tall, Dark, handsome spanish men….
It’s an odd thing for a riding coach to say – and I will keep saying it…. To really improve your riding, you need to get out of the arena, and sometimes just off your own horse, and out of your comfort zone… Go out and do something totally different….
A lady who I teach was working on sitting her horse more on their hind legs in the canter, as preparation of the canter walk transition, building up to simple changes. I kept saying to her, imagine you are suspended by a climbing harness as you are climbing a wall. Still didn’t really get it, mainly because she had never been climbing, had no concept of what a climbing harness felt like. When I was next in her area, we went climbing together, to feel the connection of the harness against your lower back, and how much you need to activate the core to stick yourself forwards against the wall, while filling in your back against the harness… Bam, back onto her horse and the simple changes worked. She improved her riding by getting away from riding, getting off her horse, out of the arena and doing something else instead… (Who grew up in England in the 80’s and remembers a kid’s TV show called Why don’t you switch off your TV and go and do something less boring instead??? Sorry, very random, but as I am writing, that theme song keeps looping through my brain! Get out of the arena, get out of your routine…)
But, within horses even, get out of your norm. I taught a lady recently who had had the same horse for 20 years. When he retired and then eventually was no longer on this planet with us, she took the plunge and bought a lovely new, young mare. And had a confidence crisis, since this horse, although sweet and obliging, wasn’t the same as the old horse. She was so set in her ways, with a 20-year partnership with only one horse.
I often ramble on about having a cherry challenge (do something that you have never done, every day for a month) and having a bucket list that challenges you, just as a human. And I know it’s hard, with horses, when you are generally time and cash deprived, but I so wish more riders had an equine version. (I’ve put a cherry challenge list at the bottom of this… If you want ideas, see what appeals, but really, make up your own!) But what about a bucket list?
People who know me know that I am forever experimenting with something new, both with and without horses… And there are still so many adventures to be had… A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to join a friend in Spain, at a horse and yoga retreat that she hosts there. This in itself was nothing new – I have been to Spain and I have co-hosted horse and yoga weeks before. The difference was that firstly I was a guest, and secondly, we were riding Friesians. I have pottered about on one before, but not very seriously.
Our long weekend began, landing in Barcelona (one of my all-time favourite cities, somewhere I could be tempted to actually live…) and a lovely drive an hour and a half down the coast to Costa Del Azahar – The coast of the orange blossom – which is very aptly named. A stunning villa for the participants “home away from home” (so much more personal than hotel rooms), and meeting with the 8 fellow adventurers. Which is all very nice – but cut to the horses…
The horses were the Cherry Challenge for me. The home of a large scale Friesian breeding, selling and training yard, the owners host a small group of riders for Azahar Adventures a couple of times a year. We were introduced to our Tall, Dark, Handsome men for the weekend (they are all stallions…) and so was my first meeting with gorgeous Merli, a young man, not under saddle for very long, who was to be my dancing partner. They do look like a fairy tale pony – all jet black with their long flowing locks. Or possibly like they have escaped Jonny Depp and some pirates on a Caribbean adventure…
Now, horses who are historically bred as driving horses (Friesians were not only for driving, but are commonly known for working in harness on Dutch dairy and flower farms) tend to give a different riding feel to those bred for riding. In my opinion, they have less stability in their right / left lateral balance, because the shafts of the carriage lends them power, and so breeding the lateral strength wasn’t a priority. The rider has to be balanced and pretty strong in their core and “boards” (those of you who have lessons with me will understand boards, it’s part of your steering and lateral control panel…) and a real focus and intention of riding the horse forward straight and reaching into a quiet hand. Friesians can have quite a push back (their head carriage is high, and they will lift their heads, drop their back and bring their head towards the rider, a little like a cobra snake with it’s hood up) unless the rider can get the horse to activate their own core, pick up the wither and reach into the hand.
Our first two days were working in the arena in groups of 4. Initially in a small, covered arena to make sure that the essentials (you know, like brakes, with four big strong stallions) were established, before moving onto a large arena. The sessions were a lot about team work, keeping distances and starting to work on riding patterns, drills and developing spatial awareness between riders. My lovely Mr Merli, being quite green, did think that maybe there was a pixie or two lurking behind some of the water sprinklers, but was so game and up for the job. And here’s the challenge – you do have to be able to ride to join this retreat. They are big, powerful stallions and so are not for a gentle bumble with beginner riders. But, was it a question, riding these horses in patterns in an arena – oh yes. Hello core, boards and intention…
Of course the absolute highlight was on the Monday, taking our awesome boys to the nearby beach and power trotting and then cantering down the beach, into the sea and through the waves. It’s quite mind-blowing riding that much power in a big herd of 10 stallions at speed through the breaking waves. I don’t think there was a rider there without a massive cheesy grin – it’s puts you on a natural high for days…
And coming off that – what did I learn? It reminded me about the effect of our biomechanics and how we need to create a passageway in which our horses can be held straight. It made me think more about the intention in our mind, focusing on the forward and where are we aiming, and for me personally, it gave me more coaching tools. In the week after, I was teaching a rider online, who was riding a carriage bred horse and we were able to ride a lot of fixes just by thinking of the shafts of a carriage, which Merli had crystalized for me. He gave me the tools for coaching, and all of them gave their riders more tools to take home to their own horses.
Huge thank to Sara Kimell and Matilda Axelsson at Azaharadventures for hosting the retreat – I highly recommend you go and have this experience yourself! And to Frisones De La Cruz for introducing me to the lovely Merli! Go on, go and play!
Happy riding!
Here’s my starter cherry challenge / bucket list… What are you going to be adding?!
1. A day of doing things on the wrong side – lead, tack up and mount your horse from the right instead of the left.
2. Have a yum or yuck challenge with your horse. Offer a small piece of a variety of things and see what he discovers that he loves. Obviously nothing that could be harmful or toxic. Horses in different countries are treated with different snacks – who knows, he might find a new favourite! Things include apple, pear, watermelon, cucumber, orange, banana, polo / peppermints, dates, coconut, sugar cane, swedes, liquorice… Go easy, only tiny amounts…
3. If your horse hacks out, try a new route – even if it means boxing him somewhere further from home.
4. Try out different equine “spa treatments” – how good is your plaiting? Can you do a French braid / running plait in his name? Ever tried to stitch in your plaits instead of using elastic bands?
5. Swap horses with your friend for a ride and compare thoughts… Which horse has more go, which has more whoa? Who is better to the right or left? Who has a better walk, trot or canter? (Look up an old blog of mine called ORBITTS…)
6. Ride on a beach, take a horse swimming in the sea
7. Go on a horse holiday, either taking your horse with you, or far away and riding a borrowed horse.
8. Ride a breed or type of horse you have never tried, you could do some research before, or just jump in at the deep end.
9. Visit some wild ponies – here in England, that could be somewhere like Exmoor or the New Forest.
10. Take your horse out walking in-hand. Letting him stop and self select plants / weeds / herbs along a bridle way can be mentally and physically beneficial to your horse. Also great for building your relationship.
11. Work on getting your horse over a fear or behaviour issue. If he is scared of tractors, work out how to help him. This could include anything like enlisting the help of a trainer who uses clicker training and a friendly farmer who doesn’t mind a horse standing in his yard.
12. Try a new activity, either with your horse or with horses who are pro at their discipline. This could include
A dressage test / higher grade / affiliated
An online dressage test
A show jumping lesson / show / arena hire
Cross country course hire / event competition
Long distance training / ride
Working equitation
Horse agility
Horseback archery
Trick riding
Online lesson
13. Bareback riding
14. Practice / learn some in hand skills
15. Proprioception exercises
16. Develop your lunging skills
17. Learn to long line
18. Take a course on some form of massage / therapy / feel good session for your horse
19. Look at rider fitness programs
20. Do a photo shoot with your horse, either with professional photographer, or experiment with a friend with a good phone
21. Get your first aid course up to date – both human and horse
22. Take some professional development course – even if you have no intention of working with horses. Your BHS stages, or the CPD (continued professional development days) and get more in depth knowledge about feeding, bitting, tack fitting, anatomy etc… Whatever inspires you to ask questions.
23. Visit a horse charity – better yet, offer to volunteer or fundraise.
24. Try a new equine product – if you need to replace your grooming kit, saddle pad, breeches etc, shop around, try a new brand.
25. Watch 5 horse themed movies, read 5 horse-based book, either fiction or non-fiction
26. Go to a horse event – maybe a big competition, an agricultural show, a display or a festival.
27. Get out and do something DIFFERENT!!!