The International Society of Rider Biomechanics is looking for hosts and volunteers for the upcoming International Training Conference at the KentuckyHorse Park.

We have international visiting VIP’s who need collecting at the airport, and our speakers need to be guided and settled into hotels, and volunteers to drive them to and from hotels.

It could be just a “on off” time you could help out, or help out every day.

If you wish to attend the conference yourself, you would be able to come at 50% – yes HALF PRICE just for offering some volunteer help.

Please get more information from Mindy Email: mwco410@gmail.com

May 1 – We’re in the USA

After a 3.5 stays in hospital (one was only overnight) I’ve had 2 week’s recovery and I’m back in the USA, ready to work on Friday for the CA Tour Stop.

Yes, I’m going to “take it easy” whenever I can, but that isn’t easy at all! The house looked lovely when we were finished. My sister would have been very proud of her new place, what a pity she never lived to see it so nice!

Again, amazing thanks to the nurses and staff at St. Vincent’s hospital in Melbourne. I can’t understand it…if you have no medical system (now which country could I be thinking of here), and you go bankrupt or die, that’s just dumb…can’t pay tax if you’re dead. Thank God for Australia or Nick and I would be bankrupt…or, like we’ve been left in car parks in hospitals refusing us entry in other countries, DEAD.

Remember: Gandhi said you can judge a country by the way it treats it’s lowest member. God Bless Australia!

April 18 – House on the Market

We want to get into our new home ASAP.  Hospital yesterday, getting house ready for real estate agents today. That’s how these things go. Nick and his son James got the house ready for the agent.

They were very impressed. Very tired now and sleep the rest of the day.

April 16 – Hospital Again

Like a roundabaout….I try to get back, and I’m sick again and I try to get back and I’m sick again (wonder what Louise Hay would think of this?)

At any rate…this time it was only short, and I’ll be out soon.  It was my thyroid again, my leg shakes were so bad I could barely walk at one stage.

Cancelled 3 clinics. Breaks my heart, all those people all excited.  However, Kelly Sigler saves the day again and is doing the ADVANCED Clinic on her own.

Now,just thinking how well she’s done to be able to do this. She does lovely travers, shoulder in and trot half pass and half pass/flying changes with her own horse (and nearly mine too), She’s going to be out competing soon. Show them it CAN be done nicely.

April 9, 2013 – In hospital again – 3rd time

Well, here I am again, needles, poking, more needles, more tests. A bit weepy I must say. Off to exploratory surgery this morning. Not to invasive I hope, but really need this done.

Sadly can’t make the first of the Police clinics, thank GOD for Kelly Sigler!  She is going to do them for me. She’s just wonderful, the people love her, and she’s the highest passed Biomechanics trainer in the country, so GO KELLY!

Working with my essential oils, red light, but more importantly…way more importantly…prayer. So keep me in yours.

April – new month new start

I’m back home again and feeling much MUCH better and I get a phone call” Colleen we don’t think you should go back to Australia” from the doctor at about 8:30pm at night. Bearing in mind I’d seen this guy at like 8 that morning, and he’d mentioned that (he’s a DOCTOR) gets on the train in the morning at 7:45am. Then he says this test and that test, and you know I CAN TRUST HIM. Why? Because I’m not paying him. Seems to me working in this system we have in Australia NO-ONE is paying him!

March 26 – Some good news in hospital

The pancreatitis is a little bit better today, blood testing every 5 mins I swear! But better news…they scanned my breast (again!) and it’s fluid not blood, and although big and painful, it won’t need to be drained we hope.  They’re keeping an eye on it, but it’s better news than yesterday. Went for a couple of little walks today…on the arm of my darling buddie Nick xxx.

March 27 – Still in hospital

Sadly, back in hospital again!  Can you believe it…now I have too high (by a LOT!) thyroid, and pretty bad pancreatitis. They’re also thinking they need to do my surgery on my breast to drain blood clots…oh boy. I musst admit I feel crap (sorry my USA friends about my language…on well!)

March 26 – Back in hospital (again!)

Yes, sadly tonight I had to use it…and for like $100 bucks a year for a FAMILY, OMG what a relief it was to pick up the phone and know that ambulance was FREE!

Not sure about what’s wrong, but it’s not good right now!

Tuesday March 19 – Ask for help

I hate asking for help, but today I did, and I feel so much better. It was stupid, it’s all about culmination of so many things coming together at once. Firstly it’s the breast reduction/removal, then cancer, then feeling worse and worse every day, right now I’ve been in bed for TWO WEEKS, and everyone knows how energetic I am, and that’s just impossible. I’m even watching COOKING SHOWS on TV…oh dear!

The problem is my thyroid. It’s an auto-immune problem where my body is attacking my thyroid, and it’s overworking. One test was meant to be less than 60, and mine is 1,300. I shake, I have these horrible “irrits” I call them where I can’t sit still, especially my legs and I have to shake them. I can’t sleep, I faint, and the weirdest thing…my heart is THUMPING in my chest, I can now even hear it over my tinnitis!

But it all culminated in the tape on my surgery wounds. I was meant to change it last Saturday, now it’s Tuesday and I still haven’t done it, I’ve managed to get a little bit off, burst into weeping tears (very unlike me) and just stopped.

So, I ring my surgeon today, which took so much courage to ask for help and I told her the situation. She was amazing. Answered the phone personally, and told me it will be OK, and she’ll do it Thursday.

Sometimes asking for help does have a nice result at the end.

Friday March 16 Happy Birthday to Me!

And to all that are fighting this terrible disease…every birthday is a plus! Having a lovely day resting with cake and champagne and lovely flowers from Nick and my Dad. Best birthday ever.

Friday March 15 1:00pm – Yes It’s cancer

It’s official!  I have breast cancer.

Actually…no…I HAD breast cancer.  I have to think positive.

Today my surgeon, Dr. Jane Patterson (love her!) rang me with the news of the pathology.  Yes, it’s breast cancer.  But…good news is they got it all out in the surgery, and she thinks I might not need further treatment. Think positive!

I find out next Wednesday when I meet with the oncology breast surgeon if we need further treatment.

This…my friends…is where prayer comes in, and I hope in reading this you’ll think of me, and add me tonight in your prayers!

March 13 – Surgery went well

The surgery went well…my boobs now look like a teenager! Woke up in a bit of pain, but one push of the button and it was GONE! (Love hospital drugs…yippee!). Home with only Panadol, and Panadeine at night (over the counter drugs).

During the surgery they took samples of everything…waiting results.

March 6 – Breast reduction/removal

So, I’m back in Australia again. Today’s the big day! I get the metal clip out that they put in during the core biopsy to “mark the spot” where they think is trouble.

By the way…what all started this is I felt a lump.  Turns out the lump was NOTHING.  But in the mammogram they found “calcifications”, and it’s that area they’re worried about.  Didn’t hurt. No symptoms. No pain. No lump. No NOTHING…that’s why it’s the SILENT KILLER!

So, instead of them fiddling around, doing more biopsies, I’m going to “jump the gun” and go ahead and have the reduction and removal of this clip  in hopes to remove the part they’re worried about…even at this stage they’re only calling it “a possibility”, and “calification”….no one has said it’s actually cancer yet, but I’m not waiting around to find out!

No defensive action here! It’s attack attack attack from me!

29 January – Core Biopsy – GET DRUGS!!!

The universe certainly has a way of making things happen!

While I’m thinking, “this can wait”, “I’ll be back in Australia in July”…We arrive in the USA, and being held for FIVE HOURS in immigration, with threats not to let us back into the USA (although we have tax numbers, pay tax, have visas….anyway…) they are only giving us a FIVE DAY VISA, means we have to return to get a higher level visa.

Mmm…maybe I do have time to look at this breast thing after all. Could the US Immigration System just have saved my life?

Biopsy today. Waiting results. And a tip…if you ever have to have a biopsy…demand drugs. Needle biopsy doesn’t hurt, but core biopsy is HIDEOUS. My sister and my cousin Bev describe it as one of the worst experiences ever. And..come on medical fraternity…there’s NO NEED FOR THAT. My lovely doctor gave me some lovely little pills and I barely remember it at all, and ABSOLUTELY NO PAIN.

It’s not fair Shauna and Bev had to suffer physical and emotional pain CAUSED BY DOCTORS…there was no need for this and it’s darned well not fair.  DEMAND DRUGS!!!  Or, refuse treatment (as soon as you say refuse treatment they get their knickers in a twist, and “bingo” the prescription pad suddenly comes out.

It’s weird..it’s like the doctors are paying for the drugs themselves…what the hell’s wrong with them…Oh I remember THEY’RE MEN! Let’s see them have a core biopsy of their boy bits with no drugs and see how they go…yeah right, bet that script pad would come out!

What the hell is wrong with doctors! You’re just not treating your customers fairly. Why did I get such great treatment (WHEN I DEMANDED!) and Shauna and Bev (and I hope not Irene) had to go it “cold turkey” and no drugs. NOT FAIR!

4 January, 2013 – Bay of Islands, NZ

Thinking this is the most beautiful place on earth, I get a phone call from the doctors back in Aus saying I need to return for more tests. I don’t have time for this. I’m busy. I’m off to the USA…I’ll just do this later. I’m too busy.

27 December 2012 – Back in Melb for testing

OK, let’s get this darned thing tested.  Off for biopsy. But not waiting for results, have to go on holidays in NZ. I’ve booked them, I’ve earned them and I’m taking them, sorry no time for this.

20 December 2012 – While packing for the move to the USA – I find a lump

We’re packing ready to go…the Wridgeway Removalists are here packing all the valuable glass wear. And…WHILE WE’RE PACKING…I find a lump.

So, off to the hospital I go, leaving Nick at home with the removalists packing while I go and get it checked out.  Royal Women’s Melbourne have referred me next door to Melbourne Royal. They’re saying scary words like “biopsy”.  Sounds HIDEOUS.

Mammogram done. Scan done.

But we have holidays booked, I don’t have time for this crap (sorry to my USA friends who hate my language, oh well…sorry…). But I don’t have a choice. Madly rush around and figure out how I can get 2 biopsies done in a matter of days.

Got one done, but dont’ have time for the other….off to Dad’s for Christmas – way more important than this mess.  PS.  BTW the “lump” turns out to be nothing, but in the mammogram we discover problems….

16 November 2011 – Shauna passes – within 2 years of Mum

Shauna T. Kelly, passed away peacefully at 8.36am on Wednesday November 16 at the Royal Women’s Hospital. I was mean to have dinner with her Thursday.

Sure enough, within 2 years, Mum’s “best buddie” Shauna is gone. She passed away when I was sitting at on a plane on the way home from the USA to see her.  I missed her by about 3 or 4 hours.

That means I NEVER saw her sick…not one single day!

I was due to have dinner with her the night after I arrived home from the USA, but we never made it. She died about 5 hours before I landed in Melbourne.

Nick was there to meet me at the airport with Shauna’s best very long term friend from the Queensland Youth Orchestra, Music Teacher, Helen Holt and her amazing husband Lennox Holt. Nick walked up and told me the bad news. All I could say was “what a bitch” (pardon language, but that’s what I said…sorry again my USA friends who hate my language..it’s just “me”).

Then I saw Helen and Lennox. I guess they’ll never forget that reaction!

What I meant was, I knew exactly what had happened. Euthenasia is, as in most countries, illegal. But it happens anyway. Early on I guess they ascertain the legal standpoint “DNR” – the famous “do not resucitate”. But it’s more complicated than that. Would you chose tubing, would you chose to be fed, would you chose drips?

Everyone was sure certain what Shauna wanted.  NOTHING!  She sure made that absolutely clear! But in the end she would have accepted pain killers finally.

And we also know that pain relief is not monitored in palliative care.

That morning she told staff that very morning…. “I can’t do this any more”, and when you read her last couple of weeks here: www.anecessaryend.com the last part didn’t sound like fun!

Just hours later she was gone.

Somehow, someway, she arranged for her to go on HER terms. Just as she always wanted. I can barely type her name without crying.

She was everything to me. More than she’ll ever know now. She taught me everything. She was my protector in a tough childhood, she was my role model, she woudl tell me off (one of only two people in the world who can

April 2011 – If in doubt…whip em out

OK doesn’t sound like a great heading, but I wanted this to be an honest account of what happened, and how I felt. With suspect genes with 2 of my cousins with breast cancer, darling Irene Manual (Riley) already passed, but dear sweet Beverly chugging on like me.  So, the doctors have recommended ovary removal.

I went in with them all ready to explain “this and that, and every other darned thing”.  Not interested. I’m busy. If in doubt WHIP ‘EM OUT! I told that to the Doctor, and he really tried not to smile, but he laughed anyway.

So, that’s done.  Wasn’t that bad.  Wasn’t that hard. I was back at work the next week teaching in Perth. Wasn’t meant to fly, did anyway. Wasn’t meant to be back at work, did anyway.  Didn’t kill me! LOL

I love living in the USA…but….thank you Australia, medical is FREE FREE FREE!
What did Ghandi say?
“You can judge a country by the way they treat their lowest member”.  I do love Aussie!  

January 2010 – Paradigm Shift

I remember reading, I think in a Stephen Covey book about a paradigm shift.  It was the first time I’d head that term, and didn’t know what it meant. I’m pretty sure it was one of his books (I’m a self-help book NUTTER, so I read so many I forget) he then went on to give an example:

A father and children on a train. The children were really naughty, making noise and disturbing other people, while the father just sat there, doing nothing about it.  Finally a passenger had had enough…got up and told the Dad in no uncertain terms what they thought of his control of the kids. Then the father simply said, “I’m sorry I’m on the way home from my wife’s funeral, I guess they’re upset, and I just didn’t notice”.

Paradigm shift. Instant Shift in beliefs, or change in what you though was true. As Tony Robbins would say “what else could this mean?”

So, here’s my paradigm shift…I’ve been in the USA and I was getting a bit pissed off.  My sister Shauna couldn’t even be bothered to ring me for my birthday, pretty rude, I ALWAYS remember hers. Then at Christmas she didn’t ring either…so I rang her.  Pretty rude I thought.

Then: Paradigm shift.

She rings me to tell me that not only does she have cancer. Deadly cancer. 2 to 5 years to live she reckons.  But, she’s also already had massive surgery and many many rounds of chemo…she wasn’t ignoring me on my special days…she was suffering herself.  Eeek! paradigm shift.

When Mum died, I knew statistically a partner would go within 2 years…funnily enough Shauna and Mum were always “partners” but I had no clue that it would be Shauna. I would never dream she would go first. Tragic, just tragic. She was a “tour de force”, huge in her game of WORD Microsoft Professoinals, and left a body of work some of which is still on line:

http://www.anecessaryend.com/

http://www.shaunakelly.com

http://www.beentheredonethatboughtthetshirt.com

Well my silent worry… all this time has been that we’d lose Dad within 2 years. Paradigm shift, and again, the two “party boys” live on in our family, and the good really do die young.

12 June 2008 – Mum suddenly passes

Dad has just  been given the “all clear”. After being given 4 weeks to live, he’s now FINE…Just one week after he’s declared “cancer free”…then this happens:

5 days after the all clear I get a phone call from him saying “Mum’s had a brain bleed”. They’re going to operate later tonight.

I’m a bit of a medical nutter, I watch all the medical shows, and I knew straight away, at Mum’s advanced years they wouldn’t be operating, it was merely a “delay ploy” to keep her alive until we were by her side to say goodbye.

Mum died that night: Shauna holding one hand, me holding the other and Dad praying by her feet. Really what she’d always prayed for, the ultimate passing for a devoted Catholic.

God I miss her.  But what scares me the most is that statistically her partner is meant to die within 2 years. I’m not sure I can handle Dad going so soon!  Let’s just think the best….

2007 Dad has 4 weeks to live

Mum and Dad are packed and ready to go to Africa and Dad thinks “I’ll just get this lump checked out”, and the Doctor gives him 4 weeks to live.  Lymphoma cancer.

Dreaded chemo with a brand new experimental drug…and now…six year’s later he’s FINE!

I’ve always wondered – from a big Irish Catholic family all the ones that didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, went to bed and never swore…they’re all dead.  And the two “party animals” (and they were…diving off the diving tour, or riding my child’s scooter off the roof into the swimming pool at 3am in the middle of winter as a party trick!) are still with us…Uncle Peter (always my favorite Uncle) and Dad.

The two bad boys are still with us..living proof: only the good die young.  Mmmm….I’m going to live till over 100 then!

Darling Cousin Bev Johnston (nee Manuel)- Breast Cancer

During my sister’s VERY INTENSE study of the genetics of my family, we found that all my cousins have breast cancer, including darling Bev Johnston (Manual is my mother’s name).

I often feel, out on the road, on the other side of the world, even with my darling Nick by my side, alone….but, there’s something positive and good in everything you know…and this wretched dammed disease has brought me closer to my family. They were always there, but now even more.

Darling Cousin Irene Riley (nee Manuel) Passes

Irene was always the darling of the family. She really never was well, and had a lot of complicated issues, but one of them breast cancer. Poor darling really suffered trailing her oxygen tank with her everywhere. Ray Riley, her beloved husband, is one of my family’s stalwarts. He and cousin Ray Manuel and the two “patriachs” of my mother’s family.

FULL 2013 CALENDAR

Click arrows below to select months. Click clinic name for details.

We’re getting more and more concerned with the outbreak, with more farms being quarantined yesterday in: 

• St. Augustine
• Oviedo
• FEI Tent at Wellington Show Grounds, Wellington
• Ocala
• Pinellas Park
• Reddick
• Wellington
• Loxahatchee
• Ocala

Please be patient with information on our clinics…as we are trying not to just have a knee-jerk panic reaction, but also have to be super careful with our lovely horses…So, please check back on this page for more information…or go to the right hand side where it says “sign up for the newsletter” and we’ll send it to your email.

-  Colleen Kelly

Equine Herpes Outbreak. Statement from Colleen Kelly re Equine Herpes Outbreak

Please sign up for the newsletter (scroll down right)
and we’ll send you any updates.

Thank you for your emails about the Herpes Outbreak in Florida, yet another reason why Kelly Sigler and my horses are vaccinated for everything there is! Not only do we love our horses, but we would be devastated if we brought disease of any kind to another person’s property.

As you might know we have clinics scheduled in Ocala and St. Augustine next month.

As the clinic is still nearly a month away, and the current update says

“…Movement requirements or restrictions have not been imposed by Florida or any other states at this time…” Florida Department of Agriculture

I HATE disappointing people after they’re all so excited we’re coming, so we’ll definitely make room for new dates this year should the clinics(s) have to be postponed.

We will be making a decision about the clinics within the next 2 weeks regarding postponment, and get back to you as soon as the picture becomes clearer, and again thank you for caring so much about your horses, as we sure do about ours!

Best wishes from London!
Colleen Kelly

If you are thinking of doing the Biomechanics Teacher Training Certification Course this year, then you need to grab the DVD’s that are on sale right now!

The International Society of Rider Biomechanics will no longer offer the DVD on-line training program, which is to be replaced by 5 day training courses.

This means that, for the very last time, the DVDs are being offered on sale  - down a whopping amount to only $60!  Amazing for 18 hours of DVDs!!!

They’re suitable both for beginner coaches who would like to like to ‘get a start’, or for existing coaches who would like to specialise, and ideal for riders who just want to learn what all us coaches know, and how to apply it to their own personal riding. And for competitors they are just brilliant  to “get the winning edge”.

Hurry…sale about to close.  More details

Looking forward to coming back to the England and Wales for 3 separate clinics in July 2013.  We’re just confirming the days and dates now, so if you’d like more info email my assistant Nicole Schneider ckriderbiomechanics@gmail.com

July, 2013.  Teacher Training

Teacher Training details here

Here’s a snippet below, but there’s also more on the full video

We”d love for you to see our work – I’d love to send you a free DVD of 4 demos I did at the Sydney Olympics Grounds for the International Eventing, simply for signing up for our newsletter in the right hand column >

But you’ve just GOT to have a look at this gorgeous 1 minute video while you’re here….

I’m still adding to this page, but thought to let members who have signed up an early glimpse as I’m working on int…

Kelly Sigler rang me today from the USA.
She’s in the middle of the Georgia Rider Biomechanics Clinic,
and having an amazing time (anyone got photos)?
We got to talking about “what comes after what”.
And we thought you might enjoy this

Philosophy – what judges want.

“What Judge’s Want”
Colleen at the Women in Horse Industry Conference Nashville TN

Judge’s want four things: 1. The Gaits (Paces). Regularity, rhythm, tempo, how they step, do they grind, do they look comfortable to ride, or is it a bumpy looking horse. 2. Impulsion. Not just out of control speed, but the power of the gymnast. Think of the floor gymnast at the Olympics. The BURSTS of speed, but then ultimate control of it. It’s the power that gives the “bounce” to the stride and the “jump” in the canter.

3. SUBMISSION. Not behind the vertical!  That’s not submission, it’s very bad submission, and although a lot of powerful riders have tried to push it’s OK ,it’s VERY MUCH NOT OK. The rule book is VERY CLEAR when it says “slightly in front of the vertical”. Even if it’s slight, it’s not SELF CARRIAGE, it’s not the horse coming out on the bit even if they didn’t have a bridle on. It’s turning and stopping and being obedient to every single lighest aid of the rider.  The rider that has the lightest contact and correct position and is able to turn looking like they have no bridle on…that’s the 10 right there!

4. RIDER. The rider must make it look easy, look like they’re selling the easiest horse in the world to ride.  The rider that has to kick (the heel must be the lowest point of the rider), or pull (without apparent effort) will score vastly lower than the rider who can show the horse in self carriage and SELF FORWARD, not kicking to go, or using whips, but really committed to forward.  That rider will score so highly because it’s so rare. We must also look here at the biomechanics of the rider: heels, thumbs, elbows, where to sit, thighs and knees…they’re all mentioned in the rule book.  It’s a rare rider that could pull the entire description together, but we can try!

The purpose of all these fancy moves…

Have I lost you yet? That’s when judging becomes a trained profession and takes years to develop a good eye, punching out marks with confidence and with quick yet sympathetic comments.

To make it simple, the purpose of all these fancy moves is to strengthen the horse for battle. This is the original military training of the horse. And the horse in battle had to be fast, he had to be sound, he had to SIT to be able to jump, he had to stretch his legs just that 1 inch longer than his enemy, and if the horse could do 1 inch longer stride than his competitor then that army would get to the next town faster!

The same remains today. We want the horse to be fast, sound, engaged, and stretched/lengthened – and that’s in EVERY sport.

How Biomechanics helps you get it

1. IMPULSION.

The easiest to get is impulsion. With the GO and SLOW exercise, and my article “How Anyone can make a horse go, and if it really doesn’t I’d check every health issue you can think of.

2. SUBMISSION.

In the beginning it’s all about TURNING. Can that horse really turn from the rider’s body position, or do we have to go back to the reins. And also is the horse on the bit (contact, slightly in front of vertical, light elastic hock action) and then keeping the contact and not just “flopping down” in the free walk on a long rein. Is the horse’s nose so far down it’s on the floor? It shouldn’t be below the horse’s knee.

3. REGULARITY. PACES (Gates).

Just ride to music, then extension and collection over poles and you’re done!

4. RIDER.

Well we’re working not only on just sitting up straight and looking cute (which we do anyway LOL), but USING our body for engagement not our hands…USING our body for turning not our hands…USING our body for go, not our legs.  Doing it all invisibly, and the thumbs, elbows, heels, thighs, those rules are just here to help us.

Where do I start?

It’s very important to know the order of things. If we get them out of order, or if we miss a step, we’re bound for problems, sometimes serious problems.

For example…at higher levels, if you dont’ do travers BEFORE half pass, the horse is being forced to stretch, or won’t stretch at all.  I can’t remember how many times as a judge I said “not enough bend”. I was a nice judge though, and always tried to give helpful tips, but I could understand when we see these dead straight horses in half pass, even WRONG bend or flexion, that thehigher level judge might considered giving a “0″, which means not executed, because it’s basically the wrong movement. Wrong flexion is exactly what we DONT want, so it could be considered that it was exactly to opposite to the movement, and therefore the movement we asked for was not executed.

I’ve seen it when Spanish Walk and Piaffe are taught at the same time…what a mess!  I’ve seen GREAT horses ruined. In this order of things I will go up to Olympic level, and later refer to Anneke Roodt what comes after that in order of Levade, Corbette etc.

The order of things:

1. We need the horse obedient.

To have control of the nose, left and right equally, so the first level is all about turning. How easy was it for you to do that 20m circle (the largest, easiest circle).  That’s why the 20m circle is in there…can you show the judge you can turn invisibly…freely, without touching those reins or that spur.  Can you do it between a combination of impulsion and submission. Have the “go” and having the turn are the basic things tested at this level.

COLLEEN’S TIP: Ride impulsive large trot circles, make sure your heels are down, and you’re not leaning in, and with a long, light contact, but with contact, put your inside hand behind the crook of your leg.  You get not just control of direction and bend, but the head also LOWERS, relaxing the horse and getting more on the bit.

2. STRAIGHTNESS.

We want to know early in the horse’s training if the horse is strong enough, and straight enough to go to higher level work. From now on we are going to put more and more pressure on the stifles,  hocks and fetlocks.  The horse is probably on the forehand most of the time at this level, and IT’S BEST TO STAY THERE UNTIL YOU’VE GOT THAT HORSE STRAIGHT!

• The tests of straightness: center lines, long sides, short sides are obvious, but you can also tell a lot by “where are the ears?”.
• The reins are “train tracks” and the horse shouldn’t lean on one. Often a horse can look pretty straight, but when you look up there’s an unequal BULGE in the horse’s neck. You can see this in the center of the horse’s neck….about where injects are given.  Let’s call that the “injection point”. At that side of the neck the rein runs up the neck, and it SHOULD be equal on both sides, but often you see the neck touching one rein, and sinking away from the other. One one side of the neck the horse touches the rein, and on the other side the rein is loose away from the neck.

3. THE LOOP

is practiced with diligence for one year.  This is training level/level 1 year.  Look for:

• HEAD TILT. If the horse were wearing a pink bonnet like Saint here – is one ear higher?  is one ear more forward? Must be dead straight on a straight line
• FOOTPRINTS. Are the back feet equally stepping into the track of the front foot.  Watch the tracking up. Watch the arena surface, look for the footprint, and train your eye to WATCH FOOTPRINTS – not just the feet.
• TAIL.  What’s the tail doing? Is it relaxed, are the vertabrae straight? Is it kinked off to one side (bearing in mind some breeds do this, and that’s OK if it’s natural) in pain in the back or tail? As the horse goes up the levels, look for the tail swinging equally left and right over the hocksl

***ON THE GROUND ***
But now in the bridle, not on the long or short lines
This develops contact on the ground, and on the ground we start teaching shoulder in & ravers – all in the bridle on the ground.

4. SHOULDER IN.

Now we have strengthened the hocks for ONE YEAR in loops loops loops in canter especially, we’re ready to overload ONE hock at a time. If you try it before really strengthening hocks, you do so at your peril (or worse, the horse’s ultimate peril – how many horses have injected hocks & stifles!).  Now we’re ready for shoulder in – SOFTLY – in the corners, cutting the long side and with flexion and bend and softly falling out.  You may wonder why I didn’t say leg yield next, well leg yield is fine, but shoulder in is better.  With beautiful soft bend and flex you get wonderful stretching exercises for the outsider of the horse.

COLLEEN’S TIP. Shoulder in is just a bad circle. Every time you fall out of ANY circle it’s a baby shoulder in.  And, start with the baby level, don’t slam it up the wall and wonder why the horse fights. We only do it up the wall because that’s one of the harder ways to do it, and we can show the judge are we booting it up the longside with our legs, or do we have enough impulsion and rider position to be able to do it “invisibly”, almost with no apparent aids!

***ON THE GROUND***
I find, and horses find, half pass on the ground EXTREMELY easy! If…they have good contact, and good contact requires good impulsion, so if way back when you didn’t get the impulsion, or if you lose it and don’t go back to the impulsion exercise to fix it, and try to fix it within the movement, it probably won’t work. Half pass on the ground makes easier for both you and the horse to understand where the reins need to be, at what angle to hold your hands. You’ll learn where your horses sweet spots are, because one inch off and some horses just won’t do it. Then it’s great to put the rider on, and do it in hand again so they can know where to put their body.

5. HAUNCHES IN.  

I’m going to call it haunches in, and I’m going to make it a WHOLE SEGMENT DIFFERENT from travers. I have been using the terms interchangeably for years.  However I think a distinction should be made between “BABY STEPS” – let’s call that Haunches In…and the more advanced travers requiring a LOT of stretch on the outside of the horse.

COLLEEN’S TIP: 1. Straight ears 2. Inside leg forward 3. Look to the outside 4. You might need inside “belly button rein” to keep the ears straight. 5. A whip HIGH ON THE OUTSIDE, up near the hip will help. 6. If you run out of impulsion…stop doing the exercise. Dont’ fix the problem within the movement, go back to the go and slow.

6. BABY HALF PASS TO THE WALL.

IT’S JOB – BEND! Or should I say STRETCH. Stretching the outside of the horse. The word BEND to me somehow comes out as “pull on the inside rein somehow, use inside leg and MAKE the horse bend’.  That’s not self carriage. That’s making the horse do it, that’s not the horse so fit and so strong that bend to the wall is a breeze.

Come down the long side in trot or canter… turn down center line …keep that bend ….softly move the horse to the wall – WITH THAT BEND you got from coming onto the center line. This is a soft easy beautiful exercise and if you have enough impulsion and submission and lightness you’ll be able to do it with your vision and weight aid only. Your backup aid is your outside leg. But the whole purpose of the exercise is to see how much BEND we can get the horse to hold IN SELF CARRIGE (not us making the horse). So…if you use the outside leg you’re MAKING the horse do it. If you use your impulsion, submission, vision, weight aid all together, this exercise is easy. And, it’s the rider that can get a horse in self carriage like that, that’s the rider that gets the 10.

COLLEEN’S TIP: Don’t get stressed.  This is the real first sideways and engagement and forward and bend exercise. RELAX! If your horse doesn’t make it back to the wall, thank him for the steps he did give – don’t punish him for not having the strength to pull it off. He will tomorrow!  Enjoy one little step!  And reward!

7. WALK PIROUETTES.

Purpose: Liften the forehand, overweight the hind quarter. Test how strong the hind quarters are getting. Can the horse still keep stepping? Keeping rhythm and tempo with the back feet. Not a “grind and spin” where the back foot doesn’t move, but a real STEPPING. And, if you want to get fancy, stepping also at the same height in each direction.  If you’re doing left pirouette and the inside hind (the right hind) is lifting off the ground one inch…then you turn around and do a pirouette in the opposite direction, so now you’re on a right pirouette, so the inside hind is the right hind.  If the inside hind is lifting off the ground 4 inches, then you’ve got a problem!  And, it’s often rider caused, and we can fix that!

Riders lean in, that’s what they were meant to learn NOT to do back on the 20m circles and straightness, but they still do lean in!  In response some horses step backwards, or grind their inside hind foot in the sand and not lift, not keeping it stepping in time…they might step out of the circle, or not really want to lift, stretch and lighten the forehand, with the ultimate test – WHAT DID THE INSIDE HIND FOOT DO?

I can almost judge a pirouette just by looking at the inside hind foot.

COLLEEN’S TIP: Start on a 10 or 15m square, learn to NECK REIN, around the corners, and practice that a lot. Then go back to the travers, and do a little travers, and then neck rein. Then, over months make the square smaller and smaller, and don’t force it, and you’ve got it.

7. ADVANCED LOOPS

Purpose: to go BAST straightness to counter bend and flex, counter canter introduction.  These are loops, but now we’re making them fancy. You can use the “go” and “slow” exercise, go down the long side and use your BODY (eyes up, nose up, chest up, toes up, hands down to help the horse not panic and throw their head.  Then, on the short side, as much engagement as you can get WITHOUT USING THE REINS.  Then, GO down the longside again, and eyes up to bring the horse back for shorter on the short side.  And, if the horse DOESNT COME BACK – then SAFETY CIRCLE as the horse might get really excited!

The loops can become more and  more fantastic, then can get DEEPER, they can go out to the 15m line, that’s 3/4 of the way across the arena, in canter, without losing balance or straightness, without having to use the reins to turn, the horse turning on it’s own, just following your vision and weight aid.

And, you can add in half pass back to the track, you can even add in ways to help your flying changes. And, there’s the famous 15m loop with the circle in the middle. Have a look at the rule book on www.fei.org for descriptions.

From the loop and half pass back to the track comes the flying change.

COLLEEN’S TIP: Miss these loops, and you will never have a straight horse. Try to loop just by looking at the inside ear, then looking at the outside ear, not touching the reins!

8. FLYING CHANGES.

Purpose: may seem obvious – to get on the other leg, but it does have a more profound affect on the horse. It’s purpose is to really get that hind end strong, as weight really rocks back on the back legs, it’s an incredible test of straightness, as soon the series of changes come in, so at this level having STRAIGHT changes is vital.

Some horses get VERY stressed doing changes (or is it the rider?) so it’s a great way to show your horse isn’t stressed, it’s relaxed and soft and light.

A lot of horses have difficulty changing. It’s because the rider’s riding on the forehand, or not enough impulsion, or not enough submission SIDEWAYS. If you don’t have good sideways, if you haven’t practiced half circle return to the track in half pass, then the muscles are going to find it REAL HARD to change.

Of course there are GREAT horses that just change, and you love them, and you’re lucky, but what of the horse that changes like a sewing machine, that often disunites behind or goes so quick in the changes left – right – left right like a freight train out of control. The answer is in the “Go” and “Slow” exercise, and lots and lots of it!  And, all those problems DISAPPEAR!  I’ve had hundreds of horses like that, and we fix them.

COLLEEN’S TIP: Flying changes are all about SIDEWAYS!  Good sideways = good changes.  I test for higher level horses is to put a pole EACH SIDE of the center line, making a channel to go down. While looking in the mirror ahead, do the flying change in between the two poles…now that’s straight!

9. CANTER PIROUETTES.

Only when your LOOPS ARE ESTABLISHED, then canter pirouettes are ready to play with!  You need the loops PERFECT first before attempting, otherwise all of your canter will be quarters in from now on and you wont know how to straighten the horse.  The Loops put the horse in counter bend, opposite bend, and somewhere between inside bend and outside bend is straightness, we “over do it”, and find straightness (and relief for the horse) in the middle.  So, if I know my horse rides canter loops, then on about a 15m circle start looking to the OUTSIDE from time to time, keeping the ears on the circle.  Imagine you’re on a big apple pie, and the ears MUST stay on the rim of the pie plate, they can’t look outside and they can’t look too much to the inside, and drible on the pie.  Once the ears are really good, in SELF CARRIAGE then from time to time look to the outside to bring the horse’s hind quarters in. If you carry a stick or whip, carry it high up on the horse’s hip knobble, not pointing down, as you look to the outside your whip could accidently  bump the the horse’s hip, helping him understand (move your quarters in).  This is the easiest movement in the world if you’ve done everything above.

COLLEEN’S TIP: It’s all just about quarters in and neck reining, and it’s easy.

10. PIAFFE and PASSAGE.

After learning from what I still consider to be the great Gods of Piaffe, I really think of piaffe from day 1 of training the horse. Getting the horse to pick up their feet just by looking at them! Then we build and build over years to piaffe in hand. And we train BOTH ON THE GROUND AND IN THE SADDLE!  You need both.

It’s just trot. That’s all it is. And when you see riders starting to do bizarre things like jump up and down in the saddle or bump their hands up and down in an attempt to make to he horse “jump” have basically lost all their beginning training, or they never achieved it in the first place!

It’s just trot: still hands, lots of impulsion, on the bit, and LOTS of engagement.

COLLEEN’S TIP: Practice the “go” and “slow” exercise till the cows come home. On the short side, the horse will keep walking, but over time they’ll hold the trot better and better, and the longer they can learn to hold the trot, and not fall back to walk, the closer they are to these two smallest trots.

Summary

All the movements have a purpose: shoulder in gets them to “sit down” it gets the inside hind to stretch