“Invest in training.” This is the advice of Carl Hester arguably the world’s top trainer and coach as he coached all four members of the British Olympic Dressage team for Rio!
I am very fortunate to have two very good coaches. At home in Canada I train with Belinda Trussell and during the winter season in Florida with Lou Denizard. Belinda has me working on improving Biasini’s frame and lightness. Here is a video of part of my lesson last week. We do a 10 meter circle and then travers (haunches in) and another circle maintaining the lightness, the lift, the tempo, the cadence , the forward movement…..the flow. But what happens at the end…….?
It may not be noticeable that Biasini takes over in the half pass going away from Belinda but she has x-ray vision and can tell exactly what is going on. And she was right! He had taken over and was heavy in my hands and the flow went out the window!
Belinda was away at a show at the end of the week so I had my husband come to video my work on my own. Here is a video of the same exercise I did in my lesson. But on my own I was really struggling coming down the long side to maintain an even rhythm and to keep him up and light. We turn on the centerline and in my mind I am getting ready for that half pass. We are going to get it this time! And we do! He was light and responsive.
When I had my first lesson with Belinda this week I told her of my difficulties with the exercise. We started to work on it again. Take a look and see how it went.
It is clear to me that working with Belinda had helped me to do this exercise much better. That is what “investing in training” is all about.
*Featured photo (C) Connie Gee.*
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