Deborah Howard

2009 Region 1 Gifted Scholarship Recipient, for Training in 2010

Dear Carol Lavell, the Gifted Selection Committee and The Dressage Foundation Board members:

Thank you!  Thanks, also, to my instructor, Debbie Rodriguez of Williamsburg, Virginia, for providing non-stop dressage learning experiences for six days and providing a cozy room in her home which allowed me to come in on budget with the scholarship money.  How often does a busy mother get to really take time to pursue her “obsession” as my thirteen year old often describes my horse passion?  The answer would have been rarely without all this wonderful help.

My training plan submitted with my scholarship application stated:  Develop a more consistent warm-up for Dollar to assist him to stay more

Photo courtesy of Pattie Kirkland

uphill without as much aide during the tests (presently lots of counter-bend at trot and walk help with this—but it needs to be more consistent).  Practice correct lateral exercises.  Continue work on transitions.  Get comfortable with a sitting trot after the GAIG show, Training Level, October 24, 2009, through November and December, so I can focus on First Level movements and really increasing lateral work with Debbie Rodriguez in January, 2010, so that I can successfully show First Level starting March, 2010.  The difference in training with the scholarship money:  A lesson for forty-five minutes one time a month compared with ten lessons and observation for a six day period with time to concentrate only on one horse, Cool Dollar Bill; being away from my farm, children, husband, numerous livestock and the chores associated therein.

Summary of plan success:  I told Debbie Rodriguez I wanted to “fiddle (aka: Half-halting) less with Dollar and have him stay with me more—I stand corrected.  It turns out that I need to “fiddle” more and communicate more through half-halts (my seat, my fingers, counter-bend) constantly with Dollar to keep him with me.  I have learned to do shoulder in, shoulder fore, leg yield and am now incorporating this into my work with Dollar at home.  His canter work has changed dramatically for the better with shoulder fore keeping him from falling on the forehand particularly on corners.  I’m feeling that “bounce” I like that equals cadence and suspension according to Debbie.  I am working on transitions more and getting good results from picturing actively engaged hind legs shifting up and shifting down.  I thought I had prepared for the sitting trot; however, I had the angle of my pelvis all wrong!  I liken it to water-skiing (which, unfortunately, I prefer) to the correct snow-skiing angle.  With the corrected angle of pelvis, the shoulders and chest come up, legs actually sink down 2 leather holes, and base of spine has a defined hollow.  My entire position came under attack:  My legs became quieter with the leg under body, heel under hip, shoulders over hips.  It was discovered that if I imagine holding a dinner plate, my hands became quieter also.  Incredibly, Dollar’s front came up with the various “fiddling” described.

Day One:  Dollar gets settled in at the beautiful Indian Hill Stables in Lanexa, Virginia at 2 pm.  It is 17 degrees here. The trailer ride was two hours and uneventful.  He’s given a ring-side seat in a holding pasture near the arena and all activities.  He’s immediately, happily eating his hay and watching all the comings and goings at this busy stable.  Cool Dollar Bill is a googley-eyed, eight year old registered American breeding stock (no spots) Paint Horse gelding.  If he’s not busy, he’s being naughty. I’ve owned him for five years and dressage has been perfect at helping him to stay more calm and obedient. He has completed Training Level, making it to the GAIG championship in October 2009, for Region One.  I sit in Debbie’s car to observe three lessons:  A Second Level horse, a Fourth Level horse and a Training Level horse.  Many of the corrections could be leveled at Dollar and I.  Notably, maintain outside shoulder and hand position.  Dollar and I have a lesson last—he’s really stiff but loosens up with shoulder in, shoulder fore, leg yield, transitions of walk to trot.  Size of trot from 5 to 6 to 7 and back “not faster, but more trot”.  Canter and counter-canter.  Support inside shoulder on corners and use shoulder fore going into corners.  We arrive at Debbie’s house at 7:30 pm—I’m fast asleep by 9 pm.

Day 2:  7:30 am I accompany Debbie to Bel Laurel where she boards horses that she trains.  These horses are incredibly beautiful, large warmbloods.  Doni can only be worked on the driveway at a walk ending with half-halts and given sugar by me when he’s deemed successful by Debbie.  The temperature is still a dismal 23 and snowflakes are sneaking down.  The arena is frozen.  I groom Doni and Hans and apply sports boots (incorrectly, but I’m corrected).  There is a 15 meter circle in the arena that’s now unfrozen so Debbie takes Hans out with the surcingle and lunges him.  We travel to Indian Hills Stable and I catch, groom and saddle Dollar.  Debbie gives me a “talk” about the change from Training Level to First Level.  The quality of the gaits must improve.  It’s not just about forwardness.  Again, we do 5, 6, 7 trots.  Walk to trot—feel hind thrust on move-off to trot from one walk step.  Lots of trot and canter work increasing suppleness by counterbending.  Canter to trot transitions, leg yields, shoulder in (35 degree angle).  We then go to another barn to watch three lessons of two First Level horses and one Introductory horse.  We then drive to a barn where an 18 hand Percheron/TB cross with the sweetness of a lamb was ridden Training Level.  Notably, hand position, not over-bending head/neck in lateral exercises and maintaining forwardness are stressed.  Debbie exercises an upper level horse for an out of town student while we’re at this barn.  I go out to dinner with Debbie and her husband and I’m asleep by 9:30 pm.

Day 3:  7:30 am I accompany Debbie to a stable where one lesson is given on beautiful, Introductory Level mare.  Forwardness and hollow back are initial issues but by the end of the lesson this team is much improved.  We go back to Indian Hills Stable where Debbie gives me a lesson on a warmblood mare.  She has big, strong movement compared with Dollar.  It’s a whole new game for me to supple this mare.  She’s very sweet but it takes a long time for warm-up.  Debbie discovers I ride with uneven reins, and says, “I wouldn’t have noticed it if you hadn’t done the same thing on this horse”.  This correction made a huge difference with Dollar as the week progressed.  It turns out Dollar had become used to my uneven reins but this mare was very annoyed with my bad habit.  I have a happy lesson on Dollar after grooming and saddling him.  It’s always easier riding your own horse.  Debbie lets me use the uniset to correct my seat positioning.  It’s very enlightening.  Dollar comes up in front of me immediately.  After the lesson, I realize Dollar’s front shoe is coming loose and I’m sure it won’t last until Saturday but luckily a talented farrier visits Indian Hill and applies a couple of nails.  Tonight at Debbie’s is Dressage Movie Night.  About ten women attend bringing movies and lots of fattening food.  Debbie points out various Olympiads using half-halts—who would have noticed?  Could this be any better?

Day 4:  8 am we visit one of Debbie’s client’s at her indoor arena.  Her lesson is on a large warmblood gelding doing Training and First Level movements.  We then go to Bel Laurel and I get to groom and ride 7 year old Hans on the trail (which I love!) while Debbie gives a lesson to a First Level rider in the arena.  I told Debbie I didn’t think Hans would have much success at barrels—his turning radius is too large.  This personable, beautiful 17 hand horse is featured with Debbie in Practical Horseman in an article about the Training Level 3 test this month.  His trot is suspension defined.  Next, we go back to Indian Hills Stables where I groom and tack up Dollar.  My seat and hands are improving.  I have to think about all these new lessons constantly.  At the end of each session, Debbie and I review what I will be doing through February for homework.  Debbie goes to Florida with Doni and Hans for a month each year so I won’t have another lesson after Saturday until March.  Debbie teaches me how to use yarn to button-braid Dollar’s mane and shows me how to correctly wrap Dollar’s legs.  This lesson is invaluable:  People just assume you know the basics, but you often don’t when you have your first riding lesson at age 39.  I’m 49 now and I still often fish for basic showing information.  I get to ride an enormous, impressive warmblood gelding—his canter is so animated, up and suspended that I laugh aloud.  He’s annoyed with my uneven reins too. 

Day 5:  I meet Debbie at 11 am for a lesson.  She’s already been to ride 3 horses.  I am late getting ready because I was determined to button-braid Dollar’s mane and wrap his legs successfully before my lesson and the picture-taking for this summary.  The 6 button braids I did do had to be taken down but at least his legs got wrapped—more homework.  I’m not even going to admit how long that mediocre braiding took!  Another few moments on the uniset reveal that this new, corrected position is getting easier.  We work on trot lengthening, 3 loop serpentine, 15 meter circles at canter, and controlling the inside shoulder at canter.  Evident homework assignments:  Position pelvis forward, arch base of spine, arms at sides, legs under body, heel under hip, shoulders over hips, quiet hands holding an imaginary plate.  Three necessary aspects of training scale:  Rhythm, Relaxation (Suppleness), Contact (connection).  Increase half-halts to prepare movements, keep steady connection, supple back and actively engage hind legs.  I then watched one Training Level lesson and had another lesson on the warmblood gelding from yesterday—he is so up, it makes you giddy.  I’m dismissed for the afternoon, meet Debbie at 6 pm for a 3 mile walk, eat with she and her husband and I’m asleep by 9 pm.

Day 6:  9 am at Indian Hill Stables for a final lesson on Dollar.  He’s eyeing the open, prepared trailer.  He has been extremely well-behaved this week.  I want to make it home in time to give him a few hours of turn-out with his gelding buddies.  We review and perform all lessons this week.  I’m armed with lots of homework and feel lots of progress has been made to successfully prepare to show First Level tests 1 and 2 in March.  At noon, I’m making my way home exhausted from following Debbie (aka Zippy) this week but far better and happier for it.  Words cannot describe how much I appreciate this learning opportunity from Carol Lavell and The Dressage Foundation.

                        In appreciation,
                        Deborah Howard