Recent Update

    This week is the first ever USEF Outreach “ride a test” clinic.  I was lucky enough to be selected and I think it is really going to help us get ready for next week. They are having several more outreach clinics around the US so be sure to apply. If you can get enough people in your region to want one, it never hurts to ask George or Charlotte.  They both seem really excited about these new programs and growing youth opportunities.  

https://www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldressage/YouthDressagePrograms.aspx

    Then there are two more CDI’s directly after the debut.  During that time it seems like all my friends in college are on spring break.  As the rest of the world is buried under snow I think they all are thinking “who do I know in Florida” and they think of me!” Mom is in fact home for the second day iced in in Texas.  Although I wouldn’t tell her I bet the students are happy for the extra days to study for her test.  

So I have a few friends coming each week to visit (mostly like the beach not me).  Just kidding guys, anyway the couch is always open and many of you will see me most weeks in March with a few extra teenagers around.  Just say hello as they aren’t horse people and may be overwhelmed by all the activity at shows and may need a little guidance.  

    I have one more weekly singing at the grille on March 4th.  I think the weekly singing has been pretty tough on my schedule.  Having never even had a singing lesson I had no idea how hard it is to pick a song to sing let alone to memorize it, find the music in your key and tempo.  The finale is March 15th be sure to get your tickets at 

http://www.uset.org/American-Equestrians-got-Talent.php

    It will be really fun and is for a great cause.  We need to get a lot of dressage people there to cheer for any performer in dressage as the winner’s discipline gets a larger cut of the money.  GO US Dressage! Due to scheduling issues my backup singer setup has changed and I am scrambling to start a new set up but I know it is going to turn out amazing!  I even got some help from a dance student with the moves.  

   The Florida Youth Championships are coming up in less than three weeks as well.  Make sure you get registered through the show secretary!  It is going to be so exciting this year as the Europeans are coming.  We need to represent everyone, so whether you are riding or just watching lets show the European youth we are not just poor step-kids in the equestrian world.  See you there.

How to Look For Educational Programs

I thought I would take the time this week to give a heads up to or perhaps retell some of you about some great opportunities for training and scholarships.

First, for those of you that have participated in ANY Dressage 4 Kids events, the have two great scholarship opportunities now.  The first is the Lendon Gray Scholarship for training.  This can be used for clinic fees, training fees or other expenses of education.  The link to the application is below.  You need to complete the form, have two recommendations letters and then email to the address on the application. A budget for your expenses of your plan is required so you will need to spend some time on that. 

http://www.dressage4kids.org/scholarships/lendon-gray-scholarships/lendon-gray-scholarship-application-form/

Also on the Dressage for Kids site is the Courtney’s Quest scholarship application.  This is for international competition level events only.  However, when you get to the point of wanting to compete and qualifying to compete in Europe this is the place to apply.  Again, you have to have participated in a Dressage 4 Kids event to qualify to apply.  This year, I hope when they take a U25 team to Europe all the riders are former D4K participants and everyone applies.  I think it would be great to have that bond as a team and to show what a great change D4K has had on dressage youth in America! 

http://www.dressage4kids.org/scholarships/courtneys-quest-scholarships/courtneys-quest-scholarship-application/

The site also has some great ideas on a career search program and a mentoring program.  I have not participated in those but anyone who has please leave some input about them in the message section.  No matter what I encourage everyone to participate in everything you can.  You never know where the next opportunity may come from or where your path might take you as a result.

I mean I even got up and sang at the American Equestrian’s Got talent competition.  I was the first singer on the first day of auditions.  Truly ugh!  I have never been so nervous in my whole life.  However, the 500 dollars pays for a lot of feed and shoes (horseshoes of course).  But even better I am getting to work with and become friends with some really great girls who are now helping me by being backup singers for the finale.  I think you are all going to get a kick out of this (or a big laugh).  

Another thing that is new this year is an opportunity with the new youth coaches.  The are doing a ‘ride a test’ clinic.  The application is below for future ones.  I have been selected along with some great riders to do the first one here in Florida at the end of February.  I am really excited because it is the week before I do my first ever U25 and it is at a CDI-W.  I am really interested to get some judge feedback before then and really work to enhance my potential test scores.  Furthermore, I get to see the other riders do nearly similar level tests and gain info from their rides as well. 

https://www.usef.org/documents/disciplines/dressage/OutreachClinics2015.pdf

Lastly, I have learned this season about the unlimited opportunities for young students to work in internship positions, working student positions and sponsored rider jobs.  There are some posted full time on the internet like the amazing opportunity to work at Maplecrest Farms with Reese Koffler-Stanfield.

http://www.maplecrestfarmky.com/InternshipProgram.aspx

Other opportunities you have to make by asking.  Find a trainer you admire or a breeder you think does an amazing job and write to them.  Tell them your goals and why you came to them.  Explain what you hope to learn and what you could potentially do for them.  It never hurts to ask and even if things don’t work out in the end you will have not only tried but have learned valuable information from that failure. Sometimes the things that don’t work teach us more or are better for us than things that do.  

Finally, check your breed associations and GMO’s they always have opportunities whether it is volunteering at shows or scholarships everything gets you further into the life of horses and the dream of being part of that world!  

I went online for 5 minutes and found all of these-and applied for the last one!

http://www.americantrakehnerfoundation.com/Documents/Preliminary_Grant_Request_Form.pdf

http://www.arabianhorses.org/youth/docs/AHF_Scholarship_Application.pdf

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/equestrian-ridertrainer-wants-to-share-barn-manage/nZRBS/

http://www.appaloosayouth.com/contests/scholarships.html

http://www.aqha.com/aqhya

http://sytayouthfoundation.org/grantsscholarships/9-road-scholarship-program#

Laura King Hypnosis

    “So how does one learn something new?”  This was the question posed at the RDHMW by hypnosis therapist Laura King.  So that we could understand she asked a bleacher full of young dressage riders to think about sitting in the saddle.  The majority of communication with your horse is through your body, not your hands.  As you go up the levels the communication becomes more subtle and more intense with each small piece of communication.  She said we came to the clinic to fine tune our abilities by learning from the best trainers. We are watching and listening.  The information we take in goes to the only 12 % of the brain is what we think and reason.  The majority is like an iceberg ‘below the surface.’ An example of this is when you are told by your trainer how to do something differently and then you get on your horse and do it the same old wrong way you always have.  Why is it hard to ‘retrain’ your brain or to break habits?  Because the 88% of your brain does what it is trained to do.  Your expectations and thought are made into reality by the power of your mind.  It takes 21 times of doing something over and over a new way to reprogram or retrain your brain.  

   So if you want to change something in your life, whether it is a riding issue or something else, she said you have to overwrite an old program.  So when you think about the brain there is a hard drive and software.  The 88% is the hard drive that has to be reprogrammed.  You have to override the hardrive. You want to define what it is your working on and what you want to change.  Your 12 % conscious mind has to be aware and focus to create new habits.  She uses hypnosis to shortcut the rewriting of the hardware.  It bypasses the 12% critical thinking.  She said it is like guided imagery or guided visualization which is what Dr. Susser talks to us about. She just aids in that. 

You have to have a focal point on what you want to retrain. She uses a focus word.  Think of that word whenever you want to remember the new lesson.  The word brings up the thought or visualization that you are trying to overwrite with.  Too often when we lose focus our mind goes back to the old way of doing things.  If you have a new focus word that you tell yourself is associated with the new focus it will help to get you back into that mode.  I guess it is kind of like a mantra or a saying that brings you to the new plan.  I write these on my mirror all the time.  Whenever I feel myself heading down doubt lane, I read one of the sayings and it helps to keep me focused and looking forward and not dwelling on what I did wrong in the past.  I think that is really similar to what she is saying.  

She also said that many people have a fear of hypnosis because they think they will be made to do something they do not want to do.  She said that no one can hypnotize you to do something you don’t want to do.  It is impossible.  You have to want to do it.  It is just a faster way to relax the mind and get around the 12 percent and make it easier to reprogram.  It is science.  It has been proven that an image in the mind is just as powerful as the reality.  She talked about the effectiveness of placebos on people getting better. Your mind is that powerful.

The problem with dressage is often that we are perfectionists and we tend to focus on the error. Because we focus on the error we tend to do it over and over again incorrectly and by doing so we program our mind to do it wrong.  She said she had a top jumper come in and show her his video and all he could see was the one error he wanted help with and not the entire rest of the video he did amazingly. That is what our brain does.  

She has a great CD called Peak Performance for dressage riders that is great to use right before you go to bed.  It helps to put you to sleep!  It actually is about visualization and she just aids in it.

She went on to talk about different types of learning.  I have heard this before from my mom because she actually does a speech at the university on learning styles.  I know I am auditory so this stuff works great for me.  I can listen to something and it helps me to learn it. It is also why certain trainers that give verbal directions on how to fix things work great with me.  Visual learners have to see the information and kinesthetic learners have to experience it through physical motion.  There is a website www.VARKlearn.com that has a free test you can take to find out what you are.  Knowing what you are can really help.  For example, now when I have a speech to give I read it into my phone app and then listen to it over and over instead of trying to read it.  I am not great at speeches yet but that has helped me to get a little better or maybe just have less anxiety about it.  She said they can use hypnosis to help you balance out what you are not.  For example, I am not visual at all.  So they could help me to be more balanced and not completely auditory. 

Once we get the 88 percent trained correctly we can just tune out the reason and ride with instinct and memory we would do better. 

The last things she said was your subconscious mind doesn’t hear the word don’t.  For example, don’t think about a black horse. I bet you just did. So you can’t say to yourself, don’t do ________. You have to say the way you want to do it.  The brain will only hear that you want to do it.  So write the phrase to yourself.  So for example, drop saying “I do not want to miscount my 3’s” and instead say, “I am going to count my 3’s perfectly.” Either way your brain will make it happen you will miscount in the first case and not in the second. When you have a negative or ‘don’t or can’t’ thought hit the cancel button.  Do this with your focus word.  Then you can get back to what you are working on.  She uses a meaningless word like “purple elephant.”  That takes you away from the previous thought and then you can’t refocus on the correct way to program yourself.

Bit Fit By Beth

    One new lecture we had this year at the RDHMW was on bit fit.  Beth Haist gave us a great bit of insight into bits (haha).  

    The most important thing I learned was not to listen to the hype of bit companies.  They are in the business of selling bits.  To determine what you need think about the inside of your horse’s mouth and the dynamics of what you are trying to produce and how much space you have in your horse’s mouth.  To do this when you are looking at bits do not hold it in your two hands with facing you.  Turn the bit sideways and activate it.  By this Beth meant move the side pieces as if our reins are pulling on the bit in different directions.  From this see what happens and where pressure would or wouldn’t occur in the horse’s mouth.  There can be pressure (or pain) caused by the bit in three places; on the palette, on the tongue or on the cheeks.  

   Beth explained putting together bits through working through the needs of your horse from each piece separately.  She first discussed the cheek pieces as she always builds bits starting with the chekk piece.  We examined fixed verses loose cheek pieces.  The fixed cheek pieces she suggested for young horses.  She called these grammar school bits. There is less communication between the rider and the young horse’s mouth so they don’t get overwhelmed with too much going on at once.  The full cheek also steadies the young horse a bit more which they need in earlier development. A nice big D ring also helps to give them more directionality because of the larger area. Fixed cheek bits are softer on his lips and less likely to pinch than a moving loose ring bit.  An egg butt helps to get young horses to lower their poll. A loose cheek bit she called a university bit where you give lots of information all at once.  It is important she stated when using a loose ring bit that you have control of your hands. If you do not have steady hands your inadvertent movements aregiving signals you may not want to be imparting to the horse.  So you pick the bit not only for the age and knowledge level of the horse but also for the experience and level of the rider and how quiet their hands are.

   We also discussed the differences in horse breeds and how warm bloods are being bred to have huge lips and the top lips are much thicker than the bottom lip.  So think then about physics.  How does a fixed cheek bit work with a warm bloodwith thick lips?  A fixed cheek will protect his mouth more because it sucks in the big lips and puts a little more stability on his mouth which makes the fixed bit even more important for young warm bloods as they are less likely to pinch.  

    She suggested you feel the real size of your horse’s mouth by feeling the jaw bone.  Because warm bloods have so much lip the mouth may be much smaller than you think.  The bits are designed to sit with the bars on the edge of the mouth. Most of the time she sees bits way too long because the bars are in the huge lips and not the mouth. If the bit is a little too long for the horse’s mouth, sometimes a two piece bit will be nicer too the horse’s mouth than a three piece because of its shape.  Of course, try not to have them too big! If your warm blood doesn’t like the 3 piece bit which is supposed to be softer; She suggests it may be too long because the short arm of the bit if it is too long is hitting the wrong place in his mouth. Do not have a bit too big that is slides through his mouth!  To judge the size of bit mouth piece you need. Hold up one end of the bit against his check and pull it across there should be room for one finger afterin the jawbone not the lips. IF you have more than one finger you need to go smaller.  What happens if your bit is too big is that the center piece slides in the mouth.  It doesn’t give him stability nor does it sit where it is designed to. She explained why the three piece bit is softer than a two piece. In a three piece bit, no matter how hard you pull on the reins you cannot keep the center piece rigid.  So the horse owns the center piece.  Be careful of the whole size, the shape and length of the three piece bit.    

    Curb bits when working a double bridle fit in the mouth with the snaffle.  Beware that you know how the curb and snaffleaffect each other in the mouth.  Is one stopping the other from its function?  Do they both fit?  If you have a smaller horse his mouth may not hold what you are putting in it. 

Every time you have a break in the mouth piece that is where you get pinpoint pressure.  So if you use bits with breaks think about where that pressure will hit the tongue or palette. No breaks mean even pressure but not pinpoint pressure.  But curbs still use curb chain and poll pressure even if there is no pinpoint pressure.  In closing Beth said to consider the age, breed and experience level of the horse as well as the rider when choosing a bit.  Always use the softest bit possible and be kind to your horses by having things fit them well!

Robert Dover Horsemastership Week

    The 4th annual Robert Dover Horsemastership clinic finished yesterday and I wish it would have gone on and on.  Just glancing over my notes and the videos from the last week, I have so much to tell you.  I do not know where to begin.  I will post my lesson videos on Youtube by this weekend.  I will then post the links on FB. The other riders are also posting their videos so watch out for that.  All levels of trainers and riders should take a look there will be lots of great info.  The overall theme I carried through all my lessons was how to make the movements impressive.  We tweeked on how to keep impulsion and the wow factor in movements like the 2’s and canter zig-zag.  My favorite event of the week again was social night and not because it is less work than the 7 am workouts with Mike!  I love getting to spend time with all the girls being goofy and getting to know each other.  We went roller skating and if you check out the little clip on FB and you listen to the hilarious laughter in the background you can tell it was a blast.  Getting to know them outside of competitions and the barn is so important to me.  We even had Hannah one of the other participants end up staying the last few nights with us when her mom had to leave early.  What a blast just getting ready for the HGF party together.  She sure can do big 80’s hair well!  I love learning quirky things about my fellow riders.  For example, I found out Rosie is just as much a lover of avocados and yogurt as I am (not together of course). I really got to spend time with Molly and Rachel this year and I hope that over time it will grow into deep friendships.  

    My biggest take away all week was being pushed to face my fears of riding the edge, of not riding conservatively and risking losing control.  So when Robert Dover mentioned Monday that on Wednesday they were holding the first audition for American Equestrians got talent; I sort of got signed up to audition.  Some of you may have heard that I sing but few people have ever heard me sing.  I don’t like singing in public even with family. I can’t even read music but I thought if they want me to face my fears and take a step outside my comfort zone, this is as far as I can get.  If I could overcome this fear and stand in front of strangers and sing; I can do anything.  So I let Robert know I was going to audition and my song would be an Etta James song titled, “At last.”  It was the first of nine auditions and there were a few baubles on the technology so all the singers had vocals to the tracts but it was ok. While waiting for the auditions to start I just keep thinking I didn’t want to be first. Just my luck, I was first. My heart started pounding out of my chest.  I have never ever been that nervous in my whole life about anything.  Not only were there lots of people there, but in the crowd was Lendon Gray, Debbie McDonald, Robert, Charlotte, Sabine and a few young riders I knew.  What was I thinking?  So I took a deep breath and just closed my eyes and listened as the music started.  I took a breath and said to myself, “don’t think just sing.” About half way through I got brave open my eyes!  

   The judges had nice comments for me and the guy said, “don’tact like you don’t own that stage…you belong there.”  I then watched the other contestants.  I really liked the comedian. He made me really laugh.  Anyway at this point I did not care at all about winning.  I had done what I set out to do.  I had faced my biggest dreaded fear and I had lived with minimal scarring!  

    After the judges ruling in the tie between the top two popular vote getters I learned that winning meant I had to come back for the final at the GDF on March 15th!  What!!! Anyway the lesson that they tried to give me all week really hit home and I realized this morning what they meant.  That adrenaline I felt singing was a mix of fear but also of power.  I got bigger and stronger not by avoiding the hard stuff but by embracing it!  Thanks to all the trainers at the RDHMW for that amazing dressage and life lesson.  

New Years!

         A New Year is upon us.  That means the Robert Dover Horsemastership week is almost here!  This is such an amazing event and I am so excited to be able to ride Sjapoer in it!  I was injured last year and gave up my riding spot so I am thrilled to get the opportunity to work with some great trainers on him this week. I have been lucky enough to have been part of this every year since its inception.  Like anything in its infant stages the RDHMW has grown and changed so over its initial years.  I have been happy and proud to have been able to see this great idea grow. What began with Dressage 4 Kids and Lendon’s ideas to help the youth in dressage has grown beyond a lot of its initial dreams.  Like all dreams (and all great ideas) as it becomes more solid it also has more expectations and demands.  We learn each year what to improve on and what really works well.  As we all have said our challenges in life and with horses are what makes us better.  It shows us what our weakness are and it helps us to grow.  I love that the RDHMW supporters and organizers grow and learn alongside the actual participants whose goal is to learn.  The purpose is to make us better.  The purpose is to educate the youth in dressage on the broader picture of a career in the equine industry.  The purpose is to promote broad growth in our sport.  Through giving to us not only training on the horse but off , the RDHMW shows us so many things.  While we are learning, those in positions of power or influence are also learning.  We saw how England turned around its program in dressage to become such a power house. They didn’t do it with assisting a few elite and older experienced riders at the top.  They built a program from the ground up, with the youth.  A long term pipeline has to, in its very nature, include young people who will some day be the leaders and forces in the industry.  Just as we must educate the youth in America to keep our technological advantages in industries like the sciences and advanced artificial intelligences,  we have to educate our youth to give us an advantage in dressage.  When we educate the youth in America about science and math we don’t hang our hopes on only 5 or 10 potential scientists we attempt to educate many.  From that many come legions of potential.  The odds are in our favor.  Imagine the size of the potential riding population in the US as compared to England.  Then imagine if we educate and support the youth in a similar fashion.  What amazing latent potential lies in wait in the US! I don’t just mean for gold medals.  Imagine the potential purchasers of riding pants or saddles.   Imagine the jobs for vets and massage therapists.   Supporting youth programs like the RDHMW, D4K and all the new USEF programs is the future.  I have to say in the last four years I have been so glad to see so many in our sport seeing this and donating in any way they can.  Many of them do it without any type of recognition or desire for return.  It is coming out in sponsors, trainers and even non-horse people.  For example, I have to take a minute to say thanks to Endel Ots for last year donating a horse for Genay Vaughn to ride.  That is the spirit that is beginning to spread in our industry.  I hope it grows and I hope to give it back any way I can too.  I watched the movie “A Hundred Foot Journey” with my mom and grandma tonight.  I think there is a great lesson in this movie for us.  The two restaurant owners both start keeping this ‘classical’ or ‘traditional’ in their own world.  Over time they cross that hundred feet and learn how to change and grow by allowing in new ideas and a new way.  They all end up better off.  Perhaps a little spice here and there can make things better.  I know they have for me and the hundreds and perhaps thousands of children in these programs.  I can’t wait until Saturday morning to see what new things are in store for me to learn and share with you.

Smart Snacking

    I have been working with a nutritionist and reading about diet and exercise these last few months.  I have a few snack and eating ideas I have worked into my daily schedule I thought I would share with you. First, I try an easy rule of thumb.  I try to have a protein, a healthy carb and fat in every meal or snack.  For a lean protein I try a lean meat or dairy, for the carb fruit, veggies and whole grains and for the fat nuts, avocado or fish.  I don’t do well counting or measuring so I am better at putting in ‘3’.   For example for breakfast I can have a whole grain cereal with organic whole milk and fruit so I made 3.  Then for a snack I might do yogurt with granola and fruit so again I make three.  For dinner I might have a turkey sandwich on whole grain with avocado.  

   Another thing I have found that helps tide off binging or cravings is ‘grazing.’  If I eat something about every 4 hours it really helps to keep me from getting so hungry that I just eat anything in front of me.  It also helps to keep the portion sizes down because I am not running on empty. Grazing is easier, I find, if I keep something handy.  Often eating seems to be more an afterthought than a plan.  So I try to plan to make the afterthoughts easier.  So I put Raw Revolution bars in my pockets and back pack.  I keep them in my car console.  Every time I find myself looking around for something, they are there!  It is easy, convenient and healthy.  I keep a tub of them at the barn for everyone and a big jar of them on the counter at home.  I do the same with veggies, like baby carrots.  I have a bowl with water in the frig and it is always full of baby carrots.  They are cleaned and ready to eat.  This prep motivation to eat healthy also works well with my smoothie obsession!  I buy the pre packed and frozen dole frozen fruit with no sugar added. They come with mixed berry, strawberry banana, and all sorts of combinations. One small bag is exactly one smoothie.  I keep cartons of almond milk and soy milk in the frig.  I use the soy milk for the liquid in the smoothie and then dump in one bag of fruit.  It is all cleaned, cut and measured.  Ease makes it quick and convenient.  I keep bags of Matrix organic powders in the cupboard next to the blender and I dump in different powders based on my daily needs.  

    I am also a huge yogurt fan. I live for Chobani!  I keep bags of granola in the cupboard next to the frig and dump it right in.  I also keep berries that really need little prep work like blueberries and raspberries in the frig prepped to dump in.  The Chobanipacks that have the granola and fruit already in are great too and even easier.  I even freeze yogurt packs and eat them for my ice cream cravings or after workouts to cool down.  It makes me feel indulgent when I freeze the chocolate fudge flavored yogurt and I really splurge. 

    I have read up on dark chocolate.  I joke about being a candy freak but I inevitably buy things and never ever eat them.  I have never managed to eat all my Halloween or Easter candy in my life.  However, I do have a dark chocolate craving at times.  I have read that dark chocolate helps lower stress hormones.  So I do keep a nice dark chocolate bar in the frig and probably once a week or every other week I will eat a square out of it when I need it.  However, I rarely manage to eat a whole bar in a month.  

    Another big helpful idea to premix your own trail mix in a big bowl.  I like nuts and dried fruits.  Then put it in snack size ziplock bags.  These I then put in my back packs and pockets just like Raw Revolution bars.  Again, convenience and a little planning ahead makes it easier to eat healthy.  Another thing I found out in research was the beef jerky is a great snack for athletes.  It is a high protein snack.  It also has sodium to help to keep you from cramping in strenuous workout conditions.  Bananas and apples are easily portable snacks and rich in high energy carbs.  Finally, hydration is key.  I just read that I can keep protein powder in little ziplock bags in my back pack.  If I get bottles of coconut water and mix in the protein a little over an hour before a workout it will help with hydration and my potassium needs.  Remember water is key and just having a drink after you work out is not the best way.  Replacing fluids is important to prevent muscle breakdown from dehydration.

The last bit is for gym workout times not the barn.  These are different levels of muscle activity and different types of physical activity but we need both to be balanced athletes and to be able to call on our physical strength (like core development) that we build at the gym to help with riding.

Anyway, there are lots of snack recipes on the Internet.   Most use peanut butter (which I unfortunately am not a big fan of).  However, do a little fun research and you can get lots of great ideas.  I think the key to being able to get on a plan these last few months is to make it as easy as possible and to structure the plan in a way that fits.  For me it is the 1+1+1 is 3 on every meal and convenient prep with my smoothies, yogurt and trail mix snacks. So think about what is holding you back and try to figure out ways around it!