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Carol Walker Carol Walker - an equine photographer specializing in photographing Baroque horses. She offers Farm Calls, Portrait sessions, commercial shoots, stock photography, fine art prints, calendars and a book on wild horses. http://www.livingimagescjw.com/ Horses For LIFE

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Copyright 2009 Living Images by Carol Walker

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Horses For LIFE Copyright 2009 Living Images by Carol Walker

pg 12

pg 52 8

Content Highlights PG 26

pg 18 Horses For LIFE

Contents cont’d pg 40

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This month our cover comes to us graciously from Anja Beran from one of her students exploring the counter shoulder-in. The counter shoulder-in in a way represents who and what we are, like the movement, we are a magazine that joyfully explores the best of the current scientific and the classical exploration of the past, reaching for a level of excellence that our horses demand of us.

On behalf of all of us at Horses For LIFE may the gift of the horses be with you always.

All material copyright protected by Horses For LIFE Publications. Please contact us for information, suggestions, comments and submissions at equestriansquest@horsesforlife.com or 1-306-383-2588 This “how to” editions starts with How to Achieve Success with the Counter Shoulder-In with Anja Beran. Read how you can have far more success when you add this exercise to your training! And why you might want to introduce counter shoulder-in long before you try to ride the shoulder in on your horses. Find out “why” the shoulder in can be so important in straightening your horses.

Then continue with the excellent article on “How do you get your horse to Stretch Properly?” This exciting article introduces and answers What is the Right Stretch for Your Horses! Also find out the right and wrong rein effects to use when stretching your horses!

Perhaps you are more interested in discovering how to find release in your upper body to find a kinder, softer hand for your horse in our Exercise for Success exercise program for riders! Low impact, easy to do for any fitness level, an exercise program that helps isolate particular movements that are designed to help you become a better rider!

There is more, of course, from how do you know when is the right time to start training - to how do you really know if horse shoes are really necessary from a rider who experienced both Saumur and the Spanish Riding School.

Thank you for joining us in this incredible equestrian journey.

Horses For LIFE

The Perfect Horse

By Susan Medenica

• VOLUME 42 • © HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine

Preface How much is in a word? How much can you ask of it and where does it lead?

In this series of three books, I have chosen three tiny words in each title to do a big job: to suggest the process a trainer undergoes as she makes the journey from beginning to end.

In the first title, the preposition “of” denotes the forthright attitude of beginning. It is the trainer finding and entering upon the path. It is the trainer at a sometimes naive distance from her subject, initiating the relationship.

The second title contains the word “to.” This is a statement of direction, a more personal view of the journey. It is the trainer within the process, using her means to confront the uncertainty of becoming. It is the trainer testing her knowledge within the now familiar reality of the horse.

Within the title of book three stands the word “is.” What power! What audacity! What simplicity! The discovery has been made: that the trainer’s path is dressage and conversely, that dressage is the path. This is a bold equation, almost religious, in which the trainer has at last included herself in the larger world. There is now no “against,” only “with.” At one and the same time she has become both larger and smaller: larger by virtue of knowledge, smaller by virtue of still greater knowledge; of herself, of the horse. It is her mature intimacy with nature in which she finds and defines herself. ____________________

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From “USDF Connection,” July, 2005 - “Feed your head.”

- “... the Zen of horsemanship.”

- “... unapologetically classical...”

From “Dressage Today,” May, 2005 - “... a guide for transformation...”

- “profound discourses...”

- “soaring descriptions...”

p.4 “Man is a part of nature,as nature is a part of man.” p.4 “...the classical principles arise from man’s longing to enter into the natural world through the horse.” p.4 “the horse is neither good nor bad; he is quite simply a horde.” p.7 “... the prime responsibility of the trainer is to never act unjustly toward his charge and to make it his constant obsession to become ever more just in his dealings through self=effacing refinement of his own self.” p.7 ...”the horse is a master of time and space.” p. 11 “Absolute symmetry is not “natural”; we always ride two different horses at a time.” p. 11 “All living creatures, without exception display an animate urge as they fulfill their lives.” p.18 “The ideal (of classical dressage) was one of partnership: a mutually satisfying government between two unlike creatures for the betterment of both.” p. 25 “The horse is here to teach us something: who we are, where we fit within the world, has to live in mindfulness and grace.” p. 35 “First comes ‘forward,’ then comes ‘round.’” p. 66 “When seeking to influence an animal, learn from another one.” p. 88 “The seat, then, is both an anchor and a compass.”

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Counter Shoulder-In with Anja Beran • VOLUME 42 • © HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine Anja:

Counter shoulder-in.

HFL: That’s the subject of the day, yes. We said we’d talk about it last time and I have a number of people asking about it, so I think it’ll be interesting to do.

HFL: Why don’t we first just quickly touch on 3-track versus 4-track shoulder-in?

Before we get into counter shoulder-in, I think we should briefly touch upon the shoulder-in, because shoulder-in is often not a 3-track, really. A lot of people think there is only one way to do a shoulder-in. They don’t realize that there is a 3-track, 4-track and the variations within the shoulder-in.

Anja: It’s very easy. For shoulder-in in the competition way, if you want to do it correctly, it’s necessary that the inside leg follows the same track as the outside hand of the horse. [Editor’s Note: Anja refers to the the front leg of the horse as ‘hand’ so in this case she is referring to the inside hind leg on the same track as the outside front leg.] It’s one line. It’s outside shoulder and inside leg. That’s the modern way, and if you want to do a perfect shoulder-in (for comHorses For LIFE

Anja beran: counter shouler-in petition), you have to do it like this. If you teach/train the horse in shoulder-in, sometimes it’s necessary, if the horse puts too much weight on the outside shoulder, to place both shoulders of the horse a little bit more to the inside so you don’t have a small-angle shoulder-in; you put the horse a little bit more sideways. It could be necessary. It depends on the horse. But later when the horse is in balance, it’s important to do it in such a way as to see three legs of the horse only, when you’re behind him.

[Editor’s Note: Please note that Anja will say to the side or sideways or put to the side to indicate lateral work where the inside hind leg, for example in shoulder-in crossed underneath the body to land more towards the outside of the horse. The degree of actual sideways movement depends on whether you are engaged in the 3-track or the 4-track and does not necessarily indicate moving sideways as in a side-pass.]

HFL: Why would you say it’s important to do it?

Anja:

If you want to do well in competition you have to do it like this, because they like to see it like this.

HFL: Just to touch on it quickly, from a training point of view for accessing the horse’s body, because I think that’s the brilliance of the shoulder-in, this way we can use it to access the horse’s body; especially his inside hind leg and getting him to use himself that way. Do you have a preference, or what do you find when you work with the variety of different ways you can use the shoulder-in, outside of the competition arena?

How do you find, they have the 3-track, but when you’re using the different ones, how do you find it’s effective on the horse? I think a lot of people would be think that the 3-track is what is wanted in competition, but what would be better or more useful from a training perspective?

Anja: Well, first of all let’s observe that the name is not strictly correct - the name is shoulder-in but it should be shoulderS-in, because it’s always both shoulders. But anyway, it all depends on the horse. Just how much you put the shoulders in depends on the horse. For some horses it works very well if you just put the shoulders a little bit to the inside, just enough to create a 3-track. Some horses are much more balanced if you put the shoulders more to the inside, but you have to experiment. So I can’t say it’s better to do it on 3-track or more to the inside for the 4-track. It depends - it always depends on the horse.

HFL: So it’s more of a feel thing for what you’re getting. So what are you trying to get out of the shoulder-in?

How would you describe that to other people?

Anja: We always use it if we want to put the horse straight, so if you feel the back come to the inside, you have to put the shoulders a little bit to the inside too. But if the horse doesn’t know shoulder-in, you never can put him straight to start with, and that’s very important. And the other reason is you can engage the horse more, it becomes more collected, more round, and you can engage his inside leg better; he puts more weight on the inside hind leg. So it’s a very important exercise and if used correctly, the horse becomes light in the hand.

HFL: In the beginning you were talking about the horse’s back and getting him straight. Could you go further into that because I think that might confuse some people?

Anja:

Now we come to the most important point of shoulder-in,

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• VOLUME 42 • © HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine

Y

ou may have heard an instructor/trainer talk about stretching the horse. There are those that suggest long and low is the correct answer; there are others that suggest rounding the horse is the right answer. There can be a lot of confusion for riders and instructors as they equate correct work with stretching when they equate what works for the human body who is upright and on two legs, with the horse which is down on four legs with his spinal column needing to act a as a bridge to hold his body up against gravity.

There is much confusion when riders hear about relaxation of working long and low from only to hear another trainer warn against the gers of the heavy neck and head and working the horse on forehand. More confusion when they hear about stretchraising the back which they are told equates to being a good thing, so they work on rounding the back, only to be faced with more and more evidence against rollkur and the horse working behind the vertical. Poll ossification, problems breathing, not able to see, and the list goes on and on. So what is the right answer?

It is often when we work with the more challengcan seem subtle in another horse becomes so much the problem horse. It is often these horses, where we correct and where no shortcuts are possible, that we

the one, danthe ing and

being

ing horses that what more emphasized with have to be absolutely learn the most from.

Comet was one such horse. A horse who had experienced kissing spines at a young age, a body long, back tight, a horse that makes one wonder if he will ever find true collection. Trying to round this horse brings about a horse hip high, creating a downward direction through his back to his withers. A horse that,while round, becomes even more on the forehand. This horse is one who is not only tight in his body, but tight in his mind, distractable and quick to spook. A horse that takes any pressure on the bit, or any intention of pressure, as a warning to go behind the bit and sometimes behind the vertical. This only compounds the problem of a horse who already tends to go on the forehand.

The Saddlebred is a horse that is bred to work with a high neck carriage. The base of the neck upright, lifting to a long neck and often working with the head well ahead of the vertical.

The rider thus tries to work on relaxing her horse, thinking to bring his giraffe-like neck, and spooky eyes-outon-stalks, down and relaxed, is a better alternative to a spooking horse. With all horses, but especially with this horse, this can be nothing but troublesome, as the lower carriage of the neck and head can actually

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The Correct Stretch: What is the RIGHT answer?

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Exercise for Success Ribcage circles

T

his month we are including two exercises in our new Exercise to Success series. We wanted to address both ends of the torso through two very powerful exercises. In the following months we will be addressing further exercises to address both ends, but only one each month. But we wanted to start you off with two exercises so that from the very beginning you can work your entire torso area.

Vertical Ribcage Circle Begin in home position [Reference Home Position Exercise for Success Base Position Article Volume 42] Many people tend to think of core strength as something that exists in the abdomen, often in the mid to lower range of the abdomen. Core strength is actually ensuring that the entire torso is equally strong throughout and that the entire range of motion is possible through each vertebra of the spine, through the muscles of the abdomen and through the mobility of the ribcage.

This particular movement focuses on the mobility of the ribcage which is often an area that is overlooked. Stretching and reaching through the ribcage activates a number of different muscle groups and is a wonderful way to open up through the chest. This often has beneficial applications to the relaxation and mobility through the shoulder, through the clavicle area, and helping the upper arms to relax into position. This relaxation can make a distinct difference in the amount of tension you hold in the reins.

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Exercise fo Pelvic Scoo

How Important is When?

W

hen is the best time to exercise? Obviously any exercise that you can incorporate into your day is beneficial. If you miss doing your exercise at one time, always try to incorporate it later in the day.

The best time to exercise, though, is first thing in the morning. This is so for several reasons. One, in our very busy and hectic lives, if left to later in the day, exercise often gets pushed aside because of all things we HAVE to do. From making supper, to catching up on the latest report, to making it out to see our horse, let alone our commitment to friends and family, work and our homes. Also, if exercise is left to later in our very busy days, we often can be tired from our efforts through the day, and it makes it so much more difficult to make that commitment to exercise faithfully every day.

Which brings us to the second point - how often should I exercise? You should exercise every single day. If you sleep in one day and it doesn’t happen, there is no reason to beat yourself up, but it is important to create the

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or Success op HABIT of regular exercise.

The third, and perhaps the most important, reason to try to exercise first thing in the morning is the great change in the level of energy you are going to feel throughout the rest of the day! While we often think of exercise as tiring, the opposite is actually often true. While it may be counterintuitive, research has shown that even more than stimulant or medication, regular exercise can increase energy even in those suffering with chronic medical conditions. And no wonder, with all the changes that happen to our bodies at the cellular level when we exercise. This increased boost in energy also often means you will move even more during the rest of your day.

This increase in energy works better, and is better for you, than any cup of coffee, and it is well worth getting up earlier if necessary each morning to make sure that you have the time to wake up, stretch and enjoy a short workout before you begin rushing around for the rest of your day.

There is no way to express how big a change this is going to make,

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Looking Back With Walter Zettl • VOLUME 42 • © HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine From last time: Walter Zettl was talking about “one of the very famous trainers in Germany, a student of mine, he would say to his students, the horse must get mad at you to do a good piaffe. Isn’t that ridiculous?”

HFL: That is ridiculous!

Walter: I told him - I said, are you crazy? Don’t say this stupid stuff. This is not what you heard from us.

You know, before at least you would have to pass all the tests and you take an exam to become a professional teacher, everything in the rule book. And also we learnt that the noseband must not be tight. And that the horse has to be ridden like a partner. And then, you have to jump, you have to go out into the countryside and so on and so on.... I had horses which were Grand Prix jumpers AND Grand Prix dressage competitors in the same show! And then when we had ridden the test in the morning, the horse had to go and back jump after that. We had the main test as they called it, where the horses had to go in single file, and the riders had to ride every thing in sync Then the judges would tell you to do this and that, in single file. So the judges could see how the horse behaves with the other horses.

HFL: I didn’t know that part. I knew about the jumping. But I didn’t know about that part. Walter: Now, at times the horse was perfect in the morning, like the horse of a friend of mine who has a beautiful mare, who’s won a lot, but when this mare is in season, she might win in the morning, but it would be different with the main test in the afternoon. So you can see really how the horse has to behave. Then another thing, we had to line up, stop the horse and when the horse was called out, when he was winning, he had to go slowly forward and stop, and stay quiet. We all went, most of us one hand on the reins, around the whole arena for the people to see the winners and how wonderful the horses were. But now, they are trying to take this out because the horses don’t stop any more! When they have to do a lap of honour, they do it in trot or not at all. Because the horse takes off with them. It is so different when the horses are afraid from the front, or from the back, it is very different.

And we rode the young horses: they always had to walk, trot and canter, and then we had to ride a dressage test, and we had to go over jumps, and then we had to line up. And we had to dismount, we had to walk around the horses, then we had to mount again, and also we had to turn around in the saddle. So the horse couldn’t move.

Why? Because they had trust. And now, I would imagine if they got off and walked around the horse, the horse would be gone.

HFL: Walter: HFL:

Exactly.

So sad.

It is very sad.

Walter: There’s no more art, you know, only torturing.

HFL: Absolutely, absolutely. Sadly, I don’t think the FEI will ever take on board the concept of the 2-finger rule because then most of their competitors couldn’t ride. But one of the things we’re hoping is that if people Horses For LIFE

Herr Walter Zettl realize that if you ride with two fingers’ space between the cavesson and the horse’s head you can’t cheat anymore. If we can get the cavesson loosened they can’t do rollkur, can they?

Walter:

It’s impossible.

HFL: It’s impossible. They can’t force their horses into a frame because the horses are given the opportunity to speak out, to fight back - literally.

Walter:

Of course, you know, they would open up the mouth, through the ears, into the chest.

HFL: Yes. Absolutely.

Walter: And because the horses don’t trust the hands if they tighten the nose band so.

Oh God, the poor horses, I feel so sorry for them. And they are so kind to us, they do anything for us. And they still try to do it. In fact, the worst thing is, they say, oh, I love my horse. Sometimes I wonder if they hate the horse to do these things to the horses.

HFL:

I think there have been a lot of bad teachers out there, really lacking in education.

Walter: Absolutely.

HFL: You know, I think there have been too many people who have gone out and taught, who perhaps were not ready. And then their students have taught. And it’s gone from bad to worse.

Walter: In the last horse book - I talk about one particular teacher, telling her students that this partnership with, and love for, the horses is foolish and what follows from that is that ‘he doesn’t have any feeling, he’s just an animal’. It is so sad as she’s a very influential teacher. I tell this teacher

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Editorial: My Daughter, Sally Swift and Racinet • VOLUME 42 • © HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine

A

s I sit here for the past couple of hours, inches away from my daughter, watching her sleep and finding a new meaning, a new definition of the incredible gift she is to me and in my heart, I realize there are some spirits on this earth-bound plane that we are so lucky to have, and she is one of them.

Watching her sleep, her breath coming gently between parched lips, I struggle not to break down with the relief of knowing after yesterday that the fever is broken and she is going to be okay.

Yesterday was so different, it was the nightmare that no parent wants to experience. I tried so hard to numb myself throughout, to keep all emotions and hence all thoughts at bay. A quick trip to the doctor’s office turned into numb-chilling fear as the doctor gently said, the ambulance has been dispatched and will be here right away, we feel we need to rush her to the hospital, to the city. The word “meningitis” passed from her lips. In that moment, the feeling of overwhelming brain-numbing fear overtook my heart and my soul. All I could think about was a very dear friend, who ten years before, heard those words, and his son lifeless 24 hours later. The quickness of the disease, the instant change of a laughing running child to ...

I realized that there hopefully was a good possibility that the test would come back negative, but they were concerned enough that they insisted I couldn’t drive her in, in our own car, that speed was of the essence. Watching the ambulance attendants come in gloved and masked did nothing to dispel the growing depth of despair that came to sit upon my heart.

There was a moment as I rushed to move my car from the two hour parking zone, so I could travel in the ambulance with her, that I felt myself crumbling, coming apart at the seams, with no strength even for her, to keep myself strong and together. Ready to collapse, disjointed, a broken shell, shattered onto the ground, two strides later, I kept going, only to feel it jump into my bones again.

Thank God for the ambulance attendants, one kept talking to her on the way in, the other to me, the conversation the only thing I think that brought a sense of sanity back to me. A sense of normalcy in an unreal moment.

Watching the pain that she went through, through the spinal tap, her bravery, her incredible spirit, while terrified throughout from the moment they mentioned they were calling the ambulance, all she kept asking me through the pain was “Mom, are they done yet?” Then later, quietly asking again and again “Please mom, I want to go home.”

So afraid, and yet through all the medical procedures, so strong.

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Horses For LIFE

Some may find it difficult to believe that my young daughter has already mentored me in this life, taught me things that I needed to learn. Am still learning.

I find myself thinking how lucky I have been in this lifetime to find so many souls that have mentored me, taught me so much, some human, some not.

This past month, I had lost two very special mentors, who through their work taught me so much. Two trainers who reached out, not just to me, but to an entire world.

I find it impossible to express the loss at the thought of two of my mentors no longer on this earthly plane. Or to express how much each one meant to me. The incredible precious gifts that each has left in my equestrian life.

The knowledge that each so freely shared, each looking to find a better way for both horse and rider. They were both driven. Driven to do all that they could for both rider and horse.

This is why we began the magazine. We could see this coming. The incredible tragic loss of equestrian masters and mentors, those who literally come to us from a different age, a different time, with very different expectations.The horror that one day, sooner than any of us to care to admit, they would ALL be gone, the loss to the equestrian community incomprehensible.

In the past when all of us lived with, by and through the horse, this could happen as well. But the chances were more likely that within the number of horsemen, within the military, within the schools spread across the globe, that equestrian knowledge would be preserved and passed on safely for generations to come. But today... that is not necessarily true. A very real possibility that is terrifying in its own way.

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Horses For LIFE

Wild Hoofbeats takes us deep into “Adobe Town” in Wyoming’s Red Desert and one of the largest remaining wild herds in America. With stunning photographs, Carol Walker convinces us to take the future of these elegant, exceptional animals to heart.

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