11.09.2013

Correct Principles at Liberty

I like this picture because it shows how her placement is at a very specific angle to her horse, behind the wither line, influencing 2nd and 3rd positions on her horses body. The only thing that would help is if she stood taller and felt where her shoulders were, so would her horse. She is slightly on her forehand in her body.

It is super fun to play at Liberty with our horses but some people criticize certain types of Liberty for reinforcing bad bio-mechanics and or habits in the horse. I prefer to put my Liberty into categories. First there is Connection building Liberty with no real emphasis on technical "seed planting" as I call it. The emphasis would be on being with your horse more and doing less. As I start to angle toward technical "seed planting", I have Beginner level of Liberty Fun!damentals , Intermediate level (Geometry, Bio-Mechanics and Impulsion) and an Advanced level ( (Collection and lateral work).

In order to bring this Connection building style of Liberty Training to your practice, You have to think about what you would like from your horse when you are riding. More importantly you have to come into your body and feel the riding body language in you. I am constantly reminding people to not try to get their horse to do something. The idea is to get them to feel something that your are doing and connect to it. Horses are SO symbiotic with us it is astounding to me. Yet we are so unaware sometimes of how we are influencing for good or bad. At Liberty we have a communication level that can be both free and technical simultaneously. In really playful moments, I find it fun see how much I can get Mercury to Mirror me. I watch him studying me with a quizzical look as if to say "What's this about?" Then he tries to do it!

My challenge for this week is for you to really get into your body when you are with your horse. Every inch of it. Your head to toes. Especially hips and shoulder and feet. Breath deeply while you are working/playing and keep reminding yourself if you get too focused on what your horse should be doing. Get back into your own movements. It will really help your riding if you feel into some of you riding habits on the ground. I see people do exactly the same posture and communicating on the ground that they do when they are riding. I can see exactly how a person rides just like I can see exactly how a horse rides when I play at liberty with him. You can practice this at Liberty, on Line or Mounted. Just stay present in your body.

It takes a good understanding of what we want to communicate to our horses to become more clear and coherent. Many times when we get it right, our horse says "well why didn't you say so?" "I am happy to do that!"

In my clinics, I find that just helping people focus on coming into their bodies, slowing down, and communicating clearer breaks through a lot of the "issues" they come with simply, gracefully and eloquently.
In 2014 I will be offering more intensives on all these areas as well as how to move it to dancing In Hand and Line Work to Super fun Mounted success! Dates to be announced. Thanks to Natalie Bourchier Photography (http://www.nataliebourchierphotography.co.uk) for the beautiful photo.
www.fdhorsemanship.com
Sign up for FDH virtual clinic here:
http://fdhorsemanship.com/virtualclinic/
Upcoming Clinics 2013:
Nov 22-24: FDH Clinic in Australia Strath Creek, Victoria, Australia
Nov 30-Dec 2: FDH clinic in New Zealand: at Taralee stables, Carterton, NZ
Click here to go to my Events http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/#!calendar




11.02.2013

This Week: Yoga tips!

As some of you know I am a Yoga enthusiast. I believe it to be very supportive for riders and for getting into a better Mind-Body connection for working with your horse. A lot of people don't realize how out of their bodies they are. Yoga gets you into your body and thereby helps you find where you may or may not be flexible, comfortable and aware. Many of my students have heard me utter the phrase "Your brain lies to you" It means that your brain often tells you your body is aware or moving in a way that it actually is not. That's why many Dressage riders work with mirrors. They want to see how they are using their bodies on the horse and make sure they are actually doing what they are feeling. It also helps us confirm whether or not what we feel in our horse is correct as well.

I used to practice yoga for years in my house alone. One day I got mirrors and was astounded at how I wasn't moving the way I thought I was! Just using the mirrors improved my yoga a bunch. Video is also a helpful tool as are having eyes on you or an instructor that is knowledgeable and has a good eye.

I have long been a fan of Yoga Journal (http://www.yogajournal.com/video/teacher/Sienna_Smith) magazine and they have a fantastic website with tons free video of Yoga routines. I have honed my practices to help support areas in my riding. There are several practices that can help your specific needs if you know what they are. I always suggest Hip-openers or stretchers, Core strengtheners, and Balance poses. I have selected some easier videos this week to share with you that relate to sitting and therefore can be done on your horse (if it is safe to do so) or on a mounting block prior to riding. If you have a smart phone, you may be able to watch these or any of my videos right at the stable! The link above with take you to some simple exercises to get started in your Yoga for riding practice. Don't worry they are well within everyone's ability!

Working with a large yoga or Physio ball is another way to get into your core awareness, stretch and mobilize you pelvis and hip joints. This improves seat awareness and communication.This is a area many people don't realize they are restricted in. And therefore restricted in your ability to sit, balance and communicate well through your seat. I have some great videos in my FDH Virtual clinic for seat awareness and communication. See the link below. And I'll see you Down Unda Peeps soon!
www.fdhorsemanship.com
Sign up for FDH virtual clinic here:
http://fdhorsemanship.com/virtualclinic/
Upcoming Clinics:
Nov 10: FDH workshop
Middlefield, CT
Nov 22-24: FDH Clinic in Australia Strath Creek, Victoria, Australia
Nov 30-Dec 2: FDH clinic in New Zealand: at Taralee stables, Carterton, NZ
Click here to go to my Events http://www.fdhorsemanship.com/#!calendar