The Gifted Fund

Janice Lawrenz

USDF Region 2

Gifted Report

 

Rain. Lots of it. And wind. A pretty nasty autumn day here in northeast Ohio, but that was the day my letter arrived, telling me that I was the Region Two recipient of the Gifted Fund scholarship! My outlook of that day brightened immediately and planning for my clinic started right then & there! My goal for this year was to solidify our Prix St. Georges test, and start Intermediaire-I. This means that I need to increase collection and impulsion while maintaining a level thoroughbred brain!

Major Miguel Tavora has been a regular clinician in northeast Ohio for many years now. A native of Portugal, Miguel Tavora studied the art of horsemanship under the great master, Nuno Oliviera. During his military career he completed the course of Instructors and later the course of Masters at the Portuguese Military and Civilian Riding Academy of Mafra (CMEFED). He was later appointed as the Chief Instructor and the Director of the Equestrian Division of the Mafra School. Now residing in Australia, Major Tavora travels often to the USA for clinics. Charlotte Bayley, my regular coach, encouraged me to clinic with Major Miguel Tavora 5 years ago.

I am fortunate to board Ensigne (aka Eli) at Wood's Edge Stables in Burton, Ohio, where Miguel is our regular clinician. I try to ride in the 5-day clinics twice a year, but sometimes life gets in the way. My plan was to participate in a week-long clinic with Major Miguel Tavora in April, but I had to postpone my clinic until July, due to an injury. Although I did not ride in that April clinic, I did audit a few lessons, and took notes to apply to my riding, once I got back in the saddle. Although nothing beats the firsthand riding experience of a clinic, you can learn as much by watching other lessons!

July is always a busy month, especially at the end. My managerial duties for NODA's recognized competitions means that my horse does not get ridden for 4 days. Not a good thing, right before a clinic! Eli & I had a day of hacking, and a day of light work, then the Clinic! By nightfall on Tuesday, July 27, Eli was bathed & trimmed; Tack was clean. Everything was ready to go! Beep...Beep...Beep... After a few hits if the "snooze" button, I'm up and ready to go to the barn! Eli was not thrilled to see me at 5:45am, but cheered up as soon as he noticed that I brought his breakfast! Thankfully, he was still clean from his late night spa session, and he needed only a quick brushing! At 6:50, we head into the arena.

Day One
The nice thing about working with the Major is that he keeps detailed notes of where you left off previously, and what your "homework" was. He seemed please with the progress Eli & I had made in the 10 months since we worked with him last. We started with the requisite small circles at the walk. Left, then right. Three meter voltes, almost thinking shoulder-in, to really get correct flexion and step. Then onto 20m circle, working trot. Eli has been having a little trouble with the right hind "slipping", and not really working. That's because he's not bending properly through the body. The rib cage on the horse cannot bend right/left, as riders often think it does. It's impossible, given the physiology of the vertebrae. Instead, it shifts or swings left/right, allowing the inside hind to step up into the "open space" it creates. . As soon as I thought I'd die from any more sitting trot, we had a nice walk break! Other clinic riders commented on my trot work, how much it improved during the exercise. During the break we discussed how horses, like people, have a dominant side. Sort of like being right or left-handed. Eli does not want to stretch his left side. He will overbend the neck, leg-yield, or do anything else he can to avoid it. Also, we always have to work on straightness. We discussed what exercises help Eli overcome his "issues" with stretching and straightness. Ten meter circles, shoulder-in, and transitions from collected to medium gaits really seem to help him. Always start with the "easy" side with each exercise, then move to the difficult side. Any problem that your horse has will show up at each new exercise. We work on strengthening and improving those movements, then increase the difficulty. The problem will present itself again, to a lesser extent. We then look to strengthen and improve, using our arsenal of exercises and movements. With this in mind, we began our walk voltes, get back on the bit, and prepare to canter!

The canter work was much improved from what we had in our warm-up. Forward, but still needs more "jump". Collected canter on a 10m circles, followed by a 20m circle at medium canter solves this problem for us. "Very clever", Miguel tells me, after a quick adjustment on my part. I live to be clever! Half pass was very good. Always from the wall to the centerline, to prevent the "wall magnet" from taking over. Changes at I were clean and straight. A very good first day!

Day Two
The second day started off very well! Very forward trot right from the start! (We usually are pretty pokey in the beginning, with that right hind not really working at the start.) Forward + Engaged = Correct Gait, no "slipping" from that right hind! Bending and stretching is also good, but still could be better tracking to the right. Exercise: Trot shoulder-in along the long side, transition to walk, then back to trot, while keeping shoulder-in. Follow with a 20m circle at medium trot. This helps me keep my weight in the correct spot, improves Eli's self-carriage, and stretches the outside. It also keeps him guessing, as he starts to anticipate the next movement.

We worked more on canter movements today. Half pass rightà left is good, but needs to be more forward, and needs more "jump" going leftà right. Could be suppleness problem. Could be rider problem. It's probably both. So, back to trot on a 20m circle, shoulder-in/haunches-in/medium transitions. This exercise helped both of us with the control of the haunches and timing of the aids. Half pass is now much better, both in trot and canter, in both directions.

Single changes are quite straight and clean. Multiple changes are rushed, after the 2ndchange. Exercise: Canter 20m circle. At M, canter towards A, with 2 flying changes before X (4's or 3's), then turn and repeat. 1- - - 2. Circle. 1- - - 2. Circle. No rushing. (Diagram of exerciseà)

The quality of the half-pass and the flying change depends on the quality of the canter. It the canter is good, half-pass and changes will be expressive. If the canter lacks impulsion and/or engagement, they will be flat or late behind.

Miguel then asked how piaffe was coming along. Earlier this summer, we had 5-6 good beginning steps, without ground person. Of course, we did not have piaffe today to show him! Miguel then came out into the arena, with an in-hand whip, and Eli became quite concerned. We don't like whips. AT ALL. His brain finally calmed down, and he worked through the concern over the whip (of course, it hasn't actually touched him!). Eli grows about 2 hands during all of this!

Day 3
I chose to have the 7am ride, since it's August, and usually hot. Now, I'm freezing! 56 degrees outside, and I'm riding with long sleeves, in the middle of summer!! It's just not right!

We stay with the same warm-up that we've been doing. Eli came to work right away. We added increased flexion and impulsion to all movements. Absolutely no slipping behind! Today we added full diagonals of changes, with no rushing after the first attempt. Both 4's and 3's. Very Good.

There was more concentrated in-hand work today. Very little involvement on my part at first - just stay in the center, while Eli got used to Miguel carrying the whip. After the initial jumping about, settled down and went to work. Without me hindering him in this process, Eli really got under himself, and had some nice big piaffe steps. It also gave my vain self an opportunity to look in the mirror and actually see them!

Day 4
Again, we started with the same warm-up as the last 3 days. Add the increase in flexion and impulsion, and "There you are", always a good response from Miguel! I was asked to ride a pirouette, both to the left, and the right. I usually start with a travers on the short side, then head along the acute diagonal, and attempt the pirouette. Sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not. Today, the pirouette left was there. Felt like a "7", if it was scored. The right pirouette was more of a "5". Not good.

Today's revelation will come in the form of a new exercise for us, to help prepare for the pirouette. Exercise: Travers down the long side, 10m half-circle haunches-in at the end, continue towards wall in half-pass, then into renvers position. Travel in renvers position off the wall to "C", half circle again, travers to "B", then straight on acute diagonal, into pirouette. The diagram is my sorry attempt to put in on paper, but at least I get the idea!

This exercise helps us get a good collected canter, with enough push from the inside leg to carry the weight through the pirouette. I can also get better control of the hindquarters.

Day 5
We put everything together on this last day, with the focus of keeping the increase in flexion and collection in all movements, but still able to ask for the longitudinal suppleness, and getting a correct response. We worked again on the piaffe, trotting small voltes around Miguel, then halt on the long side. Eli didn't even care about a brief touch of the whip on his leg! Circle, Walk, Halt. Eventually, we achieved a very collected and "up" trot, then into a few good steps of piaffe!

My goal of this past week has been to work towards solidifying our PSG movements. With the work that we've done in the past 5 days, and with continued maintenance with our "homework", I think that we can present a solid test, with an easy step up to Intermediare.

We all can get on our horses, and ride the "tricks". My horse is a little half-pass and change "machine". They are very easy for him. But, if I don't ride them correctly, what good does it do? All the movements we do are exercises to "obtain harmonious development of the physique and ability of the horse". (Article 401 -- FEI Rules for Dressage). All movements, whether a shoulder-in at the trot or a canter half-pass, should be ridden as a gymnastic, in order to improve engagement, impulsion, balance and self-carriage. This can only happen if the exercises are ridden accurately and correctly.

Thanks you to Carol Lavell and The Dressage Foundation for creating the Gifted Fund Scholarship and offering it to Adult Amateurs! And, thank you to the Grant Selection Committee for choosing me to be the recipient for Region 2.

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