Lotus Sport Horses

12/31/2021

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2022

12/31/2021

Boone & Ziggy.
Best Buddies enjoying the snow and staying snug and warm in their Horseware Jackets.

12/25/2021

All eyes (and ears) on the future!
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years! 🌟🎄💝

12/14/2021

Happy National Day Of The Horse
💝Sakalla 🦄 Kalla
💖 Raistarell RPH 🦄 Rhea
💘KR Pepto Rock 🦄 Boone

11/18/2021

Sadly both Dr Reiner Klimke and Susan Hayes Woods are no longer with us, but this edited interview from 1995 is a pignant reminder that modern dressage started to go wrong over 20 years ago...

SUSAN’S INTERVIEW WITH DR. REINER KLIMKE AT THE AACHEN CHIO JULY 1995

Susan: I was watching you as you schooled Biotop in the indoor arena this morning, and it was wonderful. I noticed you were working him in a fat snaffle, and I wondered if you could talk about the importance of working in the snaffle for upper level horses.

Klimke: I ride at home only once a week on the double bridle.

Susan: Do you mean for most of your Grand Prix horses, or for this one especially?

Klimke: All. I want to have them very light in my hand. It is easier when they are really “through”, and they take the bit and take your hands. Then they are not afraid to come out to the double bridle.

Susan: Biotop seems to be very “out” to the bridle–there is not a lot of overflexing.

Klimke: And when he goes in extensions, the neck and frame extend too. And yet there are horses who make their extensions with overflexed necks and they score just as well…

Susan: Can you explain that?

Klimke: Well, when I tell you this, I don’t want to sound jealous, but I live for classical riding. Classical riding means that the horse must go: that is, the energy must come through and the horse reaches forward. But the judges don’t always mark accordingly. I don’t mind; I know what is right. I have been in this sport for nearly 40 years.

Susan: I also saw today that you were doing a lot of work on the basic paces, and simple transitions.

Klimke: Yes. The horse must go forward and he must be happy. If the horse is happy and he trusts you, then you can teach him. If you punish him, that is wrong.

Susan: They never forget. Is there any place for punishment in riding?

Klimke: I hate to punish a horse. It must not be. It can happen to anybody. Sometimes you lose your patience, you try to make the horse a slave. But it is not right. Sometimes you see riders blowing up, even here, with top riders. I say to myself, “Poor horse, I wouldn’t like to be in your stable.”

Susan: Why does it happen? A lot of these riders will teach and talk about riding classically, and mean to do it, but then it is different here. Is it the pressure?

Klimke: I think everybody wants to win. Perhaps they think if they make a horse tired it will be submissive. Sometimes it may work, but if you really look you can see what is wrong. Some judges don’t have a really good eye, and they judge by punishing mistakes, like too many or too few strides in a pirouette, for example.

Susan: Too much counting and not enough…

Klimke: Yes. The principle is: how is the walk, how is the trot, how is the canter, how is the acceptance of the bridle, how does the back work–all of these things. And in addition, the figures. But they deduct too much if a figure is not 100% okay. You see? If you make a pirouette and the horse really uses his hindquarters, and maybe the pirouette is a little big, you should not be given a 5.

Susan: That’s a little extreme.

Klimke: Yes. It can be at least a 6, can also be a 7, when the horse really canters classically. Even if the circle was too large, remember that you must deduct from 10. The judge must be able to see the main achievement of a horse and rider, in a movement.

Susan: This brings up another question, and that is–there are some amazing equine athletes here, and some of them get a lot of points because of that. Where are the places in the Grand Prix test where the talent can’t cover up the problems with the training?

Klimke: I look only at the way that the horse moves, in all three gaits. He must come from behind, with a swinging back. The head and neck must seek the bit. I hate it if the horse comes behind the vertical and stays there. When the horse is really “through”, you must be able to open and close the frame, and keep him reaching into the bit. And right now, in the judging, in my opinion, this doesn’t count for enough. But sooner or later, good riding will be rewarded. You must not lose your patience, you see. And don’t give up.

https://woodsdressage.com/ for the full interview and about Susan Hayes Woods

Concordia Equestrians.
Register as a Friend or Professional and help us make the world a better place to be a horse www.concordiaequestrians.org

11/11/2021

Thank you. We Remember.

10/27/2021

Just a couple of the kids today 💖💖🦄🦄

10/12/2021

Wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving 🦃

10/02/2021

The boys are such good friends.
Boone & Ziggy

10/01/2021

09/17/2021

KR Pepto Rock - you are one in a million.
CWD Sellier, British Columbia Region
Haven Ridge Feeds
Hayward Equestrian/ Hayward Sporthorses Ltd.
K Rose Ranch
EquiFUSE Canada

09/12/2021

What an awesome show today! Tessa Hawk placed in every class she entered and rode absolutely beautifully!! Boone made his English show debut and ribboned in each class and finished up the day with a reserve championship. Tessa and Noelle also proved that team work does in fact make the dream work when they won the TP challenge!

09/11/2021

Boone and Carter making friends 💕

09/11/2021

Gab taking Le Marquis PVF for a ba****ck ride. This specia 3 year old has the mind. He learned to trot with a rider up today.
Pacific Vista Farm

09/11/2021

09/02/2021

Welcome to the team Gina, Shayd and Kazia! Gina owns and operates Haven Ridge Feeds and is our local Buckeye Retailer. If you haven’t tried Buckeye give it a go we couldn’t be more pleased with the results.

08/25/2021

Use of the cavalletti, with the late US master, Bertalan de Némethy: (From The de Némethy Method)
The benefits of this exercise are many:
“What is the benefit to the horse of trotting over cavalletti? Our primary goal is to capture the horse’s attention and focus its concentration on the ground. It is an old horse master’s axiom: ‘Show your horse the ground’. Trotting over the cavalletti encourages the horse to stretch its neck down from the shoulder and look where to put its feet. Because it must lift its feet higher over the poles that it would on flat ground, its tendons and muscles – especially those of the hindquarters – become stronger. Furthermore, in concentrating on the ground and stretching its neck, the horse raises its spine and surrounding muscles, thus loosening up its back. In short, the entire musculature of the horse becomes conditioned and relaxed.” Photo of another cavalletti fan, Ingrid Klimke.
Read more: https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2010/07/four-showjumping-masters-part-3-bertalan-de-nemethy/

08/23/2021

Thank you Delta Riding Club for hosting a lovely show this weekend. This was Tessa and Harry’s first show, and while the first few classes on Saturday didn’t go as planned Tessa rallied and put her skills to good use and finished up with some top ribbons and fantastic rounds in good company. Sunday saw Tessa and Harry placing in every single class they entered - including the ba****ck ride a 5! Noelle and Boone had their debut western rail class and also had good success winning 3 of the 5 classes they entered and also securing 2nd and 5th. Well done team!!🎉🎀💝😃🎊👏🏆🥇🥈🥉

08/18/2021

I think it’s safe to say that Boone and Kalla are loving their Likit Products and Uncle Jimmy's treats! The perfect solution to keep them entertained on rainy days.

08/14/2021

Proper and complete nutrition is a critical component to good horse care. We started our team horses on Buckeye Gro N Win (Haven Ridge Feeds) exactly 4 weeks ago. The changes are pretty incredible - check out Boone’s before and after photos for just one example. All our horses are calmer, more focused, building beautiful muscle and their coats have a lovely sheen. Highly recommend giving this awesome product line a try! We’re loving the results we are seeing in each and every horse on the team.

08/03/2021

Tessa and Harry looking great and getting ready to show. Thank you Kat for leading us this special guy ❤️

07/29/2021

Enrollment is closing soon!

07/20/2021

Wise words of wisdom from one of the greatest in the sport.

BIG up Beezie! 🙌

With two Olympics gold medals to her name, who better to give us Jumping tips than US Equestrian's sensational Beezie Madden! Jump like an Olympics superstar with training ideas set to get you in the mood for Tokyo 2020! 🇯🇵

👉 https://www.fei.org/stories/sport/jumping/become-olympic-jumping-star-beezie-madden

07/08/2021

Estudios recientes realizados por el “Institute of Heart-Math” proporcionan una pista para explicar la" curación "bidireccional que ocurre cuando estamos cerca de los caballos. Según los investigadores, el corazón tiene un campo electromagnético más grande que el cerebro: un magnetómetro puede medir el campo de energía del corazón que irradia desde 2.4 metros hasta 3 metros alrededor del cuerpo humano. Si bien esto es ciertamente significativo, quizás sea más impresionante que el campo electromagnético proyectado por el corazón de un caballo sea cinco veces más grande que el de un ser humano (imagina una esfera en forma de campo electromagnético alrededor del caballo) y este pueda influir directamente en nuestro propio ritmo cardíaco.

También es probable que los caballos tengan lo que la ciencia ha identificado como un ritmo cardíaco "coherente" (patrón de frecuencia cardíaca) que explica por qué podemos "sentirnos mejor" cuando estamos cerca de ellos. Los estudios han encontrado que un patrón cardíaco coherente o HRV (siglas en inglés) es una medida sólida de bienestar y consistente con estados emocionales de calma y alegría, es decir, exhibimos tales patrones cuando sentimos emociones positivas.

Un patrón cardíaco coherente es indicativo de un sistema que puede recuperarse y adaptarse a situaciones estresantes de manera muy eficiente. Muchas veces, solo necesitamos estar en presencia de caballos para sentir una sensación de bienestar y paz. De hecho, la investigación muestra que las personas experimentan muchos beneficios fisiológicos al interactuar con los caballos, incluida la disminución de la presión arterial y la frecuencia cardíaca, mayores niveles de beta-endorfinas (neurotransmisores que actúan como supresores del dolor), disminución de los niveles de estrés, disminución de los sentimientos de ira, hostilidad, tensión y ansiedad, mejor funcionamiento social; y mayores sentimientos de empoderamiento, confianza, paciencia y autoeficacia ".

Autor pintura: Svatava Hueberová

07/06/2021

We have a *rare*opening for 1-2 training horses at our wonderful farm! Please contact me for details.

06/28/2021

06/28/2021

An interesting study for cooling horses in this heat wave!

https://thehorse.com/1101202/hosing-hot-horses-post-exercise-scrape-off-water-or-reapply/?fbclid=IwAR0oLV-oTxzJ43_jRiGR0YF30CQisa-kBlq5FgU43M6HDJa3yp20MRogcEU

Study: To prevent exertional heat illness, handlers should reapply cool water to hot horses every minute without scraping it off.

06/25/2021

Trust takes time and effort to develop but it is always worth the investment. This is the 2nd time my cow horse Boone has ever jumped under saddle, the first time was over 3 years ago. He is relaxed and confident and bridle-less. “A good horse is worth more than riches.”