Aug/Sept 2010 Dressage Naturally Newsletter by Dressage Naturally

August/September 2012 “Creating stronger partnerships and healthy biomechanics by combining the principles of natural horsemanship with the art of dressage.”

Karen Rohlf Upcoming Clinics: For full schedule, click here

Oct. 5-7, 2012 Midway, KY Upward Spiral Contact: excelsiorfarm1@msn.com

Oct 19-21 No. CA (venue t.b.a.) Upward Spiral Contact: shelleycandelario@yahoo.com

Oct 28-Nov 2 6 Days in Temenos Full, guest auditors only

Contact: info@dressagenaturally.net

Nov 15-19 Austin, TX Finding The Sweet Spot Contact:

Welcome to the August/ September 2012 Newsletter! In this issue: 2011 Classroom DVDs are here! News Q & A: Use Of Side Reins Tribute To Monty

• • • •

D,N Book/DVD Now available in German!

slittlefield@abaustin.com

What is a ‘Temenos’? Temenos is an ancient Greek word. It refers to a sacred space that has no limits, where special rules apply and extra-ordinary events are free to occur.

Quote of the Month: “Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding. Find out what you already know and you will see the way to fly.”

― Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull”

2011 Classroom AVAILABLE on DVD! This 6 DVD set includes 12+ hours of lessons! Karen Rohlf’s Video Classroom has gotten rave reviews from around the world, from D,N students of all levels. The Classroom videos include discussions, simulations, on line, and riding. See a range from basic exercises with young horses to advanced dressage movements. These videos are the best way to keep your D,N practice alive and inspired. The on-line Classroom & it’s student Forum are on-going. Sign up now to get the most out of your Dressage, Naturally education!

Non-2011 Subscribers (& everyone else):

Available to 2011 subscribers at a low cost!

The full 2011 archive (12+ hours) is:

Were you a Classroom member for more than 9 months by the end of 2011?

$450 with free shipping within the USA

You will be able to purchase them for:

($15 shipping internationally)

$55 with free shipping within the USA

Not sure if you qualify for the discount? Aren’t currently a subscriber, but still qualify for the discount? Send us an email, we are happy to check for you! dnc@dressagenaturally.net

($15 shipping internationally) It is our “Thank You” to you for being a long-time subscriber! Sign into The Classroom to retrieve your Discount Code. Enter that code in the web-store when you place your order to immediately receive your discounted price.

D, N Video Classroom

Shelby Hume

D,N Web Store

Breanne Peters Karen’s clinic schedule is going to be reduced in 2013... But the number of students interested in Dressage, Naturally is increasing! The good news is Karen has two instructors endorsed to teach the most important of the Dressage, Naturally concept: Finding The Sweet Spot Of Healthy Biomechanics. Shelby’s home base is Kentucky, and Breanne is in Ontario please contact: Clinics@dressagenaturally if you are interested in setting up a clinic in your area. Feel free to contact them directly: Breanne: Breannepeters@hotmail.com Shelby: excelsiorfarm1@msn.com

News... Thank You, Sweden!

A very enthusiastic group of students and auditors got 6 days of Dressage, Naturally in August! Ewa Angantyr hosted the clinic. Ewa was a participant in the Spring 2011 10 Week Intensive here in FL and it was so nice to see her with her own horse, and with many of her students. Dana and I had a wonderful time seeing the participants of the Sweet Spot Of Healthy Biomechanics, and Upward Spiral of Success classes do so well! If you are in Sweden and would like some Dressage, Naturally support, Ewa is an excellent source! You can find her on FB, at: http://www.naturligdressyr.se/ and can email her at: e.angantyr@langarod.se

Thank You, Netherlands!

Liesbeth Jorna, also a student of the 10 Week Intensive in Spring 2011, hosted two 3-day clinics in The Netherlands. Once again we were met with such enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. I never get tired of seeing the lightbulbs go off and seeing students and horses learn how to find the moments of freedom and harmony! It also is so nice to have Liesbeth, who is now teaching horsemanship, be able to continue to support students in the area. You can find her on FB, at http://www.sporthorsemanshipunited.com/index.html or email her at: info@sporthorsemanshipunited.nl

News... Karen featured again on HorseHero.com There is a new video of me teaching on HorseHero.com. This is the final of the three videos that were made of me while I was in the UK. It features Parelli Instructor, Sally Brett and her horse, Bertie and it is about how I use questions to help students learn faster and become more confident! You will have to be a member of horsehero.com to view this video: http://www.horsehero.com/ 5201/13908/85161

D,N Video from dog trainer, Brenda Aloff Brenda Aloff is a very special dog trainer that is also a student of the horse and Dressage, Naturally. She and I have been helping each other remotely... I have my dog behavior and training questions and she has her horse behavior and training questions! She is an excellent teacher and communicator... I encourage you to check out her website and training materials. Her methods have worked wonders with Sydney and Carlos! She recently sent me a video she made to demonstrate some of my techniques to the Morgan Dressage Association. She is such an excellent educator I thought I would share it! She has a really clear teaching style... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWIIXlW1PV8&feature=youtu.be Watch it (~4 min) then come back here: The one input I gave her about her technique is about something that I see many students doing in this exercise... When she walks she is walking on ‘the other side of the circle’ instead of being with him on the same part of the circle. That is: going track left, when he is at 12 o’clock heading to 11 o’clock, she is at 6 o’clock heading towards 5 o’clock... in the end you want to both be on ‘the same time’ walking parallel to each other on the same part of the circle.. watch again and you will see it. Her horse, Oliver still finds her techniques quite clear, but moving together will make it easier for her to add more energy and to help him out to a larger circle, therefore increasing his freedom of movement even more!

Want to be a part of the D,N Team? OK, I admit it... I need help! Whew, got that first step over with! ;-) I am looking for someone to help me with this newsletter. Here is what it would involve: • Knowledge of ‘Pages’ on the Mac • Take my words and photos and enter them into the body of the newsletter. The template is basically set up, but you would need to be proficient enough at Pages Layout to be able to customize also. • Upload newsletter into the D,N website and Issuu.com • Knowledge of Constant Contact email managing. The words will still come from me, but I need help with the layout and admin part of it so I have more time to do horses and Classroom video editing!! Interested? Email me at karenrohlf@dressagenaturally.net

News... D,N Book Now Available in German! Cadmos Publishing has picked up the Dressage, Naturally book for the German Translation and it is now available for pre-order! I am so excited to have this version available to the German speaking community, and excited to have Cadmos publishing helping me spread the principles of D,N! It is available here: D,N Book German Translation The book is already translated into Polish and available from Galaktyka Publishing in Poland.

Hey, This Stuff Really Works! I teach that the top priority is the quality of communication between the horse and rider. It doesn’t matter if the trainer says it looks good, if the rider and horse are experiencing lack of harmony or communication. So many times I have seen lessons where the teacher is saying: “Yes, good!” and the rider is crying because it feels so horrible. I also teach my students to trust their instincts if they know they are not in communication with their horse, and that they must be responsible for being as clear as possible to their horses. I believe the horses really do want to know what we are requesting and will answer us well if they can. It is the most difficult to preserve this relationship with your horse during a lesson. Below is an email I received from someone that is an excellent example of balancing the relationship between horse, rider and teacher! There was recently a posting on the forum re: ‘Where to start with dressage’. I wanted to share that I have NO background in dressage (just PNH) and I got your whole package a year and a half ago and just started reading and watching. When I finished the book I started over and read it again, rewatching videos, etc. The whole time I was applying it to my Arabian gelding who responded at mach speed. I just "blindly" followed your directions and suddenly he was a different horse! I did not try to think too hard about it - I just DID it - and so did he! (Believe me - I am no "horse trainer"!) Fast forward to about 15 months after starting - I took a lesson from a German dressage instructor on a friend's lovely horse (who had no training in dressage.) Within 2 minutes I said "I have no lateral movement.....I have no "go".....I have no brakes.....I have no "give" from the bit...." (I was thinking of your orchestra:0) [On Results in Harmony DVD #6] I can't take a dressage lesson without these ingredients. She responded "Jawohl!!! That is CORRECT! Now what are you going to do about it?" I asked for her indulgence and a Parelli kid-sized carrot stick. I proceeded to simply attempt to bend and counter bend him in unconventional ways - she watched and after a bit said "I should be paying YOU for this lesson!!".... As the horse proceeded to soften and relax before her eyes:0) I gave you and Parelli ALL the credit for teaching me these "tools". After an hour (of practicing DN with him) I laughed and said "Ok, NOW we are ready for a lesson!" Of course we stopped there. At the end of (her) lesson she said she had seen 3 other people ride this horse (including herself!) and that was the most relaxed she had ever seen him. She encouraged me to continue working with him! "This is just what he needs!" So my thanks to you! And to that other student - I encourage her to "just do it! It works!" ~Julie

Do I Have To Use Side Reins? Hi Karen! First I just wanted to thank you for what you do. So few people in this world do what you do. I come to you with a training question in regards to my horse. I'm wanting to do things right with natural horsemanship as the core to everything we do. I ride English so as you know, natural methods are seen less common. Consequently I work for a trainer who promotes the use of side reins and sometimes harsh techniques that I don't promote in my approach to training my horse. Today, he said I should start using side reins on her so she can "get used to the contact". I have watched a lot of Buck Brannaman, you as much as I can, and I have worked side by side with a natural horsemanship expert. Watching you guys, I see how things are fair for the horse. When I work for my boss, I do not feel that way. Last night was the first time I ever had to lunge one of his horses using side reins, this horse was behind the bit like no other. My understanding is that until the horse is advanced in his training, you build and build upon giving and releasing. Why on Earth would I want to tie my horses head down and not show him that when he gives to pressure that I release that I release it? It can be hard when I have my bosses voice telling me what to do, yet I've seen how things can be done in a way that harms the horse less. I ignore my boss and it's making working for him difficult. I was just wondering what the process was that you've gone through with your own horses that don't involve tie downs and as little quick fixes as possible. Thank you very much :) (name held by request)

Hi, This is for sure a tricky situation for you.... And I always say in the end you must trust your instincts if this is going to be a situation that can work for you. I try to approach things with Skepticism, Openness, and Common Sense. Plenty of valuable techniques can feel wrong or strange until you understand them and then often we can be surprised by the results... But sometimes techniques really are as bad as we thought! For side reins, and any technique, it is all in the way they are used. Just because someone uses them doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily mean they are being used in a cruel way. I will give you the positive possibility for their use: They can give the opportunity for the horse to feel something at the end of the reins that is predictable and consistent. Side reins can be steadier than any hand. Now, the nicest way to adjust side reins is at a length where the horse can FIND them when he reaches into them and through this reaching can steady them from flopping around. This could teach a horse that reaching into the contact can be comfortable. If they are adjusted too long, they can just be annoying and teach the horse to either back off or lean their whole body onto them. If they are adjusted too short the horse has no way to become comfortable and he learns he is helpless and will contort, contract, and likely be in pain. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d) copyright 2012 Temenos Fields, inc. August/Sept

Do I Have To Use Side Reins, contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d Adjusted 'just right' they have the possibility to cause the horse to figure out about his contact and to learn to balance himself without anything actively taking on his mouth. I have seen excellent trainers put them on young horses in order to have their first experience with feeling the bit be predictable and consistent... But they were adjusted perfectly and carefully and in a way that was non-restrictive. There is no way to make adjustments in the moment with side reins, and they can easily be adjusted too short. The problems that can develop from that are typically harder type problems to correct: Contraction of the neck, curling behind the vertical, balancing on the reins, bracing the jaw. So those are the possibilities.... So there is one way to do it well and nicely, and a lot of ways to do it so it causes more problems. I cannot say the side reins are inherently 'bad'... Side reins adjusted perfectly could give a horse more confidence than the average rider could give... Confidence that the reins will not pull backwards or change length.... But.... With that said, I have not had any desire to use them anymore and feel that they can create more harm than good. Many Many times I have seen them mis-used, and their potential harmfulness is way more expensive than their potential value for good. I also dream that if your trainer considers himself an educator he should be able to calmly explain why he is choosing to use side reins and ask him to explain how to determine what is an appropriate length, etc. You will be able to get a lot of information about that personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intention behind their use of the tool and will be then more confidently able to try it or decide not to. How this person handles your question and personal decision will also give you information about if this is the best mentor for you to have in this moment! I hope that helps. Would you mind if I used your question in a newsletter (I can change your name and details to "protect the innocent" if you are worried about getting into trouble with your boss/trainer ;-) I think there are others in a situation such as yourself. Cheers,

Monty...

Photo: HorsePix

April 11, 1991 - August 28, 2012 Sigh... I guess I feel the longer I wait to write this, the longer it is before it is real. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already waited 8 pages in this newsletter, but now is the time. Monty had to be euthanized as a result of an acute case of EPM. I go back and forth between having so much to say... And having nothing to say here. It would take a Hollywood production to come close to doing him justice... But here is a short slideshow tribute I put together... On the next pages are some more words...

Monty... Monty was known as The King of The Temenos, and there was no doubting it if you knew him and saw him here. In the end of May, (2012) he had an acute onset of EPM. Within 8 hours of seeing the first signs we were wondering if he would have to be euthanized that very day. It was a shocking thing to contemplate... And not something either of us were ready for. EPM (Equine Protozoal Encephalytis) is a neurological disease seen in horses that is caused by ingestion of the infective sporocysts of Sarcocystis neurona. The parasite makes it's way into the central nervous system and begins to reproduce. In doing so, it destroys cells in the central nervous system and causes inflammation in the central nervous system. Treatment first involves killing the parasite, then recovery is much like that for stroke. We had some excellent resources on our side, including a veterinarian who specializes in EPM research and treatment that happens to live 5 minutes from me. Immediate first aid as well as targeted blood tests and new effective medicine caused him to improve enough within 3 days to become safe to himself and have a chance to begin to recover. He showed significant improvement and he soon settled into a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;new normalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. His spirit was good and he was still able to rule his domain. It looked like we would get the time he needed to be able to heal... Unfortunately it was a race that the parasite was going to win a few months later. ... Anyone with animals has likely had to make end of life decisions... Of course we want our beauties to be around for as long as possible... But there is always that line that eventually will need to be crossed. I suppose we are fortunate if we have the opportunity to choose where that line is and when that time is. Like everything with animals, the responsibility we have is so huge. There is the balance between sparing their suffering, with our desire to do everything we can to save them. We need to make sure we are not extending their grief just to postpone ours. Photo: Ingela Larsson Smith

(contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d)

Whenever I am faced with this, I try to imagine what the situation would be that would make me wish I had helped them end their suffering earlier. I need to know what it would look like to cross that line. I picture it specific to that exact animal and that exact issue, injury, etc. Then the key is to not cross it. I need to know when we are close... I don’t want to miss the signs, and I don’t want to miss a message from the animal if they ask me to let them go... Because sometimes they will hang on and keep suffering just because we want them to stay. That may sound unscientific to some, but the experience is unmistakable. That kind of surrender is so difficult for us humans to do, but the times I experienced it were filled with such peace. The sadness comes from truly missing them, and the human habit of never feeling like we did quite enough. For Monty and his EPM, the line would be if was if he was no longer able to control that he could get where he wanted to go, and especially if he was unable to get up on his own. Those are the things that would quickly lead to further complications and distress. I think you will all trust when I tell you that that day in August it became clear it was the right time to let him go. ... I usually keep this sort of thing very private. It just feels so incredibly personal. Life. Death. But I also am aware of how many people Monty has touched and inspired, so I thought I needed to share this moment with you. Could there be one more lesson in it for all of us? My lesson is one I already knew. (Monty specialized in teaching me the same lesson over and over again just to make sure I really got it...). The overwhelming feeling I have is: What an honor and responsibility it is for me to have been his care-taker. The lesson is that no matter how our animals come to us, how much they cost or what they did for us... They all give us the same amazing responsibility to care for them and the opportunity to connect with them. With each animal I bring into my life, that sense of responsibility grows more and more profound.. So much so it almost feels impossible to do it right. Through all Monty and I did together, I feel more honored and humbled than proud. This was his life. I am amazed at what he gave me. But in the end I realized I would not have been less sad if he hadn’t given so much. He still would have been his amazing self, even if we never did what we did together, even if he was with someone who didn’t appreciate him. We can dream that horses choose us, but the reality is the lives they experience are a result of our choices; big choices such as who picks them and brings them home, and little choices like what we feed them. How scary would it be for most humans to be that reliant on another creature. The responsibility of caring for an animal would seem impossible to meet if it wasn’t also so impossible to resist. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! " " " " cont’d) Photo: Terri Miller

I dream that I did my best for him, but I also dream I could have done even better... It just seems too big a job to do just right... Too big a responsibility if you really stop and think about it... But this feeling of concern gives me comfort that I am still doing what I love to do. The day this responsibility doesn’t impress me to my core is the day I should no longer have an animal’s life entrusted to me. So, it seems Monty has one more plan for my growth... And that is to do more to help horses who have been let down by people who did not feel this same sense of responsibility. Monty was never abused or neglected in his life, but we would like to help contribute to a local horse rescue that is doing an amazing job healing and caring for many horses who were not appreciated or cared for responsibly. If Monty ever inspired you, please consider donating to The Horse Protection Association of Florida. During the donation process you will have an opportunity to write a message, and if you want you can tell them that Monty sent you. If you don’t donate to this organization, perhaps there is a rescue more local to you to consider.. So more horses can feel loved and appreciated like Monty did.

Thanks,

Karen

Slideshow tribute For more info on: Horse Protection Association of Florida: http://www.hpaf.org/ EPM go to: http://www.epmhorse.org/default.html Dr Siobhan Ellison DVM (EPM research) http://pathogenes.com/about_us

DRESSAGENATURALLY Aug/Sept 2012

Web Shop Instructional material Reins, Art Prints... & More! SiMoN The School Master Noodle Kit For Learning Lateral Work.... You will not find anything quite as effective & fun as SiMoN for understanding the classical lateral positions!