The underlying theme of Mark Rashid's clinic was searching for softness. Ultimately the aim is to for the horse and the rider to be as soft as possible but you may only be able to be as soft as you can be on the way there. He says that when dealing with a bracey horse it isn't always appropriate to reward the try as all you may do is teach the horse to offer a try rather than the real thing. I have been trying out some techniques on Petra and am certainly getting a better response to the bit when I pick up the reins. So that she isn't too heartbroken I reward the real thing with a click and a treat as well as a release and a good girl.
Every time I got to a clinic or demo I can feel some ideas which have start to freeze, thaw and re-form. Mark urges people not to get married to ideas; I presume its not important to marry his ideas either although I really love 99.999% (re-occuring) of the stuff he does. To see the link between the rider bracing one muscle and a horse bracing the corresponding muscle is amazing. It does seem to me that he always expects the horse to soften first - if more obvious body language, a change of bit or rider position would make it easier for the horse to do the right thing, then I'd hope we'd do that first. I may get a bee in my bonnet about certain issues from time to time but I have never felt restricted by IH. Kelly has never prescribed the techniques that we should use with horses and I have always felt at ease with the morals and ethics of IH.
Other nuggets from the clinic included permission not to rush your horse and to take as long as it needs to get the horse going right at the slower paces; dropping your emotion when the horse raises his - so that the overall emotion quota is not exceeeded; putting a slight spiral into your arm when a horse braces into pressure so that you can move his feet; exhaling when a horse spooks at something. I've already put all of these into action this week. It cost me £33 per day to attend this three day clinic and Mark works and answers questions for nine hours a day. Incredible value for money.
Yesterday I went out to a trotting pony that used to take 20 minutes to have her bridle put on. We got that down to 20 seconds and a very happy pony. I'd like to take all the credit but the pony and the owner were very quick learners and had it down to a fine art by the time I left.
Today we re-started Chancer who has had a full year off since he came out of racing. He was very laid back and calm about it all. Later Sheila used him for a full join up with tack and rider which we videoed so that she can use it towards her Monty Robert's Preliminary Certificate in Horsemanship. Chancer was born in America and then brought to England via Ireland. He is an absolute darling.
Tonight I went to a talk by Chris and Sue Trim who were voted Fence Judges of the Year by riders and officials of British Eventing. They told fascinating tales of the events they attend and some of the falls they have seen. It almost put me off my supper.
On Saturday we are all running a trade stand at the Dorset Charity Show at Three Legged Cross (unless it rains in which case I shall have a duvet day!).
