PROGRESS OF THE LITTLE YELLA FELLA & HIS SISTER By Camilla Davidson

Hi All, Seeing we could not congregate for all our usual horse courses and activities, with many NH courses/ NH Fun days and training being cancelled already and no good news insight just yet, I thought I would send in a little update on my young foal. Scoota ( Alias Yella Fella ), that was Born on the 25-10-07 from my QH mare Didgie, he has been bred to cut cattle and the size of him now at 2 weeks (built like a buffalo ), we think he will be a very good roping horse also. He is a full brother to my rising 2yr filly which I am slowly starting from the ground, to fill in my days with the EI ban controlling our movements. Little Scoota is also getting alot of hands on time which is building his confidence and respect around both humans and dogs alike. So I hope you all enjoy these few photos, and I hope in the not so distant future I will be able to send into this great online magazine, an advert for forthcoming horsemanship courses and training young horses.

Skieta, nearly 2 yrs. Scoota's full sister Whos chasing Who ! Scoota & Nakoma

9-11- 07 Scoota & Mum Didgie, 2 weeks old

Scoota @ 2 weeks

Due to my current financial circumstances I am forced to find a retirement paddock for my lovely little Kahlua, on a loan basis or a free agistment basis. I will pay upkeep such as feed, worming, farrier and vet bills. Kahlua is a very sweet 14hh, 20yo stockhorse type mare (not registered as far as I know) who is generally quite gentle to handle but has had a history of abuse so she can be a little wary on occasion if handled roughly. She has been retired for a couple of months as I feel that her age and history combined do not make it worth me continuing her training, and that she would be happier just being a companion for another much loved horse! Kahlua is an incredibly good doer and won't need handfeeding if there is grass in the paddock. She is built to carry a lot of weight before being at risk of foundering! She is a very easy horse to care for and can be left in the paddock without a lot of contact. She had an unfamiliar farrier out recently and stood there going to sleep after not having had a halter on or leaving her paddock for about 6 weeks. She's used to young horses as she has had a couple of foals and was a terrific mum, and is gentle with other horses, both youngsters and mature horses, and I feel that she would make a terrific nanny or babysitter for weanlings and yearlings. She doesn't get 'marey', even when she is in season (I have trouble telling when she is in season or not!) Because of her age and unknown registration I am not offering her as a broodmare. If you are interested or know of someone who might be interested in taking on Kahlua as a companion or a babysitter, or are able to take her on a free agistment basis, give me an email at nvbequinephoto@bigpond.com and arrange a time to meet her. She really is a sweetheart and when handled softly is very gentle, and it's heartbreaking that I have had to retire her since she tries her hardest to please! In return I am willing to take some lovely photographs of your horses and give you prints. Currently located on the Cotter Road in Canberra (GREEN ZONE), and ideally I would like her to stay within an hour's drive of the ACT so I can visit or get there quickly in an emergency.

Retirement Paddock needed for the lovely Kahlua...

Dressage, Naturally with Karen Rohlf

Creating healthy biomechanics and stronger partnerships through combining natural horsemanship principles with the art

of dressage...Dressage horses are horses, too.

photo: Peggy Finnerty never underestimate the potential for harmony & lightness to improve in ways you cannot yet imagine

Welcome back to the Temenos...Temenos is an ancient Greek word. It refers to a sacred space that has no limits, where special rules apply and extra-ordinary events are free to occur.

This month...Ahhhh, my travelling season has ended! I wrapped up the year with clinics in Chester, NY and Guelph, Ontario. A special guest auditor at the Ontario clinic was Walter Zettl!

Now I am settling into the wonderful routine of seeing my horses everyday and watching them get stronger and stronger!

In this issue I will answer a few questions, including another good one from my friends at the Natural Dressage Forum!

My upcoming clinics are:

NOV 10 ... Open Format Workshop at Temenos Fields, Ocala. FULL (Open for auditors) contact K2 for details.

If you would like to submit a story or a question please email it to: karenrohlf@earthlink.net to submit it.

You will also be informed about exciting news from my temenos!

If you didn’t receive this newsletter directly and you want

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J U L Y N E W S L E T T E R

1

Student, Laurie French sent me the following question which I was happy to expand upon...

Q: [This] question I have is with my-self. I have been an instructor and trainer for years, and just in the last year have started myself back into lessons where someone ac-tually critiques me ( thank goodness! way too long!). Anyway, I notice I acquired a too casual position from not being under the watchful eye! I am attaching a picture.

My problem is this, when I am working on my horse getting soft through the back, spine, and ribs, and giving to the light contact, I know I have this image in my mind that I should make my seat soft so that he can raise it up into that area, especially if I am making any balance and rhythm mistakes (which is always possi-ble). So i think deep down I round my back on purpose to lift my seat-bones as I feel my horse isn’t in shape and strong enough yet to do it for long periods of time and or with my full contact and seat-bones down on his back. I also tend to open my hands and arms a bit to help him, or make it as easy as possible for him.

I will say this horse is as good as gold, and is very calm and left brain through this process, he is just out of shape and I am physically having to bring him up to shape. Mentally/emotionally, he has it just fine. So tell me if I should be thinking this way, or not.

I am just really curious as to your thoughts on this. thanks so much.!

A: Well, I think your instincts are ex-cellent, and if I had any doubts, the pic-ture proves you are on the right track! That is a picture of harmony, healthy biomechanics and lightness! Lucky you!

I want to also commend you on trusting your instincts regarding what your horse is telling you he needs due to his physical condition. we must take our time to de-

velop the horse’s back. From the moment we sit on them, our weight and gravity is working against our desired result: a back that can lift. If we plop our weight down and sit statically, unathletically, his body will be in pain or will fatigue and he will adopt a posture to protect his back against us instead of one that offers itself to us. Our goal is to create a confident horse (with the posture that goes along with it) who trusts our body. Would you be able to have a confident trusting pos-ture in the presence of someone who regularly punches you in the stomach?

As your horse gains strength you can let him carry you more and more. And as you want him to carry more uphill you can bring your posture more upright. Then your challenge is to keep your lower back supple even though you are refining your upper body posture. It will be the same challenge for your horse: to become up hill without stiffening in his back. Repeated short intervals and many transitions will develop this. If tension creeps in, you can return to the home base of the posture pictured above, or simply rest.

We want to be able to blend having our weight deep into the horse, but to also be athletic enough in our backs and hip joints to be able to ‘ride the wave’ of our horse’s motion.

So as you take your lessons, do refine your posture and allow your legs to reach down and your upper body to become more silent and stabilized above your pelvis. Trust your instincts as to how strong your horse is to be able to carry your weight with his back up.

This is the artful kind of riding that al-lows great big men to ride lightly on their horse’s backs! (see picture below)

Thanks for your question and photo ~K1

4 star parelli Instructor, Berni Zambail

laurie’s contact: lfrench@globespeed.net

www.frenchquarters.net

2 Copyright 2007 Temenos Fields, Inc Novemeber

Student Question..“Is it OK to purposely, lighten my seat to help my horse bring his back up?

Another excellent question from the Natural Dressage Forum:

Q: Karen(K1), We have been discussing contact a great deal and hoped you may have input on getting a long open neck that stretches to the bit, use of the outside rein, and your views on salivation. Achieving vertical flexion is one thing, but we would like to learn more about the type of contact that is needed for creating more expressive gaits.

Thanks for your time and knowledge, The natural dressage forum www.naturaldressage.2savvy.com

A: I always feel like giving a ‘zen’ answer to this question: “Ahh, it is not the contact that creates the neck, but the neck that creates the contact.” ... and just leaving it at that... but really this is the case!

The neck is an extension of the spine and the spine is supported by the legs and is free only if there is balance. The key is to find balance, then the neck is free. Bal-ance is a product of the emotional state, the mental state and the physical state. Within respectful boundaries I make sure my horses feel free to move powerfully forward (this does not mean just speed or out of anxiousness, because a horse that is ‘escaping’ forward, by definition does not feel free!

I make sure they are balanced and I make sure they know how to find the stretch on-line and riding.

From there I make sure I can take the slack out of my reins and not screw any-thing up! The contact truly is created by the body of the horse filling up the con-tact. This is a completely different feeling than a horse who is bracing or leaning. Our hands must be able to diagnose the sensation of pressure. ‘The horse filling up the contact’ or ‘feeling the horse’s hocks in your hands’ are statements that are often mis-interpreted to mean it is OK if your horse leans in your hands. Not so! But also misinterpreted is the idea that to ride in lightness it is not OK to feel your horse! If the horse moves forward into our hands to make a connection in the reins and we misinterpret it as brace, we now have discouraged the long, reaching spine and will cause contraction as the horse tries to be a ‘good boy’ and not

touch the reins.

(top & lower right photos: Coco)

I really leave the neck alone as much as I can. If I have prepared the horse’s body, mind and am riding well, his neck will be free. The he will naturally look to ‘hold hands with me’. And I can receive it. It is less about amount of pressure and more about quality.

The same goes for the outside rein. Yes, it is important to feel the energy of the horse between the inside and outside of his body, and when bend is created, or in lateral exercises, if your outside rein is there, your horse will fill it up. If you dis-appear or are not there, you will not feel it and your horse will also not feel as much information or connection. But too often students are told ‘outside rein’ or ‘outside rein half halt’ and they TAKE the outside rein. You need to ‘be there’ and cause the horse to fill it up for you!

Now, as for salivation... that will continue on the next page!

C O N N E C T I O N W I T H T H E R E I N S

copyright 2007 Temenos Fields, Inc November 3

Salivation... (not to be confused with salvation)

Here are my humble thoughts on salivation:

First of all salivation is good...it just matters if it is excessive, and what happens once it is in the mouth...does it dry up, get swallowed or accumu-late?

‘Negative’ reasons for foam:

• anxiousness...this is typically big frothy stuff that drips all over the place!

• inability to swallow... due to tension and tightness in the throat latch area.

‘Positive’ reasons for foam:

• intense concentration/effort... I have found times when horses, even with the hackamore on get a little foam between their lips during sustained concentrated moments. I am aware, but if everything else tells me things are OK, I don’t see it as necessarily negative, especially if the horse licks and releases when he rests. I have experienced this on horses having really wonderful moments of them really ‘applying themselves’.

‘Negative’ reason for no foam:

• dry mouth due to holding mouth slightly open, or so much tightness that no saliva is produced

‘Positive’ reason for no foam:

• Horse producing saliva but is re-laxed and loose enough in the jaw and mouth to swallow regularly.

Benign reasons for foam:

• action of bit against lips. I just put a (clean) rubber thing in my mouth and I am not really feeling stressed, but I am accumulating some saliva and even though i am swallowing, I don’t get a perfect ‘seal’ and so some is getting a little frothy in the corners of my mouth!

Ever notice that athletes spit a lot? I asked a triathlete friend of mine why. He commented that during exercise sometimes the saliva is more mu-cousy and feels better to spit, and also during some intense exercise it just doesn’t feel good to swallow, it inter-rupts the breathing pattern or can cause more air to go into the stomach.

Maybe some horses experience this too...could be worse: they could spit!

Typically, the horses I have don’t get foamy except for a little be-tween their lips on occasion.

In dressage-land foam is consid-ered ‘good’ but I think that is be-cause so many horses shut down and become dry in the mouth. This is dangerous because then the tissues can crack and be damaged by the bits. It is a common prac-tice to feed sugar cubes often to keep them having something to chew on. I have also seen liquid soap squirted in their mouths to create foam. This was done in the spirit of not letting the horse’s mouth get dry and injured, but of course it was not getting to the core issue!

As with everything, the important thing is to know your horse, and no-tice when something changes...then take in all the information at hand and do your best to figure out what is going on.

If I see a horse foaming, I do just that: I look at the whole picture and see if there is any meaning behind it.

I think that is all I have to say about salivation!

To join the Natural Dressage Forum, got to: www.naturaldressage.2savvy.com

S A L I V A T I O N

4 copyright 2007 Temenos Fields, Inc November

33

Fawn Anderson and Billy

3 Star Parelli Instructor, Fawn Anderson hosted me for a 3 day clinic in Ontario. It was cold, damp, Canadian weather, but the weekend was made warm by the amazing students, beautiful horses, die-hard auditors and a special treat of hav-ing Walter Zettl audit all day Saturday. He also brought along a protoge of his, Eddo Hoekstra. All that and a wine and cheese party in a local art gallery on Fri-day night!

I was honored by Walter’s attentiveness and enthusiasm. He must be doing something right to be still so full of love for the horses, the art and the process of learning. I must admit, I breathed a sigh of relief when he gave me his words of approval at what I was doing!

I really must thank her and Heather McNeil for organizing such an excellent group of stu-dents.

Following are Fawn’s comments on the weekend:

Illustration: riding forward to the connection

Thank you so much for what I knew was going to be an amazing clinic. It was so wonderful to see how having a solid foun-dation enabled my horse and I to make amazing progress during the four days with you. Billy, my 6yo buckskin, is not the most engaged horse in the world and the stretching and energy exercises really made a huge difference in his desire to step underneath himself, round his back and soften. You could really see how, once he found this way of moving, he truly wanted to be able to move like that more!

Riding in the clinic with you and spending time with both Walter Zettle and Eddo Hoekstra at the clinic was really life-altering. I see now, more clearly than I ever have, what refinement and the con-nection with the reins both means and is for. Or, more importantly, what it is not for.

Karen riding student’s horse

It has awakened in me a desire to really study and understand more about Dres-sage, for I see that it is really a discipline of improving both horse and rider and has absolutely nothing to do with 'English' or 'Western'.

The glimpse of freedom of movement that I saw in my little Billy horse was inspiring and something that I will strive for 'within' my Parelli playings.

A few of the things that you spoke about over the weekend that really had an impact on me were:

'Ride the freestyle 'within' the fi-nesse' and vice versa - having done so much freestyle with Billy and learning much more about what can be done by your seat alone set the stage for this to really hit a chord in me. And I was so pleased at my ability to pick up the reins and take a connection without losing the relaxation by understanding that shaping

copyright 2007 Temenos Fields, Inc, November 5

“Dressage is a matter of trust”~Walter Zettl

comes first from the body and is only sup-ported, not initiated, by the hands. Boy was it tempting to forget about the body once those reins were picked up, though! But you reminded us to not try to fix the head with our hands, but to get the horses body to find alignment and, through that, relaxation and a soft, intimate connection through the bit.

'Don't be afraid to 'mess' it up' - this was just another reminder that in order for us to find that sweet spot of perfect synchronicity and lightness we must be able to swing from one side of the pendu-lum to the other freely in order to find that middle point. And even if we lose it a sec-ond later, if we felt it then we can find it again. But if we always try to be careful and ride exactly, we lock up our horses and ourselves and create heaviness by our hesitation. But the more often we aren't afraid to go beyond what we were actually asking for, the sooner our horse will re-spond and give us just what we are asking for.

'Did your horse match your energy/do what you wanted? Do they know that they did/did not?' - Wow! Talk about a strong reminder that we need to stay consciously focused and always be aware of what we are asking for and whether we got it. Not accepting 'good enough' when our horses and ourselves are truly capable of really good. The mental exertion this required of me was a hum-bling indicator that I need to practice this, consciously, until it is second nature and does not require such an effort. This goes back to the fact that every moment with your horse you are either sensitizing or desensitizing them. The exercises in your clinic truly heightened my awareness of

this. Giving instant corrections (which were really more of a supportive tap to let my horse know he had not matched my picture quite yet) and instantly letting my horse know when he had made it was hard! But I am encouraged by the knowl-edge that this will become a far easier habit with practice.

Karen, this clinic was EXACTLY what my horse needed me to do so that I could be a better partner for him. I am so excited to take this back to my younger horses as well so that the next time I am practicing my freestyle, I can be practicing my fi-nesse within it and be developing habits of movement that will help us both down the road. I am very excited about the time I will be spending studying with you this winter and can't wait to see where all this leads. Thank you so much for coming to Ontario and we are all very excited to have you back in the spring and fall of 2008.

~Fawn Anderson

Thanks, Fawn for your feedback

And THANK YOU to all the students, clinic hosts, audi-tors, volunteers, facility owners and especially the horses who have made this years clinics so much fun!

I look forward to 2008

6 Nullam arcu leo, facilisis ut

... I’ve got a secret!

The Dressage Naturally book is at the printer!The DVD is still in editing phase, but is moving forward... I am so sorry I keep promising it will be ready soon... I really had no idea how long these things take!

This month my new website will be up, so check in a couple weeks for that. There will be some new stuff on there as well as a fresher ‘look’!

Also I want to tell you about a magazine called Horses For Life It is a beautiful on line

magazine and I will be doing some articles for them.

Also check out Quarterhorsedressage.com as they have asked for articles from me also. They have asked me for photos of stu-dents on their quarter horse, paint or appaloosa doing dressage, so if you have pho-tos of this, send them to me and I will see if we can in-clude them in future articles!

So that is all for this month... Stay well, have a Happy Thanksgiving to those of you here in the USA, and I will see you here next month, if not before...

Photo:Dana Rasmussen

photonstudio.com

copyright 2007 Temenos Fields, Inc, November 7

Dressage Na t u r a l l y… R e s u l t s i n H a r m o n y

©2007 Karen Rohlf. All rights reserved. No part of this DVD may be reproduced in any way or by any means without express perm

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"RORY AND MILLIE"

(You Don't Fool Anyone Pretending To Be A Dog)

Just like his Labrador friends, he wags his tail, Fetches sticks, and rolls on his back to have his tummy tickled. But the hooves and mane give way his real identity - he's a SHETLAND PONY!

Eight-week old RORY picked up his canine traits after he was befriended by dogs at the Essex Horse and Pony Sanctuary in Pitsea.

Rory was rejected by his mother after he was born. After arriving at the sanctuary he became ill and spent all his time being nursed in the office - attracting the interest of Labradors Alfie and Millie - owned by stable manager Sam Edwards. Rory lay in Sue's lap with his little hooves sticking out and Alfie would come up and wash them.

When Rory was left with a white moustache after drinking milk, Alfie would clean that too.

Rory fetching a stick. Rory at play

Despite all, Rory ended up being closer to Millie because she was nearer his size. Shetland ponies are herd animals by nature, learning by copying other ponies. If they are placed with another animal, they will copy them.

This event has slowly found its way from Europe into Australia. It is a great social event, catering from experienced riders to the most nervous of riders and / or green horse…but most importantly I like the idea of giving our horses variety without pressure. And the best part is that Natural riders can participate equally amongst Normal riders! So what exactly is Le Trec? So far, the rules are from the British Horse Society, but basically consists of: an Orienteering phase, similar to a Navigation ride, but no clues to find. You are given a map, and have to find your way to the end with checkpoints along the way. You have an optimum time to complete the ride in (usually walk / trot pace), this can be ridden in pairs. A Control of Paces phase, a relatively simple requirement of riding down a track up to 150 metres long. One way at canter then turn around and walk back, showing you have good control of the speed and direction of your horse's gaits – higher points are awarded for horses who travel relaxed, loss of points for breaking gait. And an Obstacle phase – Can include XC or SJ style jumps as well as handy mount challenges. Some of the challenges may even require riders to dismount to complete the task. The good news is that riders can attempt or choose to ride past any of the obstacles, and YOU ARE NOT ELIMINATED. Instead 10 points are awarded for each obstacle completed successfully, all highlighting your horse's calmness and obedience. Want to find out more? , check out the following websites: www.bhs.org.uk www.vichorse.com - go to the forum, and go into the Le Trec section www.white-horse-trec.co.uk

LE TREC IS A GREAT FUN EVENT WITH THREE PHASES:

Thanks Jodie for letting us know about Le Trec. Sounds like a lot of fun! Cheers, Lee

Equine Touch

Level 3/practitioner

With Jock and Ivana Ruddock

April 22-25, 2008

North Lilydale, TAS.

For information and/or registration please contact

course coordinator, Elizabeth Stanfield 63951590

Cost: $795 for the 4 day clinic (includes morning tea and course manual)

www.theequinetouch.com

ACCREDITATION

The Equine Touch is the first equine bodywork discipline to be recognized and awarded formal national educational recognition throughout the United Kingdom.

Level 1 Foundation Clinic/Seminar

Instructor from USA Jock Ruddock Sat 26 April – Mon 28 April 2008

North Lilydale, TAS.

For registration contact Elizabeth Stanfield 63951590

Cost: $450 for the 3 day clinic

(includes morning tea and course manual)

Deposit $100 payable on booking.

I believe that riding on the back of a horse is a great privilege, not a right.   

I also believe that we, as horse people, do not ask ourselves the  ‘BIG question’ often enough to put things  in a very real perspective, especially from the horses’ point of view ‐ because we so called ‘natural horse people’ are supposed to view life from the horses’ point of view.  Aren’t we? 

The BIG question is of course; should we be on their backs at all? 

If you  talk  to any horse health professional,  they will  tell you of  the plethora of physical and mental problems horses suffer because we ride them.   Even referring to our own experiences, and  if we are shamelessly honest, there are probably many instances where our horse/s have pulled up sore or lame or even just snitchy after a ride.  An unfortunate truth though and one not to be  ignored.   The amount of effort by some  involved  in  ‘creating a nice top line’ is for whom?  Not the horse surely.  In creating a ‘nice top line’ I wonder if anyone asked the horse if that’s what they want. I wonder if the humans involved in this type of activity with horses have asked themselves the ‘BIG’ question. 

We do  ignore  the very  reality of  riding horses. Well,  some of us do anyway.    Just because  there  is a  long and ‘proud’ history of humans riding horses does not necessarily make it the best thing to do for the horse.  Yes, bat‐tles were fought on horseback; we used them to advance our human cause to take us almost to where we are today (but along the way we discovered oil and infernal combustion engines) and even today we ‘use’ horses to win competitions (a substitute for fighting wars – winners are grinners), to gamble on, to play games on or to help give us a sense of freedom as we ride off into the sunset or sunrise to escape the drudgery of modern life.  And, as has been well highlighted during the recent horse flu epidemic, we use horses to achieve economic ad‐vantage, prosperity and a boost to the Gross Domestic Product.  

However  I suspect the majority of horses would most  likely rather be  left alone to graze  in the paddock; to be horses.  Whilst we may kid ourselves and think “my horse really loves going for a ride”‐ it may just be a break of the boredom and restriction of either living alone or living in a rather uninspiring and uninteresting paddock that gives the horse some ‘pep’ when he or she is taken out of that mundane type of existence and given the stimula‐tion of a day away.    I know  I would  love a day out  if  I  lived  in a five, ten or twenty acre paddock (but  I’m not a horse).   

Given that horses truly like to roam in the wide open spaces (unless they have psychological problems stemming from interacting with humans) and they like to do this in the company of others of their type, living in a square, flat paddock with the same old boring grass, scenery, routine and company, day  in day out,  just does not meet the horses’ natural needs.  Of course there will be some interest shown by the horse when we take them out for a day.  So for a really honest answer as to whether or not they really enjoy the outing, we must therefore ask the horse. 

When do horses socialise?   An  interesting question  indeed.   What  I mean  is; when do horses most often get to meet other horses?   When we take them out for rides or go to events.   Do they get excited?   You bet they do.  Would they be just as excited if we decided not to ride them at these get‐togethers?  I’ll bet they would.  So the ‘riding’ part of such an occasion really becomes superfluous if one is looking at life from the horses’ point of view.  

A good friend, recently and very enthusiastically, told me of her discovery of taking her horses for a walk.  Actually as she described  it, these outings are more of an adventure.   One up the front, she’s  in the middle and one be‐hind.  They are team expeditions.  The three will head off for an hour or two exploring the natural bush that sur‐rounds her property.  “The horses absolutely love it” she said.  “Their ears are pricked; they watch where they put their (bare) feet, they are so aware of what’s around them, they explore.   It’s wonderful”.   And the vital key to the real essence of this type of experience she has with her horses  is what she said next.   “I feel so connected with my horses when we do this”.  “Much more connected than if I rode them”.  “I feel as if I am part of the herd; we have the adventure together”.  Yesssss! 

She is also questioning whether we should be on their backs too.  And she is also very aware that to ride a horse is 

a real privilege, not a right.  One day I reckon one of these well respected horses will actually invite her onto his back for a ride.  If and when that happens I hope to hear about it because it will confirm, once again, the way I feel we can communicate with horses. 

Having just written all that above I have a confession to make.  I really enjoy riding horses.  But that is not the con‐fession.  It is a statement and one which led me to explore this BIG question ‘riding’ issue.  My confession is that re‐cently I took saddle fit seriously.  Yes I know there are an abundance of articles and tomes of advice out there about making sure the saddle fits the horse.  Well, I finally took a gullet measure to my horses ‐ and was aghast at discover‐ing that my saddles are way too narrow.   Not one fitted any of the four riding horses properly.   I am so sorry and apologised to my horses profusely and set out to find saddles that do actually fit.  Up until just recently, if the horse didn’t pull up sore after a ride I assumed that the saddle must be OK.  But we all know what ‘assuming’ does.  Well it made a real ‘ass’ out of me and my horses suffered in silence.  And then one actually gave me a few humps.  “Hello, there must be something wrong here” and that is when I took saddle fit much more seriously than I had previously.  I took riding my horses for granted and I didn’t even show enough care to ensure that the saddles were comfortable for the horses.  Well I do care now!  Another BIG learning experience! 

Even the journey of finding wide or adjustable gullet saddles is an interesting one.  A traditional local saddle maker claims that his saddles fit  ‘all’ horses.   One saddle fits all, type of deal.   Hmmmmmm.   The commercial saddle and horse gear shops will, by and  large, sell you anything.   One tried to sell me a synthetic stock saddle as a  ‘treeless’ saddle.  I only had one experience where the sales person claimed that the saddle I was looking at would not do the job; which was to fit a wide shouldered (and overweight) quarterhorse.   I ended up on Ebay and finally purchased the very saddle that I knew would do the job.  And now I have four saddles, in very good condition, for sale.  All of this so I can indulge myself and ride a horse (or two). See, I still haven’t got my ego tamed.  I haven’t even come to terms with the BIG question myself. But I am working on it. 

Not  long after  I embarked on my  ‘natural’  journey with horses  I was out on a trail ride with a group that  included one very  ‘normal’ horse person.   This person went  through horses  like Elizabeth Taylor goes  through husbands.  Even the  ‘new’ horse played up before the saddle went on him. But that’s another story  in  itself. Anyway, as we rode through the bush she told me of a lady she knew who had horses and had decided not to ride them any more.  My ‘normal’ riding partner just could not understand this person’s stand.  I thought, “I’d really like to meet this per‐son one day”.  

Just  as my  friend, whom  I wrote  about  earlier, made  a  great  discovery  about  just  ‘being’ with  her  horses,   we ‘natural’ horse people, have for a long time, known that    just hanging with and truly being with, as well as playing with our equine buddies can give us so much pleasure.  We can exist without riding them, can’t we? 

Can’t we? 

Well, that is where the BIG question comes back to haunt us.   

Riding horses,  if  it  is a pleasurable experience (for us), can be addictive.   For those who are thus addicted, we can ask ourselves – “how long can we go without riding our horse before we really miss the experience?”   Sometimes we do have extended periods out of  the  saddle. Could be winter, could be  summer, could be  the horse  is  lame, could be we are  lame.   But when we  finally bite the bullet and get our horse out of retirement, do all the games stuff, slip the saddle blanket or pad on and then the saddle and the horse nary blinks; and then we slide up into the riding position, it feels like home.  It feels so good!  No wonder it’s addictive.  We ask for and get yields to both sides like it was yesterday.  And then our horse just stands there waiting and asking “what now?”  Some of us even get off at this stage and give thanks to our buddy  for being so good. And some of us poke around on the  front  lawn to check if the brakes and steering and reverse are working.   

And  so  the  connection between horse and human  is again placed on a  level of predator on prey animal’s back. (Sorry!)  Just another one of life’s true ironies really.  

That they let us up there in the first place is just amazing.  That they carry us to all sorts of strange, weird and won‐derful places  is equally,  if not more, amazing.   Are these  ‘animals’ trying to tell us something?   Are they patiently waiting for us to wake up and pay attention before trying to teach us something?  I suspect they are.  In fact I know they are.  And the best place to learn from another or the best place to have a conversation with another is not from on their backs, but from on the ground, where we can look each other eye to eye. 

Only from there can we ask our horses the BIG question and let them answer. Truly! 

©  Glenn Wilson  October 2007 

 

 

Hooves

‘The Natural Horse’ By Jamie Jackson. Vivid accounting of wild horses and their natural habitat. The model for true natural horse care. 192 pages. $42.00 + $7.00 P&P

‘Making Natural Hoof Care Work For You’ by Pete Ramey. Written in down to earth language and chock full of photos and drawings. A perfect companion to Jamie Jackson’s H.O.G. Horse owners will find countless bits of useful information in this book to make their hoof care programs more successful. 192 pages. $42.00 + $7.00 P&P ‘Horse Owners Guide to Natural Hoof Care’ by Jamie Jackson. The ‘bible’ of the Natural Hoof Care movement. Step by step instructions for the Natural Trim. For horse owners wanting to do their own hoof work or improve their understand-ing of Natural Hoof Care, for farriers wanting to transition to Natural Hoof Care, how to make the successful transition from shod to unshod. 320 pages. $45.00 + $7.00 P&P ‘Founder: Prevention and Cure the Natural Way’ by Jamie Jackson Step by step guidelines to natural healing for foundered horses to bring them back to complete soundness with beautiful naturally shaped and functioning hooves. Extensive discussion of diet and management issues. 156 pages. $32.00 + $7.00 P&P ‘Paddock Paradise’ by Jamie Jackson. A fresh and creative look at ways we can encourage healthy horse movement so essen-tial to our horse’s health. Even smaller paddocks can be fenced in a way to get our horses ‘on the move’ based on wild horse herd behaviour. For all horses in all climates. $42.00 + $7.00 P&P Hoof Trimmer’s Stand

If you are trimming hooves yourself, this hoof stand will save you time and effort. Designed to be comfortable for horse and trimmer. Height adjustable and robust construction. $115.00 + $15.00 P&P

For orders please send cheque or money orders to

Glenn Wilson (Hooves Naturally)

149 Waterfall Creek Rd Tallangatta Valley 3701

Ph 02 6071 0210 or 0418 991 680 or www.waterfallcreek.com.au/horses

My horse allegedly was a brumby from one of the national parks and so his opinion of humans is cynical. Normally the end of our session is reached by either me returning my boy to his paddock mates or sometimes him returning himself rather pointedly to the exit gate. Last week we had a whole day together and I made a new effort to watch for his interests and when the time came for him to leave I opened the exit gate but he didn't go through it. I asked him to go and he wouldn't go. I checked the rug straps and his feet in case he was trying to tell me that I'd missed something but he still wouldn't leave. I put the halter on and led him around no problems but in any direction to the gate he wouldn't budge. I was stumped... It finally dawned on me that he was telling me he wanted to stay with me‐and I realised that after  years of searching for a connection I had finally made an emotional impression on a horse. It was a big moment.  from Alfie (and Pickle) 

When I felt most connected to my horse... About a month ago I'd had a really emotional day, everything that could have gone wrong pretty much did and I felt particularly sorry for myself (as us humans tend to do). I decided to go an visit my horse, Chinotto, even though it's a half an hour drive, he had just recovered from EI and so I couldn't play with him or ride and it was dark anyway so my options were even more limited, but I just wanted to be with my horse. It was about 9 pm by the time I arrived, the moon was almost full and all the horses were settling in for the night. I went down to my horse's yard and made my 'hey buddy, it's your mum' noise and he started to walk over and I have no idea what possessed me to start running backwards but I did. Chinotto immediately broke into a trot and I 'drew' him from the other end of his yard at a trot (me in my thongs and Thai fisherman pants trying to run backwards, what a sight it must have been). I hadn't ever tried to draw my horse to me at a trot, but especially not at liberty, in the middle of the night. It absolutely made my day to see his ears forward, so excited to see me and we just stood together and I rested my head against his neck. Sometimes they just know when you need them. Fiona Migan

A few years ago, I was having a liberty session with my Levels horse in the liberty yard we have out in the paddock. Our other horses were grazing ,not that close, but in view. I saw my other horse (that we also bred but grew up only knowing PNH methods) watching us. I have always called her my "phase one girl" because she is so light with her ground games, and always has been.   She was really watching, and then she left the herd of her own accord and trotted down to the yard. I  was watching her, thinking what are you doing! I kept on playing with my main horse and jokingly said to her, "I wish you would tell him how to do it!!"   Then she did the near unbelievable‐  she walked round the yard till she came to the gate. I thought WOW, so I walked over and opened it.‐ yep, in she came...“Well, I said to my self "Holey Moley , what is going on here???” So to the centre of the circle we went with my other horse still standing on the edge of the circle (where I had been attempting to get the draw happening, not real well I might add...) And yep you guessed it , damn near perfect games at liberty did we play, yo yo , stick to me and circle game, not to mention HER draw, well it was  pretty nice. Then I had a go at  playing with both of them, and it sort of went ok, ‐ one horse keen ‐the other sceptical!!  So I thought well that was absolutely amazing, and thankyou very much for showing him how to do it!! I walked with her to the gate, opened it and out she went‐ and she cantered and bucked  her way back to the herd.  I can honestly say it blew my mind! I had no witnesses, it was them and me. I felt  the shivers and the hair was standing on my arms. It was a very emotional experience and to this day I do not understand why she did it!!    I will never forget it and it is a true story‐  

Paula East. 

A time you felt connected with your horse..

Only today...I placed Buzz with a mare for the day...now I know that this mare is a bossy boots but I knew Buzz can handle this because he is pretty sensitive & just runs away. So when I can down to transfer him back to his own paddock a few block away, I called him, and he came at a canter to me. Now that made me feel pretty good, but when I thought about it...I think he was just bloody glad to be leaving that bossy boots behind! Cheers Lynnie

A time most connected. We sometimes wonder if our horses are telepathic and I would like to tell you about an experience I had with my young filly (3 year old Hanoverian) who I have been handling naturally since she came to live with me at eighteen months of age. I was thinking as part of her training I must "pony" her. I was thinking this one day as I was saddling up my old (reject racehorse) chestnut thoroughbred for a short walk around the paddock. My filly read my mind. As I mounted up she came along side and followed the gelding just as if she was being ponied. She ponied herself completely at liberty, through the gate and out of the yard and around the paddock. In fact, I had to walk her back into the yard and lock her in as I think she would have been with us all day. This was a true meeting of minds.

Kind regards, Jacquie Bodger

Just responding to your competition regarding a heartfelt moment..... I started riding late in life (37) and never thought I would have the sort of relationship you see in the movies. I have a beautiful mare who I purchased when she was 3 and we have had many ups and downs over the last 3 years through injury, lack of confidence for both of us and the like. I know that we have an understanding now as she will continue to lay in the grass when I walk into the paddock and willingly let me cuddle her all over. I am forever grateful to her for that trust!

Karen Hicks

My BFO about connection with my horse. The time when I felt the most connection with my horse was while I attended a recent clinic. I thought that I had a pretty good relationship with my horse and that my riding was coming along. I had been riding around up to then thinking that things were going pretty well as my horse was happy to be with me and he had a neutral attitude about riding. The neutral attitude I didn't worry about because he wasn't a young horse and had been "around" before I bought him. I figured that the fun had pretty much been squashed out him over the years and "neutral" was a big improvement on the "please hurry up and die so I can be left alone" looks I used to get. When I rode he was a bit rough in his paces, as were all my horses, and I really dreaded the canter to trot transitions. I explained this away by the fact that I wasn't fit enough yet and the horse wasn't educated enough and this horse was just stiff. On this day I was riding bareback, thinking about getting in time with my horse as he trotted and cantered around, sneaking peeks at the other riders to checkout how they were going, A number were bouncing around happily, as was I, but there was a small few who seemed to be more glued to there horses. After a while I started to experiment a bit, I closed my eyes and tried to "feel" his muscles as he trotted and thought about what my muscles were doing at the same time. I started trying different things, moving my leg, arms back feet etc while he was trotting to mimic what he was doing. All of a sudden I "GOT IT" and felt so in sync with my horse. He immediately lifted his back, rounded up (in the halter) became softer and offered the softest collected trot to me. I felt like we were dancing. I stopped as I didn't want to "lose the feeling" and my horse just dropped his head, gave a big sigh, turned around and looked at me with a sort of amazed "thank god she finally got it" look. Men can skip this chapter. I slid off and hugged and buried my face in his neck to hide the tears because it had felt so fantastic. I can see that I am pretty good and coming up with excuses as to why I can't do things, which I am working on, and I really try to think of riding as ‘offering my hand to my horse and asking him to dance with me’. That moment when he offered to me and I accepted was to most in tune with a horse ever and I will work on repeating that feeling every time I ride or interact with him. I apologise to him and all my other horses for having to "put up" with me until I understood.

- Johanne Lang-Davis

Moz is working on getting confident at canter online (and in small areas in general) and he was a little out there on this day. I walked back to the fence and started direction changes to get his attention and to inter-rupt the forward. He began to settle and relax so we went back to circling in motion over some jumps, tarps and other obstacles. Moz started to look for objects to go to and began checking in with me every time he went near the tarp or tyre to see what it was about them and what I wanted him to do with them. Direction changes at trot and canter became smooth with his focus really on his job and my body lan-guage. He began following my lead, relaxing and stretching down with me, sighing with me with soft, long, low responsive changes of gait and direction with minimal movement on my part, really just intent. After our play I cooled him down and then let him go over near the gate of the arena, gave him a rub then went and sat down to watch the others. Mozzie went to leave the arena then as he went out the gate he stopped, turned around and came back in to where I was sitting on a jump block. Strolling over he stopped a few steps away and asked if he could come over, I invited him in and he placed his head in my arms for a rub. He then stood near me dozing off with his head hanging down beside my arm and muzzle in my hands. He is not a sociable or people orientated horse, nor is he overly confident, but he chose to come back into an arena and be with me. He stayed with me until we finished up then walked out of the arena with me, we went to the trough and he had a drink. It was lovely to have this boy do this, it was a huge decision for him to make and I felt honoured to have him choose to be with me.

Trish and Moz

I am SOOOO lucky.. That "one mind one body" feeling that everybody strives for with their horses is starting to become a regular occurrence. When I'm really switched on I can feel every foot and every part of my horse.. But I still remember the first time I was made aware of this feeling and felt it for the very first time… I was at riding at Buck Brannaman clinic about 12 years ago. Buck was talking about feeling the feet. Although I had been riding for about 25 years I had never heard of that concept. He got us to back our horses and release every step. All of a sudden I could feel the feet. I could feel the foot lift and step back and the other one lift and step back. It was the most amazing feeling... EVER!!! It was like I was having my first ever REAL ride on my horse... I couldn't believe it ...and I was close to tears...I knew from that moment I was hooked on this horsemanship stuff.

Happy Trails Reata

Geelong