JM Landels: Writer, Ritter, Wrangler

Excellence takes many forms in the equestrian world.  There is the elegance of dressage, the precision of jumping, the savvy of a good cow-horse and the bravery of an eventer.  But for breathtaking ‘wow’ factor it’s hard to beat the excitement of Mounted Games and the amazing athleticism of the riders and ponies who play them.

This weekend I was lucky enough to be able to watch a Mounted Games Clinic with Jim Dunn and Cindy Johnson of the Canadian Mounted Games Association.  Mounted Games is an evolution of the Pony Club’s Prince Phillip Games and, unlike PPG, it is open to riders of all ages.  It was inspiring to watch the riders, mostly from Pony Club, work on their running vaults, hand-offs and targetting.  I came away with many new drills and lots of insider techniques I can hardly wait to pass on when our games practices get up and running in the spring!

Take-away message from the clinic:  there’s training and there’s practice.  Training is repeating a skill over and over again till both you and your pony are so bored you can do it with your eyes closed.  In other words, you’re working on muscle memory for both you and the pony, just like we do with sword drills.  Practice is taking those trained skills and stringing them together to rehearse games at increasing speeds until you’re at the top of your speed and accuracy.  Spending time training before you practice makes your practice more efficient and your game smoother.

If you want a longer look at what the clinic was like, this video was taken at a similar clinic with Jim and Cindy in Alberta. 

See the full gallery on Posterous

Summer Update:  Prince Phillip Games season has come and gone, and it was quite a thrill to watch the kids improve over the four playdays, from the beginning C riders to the A’s and Masters. And I finally got a chance to ride in Oldtimers and relive my gymkhana days.  My eldest daughter made the team for National Masters and just yesterday morning I was out in Maple Ridge watching the team practice. It’s an impressive bunch of kids heading out to Edmonton in August to represent our region!

Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in October 2011

It’s almost never good news when the phone rings before your alarm clock; and that was true for me last Tuesday when I found out my father had died.  After the shock, the many phone calls, and one last visit to say goodbye, I took what was left of the morning and headed to the barn.

There is nothing like the smell of a horse’s breath, the plushy warmth of her newly growing winter coat, the swing of her back beneath me and the rhythmic clop of her feet on the hard ground to take me out of myself:  away from worries, obligations, anger and grief.  No matter how tough my day, no matter the piles of work on my desk or tangles of troubles elsewhere in my life, I always return from a ride centred, calmer, and better able to cope with whatever life tosses my way.

There are scientific theories as to why this is:  electrostatic charges created by petting a furry animal make us feel better; the rhythm of a horse’s gait releases oxytocin by echoing the feeling of being rocked in the womb.  All I know is that when I was a kid and a dog or cat died, I hopped onto my Shetland pony’s bare back and let his short strides carry me away from my tears.  When I was full of intolerable teen angst my beautiful black Thoroughbred and I would fly full out down the back fields until the only tears left were the ones caused by the wind in my face.

Horses are a lot of work, a huge responsibility, and a  high-priced hobby.  This last week I’ve been reminded that what they give us in return is invaluable.

Congratulations to Dan deGagne who had an almost perfect set of responses to our first Cavaliere Quiz.  He was lacking only the  specific reply as to when the breastplate would be BUCKLED to the SADDLE (after doing up the girth).  Technically Aurelia tied for first with only one wrong answer as well (a pony stall should be 10×12’).  But although her reply came in earlier she wasn’t around to collect the prize which went to Dan:  a dashing bright red riding crop, affectionately christened “Jack-whacker”.

For the record, the complete answers are: 

1.  One would use a body brush on the legs and face as the bristles of the dandy brush and teeth of the curry comb are too stiff for the skin of the legs and face.
2. The numnah (or saddle pad) is followed by the saddle, then girth.  The bridle goes on last.  A breastplate, if you have one, should be buckled to the saddle after the girth is done up.
3. The points of the hind leg in descending order are: stifle, gaskin, hock, cannon, fetlock joint, pastern and coronet band.  Horses only have knees on the front (though the analogous joint to our knee is the stifle), and the bones and joints are the same on fore and hind legs from below  the knee/hock.
4. According to the Manual of Horsemanship, a horse should have a box stall measuring at least 12×12’.  A pony stall can be 12×10’.

Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in October 2011.  Reposted for interest only.  Contest is closed, but anyone posting correct answers in the comments will still earn bragging rights!

1.   Which one of the following brushes would you use on a horse’s legs and face?

a.       Body brush

b.      Curry comb

c.       Dandy brush

Bonus question:  why this one and not the others? 

 2.  In which order would you put the following pieces of tack on the horse:

a.       Saddle

b.      Bridle

c.       Numnah

d.      Girth

Bonus question:  when should you buckle the breastplate to the saddle?

3.    Which of the following is NOT part of the horse’s hind leg?

a.       Pastern

b.      Stifle

c.       Hock

d.      Coronet band

e.      Gaskin

f.        Knee

g.       Cannon bone

h.      Fetlock joint

Bonus question: put the 7 remaining joints and bones in order from top to bottom.

4.      A good size of stall for a horse is:

a.       3 x 3 metres

b.      10 x 12 feet

c.       12 x 12 feet

d.      4.5 x 5 metres

Bonus question: what is a good size for a pony stall?

The answers to these and many more questions can be found at Academie Duello’s Riding & Horsemanship classes (as well as in your handy copy of the UK Pony Club’s Manual of Horsemanship).

Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in October 2011

As many of you know, our Cavaliere Program has within it three streams of learning: riding, mounted combat, and horsemanship.  Two are fairly obvious:  learning to ride, and learning to wield a weapon from horseback.  However, it may be less self-evident why we insist our cavaliers also learn horsemanship:  that is, the care and handling of horses.  After all, in mediaeval times wouldn’t a squire, a groom, an ostler, or the stable master look after the horses, just like a barn manager does today?  You can learn to drive a car without ever looking under the hood, so can’t you learn to ride a horse without knowing how to look after it?  There are many reasons the short answer is ‘no’, and for us at Duello they fall into three categories.

Historical

Yes, knights had squires who could take care of their riding horses and destriers.  However, mediæval knights had generally all been squires at one time, and had paid their dues as grooms before they earned their spurs.  And while knights at tournament could certainly depend on numerous helpers, it would be suicidal for cavalrymen to head out on campaign without knowing how to handle and look after their horses.  Even if they left home with a cadre of support staff, there would be no guarantee they’d still have them after the first battle, or even after the first long march.  Throughout history, from Xenophon’s time to the modern period, cavalry have known how to care for their horses.

Practical

Coffin bone.  Colic.  Gelding.   Warmblood.  Shoulder-fore.  Pelham.  Impulsion.  Two-stride to a bending line.  Bench-kneed.  Rollback.  Crupper.  Chestnut.  Halflinger.  Galvayne’s groove…. Think Italian swordplay has a lot of fancy new terms to wrap your head around?  Wait until you get into the vocabulary of horses.  At least it’s in English – though it may not seem so at first.  The language of the horse world is ancient and varied, but entirely necessary if you want to understand and be understood by those of us who spend all our spare time at the stables.

Terminology aside, practical knowledge of equine anatomy and physiology will help you understand the strengths and limits of your mount, and an understanding of horse psychology will help you get the best behaviour from him.  Being able to keep your tack clean and well maintained is a safety issue; plus if you ride someone else’s horse, returning the horse sound, well groomed and with the tack properly cleaned increases the likelihood you’ll be welcome to ride that horse again.  Knowing breeds and ages may tell you that a pretty three-year-old thoroughbred may not be the best choice of jousting horse; and knowing what a normal healthy leg looks and feels like will let you know if the horse you’re tacking up is lame and shouldn’t be ridden.  A basic knowledge of equine first aid, and a cool, experienced head could even save a life.

Ethical

Beyond all the above reasons for a broad and deep knowledge of the horse is our moral duty to the animal.  When we ride we are using other living beings for our own pleasure, courtesy of their extraoadinarily gentle and cooperative nature.  Even a horse that is cantankerous, stubborn, dull or mean deserves the best care we can possibly give him, for he certainly didn’t ask to carry us on his back.  Which means we owe it to the horse to constantly strive to increase our knowledge and improve our horsemanship for his benefit.

Grooming is also bonding time!

Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in September 2011

Followers of this blog will have noticed several mentions of the Pony Club.  This is partly because the Richmond Branch of the Canadian Pony Club often operates out of our barn, and partly because I have kids in Pony Club; but also because I value so highly the organization’s approach to developing competent riders and all-round horsemen.

The Horsemanship and Riding levels in our Cavaliere Program mirror the CPC’s Stable Management and Riding levels, our reference text is the British Pony Club’s Manual of Horsemanship, and our Mounted Combat games are very similar to some of the Pony Club’s Prince Phillip Games

The British Pony Club was formed in 1929, and the Canadian version brought over in 1934 by two ex-military riders, Colonel Timmins and Brigadier McKee.  The CPC is a volunteer-run organization for young people up to the age of 25 who want to learn how to ride and care for horses.  There are around 3000 members in 180 branches in Canada, and Pony Clubs in at least twenty other countries.

Pony Club members can graduate through 12 levels of Riding and Stable Management achievement, with those at the highest level automatically qualifying to become Equine Canada coaches.  The tests for the A level are extremely rigorous and take three days to complete for Stable Management, and two days for riding.

Aside from the serious business of testing, members also participate in many equine sports, such as dressage, show-jumping, eventing (Rally), tetrathlon, and Prince Phillip Games.  The Pony Club’s motto is “Loyalty, Character, Sportsmanship”, and while all these are true, I would add that the underlying theme is “fun”.

If you’re under 22 and wanting a complete education in all things horse, I can suggest no better place to go than your nearest Pony Club.  There are branches all over the Lower Mainland.  If you’re too old for Pony Club, we can offer you the next best thing with our Cavaliere Program.

Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in October 2011

In previous posts I have talked about the dressage or training pyramid and its first five components: rhythm, relaxation, contact, impulsion and straightness.

The top of the pyramid is collection, and it’s something very few of us are privileged to experience fully with a horse.  Collection is felt when the horse’s frame is coiled, his weight has shifted to his hind legs, and, most importantly, he has elevated his forehand (that is, he is raising his withers relative to his croup, using the muscles of the back and neck).

A horse moving at a slow jog or western-style lope is often mistakenly said to be performing a collected trot or canter.  However, these gaits in and of themselves do not require the horse to shorten his frame and elevate his forehand, and therefore are not collected.

Collection requires the horse to drive with his hindquarters into the yielding contact of the bit, and is necessary for advanced dressage moves like passage and piaffe. 

Notice how the Lusitano horse in the above video seems to be almost sitting on his haunches, so elevated is the forehand. 

The power of collection also leads into moves such as the levade and capriole.

How does this relate to the average rider on the average horse?  While you may not be striving for such extremes of collection, you can use moments of collection in your riding to improve your horse’s way of going. 

Whenever we give a half-halt command, we are actually asking for a moment of collection.  We are telling the horse “wait and listen” which, when done correctly should have the effect of him gathering himself for our next command.  When you want your horse to move up a gait, say, from trot to canter, give him a half-halt first, then cue your canter.  You will find your canter depart is smoother, thanks to that brief instant of collection he has given you.

Lateral movements also help collection.  The Duke of Newcastle in his New Method suggests using a leg yield prior to the canter depart.  De Guérinière recommends the shoulder-in, but effectively both masters are using the same technique of lateral movement to gather the horse, getting his inside leg reaching farther under him, to improve the quality of the canter depart.

If your horse is not yet up to leg-yielding begin with an even simpler concept:  teach him to turn on the forehand.  A turn on the forehand is one where the horse pivots on one front foot, while the back legs turn him around 180 degrees. To begin with, start with a quarter turn.  Face the horse towards a fence and, holding him lightly in place with the reins, use your lower leg, slightly behind the girth, to push his hindquarters till he is in line with the rail.  Once he’s mastered that, you can begin to teach a full half turn. 

Both leg yielding and turns on the forehand teach the horse to move his hind legs in response to your lower leg, which is the first step toward that holy grail of dressage, true collection.

Straightness

Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in September 2011

We are almost at the top of the training pyramid now, and you’d think something as straightforward-seeming as ‘straightness’ would be lower down – at the bottom even.  However, straightness does not mean simply travelling in a straight line: it is determined by the balanced working of muscles on either side of the body, whether the horse is travelling on a straight line or a circle.

Like humans, horses have ‘handedness’ and favoured sides.  Just a dancer may pirouette better on the left than the right, or a fencer is better with one hand than the other, all horses find it easier to flex, to pick up leads or to turn to one side or the other.  Straightness, therefore, only comes when a horse has been trained to work equally and evenly on both sides of his body, regardless of his natural crookedness.

Some versions of the training pyramid reverse the order of straightness and impulsion, based on the valid fact that a horse cannot utilize her impulsion fully if her body is not straight.  That is, the driving force of his hind legs is dissipated if they do not track evenly to his centre of balance, in much the same way a fencer’s lunge is less effective if her body is not properly aligned.  However, straightness is much more difficult to achieve than impulsion, which is why most versions of the pyramid place it higher.

It is fairly easy to determine your horse’s crookedness.  Does he drop his shoulder and fall on the forehand on the left canter circle but not the right?  Does he pop his haunches or his shoulder out when moving in one direction?  When riding in a straight line can you see one of his eyes? Does he leave two clear sets of parellel tracks, meaning his hind feet are following the fore directly?  Be sure, though, that the crookedness you notice is your horse’s and not your own:  if you’re not sitting squarely, the uneveness in your seatbones, hand, legs or shoulders can make your horse seem crooked, or worse, influence greater crookedness.

While achieving true straightness is beyond most average riding horses there are small things you can do every ride, even out on the trail.  Every time you notice your horse is not tracking straight, ‘nag’ him with a little leg bump or tweak his nose over with a gentle rein.  These are not big motions, just subtle reminders.  When your horse straightens a bit – even if not all the way – reward him by letting him walk freely. 

Many tiny adjustments during your ride will create straighter habits in your horse, and remind you to be straight as well, in your reins, your shoulders, your seat and legs.  And that’s better body mechanics for both of you.

Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in August 2011

We’re in the top half of the training pyramid now, and getting to high-level dressage material.  That doesn’t mean regular everyday riding horses don’t benefit from these concepts.

Impulsion is the fourth step on the pyramid (after rhythm, relaxation and contact).  In German it is known as “schwung” and can be defined as free-flowing energy, causing the horse’s back to swing, his quarters to engage, and his legs to articulate. Good impulsion is mirrored through a horse that appears to have an innate desire to go forward with active, lively steps.  How far the horse steps underneath his barrel and how much he engages his hocks are both measures of impulsion.

Impulsion is also the energy in the gaits which gives ‘loft’ and the amazing illusion of floating seen in higher-level dressage horses.  Take a look at this video of Steffen Peters and Ravel of the US Dressage team, and see how Ravel seems almost suspended in air.

But it’s not just haute école and champion dressage horses that have impulsion.  You can see it in on the longe line, in the hunter ring, and in horses loose in the field.  It’s easiest to spot at the trot, in that split-second of ‘hang-time’ during which all four feet are slightly off the ground, and the free, floaty-looking movement of a relaxed and forward moving horse.

Ground poles are an excellent way of encouraging more impulsion from your horse.  Notice how when you go over a set of three or four trot poles you can feel more lift and power from your horse.   Hill work, if you can find it, is even better.  The muscle development created from going up and down hills gives your horse the hind-end strength needed for impulsion.

When your horse is moving freely and evenly in any gait without constant leg encouragement you have impulsion, and it is perhaps the nicest feeling to have in a horse.  You won’t have it all the time, but when you feel it, smile and enjoy!

Originally posted on Academie Duello’s blog in July 2011

The third level of the dressage pyramid is contact.  This comes from the horse willingly lifting his back and reaching forward to the bit. 

I like to think of contact as a circle that begins with the rider’s seat and ends with her hands.  The rider, through the contact of her seat and legs encourages the horse to reach forward with his hind end.  This lifts the horse’s back and neck up and forward, bringing him into contact with the bit.  The rider accepts the contact offered through the bit and reins into soft hands and elbows which yield to the motion of the horse’s head as he moves. 

There are many techniques advanced dressage riders use to work on contact, including variations on the half halt, and the core concept of inside leg to outside rein.  For the beginner however, it’s best to simply work on trying to feel  when your horse is offering contact and when he is not.

A horse is not offering contact when she:

• Is holding her nose higher than the rider’s hands
• Has hollowed her back (ie, the back appears more u-shaped when seen from the side)
• Is braced in the neck or back – you can often feel this through choppy gaits
• Pulls downward on the reins when a loose rein hasn’t been given by the rider
• Is putting more weight on one rein than the other (this will usually be accompanied by an unasked for curve of the neck or body).

A horse is offering contact when she:

• Reaches softly forward to the bit, with her poll high and her nose slightly in front of the vertical
• Is even in both reins, and not bulging to either side with her neck or body
• Has a relaxed and regular swing in her back and neck
• Is driving the gait from her hindquarters

The last two points can be difficult to feel on your own at first, so an observer is always useful to let you know when your horse is and isn’t offering these things.

Never try to achieve contact with the hands alone.  It should always come from your leg, which pushes the horse forward into your hands.  When your horse does come forward to the hands, you must make sure your elbows are soft so your hands can follow the motion of the horse’s head, without bumping his mouth.  A horse that reaches for contact only to feel resistance from your hands will soon learn to avoid it.

Contact is often fleeting at first.  Only as a horse advances in his training will he give you consistent contact, and then, only if you offer him consisent contact with your legs and hands.  If you notice your horse giving contact at any point in your riding, give positive reinforcement such as a “gooood girl”, or a softening of your aids (avoid giving a pat at this point, as you’ll lose the contact).  Even a single stride of good contact is worthy of praise.