack. I did however, purchase a saddle pad in the spring because I was having trouble being able to regularly find a saddle pad for Ariel. I bought a "Union Hill LETTIA pad" in navy with green whales from Bahr's Saddlery. Perhaps not the best decision for a white horse, but it has matching polo wrap too! I didn't get those :P

Time for a clean up!

This summer hasn't been too bad in terms of heat but that doesn't mean Ariel doesn't sweat during a lesson. Add to that the fact that she loves to roll around in the dirt and come to me with mud caked on. I figure that since we riders wash riding clothes after a sweaty lesson, the same should be done for horse stuff (note: I intend to learn how to clean bridles and saddles eventually). I already wash the bit after lessons and ensure there isn't anything crusty left on there and then tie it up neatly in a figure 8. I also decided to wash my grooming brushes since I needed the dandy for the saddle pad cleaning.

Colour fast detergent for the saddle pad and dish soap for the brushes

Needless to say, the pad looked (and smelled like a dirty gym sock that a horse wore) like this:

That's a season's worth of yuck!

Upon closer inspection, I see that the once fleecy underside is now smooth and slightly shiny with dried sweat and dirt. The common concern that many riders have is tossing it straight into the home washing machine, full of dry dirt, sweat and horse hair. Yes, like all laundry, it goes in dirty and comes out clean. But, that doesn't mean that it's going to leave the washing machine clean enough to do your un-mentionables, or not clog up your pipes. So, after brief consultation with J, I laid the pad, underside up on the grass and grabbed the (synthetic) dandy brush to brush off as much of the loose dust, dirt and horse hair as possible.

Not much improvement...

Then I filled the brown bucket with water and a little bit of colour fast detergent. Next, I soaked the pad from top to bottom with the hose going at super stream, not spray. It didn't get a lot of the dirt off but now everything is wet; the pad is heavy, soaked with water so careful not to throw your back out! I dipped the same dandy brush into the bucket and proceeded to scrub the pad on the underside first: it was magical to see things just disappear. My final step was to dump the bucket of water onto the grass and then blast the pad with the hose on both sides. This made the pad super heavy and I had to do some squeezing and picking off of leaves and grass. I messily rolled the pad into a bundle, dumped it into the bucket and headed inside. We have a laundry sink that I used to further rinse the fauna debris from and as I was kneeding the pad, I would see all this brown water go rushing out of it. I did it a few more times and then got the washing machine ready with cold water on a quick cycle with minimal detergent (the tag called for "mild detergent").

It came out clean but I had to clear up the machine walls of any missed debris and then I put it to line dry. I go one step further and line dry outside since the weather is still good. When I get home, I check out the pad and see that there is a LOT of hair still embedded--particularly the underside. I spend the evening outside picking much of the horse hair off and then brushing with a lint brush. (Almost) good as new!

Front side after picking hair...

Still picking hair as I type this... but it's a vast improvement

After looking at things more closely and rethinking the whole dirt, sweat part, I've decided that I'll probably be washing this thing as frequently as my own breeches. AND, I'll be adding a new saddle pad to my "wish list" (in time for The Royal and the Greenhawk super warehouse sale) so I can rotate them, over the cold months.

Note: always read the cleaning label of your saddle pad! Also, I only tried this on the standard cotton/poly saddle pad.

Intro and Clinic Recap: le TREC

In June, +ADW and I attended a horsey clinic headed by World Champion Thierry Maurouard at Cadogan Farm in Caledon, Ontario. This is a relatively new initiative/equine sport being introduced in Ontario; it originates from France and is very popular (not surprisingly) in Quebec. What drew me is that pretty much any horseman/woman can get involved and it tests practical skills. It's less technical and hence easier for anyone to learn; of course, the more technical you can be, the more skilful rider you might be but that might not be necessary for this purpose.

Le TREC was originally created to test equestrian trail guides with a goal to develop safe, well-trained trail horses that are able to deal with anything that they'd encounter on a trail--solo or in a group. It consists of 3 parts:

• Phase 1: Parcours d'orientation et de Régularité (POR)
• Phase 2: Maîtrise des Allures (MA)
• Phase 3: Parcours en Terrain Varie (PTV)

Parcours d'orientation et de Régularité (POR)
This is the most rigorous phase and requires the rider to think on their feet and be familiar with orienteering and assessing terrain, as well as being a proficient rider. Your mount must also be capable of being patient while you sit atop trying to figure out the best route to take. Riders start by entering a map room with a copy of a blank map and they copy the planned map to the best of their abilities and then use that traced map to complete the planned route. The planned route is arranged so that specific trails or paths must be taken because there are random checkpoints plotted throughout. Checkpoints are not marked on the maps so if you arrive at the checkpoint by the incorrect path, you get pointed deducted. Riders can also lose points if they lose their POR record card or miss checkpoints. Riders must carry and wear specific items: helmet, high visibility clothing, hoof care items, first-aid kit, halter and lead rope, map and compass. Depending on the level of competition, the plotted map can be as complicated as a true map with all the elevation markings and true north, all to scale. Or, as simple as a bunch of pictures and arrows plotting out a sequence of events/points to follow. In addition, the ride distance ranges from 12km to 45km.

Maîtrise des Allures (MA)
This phase translates to "Control of Pace" and is tougher than it seems. A lane 150m long and about 2m wide is marked and the rider must gallop (or whatever gait is determined) in a slow controlled pace, then dismount and walk the horse back to the start line. Deduction of points are made for breaking gait or going off course. The main variation relative to skill level is the width of the path.

Parcours en Terrain Varie (PTV)
This phase is essentially an obstacle course that ranges from jumping, mounting/dismounting or trailer loading or riding through "low hanging branches". Riders have the option to perform obstacles at varying gaits (where applicable) or skip it all together. Points are awarded on successfully completing the tasks but can vary dependant on the gait chosen or style (i.e. too fast/slow etc) or even a misbehaving horse or cruel rider.

The clinic started with a classroom lecture that provided a background (above) of le TREC. We also learned the experiences that Thierry has, competing. While it was a lecture format, it remained informal and we asked questions as it progressed. This lasted for the better part of the morning before we broke for lunch and had the opportunity to enjoy the property. The afternoon section included the MA and PTV sections on horseback for those who brought their mounts with them; the rest of us watched from the ground.

Google animated my photos!

The above animated photo is part of the PTV section where the horse is required to get through that windy 'path' without touching/knocking over any of the bars or kicking the pails etc. It's certainly trickier than one would think depending on how bendable your horse is and the "style points" are judged on the way the rider initiates those turns and how the horse looks, as a result. And I do believe breaking pace is a penalty. I can't imagine getting a horse like Bonspiel through this obstacle.

Another obstacle is the "low hanging branches"; you can see the obstacle in the centre of the photo. The rider basically leans forward towards one side of the horses neck and plods forward. I'd say the tricky thing here is to maintain your weight over your heels so that you wouldn't fall off, when you were doing this at a canter. I wish I knew how to do this one when I took Ariel on a hack the last time.

Horsey limbo!

Other obstacles included the opening of a 'rope gate' where you needed to open and close a gate while on horseback. The challenge here was to get the horse close enough so you could lean over and pull the rope off the post and then continue to hold onto it while 'doing a dance' of sorts into the arena and turn around and place the loop back over the post. A few horses were nervous about getting so close to the fence and others just couldn't figure out how to turn around without getting tangled. As the skill level increases, the 'gate' becomes a lever type where you need even more precision turning yourself around because dropping the gate is not good.

We didn't get through every single obstacle that will be sanctioned for the Equine Canada rulebook (in the works from what I've been told) but got a good taste of what's standard and how they are judged. I'm very excited to see how this activity unfolds and develops in the area because it would be a really exciting activity to participate in.

A Great Horsey Contest!

Living in the city makes it difficult to give me plenty of practical experience for my riding. I have to "practice" outside of my lessons so that they are worth the time. As physical as riding is, there is great benefit to take in and reading other people's experiences to add your your own repertoire. It might not work out exactly as you'd think but you might not have thought about something until reading another's opinion! Take for example her post about turning on a horse... she helped put the action into words and actions that I was able to attempt, on my own time. I have since incorporated it when riding Ariel and I've found her more responsive!

I'd like to introduce a great contest where Kathy Farrokhzad at Horse Listening will be giving away FIVE signed copies of her new book, Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding. The winners will be selected randomly from the comments in the post and will end on March 14, 2014. All you have to do is leave a comment of 50 words or less in her comments section about why you want a copy of the signed book by Kathy.

Check it out and good luck!

A Review: SSG 10 Below, Winter Gloves (Style 6400)

These gloves are incredible winter gloves, for whatever you end up doing. According to the SSG website, they were made in response to the successful summer glove; with the exception of adding 4 layers of warmth and waterproofing. I bought them on a whim prior to leaving for Iceland in 2013 because until that moment, I rode with whatever gloves I had and used them all year round. But it's ICEland... I didn't imagine it to be warm enough for those gloves to work; plus, we weren't allowed to bring any used equestrian equipment and I used that as an excuse to get new gloves.

They are an amazing investment for both Iceland and this winter. I used them this winter when I go out to grab Ariel because the number of times I didn't, I regretted it. Considering I bought them 3 sizes too big for me, I found them a bit unwieldy to use for anything that required more fine tuning of my fingers, but otherwise the grip was great and I didn't feel like they were getting in the way of doing what I needed to do. Imagine if I got the right size!

They are very warm without being hot; though I don't think I'd want to ride with them. This is more out of personal preference than anything negative against the gloves themselves. You see, I prefer to ride bare-hand regularly (I know it isn't really ideal...) and so I haven't done so with the exception of the one time this winter that I wore them when it was like -12deg C (that's without wind-chill). Otherwise, I find them good for doing the other stuff like getting tacked up and fetching the horse. 

The fit features work for me b/c I don't have to fiddle with any straps or velcro closures... it's a simple elasticized wrist and it slips easily and neatly under my winter coat sleeves. It's fast to pull off or on when you're in a hurry and need your bare-hands for better tactility. I haven't had the opportunity to make use of the waterproofness since I don't ride outside in the winters but I have had them washed in the washing machine (no dryer) at whatever cycle my mom decided to use and they came back to me like brand new, every time!

The inside is a soft fleece lining that is comfortable on the hands and keeps you warm. I've even used them for non-equestrian related activities like shovelling snow and the grip is great and I don't need to fuss with anything because they're otherwise like normal active winter gloves. They retail for around $30CDN, depending on where you go and the cost is reasonable for comparable models.

Overall, these are possibly the best winter gloves I currently own ... be it for winter equestrian activities or otherwise!

Disclaimer: I have not received any financial compensation for this review. These gloves were bought on my own accord but all opinions are my own.

My Winter Riding Wardrobe on a Budget

I've been meaning to compose this post for a couple weeks now... especially with the last very cold spell. Since last winter wasn't as cold and snowy as this one, I didn't pay much attention to winter-specific clothing other than a down vest; I got that from MEC at clearance because I squeezed into the size 14 kid's version! Goooo me!! Anyways, I don't show and probably won't do it for a little while so my focus this chilly and snowy winter has been on schooling clothes that can double as outdoor active clothes. I know that this is already a relatively costly endeavour compared to some of the other activities I've done/do so I try to work with what I've got and consider alternatives for my riding wardrobe.

It's good that I'm active outside of horseback riding and I've amassed plenty of active clothing. I paddled and steered a dragon boat team for several seasons in my previous years but have since stopped, but I do continue to kayak in the summers for leisure. I also cycle in the warmer months and have a substantial arrangement of cycling clothes for someone who cycles once... maybe twice a week. Primarily, I am an avid yogini for many years and find enjoyment in this activity. However, these are all warm weather activities and don't accommodate for cooler weather. So, I have been riding with the same clothes I ride with during the summer; with one amendment: many more layers.

This year, I've been thinking about the "gaps" in my winter riding wardrobe without breaking the bank. I already have many t-shirts and a few long sleeve shirts that I usually pull over my tshirt; this past few months, I've gotten a moisture-wicking active shirt from MEC as well as a very warm and soft fleece pull over top I picked up at Le Baron, all during the Boxing Day week sales. We'll talk gloves another time because I've realized that having the appropriate gloves are key.

While we tack-up in the main stable, the horses are often in the adjacent fields and some of the tack is in the other smaller stable. I find myself trekking into the snow driftswhere there are few trees to keep the snow from blowing around and turning into snow dunes. To mitigate this, I put on my paddock boots and half chaps then make my way out rather successfully. No snow in my boots and I'm dry by the time I start lesson.

The only thing that has gotten to me though, is being cold. I layer my top and slip on wool socks, but my bottom and legs (particularly my thighs) are perpetually chilly. I tried to get long johns on underneath but clearly I've had too much fun over Christmas and things aren't fitting the way they could and so I'm considering winter chaps. Wiarton Willie says that we're getting another 6 weeks of winter so these will likely come in useful. Stay tuned for my post about how it's like, riding with them :)

REPOST: An Easy Way to Turn, in Horseback Riding

A great post came up this morning when I was checking my blog and what a perfect post! I've been working on bending and turning a lot, lately. We've been making some very tight turns and focused on bending. Like I've mentioned before, there is a lot going on during a ride so there is little time to really consider where your hip bone is or what angle your hip is or when your body is supposed to do "x". The article provides the opportunity for you to assess what happens to your body during a turn, but off horse. It really gives a rider like me, the opportunity to safely assess what's going on.

It's a short article so check it out if you've been trying to piece together what your instructor is saying when they say things like "... drop your hip bone... open that angle... turn your shoulders... look that way... etc" during a bendy turn!

Flying Lead Change

I realize that I forgot to outline what a flying lead change is, during my post about my latest stay-cation vacation. We learn what a flying lead change is but I didn't explain what that might be, for the rest of you. The lead change happens in mid-air during the canter. The canter is the third gait of a horse and it involves 3 foot falls and follows this sequence (in a circle):

1. outside hind
2. inside hind + outside front
3. inside front

The objective of proper leads is primarily for proper balance of the horse and is very important if you're doing jumping and less so if you're riding a straight line. The concept is similar to trot diagonals.

Here's a thorough video about what it is...

Biosecurity Measures: pre-Iceland

March flew right by and I can hardly believe it's over. It's almost time for my vacation to Iceland! I had this booked several weeks ago because the deal was just too good to pass up! ADW and I will be heading out to whale watch, glacier walk, volcano viewing, horseback riding and checking out some of the other wonderful sights of Iceland.

If you've been following (or just look down at the word cloud), you'll know that I've taken up horseback riding this past year and I've been hooked since. It's pretty much all I think about. So, when the chance to ride in Iceland presented itself, I couldn't say no. That being said though, I have pretty much all the equipment a normal horseman would have... jodpurs/breeches, helmet, boots/shoes, half chaps, gloves and various tops. But, Iceland being an island has strict biosecurity measures that tourists must adhere to.

Anyone with contact to any animal species from their native homes and wish to bring their equipment with them must sanitize everything they own; fishermen, hunters and riders alike. Since I'm riding, I wanted to bring some of the equipment that I already own. I mean I don't know anyone who is happy to share shoes/boots or something on their head. Underwear is a given "no share zone". But the other stuff that goes "outside" seems to be acceptable. To me, this is not acceptable. I am cringing at the thought of doing so.

So far, we've been informed by Frommers that all equipment, including riding clothes, must be sterilized prior to going to Iceland for biosecurity measures. This means that all washable clothing must be washed in +40 deg C and dried in a super hot dryer. Boots/shoes must be washed with a detergent and then sprayed with a disinfectant: Virkon S. While Greenhawk carries this item in small packages and larger pellet containers, the instructions detail some hazardous prevention measures such as the need to wear a protective apron, gloves and mask while mixing the concoction! I also need a vet certification of disinfection if I wish to have this done here. Frommers and online sources have quoted a local company called icepark.is who does this sort of thing primarily for anglers. The problem is the website is in Icelandic. Talk about not helpful considering most people looking to disinfect their equipment are not from Iceland!!!

In addition to all these seemingly annoying barriers to my entry into this beautiful country, owners in the country are not permitted to import any used leather based horse tack such as saddles or bridles. So far, I've spoken briefly with my small animal vet and she's told me that typically, customs has veterinarians who visit other countries (and who likely visit farms) to not visit any animals 2 weeks prior to the trip and 2 weeks following. While it's likely not too big of a deal, it would be ethically wrong to throw caution to the wind and say that there's nothing to worry about. I mean can you imagine the possibility for instigating an infamous plague: Canadian couple decimates majestic wild Icelandic horse population.

Totally not cool.

Which means that I've got some more research ahead of me and possibly some pain in the bum responses I'll be getting...

Horsey Talk #2

I think we've accumulated a bunch more information since the last Horsey Talk installment back in November; and now we needs some 'splainin'. I'm by no means extensively experienced so I only share from my experience.

Posting Diagonals: the posting (or rising) trot is a 2-beat gait that horses do where diagonal legs move together: front right and back left move forward and then switch. The posting diagonal is essentially when the rider is rising when the outside front leg reaches forward. Outside leg? The leg closest to the wall or outside of a circle. This rising gives the horse the chance to bring his back leg forward without the riding on his back to aid his balance. In the instance where he's going straight ahead, rider gets to pick. Check out this video:

Canter: this is a natural 3-beat gait that is faster than the trot but slower than the gallop. The three beats just mean that there are 3 footfalls per stride. In Western riding, a similar gait is called lope. The rider sits during the canter.

Canter leg aids: I checked, and there are several ways to initiate canter but what I've been doing is just the standard leg aids where I pull my outside leg back a bit and then squeeze both together.

Half halts: an application of the restraining aids, asking the horse to "almost halt" and bring its hindquarters under itself in the process, then immediately applying the driving aids to maintain the gait. We've been using it mostly to slow the horse down.

Cavaletti jump: this is a basic training jump that where the ends are formed in an X and at one of the joints is where the bar is attached. The jump is then variable for 3 different heights by turning it.

2-point position: the rider supports his or her body using leg and stirrup, keeping the heels down, and lifting the buttocks out of the saddle while keeping the head and shoulders up. It is called 2-point because there are two point of contact with the saddle. It is typically used when jumping.

Forage: this is the term used for the horse's primary portion of the diet: the vegetation that they graze upon. This can be grass, hay, haylage, silage, alfalfa etc. It is a low quality foodstuff with high fibre.

Looks like I picked some tricky ones this time! I had some trouble explaining some of those terms. Hopefully I did them justice. If I didn't, let me know!

Sport

I've learned long ago that if there is anything you do in your life, you should have purpose to do it; otherwise it's just a waste of your time. So, I've been pondering my riding "goals" for some while. I mean let's face it, learning to ride to swing a sword or shoot an arrow can only really be handy in a few situations: zombie apocalypse or medieval battle field/tournament. Over the holidays, I was watching a lot of Heartland and the first episode of season 4 (Homecoming) inspired me to do more research about the various equine sporting events in existence.

I was 8 or so, when my parents sent me to riding camp at Claireville Ranch over a few summers. I learned to ride western on an Appaloosa horse. I rode independently at the lope, trot and turning, stopping etc. Since it was a day camp, we also had regular trail rides that were typical trail rides where no rider experience is necessary and the horses are happy to follow their buddy in front. It's like getting into a car with a mind of its own; and you'll probably spend more time trying to stop him from eating, than going anywhere. I don't have any appetite for this type of riding anymore.

While the Heartland episode featured Cross Country (which I also find incredibly exhilerating), I stumbled across another equine sport: endurance riding; and came to realize that it tests rider and horse teams on many levels. You must know how to ride at varying gaits for extended periods of time while evaluating terrain and your horse's endurance levels throughout the course, to be successful. Endurance riding is a timed event where the primary measurement for success is a fast time; it's like a running marathon on horse-back.

The history surrounding the development of endurance riding as a competitive sport started in the United States based on European cavalry and breeding program tests. It became a formal sport in 1955, organized by Wendel Robie and a group of equestrian riders who rode from the Lake Tahoe area across the Sierra Nevada Range, to Auburn in less than 24 hours; following the historic Western States Trail. This is currently known as the Tevis Cup and is the most difficult of any 100-mile ride in the world because of the terrain, altitude and temperatures.

I found this video online which gives you an idea about what this mighty sport would entail for its athletes: both rider and horse.

Goal: Classical Seat

I watch this video again and again, to remind myself about the classical seat I should be aiming for, when I ride. It's like studying before the actual test!

Improving Your Classical Seat

Horsey Talk #1

I promised in a previous post that I'd go over some equine jargon since it's practically a foreign language and since I blog about my experiences, it would be beneficial for my wonderful readers! I'm just learning so I'll probably be doing a few of these posts. And, many of these definitions will be based on what I learn... I"m sure there are formal definitions but if that were the case, then I could just send you all a bunch of links.

Tacking up: this means to prepare the horse for receiving their saddle (which includes the stirrups etc) and bridle--basically to be ready to be ridden. Usually includes the grooming, and cleaning of hooves.

Tack: term for all equipment which the horse will wear for riding

Bridle: the bridle is your main steering mechanism. This piece is fitted on the horse's head with a metal bit in their mouth. Some of these are "bit-less" and differ from the English to Western disciplines.

Footing: the stuff that covers the riding ring's floors (outdoor or indoor). It has been sand in the past but recently, there's been a move towards this synthetic recycled rubber stuff.

Gait: this is the way which the horse naturally moves their legs. I've recently learned that there are naturally gaited horses which move differently than what we're used to seeing.

Trot: is a diagonal 2 beat gait. In other words, when the front foot reaches forward, the opposite back foot moves simultaneously.

Posting or posting to the trot: the rising and lowering action which a rider performs while the horse is in his/her trot. This action is generally more comfortable for both horse and rider.

Saddle: this one should be pretty straight forward... the device that is placed on the horses back which becomes the seat for the rider. It's main purpose is to stabilize the rider.

Whithers: this is the top of their shoulders--a bump you'll see at the back of their neck, at the base

Sound: term used to describe a healthy horse.

Girth: the strap which secures the saddle to the horse. This term is used in english riding.

Hope that this helps those who lack a background in horsey talk!