Adamo Equestrian

08/28/2024

08/21/2024

I love this

How do you teach patience?

Patience is a common problem across the country, and I’d venture to say probably the world. I get asked about this quite often by people who are frustrated with their horses fidgeting and anxious movement -

Here are three very important things that must be learned in order to develop patience :

1- not anticipating: it’s important for the mind to not constantly jump into the next exercise, but to be able to fully participate in what we’re doing right now

2- following simple directions/perfecting the basics: this ties into the first step. In order to develop patience, it helps to learn to be able to break things down into smaller steps, pay close attention to each one, and work on the basic building blocks that comprise the bigger picture.

3- emotional resilience: getting frustrated and shutting down, getting overly excited, getting ahead of the game, or even getting downright ornery are common problems in the arena. Emotional resilience is an essential skill for developing patience.

Sometimes, with an impatient human, more groundwork is needed, or firmer boundaries. But with a simple, consistent training system, a human can be (sometimes slowly and painfully) brought to better behavior. It can be hard, but I’ve had success with these three steps creating a human who can appreciate their horse’s willingness and learn to effectively lead a horse.

08/15/2024

08/14/2024

I was studying some video of my riding today and found what I believe to be a good example of the difference between a not-so-impulsed and well impulsed horse. Same horse, same movement, but the second photo was properly prepared with transitions to generate a more freely forward energy. This guy is teaching me so much!

08/13/2024

CLINIC QUOTES

"If the horse does a mistake during his work, it is always the mistake of the rider; just like it is never the mistake of the violin, but the violinist."

(Christian Carde 2014)

08/09/2024

08/07/2024

08/01/2024

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

07/21/2024

We could all strive for more of this every day

07/17/2024

This is probably one of the best visuals for me to go along with me learning to feel the difference between a ‘resistance of force,’ and a ‘resistance of weight,’ as described by Baucher.

In the top, we see that the horse has come into ramener, face on the vertical, no ‘push,’ no resistance of force, but the weight is still displaced forward, as we can see by the slanting front legs.

In the bottom, there’s no resistance of weight, the limbs are verticalized, and as we go into piaffe, the ramener happens as a consequence, not a prerequisite.

07/13/2024

07/13/2024

We have lesson openings!
Horses and riding are the best hobby, exercise, sport, therapy, and stress relief all rolled into one!
Experience the magic of horses at Adamo Equestrian 🤎🤎🤎

Adamo Equestrian offers horse riding lessons and horse training in the Tucson Arizona Area.

07/13/2024

“I can’t find any good places to board where they put horses first-“

This is a huge problem. In just about every consult I have where we are seeking a solution for a behavior problem, i ask about husbandry and we almost always find a major problem there. Not to blame the owner- often it is near impossible to find a good place to board where horses get the kind of care they need

To me, it’s non negotiable that horses live outside, in herds, with forage. Yes they’ll be dirty, be in the elements, and interact with horses. This is what they were perfectly designed for -

But I’d like to offer you some perspective from someone who has cared for other people’s horses for fifteen years in some capacity -

For the entire time I’ve been caring for horses where I’m in charge and able to make these choices for their needs and putting them first, I have-

-had clients pull their horses out of training when the first superficial scratch happens (I have had people cuss me out as they load their horse in tears with one very small scratch on their coats from socializing )

-fielded texts from worry stricken owners at ten pm, midnight, 3 am, 5 am, you get the idea… panicking over a light rain, a minor drop in temps, a little heat, some bugs etc. You never get to be “off duty” because at any hour someone’s concern over their horses minor discomfort means your great discomfort

-play musical pastures trying to placate every owner so they can all have the ideal pasture set up (for their desires, not the horses) and just about p**s off everyone in the barn

-had clients livid I didn’t put the horses in stalls for every minor weather event

-had plenty of drama between owners over who’s horse they don’t like for “bullying” their horse in the pasture when it’s usually simply herd dynamics at work

You get the idea. I’m sure every boarding barn owner can back me up on this

I’ve had excellent clients so this is in no way generalizing ALL of them. The excellent ones took me forever to find and I will seriously miss them, but - But the ones I’ve had that were a headache were a SERIOUS headache, the kind that can make you miserable living in your own home.

When I worked at other barns and we had all horses in stalls or in private, tiny paddocks I had barely a husbandry related complaint (plenty about behavior though). Everyone was happy to have their horses “tucked in safely.”

So my point is - doing it right for the horse is not profitable, a huge pain in the rear and a ton of stress (hope you love texts at 3 am), and a giant liability.

I don’t agree with keeping horses separate or confined but I totally get it from a business perspective

So what’s the solution?

We live in a worry stricken, obsessive, results driven, and very litigious society. We’re losing land quickly , losing touch with animal sense, and good places are just harder to come by every day. Everyone is pressed from all angles and there’s no clear villain or hero here -

I think everybody could get a little chiller, personally. But maybe we’re looking at a total societal overhaul. Again, one of those things I don’t see a simple solution for.

03/23/2024

03/22/2024

What structures on the horse’s body determine where we can place the rider’s weight?

The posterior border of the scapula and T-18 are the two anatomical structures that provide the boundaries for saddle placement, but biomechanics adds another 8 that govern where the rider should go between them!

Comment below - I’ll post the follow up tomorrow!

📸 Horse Community Journals

03/20/2024

ISO :
Client is looking for safe, safe, SAFE next horse. Experienced horse owner and rider, but of an age that she can no longer compromise on safety.
~any breed
~any color
~mare or gelding
~under 15hh
~budget very low 5s
Horse must be very sound and will primarily be used for trail riding in the mountains. Does not need to be any type of fancy, but I cannot stress enough, absolutely MUST be parade-level, bomb-proof safe.
Please comment any offerings and I will message you. Thanks!

03/15/2024

Buck Brannaman has a lot of funny things to say about people and horses, these were two of my favourites at the recent Dallas clinic.

To someone with their horse in a tie down, (kind of like a standing martingale). 'Maybe by the time you come in here tomorrow you'll be so handy, you can take that thing off and give it to someone you don't like.'

Regarding the idea that good training will hold on a horse regardless of who buys it, 'When someone tells me they want a push button horse, I say you might as well buy yourself some fairy dust. You'll bring that horse down to your level in no time'.

You can't help but like the man.

03/11/2024

Thank you Michelle and Raven!

03/10/2024

Raven and I competed together yesterday, and despite much resistance on my part, I think we both had fun😆! It has never been my grand dream to show or be a competition trainer. I have always had epic amounts of anxiety about it; but I enjoy this horse so much, that she makes everything we do together delightful.

I know this is insanely long, but, I have no clue when people have the time to post online, so in this rare opportunity, I have a whole lot to say.

Despite my poor piloting that took us off course twice, SHE still achieved, for us, a 60.4 on our first attempt. At our second attempt we, together, recieved a 65!

This was my first time showing a horse under Légèreté principles, and that is a really important achievement to me. For me, it is about the horse. This means learning, discovering, and forever seeking the truly best way. It means being brave enough to start completely over. It means knowing when to admit you were wrong; even if you were wrong your whole life! Although, many of my peers feel hopeless with the horse world right now, knowledge is eternal. I feel hopeful that there is a way forward which preserves the knowledge and principles of the classical masters of dressage. I know that those who truly love the horse will one day find this, too.

I have found myself amongst an incredible group of horsewomen, who I believe, TRULY support eachother. Just to name a few:

Thank you Monae for your unwavering commitment to the horse, and your infinite support of Adamo Equestrian.
Thank you to Carol for making Raven happy and beautiful, and more so, for following me through this dark tunnel with your partner, Pisa, and trusting me that there is a well-worth-it light at the end.
Thank you Michelle (why can't I tag you!?) for trusting me to try new things and for pushing me to compete and, of course, for the opportunity to partner with your incredible horse!
Thank you Shannon for trusting me with the most precious thing in your life, and endlessly showing up for me and my program when we need you.
Thank you Emily (Extra Mile Equine LLC) for keeping the horses happy in their bodies, and the long brainstorming sessions to help me resolve these tiresome thoughts.
Thank you Laura for your experience and guidance, for the endless opportunities you allow me, and for always believing in and pushing me, no matter how frustrating that must be.
Thank you Pippa for opening this doorway and offering a bridge between the worlds I am attempting to straddle.

And the non-women who deserve thanks:

Thank you James for making Légèreté possible for me and sharing this knowledge with us all.

Thank you Trevor for your love, endless patience, support, labor, time, energy, amazing software skills, business advice, camera skills, your gracious acceptance of the horse world being forced upon you, stall cleaning, horses holding, grooming, repairing, solving, and flawless management of my chaos. Honestly, just thank your for literally everything.

02/28/2024

We have a new location and have lesson openings. You are ready to start your horse journey! Book a lesson today!
www.adamoequestrian.com

02/28/2024

It's getting close! We still have space for auditors! Let me know if you would like to audit
www.pippacallanan.com

02/28/2024

San Torino is checking out his new digs!

We have moved and are all settled in! We are now conveniently located right off Houghton Rd at Horse Haven. Please come by and check us out 🤎🖤🤎

02/15/2024

Why do the basics take so long?

The basics actually don’t take much time at all. Teaching a horse and rider the building blocks of balance and relaxation is not that difficult or complicated, as long as both are a blank slate.

What takes so much time is undoing poor basics, undoing poor movement patterns, and letting go of the wrong muscle memories and building the right muscle groups.

I’ve been riding with my teacher for almost a decade now. The first few years I barely made any progress, not because the work wasn’t good, but because I didn’t understand what she was even talking about. It went right over my head, and every lesson I had we sort of repeated the work of the last. My poor teacher repeated herself over and over, but I rode with others who’s work undid what she was trying to do, and I just wasn’t ready to understand it yet.

Then, when it clicked for me, I was all in- but my muscle memories, habits and understanding was counter productive. It took a long time (and I’m still working on it) to let go of the habits I had that stood in the way of progress. Same for my horses - they had habits that weren’t helpful either, especially the habit of coming behind the bit: some of it wasn’t my fault, some of it was. This was a very lengthy, uncomfortable and downright yucky phase. There didn’t feel like there was a lot of winning. This is where most people quit - they find a new instructor because they aren’t getting anywhere, or bounce around to different “methods.”

Then the break through: I finally understood where she was coming from, what the benefits were, and my horses were starting to buy into it too. We were finding harmony, beautiful moments sprinkled in, and getting successes to keep us motivated. This phase required lots of vigilance from my teacher and myself to not revert to old habits when we were tired, distracted or learning something new.

After these new, more productive habits were better cemented, upward progress was possible. It took so long. Not because the learning itself is fated to be arduous, but because I was in my own way for much of the time.

So why does it take so long? It doesn’t. But we make it so- and there’s nothing wrong with that process, because as Ray Hunt said, “you’re not working on your horse, you’re working on yourself.”

02/09/2024

Update:
Dr. Baltrus returned today to assess his continued lack of appetite. He spiked a little fever and tests showed a possible case of pneumonia. We believe the impaction has passed which is amazing news! He is being treated for the pneumonia and we are hopeful now!!

Yesterday Polo showed some interest in food and passed some manure! Today he is back to no interest in food. He may need to be tubed again and possibly need more fluids. Anything helps so if you are able to assist, please let me know!

Hello Adamo Family,
I am reaching out for some help. Our beloved Polo is suffering from colic. He is currently under supportive vet care with the incredible Dr. Baltrus. At his age he is not a candidate for surgery, so at this time all we can do is continue to provide supportive care and hope his body can pass the impaction on his own.
This horse has taught many people to ride and touched many lives. The supportive care he needs is beyond what I can afford, but Polo deserves every chance at life. I am hoping you all might be willing to contribute any small amount to his care so that we can afford to continue supporting him while his body works to get through this. He is a fighter, but he needs lots of fluids and pain management if he is going to pass the impaction. Please consider making a small contribution to him, in hopes he will pull through this. If you cannot help financially please please share this post.

02/08/2024

Hello Adamo Family,
I am reaching out for some help. Our beloved Polo is suffering from colic. He is currently under supportive vet care with the incredible Dr. Baltrus. At his age he is not a candidate for surgery, so at this time all we can do is continue to provide supportive care and hope his body can pass the impaction on his own.
This horse has taught many people to ride and touched many lives. The supportive care he needs is beyond what I can afford, but Polo deserves every chance at life. I am hoping you all might be willing to contribute any small amount to his care so that we can afford to continue supporting him while his body works to get through this. He is a fighter, but he needs lots of fluids and pain management if he is going to pass the impaction. Please consider making a small contribution to him, in hopes he will pull through this. If you cannot help financially please please share this post.

02/04/2024

Maletilla is on his way from France!
We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of this handsome Lusitano, who will be joining the Kaplan family on February 9th!
Thank you so much Pippa Callanan for sending us this dream horse! After an eternity of searching I thought we would never find the perfect fit. We are over the moon to have him join the barn!

02/01/2024

Favorite Légèreté USA clinic photo
Thank you James Riedeman, it was an amazing clinic!
Photo by: Monae Budmayr