What is Good Horsemanship

January 19, 2021Posted inHorsemanship
Dressage FEI researchers undertook an in-depth literature review together with semi-structured interviews with 105 people (51 men and 54 women) from six continents, 30 countries, across eight disciplines and 21 stakeholder groups. They concluded that horsemanship could be defined as a sum of these 14 attributes: comprehensive knowledge, practical experience, growth mindset, respect for the horse, ethological empathy, effective application of the learning theory, awareness of and attentive to body language, commitment to the priority of equine welfare, emotional intelligence, humility and integrity, adaptability, patience, selection and treatment of support…

They are Not Muck Boots!

January 18, 2021Posted inFancy
Group lesson Monday with Erin Patterson trying to control our regular three riders and a person new to our rowdy group. Names omitted to protect the guilty. We were doing flying changes and every rider needed the entire arena. The other three riders hid in the corners. The corners are the safe space, except when Fancy starts her straight line flying changes . Pity the new rider, but at least she wasn't in the corner where Fancy wants to canter into it at full throttle. The regular group riders are…

Another Banner Flying Lead Change Day!

January 11, 2021Posted inFancy, Flying Change, Missouri Fox Trotter
Group lesson Monday was another day for the flying change record book! Group lesson today was two quarter horses and a fox trotter. One quarter horse is a former reining horse! The other QH is designated by me as a million dollar horse....safe for anyone and has heart and try. He is learning flying lead changes, but because of his breed and try, it’s easy for him. Flying changes are difficult for many reasons for all riders! All us riders are ornery. Only Erin can keep the humans under control.…

Flying Changes Memories!

January 9, 2021Posted inFlying Change
Ask a high level Dressage person for help: -I went to a high level Dressage Master clinic and watched 30 minute individual lessons. During the question and answer session for the auditors, I explained I was seeking to do flying changes on my horse and wondered why the riders put their foot so far back on the side of the horse when cueing the flying change. She was stunned at my stupidity and was unable to answer. -High Level Dressage rider in my lessons with Jenny had only done flying…

First Flying Change is Magnificent!

January 8, 2021Posted inFancy, Flying Change, Missouri Fox Trotter
Yesterday Fancy gave me the best present I have wanted in all my second childhood years with my horses.  My dream is clearly written in both books I have written about my horse journey. On 12/23/2019, Fancy gave me a flying lead change. She is a smart, athletic horse who loves to GO.  I am blessed. Thanks to Erin Patterson for setting up lead change patterns and coaching in our individual and group lessons! Thanks to Tony Vaught who developed her potential and gave her the "restart" a horse like…

Big Half Lie

December 27, 2020Posted inFancy, Flying Change
Here is the half lie: I know more about flying lead changes than full time amateur reining competitors. I would score a 100% on a scholarship test. I could write a Master's Degree thesis about flying lead changes. My brain knows everything about flying changes EXCEPT when I'm riding. When my brain is sitting on top of a fast cantering horse trying to be the brilliant controller, it experiences failure. My brain refuses to remember all the facts when zipping around the arena. The brain can now usually remember which…