Starting, Restarting, Progressing Horses & Their Humans
Through Intermediate Dressage and Prelimina
With 20 years of experience, I specialize in modern teaching and training that integrates classical principles of dressage in all disciplines of riding.
Such sad news. I had the honor of rid8ng under Jimmy's tutelage for many years and felt so lucky. A great horesman and person. Rest in peace....
We’re deeply saddened to share the news that Jimmy Wofford, five-star winner, Olympian, leading equestrian intellect, and consummate horseman, has died at the age of 78 following a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. His extraordinary, forward-thinking
For those who've had the joy of knowing..and riding abby.. here she is as a 3yrold swimming.. and being magical as ever. Still as generous as ever teaching my students to dance and jump.
Two young women swimming two young Hackney Horses in the Columbia River
Fyi..
Don't chase... ❤
❤️
Students, clients friends: legacy saddlefitter coming on monday.. if youd like a spot please feel free to contact karry russel directly. Fyi only..:
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I have two dates in November for saddle fitting appointments in the Olympia area. November 2nd and November 16th. If you would like to get on the schedule for either of these dates please let me know as soon as possible.
It is extremely helpful if you include your location (barn name or address), preferred date and time (I will do my best to accommodate any time constraints you may have), as well as any concerns you currently have with your saddle fit.
Thank you! I look forward to hearing from you
--
Karri Russell
Legacy Saddles
360-359-8115
[email protected]
The amazing Zen. And my mentor susie.
If you're looking to breed.. Zen will improve your lines.phenominal boy.
Resonates with me.. enjoy.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲?
Written by Caroline Larrouilh, ProudHorse Connectiona
Here is how Manolo Mendez explains how a well horse feels to his students:
"A well horse's flesh looks and feel like a round and full orange with fresh pulp bursting with juice and energy. It is plump and elastic and it has a shine that comes from within, a healthy glow."
What does it mean?
If a horse's body looks and feel like an old orange, greyed and shrunken by dehydration and time, the juice long evaporated, leaving behind dried up fiber, the muscles are no longer getting good blood flow, oxygen and energy.
These muscles wont work very well, they will tire and tear more easily, and when you touch them, they will be lackluster, dull, dry, flatish or hard and the horse will avoid being touched or stand stoically, waiting for the hand to move away.
𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆.
Horses want to please us and if a horse refuses to work for us, we have to consider that he may be in pain, does not understand what is asked of him, or is physically not able to deliver.
Manolo stated that he has ridden thousands of horses over fifty five + years, and I can count on the fingers of one hand the times he met a horse who truly did not want to work because of his character.
However, he could count many times over the horses who he found to be in pain, sore, or confused.
The more we work with horses the more we learn that muscles and bones do not lie and neither does the horse.
In the past, we have talked on this page about how "Touch Means You are Not Alone" and what touch communicates to our horses, how it can:
💠 Soothe
💠 Calm
💠 Reassure
💠 Encourage
💠 Welcome
💠 Shelter
but also:
💠 Reward
💠 Vitalize
𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.
By the same token, when you touch your horse carefully and pay attention to how the muscles feel under your hand:
💠 Soft
💠 Knotty
💠 Stringy
💠 Hot
💠 Cold
💠 Clammy
💠 Jelly-like
💠 Wood-like
💠 Alive/Present
💠 Dead/Dull
you get all kinds of clues about how his body and mind feels.
💠 Does your horse flinch?
💠 Pin his ears?
💠 Turn to look at you with curiosity?
💠 Lean into or away from you?
💠 Does his eye soften, dulls or winces?
💠 Does his breath catch or deepen
💠 Does he refuse the bit and move away from the saddle?
💠 Does he move around the mounting block even after years of training?
💠 Does he look around with interest or is he shut down?
Do you enjoy touching him? or are you wary and worried you are about to be bitten or kicked? A part of you always on the lookout.
Are there parts of your horse that are routinely not easy for you to touch?
💠 His poll for example or girth area?
💠 Is there a leg he wont give you?
💠 Does his back drop sharply to his ribs or is it lined with plump long and round muscles?
💠 Does he let you lift and move his tail around or clamps it down sharply?
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲'𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁?
What does how much or little he/she allows you to handle him/her mean?
𝗔 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱.
To learn how to develop a well muscled, supple and balanced horse you can purchase a streaming version of Manolo Mendez three hour introduction to in-hand work DVD and start watching now.
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/inhandlessonswithmanolo
PS: This handsome horse belongs to Robin and Stefan who did a phenomenal job of bringing him back into wellness and trust.
© Manolo Mendez Dressage 2013
So true for parenting but also teaching with horses... or perhaps especially so...
to those teachers who've left prints in me..
And to those students i strive to see fly... thank you..
You will teach them to fly ,
but they will not fly your flight .
You will teach them to dream ,
but they will not dream your dream .
You will teach them to live ,
but they will not live your life .
Nevertheless , in every flight , in every life , in every dream , the print of the way you taught them will remain ...✨
Mother Teresa 💛
Stephanie Moon Photography🌻
You All know how much I believe in Ride from Within and James Shaw's work. It's exceptional and incredible. If you are inclined, I recommend taking on line lessons from him. He's the best, and it will progress your training with me much faster to learn from the 'Ride from Within' Master. What an incredible opportunity. Thank you James for continuing find ways to share your gifts during these trying times! Ride on Friends!
In this video James describes his One-on-One online training package. Designed to make permanent transformation in your riding without having to travel to a ...
Friends, barnmates, clients,
I'm looking for a larger sized lesson horse to help a veteran learn to ride. Mostly at the walk, and laterpossibly some trot. The request comes from a current student of mine, and its for her husband. She knows my methods and feels I could help him with a dream of his.
If you have a nice larger sized level headed horse, who could help us out, I'd be grateful. Lessons would likely be once a week. I do not have the means to pay for the use of a lesson horse at the moment, but the horse would be exercised and well cared for during lessons.
I use the tenets of classical dressage to train and teach, and employ the teachings of James Shaw techniques to help the rider use their body. And have taught many an adult how to unlock themselves, and find, match, and lead their horse to connection and collaboration with the rider.
Please feel free to pass this along, I do most of my training at Scatter Creek, in Rochester, but am happy to travel for the right horse/opportunity. [email protected]
Happy Trails everyone!
If you'd like to learn more about positive and operant behavior training techniques as a professional animal trainer or budding trainer.. this might be for you.
A new course will be awarded weekly through May 31, 2020. Apply now.
Recently I had a great day with Ursula Pettyjohn and Ken Ramirez! Collaborating on using animal behavior theory in training! I'm forever grateful for sheila Larsen introducing clicker training into my approaches way back in 2000. And for the incredible collaboration with Ursula Pettyjohn, and so star struck with the once in a lifetime gift of spending a day with the kind and generous Ken Ramirez. I strive to train with the tenets of positive behavior training for horses, dogs, and their humans. Feeling blessed.
Posting for a student/client:
Intermediate rider, seeking a well mannered, athletic, gelding (preferred), of sporthorse/dressage type with good conformation, approximately 16 hands, 6-10 yrs old for dressage and trails. For purchase, or lease to buy. Reasonable price ranges considered. Located in Olympia, Wa. Only considering horses on the west coast, preferred northwest. If you have something, please contact me directly. Thank you!
Our hearts go out to Tuula on the loss of her lovely Donali.... we love you Tuula.
“…Grieve not, nor speak of me with tears. But laugh and talk of me
as if I were beside you…
I loved you so - Twas Heaven here with you.”
~Isla Paschal Richardson
On Sunday we lost one of our barn family. Donali’s favorite place was the ocean...I imagine him there now.
Tuula, we are sending you lots of love during this difficult time.
I highly recommend dr. Tucker. If your horse needs a float give him a call. They specialize in teeth, and they travel the nation and are only here in Washington for a very short time. No drugs no Electric Tools just feel and filing much Kinder on the horse and much more accurate and healthy. I use him regularly. And they are reasonably priced.
This.
I attended Larkhill on Saturday with Lucinda as support for her syndicate. I’d like to share what I observed about this remarkable lady.
She travels to the event on her own. No groom, no support, no hand holding. She’s travelling in an older car and and even older (but safe) trailer. She has done all the prep - gear cleaning, grooming, plaiting etc. - herself. After every phase she seeks out the stewards, the judges, the scorers and the timers to personally thank them for their contribution to the day. Walking through the grounds with her takes forever as she is stopped by everyone to have a chat. She is kind and caring and interested and oh, so generous with her time and knowledge. She is careful not to leave any mess and I even saw her detour on the way back from her dressage test to pick up a plastic drink bottle that someone else had dropped. Her horse always comes first and she is attentive to all his needs - he gets pats and apples and is carefully warmed up and cooled down and checked thoroughly after every phase for recovery. This woman is all class and someone that we should all be emulating.
Have a great week! - Shiwon x
The federal government is offering $1,000 to anyone who adopts a wild horse or b***o from the Bureau of Land Management, "to encourage more adopters to give a wild horse or b***o a good home."
Client Question:
“I have a question about Cushings Disease. Everything I have read about the disease seems to indicate that by the time symptoms appear some damage, such as laminitis, may have already taken place. So, I was wondering about testing an aging horse before obvious symptoms might appear.”
Answer:
This is Dr. Sarah Mercer-Bowyer of Sierra Equine. “Thank you for your question.
"Equine Cushings Disease" or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) is present in a significant percentage of older horses. Some studies report that 15-30% of horses over age 15 are affected. While many of us think of the classic older horse that looks like a woolly mammoth well into Spring/Summer when his buddies have all shed out, not all horses with the disease fit that description. The list of clinical signs is quite long. Some associated signs like laminitic episodes, a seasonally inappropriate haircoat, or epaxial muscle atrophy (loss of topline) are easily appreciated by a horse's caretakers. Other signs can be more vague, like decreased performance.
Screening for and treating PPID is an important part of caring for our aging population of horses. There are a variety of tests available to screen for PPID, but the one we use most commonly is ACTH. This is a blood test. Horses with PPID have higher levels of ACTH. Based on the results of this blood test, your veterinarian will determine if your horse should be treated. PPID is treated with pergolide (brand name Prascend). This is an oral medication that is given daily. The ACTH test typically costs about $150. Treatment cost varies slightly depending on the dose your horse requires, but is typically about $2/day. In short, we recommend testing older horses, even if they are not yet showing any outward signs of the disease. By identifying and treating these individuals, we help them enjoy longer, healthier lives. There is no magic age where we deem a horse "old", so speak with your veterinarian to determine the best plan for your individual horse.”
This is one of the biggest things I wish students would do... it's so rewarding for them and us.
Robert Dover is never short on colorful language to help riders explore the possibilities of being the best dressage riders that they can be. In this video h...
Mmm hmmm.
Merry christmas!
Grace.
Great jumping round Christa Draggie!! Prelim.
some great exercises for playing with bend before changes.. so the rider learns rein contact, up and on the new outside rein, and bending before asking for change...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybIHflIpk8
Hannah Biggs demonstrates how start the flying changes dressage
June Eberhardt Susie Solomon
Another happy student on Panache Pacifica aka (Magical) Abby !! Jennifer kassakian up top ready to jump?..with a bitless bridle!!
Alas, I have decided to part with my brilliant Hulsebo WB4 saddle. This is the saddle I used to ride Anny in (Friesian cross) and Dandygirl (draft cross), among other training horses, and it's exquisite and in great condition.. It's size 18 wide tree with med narrow twist. it fits a wide variety of riders from 5'7 to 5'10 and its a saddle for the wide and straight backed horse with med withers. It won't fit tall withered, narrow backed, and dropped backed horses.. but is perfect for wide round med withered horses, and it is supportive for the rider, which it's rare to get a balanced and supportive saddle for the rider on very wide backed horses. You won't find a better made saddle period. Serious offers only please price $3200obo Interested please pm me.
Colleagues, friends, I'm looking for a good reasonably priced trail saddle (or western light weight) for a client. Needs to be supportive for rider (not wide and flat!) and wide and strong straight backed for drafty type horse. brands and styles. New or used. Any recommendations?
Národní hřebčín Kladruby nad Labem připravil na sobotu 27. 5. 2017 slavnostní program pod názvem Den starokladrubského koně, který je nejen oslavou unikátníh...
Don't steal this idea!!!!!!!
Scatter Creek Stables And Greater Olympia Area
Olympia, WA
98501
| Monday | 9am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 5pm |
| Friday | 9am - 5pm |
| Saturday | 9am - 5pm |
| Sunday | 9am - 9pm |
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