ChristilotBoylenClinic!

The best picture I managed to get, demonstrates quite nicely the concept of the horse moves as you do. This Rider is Crooked. Not dishonest!!

She's riding a very well-schooled dressage master, and Christilot has been working with the rider to teach her "Two hands, Two legs". Ambidexterity. If you don't have it, your horse won't have it, either.
The rider had a fairly deep supple seat, she certainly wasn't a "bad" rider. An advanced rider, with a very common problem. I admired her courage for the 150 pairs of eyes that were watching her. It's tough to do, riding in a clinic. You better leave your ego at the door.

Notice how high the riders' left shoulder is, compared to her right. Look how collapsed she is, on her right side. The rider's right leg is a little too far back, pushing the horses' hindquarters into the inside track. Notice how the horse is cantering with all his legs landing in a SINGLE line, not on two tracks. Outside hind and outside front should be tracking on the same line. The horse was cantering "inside" himself. The rider was telling him to do this, with her collapsed, crooked position. It was FascinatinG.

I chose a great place to sit, right in the centre of the arena, on the short side. As the rider continued cantering on her left lead, the horse, not knowing which way the rider wanted to turn, started swapping leads, anticipating, because her position was so illegible to him.

Brilliant horse, GuesS his colour. A bay, of course, light, bright bay. The horse was so cute, so pleased to have an audience!

Showing the areas of tension, behind the throatlatch, in a 9year old ex-broodmare/hunter chestnut hanoverian mare.

The mare was inverted, and had developed the thickened "bracing against the bit" muscles behind her throatlatch, from heavy, constant hanging hands. The mare had taken off like a pistol on the longe, prompting a mild "Well, isn't she the crackerjack" comment from the Master. She rooted quite a bit against the initial placement of the side-reins.It was lovely to see her soften, after The Master raised the side-reins up a bit.

When the side-reins are attached below the point of the shoulder, the horse is forced too low and heavy. The mare traveled much more happily after that. The Master then mentioned that the side-reins could be raised further, to just below pommel level, for more advanced work. But as The Master said, we are in no rush. Steps by step, the horse moves on.

I really do wish I'd been able to see what the camera was telling me. I took 20 shots, deleted most. I was pleased with my crooked shot, though. It was a bit distracting having the camera. I'm afraid I got zero good shots of my favourite horse/rider combination. I finally just put the camera down, and enjoyed watching them work, instead. Next time:) No, I couldn't find the movie button, aGain. My eyes, I tell ya!

I was annoyed by neighbouring spectators, who couldn't seem to stop whispering. It was raining, and I had to strain to hear Christilot's voice over the rain and the buzzing gossips behind me. I did shoot a couple of filthy looks behind me. These unfortunately bounce RighT off the door closed crowd.

Honestly. Why go to a clinic, if you don't want to listen??

Blaze is insisting that I go outside, and she's right, I'll be back..

We arrived late, because we took the scenic route, and the pouring rain and fog made for an interesting drive all the way around Musselman's Lake. Oops, north of that road, not that road.. Oh, well, Cathy G. and I had fun!

Oh, the coolest thing was in the question and answer period. The Master was explaining the two-hand two-leg idea again, and people were confused, one gentleman asking if a horse could have "false" lightness. Of course, Master said, that's when you have heads turning and shoulders continuing to follow a complete other track, as in the popping out of shoulders we all know and have ridden. How does the horse's body conform to the track you are riding? People weren't "getting" it.

That's when my hand went up. I said "I'm trying to simplify what you're saying, in my head" (for the people not getting it, but I didn't say that). "Are you saying the shape of the horses body determines your position? That your body follows the position you want the horse's body in?" The Master said No, that's backwards. YOU LEAD, you don't follow. Your position does indeed do both. Depends on how good a rider you are.
Like Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly.
Great Dance Partners, they were. They led, the partner followed.
Dancing with horses, always needs a great leader too.

(sighs)
Then the Master said I made a good point. And continued. We both laughed a bit, because we both knew what I was trying to say. You can do either, lead or follow, when you ride.
You better have a straight, balanced, even, equal seat and hands on your horse, or you'll never lead. At least, not in a way the horse can understand.

Several people mentioned having trouble seeing the mistakes The Master would ask for, from her more advanced riders, because the quality of riding and horses was sooo GooD.

Does this make any sense at all?
I'll post a Butch picture, he's been missed, I hear. He felt like rearing today, spring is coming, apparently.


To Good Training, and ambidexterity. Work on it, your horse will love you for it. Dang, I've said ThaT before:)
Dance more on the ground, and work hard at making both sides of your body equal in strength. Your influence as leader will increase. Guaranteed.
GoLightly taught me that, too.