February 2011 Newsletter by Dressage Naturally

February 2011 Creating healthy biomechanics and stronger partnerships through combining natural horsemanship principles with the art of dressage... Karen Rohlf

never underestimate the potential for harmony & lightness to improve in ways you cannot yet imagine

Welcome back to the 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.

We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails. unknown

August 17-28

3 days Sweet Spot, 3 days Upward Spiral, 3 Days Advancing Private lessons

Somerset, UK Contact: Stephanie Gaunt

email: stefgaunt@yahoo.co.uk Upcoming Clinics:

This Month • News • From Students • Responsibility for equine teachers

Clinic schedule: CLICK HERE

March 6-11 6 Days in the Temenos Full, closed to auditors Contact: K2@dressagenaturally.net April 17-22 6 Days in the Temenos Full, closed to auditors Contact: K2@dressagenaturally.net April 3 - June 11 10 Week Intensive Full!

Sept. 16-17

2 days Focusing on Connection,

Sept. 18-20

3 days Upward Spiral (smaller group, more private attention)

Lindstrom, MN Contact: Sally Taylor Phone: 612.616.2550 email: zazz@aol.com

Sept 23-25 Custom Clinic!

Co-teaching with 5* Parelli Professional David Lichman

Bridgewater, NH Contact: Brenda Ladd 603-217-0205 B 603-715-0253 C

laddfarmllc@me.com

Biomechanics of A Happy vs Un-Happy Athlete.

Join the Classroom, Join the discussion!

I am just finishing up new videos for March 1st in the Video Classroom. In Dana & I created a short video to investi- March we will see the next session with gate the biomechanical differences beDuncan. This time we will see his owner tween a happy and an unhappy athlete. ride him as well as my first time riding him. Duncanʼs first session on the ground Thatʼs all I will say.. Check it out here: is in the current February videos. He is a http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJyTafc 15 yr old FEI horse who came to the TekHVs menos for help him with some extreme heaviness issues as well as some big problems with farriers and wash stalls.

A Tip for SiMoN

We know that doing lateral work creates an increased ability to find straightness. Doing lateral work requires flexibility and mobility, and so an another benefit of doing lateral work is that you can also gain greater suppleness!

We will also meet Marcel (heʼs a human) as he talks with us about the power of breathing. Ovation will also make an appearance as I show you some things I am doing at liberty to keep him enthusiastic and accessing his ʻinner golden retrieverʼ!

It is the same with SiMoN, the School Master Noodle Horse! Some of you may be finding that after a bunch of sessions with SiMoN, his shoulders become looser! The trouble is, since SiMoN is a specialist for lateral work, we cannot balance it with collection, transitions and extensions to build his core strength and carrying power like we can with real horses.

Those videos will be up March 1st. All videos are archived in the Classroom so you always have access to all of them! They are searchable by going to the top menu: Videos/Search Videos, then entering a keyword in the search box. It will bring up any video that has that word in the title or description!

SiMoN may need a little help to regain that original core strength. If you are finding that the ʻhandlesʼ on SiMoN are getting a little floppy, you can do a couple things: 1. Move the handles up or down a bit from their original place. The noodle will start to compress leaving the handles loose. 2. Check the wing nuts under the handles. They do need occasional retightening. 3. Place a piece of cardboard or similar between the noodle and the clamp for the handles. Something around 4” long is ideal. Place it so the corrugation runs length-wise. That should take care of any floppy shoulders! Shoot us an e-mail if you have any questions. karenrohlf@dressagenaturally.net

I am also excited about the discussions going in in the forum... It is a nice way for me to stay in touch with everyone.

not need the requisite "professionaltrainer-included". The 5-day trek was fantastic! Beautiful scenery, rugged terrain and a wonderful 10 year-old Criollo horse name Beau. Since the 2-day clinic was at the END of the trek, Beau and I created our rapport and relationship "on-the-go" throughout the duration of the 5 days. He started as a very high-headed and hollow-traveling horse. Every time I touched the reins, his head would go straight up. On the morning of the 2nd day I switched from his bosal-type bridle to a rope halter & leadrope, and continued with that for the next 4 days. By the last day he was mostly choosing to move in a much more relaxed frame. Touching the leadrope now meant for him to lower his head and loosen his back. His breathing changed, his demeanor changed and our relationship changed as well. During the clinic, David asked what I wanted to work on with Beau, and I said I wanted to continue to help him find confidence in relaxed movement. David asked how I planned to do that and I suggested an impulsion game like the bullseye. David agreed, and I started the bullseye game on a loose rein (I'd tied the leadrope around into a loop rein). Beau understood the circle pretty quickly, but couldn't maintain a steady, netural gait.

You can get to the D,N Video Classroom here: http://dnc.dressagenaturally.net/

When David came over to us, he mentioned that I had the ability to concentrate on more than just *don't change gait, don't change direction*, and was there anything else I thought I could do to help Beau out? I said "Well, I could work on the basic alignment exercises I learned with Karen, but that would probably take some contact, can I do that with the Hi Karen, bullseye game?" David replied that yes, I I thought you'd be interested in something could do that, so I took up the slack in the that I learned on a super horse vacation I reins, got a nice connected feel on the took in Costa Rica earlier this year. I halter, and started helping Beau move went for a 5-day horse trek from the different parts of his body while still folmountains to the ocean. At the end of the lowing the bullseye pattern. trek, there was a 2-day clinic with David Lichman. I hadn't ever ridden with David Beau immediately improved his gait and before although I had audited a Level 1 dedication to the circle, and after about 5 clinic he taught MANY years ago, even circles, he lowered his head and neck before I ever owned a horse. He was the and loosened his back at the trot. It was Parelli instructor that first inspired me to a really nice feeling for me, and I'm sure it think that I could own my own horse and had to feel nice for him as well!

A few conversations at once!

In any case, I learned that mixing foundational principles (the 4 responsibilities of the horse) with more advanced concepts (riding with some connection, basic alignment exercises, finding neutral and matching my picture of energy & balance) equaled reaching the goal sooner and with less stress on both Beau and me! Thanks to you for teaching me how to help this horse get to a relaxed place quicker, and thanks to David for helping me recognize an opportunity to have several concurrent conversations (energy, balance, relaxation) while still building foundation. I'm not up to 9+1 conversations yet, but I can certainly see why I'd want to quickly improve to that point!

right... this is the realm of the 9+1 conversations idea! Maybe it isnʼt a symphony, but a really good quartet can be just as nice!

Take care!

We were chatting about exactly what we were going to teach and came up with the idea of letting the students decide!

Sally

Karen PS: Thanks also for giving me a great lead-in to this next topic:

Custom Clinic: From Foundation to Specialization

Another thing you will notice at the MN clinic is for The Upward Spiral of Success. I am limiting it to 8 riders, and we will have more individual attention. This more individual attention will be happening the last 3 days in the UK clinic as well. There are some other things up my sleeve regarding clinics, but you will have to wait for that for now! ;-)

5* Parelli Professional David Lichman and I are going to co-teach a clinic in NH September 23-25.

Participating students will send us their top topic requests and then David and I will create a series of sessions over the 3 days, weaving the knowledge together to create a customized and cohesive clinic. Students can participate or audit as they please. This will give the ability to cover a wide range of topics from Foundation to Specialization and of course how to take your Foundation forward with you as you specialize. Thanks, Sally! What a great realization to have! It must have been difficult to concentrate with that kind of scenery around you, though!

This will be a wonderful clinic to participate in or audit. The Ladd farm is an excellent and comfortable facility, and if we are lucky the fall colors will be in full swing! For more info contact Brenda Ladd Although the technique of ʻisolate, separate and recombineʼ will always be a good at: 603-217-0205 B, 603-715-0253 C laddfarmllc@me.com one, as you progress as a rider you will be able to keep track of more things. New formats Many of the things you originally needed to do in isolation were because you as a rider were just learning them! As you pro- This year you may notice some other changes on my clinic schedule... In MN I gress it is not only ok to combine them, but it will speed along your ability to effec- will be doing 2 days called: Focusing on Connection. This is meant for people tively communicate/illustrate to your who have taken the ʻFinding the Sweet horse what you want! Spotʼ clinic, have the theory, but still want Experienced riders can make a multitude time really working on the basics, espeof effects on a horse simply because they cially as it relates to riding in connection with the reins. This is a great clinic for have many skills at an ʻunconscious people who have participated in the Findcompetenceʼ level. ing the Sweet Spot and understand it, but now need more practice! The key is to realize when one piece is

Video Classroom & Forum

Web Shop

Arena Inspiration? Hi Karen, I would like to say thank you for all the fantastic teaching information you have provided. Its been a very wet and cold winter here in the UK, have given my horses a bit of time off but after receiving your full set of DVDs and book I have found a new momentum. I predominately ride my 17hh 11 yr old idxwb who can be a bit on the short side. We have been through the parelli levels and passed all of the old level 2 apart from the flying changes. My mare is dominant but very unconfident.

just to get to go over and put his foot in a tub! :-D Sometimes students think they need to be ʻeasyʼ on their horses thinking that they donʼt like to work, but for some it has the opposite effect... it bores them. Upping your standard could make things interesting.

bought him sound horses were not going cheap.

Yes, as you said, with a horse who is very economical with his energy you have to ask for more and quit sooner... but it is not about speed, but of energy. Think of energy as the ʻwillingness to apply effortʼ. And donʼt sustain something that he doesnʼt willingly offer in the first place. Read in my book about the Energy #ʼs game (starting on page 55, especially exercises 5 & 6).

This horse is a chronic head tosser, he's teeth are good and the saddle fits him fine, it's when he gets nervous. Now I did a lot of Parelli work with him. It took me four years to get the rope over him where he didn't flinch. We came really far, he goes on trail, over bridges, in water and all that stuff. I ask him to go in snow four feet deep and he does it for me, him having faith in me as a leader I feel is solid.

Make sure the payoff is good for him. For Anyway to cut a long story short we are in some horses a release is enough, but for a pretty good place and have been out some you need to up the value of the recompeting last year, I love your spiral of lease.. get off him, give him a cookie (if success. I have always know that the you are Ovation or Atomic, let them stand RPMs could be better but my horse is so in their precious feed tubs!). good at putting in the minimal effort and making me use my aids or spank her And finally, remember to balance your more. Unfortunately this time of year we experience with him so you spend plenty can only ride in my school and its not the of time with him not in the arena being most stimulating space for her. I think The bored. You may need to get creative in info. you provide indicates I need to ask the winter when space is limited, but makfor more speed and quit sooner, is there ing the relationship in general better can anything else I can try? always help! Cheers, Many many thanks Rebecca Karen Yes, it can be really difficult to keep them inspired when you only have arenas to work in... But if the external environment is not so stimulating, you can make sure the internal one is!

A Cry for Help....

Dear Karen, I have nowhere to go for advise and as I write this there are tears running down Be an interesting conversationalist and my face, I need your help or just a word give your horse feedback about his anof advise for I don't have anyone else to swers. No one likes to play or talk with talk to. I ordered both of your dvd's the someone who just nods and smiles no other day and I am working on learning matter what. some of the techniques you have in them. I am also working on Parelli second level Also know your horse... some horses love but, to be honest I dont think I did such a good job for I am having major problems consistent patterns and find freedom with my horse. within them. Some love variety. Some love if you do a little passenger lesson, Ya see, I waited 16 yrs to get a horse some find that incredibly boring. again, I had to give it up for I was raising Find things that your horse loves to do and use them as a beginning and end point. Even something silly like putting a foot in a tub. Ovation will work very hard copyright 2011 temenos fields, inc february

a daughter by myself. I was told he was a lesson horse and the owner of the barns daughter use to ride it. So that was good enough for me and at the time when I

So now I finally have my dream horse, he was 12yrs old when I bought him so I figured he's not young he has been there done that. I think they drugged him for after 2 months of owning him he started to get really spooky.

It's the riding part we are stuck. When I first starting schooling him, he could not get two feet without this head in the air, now he goes around on the bit and sometimes relaxed and ok. It's the canter work I am stuck, he pulls and flips his head and grinds his teeth, when I ask for the canter, he doesn't want to stop. He gets so strong he pulls my back out and I have a bad herniated disc, i get shots to control the pain. I changed him into a rubber pelhem and at first he was enjoying the bit foaming on the bit almost soft and the canter work was getting better. but, the head tossing and the pulling is getting really bad again. Karen he is going on 16yrs old, I have been schooling him under a trainer for four years. She does not do the natural stuff but, she in kind and fair to the horses. I started getting frustrated with him and I put a tack noseband on him to stop the head tossing and yesterday I beat the hell out of him and pulled and yanked on his mouth and I can't believe he didn't rear up on me. I feel so bad now, i can't stop crying, I realize that pulling is the one thing he is afraid of, but I can't get him to stop and when he does, he pulls me out of the saddle. Do you believe there are some horses that can't be fixed. I want so bad to fix him for I love him so much. The trainer at my barn says some horse own things and they own it till they die. All I want is to take him to some local shows and do walk, trot canter. Last time I took him to a show, he dug a hole outside the ring, he was pawing the ground. I am lost and angry at myself for hurting him but, I can't take in back now.

Any advise you can tell me would be appreciated. Thanks, J Hi J, Thanks for your email, I am sure that was not easy to write. I hear your frustration. First, don't take his behaviors personally. Just like any relationship... if the relationship is not working, it doesn't mean either one of you is 'bad', it just isn't a match. Sometimes the most loving thing to do is change yourself in order to harmonize with the other half of the relationship, and sometimes the most loving thing is to choose to not be in the relationship. Just know you have choices.

horses. Just do so responsibly and with love for him.

March 2006

The good news is that either decision will feel good when you do it, if you do it with love and honor. (DONĘźT repeat the cycle of drugging him or 'sending him down the road' to another place that may not understand him). This is his lesson for you. Horses are all about forgiveness... He will forgive you, you must forgive him and forgive yourself. I hope this helps. My Best, Karen

A Transformation

Hi Karen, The horse, on the other hand does not Just a quick note because I have to say have so many choices in this world. It is Thank You again!!! our responsibility to take care of them and serve them well. I have been slowly working on developing Rowley with what I learnt. My Your main choices are: focusing has been to strengthen his Listen to him and do what ever he needs back by getting his weight over the HQ, in order to make this relationship with him nose in front of the vertical and stretchwork... That means staying within the ing without dumping on the boundaries of what you both are comfort- forehand. This last week we can finally able with and understand, while fairly try- keep self carriage, find the sweet ing to expand that range by getting help spot and stay there through a range of from someone who is equally interested exercises. The sessions have been in his well-being... tiny, which you know is unlike me, and I was wondering for a long time if I OR was on track until I was looking at him the other day and it seems to have Find a horse for you that matches your morphed into another horse! goals and another human for him that matches his needs. The photo from March 2006 (upper) was taken on the day he arrived, what a There are no bad horses. They are all handsome perfect until we create a situation for them beast! :) where they don't fit. Thank you, thank you, thank you ~ Anne There have been plenty of horses that I have met that have frustrated me or Wow, Anne... where I have reached an impasse... and What a difference! The second photo from I move them on only for them to be the top is from when I saw you with someone else's dream horse! (and vice Rowley in late April 2010, So the differversa). ence in him from 2006 to 2010 was al-

April 2010

February 2011

Only you can make that decision, but to stay and fight with him, as you have found out, does not feel good to either of you.

ready significant, but the change in him during these last 10 months is incredible! especially since you were away from him for almost 3 months with me, and that your sessions â&#x20AC;&#x153;have been tinyâ&#x20AC;?... Really illustrates that it is about quality time rather than quantity of time!

Change yourself and your goals for him... or keep your goals and change

What a muscle-man he is now! I think what you learned in those 10 weeks in the Temenos certainly traveled home with you! Thanks for sharing that! ~Karen

“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.” ~Albert Schweitzer

Responsibility towards our equine teachers I heard some news that saddened me. I am not sure if it is true, or what the circumstances, but I just canʼt shake it. I heard that a horse that was a favorite lesson horse at the stable I formerly trained at in NY was found at a rescue place... She had been starving, gosh she must be 20 or so by now. This horse was used a lot... And I do mean used... but she was wonderful; a favorite, always had energy. Our facility was one of the good ones, and she, as well as the other lesson horses, were well taken care of, I am sure, according to the typical lesson horseʼs average experience. Good lesson horses are clever in order to withstand the rigors. The best ones are just a little passively naughty... They simply do not do a drop more than the person is ready to ask for, and just enough to keep things going smoothly for them. Every rider can think back of a lesson horse that taught them a good lesson... If it wasnʼt one you wanted, it was one you needed! We probably hold a special memory for them... Even though to them, you were ʻjust another personʼ, just ʻanother hourʼ. But everyone ʻknowsʼ not to get too attached to a lesson horse... It is heartbreaking to have to watch everyone else ride them too. They are everybodyʼs horse and nobodyʼs horse.

Me & Pete: One of my first and favorite school horses at Smoke Run Farm summer camp. I got my first pinch from stirrup leathers on my calf that I still have a scar from (because I wouldn’t stop riding no matter how much it hurt), and I didn’t mind at all that he always tried to roll in the puddles! He was the BEST!

And so it goes if you are a lesson horse: People can love you or hate you or forget you, but no one gets attached. Maybe you used to be a show horse, and as you got older a less experienced rider got to ride you, your life became easier, it was nice for a while... But you got older, and an even less experienced rider got to ride you. You taught them quickly and they moved on, or they leased you out. If you became a favorite lesson horse, everyone rode you... And everyone moved on. We have such a responsibility towards these animals. They are so dependent on us. Often horses end up in bad places not out of meanness but because of one small irresponsible decision at a time. Decisions where everyone assumed someone else was paying attention. I am not really sure what happened to the first horse I owned. He was sold to a friend, then sold again to I donʼt know what or where. All I know is no one wanted to tell me. This haunts me still and is probably why I am lousy at selling horses. My second horse I placed with someone who had a better facility for him than I could give him at the time and he lived a happy life until almost 30. My third horse was with me in paradise until paradise started hurting too much... He is buried out back. But even before the horses are retired, we can still make an effort to treat each lesson horse as if they were our own. For that brief period you spend with that lesson horse, you can be the best you can for them. In this way they could be the luckiest ones... They could be loved and cared for by so many! If you own lesson horses you need to pay them back double for their efforts. Maybe I am too soft for this business. There are many wonderful people who do rescue and retirement for horses, and these are really the angels of the horse world. Please, if you cannot keep a horse any longer, do the right thing by them. I know I am preaching to the choir with all of you, but thanks for letting me get that out... ~Karen copyright 2011 temenos fields, inc february