Thetford Riding Academy

09/19/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=767878282015630&id=100063803962284

EVERYTHING you need to know about the Half Halt!The Half Halt is the key to riding transitions correctly. It is the alphabet that gives riders the foundation to be able to communicate effectively with their horses. Just like the alphabet, the Half Halt takes time to learn correctly. Once the rider has a basic understanding, he or she can spend years exercising and refining their technique.
https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2022/03/christian-thiess-de-mystifies-the-half-halt/

11/19/2022

https://m.facebook.com/CDEducation/photos/a.202248879885423/881576625285975/?type=3

I guide with my HANDS,
I ask with my LEGS and
I ride with my SEAT!

THE CONNECTIONS - Contact is not just about the hands, it is about a horse and rider in unison.
The rider's hands and reins are connected through the bit to the horse's front legs and the rider's legs are connected to the horse's hind legs. The rider’s pelvis is connected to the horse’s pelvis.

10/14/2022

https://horsenetwork.com/2022/10/six-things-horses-value-in-a-rider/

We riders often have laundry lists of the qualities we value in horses. These can be general, like most competitors wanting athletes in their barns, and they can be specific, as in the rider who prefers a hot horse over a quiet one, or the longer-strided steed over the shorter-strided. The thing is,...

06/16/2022

Well said! https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10158309296925947/

06/05/2022

This is something I need to be more consistent about! I have definitely allowed my horses to walk off as I mount. Time for some consistency on my part! https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10158288669815947/

Standing like a rock at the mounting block is something that almost any horse can be taught, but we have to be vigilant EVERY time, and quietly correct the horse if he moves off.

Face facts, if Mike Plumb can get badly hurt while mounting, we lesser riders can, too.

I have been sloppy about this in the past, and I watch about a jillion people let their horses start walking away while they are still half-way aboard, but I have reformed, and I have come to recognize that the moments of mounting and dismounting are two of our most vulnerable times.

It might take a while to teach this to a horse that’s used to moving off, but it can be done. It also might help, at first, to have a ground person---.

05/30/2022

Wow, that must be a deep trusting relationship! https://www.facebook.com/118169238201184/posts/7761209893897042/

Never tell an eventer they’ve got limitations — because as one-eyed Viscera and her gutsy pilot, Sweden’s Therese Viklund, prove, there’s no such thing. They finished fourth in Houghton’s jam-packed CCIO4*-S today with one of the fastest rounds of the day 💪🏼

📸:

05/16/2022

Well said! I I earn something new about horses and riding every day!

05/01/2022

This is so true! https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10158235191545947/

Why trainers PUSH horses TOO FAST

Klaus Balkenhol explains, "Although breeders have created a better horse, the market has created a demand for a stronger, healthier, more powerful horse. It's easier to sell a horse that looks like a carefully developed eight-year-old, and not like a three- or four-year-old just beginning his career. If you force it, you can get a three-year-old to physically look like a developed eight-year-old. Too many colts remain stallions which, if approved, promise breeders higher prices as three-year-olds. Now 250 to 300 young stallions are presented each year, when only 40 or 50 will be approved.

Few breeders have the sense to geld the yearling stallions and leave them on the pasture to mature naturally. Instead, yearling stallions are brought into a stall, fed too much grain, and at three, look like six- or seven-year-olds. They have muscle mass, but not enough bone structure to support it. They look mature from the outside but aren't . . . and when started to work, degeneration sets in. Competitions also create pressure to push horses too fast as competitions are now scheduled throughout the year without any breaks."

Common Mistakes In Pushing Too Fast
Tightening the noseband: "A horse resists by sticking out his tongue. Tightening the noseband too much puts pressure on the nose and on the poll. If it is necessary to tighten the noseband very tightly, then something has gone very wrong in the basic training of the horse. The horse cannot be relaxed, the first step on the training scale," warns Klaus.

Specializing too early: "Drilling every day in the indoor arena is too intense for the young horse. It's very important, especially in the first two years of training, not to specialize the young horse. Training should include a variety of activities, including trail riding, which is good for the mind as well as building strength with hill work. It should include jumping, either free or low jumps under saddle, including small natural obstacles on the trail, and cavaletti. A variety of work will allow the horse to stay mentally fresh and to enjoy his work. Only when the horse is happy can dressage become art."

Not checking tack frequently: "Saddle and tack need to be checked constantly for proper fit and adjusted as the horse's body changes with growth, and as his fitness improves with the training. If the noseband gets too low, for example, and the skin between the noseband and the bit is rubbed and becomes sore, this causes the horse discomfort and loss of relaxation. Regularly check for sharp edges and bit problems in the horse's mouth and teeth."

Working too long: "The goal of our training is to build the horse's mind and his muscles. Suppleness and relaxation require adequate muscle strength. strengthening requires both contraction and relaxation. Blood flow and oxygenation occur when the muscle relaxes. If the muscle is kept in a constant state of contraction, it loses power and strength, and actually becomes smaller. Frequent rest periods, especially for a young horse at a free walk on a long rein, are necessary. The rest periods are not for a rider's fatigue, but to allow the horse to stretch and relax his muscles. The rest breaks will give you a completely new horse. This is the systematic gymnasticizing of the horse."

Riding when the horseman is tense: "Horses are particularly sensitive to the rider's mood. A rider shouldn't ride if she is under undue stress or doesn't have the time to ride. If the rider has a bad day, give the horse a rest day or go for a relaxing trail ride; don't work in the arena. The horse mirrors the rider's mood."

Not praising the horse enough: "The horse must perform from joy, not subservience. Praising a horse frequently with voice, a gentle pat, or relaxing the reins is very important to keep the horse interested and willing. If the horse offers piaffe, for instance, because he's excited, praise him for it. You shouldn't stop the lesson at that point nor make a big deal out of it. If you don't want piaffe, quietly urge him forward into trot, but you should NEVER punish him for offering the piaffe. - Klaus Blakenhol

04/23/2022

As always, your words of wisdom are appreciated!

04/08/2022

This was an exceptional recent Horse Speak club meeting. Such good content! https://youtu.be/KbDt14xTGkg

04/06/2022

I am just reposting this because it explains a horses and humans boundaries and bubble space so well! https://youtu.be/HAXShJRZOjs

Boundaries, Bonding and Intensity Levels with Sharon and Laura

04/03/2022

Monty and Panda Lee off on a new adventure with their lovely mom Paige Tremblay.

04/03/2022

I have retried from having my own lesson horses and teaching riding at my farm and today was moving day for my dear schoolmaster lesson horse extradinaire , Monty and his sweetheart Panda Lee to their new home ! Monty has been my steady beginner lesson horse, adult eventing camp champ for me and a fun Hunter Pace and poker ride buddy for the last 15 years! He is now at his brand new barn with my awesome working student Paige! Paige and I brainstormed making this transition Horse Speak aware and a peaceful one. We collected their p**p and spread a few piles around their new paddock ahead of time. While we were walking the 1/2 mile to their new home I remembered to hold my lead rope palm down and have my knuckles at his cheek to give him a target. When we got to their new paddock we walked the perimeter securing the environment by walking the fence line with us closest to the fence, pausing at the fence posts to breathe, blink and relax. The horses were so chill! The work crew , Paige’s grandfathers and her dad were still finishing the barn's interior and had the generator running and power tools buzzing. We were all so excited to finally move these wonderful horses to their new home and I had to practice inner zero a lot.

04/01/2022

https://www.facebook.com/100063575138540/posts/389500583179110/

He's "JUST" a Trail Horse

I can't count the number of times that I have heard the words "Oh you just trail ride" or "It's just a trail horse", especially from other riders who focus on only one discipline. And each time I have to smirk a little. To be JUST a Trail Rider you need a very special talented kind of steed for which many folks don't realize the expertise required:

- He needs to be as maneuverable as a Dressage Horse...to be able to place each foot exactly where and when you need because there is a steep cliff drop-off on one side and a wall of solid mountainside on the other. A sure-footed horse is a must to be a good Trail horse.

-He needs to be as bold as a Foxhunter....to go willingly where he is pointed, whether that is over a log, up a steep hill, down a gully, through rushing water, boot-sucking mud or bushwhacking through thick scrub.

-He needs to be as agile as a Show Jumper....able to easily twist and turn around trees and bushes, boulders and hop over fallen logs.

-He needs to have the stamina of an Endurance Horse....because a 7 mile ride can easily turn into a 20 mile ride if his "on-board GPS" (aka rider) takes a wrong turn.

-He needs to have the calm mind of a Rodeo Pick-Up Horse....because many horses can not hold it together under stress. But a good Trail Horse must be able to cope with the high emotional energy often coming from other horses in front, behind and either side of him. He needs to always be level-headed and sensible.

-He needs to manage being squashed against others like a Polo Pony....because on some trails his nose might be pushed against a tail in front, or flanks pressed side-by-side with rider's knees banging against other rider's knees, or another horse breathing down his back. He needs to have patience and get along well with others.

-He needs to cope with bursts of speed like a Racehorse.....because if that "on-board GPS" (aka rider), stated above, turns the short ride into 20 miles you won't get home till dark if walking that whole distance.

-He needs to be a clever problem-solver with his mind and feet like a Cutting horse....sometimes his rider is gonna get him stuck in places that seem impossible to get out of!

-He needs to be brave like a Cow Horse because not only will he have to deal with protective mama cows and bulls out on the trails, but he'll also be faced with mountain bikes, ATVs, motorcycles, strollers, tractors, logging equipment, chainsaws, horse-drawn carts, bullet-riddled appliances, floating plastic bags and balloons, booming thunder and pouring rain with flapping slickers, loose wild horses and burros, and all forms of wildlife.

-And he needs to be cuddly and sweet like a Child's Pony....because he will spend countless hours exploring trails with his rider.

But hey.... He's "JUST" a Trail Horse!

****Author unknown ****

02/11/2022

As always Robert Dover inspires riders to allow their horses to move beautifully and in harmony ! The best part is the hardest to find, go to page 2 for his introductory lecture.

https://www.usef.org/network/coverage/2022robertdover?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=USEF%20Network%20-%20Feb%202022%20Calendar%20(1)&utm_content=

Watch the Robert Dover Horsemastership Clinic LIVE on USEF Network January 6-9

02/05/2022

Callie explains things so well. https://youtu.be/pztdnvpXex4

Join me in a Free Mini Course, 7 Days to Better Riding! Get a short new video each day with a simple exercise to improve your riding. Sign up for Free here: ...

12/17/2021

So funny !

12/11/2021

Congratulations Sharon Wilsie ! I love what learning Horse Speak is teaching me! https://www.facebook.com/100063575138540/posts/314317684030734/

SmartPak listed Horse Speak as the #6 book to read this winter on their blog post "Books to Read this Winter". We not only make SmartPak's list, Horse Nation shared the list on their blog!

We are excited and thrilled to be having Horse Speak gain attention this holiday season.

Do you need a book for you or your horse-loving friend? Head over to our website to purchase all of your Horse Speak needs:
https://sharonwilsie.com/books-and-dvds/

09/16/2021

https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10157884079470947/

09/08/2021

https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10157872495215947/

08/21/2021

https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10157845634620947/

It’s more the degree than the discipline---

When I was talking to a veterinarian friend about a sport in which he specializes, I asked him if it was true that many of the injuries in that particular sport were hock and stifle injuries, as I had heard rumored.

His answer was that it had to do more with the intensity than with the actual activity, and that he felt that most of the horse sports at low levels were non-punishing, as long as the horses were reasonably fit.

He went on to say that most sports are sequential, and what a horse might handle well at the entry levels can catch up with that horse as the pressures are amped up, the demands made harder and harder, especially if early warning signs are glossed over, and the horse isn’t given time to recover if small problems arise, with subsequent rebuilding time provided as the horse starts up again.

The toughest, soundest horses on earth are still flesh and blood. And we know there are horse sports which, by their built-in demands, can take horses further and further toward their outer limits.

This stretching of the boundaries is not done for the horse, because a horse is quite content to hang in a pasture with other horses eating grass. It is done by the human who is trying to prove that he, his horse, or the combination, is better than some other.
So each human has the choice just how far into the danger zone to take the horse to prove how good he or she happens to be---

The sports which have the reputation of causing the most injuries to horses could be modified, but not until or unless the participants in those sports at the levels where more damage appears decide to speak up on behalf of their horses.

They say they “love horses.” We know they say it. But will they modify their own sports to back off the worst of the pressures to prove it? They could, we know, if they actually wanted to---.

08/19/2021

https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10157842320305947/

Horse “resisting?” Perhaps think Fatigue---

When we are sitting on top, unless we have lots of empathy, the ability and the willingness to consider what the horse down below might be feeling, it’s too easy to think that a tiring horse is being resistant “on purpose.”

See this sketch of the horse and rider headed home after a long day of hunting? Do we think that this quietly walking horse started the day like that? No, he was probably up and snorting and eager. But because physical effort creates tiredness, lack of spring, loss of balance and lift, deterioration in athletic ability, this horse is probably just plodding along.

So, we are schooling a horse, say, on the flat, and we feel the horse getting less “obedient,” less willing to perform what we feel to be simple tasks, circles, transitions, the building blocks of training, It’s easy to forget that THE MOMENT that we pick up the reins and establish contact, we are creating a push into a containment, and that asks the horse to step under itself and to add lifting to what, on a loose rein, would mainly involve pushing.

Lifting is vastly more rigorous than pushing, and unless a horse is used to it, has the strength to engage and carry, fatigue soon results. If we feel that fatigue as “I won’t,” and get grinding, it’s only going to get worse. Then maybe we get frustrated, ask harder, and it all starts to go downhill.

Now I am not saying that YOU do this, only that we so often see this downward spiral. If we could instead give the horse even six to eight more weeks of slowly building, think how we could avoid much of that slide from asking him to making him.

The next time he seems to be saying “no,” try considering that maybe he’s saying “I am tired. I would if I could, but I can’t.”

It can change how you train.

08/14/2021

https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10157829294480947/

MY Agenda---

So we tack up a horse, and get on---Now what?

There are thousands of riders who do this (or drive) on a daily basis, and some have one agenda, some another, and so on, by the thousands.

Some have agendas that are built upon and based upon many years of careful study and education, while others may have as simple an agenda as “I just want to ride and have fun.”

Every human agenda creates repercussions for the other half of the equation, the horse, who, despite all the Walt Disney ridiculousness to the contrary, does not “want” to be ridden.

Some humans have both lots of knowledge, and are kind. The agendas of these riders are not likely to cause much tension and anxiety and discomfort for their horses.
At the opposite end of the spectrum are humans who are ignorant and angry and rough. The worst.

Which type of agenda will I choose today? Tomorrow? The day after that?

The answer will not only reveal what kind of horseman I am, it will also reveal whether I am trying to become a better horseman, described as “A person who, in an educated way, always puts the best interests of the horse first.”

08/11/2021

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0m-c4GixUpg&feature=share

08/10/2021

Such wise words

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

08/06/2021

A bit of history

https://www.facebook.com/82392280313/posts/10165738779805314/

With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games upon us, what better time to take a look back at some of our coverage from the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, where women were allowed to compete in eventing for the first time and the U.S. Eventing Team took team silver...

07/30/2021

Oh my goodness, three of favorite mentors all on one screen! Super content ladies! Rock on Horse Speak!!! https://youtu.be/JBOUnqQBp4A

Sharon and Laura Wilsie, creators of Horse Speak® join Wendy for her Friday webinar on SURE FOOT. The conversation ranged to topics such as using the Horse S...

07/26/2021

https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10157797463850947/

07/22/2021

Thank you Denny for such a good explanation of levels of canter. https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10157792312130947/

07/09/2021

Just channeling the words of wisdom... https://www.facebook.com/109161715946/posts/10157769508980947/

Calm down for better training

Not so many riders seem to be enveloped in almost a cocoon of calm serenity when they school their horses, and we see that lack of emotional stillness reflected in the reactions of the horses.

Think about what we bring to the ride in our heads that is counter to calm---

One rider may be a little nervous, or even scared, another driven to excel, another is earnestly attempting to prove a point, this one is determined to improve the canter transitions, that one is thinking about the upcoming competition----It can be a long list---

Many horses are quite tuned into the emotional states of their riders, and many horses respond to tension, tightness, the lack of calm brought by the rider, by becoming tense and resistant right back.

The rider, already not in that quiet bubble of emotional neutrality, feels the horse get tighter, and responds in kind, and the daily downward spiral has begun yet again.

It is easy to ask---“How do I feel calm when I am not calm?”

Well, maybe start by trying to figure out the main sources of your anxiety. Are you trying too hard? Is your horse the right horse for where you are in your riding? Are you so focused on some hoped for result that you can’t feel or appreciate tiny improvements? Do you care too much about what others think? Are you a fiercely driven competitor?
There are many possibilities----

Start there? If serenity in training seems like a worthy goal, try to avoid the situations that trigger tension. Easier to say, I know, than to do, but so well worth the endless quest to bring our emotions into quiet states to help our horses.