We spent the day filming ChoCho dancing to ABBA in the ring. Pure enthusiasm = Pure Joy.
Here we asked for upbeat expression .. and he gave it his all!
Dance Steps Level I
Gypsie & I made the following videos as an introduction to the level I dance workshop.
Introduction to the Codero
Turning the Horse Toward You (yielding the hindquarters)
Turning the Horse Away from You (yielding the shoulders)
Moving the Horse Forward
Moving the Horse Back
Lateral Movements
Dance Practice
In preparation for a clinic this Sunday, Gypsie and I took to the ring to practice our dance steps. This is only the 2nd time Gypsie and I worked on some of the routines, but I think you will agree she did really great. Enjoy!
Warm Nose on a Snowy Day
There’s nothing like the touch of a horse’s nose, their silky breath, and warm loving heart.
Deep in Snow
There was the perfect amount and perfect quality of snow in the big pen to practice lateral work with ChoCho. I asked him to stretch deep across his quarters, to really make strong lateral moves. I rode on loose reins, trying instead to use my hips and orientation to cue the lateral.
Road Test
Our current challenge takes us out of the paddock, out of the ring, and onto the road! Well, not really, as we are starting with the driveway entrance to the house. The mares all scream for ChoCho, and it is terribly difficult for him to stay focussed. Here we are just watching and trying to remain as still as possible. You can see with what intensity he is observing the horses way down in the paddock. Hard to be a stallion.
The
A Day in the Life
I just love this photo of me and Khemancho coming back from a ride this Sunday. It summarizes a lot that could be said about connection and joy (after a good work out!).
Bareback Practice
This weekend was unusually warm and inviting for November, so the stallion Khemancho and I played around in the back paddock, practicing rolling our weight back, doing some lateral work, and swinging around the forehand. ChoCho was really listening to the corrections – but as you can see, he is comfortable with making suggestions and asking questions himself. As in all my practicing videos — they are certainly not meant to teach anyone a method or an approach. I am myself just learning, too. I hope that sharing our journey together will encourage you at the stage you are at with your horse — and to remind you how fun the journey can be for both horse and rider, regardless of the “progress” made or not made.
Canter
This blog has become lately a kind of diary of my practice with the horses. ChoCho and I have been taking riding lessons on the occassional Saturday with Margaret Beeman. She is a professional trainer, specializing in colt starting. ChoCho did 3 months of basic training with her 2 years ago. You can see his final day “at first grade” with Margaret in this video:
ChoCho was younger then, but between the hands and legs of such an experienced rider, he goes through his gaits smoothly, considering he had just 3 months with her — one of which is all ground work.
ChoCho is obviously much more matured, both physically and mentally. I, on the other hand, am just starting basic training in dressage. So sometimes ChoCho has to work uphill with me, although he never gets negative feedback when we don’t get it all quite “right”. We (ChoCho and I) try to enjoy the ride, not the outcome, the process, not the product. Anyway, here are three clips of our latest “homework” — our video report back to Margaret about our “relative progress” on the path. The path to what? I don’t know. It doesn’t really matter. We had fun Saturday. Thanks to Sandy, we get to share it here on video “tape”.
Please note: This video is certainly not an educational piece on how to ride the canter! I constantly check my own balance and posting laterals. And am still working on a decent seat. Also, I am intentionally opening my hands and reins out on occassion, to ake sure that I am not hanging on ChoCho’s mouth, nor is he hanging o my hands, to leverage at the canter. Let me know what you think. However, amateurish, I think ChoCho is handsome. A fine gentleman. And yes, at the end, he walks straight to the camera to ham himself to the audience. He is priceless and I love him beyond words.
Dance Routines
These August days have been brilliant and hot. I have been quite lazy, and that seems to suit the horses, too. We practice in a light and playful spirit. We take videos with a little flip camera and post them right onto youtube without editing. Everything is kept simple and short. As always, we look for softness in our hearts, in our minds, in our bodies.
Here are two short clips of ChoCho and me learning a new dance step. It’s basically a pirouette in opposite directions. The key for him is to distinguish the “turn, face and stop” cue from the “keep going I’m spinning” cue. The key for me is to keep my body language precise. We didn’t practice before getting out the video. We just pointed and shot in real time.
The first clip is our practice run with a long line/ neck rope. The second clip we do it truly at liberty– with no rope attached. Enjoy.
The Horses at Alderlore Present 