How to get the most out of your lesson

Lessons combine two of my favourite things, horses and learning. I am, by nature, a very curious person who always wants to know “why” and/or “how”. The one thing that is for certain when dealing with horses (in whatever capacity) is that you never stop learning.

Learning takes place in many forms, and the equestrian world is no different. While lessons certainly progress riders, they are certainly not the only way to make someone a “horseperson”. This blog will feature some lesson etiquette and tips, while I will write another blog in the future to highlight ways to learn in other areas of horse management

Lesson etiquette is a subtle yet shockingly important aspect of how to maximize your learning potential. This type of etiquette can include: showing up on time (or ahead of time if your horse needs to be warmed up prior); having properly fitted tack and a clean horse; and, having respectful, neat, fitted clothing on. All this shows your coach that you are prepared and respectful of their time and knowledge. 

Being prepared is not simply about how you and your horse look, it is also about being mentally prepared to learn and in a good, relaxed state of mind.  As horses are incredibly sentient beings who feel every emotion that we are putting out, it is critical to relax yourself before you interact with your horse (breathing exercises are extremely beneficial for that). Your coach also wants you to be relaxed and able to absorb what they are trying to teach you.

By human nature, we listen with the intention of responding. I rode in a clinic many years ago with a 5* judge who basically told me to “stop talking and listen” (while she said it in a kind way, it did make me do exactly that, stop and listen). Learning to truly hear what your coach is telling you is a skill that requires thoughtful practice. I realized then how often I was speaking in my lessons (I’m very sorry coaches) and tried to work on this behaviour. Remember, YOU are paying THEM for THEIR expertise. 

Keeping an open mind during lessons can be challenging, especially during periods of growth or if you and your horse are experiencing a roadblock. If you are trying to learn a new skill or teach your horse a new movement, it can be hard to trust the process. If you are feeling scared it can also be difficult to learn as our brains tend to revert back to fight or flight mode (ie leaning too far forward or having a waterskiing seat). Learning is not linear for anyone, horses included. Practicing deep breathing and trusting the process can really help in both situations. Asking your coach questions about what specifically you find challenging, in order to focus or work through it, can also help.

Knowing how you learn best can be a great benefit (there are online tests to help you figure it out). There are 4 main types of learners: auditory; visual; kinesthetic (feel); and read and write learners. Most people are some combination of those, but knowing how you learn is important in order to benefit from what works the best for you. 

1. Auditory learners learn best by listening. One way for an auditory learner to get more out of their lesson is by having a friend video their lesson and listen back to it. They can also benefit from watching clinics or other rider’s lessons. 

2. Visual learners learn best by watching. If you are this type of learner, asking your coach to show you what they mean from the ground may help, as will be videoed and watching it back. If your arena has mirrors, they can also be a great visual aid. Many people swear by watching their coach ride their horse as it helps them ‘visualize’ what it is they should be doing (properly). This type of learner would also benefit from watching clinics and lessons. 

3. Kinesthetic learners need to feel what they are learning. Dressage is all about feel and timing of the aids. However, there are many debates as to whether or not ‘feel’ can be taught. Kinesthetic learners may require more repetition initially until they understand the feeling they are trying to achieve, but once they understand it, they will likely be able to repeat the feeling. 

4. Learners who do best by reading and writing may benefit from keeping a journal about their lessons and what they worked on, this is something they can keep coming back to reference.

At the end of the day, remember lessons are meant to be fun and educational, regardless of your goals! If you are struggling, I highly suggest speaking with your coach about the issues so that you can develop a plan of action together to help overcome the obstacle(s) and get you back on the right path!

Never stop learning Friends! Happy Riding!

Horses and the dreaded B word... Budget.

Tundra has taught me so many skills over the years that I have owned him. While most of those skills have been about horse management or riding, there have also been many, many general ‘life skills’ as well. One of the biggest lessons I have learned from owning him for nearly 18 years (1/2 of my life!) is how to budget. The first words my mother said to me after she realized I was going to buy him were “I am not paying for a horse, so you better figure this out” (see my blog here all about it!).

So, I did (eventually) figure it out. Some months and years were better than others, but 18 years later, Tundra and I both have roofs over our heads and food to eat. Budgeting and horses go together like oil and water. There’s an old saying that goes: if you want to make a million dollars with horses you better start off with a billion! That being said, there are some things in particular that have worked for me all of these years, so I wanted to take the opportunity to share them here with hopes it may help someone else out on their horse owning journey.

The first thing I did was to prioritize my main expenses (bills, mortgage, and board). I have a monthly budget and work within it (to the best of my ability). After owning a horse for so many years, I know some seasons are more expensive than others, i.e. spring will be the most expensive due to annual vaccinations and horse shows. Prior to show season, I try to make a plan and budget well ahead of time (this is key) so I know how much I will need in advance in order to be able to do what I want to do with my horses. In contrast, the winter is generally a good time of year to put away a bit of money for the upcoming show season.

Life happens, and horses being horses, means some years I stick with my plan, and other years my show budget has gone to vet bills. Thus, I always keep a “secret savings account” just for these purposes. I call it a secret because I just pretend it doesn’t exist as it’s for emergencies only. 

I also prioritize what I spend on my horses. I have never regretted buying a training session; however, I have (not recently) regretted buying another saddle pad with money that could have gone towards training. While I certainly like nice tack and equipment (doesn’t everybody?!), I value educational experiences more. I prefer to invest in the process of training my horses correctly and educating myself as much as possible. 

In short, I try to budget for my horses with a ‘needs vs wants’ mentality by ensuring the needs are always met before the wants.

The frequency of my lessons and/or of my horse’s training varies in accordance with my goals and finances. When I was a poor university student, I could not afford more than 1 lesson a month, at best. I made sure to get the most out of that lesson (more on that topic another day) and tried to learn as much as I could by watching other people’s lessons (a topic for another day). When I was trying to learn to do ones on Tundra, I was having 3 lessons a week because it is what we needed at the time. As the saying goes “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t show up”. Tundra may not be the fanciest horse, but I can control how hard we work to achieve our goals.

Owning horses is expensive, there is no question about it. However, I don’t lead an expensive lifestyle outside of horses. While this may not be for everyone, this allows me a lot more financial freedom when it comes to providing for both Tundra and Nash. It’s all about setting your priorities and being realistic about what you can or want to do. It’s amazing how much money you can save when you break down your finances into needs and wants!

Winter riding gear- where warmth tries to prevail!

As we head into the middle of January it seems like an optimal time to write about winter riding gear! After many years of riding in the winter, I have found a few things really help keep me warm which in turn allows me to enjoy winter riding (or more so at least!).

A really good base layer goes a long way.Wearing a dry fit base layer has takes a lot of the chill out of riding, even when I get sweaty, it wicks away the sweat so I don’t get as cold. I wear long johns on really cold winter days, that extra layer does wonders! I have found that fleece or merino wool work really well as the next layer. Fleece riding pants have really evolved over the last 10 years or so, they have become very comfortable and stylish. I have a couple of different pairs that I wear all winter long. Depending on the temperature I will ride in either a vest or a jacket on top of the layers. Some of my friends swear by winter riding snow pants as well! When it is freezing cold, warmth will always prevail over fashion!

My hands always freeze in the winter, I wear hand warmers in my gloves all winter long. I make sure to bring my gloves home to dry after each ride and on really cold days I warm up in mitts and then switch to gloves. Doubling up on gloves also helps. A few years ago, I invested in a really good pair of winter riding boots. At the time I could not believe I was spending so much money on boots; however, my only regret was not doing that sooner. My feet (that used to freeze), never get cold now. I make sure to bring my boots home to keep them dry. Ear warmers that are designed to fit underneath your helmet definitely help as well.

Recently, heated vests, jackets, snow pants, socks and gloves have been introduced. While their price tags are steep, I have only heard really good things about these products. I received a heated jacket for Christmas and so far, I really love it. I mostly ride with it on the lowest setting or I get too hot(!) and then when I finish riding, I turn it up and it keeps me nice and warm while I clean my tack and drive home.

What tips and tricks do you have to stay warm?! I am always on the hunt for new ideas to stay warm!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 

As 2021 has (finally) come to a close, like everyone, I can’t help but reflect back on the year that was. It was a year of immense growth for me, both professionally and personally. Professionally, I conquered my second year of running my own business full time out of my home; a feat I never imagined possible just a few years ago. Health wise, last spring I found a new workout program that works for me and have stuck with it ever since. I also read 22 books in 2021 (let me know if you need a recommendation!). Riding wise, 2021 was a big year as I finally got to ride Nash and Tundra and I showed in a few more Grand Prix’. And finally, I started this blog!

Of course, 2021 was not without its challenges. The ongoing Covid 19 pandemic and its subsequent restrictions put a damper on having a full show season, as well as on other events with family and friends. Entering into 2022, the world as a whole still feels chaotic and like it hasn’t quite found its footing since this began. As the world continues to change and evolve, I will do my best to go with it. Working on the things I can control and learning to let go of the things I can’t.

While the idea of new year’s resolutions is too strict for me, I have always liked the concept of goal setting. I like taking the time to think about my goals, write them down, and adjust them as needed. My personal goals for 2022 include: eat more vegetables; drink more water on the weekend; again read at least 22 books; do one thing outside my comfort zone a month; write more often; and, continue working out 4-5x a week.

For the last 10 or so years, I have set goals for Tundra and I as well. Some of them have worked out, some of them have not. With Tundra (and soon with Nash), I like to have training goals. While I enjoy showing, it is the training and the day-to-day riding that motivates me (see my blog about that here). I am mindful that they are horses, and I always take their physical and mental wellbeing into consideration when working on our goals.

At the moment, Tundra is 20 years young and still full of fire and in very good shape. For the last 5 years I have thought to myself, this could be our last year together, I better enjoy it. While I still feel this way at times, I have decided Tundra will tell me when he’s ready to slow down. So for now, I enjoy each ride on him, knowing he owes me absolutely nothing and thanking him for all he has taught me. These days, we are working on staying active and on the spot in the piaffe, ones (tempis) on a circle, rideability in the canter zig zag, transitions, halts, reinback (just to name a few things, not all in one ride). For myself, I am working on not over aiding him the changes, keeping my right arm from flying away from my body when half passing, and riding forward in the piaffe. If we are lucky, we may get out to a few shows this year, and we may even get to show our freestyle! But of course, they are horses and only time will tell!

Nash is currently working on growing… which he is doing a fabulous job of being currently 16’2 at 3 ½ years old. I haven’t decided quite yet when he will come back to work, but for now, he is happy being groomed daily and spending time with his friends outside. He has also mastered nickering for treats. When he does come back into work, I’m hoping to be able to get to the point where I can ride him comfortably on my own, eventually take him outside, and if he’s ready this year take him off property schooling.

That being said, I learned a long time ago that with horses (and many things in life), it’s not about reaching the goal that matters most, nor the destination, it’s the journey. So, I will continue to do my best to enjoy my horses each day, whatever stage they are at in life.

Happy New Year friends! Enjoy the journey!

Digging deep: What is motivation?

Digging Deep: What is Motivation? 

Motivation is often defined as the willingness to do something at a certain point in time. Motivation is what gets us started to set our goal(s) into motion. Motivation can fire us up and can originate from many sources, both internally and externally. Internal motivation can be our own drive to attain a certain goal; while external motivation can come from watching someone else succeed, which in turn, motivates us to emulate their success and work harder to attain it for ourselves. Motivation is often found during a period of change, such as with New Years resolutions, the start of a new season or a new week (Mondays!), or shortly before a big event.

As equestrians, we all have days when we feel more motivated than others (hello Canadian winters). It’s easy to be motivated to go and ride on a beautiful day or when you have a fantastic trainer. It’s easy to stay motivated when we have a wonderful group of barn friends, want to try out a new saddle or bridle, or when our horse(s) are going really well. But what about all the other days? As Canadians, we have days where it’s -20 and other days when it’s plus 30. Unfortunately, those perfect, beautiful 20 degree days are few and far between. Barn friends come and go, but such is the nature of boarding facilities. Fantastic trainers deserve vacations and time off, and like us common folk, ‘life’ also happens to them. Tack breaks or no longer fits and we need to spend more money to replace them. And while I wish horses always went well, they are after all horses who get sick, get hurt, get grumpy, or they get hyper.

So how can we, as equestrians, stay motivated all of the time? The short answer is: that it is not possible. We are all human; we will have good days and bad days, tired days and grumpy days, long work days, and other difficult times in our lives where finding the motivation to suit up and go to the barn seems like a struggle..

The long answer lies in consistency, discipline and perseverance. As the saying goes: horse shows are won at home by the work we do over the winter. Motivation will get us started, but we need that consistency, discipline and perseverance to keep going and ultimately succeed.

When I first owned Tundra, I would ride him when I felt like it, we had no schedule. While we had a lot of fun, progress was slow. When I began to aspire to show third level (check out my blog on Tundra here!), I realized I needed to be much more disciplined about my riding, start taking my riding more seriously, and make training a priority in my week. This change of mindset made a huge difference in the projection of my riding. To this day, I ride Tundra consistently five days a week, regardless of how busy life gets. It is something that is non-negotiable for me. At first it was hard, as much as I love riding, finding the motivation to go that often as  some days sitting at home sounds a lot nicer (especially on those cold days or really hot days), however I just don’t think about it, I just go ride. 

According to a 2009 study, it takes 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit. On average, it takes 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic.

Perseverance is also really important, especially when we are struggling with our training or feeling stuck or scared. When I am struggling with learning something new, I try to break it down until I can pinpoint exactly what it is that I don't understand. Then I ask questions, research videos, and try my best to trust the process. I also ask myself what is MY role in all of this, as often I end up blocking Tundra in some way and have to shift the way I ride. When I feel stuck or scared, I try to look at the facts and not to get stuck in my emotions. 

Reacting to your emotions does not help anyone or anything (it has taken me a long time to realize this). So I ask myself: how can I improve this situation? Why am I feeling stuck or scared? Is it justified? Either way, what am I going to do about it? When I feel stuck, watching videos of myself or others often helps me (along with lessons). Breaking the movement down can also help and going back to the basics to see where the hole in my training or learning is. When I felt scared with Nash after falling off, I knew it was justified, but I also knew once he was ready, I had to ride him more consistently. Even though it was a short period of time, riding him consistently (even though I was still a bit scared) made a huge difference for me and in our relationship. I also accepted that any progress was better than no progress at all.

Above all else, I always come back to how much I love my horses. I want to be better for them and I want to take care of them to the best of my ability. Underneath it all, this is my motivation, my love of my horses. After all, how lucky are we to have horses in our lives?

Barn Friends

Aka the Second Family

Barn friends, aka the Second Family

The really cool thing about equestrians is that we come from all walks of life, have different backgrounds, education, etc., yet we all find ourselves coming together to share one commonality, the love of horses. Horseback riding is one of the very few sports where a 12-year-old teenager can often be seen sharing a lesson with a 60-year-old, all while being taught by a 35-year-old instructor! After said lesson (which we have all had at one point in our riding lives), you could likely find the 12-year-old and the 60-year-old cleaning their saddles together discussing their lesson. How cool is that?!

Just like horses, barns (and the people that ride there) come in all different shapes and sizes, and there isn’t a one size fits all category. Though it’s important to find the right barn and the right fit for your horse, it’s equally important to find the right barn for you as a rider. 

Adult amateurs are the backbone of the equestrian industry, many of them working tirelessly to be able to afford to pay for their lessons and/or their horse(s). At different barns you may find a hodgepodge of people at different phases of their riding life: some riders may be competitive; some may take lessons just once a week; some may compete sparingly; and some mostly just want to relax and hack. But with all, going to the barn is their reprieve from the rest of their life. Getting to enjoy our equine friends and horses is why we all work so hard to begin with. You would be hard pressed to find an adult amateur who doesn’t say that riding factors into why we work so hard at our jobs! Thus, finding the right barn and barn friends is like the cherry on top of an outrageously expensive cake. At the barn, you finally get to take a break from ‘life’ and talk to people about horses (our favourite subject) for hours on end! When people say it is akin to therapy, they are not wrong. While no barn is perfect, as riders/owners we have to decide what works best for us and our equine friend(s).

That being said, whom we choose to surround ourselves with matters. The people we surround ourselves with can either lift us up and push us to be better, or they do not. I’m not going to say why not, because it is as individual as every unique person, but I once read that we are the sum of our five closest friends. I’ve always liked this theory and have applied it to my horse friends. When we are surrounded by inspiring, kind, and empathetic people, it leads to more kind and empathetic humans. Owning and riding horses can be hard, as they are living, breathing animals that we as riders decide to get on and attempt to steer and perform for us. Since horses would rather be eating in a field with their friends, they will have their good days, they will have their bad days, and just about every other day in between. Finding others to commiserate our difficult days with and celebrate our successes with makes all the difference.

Not by chance, many of my closest friends are riders and horse people as well. I think it is because they “get it” (i.e the struggle as well as the successes). Barn friends know my horses almost as well as they know me. They will know when something is off with any one of us. They accept that I am a mess when something isn’t right with one of my horses, and they will listen to me (sometimes for hours) explain how I can’t figure out this one step (those piaffe-passage transitions are really hard). They understand when I pay a lot of money to go to a horse show far away and only actually compete for 5 and ½ minutes, and will listen to me attentively while I explain each step of a dressage test (sometimes painstakingly slowly). They are the ones I share my excitement with when I tell them I can trot on Nash or piaffe on Tundra. And I would do the same for any of them, at any time. 

Barn friends make bad days a bit better and good days great.

“A friend is someone who helps you when you’re down, and if they can’t, they lay beside you.”

-Winnie the Pooh

Back to Basics: Rhythm

Rhythm: the foundation of the dressage training scale. A six-letter word that sounds so simple; yet in reality, is anything but. Rhythm is the base of all dressage, what we as riders are continuously returning to in daily training. The FEI (Federation Equestre International) defines rhythm as ““The regularity of the beats in all paces. The regularity is the correct sequence of the footfalls and the tempo is the speed of the rhythm.” The three gaits judged in dressage are: the walk (4 beats), trot (2 beats) and canter (3 beats). There are tempo variations within each gait as you go up the levels, but that is for a future blog post. 

When we are learning to ride, saintly school horses teach us the correct rhythm of the gaits. For green horses (barely started under saddle horses), it is the rider’s job to teach the horse to find the correct rhythm. Dressage is all about being able to push the horse forward, bring them back, and move laterally, basically being able to influence their body. The upper-level movements are a result of being able to aid (signal/ask) the horse to put their body in a certain position correctly in order to execute the movement.

After 17 years together, Tundra and I feel like old friends. We know each other, inside and out, for better or worse. I knew this before riding Nash, I just did not realize the depth of how safe I felt on him. Even when Tundra spooks, I feel like he takes me with him.

Riding Tundra is a bit like driving a big pick-up truck; reliable and will get you where you need to be. Whereas Nash could be compared to a sports car; quick, a lot of fun, but you better know how to drive a stick shift.

The first time I trotted on Nash I felt like I was being launched into space (when in reality he was doing a western jog). Simone would lunge Nash to establish the tempo, and I would just have to post the trot, try to feel the rhythm, and stay out of his way. I am a visual learner and also learn by ‘feel’, so I would try to feel the rhythm and then I would watch the videos of myself on him to understand his trot rhythm. This method helped me a lot and I highly recommend it. 

Nash started trotting on a lunge line without a saddle to understand the concept of being lunged. He then progressed to lunging with a saddle on him, and then to accept a rider. In the beginning, the rider’s role was just to be weight on his back and give him a positive experience doing so. The person lunging would establish the rhythm by asking him to speed up or slow down according to how he was moving. The goal was for him to trot in a clear and consistent two-beat rhythm on the lunge line. Once he understood this concept with a rider on his back, the rider would slowly be the one to ask him to trot by (gently!) closing their leg on his barrel. From there, he progressed to being ridden free at the trot with someone in the middle of the arena, similar to free lunging in case the rider needed more support to get him trotting. As he grew more confident and understood the concept of trotting free, the person in the middle of the arena began to phase out (doing less and less). By this point, his rider should be really conscious of establishing a consistent trot rhythm all the way around the arena. She would ask him to trot more forward if he slowed down on his own or slow down if he went too quickly. The rider establishes the trot rhythm and then Nash would need match it. Nash already understood the concept of side reins, having lunged with them, so he had a light contact between the bit and the rider’s hand. There are so many steps involved in starting a young horse under saddle, which is why it is so important to have the right help.

When I felt more confident riding Nash, I went to ride him off the lunge. Unlike many three-year old’s, Nash is not as wiggly as an octopus, he steers incredibly well and as long as I establish a strong trot rhythm he will more or less stay there until I tell him otherwise. While I still had moments of being scared (which I deciphered is a normal emotion for an amateur rider to feel while mounted on their 3-year-old horse), I also adored the feeling he gave me. Establishing the trot rhythm gave me more confidence while on him. I look forward to continuing this journey with him!

Back to Basics: Groundwork

Part 1

Learning to ride my newly backed 3 year old KWPN gelding this summer really reinforced to me how important strong basics are (read all about Nash here!). I believe that riding and training horses is a bit like building a house; the foundation needs to be strong or else the house will crumble. I was first going to write a blog about rhythm (the first part of my upcoming series on the training scale), but then I realized that before I was worried about finding the right rhythm on Nash, there were so many important steps we needed to accomplish first.

As I mentioned in my other blog, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Nash on the ground the last two years. While he was well behaved when I bought him, he was still only 11 months old and there were so many new things for me to teach him. We started bonding over brushing in his stall, and by walking in hand all over Queenwood’s property. This allowed us invaluable time to get to know one another. I taught him how to crosstie and go into the wash stalls safely and comfortably. I did this by first bringing him into the location, without attaching him, and just feeding him treats so he recognized that this was an advantageous place to be! A couple of days later, I would crosstie him and feed more treats, and we slowly built up to being able to stand on cross ties for longer and longer periods of time.

I taught Nash how to free lunge shortly after I bought him. I did this once or twice a month, and taught him how to move away from pressure and to join up (follow me around the arena without being led). I also used blankets and snowsuits to desensitise him to touch, sight, and sound. I should also really mention that when I was a teenager, I had a trainer who taught me how to teach young horses ground manners, and while her lessons were often unconventional, she gave me invaluable lessons about horsemanship that I carry on to this day.

Nash had a very positive experience the first time he was saddled and bridled. By design, I was the first person to get on his back, which went smoothly. However, during my second “ride” he spooked, and as a reaction I moved around too much which caused him to get even more scared, and as a result I fell off. While I did get to rectify the situation that day by getting back on, I knew I was not the right person to be his rider at this point in his training. He needed someone who could stay with him no matter what he did, and having only ridden Tundra for so long, my balance was not as good on such a young horse. Horses and egos do not go well together, so knowing when to ask for help is so important. I will always be grateful for the help I had from Simone and others during Nash’s first summer under saddle. I think it’s also important to recognize how we, as riders, can (and often need) to improve ourselves for the betterment of our horses. In my situation with Nash, I needed to get stronger and fitter. Working out regularly significantly helped (I’m sure Tundra appreciates it too). When I felt ready to start riding Nash again, I went VERY slowly. One day I sat on him, the next I went for a walk on the lunge line once around the arena. I followed the 1% rule: only aim to get 1% better everyday.

I fully believe a solid foundation starts with ground manners and ground work. For Nash and I, it was important that I was able to brush him all over his body, easily tack up, and take him to different places on the property to lunge. This ground work led to me trusting our relationship and enjoying him so much more (I think he enjoys it too). However, it was also imperative that I had the right help at the right time, especially when we were starting him under saddle. Investing in his training early on allowed me to be able to learn to ride him later in the year. 

In the next blog, I will discuss how it felt learning to ride him, including how to find the right rhythm on him (and horse in general). 

Happy Riding!

The Hairiest Day of the Year

The Hairiest Day of the Year

Tundra and I live in Ottawa, Canada, and if you have ever been to Canada east of the Rockies you will know that we experience brutally cold winters. Our temperatures between December and March fluctuates between 0 degrees and -30 degrees Celsius. A nice, balmy -8 degrees day is considered “not too cold” and a great day for a hack. I’m still not sure why I live here, but that’s for another day’s topic. Each November, I clip (shave) the aptly named Tundra in preparation for the winter’s work. For people unfamiliar with clipping, it may seem really counterintuitive to shave most of your horse’s hair off while going into the coldest time of the year.

So let me help clear that confusion up!

Tundra’s coat, like many others, grows really thick at this time of year, which is natural for horses in order to prepare their body to insulate them from the colder temperatures. However, Tundra’s is so thick that, beginning in October, he will sweat so much while being ridden that he will be dripping wet. When he is really sweaty, it can take up to three hours for him to dry off. I imagine that this would feel like having a wet towel wrapped around you for hours, which is quite unpleasant. This is where clipping comes in: I clip him to help him dry off faster. It is that simple. I clip his entire body, except for his legs, saddle area, and head. I leave his legs and his head because they are not that hairy, and also because I am not that talented with the clippers.

Typically, people will leave the saddle area because if it is clipped, the hair growing back in will be very, very coarse and uncomfortable for the horse under their saddle. 

Tundra, like many other horses, is spoiled with a wardrobe of blankets (essentially they are jackets) in different weights. It’s a bit embarrassing that he is better equipped for winter than I am! In winter, Tundra is stabled inside during the evenings and turned out during the day, so he needs different weights of blankets so that he does not either overheat or freeze with a blanket that is not the appropriate weight for the temperature. (Note: it is very much discouraged to allow your horse to overheat under a blanket, general rule of thumb is that cooler is better).

Tundra’s winter clothing collection includes: a stable sheet (zero weight), an insulated indoor blanket (roughly 150 grams thick), a rainsheet, a heavy winter turnout blanket (roughly 250 grams) and a quarter sheet. For reference, below is chart for how Tundra gets dressed each day in the winter:

Temperature Indoor Blanket Outdoor Blanket(s)

Above 10 °C Naked Naked

Above 5 °C Stable sheet Rainsheet

0 °C Indoor blanket Rainsheet

0°C to -10 °C Indoor blanket Indoor blanket + rainsheet

Below -10 °C Indoor blanket Indoor blanket + heavy winter turnout 

I use the quarter sheet (which just goes over his hind end and attached in front of the saddle) when I ride in the winter, once my horse has warmed up, and if it’s not too cold, I will take it off of him to ride.

This blanketed and clipping system has worked well for Tundra and I during the winter for the last several years. Currently, Nash is not clipped and it will be a couple of years before we go down that road (if needed, as some horses never grow a thick winter coat).

Do you clip your horse? What kind of a system works for you? What kind of clip do you prefer?

A Story of Passage and Persistence

I just love the passage; it is by far my favourite movement to school. Which is ironic considering how long it took me to figure it out. Isn’t it funny how (for some people) the things we struggle with the most often end up being what we like best?

By definition, the passage is a very collected trot where the horse travels forward (unlike in the piaffe) with a lot of cadence. In the beginning, I really could not understand how a horse could trot with so much power and elevation, yet be so collected at the same time. As I mentioned previously in the piaffe blog; we were not sure how well Tundra would take to these movements as his natural trot is quite quick with very little suspension. We (Simone and I) decided we would only know to what degree he was capable of it by trying to teach them to him. 

When we started learning, I honestly felt like I was playing darts blind folded while trying to get a bullseye. Everything I had read said to create this forward energy and try and catch it, and THEN collect it. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? That made absolutely no sense to me. Yet I tried my best to be open minded to learning this new movement and just trust that the process would lead us to the outcome.  

Again, as with the piaffe, we started step by step, trying to convince Tundra to take just one slightly more elevated step, and when he did we would praised him. We spent a lot of time going forward and back in the trot, and then I would ask him for a bigger step out but hold him together so he would take a step or two with some cadence. Slowly, I started to get the feel for how to create this new cadence. Then I had a new (and possibly bigger) problem…... I could not actually sit his passage! I could create it, but would then feel like I would bounce right off of him. Have I mentioned Tundra is the most forgiving horse in the world? (FYI - this is why Tundra Appreciation Day exists). I spent a long time learning to sit the passage and giving Tundra a lot of treats in the process.

Another thing I did not know is that  just because you can passage beside the wall, does not automatically mean you can turn while in it. I did not appreciate how hard turning in the passage was until I first attempted it. I felt like it took everything I had physically to keep Tundra in the passage while adding another level (turning). Slowly but surely, I figured out how to turn Tundra in the passage. We started by being able to turn onto the diagonal in the passage and then rewarding him for completing the turn, this led to us working on twenty meter circles in the passage and eventually down to ten meter circles.

Our journey to being able to passage felt long and confusing, and some days just outright frustrating. I am so grateful that Tundra let me learn how to ride, train, and make mistakes while learning it on him. 

Today, I find it incredible that something I found so challenging for so long is now my favourite movement. What is something you have struggled in your riding that you ended up loving?

An amateur's perspective on the piaffe

In classical dressage, the piaffe is considered a movement of the “haute école”, roughly translated to “school of higher learning (high school)”. In a simplified explanation, the piaffe is when the horse is so collected that he trots (in theory) on the spot. It is a difficult movement to learn and ride, but it is beautiful to watch when done right. Tundra is the first horse I ever learned how to piaffe on. While most horses will be gently introduced to the piaffe between the ages of 6-9, due to Tundra’s unconventional upbringing, he started around the tender age of 15.

I had absolutely no idea how to teach a horse how to piaffe, and 5 years later I am still working on it. I hope to keep practicing and perfecting it for many more years to come on Tundra (and with Nash in the future). Simone Williams, my coach and owner of Queenswood Stables where we board, has produced many horses to the Grand Prix and assured me we could teach Tundra to piaffe. As Tundra comes from hardy ploughing ancestry (aka ½ percheron), he is quite strong and has a fair bit of knee and hock action, which he likes to show off while free lunging :). 

We started learning the piaffe in hand where I would collect his walk and keep him straight and round while Simone would touch one of his hind legs gently with a whip. As soon as he reacted by bringing his leg up, we would praise him. Once this skill was mastered, we would ask him to do two half steps (the precursor of piaffe), and would continuously build from that. We built Tundra’s piaffe literally step by step. 

Eventually, we transitioned from Simone being the one to aid for the half steps to my asking him. I would start to use my legs to aid by bringing them slightly back and alternate the pressure with each leg. I am making this sound simpler than it was, but I can assure you it took us a long time to figure it out! Having a great trainer who understands the piaffe is incredibly important for both you and the horse. Like the flying changes, the piaffe is easy to get wrong and even harder to fix.

In my experience, what worked for us was to only school the piaffe a couple times a week and then leave them alone. For the first 2 years of learning, I would never attempt to practice without my coach as I was insistent on not hurting Tundra’s confidence. To this day, I only school the piaffe work that I know I can do it successfully while riding alone.

To me, the piaffe is an unbelievable feeling. However, in the beginning, I could not actually feel the piaffe at all, and had no idea if Tundra was standing still or if he was actually doing something. One trick that really helped me was to glance down at his forelegs and figure out what rhythm they were moving in. Mirrors also help, as did watching videos of myself riding. I quickly noticed that I have a naughty right hand that likes to pull too hard, but was never able to feel myself doing it before. I started to better understand his reaction to my hand (putting his left hind out), so when I feel him do that, I know I have been too strong. Even now, I found that I really have to consciously think of softening my right hand when it starts to tense up. 

The one thing that the piaffe has really taught me is to always examine my aids in each step and to be aware of how much my tension influences his way of going.

I find the piaffe fascinating! What are your thoughts on the piaffe? Have you ever tried it?

Nash

I bought Nash when he was just 11 months old, after the hardest year of my life. Within the span of 8 months, both my grandfather and father passed away and I was emotionally devastated. At that time, I had no intention of owning two horses after having spent such a long time being able to barely afford just the one (Tundra). My friend showed me a video of Nash when he was only a few months old and jokingly told me to buy him as Tundra was getting older and I would eventually need to retire him. I must have watched that video 100 times, and I loved him instantly.

So, I sat down, thought hard, and made a budget for how I could reasonably afford to have two horses. Once I was confident it could be done, I emailed Nash’s breeder.

I went to view him with a good friend who is a very knowledgeable horse person (I was too emotionally invested already to be able to have any clear judgement). As soon as I saw him in the field, it was as if my soul said “there you are”. I loved him even more once I met him up close and realized he has the sweetest personality.

He came home to Ottawa a few weeks later. If anyone ever tells you that owning a horse that you only can brush and hand walk isn’t satisfying, don’t listen to them. We spent two years while he was growing doing just this, and while my bank account may not have loved it, my heart and our relationship sure did.

When It was finally time to start him under saddle, I was soooo excited! In the case of young horses, excitement is not an asset. While I will always be able to say I was the first one on his back, I will also be able to say I was the first to fall off his back. Horses are humbling, and I quickly realized I was not the right person to start him. With horses, it is SO important to know when to ask for help. I put him in professional training with my coach, who is very experienced in backing young horses, and let her and her team start him under saddle while I eagerly watched (and took a copious amount of videos) from the sidelines. 

I don’t think it was a coincidence that a few days after I fell off, my friend invited me to join a workout program. It was as if the universe was telling me “here is your solution to riding Nash”. While Nash excelled in training, I got to work making myself fitter and stronger in order to be able to ride his athleticism. I started working out again and made zero excuses. I watched what I ate, read some helpful books, and on days when I didn’t feel like working out, I watched a video of Nash and pressed play on my workout video. Roughly 6 weeks later, I trotted on Nash for the first time. It was terrifying and exhilarating, but gave me more motivation to keep going. 

After a brief time off, we brought him back to work so that he could learn how to canter under saddle and so that I could get more time in the saddle on him. I started off on the lunge line and progressed to walking free. After that, I was able to trot him without the lunge and could eventually change rein. Finally, and perhaps the most exciting/terrifying, I cantered him for the first time. I absolutely loved riding him, and have never before felt so much natural balance and power in a horse. After a couple months of work, it was time to lay him off for the fall and the winter to allow time to grow. He is currently enjoying his well-earned break with his friends and we are back to grooming and hand walks for the winter.

The Middle

The Middle 

Every good story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. This blog post will be about the middle, how Tundra went from unbroke pasture horse to the Grand Prix.

The first year I owned Tundra, I mostly hacked and tried to teach him how to canter under saddle. Shortly after he turned 5, I moved Tundra to Queenswood Stables (owned by Simone Williams) in Navan, Ont. I had groomed for Simone in the past, which was my first real introduction to dressage. I wish I could say I loved it right away, but I had no idea how someone could make their horse trot on the spot when I could barely convince mine to go on the bit.

Eventually, with the help of Simone, Tundra and I started showing at training and first level at local Gold (national) shows. We did ok, consistently scoring around 60%, so I moved him up to second level, which was an absolute disaster. After that show season, I decided I was either going to get the hang of showing or become a trail rider. While Tundra put the flying in flying changes for a while (I even thought about starting a support group), Tundra and I did eventually figure them out. The next year, we went out and rocked third level, coming home champion or reserve at every show.

At this point, I dared to start dreaming about one day making it to the Prix St. George (the first international level). After a lot of hard work, lessons, and early morning rides before work, we did get there. What followed was two years of mediocre (at best) Prix St. George tests. I resolved (again) to improve, and the following two years we did considerably better and even started showing the Intermediaire 1 and created a freestyle (a test to music). During this time, we started playing with the piaffe, passage, and the one tempi changes, the movements required for the Grand Prix. Initially, the plan was for me to learn how to train and do these movements on Tundra so that down the road I would have a better understanding of what to do for my next horse.

HOWEVER, when Tundra had turned 18, thinking this might be our only shot, I entered us into our first Grand Prix in competition. While it certainly left some room for imagination, we did it, and I could not have been more proud of him. Today, at the young age of 20 and 4 days/week of training, Tundra is fitter than he’s ever been and we have had a few more (successful) Grand Prix’s under our belt. Usually, the 5th ride of each week is Tundra Appreciation Day; where we go for a fun hack on the Trans Canada Trail or around Queenswood’s beautiful property.

If you are interested in reading, our story was even highlighted in a Chronicle of the Horse’ Amateur Showcase blog post! You can find it by clicking the link below!

Happy Riding!

The Beginning

Fast forward 6 years, my first semester of University, I have a job making actual money. The barn I had been at for the last 6 years has sold all of their lesson horses. I asked my coach if I can start working with some of their coming 3-year-olds, and as they have so many horses, she agreed to let me. One day, I bring in from the field a grey horse and a bay horse. Quickly realizing the bay horse was beyond my skill level, I set out to spend more time with the grey one. He was a big, young Thoroughbred/Percheron Cross, and was so, so kind. Not one to easily get attached (this barn was a sales barn after all), there was something special about this big grey named Tundra.

Although my instructor at the time had been teaching me about how to start young horses, I realized very quickly that I didn’t, in fact, know very much. I also quickly realized (in part thanks to the bay), how forgiving Tundra was. He had just been started under saddle and had only two rides with a cowboy before I took over riding him. Mostly, I would just walk and trot and attempt to steer him. A month or so later, my coach told me someone was coming to look at him that coming weekend to be a hunt horse. He was big, safe and fairly handsome, all the makings of a great hunt horse. Without thinking I blurted out “how much do you want for him?”. I had been saving money from working at a job I disliked and had planned to buy a car.

After some negotiating, the owner and I settled on a price and I promised to bring cash the next day. I got home and told my parents what I had just done. I started by asking them to sit down (what every parent of an 18-year-old girl wants to hear). I opened with and, “good news, I’m not pregnant(!)”. My mom looked at me and said “let me guess you bought a horse”, her only reply was “I hope you can afford this because I’m not paying for it.” The next morning, I went to the bank and then straight to the barn. At 18 years old, during my first semester of university, I became an owner to a barely broke 3-year-old horse.

Welcome!

Welcome! My name is Caroline George. I am an amateur dressage rider living and working in Ottawa, Ontario. I have two horses (I own one, I’m pretty sure the other owns me): Tundra, my 20-year-old thoroughbred percheron Grand Prix Horse and Nash my 3-year-old KWPN by Ampere/Gribaldi.

I love the sharing my love of horses and training with my friends and fellow horse lovers. I love discussing the finer points of the piaffe, the complexity of the flying changes, the first trot on a young horse. All of it. Years ago I joked that there should be a flying change support group. While I’m planning to discuss a lot more than flying changes, I realized maybe I should be the one to start the conversation and thus this blog was created! Happy reading and more importantly happy riding!