Category: Lessons
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From Pony Club to Proud
Never give up. It can get better!
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“Phew”! But then “Uh Oh”!
I’m sure I am not the only amateur rider who gets through a difficult movement and thinks “Whew! Nailed it!” and then “Uh Oh!” I have lost something; the frame, the impulsion, the bend, there is always something that disappears in that split second of jubilation. In my Friday lesson this past week Belinda had…
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The Uber Model loves the Forest Trails.
I call the horse ,whose real name is Touch Me Marso, the Uber Model. This is because he has such fabulously long legs and is so tall and elegant. Look at him. And yes, that is me sitting up there on him. My coach, Belinda Trussell, was showing last weekend so she asked if I…
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Ride the Aid!
Ride the aid. In one of my lessons this week my coach Belinda Trussell told me to “ride the aid”. What does this mean? When I give Biasini an aid I must be ready to ride the response. Is the response the one I wanted? Yes? Then ride it and remove the aid. If it…
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Fast Twitch Dressage Muscles!
OK! last week I posted abut Extreme Dressage and this week I bring you Fast Twitch Dressage. For me the concepts of Fast and Slow Twitch muscles were things that belonged to the track and field world. Think sprinter versus marathon runner. My coach Belinda Trussell decided this past week that what she wanted me…
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Extreme Dressage.
The term “extreme sports” usually denotes high risk with the athlete risking injury and possible death. Things like running a marathon across the Gobi Desert or in equestrian sport the higher levels of cross country in eventing. So when my coach Belinda Trussell told me on Friday we would be having an “extreme lesson” I…
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Easier said than done!
Well done is better than well said. Benjamin Franklin I heard this quote from Benjamin Franklin the other day and it struck a chord within for me . In equestrian sport it is so much easier to talk about how to do something well, than to actually do it well. Sitting in the tack room…
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The Shape Changing Half Halt!
Shape Changing. I am not referring to the sort of shape shifting seen in Star Trek. This is a shape changing that refers to the horse changing shape; coming up in the withers and engaging actively with the hind quarters. What is a half halt? Even dressage riders discuss the half halt ad infinitum, ad…
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Every Split Second!
“The quicker you can correct him in these split seconds he’s not going to get away.” This was the quote from my coach Belinda Trussell, in last week’s lessons, that has stuck in my mind. Belinda does not mean he will run off with me when she says Biasini will ” get away”. She means…
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The Professional Perspective.
Canadian Olympian Megan Lane was at Oakcrest Farm on Wednesday to work with fellow Olympian Belinda Trussell and two of the horses Belinda has in training: Feng de Lys and Bella Venezia. I was able to watch. And to learn a few things. So what were they? We all have the same issues to deal…
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“What are you thinking? Right now!”
The corner! That’s what is important!
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From 1000 RPM to 1500 RPM
The horse has a rear wheel drive engine.