cocoa's journey

Dressage Naturally 10 week intensive spring 2011

Cocoa's Journey Liesbeth Jorna

Dressage Naturally 10 week intensive voorjaar 2011 © Liesbeth Jorna

Cocoa's journey

Dressage Naturally 10 week intensive spring 2011

Karen has seen both my horses in clinics in the Netherlands and Germany. She knows me and my horses and has put much effort into finding a suitable horse for these 10 weeks: the warmblood gelding Cocoa. Spoiled as I am with all those fabulous sporthorses at home, I cannot tell you how grateful I am for having Cocoa these 10 weeks!

He is really sweet, a good friend, a very flexible mover and yes: almost black like my own horses :o) . But more than all that, he appeared to be a perfect mirror, a magnifying glass even. There was no hiding and he taught me a LOT! Thank you Martie for trusting me with Cocoa!

Introduction A perfect teacher My name is Liesbeth Jorna and I am from the Netherlands. When I was nine I learned to ride on an upside down bathtub in the attic of a friends house. A funny beginning but soon after that my parents allowed me to go to a riding school. From then my experience accelerated fast: jumping, dressage, vaulting, carriage driving, guiding trailrides in France, judging, teaching ... I did it all. After I quit competitionriding a few years ago, I started studying Natural Horsemanship. In 2008 Ivo and I (photo) graduated Level 3. Having knowledge of both dressage as a sport and natural horsemanship, I now focus on building the bridge between those two: how to use the principles of NH for the healthy development of (sport)horses.

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My partner for 10 weeks: Cocoa

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The first week we focused on making a good start: get acquainted with each other and our horses and building up a partnership with our horses. Our first morning together consisted of grooming, grazing, taking a detailed look at his body and get a feel of his body and horsenality. We made notes and drawings about this first impression about everything: from horsenality up to musculature and "scratchy spots". Cocoa loves scratches in and behind his ears and behind his whiters! The next step was to play online and feel and observe his natural movement. I found out quickly that Cocoa was very sweet, relatively introverted and not very interested. He has really big gaits and clearly has a good Parelli-‐

The first week: observe, feel and become partners

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foundation. His energy, playfulness and curiosity are quite a bit less than I'm used to. That is going to be a good challenge for me! After a demonstration of Karen with Atomic about the moving massage we exercised the moving massage with al the horses. Through touching places on his body where we feel he is out of balance or muscles tighten too much, we make them aware of that place. I also do this with my own horses and I have a feeling Cocoa has done this before too. He answers fairly easy to my suggestions to make changes in his body and soon balanced and stretched his topline. On the circle to the left I brought his attention to his inside hind leg. On the circle to the right I brought his attention

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to the shoulder, the girth area or the top of the neck. After that we had a first relaxed ride around the whole area of Temenos Fields with the whole group. The next day we took a closer look at the movements of the horses. Online and with slack in the line to minimize our ows influence. Is he relaxed? Are there any braces? What is the level of energy, strength? How is the balance: uphill or on the forehand, straight or crooked? And then: can we move his bodyparts to improve his movement? The horses all have a Parelli-‐based so the communication is pretty good. It is already clear that Cocoa finds it hard to carry weight on his left hind leg.

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To get e real good feel of his movement I walked, trotted and cantered with him at liberty in the roundpen. Adjusting my strides to the rhythm of his feet, in zone 3 with my hand lightly on his back.

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Also good for Cocoa to get used to my touch. A good feel, close contact! We also rode Freestyle (without rein contact) to get an impression

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of how the horses feel when riding. I found out that Cocoa's response to my seat and leg aids are not as direct as I'm used to with my own horses. This is definitely one of the first things I


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Cocoa's journey 2

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After that first week, during which creating a partnership was the focus, we seriously get to work with what we learned about our horses. The most important things for me and Cocoa: I wish him more fun and energy, for he seems a little uninterested and vagu. I would like to make him more curious and energetic. He responds vaguely to aids for forward and backward, placement of the shoulders and hindquarters. For dressage we would his answers to my questions to be clear and without hesitation. His left hindleg likes to move out from under his body and he often leans on his right shoulder. He finds it very difficult to keep his straightness and balance in the three gaits. If we can help him to sustain his balance longer he (and I) will feel better and more powerful. It is difficult as a rider to stay balanced on such a flexible and unstable horse. Of course that is a story of "chicken and egg", so I will have to pay great attention to improving my focus and seat too.

"There must be a whole lot more horse in there..."

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Fun and Energy Karen asks us to do transitions trot-‐backward-‐trot, without pause in between. It takes a while to get this done. By asking this in front of a tree or a barrel, he starts anticipating, really thinking with me. Now we are talking! We had an online lesson about motivating your horse. To really make clear what the "YES! moments" are so he knows what's the right answer. Asking him to put his foot in a bucket gradually made him more interested. Using horse-‐cookies in stead of carrots made it even better (I once tried an apple but he spitted it out :o). Because I would like to make him more curious and energetic I let him jump first 3, then 2 and finally on single barrel. He could easily run past it, but he did not! If he jumped it, then quickly turn back to the barrel, a treat and some rest. He was really fast about it! Answers The goal is to teach the horses to respond lightly and with quality to various aids. We did lots of isolations, online, freestyle and finesse. Cocoa starts really paying

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attention to my questions now. His responses are still somewhat chaotic: sometimes too big, sometimes small, but: we're talking! Balance With better answers and the help of barrels or trees for a "point to point" game, riding straight line gets easier. But we need to do something more to engage his left hindleg: walk -‐ halt in a shoulder-‐in position -‐ relax along the fence (whoosh). Then sustaining the shoulder-‐in position a few steps longer before the halt. And then building it step by step to trot -‐ shoulder-‐in -‐ walk -‐ halt -‐ trot shoulder-‐in. He really wants to actively stretch his topline afterwards: relaxed, energized, balanced and free. We are on the right track! Focus and seat We had the funniest lesson on seat-‐improvement I ever did! Looking back after 10 weeks of exploring and Karen calling me all kinds of animals: it made a great difference for us both!


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First: start a conversation We made good progress. Cocoa's motivation seems to be triggered by giving him tasks he really has to think about. We often begin online for a few minutes. It is easy to access his energy once his brain comes alive. Walking on the balance-‐bar makes him thing about his feet: if he walks on the bar all the way to the end he can earn a cookie! Then I ask him to "leg"yield in a trot followed by straight forward over the cavaletti or the log and relax to stretched walk. To ensure that he really answers my body language I ask shoulder-‐in or transitions trot-‐backup-‐trot. Once our brains get connected and he is really attentive, we can continue the conversation riding. The challenge: how subtle can we make the conversation? His response to questions about forward, backward, moving the shoulders and moving the hind-‐end is pretty accurate by now, but still needs improvement. My goaI is to almost never need my legs and reins: a change in my seat and hips should be sufficient. To exercise this we did some freestyle patterns. The setup was two 15ft circles of sawdust connected by a straight line between poles of about 60 feet. Trot the straight line, halt in the circle, 180 degree front/hind-‐end turn through a seat aid (phase 1). We skip phase 2 and 3, which I would normally do with my leg,

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and I use my stick as a phase 4 if does not react to my seat. I am really precise about the turn. When he steps forward I ask him to step back and then continue the turn as I asked. Of course there's a reward on completing the turn. Then straight into a trot (focus!) to the circle at the other end and another turn like that. I'm pleasantly surprised: Cocoa soons answers a lot better to my seat and keeps himself from "rolling" forward in the turn! From basic alignment to precise alignment Straight is somewhere in the middle of crooked to one side or the other. It is not our aim to keep the horse straight. We'd rather help him discover where it feels good. So that he seeks straightness himself and no continuous "corrections" are necessary. In the basic alignment exercise I ask Cocoa to swing his hindquarters to the left and then bring them to the right. Between these extremes he finds a place that obviously feels balanced and he shows it by offering to stretch his topline. Of course he gets that opportunity. To help him keep this balance, we first did "circles with corners" and then gradually more and more corners untill it was a real circle with a correct bend. Now he can sustain that sweet spot longer and longer, and we can take it with us into

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patterns, transitions and other exercises.Cocoa is so elastic that it is hard to keep him straight for a long time; he swings his hind end or shoulders out of line all the time. So it is time to move on from the basic alignment exercise to precise alignment. Now it is up to me to be really focused and concentrated. If I am not aligned, then how can I expect Cocoa to be aligned? I feel like a Zen master, straight, focused, quiet. And remember always: KISS! Keep it Slow, Straight, Specific. With my seat and breathing I remind him to sustain one rhythm and tempo all the time. I am also very specific about the patterns: straight lines are straight, 10m circles are really a circle and 10m. We go project by project. After each exercise we halt, I thank him for his concentration and restore my own position. It feels cadanced, rhythmic, with self-‐carriage. As soon as he tends to get crooked again, I remind him quickly to put that bodypart back in place. A short, quick aid, and then immediately back to neutral. If he falls on the inside shoulder I remind him to bring that weight back to the outside shoulder. This way he more and more keeps his own balance. This balance feels good!

I received a birthday card that was perfect for me and Cocoa!

Cocoa's journey 3 "It's all about balance."


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Cocoa and I have made a lot of progress! In the first newsletter I wrote about my first impressions Cocoa. On the basis of the Initial Evaluation we chose the approach so far. Now we are halfway the 10 weeks. Using a questionnaire, the Midterm Horse Development Review, we discuss what we have done and achieved up till now, and we make a plan for the remaining weeks. This is our review and plan for the next weeks: The main focus has been on Finding the sweet spot: balance, rhythm, precise alignment, my focus & posture I wanted to improve this because Both Cocoa and I were too inconsistent. No solid enough home-‐base (working gait) to build on. The sweetspot could be found but had to become more sustainable. The strategy was

• KISSS: keep it slow, straight, specific

• Go project by project, and in between rest and reset my focus and posture

• Remember to do playfull energetic stuff too, but not in the same session as the precise stuff. On my facebook wall there is a video of me and Cocoa riding bareback and bridleless in the roundpen. I even stood on his back and jumped of from there and he was really relaxes about it.

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The exercises I used were

• Short focused online warm-‐up to build connection, rapport, focus

• Develop whoosh answers to basic yields and yield-‐to-‐halt&relax

• Straight lines: first short and along fences, then longer and longer and to certain point. Halt straight at the end of a straight line, before the turn, to prevent losing balance by "falling" into the turn

• Precise circles if the sweet spot needed repair in any way

• Legyields with a very shallow angle, to refine aids and improve balance and rein-‐connection

• Walk-‐back-‐walk and trot-‐back-‐trot to improve selfcarriage and prevent involuntary acceleration

Things I had to think about or improve in myself to accomplish this were

• Focus, posture: be aware of where my eyes go, open/upward

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seat, hands forward to the horse, taichi shoulders, head not turning)

• Rhythm slow and consistent • To straighten out a shoulder or

hindleg that flipflops out of line : SMALL quick and effective reminders -‐ then back to neutral.

• Transitions: "are we ready?" "Wait..." , fluïd, to make the first step the best step

I know we have improved because I see / feel / can do Feel: More rhythm, self-‐carriage, synchronicity. More balanced (left-‐right) and a bit more uphill. Can do: Straight lines really straight, smoother transitions, be more still in my body, regain sweet spot sooner. The plan now for this horse and I would be

1. Create a stronger home-‐base in all gaits, bigger sweet spot. As the balance improves the impulsion becomes the next priority. Matching energy (I cannot be neutral enough yet, he keeps speeding up) and keeping the energy inside Cocoa to build up to extended gaits or collection. And relaxation with a stronger and more confident stretch.

2. My focus&posture: creating a habit on the posture issues mentioned (unconciously competent) and improve seat-‐communication without use of hands or legs.

>> next page

Cocoa's journey 4 Harmony! Athletic development is the next step.


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The next layer of exercises:

• Making a habit of building a solid home-‐base first, for me and Cocoa.

• Playing with energy levels freestyle in 3 gaits (around roundpen or in fenced arena), focus on seat&breath-‐

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communication. • Playing with energy levels in finesse

with a strong focus on matching energy and being neutral.

• Moving from working to let-‐loose posture and back fluently. Balancing energy and relaxation!

• Playing with energy/lateral work to

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build up to collection/extended gaits

• Not forget the play&energetic stuff: jump and other fun stuff that keeps his mind and energy alive. Playing at liberty with obstacles around the property was great fun!


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I just realized that it's only one week untill I have to say goodbye to Cocoa. The relationship is so good that he comes to me in the field and greets me with a low nicker. I do not need the halter to take him to the grooming place ... we run a circle ... jump the log together... stop ... back up ... he stays with me all the time. Cool! What a lovely problem! He tries his very best with the riding. Sometimes even a bit too much! He starts offering things even before I can ask him something and confuses himself with it. His right-‐brain shows up. We need more relaxation, without losing the alert answers to my questions. So relaxed that he feels free and still reacts to my seat-‐ and breath-‐connection: freestyle inside the finesse. Balance between relaxation and energy without him getting impulsive because he is trying too hard. Karen would say: "What a lovely problem!"

Everything begins and ends with relaxation! Here are some examples of exercises that improved his relaxation: • Online: from a quiet and let loose walk transition to a few steps of uphill trot or canter and "melting" back again into a relaxed walk.

• Freestyle: around the exterior of the roundpen the same transitions as online. Also, alternating between a quiet trot and a medium trot. Another interesting exercise was this: legyield in a really slow walk from one barrel to another, then canter a large circle back to the first barrel and again a legyield at a slow walk. He found out that he can bring his weight back to the hindquarters. Finding this balance clearly relaxes him and he feels more confident.

• Finesse: Extremely slow walk and trot. Untill our energy really matches and I can be completely neutral.

I check whether he is in self-‐carriage: I reach forward with both hands and he keeps the same balance and rhythm. And I check whether he still feels let loose: I round my back a little and reach forward. He follows my hand into an active stretch without pulling or accelerating. Another very helpful exercise was alternating straight lines and small circles (every 4th tree :o) in the canter. This made him really find his own balance at the canter!

With this relaxation, everything was possible: transitions, lateral movements, lengthenings, counter canter ... it feels great! He starts singing, making noises. A clear sign that he is feeling good, according to those who know him a little longer: typically Cocoa!

Cocoa's journey 5 Freestyle inside the finesse


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Now that we can play with different energy levels and we are able to return to relaxation again at any time, Cocoa finds out he can actually balance himself. I hardly need to use my reins. Sitting upright and breathing out are enough to ask him to shift his weight back to his hind legs. If he can't rebalance enough I can help him by riding a small circle. Then I can really feel him remember: oh, yes, I can collect myself!

Now we have found that magic, naturally the next wish arises: can we sustain this balance a little longer? Can we develop even more lightness and balance? My picture is that it should flow like water. The most important ingredients are available: relaxation, energy, balance, seat-‐connection ("Freestyle inside the finesse") and Cocoa's self-‐confidence about his own balance. Now we have to build more strength: Energy + Relaxation = Power!

Just for the picture, try to imagine this: energy without relaxation = tension. That feels really

different. In that case he will tighten muscles that prevent his throughness and suppleness. He will not relax mentally either, which blocks out communication. That does not feel harmonious; it does not flow like water. This is a well-‐known pitfall when dressage riders get to the level at which collection is required in competition.

These are some examples of exercises that we played with:

• relaxed working canter straight lines interspersed with small circles in more collected canter (around every 4th tree :o)

• building up to counter canter • transition from canter to walkpirouette, then actively forward in a trot and stretch to relaxation

• transition from shoulder-‐in to medium trot or to half-‐pass

• transitions trot-‐backup-‐trot and canter-‐backup-‐canter, in a flow without halting in between

• walking next to him in zone 2/3: transitions from walk to half-‐step (quick little trot steps)

The pictures give an impression of how we started 10 weeks ago what the final picture looked like: and great result for 10 weeks!

Back to Martie!

Cocoa's journey

Energy + Relaxation = Power

The last day we ride the horses with the owners watching. With music, very relaxed. It is not meant to show off but simply to show what we have achieved with pleasure and harmony. Cocoa flowed like water! A good last ride. It is hard to say goodbye to this wonderful horse that taught me so much, but I feel good about returning him to Martie. Karen will help her to reach the same level of communication and balance that Cocoa has now learned. I wish the three of them a lot of fun!


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cocoa's journey

Documents

feeling cocoa

week intensive spring

week intensive voorjaar

cocoa loves scratches

warmblood gelding cocoa

good friend

good parelli

good start