First Steps Into 'classical'

[abi king]

Hi all

I just had to post a thread about the wonderful training i have started with Rach at St. Piran's. I bought my new horse Diver through them and she is currently staying with them, having given birth to the beatiful Bailadora 2 weeks ago. The plan is that she will be there for the next 9-12 months, to be broken and brought on.

However I need training too!, having learnt to ride (or should i say kick and pull) 28 years ago and giving up riding and horse owning in my late teens. I got the bug again 2 years ago, but having become interested in 'classical' riding, groundwork, in-hand work, have struggled to find an instructor with the knowledge/ability and the horses of sufficient quality, to help me progress. I really despaired that i would ever get anywhere and would have to suffice with reading about it instead! Finding Rach with her fabulous stallions Mendiondo and Bierzo,  and buying Diver, has given me the opportunity to start a wonderful and challenging journey into classical riding / horse training
(and don't my muscles know it!)

As Diver is on maternity leave, I'm up first, to get me ship shape for when we start working with her. (Apologies to Rach if I get any of this wrong - please correct it!)

So far I have had 4 lunge lessons, a ridden lesson, a rider physio clinic with Celia Cohen (which i've reviewed already) , an in hand lesson and several loose work sessions. (This weekend I've had a ridden and groundwork session every day. Have to fit it in as i live in Bristol)

LUNGE
The lunge lessons have enabled me to work on developing feel of the horses movement and to start learning how to control the pace using my core/stomach muscles and how much i allow my hips to be moved. I've also been able to feel how the amount of flexion I have i my upper body, in or out, will be mirrored by the horse, meaning direction and bend in the horse can be influenced without even touching the reins or using the legs.

This is a revelation to me having never ridden such sensitive horses before. Both Mendi and B respond to ones breath, and so a deep breath in (which centers and lifts the body and pulls in the core, followed by an audible breath out (as if you were blowing out a candle gently, and which releases the pelvis down and softens the legs) and voila, up a pace we go with minimal inside leg aid! An audible breath in, combined with a tighter stomach and stopping the pelvis moving so much, and down we go again. It's just fantastic and so different to anything I've experienced before!

And of course the lunge lessons enable me to work on my body position and put into practice what i learnt in the physio clinic. "Think posh" Rach says and so I work on lifting my breast bone (I'm a slumper), having strength through my core front and sides (no collapsing at the waist) and keeping my nose tucked in so that i peer imperiously down it at Mendi, whilst keeping my bum and legs soft to allow Mendi to move freely below me. Keeping stomach strong is key to being balanced, but doing it without tightening below the waist too is slightly like that patting head/rubbing tummy thing! My sitting trot with no stirrups feels pretty awful at times (especially on the right rein, my weak side I discovered on the physio clinic) but is improving as I learn to tighten and release at the same time!

In the ridden lesson, i was given the controls and we worked on rein contact, that thorny topic and something I know NOTHING about (my last instructor had me pull the reins in so short and strongly that my arms hurt). I had the 'classic' first nervy attempt at riding a classically trained horse. I asked for walk on and got....rein back  :lol:  

Rach then had me hold the buckle end of the reins as if my hands were Mendi's mouth which helped me to feel how she flexes her wrist/fingers to ask for bend and softness in the neck with the outside hand, whilst gently flexing the inside where needed for neck flexion. She emphasised the need for a steady, soft contact that gives immediately the horse responds and drops his head. She recommended just lightly resting the little finger of my outside hand on the saddle to give the horse a steady contact to work into, but that it must be LIGHT and soft, not rigidly held.

Needless to say, i got fleeting moments of Mendi working nicely, and heaps of him with his nose stuck out!! So I have a long way to go with that, which I knew. We did a little 'long and low' so that I could see where the horses head should be, and did some serpentine work with me trying to direct him with no reins, just my body position.

LOOSE WORK
I'm loving the loose work, where the horse is worked by using your body language, verbal cues and a lunge whip for back up. Mendi is an excellent teacher for this, especially for the close work where your body position brings the horse closer into you up to the point where you can get him moving laterally around you. All without touching him! Again the breathing helps and he keeps his inside eye and ear locked onto you. I'm learning timing and to keep the shoulder nearest them forward and going in the same direction as them. The outside shoulder blocks the movement and they will change direction. Working with B is great to illustrate just how different horses will respond differently. He is much easier to send on and up a pace - just the breath will do it, but hasn't done so much close work.

IN HAND
And finally, I had my first in-hand lesson with B. First off was learning to walk backwards just to get the feel of positioning the shoulder into the horse to help control the pace, and to do stop, start and backing up using light touches of the schooling whip in the appropriate place. We then moved onto trying to walk facing forwards and asking the horse to do some shoulder-in. At 16.2hh B towers over 5 foot me. I really strugggled on the right rein and he was able to walk through me. Much better on the left with some nice lateral steps. Also a long way to go with this!

And that's the story so far. I can feel muscles I didn't know I had. My legs ache from running up and down the school, my seat bones and 'nether petals' have me sitting a little gingerly. But I feel exhilarated, and have learnt HUUUUUGE amounts. I can't recommend Rach enough to anyone who can get down to do some of her training. I find it inspiring to watch her ride as she has had her own struggles with getting her body issues sorted, and is now one of the most elegant, sypathetic riders -  a great role model. (You can give me that tenner later Rach ) Her horses are fabulous and generous to work with, even for muppets like me, and after they've both spent the last 2 weeks on mare covering duty and so are a little preoccupied :lol: They are examples of how stallions if taught to behave and handled properly, are no problem to work with.

I hope some of you have made it to the end of my ramble without nodding off, and that it may have been of interest to someone. But even if it's just a very long 'thank you' to Rach, then it has served its purpose!  
Abi

[Beatrix]

Dear Abi,

What a wonderful post!  Please give us regular updates if you can - it's inspiring and one can (almost) pretend we're there watching!

How often are you having lessons?  I'm in a little similar position having come back to riding a year ago after about a 12 year break, so it's great to read of someone else on the same journey!  I hope to make it over to the uk later in the year and hopefully spend a week down at St. Pirans for some training also

all the best on your classical journey

Beatrix  

[Dominey]

Abi, thats a wonderful post...  you sound so like me!  I learnt to "sit" on ponies when I was younger, but at an awful yard with a horrible bully of an owner (to the horses and kids!).  I then had a pony, and got thrown outof the yard for not obeying the owner's daughter when she was being particularly obnoxious!  We had very little money and I had little support from home, so we bimbled about in the field for a few years, then I lost interest.
I rode a few times over the years, then my husband made the mistake of taking me riding on a weekend away for my birthday...  this was once I had a job and some money, so I started lessons at a local school which wasn't great, so bought my first horse 6 months on!  I got very upset with ppl telling me to be stricter with her and not let her get away with things, so spent the best part of four years trying to figure out what she needed...  we went through new saddles, chiropractors and equine massage, and lost and grain feed along the way. Then we started to enjoy some lovely schooling sessions together!  Our dressage marks barely changed though!
I have been thinking about getting a "better" horse for over a year now, ended up buying a rescue horse last year which rather took up a lot of my time.  I have just moved to Norway two months ago and my two mares are on loan (the first as a brood mare with her breeder, the rescue as a companion), so I am currently horseless.  I had planned to try and improve my riding for a year or so, then look for another horse, and I have a ride on a "dressage" horse a couple fo times a week, but despite the fact she has bigger paces, and can manage lateral work easier than Bon, I wouldn't say she goes any better...  she still feels on the forehand and is very stiff.
Anyway, I am very much missing having my own horse, and so I am thinking of buying something to learn a bit more on/ with, and am planning to do some training with Rachel later in the year too...  I am so pleased to hear someone else has bought a young inexperienced horse with the plan to improve their riding at the same time, it makes me feel a lot more comfortable that it isn't a crazy thing to do!

Diver and your new filly are beautiful, I very much hope to meet them later in the year, and maybe you too!!!

Kate

p.s. sorry for such a long post...  didn't mean to take over your post!

[Jo*]

What a great post Sounds like your learning tons and really enjoying it I have to go down there sometime in the near future, it sounds like exactly what I am looking for, Id love to do some in hand and loose work as its something I honestly know nothing about (although Ive just found out that I know nothing about really "riding" either through finding the "classical" way )

Good luck with your girl, keep us updated

Jo

[no3]

Gee that sounds just brilliant. I would so love to feel and do that. Have fun.
no3

[St Pirans Stud]

Hi Abi

It was such a lovely weekend - promise you can use the Lauriche next time - save those nether petals  

Funny really, a few months ago I was going to stop teaching because I was just wacked - but it is something I love doing and will continue as long as required.  Training with me is about getting the basics right, PMG takes this further to higher levels.

I have to say greatest credits to PMG and Celia without their fantastic teaching I couldn't do this, they are inspirational in their two fields and having them both to continue to train with will hopefully keep us all progressing.

See you very soon
Rach

[RULEMI]

Hey Abi

Just returned from my lesson down with Rachel on Mendi.  It was my secound lesson and I am loving it.  Yes I ache like hell but no pain no gain!!!!!!

Loved meeting your new Mare this week and her little one.  She really trusted you being around her.  Such a sweet mare.  You lucky thing.

Hope to meet up with you again.  We can swop stories on who aches the most.  I hope to put together a diary as well be interesting to see how we both differ.


I hear you also find the Lauriche more comfortable.  I agree anything to make me more comfy during the bumpy times is good!!!!

Managed a few strides of sitting trot with no stirrups and no holding on tonight.  Still smiling as I know I can only get  better.  

Thanks to Mendi for putting up with all the wobbles and to Rachel for the constant  I can't  I can't from me.  

Take care

Michelle
 

[shoveltrash]

wow!!!  fantastic post!
sounds like you are a fab instructor Rach......i'm very envious.
i love the "patting the head/rubbing tummy thing" analogy :lol:  

[Vikki]

Hi Abi!

Really glad to hear you're enjoying your lessons! Rach is a wonderful teacher; I only wish I loved a few hundred miles closer *sigh*.

Congratulations on the birth of Bailadora - I'm going to the Open Day so I can't wait to see her!

It's great to hear how you're getting along, keep us updated!

 

[abi king]

Thanks for the responses. Glad I didn't bore everyone!

Beatrix - I'm having lessons whenever I can get down there, which is every 2-3 weeks. I live 200 miles away, but my family are close by which makes it easier (and cheaper, no worries about where to stay!) It's not ideal. I'd prefer to be able to do it more often, but I'm just so happy to have found it. We just cram in as much as we can when I'm around!

Dominey - I had to get over the 'I don't deserve a nice horse' issue, as I'm very aware of my limitations. I would NEVER have gone for a young horse if i didn't have the expert help from Rach and Paul. What swung it for me was Rach saying that learning with your horse is fine, as long as you do right by them. In the end I figured i could buy an 'experienced' horse that didn't suit me, or that had been schooled badly, and I wouldn't have been any better off. So why not buy a horse that can be broken and trained the way i want to ride, with whom i can be helped to form a working partnership? But as i say, knowing I have the correct help, was for me an absolute must.

Michelle - I know what you mean about the 'hands off' trotting. Eek! Diver is very sweet, and is getting more confident with the contact she is having with Paul especially, and the Iberian temperament is not as one might expect hot and fiery, but very calm and kind. Will see you at the open day. Good luck with your lessons.

Vikki - see you at the open day too! Diver and Bailadora will be in the Mares / foals parade. Bailadora is just wonderful - so sweet. just want to give her a cuddle!

[Cookie]

and the Iberian temperament is not as one might expect hot and fiery, but very calm and kind.

Just curious as to why one might expect an Iberian to be hot and fiery.

Calm, kind, intelligent, sensitive, responsive - yes.

And are we talking Andalucian, or Lusitano, or Alter Real, or ... ?

Sorry this is completely off thread, but I was startled by what you said.  

[RULEMI]

Hi there

In my ignorance I also thought the Spanish horse would be to forward going for me to ever ride.  Not the gentle forgiving horse I found to ride on my lessons.

I guess its the age old story of judging a book by its cover.  

I rode both of Rachel's stallions tonight.  And can honestly say I felt so safe.  For me I still get the I am not good enough to be riding such a beautiful horse hang up.

Rachel you made my week letting me ride B tonight.  I have fallen in love with another fella.  Just don't tell Ian

take care

M

[abi king]

Just curious as to why one might expect an Iberian to be hot and fiery.

Calm, kind, intelligent, sensitive, responsive - yes.

And are we talking Andalucian, or Lusitano, or Alter Real, or ... ?

Sorry this is completely off thread, but I was startled by what you said.

Yes, having had a small amount of experience with wonderful PRE horses, I'm  now surprised by people feeling that they would not be able to handle them. But people do say that (they may be referring particularly to stallions I guess, which seem to predominate in ridden Iberians). I wonder if it's the 'hot blooded' thing. Certainly when i was growing up, anything at all warm blooded was for serious experienced horse people only! Which is silly of course as i've come across  British native ponies that were a nightmare!

[shoveltrash]

why not buy a horse that can be broken and trained the way i want to ride, with whom i can be helped to form a working partnership? But as i say, knowing I have the correct help, was for me an absolute must.

i love this!  because i feel the very same way.......which is why i bought my youngster .  but i also believe that as you say, having *good help* is a must!

so if i plan a trip to the UK next spring, i now have to coordinate a trip to Heather's for equisimulator clinic, AND a trip to visit Rach for lessons!!!!
how exciting
what say Rach?

[abi king]

shoveltrash - I'm sure she'd say yes. If there is enough interest in training, Rach and Paul may buy a schoolmaster specifically for training and i think the idea is that people who are training there would then also be able to take part in Peter M-G's clinics on the schoolmaster, which is such a great idea for people who don't have own horses, or can't get to a PMg clinic.

so you need to plan your trip to coincide!!