May Newsletter by Dressage Naturally

May 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.

"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." Albert Einstein

July 22-25 One Spot Open!

Upward Spiral (Smaller group format)

Santa Cruz, CA Contact: Shelley Candelario

shelleycandelario@yahoo.com Upcoming Clinics:

This Month â&#x20AC;˘ 10 week Intensive photos

April 3 - June 11 10 Week Intensive Full!

â&#x20AC;˘ Q&A

July 19-21

Finding the Sweet Spot

Clinic schedule: CLICK HERE

Santa Cruz, CA Contact: Shelley Candelario

shelleycandelario@yahoo.com

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 Sept. 16-17 Spots Open!

2 days Focusing on Connection,

Sept. 18-21 Spots Open!

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

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

sive

Sally Thompson AUSTRALIA

It is hard to believe we are into week 7 of the 10 week Intensive! For me, the time is flying. I am so impressed with not only the ability, dedication and focus of this group, but also with their ability to take care of themselves while supporting each other and to have FUN at the same time. The progress with each human and horse is evident. Keeping true to principles of ʻisolate, separate and recombineʼ, our days are a mixture of selfawareness and reflection, theory, experimentation and play, freestyle, jumping and oh yes, some private dressage instruction! Any techniques we learn are only as good as the mental/emotional/ physical well-being of the individual practicing them (horse & human), and so we have all taken great care with this.

Liesbeth Jorna NL

Last week we switched horses and everyone got a chance to feel another way of going. It was so fun to see how easily each person adapted to their new horse and rode beautifully. We also had a visit from Dessa Hockley, author of the book: Is Your Horse a Rock Star. We spent the day observing and doing our best to assess our horses. We set up a ʻstrange newʼ object in an arena and turned the horses loose to see what they did. Wisely I saved my group of geldings for last because Ovation and Atomic (with some help from Claireʼs horse Equinox) soon tore it down!

Ewa Angantyr SWEDEN

Marcel teaches us once a week in a range of exercises from breathing, & connection, to tai chi, to just play! Breanne Peters helps us function well as a group and assists in the learning processes of the students. All are making me quite proud as we take foundation forward with us to find the Sweet Spot of healthy biomechanics, and as we take that Sweet Spot forward into the Upward Spiral of successful gymnastics!

Michele Richardson UK

Sarah Grimm USA

Question from a Student: “Can too much Parelli ‘ruin’ the dressage?”

of dressage is meant to create a general result that can positively effect the horse no matter what he does.

The problem is when people follow a certain ʻlookʼ or style of other people doing the exercises instead of the essence of the exercise... By definition foundation is the For example many pictures of freQ: I have a question, I've read a base that you should be able estyle riding have horses in flat blog that said Parelli horsemanto build other things on. Dres- postures on the forehand but it ship program could ruin the dressage riders consider the lower lev- doesnʼt necessarily need to be that sage, and at some point we have els of dressage the foundation for way. It just means that that person to choose if we want to do the all other things too! With dressage did not do it in a way that created dressage or Parelli. or Parelli, if you spend too much better balance! time only doing the basics then too Is this true? And if so, why is that? many patterns are formed that will Partnership, communication and Thank you for taking the time, be hard to change. This is true trust (the essence of what is being C within dressage and within Parelli. created through excellent Parelli If a horse spends too much time exercises) can show up in any disand years and years) specipline. Parelli is not really a disciA: Hi. Wow, what a question! Ac- (years cializing in Training and First Level pline, although some people practually it is one that comes up often. Dressage, many patterns are tice it as such. IF students keep The opposite also comes up: “Can formed that may make it harder to doing only foundational ʻParelliʼ too much dressage ruin the Parcreate the power and boldness exercises with no emphasis on elli?” you need for the more advanced biomechanics for many years, work. If you only practice Level 1 then it makes sense that perhaps My answer will have to start with or 2 Parelli for too long, your horse patterns can form that would make my favorite way to answer so is going to have those patterns in- a specific specialization more diffimany questions like this: grained. cult later, especially if the horse is not a natural talent at. “It depends.” So much depends on what you picture when you pic- For example: The ʻParelliʼ exercise Some thoughts: ture Parelli. For me Parelli of having a horse jump and immeis the name of a school that diately turn and jump back on line It makes some sense that if teaches certain information: Partis great for many reasons, but if someone specializes in any nership, communication, trust. If you ONLY do that, then you may one thing, it may make it you are western it will come out wonder years later why your horse more difficult to do other things... looking western, if you are dresdoes not jump boldly or with great BUT the goal of Parelli is to create sage it will come out looking like form and if you wanted to speciala good foundation, and even more dressage, if you jump you will ize in jumping with that horse, you specifically, I see Parelli as a way have a jumper with these qualities. would have to re-teach some to create a mentally and emotionthings that a horse without that ally balanced, willing and commuI can use Parelli type exercises pattern would not have to do. Of nicative horse... So even the ʻspeand concepts and practice them in course, that pattern also could cializationʼ of Parelli is to create a a way that I can absolutely prehave helped an overly emotional, general result that can positively pare a horse perfectly for dresimpulsive jumper to be calm and effect the horse no matter what sage!!! That is what I do here with balanced, and so if practiced well specialization he does later. Dressage, Naturally! But I have a could be the key to unlocking the very clear picture of my end result horseʼs potential as a jumper! It all On the same note, dressage is a and can play making choices to depends! way to create a physically balshape how they move and think anced, biomechanically healthy within that exercise. horse, so even the specialization copyright 2011 Temenos Fields, Inc May

It all depends on how you use the exercises. It depends on your picture of what you want to create and how well you understand the intention of any practice that you do. I hope that helps in some way! Cheers, Karen

Q continued: Thank you for that quick reply... And I forgot to also ask you.. Is there something I should not be doing too much with my horses that you have seen other "Parelli" horses gotten problems from in your dressage? It's probably a hard question too answer, but I'm thinking in general if there any exercises i should be careful to over do.. Thanks again:) C

side hind leg can move to the outside in a way that shuts down forward energy.

But teaching people how to do that can be tricky, especially if they are also teaching the horse at the same time. The exaggerated positions the Parellis teach do get the pelvis sort of going in the correct direction.... If you lean left, it points You want to be able to have a dis- your seat bones to the right.... The engage, all my horses have a trouble is it puts your weight to the good disengage, but once you left. I think of the Parelli position as have it, you don't have to use it all an exaggeration to teach and for the time! My body language is very teaching I only need a step or clear to separate a dis-engage two.... Once I get that then it is my from a hindquarter yield that beresponsibility to stack my body up comes en-gaging. (Results in over my pelvis.... My pelvis goes, Harmony DVD # 2 shows this the horse goes, then we all go toreally well) gether! In dressage we want the reflex to be that if we talk to the inside hindleg, the shoulders 驶stand up始 so the hindleg ends up en-gaging and coiling the energy.

Great questions, Cheers, Karen

Q: Hi Karen, I wonder if you could

clear something up for me. When performing lateral moveA continued: ments I see you are moving your Hi, weight slightly with a feel and foYes... If I had to pick one thing that cus into the direction of travel. All many students do that come the top level dressage riders I through Parelli or any NH is that have seen teach the horse to everything is ended with a disenmove into their weight shift like gagement. Don't automatically that. Why does Pat teach the opend EVERYTHING with a disenposite by leaning out? Its interestgage. You want to have it, but you ing that you can achieve the same don't want it to be an assumption. thing by completely different body We spend our whole lives in dresmechanics, but in truth what are sage trying to get them light on the the differences either way may inside shoulder. Disengages mean produce in the horses movement? that the last thing they do before a nice rest is plop on the inside Many many thanks shoulder... Think about how you ask for it and what the horse must Rebecca do in order to do it 驶well始: In slow motion, the first thing that happens A: Hi Rebecca, is that the weight shifts forward Great question.... In order to flow onto the inside shoulder, then the haunches are lightened so the in- with quality of gait in lateral work 4

the rider needs to sit in the same direction as the horse...

The exaggerated position will not be useful when you want to sustain movement with a quality of gait. Often in dressage-land when riders are told to sit 'to the right' (or what ever the direction of travel is) they try to lean over to the right which can push the pelvis to the left!... So the exaggerated Parelli postiion at least helps get the seat sort of heading in the right direction... but it needs to be refined very quickly if you do it. (Oh if only riding were easy!) so if you know the intention then you can use it and know when to stop using it and refine it... I hope this helps!! Karen

New Dressage, Naturally Endorsed Instructors! I am proud to introduce Shelby Hume and Breanne Peters as the first new clinicians endorsed to teach the Finding The Sweet Spot of Healthy Biomechanics 3-Day clinic. The curriculum is set by me in a tried and true format to learn the first and most important steps in finding physical harmony while preserving and enhancing the mental and emotional harmony. I am so excited to add these two individuals to the Dressage, Naturally Team!

Shelby and Bre will be available for clinics beginning in August, 2011. Shelby will be available within the United States and Bre will be available in Canada.

For information about clinics with Bre or Shelby, please contact Sally Taylor at: info@dressagenaturally.net

Breanne and Shelby will be joining me in July at the Finding the Sweet Spot clinic in Santa Cruz, CA. Hope to see you there!

shelleycandelario@yahoo.com

Shelby Hume

Breanne Peters

Photos: Dana Rasmussen

Photos: Dawn Garner Shelby has loved horses from her first breath and started her work

Breanne began her horseman-

in 4-H where she rode and competed in a wide variety of events; considering them all opportunities to be a more well rounded horse person. She was drawn to Dressage but her first experiences with Dressage did not match the picture of the "happy athlete" she was hoping for.

ship journey with her first pony at the age of 4 and her passion for horses has never ceased. She began her natural horsemanship journey with the horse she bought at age 12.

She pursued a BA degree in Business Administration and strengthened her teaching skills in the equestrian world and in Tae Kwon Do. She has spent time in the world of Reining through showing and being a NRHA judge. Shelby taught at a College Equestrian program and coached Intercollegiate Riding and Judging Teams through out her years of employment there. She studied and rode in Portugal, fell in love with the Lusitano horse and a version of Dressage that was closer to Shelby's ideal picture (but not quite there yet)! Her first Lusitano stallion caused Shelby to pursue Natural Horsemanship because of the challenges he provided to her. Through this journey Shelby learned about Karen Rohlf. She has been thrilled to have the opportunity to study with Karen over the past several years and considers Karen to be her "true north". She looks forward to not only bringing her own horses along in the image of Dressage Naturally but she also looks forward to sharing her passion for this way with others.

She trained in Western; Reining, Pleasure, Conformation and Barrels and Competitive Trail - doing light competing. Eventually she found Parelli; achieving her level 1 and 2 in 1 year. She was working on her ʻoldʼ level 3 when her horse was diagnosed with a serious illness. At this time she travelled to B.C. to work on a ranch for 7 months to gain more horsemanship experience. It was through working for the ranch that Breanne found Dressage Naturally. Bre has continued at University to earn her credits towards becoming an Elementary School Teacher. Her focus is on communication and in addition to University she also studied the course: Crucial Conversations. In 2007 Breanne moved to Temenos Fields for 1 year to spend more time understanding Karen and her methods. Breanne has since returned for 6 months periods of time for the past 2 years to continue her Dressage, Naturally education. Breanne has trained her current horse to Second Level Dressage in one year and has aspirations of reaching higher levels with quality. She is eager to aid others in their horsemanship and Dressage, Naturally journey.

Open Clinic Spots There is one spot open in the Upward Spiral of Success clinic in Santa Cruz, CA in July. Contact: shelleycandelario@yahoo.com

Breanne and Shelby will be joining me at this clinic!

The Website Includes archives of all newsletters & articles by Karen

Also some spots are now open in the Lindstrom, MN clinic in September.

The D,N Classroom

Contact Sally Taylor at: zazz@aol.com The NH clinic co-teaching with David Lichman is FULL

1 hour of new instructional video each month Full searchable archives Access to the D,N Forum

The Web Shop

SiMoN the School Master Noodle Kit for learning lateral work Includes Workbook, DVD and everything you need to turn a pool noodle into a tool for learning lateral work. You may think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s silly... but wait until you try it! This has been one of my most effective tools for teaching everything you need to know about lateral work in a way you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find anywhere else. 6copyright 2011 Temenos Fields, Inc May

D,N Reins The feel of a rope rein with the look of a dressage rein! The perfect choice for those of us with a foot in both worlds!

Final notes...

This month is flying by, and I have been just a wee bit busy, so I am sorry this is a bit of a short newsletter! But I love to connect every month and share even just some photos and thoughts. I am just about done editing the videos for the June Classroom... for those of you following Duncanʼs progress I think you will see a big difference in this next video!! Pictured above is my 3 year old Andalusian filly, Natilla. She is amazing, when i saw this trot ʻliveʼ it looked just like an easy boring trot, then I see the photo and I can really see the effortless power she has... I canʼt wait until I get to ask her to really turn it on! (Patience Patience) To the right is a photo of Marcel with Monty. Marcel gave us a demo of mirroring a horse even when there is almost no movement happening... beautiful! And after-all: music IS the silence between the notes. Bottom right is a picture of me with a guest auditor, Linda Hoover. Linda is the founder and CEO of the US Refined Horsemanship Association . They support riders who are interested in partnership and refinement. Their competitions have a dressage test and an ʻobstacleʼ phase. Please check out the link above! Below is a photo taken at one of our ritual ʻcircle-upsʼ that we do everyday in the ten-week course. Here we connect as a group by individually contributing to the ʻpool of meaningʼ. We are all here to help each other and do our part to keep the group functioning well. I think Carlos likes the energy of the group! This is definitely his vision of the world... all about Carlos all the time!