Shoulder-in is the father of the advanced lateral dressage movements. It does many wonderful things for your horse. Here are just some of them:

• Shoulder-in is a suppling exercise because it stretches and loosens the muscles and ligaments of the inside shoulder and forearm. During shoulder-in, your horse passes his inside foreleg in…

Monday 8th Conditions; after work very crowded ring rode both horses in snaffle

Caddy couldn't really get him to the place he was in the last 2 days. My theory - he could have been tired or, I rode him in Tia's saddle and I think it interferred with the freedom of his shoulder. I generally ride him in an Albion slk which fits him great.

Tia by the time I got on her, the ring was full of a larger than…

I would always support investing in our coaches because the pay off is so great as they influence so many hundreds of riders over their lifetime. I agree with Sebastian Coe, the Olympic 800m and 1,500m medalist and now head of the 2012 London Olympics, that more money should go to

coaching and coaches rather than to individual performers…

Saturday, March 7, 2010

Well, I settled for free lunging and wind sprints today. Not enough hours in the day. Still, for the week, Belle got ridden 3 times and free lunged twice, and I can’t recall when she has had that consistent of work schedule! Still, I need to…

Conditions: Another great day, able to hack before and after ride rode caddy in snaffle and Tia in double

Caddymaster: Very similar ride as on Saturday. I need to let him trot in the speed he wants at first and not get frustrated with how it looks and feels. By the end of the ride he was FANTASTIC. I figure it may take another 3-4 weeks of working like this to get him back to his PSG/I1 work - which is fine, as long as it…

This Week in Horse History - March 8th Through March 14th

March 9, 1975 - Thoroughbred racehorse John Henry was born today. He acquired his name, named after the legendary steel driver John Henry, because while young he (the horse) used to pull his steel buckets off of the walls and flatten them. He was…

Sat results from Palm Beach Derby: Belinda & Anton broke the 70% mark, earning

their personal best in the GPS -- 70.708% for 2nd place. Congratulations Belinda! Vicki Winter & Proton were 6th with 66.208%; Bonnie Bonnello & Pikardi in 7th with 65.125%.

Three YRs in top 4 in the YR Ind Test - Jaimie Holland in 2nd with... 65.053, Amy…

Riding Mia this week was sort of an exercise in boredom. The ring was soaking wet on Wednesday, so I could do very little trotting, and the bitter cold North wind was blowing. Mia sort of put her head down and plodded around. She was NOT going to waste her precious energy by reacting to the wind.

When I first met the Arab mare Mia 18 months ago her beautiful brown eyes looked out at the world with suspicion and apprehension.…

Conditions: Absolutely beautiful day, sunny and feeling like early spring. Nice long hacks on both horses before and after the rides. Rode both in snaffle

Caddymaster So yesterday, after his massage, I noticed some striking diferences. 1) he kept trying to pull all the reins out of my hand - as if he needed to cough - something he general won't do unless he really does indeed need…

March 7th will be my first hunter show with Summer, we will be entering the X-Rail Division at Arbutus Meadows in Parksville. Ive been planning for this show for about a month now, she has been ridden for 6 days a week for a month in preperation for this show. This will be my second time cantering a course, I havent cantered a course in like 4 years! But yesterday was my last lesson untill the show, and I must say that we are pretty good now, except for the occasianal run-out, we both have…

Well I have had a busy few weeks since Dijon the "hony" came to the indoor.

Heather did the first few weeks of backing and then I had to take over working all the ponies. Heather's done an excellent job on Contessa. Dijon and Mark are both steady enough at the walk and trot for this mid-40 rider to feel safe and comfortable on.

After a week off due to my allergies making me dizzy and queasy, I was back in the saddle today. Warming up with Contessa to get my…

Thursday, March 4th - Well, the concept of getting ‘two-fer’ work sessions isn’t looking quite as bright as it did this morning. I had decided to use ‘Sundance’ a 3 yr old welsh cross pony for her partner for the first outing. He is the Only equine on the property who is smaller than Belle is, he has been ponied before and he is calm and not prone to nip or bite. Seemed like a…

The Palm Beach Dressage Derby is underway this weekend in Fla. On Friday, Tom Dvorak & Viva's Salieri W were 2nd in the PSG with 69.649%. Belinda Trussell & Anton were 3rd in the GP for Special with 68.638%. In the YR Team Test, Jaimie Holland & Fleurina were 2nd with 66.947% and Megan Lane & Caravella were 3rd with 65.737%.

Conditions I was really exhausted after the work week and the ring was crowded with lessons. Rode caddy and Tia - but really, just got them out of the stalls and walked trot and canter in both directions

Caddy had a massage today. the report seemed really on with reports of tightness through the poll and top line, I didn't have her do Tia as she is so sensitive that I wanted to be there (and also so problem free).