Comment

Comment by Andre Steenkamp on August 21, 2009 at 3:39pm

Celebrating Free beer Friday - Guiness and Perky Jerky

Comment by Sarah at HorseJobs.ca on August 21, 2009 at 3:27pm

Dressage horses need for the FEI Para-Dressage Competition being held at Windreach Farms, Ontario in May 2010.
Horses are needed for lease or loan for the international competitors.
For more information - please visit our barnmice group to learn more and to download the forms
http://www.barnmice.com/group/horsejobbers

Comment by Ruth Hogan Poulsen on August 20, 2009 at 5:11pm

Hi everyone!! My September news letter is only a week away... but you can only get it by signing up on my web site... it's FREE don't worry... and you also get some cool FREE stuff... like audio links, videos, tips and articles about your riding and riding to music... so DON'T WAIT. Go to www.Ruthhoganpoulsen.com and just put in your name and email!! You won't be sorry!!
Ruth

poulsen

Comment by Jan Jollymour on August 16, 2009 at 10:31am

Thanks, Mary!

I too, love to show, but I have had periods in my life when I didn't compete for 5 and 6 years at a time, for one good reason or another. I go to shows with varying numbers of clients, but they arrange their own transport (thank heavens I don't do that any more) and entries. Our understanding is that when I am not busy with my horse(s) I am available to help them with whatever they need, and we always start the day with a plan for each of them. We work as a group, so that there's always either me or another person from the group (minimum) at the warm up and competition rings with them - none of us is ever completely alone. There's always moral support, and they have been trained to find a positive comment for each other regardless of the events of the test. We work through the test events/comments/scores in the evening over a glass of wine when we're all relaxed, and have some distance and perspective, and we do it as a group, which really helps to maintain a balanced outlook.

Teaching is really a joy for me, and it clearly is for you too. If I had to give one or the other up it would be competing, not teaching. As I age, that may happen, but I'm fortunate right now to have a client who sponsors my horses, hauls with me, shares hotel rooms with me, and who's just a blast to have along. We approach everything the same way, and as she's an Olympic rider from Austria, she's invaluable to me in terms of feedback and support. We have a tremendous amount of fund together, and it's interested that other friends are now starting to approach competition and clinics the same way we do, as they've noticed what a good time we have. Give it a try!

Comment by Mary McGuire Smith on August 15, 2009 at 10:17pm

Hi Jan,

Thank you so much for your reminiscences! I actually teach almost exclusively (I haven't taken training horses for some time now), and have found myself riding only sporadically (to keep my lesson horse tuned up, and to occasionally get on a student's horse to demonstrate something, or to get a feel for what is happening, etc.). I do take students to shows, but I feel that I should be focusing on them, and not taking a horse of my own to show. I miss showing!
I might just have to do something about that......LOL

Comment by Jan Jollymour on August 15, 2009 at 8:06pm

Hi, everyone:

There's no question that the sport has changed since I got into it in 1973. At that time it was unheard of in a lot of Canada, and those of us who were interested in it had a hard time finding information. I can remember when the Western Canada Dressage Association was formed, and then when Christy Boylen started CADORA. I was part of the founding group who started CADORA BC, and my Mum was in on the beginnings of Dressage Canada. I've been a local group representative to CADORA BC, and a provincial director from BC to CADORA. I was for a time the Domestic Development Chair for Dressage Canada, but now I teach and train full-time, and that leaves little time for some of the other pursuits. I do still judge from time to time, I host clinics with other clinicians, and I'm part of the Southern Interior Dressage Association's spring and fall dressage show committees. On top of that I ride with my two coaches, Bert Rutten and Hub Houben, both of the Netherlands, whenever they come to Canada. The quality of horses and coaching available to us has come forward by eons, not just decades. We have limitless vistas available to us now, but I can remember when finding a coach who could teach you to get the correct lead was a really big deal (let alone put a horse on the bit).

I've had some wonderful judging and competitive experiences: when the cow moose trotted through the end of the competition ring in Smithers, creating a ruckus around the barns but not even an ear twitch from the lovely TB mare doing her test in that ring; the time the alder tree fell over in the wind during a test and we had to halt the show and wait for the chainsaws to cut up the tree to re-start; the time Gaillard was hit in the head with a golf ball from the McLeery Golf Course in the initial halt in his test - not surprisingly he didn't want to go on the test! There was the time at Silbersporn when a barn swallow flew out of the wall in the indoor ring and hit a horse right between the eyes as it proceeded towards C - it didn't want to continue either, even later in the day when we offered a re-ride! I've seen loose horses fall into dressage rings during tests, and there is an infamous video lurking in the eventing world which includes me herding chickens out of my competition arena prior to the start. There was the time I was putting a little glycerin in a horse's mouth at a show to stop teeth grinding - I was unaware (still pretty green) that the bar had melted in my pocket, and when I tried to scrape a little glycerin on the surface of the mare's incisors the whole thing squashed into her mouth, causing her to blow ENORMOUS bubbles throughout her test, and the time at the National Championships when the rain was pelting down but I was OK until the salute, when all the freezing water cascaded out of the brim of my top hat into my lap! One of my most enjoyable dressage memories dates back more than 20 years, when Jacqui Oldham and I put together a Pas-de-Deux to stripper music, and wore tight little black T-shirts and elbow length white gloves - we saluted by throwing roses into the crowd. The folks at Southlands were scandalized, but most of the crowds loved it, and nowadays with the popularity of Kurs I'm sure it would be well received.

It is possible to have fun in this sport, and especially when you're competing. I have a friend who recently won her first CDI GP class, and that was after she won the Best Turnout award in the jog - all because she wore her beautiful crimson beaver felt cowboy hat in the inspection. I make sure that I stable with people I enjoy, and that we share tack stalls, so that we spend fun time together during the quiet parts of the show. We look for special restaurants when we're competing, and work on special menus and dinners when we're staying on site. All of that support and interest from friends makes the problem rides easier to swallow, and makes the wins that much sweeter (besides, this way you get to celebrate everyone's wins, not just your own).

Comment by Jan Jollymour on August 12, 2009 at 9:50pm

OK, Ann, I've done enough Law proofing to last until tomorrow night! You've given me a bunch of possible topics, but as I spent the day teaching, I will start with my recollections from today.

I think overall one of the most prevalent problems I see is correct understanding and feel of "connection", which is a little bigger issue than "contact". In order for connection (from the hind legs to the rider's hand/seat) to be established there must be acceptance of contact from both rider and horse, but acceptance of contact is only part of the picture. The horse must consent to step actively towards that contact, and the rider must agree to consistently and sympathetically maintain that contact, regardless of what else happens. Until the rider is able to and willing to maintain that contact connection cannot and will not occur, regardless of enormous driving aids.

The other thing which stands out when I'm teaching and when I'm judging is a lack of understanding of balance. We, as riders, interfere hugely with our horses' abilities to balance, and on a continuous basis. If I could outlaw anything it would a "leading", or "opening" rein! I am constantly confronted with horses who "don't steer", coupled with riders who insist on twisting their horses' necks at nearly right angles to their bodies, and the complaint that the horses just won't turn. How about CAN'T turn, and certainly cannot find or maintain balance while this demand for "bend" is maintained. We, as riders, have a duty to learn about equine structure and mechanics, and what is and is not possible, before we put our feet in the stirrups!

Anyway, enough bitching from me! It sounds like I had a hard day, which is definitely not the case. I had really dedicated and hard-working riders, who did their best to implement new and confusing instructions, but who invariably improved their riding and their horses. I enjoyed them all, and commend their work ethics.

Next time I'll share one of the funny stories, and there are lots (I starred in some of them, and some include friends and clients). We have to remember to laugh in this sport, or we're in danger of taking ourselves entirely too seriously!

Comment by Jan Jollymour on August 12, 2009 at 8:24pm

Hi, Karen:

Here's the excerpt from the current EC Rulebook as regards dressage tests:

ARTICLE E 4.5 SADDLES
1. A plain English black or brown saddle with stirrups is compulsory at
Walk/Trot through Fourth Level.
2. Dressage saddles are required in FEI classes. The saddle must be close
to the horse and have long, near-vertical flaps.
3. An English type saddle may be assembled with or without a tree but
cannot have a horn, swell, gallerie, or open gullet.
4. Australian, Baroque, Endurance, McClellan, Spanish, Stock or Western
saddles are not permitted nor are modified versions of these saddles.
5. Leather or fabric/synthetic saddles are permitted.
6. Saddle covers are not allowed at any level.

A Passier with a medium tree will fit about 90% of horses. Most horses do not need a wide tree, and a saddle which is too wide is just as negative for the horse as one which is too narrow. Unfortunately, you cannot depend on tack store staff to have any idea what works for you and your horses. What size are you? That drives the "seat" size - not the size of YOUR seat, the length of your femur. People with longer legs need bigger saddles, and vice versa. I ride in a 16.5" custom made dressage saddle, as I have very short legs (I'm kind of short all over). I have one with a wide tree, which fits some of our horses (but not most), and another with a medium tree which fits more of them.

I would not want to try to ride intense dressage work in a treeless saddle, it would be a little like running marathons in sandals, comfy with you start but you'd be losing them by the end! However, there's nothing in the rules which says you can't - so it's really a personal decision.

If you are in the market for a saddle I have two friends selling (a) a 17" Passier with a fairly narrow tree (although it works on our Arab/QH gelding, and (b) a 17.5" Schleese CHB, which actually is reasonable on a variety of horses. Both saddles are in the Lower Mainland, so if you would like to try them I could get them here for the Labour Day weekend. Just let me know.

Depending on what you want to spend, a custom dressage saddle runs about $4,300 inclusive of top of the line features. I am home this weekend, and next week, if you'd like to drop by and look at saddles...I'm in the Enderby phone book.

Ann - I'm running out of time, and won't get to your query today, but hopefully tomorrow (I have to proof my daughter's Law 12 submissions tonight, and that's going to take AGES).

Comment by Karen T on August 12, 2009 at 1:46pm

Thanks Ann - I have two stocky quarter horses and one quarter-horse arab cross with a little narrower shoulder. I have been using my instructors saddle which is a Passier and it has fit all three horses. I get confused when I start reading ads when they state a medium tree and a wide tree .... I have been shown how to fit a saddle but not that experienced with it. I have been trying out a 'treeless' saddle on loan and find that it was not quite right - a little wide in the pommel.

On your other note - I was told that the treeless saddle I have been trying is legal in the show ring....but I am sure Jan will have better clarification of that question.

Comment by Jan Jollymour on August 12, 2009 at 9:18am

Hi, ladies!

I'm off to teach a clinic today and tomorrow, but may have time late this p.m. to get to the last two posts. I have to check the Rulebook, but in Canada you must use a dressage-type saddle (there's nothing about trees) for FEI level dressage and an "English" (jumping, A/P, or dressage, not "Australian" or "McLellan", or some of the endurance types) saddle for lower levels. I can get you the precise wording later when I have more time. Buying a used dressage saddle is always a good idea!

Ann: I'd be happy to respond to your post below as soon as I have time to breathe - hauling hay all day yesterday and fitting in rides between, etc...!

Thanks, J

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