The Great Rebranding of 2025: Carmen the Magnificent Clinic Recap

 Remember in my last post when I said I signed up for a 3 day clinic? Well it happened last weekend. 

Spoiler alert- it was awesome. Now usually I can only afford to do two days of these clinics. But this year I had a number of lessons cancellations (for various reasons) so I had a lot more of my lesson budget left then I typically do by this time of year. So I decided to sign both horses for all three days and embrace the philosophy that I could rest when I'm dead. 

Friday we all had lesson at our own place and then the other two days were at Baker's Brook Stables with a potluck lunch on Saturday. Tanya decided to come to my place for her lesson which made it fun and easier for Jane. Paula came to watch too. So we had 3 horses, 3 dogs, 4 people and while it could have been chaos, it was not. I have so much to share so decided to divide it so that each horse gets their own post. 

Carmen went last on Friday, something she did not appreciate it. Normally I take Quaid out and she's perfectly fine. But with the addition of Suzi being here and spectators (well one but hey I'm not going to quibble with Carmen), she was not impressed to be left in the field. All that means is that when it was her turn she had a lot of feelings.  Mostly of the 'hang on and let me do my thing' variety. Honestly, it was funny (don't tell her that please). 

It was a stinking hot day. I had a bucket of water and a sponge up in the ring and Jane would sponge off the horses about every 20 minutes. 

I don't have video of this lesson but it was all about keeping my body steady, keeping my seat in the saddle, and riding her forward to contact. I was really starting to feel how this helps Carmen to steady and become more through. I also realised how quickly I pop my butt out of the saddle as soon as my attention shifts. Not like bouncing but just enough tension in my thighs and groin so that my seat bones are not where they should be. But overall it felt like I made huge gains. At one point Jane had us canter, turn down the centre and then asked me to half-pass. My brain fizzled and I fell all apart. So we did it again. The third time she said, look to where you want to go and bam, there it was. So, yeah, you should use your eyes when you ride.....

Honestly, it was the best ride we had all year (Morgan Freeman voice it turned out to not be her best ride all year). 

Krista converted an old garage into a cantina and
it was a fabulous place for lunch

My plan was to trailer back and forth both days to the clinic. Which meant an early start on Saturday. And by early I mean leave by 8. I know, I know but I'm retired so it feels early. Both horses trailered really well. I decided to ride Carmen in my first lesson spot. And she came out as chill and ready to work as I've seen her. Also, there were more spectators so maybe that's her thing- performing?  

Again the focus was on correct positioning and effective aids to help the horse do the movements. We did a lot of shoulder in. I have a really bad habit of letting her move her haunches to the outside rather than bend around my left for the SI. And Jane was having none of it. We practiced them down the centre and quarter lines so I couldn't cheat. The nice thing is that there were mirrors so I could see what we were doing. 

you can see her focus here

Carmen was really good about all of it. She got a little strong at times but really she was right with me and trying so hard.  And she really appreciated me having a softer and following seat and a stable core. It was a windy day and the canvas was flapping. After a little spook she settled in and went to work and ignored it.  Jane had us do some turn on the haunches and half pass out of the shoulder in. Honestly it was our best work. 

look at us! 

And here's our turn on the haunches: no stepping wide or fighting. 

Honestly, it was our best lesson this year (spoiler alert: it was not our best lesson).  We trailered home and I fed them supper, turning them out for a couple hours after. 

I was excited for our Sunday lesson. I mean I was already really proud of her (and me) and I was a little worried she might be tight after 2 intense lessons. But she wasn't. I think taking her home and turning her out for a bit really helped.  

Our lesson was at 10 which gave me lots of time to get there and get ready.  When I came into the ring there was a large physio ball that Jane was going to use for a demo. But in the meantime it was a fun thing to play with. Carmen, as I expected, gave zero cares about it. We haven't worked with balls but we've done enough other stuff that she simply sighs and humours her servant. 

I overheard my friend Tanya saying something along the lines of 'Carmen has been rebranded'. And she was right. It's not like she's not spicy or opinionated. But she's fun. And works hard. And I have trust in her that I didn't have even last year. 

Using the ball Jane demoed how tension in thighs or groin an arched back pops us out of balance and can make the horse fall on their forehand and/or hollow their back.  It was interesting to the third lesson. Because I had already felt improvement in my ability to sit in the saddle. But Sunday unlocked it even more.  Like Jane noticed right away as soon as I tightened in my groin. I joked that she knew it better than Ed!  

You may think that a third lesson on telling me to keep my elbows still and my core strong while my pelvis relaxed while not popping out of the saddle or collapsing would be tedious. It was not. I was soaking it up as much as I could. This lesson had a lot more canter in it. Our canter transitions are so much better. And I actually could feel how to use my seat to get her to move out or collect. It was so cool. And really hard. 

About 2/3rds into the ride I could feel her body completely soften. It's a cool feeling and also dangerous because the slightest aid works and I need to be super soft. Where I might have needed a pound of pressure earlier, now I only needed an ounce. It's a huge responsibility to take that softening and ride it gently. Here's a video of some of the work. 

After some counter canter work I could feel her just 'floof'. You know, like how you feel after a really good workout. She had given me everything and was done. We did a little bit to cool her down and then called it. I could not have been more proud of her. 

this is my mare who's standoffish and doesn't like people

Now this was our best ride to date. 

I can't wait to do it all again.