Google says this is the Lunar New Year of The Wood Dragon, and promises to bring evolution, improvement and abundance.  I took my red Dragon Ehren into the woods to celebrate.  

After the holidays it was time to bring my horses along their fitness program, help clients to keep their horses going, and welcome a new tenant into our last open stall.  King won't be his name forever, but it suits for now!

We like to count our blessings around here.  December brought several, including the fact that I was able to finally climb aboard my horses with the surgeon's approval to Return to Sport after 16 grounded weeks.  

I learned Stride Control directly from Jen Hamilton when I started riding in her clinics thirty years ago.  Jen is one of the very few Level 4 Coaches recognized by Equestrian Canada, so when she asked me to write something to help promote her book, you can bet I answered the call!  Stride Control gave me the skills to be successful in challenging situations, such as the Equestrian Canada Certified Competition Coach Evaluation, and then the Exam in 2008.  I remember specifically during the Evaluation being tasked with building the jump course with 3 other candidates, and we did not reach a consensus on how to build the bending line.  I drew on Jen's solid advice that it should be approached as 2 straight lines intersecting, and we should measure the distances to be sure it rode smoothly.  I was the sole voice on that matter, and felt that now-familiar pain of standing alone.  When it was time to 'eat our lunch' and ride the course, I watched the chips (and at least one of the other girls) teeter and fall.  My darling Andy took me around the course and understood the assignment.  I took a moment to quietly tell the Evaluators about the situation, and they thanked me for speaking out.  It was Jen's coaching that created my success.  

A few months later it was time for the Exam, and none other than Pan-Am Silver Medalist in Show Jumping Danny Foster was my examiner.  Again, I explained my intention, executed the course, shared what I thought went well, and what I might do differently if given the chance.  Of course i was nervous, but I always hear Jen's voice when I'm jumping a horse, and I knew she'd tell me to 'ride with conviction, and be a star!'

Her book is very valuable because a wealth of experience is condensed into a gradual, easy to follow format.  The exercises within it are like the spine of the body of work required to educate a horse & rider.  

My book is well worn! 

​CLICK HERE to order your copy!

Before we owned a farm, I dabbled in a little self-taught drawing and watercolour painting.  My precious paint collection dried up after sitting idle for TWENTY years, but once in a while I'd scribble or push some pigment around on a page and wish that I could re-awaken my skills.  Then, along came an opportunity to take some classes and while I'm still grounded from riding, I have all the time I needed.

Under the fine coaching of the talented Olga Nazarkina, I learned how to 'paint' with charcoal, discovered a love for the simple white pencil and a sheet of black paper, and considered the rules and structure of creating an eye with coloured pencils.  I cannot wait for her to teach me how to tame the watercolours!  

CLICK HERE for a link to dressage trainer Karen Rohlf's blog entry called An Assumption of Obligingness.

I came across this entry as it was shared by local dressage trainer Susan Ziereisen.  Karen uses the phrase 'training is like teaching calculus to an alien' to introduce a different perspective on how we do what we do with our horses.

I chewed on it for a while, and decided to stretch the metaphor a little further.  If the 'alien' is our horse, and dressage is the 'calculus', our alien already knows calculus quite fluently, but we want it to perform on demand, and in English, our own language.  Most people don't have a good working knowledge of the calculus, and yet blame, punish and confine the alien to comply.

If we only took a moment more often to recognize the genius of it all, hundreds of years of careful thought and practice, to show us what's possible with these amazing creatures, how could we not feel awe and appreciation?  I'm working with a new rider and her horse and she shared with me that she'd been previously encouraged to 'get mad' and 'make him do it' by her former instructors.  I explained that getting emotional in this way only serves to put us in an egoic position where we think we have the right to punish.  In my experience, a rider who gets upset has  wandered beyond their skill level, and the picture it creates is never pretty.  What if we avoided the mess altogether by studying to understand, and noticing problems earlier, so we may do less to fix them?  What if we spent more time praising and rewarding these creatures for all the good things they do, as soon as they do them?  There could only be less fear and anger, for our horses and everyone else.  

My wonderful young Super Dandy bounded joyfully while we cantered together in the sunny green field.  I got launched and my collarbone shattered.  I chose to have surgery for a faster and more certain healing time, and so have had several weeks of rest to consider these ideas in broad strokes and also in the tiny details of our minds and lives:

Where does safety end and risk begin? Comfort and pain?  Strength and weakness?  Independence and disability?  Boredom and rest?

I had more pain after the surgery than after the fall but it was much faster for me to start feeling better.  I knew an amazing corner in healing had been turned when I saw my own left hand start to reach out, with confidence, all on its own.  I felt the change from a body accommodating the disability to discovering its new capability.  I visualized the pieces of bone sending threads out to reach eachother again (a physiological fact).  The elegant miracle of a body regenerating with hardly more than a little easy movement, rest on a pile of pillows, ice and good food.  

I experienced every number on The Scale.  Pain would walk into the room and stick a hot brand on my chest, then fade away to quiet again.  I counted out so many hours and pills, but refused to count the days.  I carefully found balance on my Bosu ball and gently walked on the treadmill.  Winston Churchill said 'When you are walking through hell, walk faster."  I tried to notice when the feelings were creating the thoughts, and when the thoughts were creating the feelings, but still the emotional fragility would catch me off guard.  I realized the confinement and 'safety' of wearing a sling for hours would often cause low grade panic and despair.  

We'd planned our annual fishing trip to Camp Esnagi (The Northern Way) months ago, and although the timeline was tight, I knew it would be a beautiful place to rest for a week in the sunshine and clean air by the fresh water.  I balanced in the boat to regain faith in my core.  I let the water move me without tension.  I let the wisdom of my subconscious silence the fears of my conscious mind.

I have so much gratitude for those who kept checking in on me and who cared for my horses while I was stuck in the house.  And now finally, while I've already told him, with tears streaming down my face, I'm telling the world about how my husband took such excellent care of me.  A real partner if there ever was one, that I'll spend the rest of my life trying to live up to.  

Photos thanks to Carlos Orellana.

On July 8 we put the first notch in Super Dandy's show belt.  I chose the Green Hunter Division at the Westar Farms Development Show after I'd judged it in May and saw how inviting the organizers made it.  Supe loped easily over some cross rails and small verticals at home in preparation, I braided him up and away we went!  

There's not much way to tell how a horse will cope with the atmosphere of a show; you just have to get out there and do it.  You'll learn what training has really 'stuck' with your horse.  I'm so happy to report that Supe was quite calm and un-rattled.  Slight tension in his back comes out in his canter, so we paid for that with a few small mistakes that affected our placings, but when I could lift my head and look around, we were in good enough company that I'm quite satisfied to come back home and train a bit more before considering our next competition; a dressage show.  In the meantime, lots of hacking and snacking and maybe a fun cross-country clinic with the Hunt Club.  

Photo thanks to Pauline Fleming.

Super Dandy made his first solo off-property trip to join the Madawaska Pleasure Riders Club on a 13km trail ride around Calabogie.  He felt happy to be there, and we got exactly what we came for: a nice long hack in good company.  

I raced home to help put our round bales away for the year, and a few days later we brought in some square bales.  We have about 90% of our supply in the barn now, and that is a big relief!

The sun starts to blaze
So the horses go to graze.
The farmer hopes and prays
That the weather makes good hay
And the young at heart will play.

Please enjoy this 4 minute video of some highlights!