Cheers.  Boy oh boy is springtime fun.  Last weekend at Pinehurst was a ball.  We had an aisle full of enthusiastic, cheerful people.  Most of the time shows feel like a party that our horses are invited to:  utterly perfect party. 

This upcoming weekend NCDCTA is hosting a symposium with JJ Tate focusing on quality seat positioin and aids.  I hope it is very in-depth and useful.  I plan to attend... maybe not all of it because I have to work some, but I cannot escape a good learning opportunity.  I cannot tell you how many times I have come away from an in-expensive or free educational program with a golden nugget that solves problems for me for the rest of my life.  Hope to see you there (if you live in state.) 
I am working out the summer schedule for working students.  If you have interest, please let me know asap as the weeks are filling up fast and there is only so much availability.  I have been a working student for a couple different people in the past.  It is invaluable.  There are a lot of stables I would still love to be an employee, or at least a fly on the wall.


The next competition on my calendar is Summertime Blues, June 16 and 17.

Have you been using cavaletti to school your horses?  Ingrid Klimke (German olympian) says she uses some everyday.  Sometimes we get lazy and don't set them up for weeks or months.  Then, we return to the activity to be surprised at our horses un-coordinated attempts.  Remember:  quality gaits are the foundation of your dressage scores.  Cavaletti are a brilliant educational tool for you to show your horses what muscles and effort are needed for the gaits you want.  Come see me if you want help with cavaletti. 

Cheers!
Here is a rundown of the highlights of the Pinehurst Dressage show for the Karver stable group:
The Sandbox Club won the Pro-Am Challenge!  The other teams also had very high scores and really made  us work for it!  Thank you students.  This award means a lot to me.   
Sanibelle earned the highest score I have yet received:  79% on Saturday, winning the class. 
Wonder earned two 76% scores from two different judges, winning those classes.  All of Wonder's scores were over 70%.
Dana earned her bronze medal on Watson.  She also won the AA high score award for third level. 
This was Angie's first recognized show and she rocked it:  all scores high 60's and almost landed herself a 70%, very close! 
Susan, only a couple weeks back in the saddle after her broken arm, piloted Ebella to the high 60's also!
We escaped too much drama this year.  No finding lost horses at midnight.   No fainting.  No nothing... well, almost.  Wonder spooked and stepped on my heal.  She has shoes on.  Ouch.  Unfortunately everyone in the barn aisle got to see it and so it was not a private moment for me.  Oh well, horses keep you humble!

The grey girls look positively radiant in the Sunday afternoon Sun.  They are chillaxin' after good rides in prep for Pinehurst!  Although they never look like twins, somehow they look a little alike...  perhaps it is their shared enthusiasm for clover?  Sanibelle and Wonder (Wonderful Pearle)
Below:  Welle's back looks very becoming!  Tuesday we are hoping for the big "OK " from the vet to start back into work.... rehab work, not Grand Prix work.  I miss that view of the world.  Prayers!?   Crossed fingers?  Good vibes?
I just had an interesting idea... would you like seeing photos of my horses while I ride, from their backs... during select movements and such?  What exactly do you think you would like to see?  On which horse? 

In preparation for the riding and showing season, a series of quotes by Thomas Edison makes profound sports psychology for dressage riders:

"Discontent is the first necessity of progress." ~ T.Edison    
Brilliant riders have felt much discontent and do not flee from that feeling.

"Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration." ~ T. Edison   
Brilliant riders relentlessly work to solve the issues causing discontent and don't blame the horses, make excuses, or quit.

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."  ~ T. Edison 
Some dressage enthusiasts crave the glamour of the show ring and are blind to the real endeavor of competition ... because it is dressed in overalls and looks like... long term work.

"Many of life's failures are people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up."  ~ T. Edison

Thanks Thomas!  That's good stuff!

Pinehurst:  Dressage in the Sandhills
I have signed up Wonder and Sanibelle.  Susan signed up Ebella.  Although her arm is still in a brace, she was able to mount her on Saturday and have a nice ride in time for the show closing date (Saturday at midnight).  Crazy?  I support crazy!  It was a beautiful ride.  Dana is taking Watson to debut at third level and Angie is taking Thaddeus to debut her "recognized" show career, starting at training level.  That is enough riders to... drum roll please... have a "pro-am challenge" team!!! Yeah!  The Sandbox Club rides again!

Clinic:  Is anyone interested in riding in a clinic to be hosted here with Harriet Peterson of VA?  Cost, date, TBA.  I'm just putting out a feeler... How many interested participants.  As usual, auditing is free. 

Covergirl:  Sanibelle made the cover of NCDCTA news again!  This time, her photo was included in Sue Smithson's article about March Magic in Williamston where Sanibelle and Wonder tied at 76%!  The collective marks gave Sanibelle the blue.  However, I didn't pick out the photo and I don't think it is a great moment.  Oh well, Sanibelle is such a pretty thing, she pulls it off ok anyway.  What a star!  And Sue S. did a great job, as usual, articulating interesting facts from the show in the article.  However, nothing compares to the experience of being there!  More than 50% of the victory is showing up and trying!  Goto www.ncdcta.org to enjoy the newsletter electronically.

2011 Glossary of judging terms defines behind the leg: (when the horse is) "Unwilling to move forward at the same time as accepting the contact/ connection.  Slow to react to the leg.  Sluggish or unwilling to move energetically forward."  I feel that most people latch on to the last part of the definition and forget the most important first part.   A horse must react willingly to the leg aid at the exact instant it is applied, while the riders seat and connection remain balanced, relaxed and undisturbed.  It refers to a training issue, not a quality of the gaits issue.  It does not refer to the impulsion of the gait the horse displays once he is moving forward.  The real question is when the rider applies her leg aid what does the horse do in that instant?  If she has to throw her hands up the neck to loose the contact before he is willing to move forward then he is behind the leg.  If he waits 2 seconds after a leg tap, then darts off at a rushing trot, he is behind the leg (although this is where too many people get fooled).  If he needs a 3 second squeeze of the riders legs before moving his own legs, then he is behind the leg.  If he is doing a transition from trot to walk and the rider has no control over the transition once the whoa aid has been given, then he is behind the leg. A transition where the horse remains in front of the leg can be dialed down or back up at any moment in the process, thus creating an "almost" transition.  If the rider must thrust her hips or wiggle or any movement other than the proper closing of the leg for "go" then the horse is behind the leg.  You see that frequently in early levels as riders thrust and fling their horses into canter with movements of their torso or arms.  All horses get behind the leg at times.  It is horses' natural reaction to confusion, distraction, and insecurity.  To have a horse be in front of the leg takes diligent training.  If the horse is an energetic mover, or a naturally less talented fellow, both can be totally behind the leg and trained to be in front of it.  However, the energetic horse will have an easier time keeping his trainer un-aware that he is behind the leg. 

Scott Hassler is coming to Fellowship Farm (Southern Greensboro area) on Tuesday.  Sanibelle and Wonder are participating.  The schedule is not available yet... see www.fellowshipfarm.net 
Several students of mine are thinking about participating in the Pinehurst show in early May.  It is likely that I will bring Wonder and hopefully Susan will want Sanibelle to attend also.

Spring is filled with a to-do list and slowly things are getting done:
Although the huge scores the grey girls earned at the show demonstrated much talent and success, there was room for lots of improvement.  Tuesday they were checked by Dr. Lisa Busko, DVM and alternative therapies for a chiropractic exam.  On Friday they got their fall shots and teeth checked by Dr. Wallace.  Sunday they were visited by Darell Coble (sp?) for an early morning, artistic photo shoot and then later in the morning by Dana Sparks, a rep for Custom Saddles who tweaked their saddle fit to perfection.  The farrier is scheduled for the following week.  Next week also has a PRP (platelet rich plasma) injection for Welle's left hind suspensory.  Dr. Wallace ultrasound exam on Friday showed about 50% improvement so far.  In between all that:  lots of riding with my newly deepened seat that Sarah Geikie put on me two weeks ago in the clinic....  but right now, as Sunday evening sinks into the horizon, I need to go out to the patio to enjoy a conversation and a glass of wine with Bob...