Establishing Contact- Clinic Recap

 But wait, there's even more lessons!  If you've read my blog for any length of time you know that I have done many clinics with Johanna Beattie Batista over the years. She has been as much a part of my journey with Carmen as many other people. Johanna is a level 3 Centered Riding Instructor and has a long history of classical dressage training in Spain.  She is now semi-retired and living in Portugal. 

This year Stephanie and I managed to snag her to our area for 2 days of lessons. Johanna stayed with me and I transported her back and forth. It gave us time to have to some lovely chats. 

A little side story: I told her about starting karate and she said 'good for you!'. It turns out that Centered Riding encourages their instructors to do martial arts training because it's so good for breath and body control. She herself does Tai Chi. 

I did two lessons back to back on both horses. I do have some video and photos. 

We started with Quaid. When I ride both horses I almost always start with Quaid because he's, well, easier. Carmen can be a bit draining so it's just better all around to start with him. If having these two has taught me anything (too much really), it's that it doesn't matter the age so much as the temperament. 

Cordelia fell in love with Johanna. It was 
hilarious and adorable. 

Anyway, Johanna wanted us to work on his taking of the contact. I was to ride with soft hands and follow his motion so that he learned to go into the contact. This is not new, Jane has also been working on this with me. It was a slightly different approach and it's good to learn the same thing in new ways.  Johanna was quite impressed with Quaid and really seemed to like him (he's hard to resist).  You will notice that I'm not in a t-shirt because the weather turned cold and cloudy. A typical May in Nova Scotia is full of warm days, cold days, rainy days. Sometimes they are all in the same day.  

lovely square halt

This sort of work can be frustrating because it's so subtle and it's very tempting to just 'take' the contact. But, if I understood Johanna correctly, if he learns to go to the contact then everything will be easier as we move to more advanced work. Which I totally get. It was interesting because I suddenly felt when took the contact. It was cool. 

getting closer

Here's a video (because my phone battery is not so great, I managed to get media of Quaid on day 1 and Carmen on day 2.):

What I love about this horse is his try. He really wants to figure things out. He can get frustrated and annoyed but he almost never says 'no'. 

Carmen went next and she was in a totally different mind set then Quaid. As you know I've been struggling with her barging through my rein aids and half-halts. It has been getting better but today she not in the mood for my crap. Johanna took one look at this said 'Okay, she's not allowed to pull this shit'.  'This shit' being leaning on my hands and pulling me all over the ring. There's a difference between being heavy and just bullying.  As I think about it, it really is the same as her old behaviour of spook and bolt. But because she can't bolt on me anymore it manifests differently. 

Anyway, Johanna's solution was to not let her build up a head of steam. I was to not ride any straight lines. I had to do 10 metre circles, shoulder in, haunches in, leg yields, half-pass, turn on the haunches, forehand., etc. This accomplished a few things: one she couldn't get super strong and pull the reins out of my hands, two, she had to think and three, it set her back on her hind legs and not her forehand.  Carmen can be a real physical and mental ride and this was no exception. When we were done I felt pretty wrung out. I'm sure that Carmen felt the same. But we definitely ended in a good place. 

After lunch Stephanie picked up Johanna because I had to wait for a repairman for my washing machine. Because, of course it would happen now. Adulting is hectic at times.  Fortunately, it was an easy repair and I baked a cake while I waited. I managed to get to see Stephanie's ride. All I'll say is that its been wonderful to watch her partnership with her new horse blossom.  

Bob and Stephanie came for dinner that night and Ed made a wonderful Mexican meal.  After eating, laughing and talking they went home and we all collapsed into bed. 

The next day was also cold but not super windy so that was a win. Quaid came out and was like 'oh I remember yesterday. You want this, right?'  It was so neat to see the carryover. He felt a little tired to me as well. The day before hadn't seemed so hard but it's possible that he was just not feeling it. Either way we decided to work on him going forward into downward transitions and not just fall onto his forehand.  It was a good lesson and, once again, it was wonderful to see how good he is given that he's five. 

Then it was Carmen's turn. She was less feisty but still not super keen on the this whole work idea.  We basically repeated the lesson from the day before- no straight lines.  The goal was for her to come to contact without trying to take it over.  Johanna kept repeating that the whole point of, say, a shoulder in was not that it be perfect. But that it keep her thinking and listening. 

And it definitely worked, I could feel her come onto her hind leg and take real contact not 'gimme that rein'  contact. 

Here's a video. 

At the end Johanna suggested that maybe a different bit would be better. I like her current bit in that it prevents her from getting her tongue over it. But I think I will try her in Quaid's bit to see if she's more respectful. 

The next day I drove Johanna back to the city and gave her back to Stacie after a great lunch. It was a good two days and I really enjoyed the intensity of the work, even if I needed a nap after.