Leg Up Equestrian Enterprises

Leg Up Equestrian Enterprises Ann Dare EC Licensed English Level II Coach 45 years experience
(15)

11/01/2024

Always try to remember your horse will give you their best when they feel supported and understood. Be patient, be kind, and most importantly, be consistent. The trust you build today will lead to the brilliance you seek tomorrow.
Feel free to share around our equine community.

Ahhh yes...love this quote!!!Having been a rider most of my life( since I could get a job and pay for it myself ) I have...
11/01/2024

Ahhh yes...love this quote!!!Having been a rider most of my life( since I could get a job and pay for it myself ) I have always loved everything about horses and have done many disciplines to enjoy them/learn from them. I have a deep love and appreciation for Dressage but LOVED the thrill of Eventing where I competed up to Advanced Level BUT as I get older I am simply fascinated with HOW everything works....discovering small details in myself( humans) and my equine partners that fulfill you inside...that IS one of the most lovely things about horses and riding...there is SO much to learn:)

Every now and then, one of my students comes to me with the wish to make faster progress or with questions about how to make faster progress. While I understand the sentiment, and I do try to give them the best advise I can give, these kinds of talks often leave me contemplating the nature of horsemanship.
I truly believe that when it comes to our horsemanship journey, we are exactly at the point we’re supposed to be at. If we feel like our progress has stalled, it’s for a good reason. And until we haven’t learned what we had to learn, we are not going to make progress.
Besides, progress might not be what we envision it to be. For us, progress could mean being able to show more fancy exercises. But maybe what we are supposed to learn right now is a totally different topic, and that’s why we feel “it’s so slow”.
When we feel the urge for progress, be it because of our personal ambitions or because we want to grow our business, we might visit lots of different clinics and do lots of different online programs. The problem with that is, that all those might have a slightly different approach and we just end up being confused. We might still not close the gaps that we have to close before we can come to a deeper understanding of something.
Going deep with one thing will develop us a lot more quickly than doing everything a little bit.
When we have a genuine wish to develop and to help others, we will be exactly where we should be, work on what we are supposed to work on, gain the isights we are supposed to gain right now, and as teachers, we’ll have the exact amount of student we should have, and our business will be exactly where it’s supposed to be.
When we loose our patience with the learning process and with our organic growth process, I do believe we will experience setbacks and frustration, because we strive to be somewhere where we are not ready to be, or where we’re not even supposed to be.
I do believe that we have to give ourselves fully to this process and have a deep trust that everything turns out the way it should. As the saying goes, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. And when we are ready, progress will come. It might not be what we have envisioned. It will be what we needed.
I’m writing this as someone who was frustrated about the lack of progress with my horse Nazir for quite a while. Progress in my mind was piaffe and passage. Something that would impress others. Today I know that’s not what I had to learn from Nazir. At some point, I just gave up wanting to do anything with him. I just let it be. I accepted that I didn’t know enough to be able to train him. That’s when progress came, the moment I let go of the idea of making progress. And it didn’t come in the form of learning fancy dressage exercises. It came as an understanding of the horse’s nature and clarifying what kind of horse trainer I would like to be.
If we are open for what the horses have to teach us, we’ll be amazed at the insights we’ll gather and that they will come seemingly out of nowhere. Suddenly it’s there, a very clear message. Or a learning opportunity that helps us understand what we have to understand.
Heartfelt greetings from Eumundi, Australia.

11/01/2024

My brain is slowly turning to mush
Changed all the font on my drawings (as you do when you have finished everything😁)

Hopefully it will help you as the owner to understand the videos and hand placement when we move onto the techniques as part of the online course

What do guys think ??
Helpful or not
You will have the picture, then shown on the live horse, photos of hand placement and direction to take, then a video of the technique, one technique will cover a collection of the area
This will be done with the whole horse

I am trying to keep it simple and in the ethos of Easy Equine Anatomy

While any rider can get caught off guard now and then , this .... THIS is the position you should be striving for
11/01/2024

While any rider can get caught off guard now and then , this .... THIS is the position you should be striving for

NOW THIS IS A HALLOWEEN COSTUME!!!!
11/01/2024

NOW THIS IS A HALLOWEEN COSTUME!!!!

11/01/2024

Failure: Obstacle vs. Lesson

11/01/2024

Dressage is not about quick results. It’s about the long game, the process of learning, growing, and improving with every ride. Stay patient, stay focused, and trust that the rewards will come in their own time.

11/01/2024

Doesnt our Cozy Lead look like his great Grampa!?

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10/31/2024
Lots of nice examples and explanations from this source :)
10/31/2024

Lots of nice examples and explanations from this source :)

Tipton Sport Lusitanos

When dignity is soul of the relationship, the horse understands he is accountable and will. as a matter of pride fulfill his role in the partnership..

10/30/2024

How a horse is put together is called Conformation. This term comes from the word "conform". Many people confuse this word with "confirmation", but we are not looking to confirm anything here. We want a horse to conform to an ideal body type for the kind of horse we want for what the horse will do.

The left image is my idea of an ideal polo horse. The red line across the top of the back might be considered short for a jumper or saddle seat horse, but for polo a short back translates to increased agility for polo.

The purple line at the shoulder shows the slope of the shoulder, which in this horse is nicely sloped. This indicates greater ability to reach with the forehand and that means more speed. A steep slope of the shoulder like this might not be desirable for a draft horse that does not need speed, but rather needs more power to the ground with their forehand in order to pull a heavy load.

The two yellow lines indicate the length of the leg and when compared to the lower red line, the proportion of legs compared with the length of the barrel might be a little long for some people. But for polo this would be good because longer legs mean a longer stride and more speed.

The horse's conformation on the right is not ideal for polo. The shorter legs in relation to the longer back are not ideal for speed and agility. I would consider this horse's conformation ideal for an all-arounder horse with substantial versatility. Compared to the more specialized conformation of the polo horse, this black horse can potentially be good at many different equestrian pursuits.

This horse with versatile conformation at liberty in a pasture allows for its light movement. We see ample hind reach and forehand extension. The result is a nicely centered balance indicated by the yellow line. This whole picture of movement in this horse shows "self carriage", meaning the horse is carrying itself in centered balance, not heavy on the forehand or off balance in any way.

No matter what type of horse you are seeking for whatever purpose, I think a horse must have conformation that allows the horse to achieve this kind of light self carriage. There are horses with disproportionate ratios of the elements of conformation discussed here. These horses' legs might be too short, the back too long, the shoulders too straight and more so as to prevent or impede self carriage. This cannot be fixed, so these kinds of conformation flaws are to be avoided, which is why we study conformation.

How a horse is put together matters. The color of the coat, for example, does not matter in terms of movement and balance, yet for some riders, color is their most important criteria for selecting a horse. This makes no sense to me. Learning the variations of equine body form is the study of ratios and proportions and it is called conformation. learn it.

10/29/2024

🐴DRESSAGE SOLUTIONS:🐴 To post more efficiently for forward motion …

Imagine your body as a box with hinges at the hips. Keep your box square as you rise freely in the posting trot. This “squareness” (no tipping left or right) will keep your horse’s body traveling straight and forward, too.

— Janice Dulak, dressage rider and pilates instructor

10/29/2024

This can never be said enough......the barn is ALL of our happy place so lets continually strive to keep it that way for everyone!!Be happy there, be content. be willing to learn, be willing to teach/help where you can( sharing knowledge at any level is a joy and privilege )....happy riding and horse hugging!

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10/28/2024

Success in dressage is not measured by how quickly you master the movements, but by how deeply you connect with your horse in every stride. It is in the quiet moments, when the world disappears and it's just you and your horse, that the real magic happens.

So I am sharing this as it explains quite well some of the steps...it does not however include the additional steps of s...
10/28/2024

So I am sharing this as it explains quite well some of the steps...it does not however include the additional steps of shifting the weight off the inside shoulder OR explain the use of the outside aids to contain the outside shoulder if necessary and to help turn the horse....This is why understanding the BASICS of being able to create bend/flexion left and right equally well BOTH directions( and knowing how and when to use this ability to your advantage ) , be able to shift the weight left and right thru the shoulders and hind end and that your horse goes forward and back effortlessly is so important.......A very simple line but lots involved to do it well and correctly( and this doesn't even touch on the concepts of timing into the legs ).....

If your horse is used to leaning into a change, or dropping a shoulder or cutting corners, then this article is for you! We’ll use this most basic change of direction as an example.

Ok the giggle for today......Pickings are slim folks!!
10/28/2024

Ok the giggle for today......Pickings are slim folks!!

10/28/2024

💪💪💐💐
Ten Unknown Facts About
1. Founding and History: BMW, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, was founded in 1916 in Munich, Germany, initially producing aircraft engines. The company transitioned to motorcycle production in the 1920s and eventually to automobiles in the 1930s.
2. Iconic Logo: The BMW logo, often referred to as the "roundel," consists of a black ring intersecting with four quadrants of blue and white. It represents the company's origins in aviation, with the blue and white symbolizing a spinning propeller against a clear blue sky.
3. Innovation in Technology: BMW is renowned for its innovations in automotive technology. It introduced the world's first electric car, the BMW i3, in 2013, and has been a leader in developing advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) and hybrid powertrains.
4. Performance and Motorsport Heritage: BMW has a strong heritage in motorsport, particularly in touring car and Formula 1 racing. The brand's M division produces high-performance variants of their regular models, known for their precision engineering and exhilarating driving dynamics.
5. Global Presence: BMW is a global automotive Company
6. Luxury and Design: BMW is synonymous with luxury and distinctive design, crafting vehicles that blend elegance with cutting-edge technology and comfort.
7. Sustainable Practices: BMW has committed to sustainability, incorporating eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes into its vehicles, as well as advancing electric vehicle technology with models like the BMW i4 and iX.
8. Global Manufacturing: BMW operates numerous production facilities worldwide, including in Germany, the United States, China, and other countries, ensuring a global reach and localized production.
9. Brand Portfolio: In addition to its renowned BMW brand, the company also owns MINI and Rolls-Royce, catering to a diverse range of automotive tastes and luxury segments.
10. Cultural Impact: BMW's vehicles often become cultural icons, featured in films, music videos, and celebrated for their design and engineering excellence worldwide.

:) This clearly reflects the saying "The more you know the more you realize how little you know"!!!
10/28/2024

:) This clearly reflects the saying "The more you know the more you realize how little you know"!!!

“Many peoples die at twenty-five and aren’t buried until they are seventy-five.” (Benjamin Franklin)

Often, when we publish a pertinent study, the ones who refuses to evolve, argue. No explanation, no factual documentation; just empty opinion. When we ask for references, the usual response is, “I train horses for 45 years.” Interestingly, it is always 45 years. Therefore, according to Benjamin Franklin, their thirst for knowledge died at 30 and they spent 45 years repeating the same thing.

Many horses die mentally at four or five, when they are submitted into performances for which their physique is not properly educated and coordinated. They shut off because there is no meaning in their life and their body survives one or two decades until their physique cans no longer take the abuse. They go through a life of dysfunction, mental blankness and physical pain, because traditional education does not upgrade equitation to actual scientific knowledge.

Benjamin Frankly saw a tragedy in the late evolution of wisdom. “Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.” Others find pragmatic advantages. “There are advantages and disadvantages in reaching the fifties. We can no longer see the letters from close, but we can spot the jerks from far away.” Michael Jordan, commented on the ability to compensate muscle loss with grey matter. When asked, coming back from his first retirement, how he will deal with younger, faster and more powerful athletes, Michael Jordan said, ”I will outsmart them.”

A pertinent application of advanced scientific knowledge is the capacity to outsmart lameness. Lameness commences with a compromise that the horse figures executing the move while protecting morphological flaw or actual muscle imbalance. The kinematics abnormality is there first and it is the repetition of the kinematics abnormality that induces pathological changes and consequent lameness. Actual understanding of equine biomechanics permits avoiding the development of aberrant kinematics understanding how the horse physique needs to be coordinated for the athletic demand of the performance. Equine education can evolve from teaching the move, which is the classical approach, to developing, educating and coordinating the horse physique for the athletic demand of the move, which is the science of motion. Unfortunately, sciences often succumb to marketing; instead of being used to upgrade equitation to actual knowledge, science is downgraded to accredit actual equitation. There is a new term for this misused of knowledge; “Pathomechanics” describes fake biomechanics leading the horse to pathological changes and consequent lameness.

“To be scientifically literate is to empower yourself to know when someone else is full of sh*t.” (Neil deGrasse Tyson) In a world where antiquated theories are often dressed in fake clothing, one needs to upgrade one’s equitation to actual knowledge. Fake clothing promises, for instance, that half halt teaches balance control shifting the weight backward over the haunches. Reality exposes the naivety of the theory. Balance is not achieved shifting the weight backward but instead converting the thrust generated by the hind legs and traveling forward through the thoracolumbar spine, into greater upward forces. Talking about the concept of backward weight transfer, Sophie Biau wrote in her PhD thesis, “This notion that still in use today does not have any scientific meaning from the perspective of the equine biological mechanism” (Sophie Biau – 2002).

“I no longer look for the good in peoples. I search for the real…because while good is often dressed in fake clothing, real is naked and proud no matter the scars.” (Chishala Lishmwa) Fake clothing is what equine science does when used to accredit actual equitation. Reality is what equine science does when actual knowledge is used to upgrade riding and training techniques to actual knowledge. If one looks at the good, one can see advantages in working the horse over cavalettis, Apparently, the exercise creates Greater action of the hock and stifle joints. If one looks at the real, the forward swing of the hind limbs is for a great part the elastic recoil of a strain energy stored in the ligaments, tendons, muscles, aponeurosis and even some fascia during the stance. The swing occurs low on the ground. When a pole is on the way, the horse has to lift the limb using gastrocnemian and other muscles modifying the kinematics of the limbs. As there is an inward rotation within the fetlock, hock and stifle joint that is related to the flexion and extension of the joints. Altered kinematics disrupt the proper synchronization of the inward rotations inducing static or sliding frictions into the joints. This is explained in details in the science of motion lecture entitled “hind leg.” For this reason, we prefer exercise over jumps which provide efficient gymnastic without creating aberrant kinematics and consequent pathology.

A horse can remain mentally alive and active partner, until his body dies. When the development of the horse intelligence became the foundation of the horse education, the horse active life last many more years. Developing and coordinating the horse physique for the athletic demand of the performance, demands active engagement of the horse intelligence. Even at superficial level such as considering the metameric structure of the vertebral column, there is no neck posture or naïve theories such as the back being a bow flexed by the tension of the string, the “core”, pectoral and abdominal muscles, that is going to efficiently coordinate the minute movements of 186 synovial articulations. The orchestration of the back muscles is a subtle education furthering the control of the horse brain over the horse back.

Terms such as “collection, impulsion, straightness,” are used resuming equitation to formulas. “Generally these terms are not very well defined and the knowledge of the underlying biokinematics factors is limited.” (Mikael Holmström, Dissertation, Upsalla, 1994) The knowledge of the underlying biomechanics factors is precisely what gives a meaning to the horse life. Instead of performing with a dysfunctional physique until the body can no longer takes the abuse, knowledge of the underlying biomechanics factors concentrates the education on the development and coordination of the main muscles group and structures involved in the athletic demand of the performance.

“I guessed what my rider’s gestures were supposed to mean. When I was right, I was rewarded and when I was wrong, I was punished. The problem with these so- called aids, is that I never learned how to properly coordinate and use my body. I jumped big jumps because I was powerful and courageous but I became lame because my rider never understood that my back muscles’ imbalance redirected more weight on my left front leg. I developed arthritis between my second phalange and my coffin bone. I became lame because my rider believed in what he was taught to believe. He integrated science to actual principles of equitation. I regained soundness because the science of motion upgraded my education to actual scientific knowledge. It was too late to repair the pathologies developed within my joint and I needed the help of veterinary science. Full soundness was restored through the education of my back muscles allowing greater conversion of the thrust generated by my hind legs into upward force and consequently great reduction of the intensity of the forces loading my forelegs. Correcting the imbalance between right and left side of my back muscles, the science of motion corrected the direction of the forces loading my left front limb.” (Caesar, Selle Français).

“Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius” (Arthur Conan Doyle). A talented horse instantly recognizes brilliance when skill is used guiding his brain toward sophisticated coordination of his physique. Mediocrity know nothing higher than teaching the move and teaching the move without guiding the horse brain toward appropriated coordination of the horse physique knows nothing higher than exploiting natural reflexes. Genius is furthering the horse education until his brain conceive reflexes combinations more sophisticated than “natural reflexes” and precisely adapted to the athletic demand of the performances. This is where science liberated the horses; genius. Horses are capable of orchestrating the deeper systems of their body for greater ease and effortlessness. Edsger Dijkstra wondered, "Why has elegance found so little following?" Elegance is rarely part of performance because the full expression of the horse talent demands deep orchestration of the horse physique and a mind focusing on greater ease and effortlessness and consequently efficiency. This can be taught updating equitation to actual science. This can be talked about but not achieves, adapting science to actual equitation. Jean Luc Cornille

We all owe it to our horses to become better educated/ feeling and communicative riders.....
10/27/2024

We all owe it to our horses to become better educated/ feeling and communicative riders.....

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