Your Riding Success Monthly - September 2013

SEPTEMBER 2013

Inspirational Stories YRS TV - Downward Transitions canter to trot From the horse’s mouth - Abe’s perspective Melissa shares her story Natasha gives some insight into how to get to Grand Prix Book of the Month And so much more!

Ebony Park Friesian Magazine www.yourridingsuccess.com

Break Through To

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YOUR Riding Success Do you want to reconnect with your passion of horse riding and love of horses?

Riding horses is a unique experience that can make you feel on top of the world or insignificant, at any given moment.

Many people that work with us in our programs are at a cross roads in their riding, and discover that they hold the key to their riding success.

Imagine in 3 short months you are connecting with your horse at a completely new level, feeling that old passion and excitement you used to have for your riding and achieving the goals that you have always wanted.

In 2 days, you will: Rekindle that special bond between you and your horse Reignite that flame of passion for riding your horse Know an easy system for how to ride that gets results Feel motivated and excited about riding and competing Be free from fear, so you can just enjoy the special experience of being one with your horse ➡ Reconnect with your love of horseriding ➡ ➡ ➡ ➡ ➡

Now is your time to learn the secrets of riding success and breakthrough to the next level!

Act Now! Places are limited!

Click here to register and confirm your place, and for more details. Don’t miss out on our EARLY BIRD SPECIAL - finishes this Friday 6th September!

I look forward to meeting you and sharing this breakthrough experience with you, so that you can connect with a group of people to reignite your RIDING MONTHLY | June 2013 | 2 passion of riding and YOUR horses andSUCCESS completely transform your riding experience.

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Welcome!! :) Hi Fabulous Riders!!!

It’s spring!! That means no more excuses - the weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer (bring on daylight savings) the horses are less wooly... it’s riding time!! :) This month’s magazine is jam packed as usual!

Natasha talks about downward transitions from canter to trot, and Abe gives his opinion on them too!

We have some amazing inspirational stories for you, and Tash gives you some insight on how to get to Grand Prix! :) It’s also book review time! This month’s review is “The Simplicity of Dressage” - enjoy!! :) To Your Dreams Becoming Reality,

We decided we want to have some fun and run a competition!

For the first person who finds the phrase ‘make it happen’ somewhere in this magazine, you will recieve $100 gift voucher to use on any Your Riding Success service, program or workshop.

Email on what page and in which paragraph you found the phrase in to info@yourridingsuccess.com :)

Kate Langdon

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

3

Welcome!

10

Inspirational Stories

4

Tash TV

11

Quote of the Month

6

From the Horse’s

12

Tash’s Thoughts

13

Your Gifts are

Mouth 8 9

Waiting!

Performance Horse Therapies

14

How to Get to Grand

Member of the Month

17

Equine Dentistry Gippsland

16

Oooh La La Browbands

18

Brag Board

19

Book Review & Book of the Month

Prix 21 YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | June 2013 | 3

Contact Us

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YOUR RIDING SUCCESS TV QUESTION: WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT TRANSITIONS FROM CANTER TO THE TROT. SO THIS MONTH NATASHA ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION ON EXACTLY HOW DO YOU TRANSITION FROM CANTER TO TROT!

This month we have had about 5 people asking the question - how do you transition down from canter to trot? Now... I would have loved to have recorded some brand new footage for you... but I am now nearly 6 months pregnant, and it is getting harder to show you exactly what I am doing when I am not as strong or as balanced as normal!! So I have recorded a voiceover of some footage from the last year or so to explain everything for you :)

You have different seats for each gait of the horse... you absolutely must go with the horse in your seat - you have a 4 beat walk seat, and a 3 beat canter seat - 1-2-3 with an emphasis on the 1. Then the trot is a 2 beat seat.

So the first thing that you want to do when you are transitioning from the canter to the trot, is to think 1-2-3, 1-2-3 and into 1-2, 1-2, 1-2 ... does that make sense?

YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | June 2013 | 4

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YOUR RIDING SUCCESS TV The biggest thing is you don’t think I have to canter back into trot - it is canter forward into trot. This stops you from using your reins in a backwards way. Yes, trot is a slower gait than a canter, but it is not a less energetic gait!!

You actually need more energy to do a canter-trot transition than to keep going in the canter! This is because the horse has to held himself, and he has to stay in rhythm.

Otherwise what most horses do is run on the forehand and throw themselves on the forehand. You want to keep the horse engaged and sitting on the hindlegs.

You have to be very clear and focussed on what trot you want, and keep the horse at the rhythm you want and know what rhythm you are asking for.

The other thing you need to use is half halt so that the horse keeps the balance... you don’t want to use the reins to slow them down, but the half halts are very useful to make sure the horse is balanced and is listening to you the whole time.

Let me know if you need any help - I do have a whole month of the Riding Program on transitions, as well as another month on the half halt and another on the seat... so if you feel like you need more help on any of these topics, make sure you let me know so that we can help you out!!! :) Have fun - good luck to you guys, and make sure you have a super week! If you have any other questions, make sure you contact me - info@yourridingsuccess.com To Your Success,

“The biggest thing you need to

remember is that you are riding forward

Natasha To make sure you stay in the loop, like us on Facebook (click here) and subscribe to our mailing list to make sure you are on our mailing list and get the weekly blog and monthly magazine (click here to do that now)

into the trot from the canter - not back”

YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | June 2013 | 5

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FROM THE HORSES MOUTH | ABE’S Hey super riders! My name is Abe and I am Natasha’s superstar Friesian stallion and her one and only horse she likes to ride.

I told her I thought it was very unfair that she was the only one to share how to ride - as lets’ face it... I’m the one that really makes it all happen - so this is my chance to teach you how to really ride a horse... with advice straight from the horses mouth!

Greetings!!!

I am so excited this month!

Tash has been telling me we are moving properties at the end of the week! She says my stable is double the size and my paddock is full of yummy long fresh green grass! This and I also hear breeding season is starting and I am a very happy man!!!! :) :) Tash mentioned this month she was explaining downward transitions especially a canter - trot transition. I feel I am rather the expert in this area so thought I would give you the real information you need to excel in this :) The 5 steps you need to remember are: 1. Tash is EXTREMELY CLEAR and focussed.

She is 100% certain on what she wants and when she wants it. This makes it easy for me to follow her and do what she says.

If she is ever vague I ignore her and do my own thing, so being focussed is pretty important so your horse stays with you and listens to you.

2. Transitions are a FORWARD activity.

You don't go 'back' into trot... you go forward into trot from canter. This point in your thinking is really crucial because if you are thinking backwards you will use your reins which shortens the horses neck and back so they can't use themselves into the transition.

This means they will fall on the forehand and run so it goes canter - fast trot rather than a smooth canter into collected active trot.

This also fixes the fault when you see the canter - trot transition that almost goes canter - halt - trot as there has been so much emphasis on the backwards that the forwards has been lost.

YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | June 2013 | 6

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FROM THE HORSES MOUTH | ABE’S PERSPECTIVE 3. I know you might be thinking but how do I do the transition if I don't use your reins - the answer is your body.

Us horses are pretty smart... we can feel what you are doing up there... even if we ignore you sometimes! :) If you are clear with your canter seat and then your trot seat we will listen to you. And if we don't of course you can back it up with the reins and make a bit of an ugly transition.

Same as you use the whip to back up your leg. Do it with the back up and then straight away do it again without the exaggerated aid and see if we are listening.

with a lot of halt halts so I stay balanced and sitting on my hindlegs!

5. Do more half halts than ever before.

Using no rein to do it is not a pulling back rein, but you need to do more actual half halts and bend-softens than normal to actually help us do a beautiful round, soft, rhythmical transition.

Trust this helps you!!! Have a really great start to your spring!

I know I will!!! :):):) To Your Success,

Especially horses like me - we are always listening to stop cantering!!!! :) With a horse that for some weird reason likes to canter a lot - I've heard those thoroughbreds just keep on going and going!

Yo u m a y n e e d t o partner your seat aid with your rein aid a couple more times until they get it.

4. Have a clear idea of what trot you want.

Tash is always pretty clear she wants an engaged active but not fast trot and I'm not allowed to fall on the fore-hand... as much as I try to!!!! She stops me doing that

YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | June 2013 | 7

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Rebecca Twikler Equine Dentistry

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Rearing?

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DOES YOUR HORSE: Drop feed while he is eating?

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Drool excessively?

Have lumps on his face or jaw area?

HAS YOUR HORSE’S WHOLE MOUTH BEEN ASSESSED BY A QUALIFIED EQUINE DENTIST? Out of sight should not be out of mind with horses teeth! If you have said ‘Yes’ to any of the above, your horse may have issues in his mouth, which can cause issues when you ride! When your horse has a sore mouth they do not want to co-operate with us as riders!

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YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | August 2013 | 9

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FROM THE EXPERTS | NATASHA ALTHOFF

INSPIRATIONAL STORIES Hi fabulous riders!!! :) How are you going???? I trust you are well and enjoying you’re riding journeys!

A bit of change in pace this month! I have been doing a lot of studying and learning of my own and remembered a great way to learn and grasp new material is through story telling.

So get a drink... and sit back and enjoy: A Doctor by the name of Judah Folkman kept in his archives an article printed in the New York Times written by two physics professors explaining how it would never be possible for aeroplanes to fly. Three months later the Wright brothers soared through the air at Kitty Hawk.

Folkman had proposed in 1970 an idea that conflicted with what scientists at the time knew. He proposed that tumours generated new blood vessels to feed themselves and grow. He was ridiculed, and met with hostility and told his study was futile science. At a research convention when he showed his ideas half the audience walked out. For two decades he kept going, despite everyone else’s opinions and reactions.

My question is: Would you have kept going?

Today he has helped over 100,000 cancer patients from his research and he is considered to be a leader in the fight to cure cancer.

Michael Jordon was cut from the varsity basketball team in his first year at high school.

My question is: Would you have kept going?

Michael did double the practice of every other player on the team and went on to become the best basketball player of all time.

Colonel Sanders, the father of legendary fast food chain KFC was broke, with only a small house and old car to his name. He was 65 years old. He decided to sell his chicken recipe to restaurants for free in return for a small percentage on the chicken sold. He was rejected over 1000 times.

My question is: Would you have kept going?

He got 1009 rejections before he got his first ‘yes’.

With that one success Colonel Hartland Sanders changed the eating habits of the whole world with Kentucky Fried Chicken, popularly known as KFC. Bruce Lee studied and mastered kung fu but all he really wanted was to be an actor. He obtained some small roles in TV and film but thought his big break had arrived when he heard there was to be a new TV series called “Kung Fu” and they were looking for a new star. He had a successful screen test but in the end the role was given to David Carradine.

My question is: Would you have kept going?

He was offered and starred in many film roles after that and his reputation as an actor and his skills in the martial arts made him a household name.

Fred Smith was a student at Yale studying economics. He wrote a paper disagreeing with his professor about air-freight through passenger planes, and instead proposed having separate planes dedicated to mail and not people. The professor gave him a low grade.

Fred was not discouraged and went out to tell others of his idea and to get investors. He was met with disinterest. However his passion and his courage to his convictions served him well and he raised $91 million on his untested idea.

FEDEX was born and in the first few years the losses amounted to millions of dollars. The investors wanted to remove Fred and get someone else to take over the company.

My question is: Would you have kept going?

Fred did not lose faith, he worked night and day to solve the operational problems and that resulted in $75 million revenue with $3.6 million profits. Today FEDEX is a multi-million dollar company.

W. Mitchell was a good looking 28 year old on top of the world! He had finally saved enough money for his dream motorbike and life was good. A traffic accident left him with a crushed elbow and pelvis and burns to 75% of his body. His face was burned beyond

YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | August 2013 | 10

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recognition and his fingers and thumbs had been burnt off leaving him with two stumps where his hands used to be.

My question is: Would you have kept going?

After 6 months of rehabilitation he came across an idea for a stove company. He thought to himself ‘hmmm I know a bit about fire’ so he co-founded Vermont casting Inc which became Vermont’s second largest employer. With the profits he was making he bought himself a personal aeroplane and despite the physical barrier of having no hands, he learnt to fly.

Mitchell thought he was on top of the world again. Life was good and he had achieved so much.

However on a routine flight to San Francisco - a flight Mitchell had made many times before - the plane malfunctioned and crashed. There were four others in the plane and they all walked out. Everyone except for Mitchell. He had crushed his 12th thoracic vertebrae and he would never be able to use his legs again. He needed a wheelchair.

My question is: Would you have kept going?

He says about the accidents: ‘Before my accidents, there were ten thousands things I could do. I could spend the rest of my life dwelling on the one thousand that I had lost, but I instead chose to focus on the nine thousands I still had left’.

Mitchell is still a director of the board to a number of companies, and is a successful businessman. He is also a co-founding chairman of a $ 65 million company.

What is the point of these stories I am telling you? ... well you tell me? Whatever you take out of these stories is the message you are ready to hear right now.

To me the theme of this article is persistence. I go.

Until. No buts, maybes, excuses, could of, would of, should of. Just I do. Until. I trust whatever you needed and wanted to understand and assign meaning to you did in the most perfect way for you!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

I FIND IT FASCINATING THAT PEOPLE PLAN THEIR VACATIONS WITH BETTER CARE THAN THEY PLAN THEIR LIVES. PERHAPS THAT IS BECAUSE ESCAPE IS EASIER THAN CHANGE.

To Your Success,

Natasha YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | August 2013 | 11

JIM ROHN

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DIARY DATES We are busy bees this month planning for the next Breakthrough to Your Riding Success workshop being held on the 5-6th October (don’t miss out on the Early Bird Special!)

We have also been planning the very FIRST Your Best Year Yet workshop which will be held at the end of November... stay tuned!

TASH’S THOUGHTS Hello wonderful superstar riders!!!!! :) Trust you are having an amazing month!!!!

I am super excited!!!! Spring has hit which means lovely sunny weather, foals being born and breeding and only 3 months until I see my beautiful baby!

I am still riding and having fun but I look quite funny with a big stomach sticking out on the horse, so unfortunately I won't be able to do Your Riding Success TV with new footage of demonstrations! BUT I didn't want to leave you guys for 3 months, especially with all of the questions coming in! So what we will do is answer the questions with me doing a voice over using old footage. It is another thing I am SO excited about doing in January when things get back to normal! :) The 5th and 6th of October bring another Breakthrough To Your Riding Success Workshop. This is the third time I am running the workshop, and I have to say it is my favourite workshop to run! The transformations and changes you see in the riders are AMAZING, and the results they go onto achieve are extraordinary! I guess it is why I do what I do. I am committed to having all riders enjoy and love their riding the way I do. So by helping riders unlock what was holding them back and break free into being the confident, capable, successful riders they always were, allows me to bring that goal to fruition. So if you are looking to learn more about how to increase your confidence, overcome your fears and learn to trust you and your horse again click here to join us now!

I am also planning an amazing new workshop for 23rd and 24th November called “Your Best Riding Year Yet”. This will be a full 2 day workshop of goal setting, creating visions, 10 year plans, then going into detail of the one year plan, 90 day plan, monthly plan, weekly plan and daily checklists. I LOVE goal setting and planning, and know this workshop will be extremely fun for all of us there! We will be opening up registrations next month if this is something you are interested in. :)

Until next time, have an amazing month! Enjoy your riding and please let us know if there is anything we can do to help!

To your success, Tash YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | August 2013 | 12

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Your Gifts Are Waiting For You Now! Are you enjoying this months issue of the Your Riding Success Monthly?

We also send out weekly blogs and we have even more Riding resources for you!

Click on the picture below to go to our website and fill out your name and email to subscribe now and receive your FREE Ultimate Success Pack, which we guarantee, if you implement it, your riding will considerably change for the better!!

YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | August 2013 | 13

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NEED TO KNOW | NATASHA ALTHOFF HOW TO GET TO GRAND PRIX I have had a lot of people ask me lately... how do you get to Grand Prix? What do I need to do to get there? How did you get there?

Answer – Get on and ride, repeat 1000 times! :) I don’t think there is a magic answer as to how you train a horse from nothing up to Grand Prix. But I am a firm believer that success leaves clues, so let’s look at some of the clues: 1.

A BURNING ambition and passion.

I know a lot of people that would ‘like’ to ride Grand Prix. I like to sing – that doesn’t mean I will ever be the next Lady Gaga!!! – and that’s probably a good thing!!! :) There is a world of difference between ‘like’ and ‘will’!

I have said since I was 16 years old I will ride Grand Prix – not ‘it would be nice to’, ‘I hope to’, ‘I wish I could’. Just pure and simple I WILL.

That alone I think is one of the foundations that got me here.

So the question is – how much do you want it? Do you know you will get it? How do you know? What are you prepared to sacrifice to get it?

2. A commitment and dedication to your craft.

So you have the desire, you have the will. But all that desire and all that will won’t get you anywhere if you don’t have the skills. Riding is challenging. It is a kinesthetic sport, only can be done well through unconscious competence, to get there you need to be prepared to be challenged. I have a cried a river and then some, through my frustration at myself for not ‘getting’ what I knew I should be doing with my body. I have been bashed up, tormented and smashed up there, as I try to navigate my way around the principles that is dressage. I am hugely AD which means I like logic and formulas and systems – uh oh you don’t find any of that in d r e s s a g e !

Dressage is about feeling, responding, behavioural flexibility and r e a c t i n g differently every time. WOW was I in for some fun to change my entire personality preference to suit my sport! :)

Check out all the Success Stories and Feedback we have received this month at YRS HQ!!

Hi Tash, Your positive attitude and passion is really catching!

The resources were great I have read all the material and watched all of the videos I could .

This week I made a pact to each tuesday night bring both of them in and work the younger one and groom and trim feet on the mare. I also do this most weekends but want to aim for 3-4 nights a week after work eventually.

Anyway thanks for the encouragement and I look forward to learning more, will let you know how I am travelling once I have watched the extra vids and printed the workbook.

YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | August 2013 | 14

Thanks, Carly Reid

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NEED TO KNOW | NATASHA ALTHOFF HOW TO GET TO GRAND PRIX But it can be done, and it WILL be done if you have enough of Number 1 – desire and passion. So to summarise Number 2 – do the work, do the work, do the work, and when your tired of that, and had enough of that and think you can’t do that anymore, do some more work, more work and more work :) Remember nothing ever worth having came easy :) 3. A love and connection with your horse We all get into riding because we love horses. At least I hope you love them?!!??!?! I know that’s why I do it!

When you have big goals, it can be easy to get carried away, and get goal obsessed, and reacting only to the results – when I feel myself get that way, I always bring it back to my love for the horse.

He dug deep when I needed him to and he responded as best he could, and he came back to me when we both got carried away. Now was it perfect? – No :) But how dare I expect or demand perfection from him when I cannot be perfect myself. We are a team him and I, and we are both getting better and better every day, and we both need to forgive each others mistakes – and for the record, I make more of them! :) You can never ride your horse like a machine – it just doesn’t work so make sure you have a bond with your horse, that you can develop trust and rely on through the years, so it’s there when you need it at the higher levels – because believe me, in a Grand Prix test – you need EVERYTHING you’ve got!!! :)

He allows me on his back, he responds to me, he carries me. I love and respect him so much and it’s that love and respect that gets you through at the higher levels.

To Your Success,

I have never felt such a connection with my horse as I did during my first Grand Prix test.

Natasha

From Brenda, a member of our Riding Program:

Hi Tash & Kate About time I dropped you a line to let you know how I'm going, after some hurdles with ponies abscess we are back on track, during the time he was out from riding I bought a fitness ball and tried to do a lot of work on posture, (wasn't pretty)...

Wow, riding without stirrups...

I was slipping , gripping with knees, holding pommel, absolutely shocking at the start, but wow the improvement... It feels wrong using stirrups now!

I found I had looser hips without the stirrups and moved with pony back so much more. Trying to imitate that with stirrups now-- it's hard!

Your positive thinking has inspired me, it's never too wet, never too windy now... and when I handle my 2yo I hear you cheer, and feel a boost in self confidence afterwards...

Have also joined local ARC , very successful first rally, felt your breath on the back of my neck saying , "do it--f#*>ing do it --- get off the horse and go home if you’re not gonna have a go" !!

WAS THE BEST COMBINATION AND RIDER ON THE DAY-- thank you to you!!

Cheers girls and thank you Brenda Walton

YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | August 2013 | 15

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MEMBER OF THE MONTH

!

!

!

Mel!sa Brooks

This month’s member of the month is Melissa!

She joined our Breakthrough to Your Riding Success workshop in April of this year, and loved it so much that she decided that she had to be a part of the Dream Team!! Here’s how she is going after 4 months of the Dream Team...

The support is amazing and I cannot believe that I am the same person who turned up the first day.

Kate and Tash I cannot thank you enough. :)

I was very skeptical about the Dream Team. Melissa My self confidence was at an all time low and I wanted to quit riding. I was unhappy with my weight and my current work situation.

As I turned up to on the first day, and I had no idea what to expect. I found Tash's energy is unbelievable and I was surrounded by people who had a similar background as me and felt this overwhelming support.

To s a y I a m k i c k i n g g o a l s i s a n understatement. Since joining the program I have lost over 10kg, landed my dream job, finally purchased my tow vehicle and my riding has really improved out of sight.

I have gone from not being able to get on a horse, to regular lessons and a plan to purchase my next horse in January 2014.

I now have clear and tangible goals. I know where I am heading and so much happier within myself.

I found everyone to be so approachable and I have established friendships with other members.

If you are reading this and thinking what do I have to lose. You need to be thinking what do I have to gain - the answer is everything.

YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | August 2013 | 16

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You and your horse will look stunning in your made to order Customised Browband... and we can really make you steal the show and compliment the picture with a matching stock!

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Abe loves his Oooh La La YOUR RIDING SUCCESS browband!!

MONTHLY | August 2013 | 17

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We want to celebrate your successes with you, so please send in your pictures of the jumps you have conquered, ribbons you have won, dressage tests you have aced, and anything and everything else that we can celebrate and share with you!

To submit your photo for next month, post it on our Facebook wall, or email your photo to info@yourridingsuccess.com

MEMBER GALLERY | BRAG BOARD This month we wanted to share with you a massive achievement from one of our Breakthrough to Your Riding Success participants from April this year, Nicole:

Today I had the biggest Buffy battle ever!

Mum and I were taking my horse Skye and her new horse Arogeon out and we were on foot,walking down the road. We had to walk past our other horses who decided to gallop around like absolute idiots. Arogeon started spazzing out and rearing and trying to kick out and mum got pushed out of the way by him (she is as not physically sound as she use to be).

So I made a big decision, I had to take him and keep us all from getting hurt. I took him and he immediate started rearing up (almost landing on top of me) and trying to run on top of me. When I saw his hooves in the air about to crush me something amazing happened. Buffy came out stronger than I've ever felt her.

I started yelling at the top of my voice "I AM BUFFY... YOU WILL DO WHAT I TELL YOU! WHEN I TELL YOU! I CONTROL ALL YOUR FEET AND THEY ONLY GO WHERE I WANT THEM!!" and as i did that i was moving him off me and getting him to listen to me and stay off me (as trucks and cars were driving past). After what seemed like seconds and eternity at the same time we got through it. And on the way home he walked beside me with his head down calm as a cucumber. :D I think it was because we both knew who was in charge. :D I just wanted to say a BIG THANKYOU!!! Because of what I learnt at the Breakthrough clinic, I was able to deal with a very scary situation and even though I was shaking like a leaf to begin with I knew that I was the boss! Because Buffy is always BOSS! THANK YOU x 1 million!!

Nicole Click here to join us in the next Breakthrough workshop!

YOUR RIDING SUCCESS MONTHLY | August 2013 | 18

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BOOK REVIEW

THE SIMPLICITY OF DRESSAGE Hello! :) What did everyone think of “The Simplicity of Dressage”?

This is one of my fave books! ... Well who wouldn't love the words simplicity and dressage mixed in together?!?!?! :) I always say riding dressage is easy to understand, and challenging to do. I can explain in a few sentences 'how' to do a shoulder-in, flying change, pirouette, but to 'do' it takes years of practice, as it needs to be unconscious, you need to have full control over every teeny tiny bit of your body, and you need to be prepared and knowledgeable for every little variation and nuance your horse will give back to you, and how to deal with it and still get your desired outcome.

The book begins by talking about durchlassigkeit. As they say this is the end goal and something we are striving for continuously.

To me if I have this - I have everything, I can do anything, and if I keep it I will do the best dressage test my horse and I are capable of.

It then proceeds to explain the 6 levels of training as explained in the German training scale, which is rhythm, relaxation, contact, impulsion, straightness and collection. It is useful to remember riding is that simple - 6 things when all achieved result in durchlassigkeit which results in complete responsiveness and suppleness - which means you have created the best you can on the horse underneath you.

It is also important to remember these 6 concepts are not independent of each other. I need straightness to help with rhythm. Without straightness my horse is like a hose with a kink in it, and no water will flow through it until I get the kink out and get the horse straight. To help with straightness I might take an outside contact and increase impulsion. I use these concepts as my guide to what I am looking to achieve. I am not looking to achieve shoulder in. I am looking to achieve a straight, balanced, rhythmic, forward, relaxed, collected, supple, responsive horse - and when I do that I will have an amazing shoulder in!

This book is wonderful for all riders who want to understand the training scale more, and it uses many examples throughout the book to illustrate key learnings.

I trust you enjoyed it and please head over to Facebook to add your comments and thoughts on the book as well as any questions you have about it! :) To Your Reading Success, Tash

p.s The next book is “Riding Through” by Debbie McDonald

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BOOK OF THE MONTH

DEBBIE McDONALD - RIDING THROUGH I don’t know about you, but I love to read. So I thought it would be really cool if we put together a Your Riding Success Book Club. This means every month we can read a book, and I will review if the following month on our website (click here for the book club page) and in the magazine, and we can have a discussion on Facebook, and I am happy to answer any questions you have from reading the book As I know some people don’t like to read, I won’t be flooding the Your Riding Success Facebook group with talking about books, if not everyone is into it. So Super Kate has created a page on Facebook. So click here now to head over to the Facebook page now and join the group - I have already posted the book for this month - “Debbie McDonald - Riding Through” by Debbie McDonald with Nancy Jaffer If you would like to get yourself a copy, click here to purchase through Amazon now! :) Since it is taking so long to order the books... we thought make it happen we would give plenty of notice - this one won’t be reviewed for a few months, so you have plenty of time to order it and read it so that you can share your thoughts!

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts and share a book with you every few months!

To Your Reading Success,

Natasha Althoff

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Your Riding Success does not assume any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omissions in this magazine, or from the use of information contained herein, and we make no warranties, express or applied with respect to any of the material contained herein.

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