Christmas Training Ideas for Advent

This year I wanted to focus my Christmas Training tips on The Scales of Training. 

Training Scales need to become instinctive so as riders we know what is correct and how it feels.

I shared many images on Twitter and you can see the complete set on Pinterest here 

https://www.pinterest.com/solitairedtm/christmas-2015-training-tips/

Rhythm

Find your horse's natural rhythm, the regularity of the beats in all paces, regularity in correct sequence of footfalls. Tempo is the speed of the rhythm. 

#1 Half Halts help to prepare for the next movement. Ride frequent transitions and transitions within the pace to reaffirm communication. 

* More on the Half Halt from Emile Faurie 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/671661013406777344

Find your horse's natural rhythm, the regularity of the beats in all paces, regularity is the correct sequence of footfalls. The Tempo is the speed of the rhythm.

#2 Think of riding 20m circles as a clock face, keep a regular rhythm as you ride through each quarter. Let the shape improve your pace. 

Circles help develop your horse's way of going. Ride them correctly to see and feel results. 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/671956284271411200

#3 Serpentines are a great test of horse's working correctly. They also look fabulous in freestyles - feel the rhythm! 

Develop good trot work by riding canter trot transitions. Prepare for each transition by rebalancing your horse. 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/672421740576956417

A key aspect of rhythm is tempo, constant in each pace & between movements so that no change between the variations of walk trot canter. The tempo stays the same between working and medium trot for example. 

#4 Introduce lengthening and shortening the stride, ride working pace on circle, establish tempo, ride few lengthen strides on long side then rebalance before corner and ride forwards to working pace.

Suppleness

The second scale of training. Scales overlap and many exercises touch each scale. Dressage develops longitudinal and lateral suppleness.

Supple horses can smoothly adjust the carriage and the position or bend without losing the flow of movement or balance. 

#5 The familiar patterns, circles, 8s, loops, serpentines, all help to develop suppleness. Remember hind feet should follow tracks of forefeet.

A snapshot of young horse training with Ingrid Klimke- The Familiarisation Phase. 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/673116312919523328

Watch dressage horses and showjumpers training for suppleness and good balance with Emile Faurie and Greg Best.

 https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/673117991576432640

#6 Work with your horse on their strengths, build a firm foundation based on trust, communication and praise.

A good article from Dressage Today. encouraging your horse to seek the rein and stretch.

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/673445886576484352

A supple horse can work with the correct bend, remember a horse must be able to flex correctly to achieve this. Watch this video from Emile Faurie 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/673769984716357632

#7 Introducing early lateral work, test horse's understanding of aids with turn about the forehand, leg yield follows then shoulder fore. 

As training progresses introduce Shoulder In. Watch this video from Emile Faurie.

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/673774618830897152

Riders need to be supple too! Sitting trot is a skill to learn, watch this video for advice from Emile Faurie. Remember to breathe. 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/673775880590778369

#8 Once your horse is confident and established in canter, introduce counter canter to develop suppleness.

Read about the trainer who created counter canter and flying changes.

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/674114006781677568

Read about riders position statement, balance and the importance of core stability in this Dressage Today article.

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/674204227821006849

Contact

Contact is the soft steady connection between the rider's hands and the horse's mouth. Horse gies forward from riders aids and seeks contact with the rider's hand. 

#9 Every transition should encourage the horse to think forward and seek the contact, to want to work with the rider. Watch this Video from EmileFaurie 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/674491200712384512

A relaxed horse, confident in its routine finds it easier to bond and learn. Contact = Communication

#10 Confidence, sensitivity and above all feel needed to train a horse to work confidently in a contact.

True contact- using legs and seat to develop forward dynamic in the hind leg that passes along back and neck to mouth , received by the rider's hand,m

Contact = connection hands so light, as reins are released horse remains in balance fir a stride of two.

#11 Try not to use speed to create a contact, too much and horse will rush, become heavy in the contact and the rider is tempted to pull back creating a short neck.

#12 Teaching a horse to work correctly takes time and muscle development, lay foundations for athletic career. 

Rhythm Suppleness and Contact are building blocks to be maintained and improved. The last three scales begin the journey to advanced dressage.

Training your horse to work with you , helping them to be supple, happy and on the aids. A good article from Dressage Today 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/675754574075023360

Dressage, training to restore the horse's natural balance? Great article on controlling the shoulders from Dressage Today https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/675755261655654400

Rider training. Work on your core stability, improve transitions! A must read article from Dressage Today https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/675755740187987968

Impulsion

Impulsion can only be shown through a horse's soft swinging back and is guided by gentle contact with the rider's hand. 

#13 Be mindful of other scales when asking for more power,horse must be supple enough to cope with energy. Creating Impulsion is a fine balance. 

What is Impulsion? Read more from Dressage today 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/675941992283693056

Stretching in a natural way and with a degree of self carriage is how horses learn to swing through their backs watch this video from Emile Faurie 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/675943823277694976

How to effectively use transitions in training 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/676296298463682560

Understanding Forward A useful article 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/676296378218381312

#14 How much impulsion is too much? If horse is tense, tight, hurried, difficult to control, ease back on forward! 

#15 Impulsion developed in paces with period of suspension, trot and canter not walk when activity is asked for.

Creating impulsion without the horse getting tense? Advice from Dressage Today 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/676296378218381312

#16 The moment of suspension means that impulsion can give a more pronounced rhythm to the paces but only if earlier scales are in place.

What can kangaroos teach us about impulsion? Read this article from Richard Weiss.

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/677034800625098754

Riders have a training pathway too 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/677038112804052992

Teach your horse to move off a light aid Advice from Dressage Today

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/677204140431380485

#17 Straightness is a scale easy to recognise, trying to correct it can cause problems! Suppleness, Contact & Impulsion are vital for true straightness.

My favourite exercise to improve straightness, counter canter / medium canter transitions. Watch this video by Emile Faurie. 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/677477076564377600

#18 Straightness means forehand is in line with quarters, horse able to bend and flex equally on both reins. 

#19 Overuse of the rein aids to straighten causes tilting, resistance and blocking of energy. So use medium paces and lateral work. 

Create patterns eg Shoulder In with transitions to medium trot to improve straightness. 

Learn to ride with an independent seat, useful article from Dressage Today

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/678296888613937152

How equine physiology relates to Dressage more information from Dressage Today

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/678298144594112512

Dressage exercises help develop your horse's confidence , read how in this article from Dressage Today 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/678298697231413248

#20 Every day there are different challenges, horse will never be absolutely straight but continue to work on straightness.

Finding a state of optimum balance through feel, an excellent article by Emile Faurie 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/678573784790601728

Some new patterns to try, I like the canter paper clip exercise described in this article from The Horse Channel 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/678574422752669696

Collection the final training scale, a Dressage Today article 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/678581707461775362

#21 Collection is the ultimate scale with a big role to play in advanced work. The novice horse shows first sign of collection in the trot to halt transition. 

How to ride an Elementary test, the first time collection is judged. Watch this video with commentary from Judy Harvey. 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/678836528953606144

Monday Motivation! This training exercise from Ingrid Klimke is a joy to watch! 

https://twitter.com/solitairedtm/status/678850066841497601

#22 More intensive bending of hind legs leads centre of gravity being shifted further backwards. Results in increased lightness of the forehand. 

Dressage Training reveals - 

          Freedom and Regularity of the paces

          Harmony and lightness and ease of movements

          Lightness of the forehand and engagement of the hindquarters originating from a lively Impulsion 

          Acceptance of the bit with submission/ throughness without any tension or resistance

#23 Collection - steps and strides become shorter but activity is maintained, movement appears more cadenced.

Cadence is shown in trot and canter and is the result of proper harmony that a horse shows when it moves with well marked regularity, impulsion and balance. 

#24 Transitions with no change of tempo is so important to develop control and bring out natural ability and expressiveness. 

The Object of Dressage is the development of the horse into a happy athlete through harmonious education. As a result it makes the horse calm, supple, loose and flexible but also confident, attentive and keen thus achieving a perfect understanding with the rider.

I would like to thank Emile Faurie, Jane Kidd and Britsh Dressage for the inspiration to create this series. 

Mental Skills Training

So often when we are riding, we are balancing our thoughts and our feelings to find a connection with our horse, to manage our emotions and understand how our horse is feeling and what they are offering. As Trainers we discuss the elusive feel which can be difficult to teach and to practice. Often over thinking can interrupt our connection with the horse and distract us from what is happening in that moment. To ride well, I need to be in a frame of mind that is allowing me to work with my horse. The same can be said for competing where I need to be in the moment to allow me to perform well. 

It is important to recognise that this centrered, high performing zone is not activated with a flick of the switch. It is a process and a skill which needs to be learnt and practicised. 

I have always loved competing. By the Autumn of 2000 I was tired and in pain and worried that my dreams and hopes were blurred and settled in a place almost out of reach. I was browsing in a book shop in Taupo on a rainy afternoon and Zinzan Brooke's book Competitve Edge ( by Lee Parore ) called me over. I am so thankful for that purchase. I hadn't really any understanding of his fitness regimes and training goals but several messages offered me a chance to rediscover my self belief and to take action. The book described the importance of mental and emotional training, finding balance in the body, seeking a postural assessment and training for core stability. There were many poignant moments for me reading the book including a description of postural imbalance that helped me to understand that I was feeling trapped by my own posture and that there were ways ( and physios ) who could help. Zinny was adamant that injury was not the end but that a player ( athlete ) must put their needs first to be able to offer anything to their team mates. He said about Injury, FIX IT. There was brilliant advice too on goal setting and I have used the Goal Staircase ever since. 

In 2014 I was coming to terms with the impact of injury again, ( happily two years on from the incident I was back competing and posting PBs ) once again I was feeling tired and the book that called me this time was An Astronauts Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield. This book was perfectly timed to motivate me to work problems, to accept challenges and to prepare for life's adventure by acquiring and mastering skill. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Space Missions, the training and attention to detail that gave the team their best chance of survival.

A few months on I was asked to review a Perfect Mind: Perfect Ride by Inga Wolframm. I was excited to discover and reaffirm the importance of preparation, visualisation and reflection in an Equestrian Context. It was a timely reminder that it's important to understand yourself and the actions you can take to manage, accept and ultimately integrate the stresses that could impact on performance. Whilst I realise that it's unlikely that I and my fellow riders might play International Rugby or Command a Mission to the International Space Station I would recommend reading these books to better understand yourself and to enjoy your time in the saddle. 

You can read my Book Review here http://www.hay-net.co.uk/member/haynetadmin/blog/8363/perfect-mind-perfect-ride-an-equestrian-book-review

I also wrote a recent Blog post about how I prepare and centre myself through kit organisation here http://www.solitairedressage.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/organisation-is-key.html

Solitaire Today

I'm pinching myself that it's August and that I have started to form new partnerships with some new horse friends. My good friends recognised that it was a good idea for me to start riding again and generously offered me the ride on some of their horses. I began again with Sebastian and once I stopped feeling tense ( a trip round the gallops and an impromptu schooling session when I hid indoors from the rain removed all my doubts ) it was time to move on to Independence. Indie is by Free Spirit by Jumbo so there is a family connection and to begin with I had moments where I mistook her for Jack. This surprised both of us but did wonders for finding a way to understand each other. For all the times I dreamt of finding an 8 year old Jack,  now I have those prayers answered. Indie is a delight and has quickly taken me under her wing and accepted the fact that my right arm does not work and my left is limited so self carriage is kind of up to her and steering is sometimes by necessity voice activated! We rub along very well together and I'm excited by the idea of competition. 

Indie's stable mate is Wilhemina. I have wanted to ride her since she arrived and happily taught her encouraging my friend to be brave and ride more forwards from the safety of the ground. The day came when it was my turn and it was a delight to discover she is not as fragile as she looks though her power level is unlike anything I've ever experienced. After a short time in walk I was beaming and so excited to be discovering a new horse's way of going. Trot was breathtaking and canter? Well let's just say when I'd recovered I'd resolved this was a horse worth going to the gym for. 

The other horse is my life lives in a different county and takes my breath away too! He is called Hortelano and is an Andalucian working at medium. When I first rode him I was grinning even whilst wondering if I could cope with such a big horse, several circuits later and I recognised I would never forgive myself for not learning to. So we really are starting a new chapter. I rode him past some pigeons last week expecting the sky to fall and we continued calmly around the arena. That felt like a sign of approval. A new era. 

Organisation is key

I was reminded recently that we only regret the rides we didn't do. Last December I was sitting in my kitchen in the haze of a migraine anxiously aware of the ticking clock and the deadline of my training session. It was not really a question of sucking it up and getting a move on rather I was trying to streamline my thoughts to a cohesive action plan that would make it possible to drive to the horse box hire company, return, pack and load and arrive at training in good time to present myself and my horse. I knew I had to wipe all thoughts worries and anxieties from my pounding head if I had any chance of being on time and being in the zone to learn and improve. 

One step at a time I reviewed the challenge and we hit the road. Smooth turn around some 50 minutes later and on the return journey I thought about packing the gear and loading my horse. We were all aboard in under ten minutes, largely because all my gear and my horses essentials for travel are packed into bags. I did not even need to check the contents as since I discovered Kitbrix my gear has been ready when I am. So now the journey to training. I taped my wrist and concentrated on thinking about tacking up and riding into the arena on time. I did not allow any of my usual brain chatter room as the headache was all consuming. 

This turned out to be one of the best training sessions I have ever experienced, I arrived calm and followed my coaches plan and suggestions and a break through riding the canter half pass pattern from M75 gave me the best moment in the saddle ever. I felt the ease of the movement, I realised we would hit our marker in balance and with a good rhythm as we crossed the 3/4 line. I grinned at Emile I felt overwhelming pride and happiness and in that moment Jack looked back at me and shared the most incredible connection I have ever felt. I will never forget that moment or what it took to get there. We went home happy, my headache an irrelevance and the memory of riding through, of being oranised enough to cope is a lesson I hold on to.

Expert Panel

I have recently been asked to answer reader queries about training horses for fun and competition by Horse Magazine and Your Horse Magazine. I enjoyed responding to the questions and offering suggestions about ways to approach the challenges the riders were facing. It's always interesting to take a step back and consider a training issue and work out some solutions. As a coach it's good to think about different exercises and the reasons for including them in training as well as ways to introduce them to a horse & rider for the first time. 

I have also enjoyed acting as a product tester and can report that the cooler rug is still going strong and deserved it's Best in Test! 

The Last Ride

I saw a pin reading "Please God let me never know when is my last ride". It resonated as I recalled the joy of my last training session with Emile Faurie in January when Caviera Bedding visited to take photos behind the scenes. It was a memorable session with Jack and I wearing borrowed tack and taking a little time to adjust. The tension was largely mine and as we warmed up the familiar routine and exercises allowed me to focus on the quality of the work Jack and I were producing and to delight in the feeling of connection that Emile had taught me to recognise and develop over the past year. 

There was a moment when suddenly the top end of the school appeared caught in a wave and a noisy ripple of sound and a shaking mirror rolled towards us. I thought a large plane must have appeared in our sky overhead and turned in confusion to Emile, Jack and I had frozen for a moment not knowing which way to turn. In the moment before Jack might have bolted Emile said relax and ride forwards (always forwards!) and Jack responded to my mind before I had put my leg on and was responsive to my next half halt allowing us to resume our rhythm and continue with the exercise. I was delighted and the scary moment passed. I did not think about it until later when I heard of the earthquake activity and remembered that it had felt similar to tremors in New Zealand. That moment really sums up for me what it is to ride in the moment, to move on to the next job and to be at one with your horse. Encouraging and maintaining a connection not only for safety and sanity but for the sheer joy of feeling the paces become expressive and adaptable. It is a feeling of security, of time dilation to steel the cliche it's a harmonious partnership. That sense of working harder than you thought possible to do very little and to share each footfall. Words fail me to describe such a partnership and explain how I reached that level of dressage except to say that Emile gave me the gift of understanding Jack that celebrated and built on the years we had spent learning about dressage together.  

Special Legacy for a new chapter

They say there is no time limit for grief. I lost Jack in February and have struggled to blog about the everyday happenings at Solitaire Dressage since. The trouble is I haven't felt able to write an obituary or visit this page which I created to celebrate the adventure I began when I met Jack. The story of my time with Jack did not end in November when I last blogged about riding him at YHL or in January when I last rode him at training and wrote an article about his daily routine for CTR Magazine. In many ways it didn't end with our last goodbye as I shared my grief with his companion Marmalade and later cried long stinging tears into the warm comfort of Sebastian's mane. I pulled myself together enough to go on with the daily routine and was grateful to teach a lesson later that week and to connect with the combination enough to enjoy the magic of a horse learning. Grief is a personal experience that bites at many different and unexpected times and to write about it without crying is still impossible. Still I have happy and sad times I need to write about and today is time to face the tears again without fear as the emotions remind me of what a special and lasting bond we have. I write with conflict over using the present tense yet I still feel his influence. 

My return to riding Sebastian was bittersweet as I remembered there were other horses to share time with, to look forward to meeting to enjoy getting to know at home and in the competition arena. Sebastian a horse who Jack loved is my comfort blanket, I have ridden him many times, never fallen off him and would always wish to be on him in a tense or tricky situation. I was as relaxed as I could be hacking on a cool spring evening. When we met a pigeon, I lost my balance falling into a ditch. Bruised but not battered my pride took the worse of the tumble. I was relieved to not injure either arm (they already have many rehab hours to record) but that was the day I decided to get fit emotionally and physically to ride again. More importantly I suppose it rekindled the I am rider flame that never really goes out! 

Happy Days at Solitaire Dressage

Jack and the team are well rested after our weekend at Your Horse Live. We had a brilliant time sharing a behind the scenes look at creating dressage to music floor plans and music soundtracks. We also showed how helpful it can be to introduce riding to music to every horse and rider's schooling routine.
The whole demonstration was made possible thanks to Nick Reeve, a professional music producer with an interest in dressage and the impact (and fun) of adding music to create a performance the audience (&Judges) will remember. Nick produces music to ride to as well as creating scores for Grand Prix to Prelim routines that receive high marks and excellent feedback.
I rode my medium routine on Saturday and by Sunday Jack was adding in his super moves and offering flying changes which appear in his advanced medium routines. Space was at a premium and the shorter arena meant he offered some excellent and acute angled half passes. Well done Jack! I particularly enjoyed the live coaching segments with my regular pupils, Francesca, Nicola, Alasdair, Hayley and Amanda - well done team, I was delighted that we were able to give an insight into our training sessions. The Audience asked me some good questions and I was able to discuss introducing music to horses, working with tempo and different musical styles and to share the audience feedback on the process of matching music to combinations.

My thoughts are now with the approaching British Dressage Summer Season which officially begins on December 1st, my last few 2014 music competitions and the preparation for the 2015 regionals. Training at home and with Emile Faurie is going well and Jack and I continue to enjoy ourselves. Christmas is on the horizon and we have some team parties as well as training clinics to look forward to.

It's been a busy month so far with a clear round at the Area Festival at Moreton Morrell and a Coach CPD day with BD Central at my favourite venue Brampton Stables. I've also welcomed new team supporters KitBrix who have helped me organise all my kit for training and competition with their brilliantly designed modular kit bag system. Jack has been testing a few new products too; at Your Horse Live we discovered the brilliant Caviera bedding which is warm, dust free and doesn't contain any of the additives that he is allergic to. Jack has had a long career and I'm always looking at ways to support him, in the same way that I take extra supplements I am always pleased to try new products for Jack when they are from a company I've used before. Protexin have always been a trusted brand and I was pleased to review their Recover Aid. Jack has always used Equine America Applelytes and recently began to trial their new Cortaflex with added Supafen. I have been very pleased with the results.

I am always very careful with Jack's diet because of his allergies and sensitivity to starch. I feed Baileys No4, Stud Balancer and Speedibeet. This has been his staple diet since 2008 and the only thing we change is the ration in consultation with the Baileys Team. Together with good quality forage, a joint supplement and occasional digestive support this has been the winning formula for Jack's high performance career . Along with good grazing and lots of winter layers he is content. Jack is a fun if demanding horse to look after!

I'm really looking forward to the next round of clinics at Solitaire and away from home in Bucks and Northants. For those who would like a freestyle routine our next date with Nick Reeve is February 7th. I'm also looking forward to working with my partners at Elonex to promote Equestrian Sport- look out for new digital advertising campaigns at events and venues near you - tweet me SolitaireDTM if you would like to see your brand on the big screen !

Stable Makeover for Jack

Jack has a wonderful stable with excellent ventilation, rubber matting and a great view from his stable door onto the yard as well as a window overlooking the arena. He can even chat to Marmalade through the dividing bars of his stable. Horse heaven and yet still missing the extra finishing touch that would bring more light to the corners and give him a sense of peace and tranquility. I drew the line at a water feature though he does his best to upset the drinker and dunk hay in his buckets. I read about the calming effects of stable mirrors and was delighted to be asked to test a Stable Mirror and review the impact on Jack's attitude.

The mirror was an instant success with Jack who is always trying to gaze at himself in the arena mirrors at Emile Faurie's yard! Jack seemed delighted to have his very own mirror that is safe enough for him to nuzzle and chat to and gaze at himself! I think he knows it's his reflection because he still goes to chat to Marmalade!

As for the energy flow in the stable I think the mirror has created a stillness, it has certainly created an extra sense of space and lightness and I would recommend treating your horse to a mirror- easy to order and install contact Mirrors For Training for more information.

My Flexible Horse

Roughway Jack is 22 and is still enjoying work and training. Emile Faurie has been instrumental in helping me improve our dressage scores at medium. We start with a careful warm up and let Jack begin to relax and start to connect. The secret is to ask Jack to work with me and not take charge and to allow me to ride his paces in a regular rhythm so that he works in a soft,supple, swinging frame. I believe that there are lots of factors which contribute to Jack's current high performance. First it's crucial that he's happy and for this he needs a regular routine, the company of his friends, well fitting tack, a balanced diet, regular turnout and varied workloads and lots of pampering !
I think it's very important to feed a joint supplement and I was delighted to review Equine Science Supplements Flexibility for Haynet Blog. Jack was initially sceptical about eating a new supplement particularly as the loading dose is 6 measures for his body weight. I got around this by adding in a scoop at each feed and gradually increasing it and once he discovered he liked the taste there were no more dramas.
Jack is certainly on top form, we have started to improve his lateral work and develop even greater collection in our lessons with Emile and these are taxing sessions for any horse let alone a veteran. I am pleased to report that Jack is demonstrating a great desire to work and perform at competitions and giving me a feeling of cadence and expression in his paces that I never dreamt possible.

Solitaire Training - Come and join us!

Have you discovered dressage or do you want to learn more about training your horse? Maybe you would like to compete? Qualify for a Championship or join a team? At Solitaire we love coaching horse and rider combinations!

Enjoy Flatwork with Alison

I can help you to understand the requirements of a dressage test and discover how to use the Scales of Training. Lessons include how to perfect your arena craft, test tactics and how to prepare for competitions and set training goals.

Prepare for Dressage Success

I am so pleased to be able to share the facilities at KTS with the Solitaire Riders and others who wish to book a lesson with me. We have a super arena with a great all weather surface and have a full set of show jumps too as although my current riding goals center around dressage I do enjoy jumping and coaching riders over fences. We have plenty of room to park, a lovely coffee room and stables available for the day as well as overnight stays. There are plenty of places for riders to stay locally too.

Lessons with me include plenty of different exercises and often cover how to include test patterns in your schooling sessions. I show how to improve your horse's way of going as well as helping riders to develop their own position, feel and effectiveness and how to present their new skills in a competition environment as well as when training at home.

I help riders choose which competitions to enter and to plan their calendar to qualify for championships. I can prepare riders for Area Festivals, Regionals and Nationals as well as to film them for Dressage Anywhere Competitions so that they are able to compete at home. I can introduce riders to TeamQuest or Riding Club Team competitions and coach privately or in group sessions. I can also help riders prepare for Freestyle Competition by working with them to choreograph routines and recommend music producers who will create winning soundtracks.

I look forward to welcoming horse and riders to Solitaire HQ though I also coach away from home in Warwickshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and London regularly so do get in touch to find out more.

Fun times in July

Jack and I continue to work happily together - I'm sure it's the support team we have that keeps him content and interested in his ridden work and training. The storms have passed at last and we enjoyed the summer sunshine this evening. With our elementary music regionals qualification achieved and our area festival medium notifications arriving today there is a lot to look forward to. Not least designing new music routines for the next levels and Your Horse Live.
This week we have had special guests from Your Horse Magazine who came to report on a couple of lessons, Nicola and Laura rode really well and I'm looking forward to seeing the articles and iPad edition when they are published.

Summertime at HQ

During the Spring I completed the 100 Happy Days Challenge with Twitter and I still make a point of celebrating - I have a lot of positivity at the moment having recently moved to a new base and home with five star facilities for horses and humans. Mind set and environment are both important factors in improving performance. I am proud to report that Jack and I have qualified again for the Elementary Freestyle Regionals and posted a personal best in M73 of 69.4% and training is on track with the help of Emile Faurie.
The Solitaire Horses have settled into their routine and enjoy the gentle buzz of the yard as horses are produced for sport and leisure. The stables overlook the arena and I often have an interested audience as I'm coaching. The season is in full swing and we are planning for the Autumn with a demonstration at Your Horse Live to deliver.
Meanwhile we have a full schedule of clinics and workshops in the diary and look forward to helping the Solitaire Riders enjoy the Summer.

Happy New Year of the Horse

2014 is galloping along already (sorry couldn't resist!) and I realise I haven't been updating my blog. In my defence I have been posting on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook in between coaching, riding and enjoying my work. I've had update blog on my list for too long but there was no way I could let the Year of the Horse pass by without reflecting on the last 12 months and looking ahead too.

On the competition front there is a lot to look forward to as a competitor, coach and spectator. My personal goals include setting new PB s with Jack at medium and advanced medium level and with the feel of a new level of understanding I'm enjoying with Jack posting those target marks are achievable.

I am enjoying working with the Keatinge Trakenher Stud, it's impossible to single out a favourite from the impressive family group though I do have a soft spot for Singing Horatio sire of my own Keatinge Paicie and Cristobal takes my breath away with his jumping ability.
TeamQuest is a new initiative from British Dressage and I am pleased to report that Solitaire Riders have begun training for this league with two teams registered.

A side of my work I really enjoy is promoting riders and supporting them though the season. Vivian Chang has a full on year ahead as she prepares for The Asian Games and International FEI competitions. Equetech continues as a leading manufacturer of Equestrian Apparel and the new Equetech Rider Team is stronger than ever with some great competition challenges on the horizon it's set to be a busy season. RB Equestrian are celebrating 25 years of trading this spring and are continuing to lead the way in equestrian retail. The shop is increasing in size and I'm looking forward to the grand opening day- shopping heaven for horse enthusiasts!

I am also going to help promote the work of the Mark Davies Injured Rider Fund. A charity created to support all horse riders and carers when the need it most. The MDIRF support competition and leisure riders and actively work to try and minimise injury through education and understanding. They offer unrivalled emotional support to riders and their families in times of need and practical as well as financial support where possible. They rely on fundraising events to be able to support the Equestrian community and as riders and horse lovers we owe it to our extended family of fellow riders to get involved. It's a fun charity to support too with a full social calendar created to raise funds and recognise that riding is a great sport whilst realising that it has risks and riders need support when things go wrong. With Dressage, Showjumping, Horse Trials, Marathons, Fashion Shows, Dinners and Balls to come in 2014 Let's get this party started!

Solitaire Dressage Camp

I had another great weekend working with some of the Solitaire Riders and would like to extend special thanks to the team at Higgidy for supplying us with delicious quiches to help feed the riders and their supporters! Special thanks to Tracey at Midway Media for the photo shoot and live lesson filming- do contact Tracey to discuss professional filming at your event.
Here are some rider reports in their own words...

Nicola Crowther "A thoroughly enjoyable weekend , set in the beautiful surroundings of SolitaireHQ. A very worthwhile exercise for myself and Basil as he learns to cope with training in different environments, we gained a lot at the time and obtained plenty to work on until we meet again in a couple of weeks at Addington."

Rachel Crook "This was the second time I'd brought 6 year old Indy to Alison's yard and I was very pleased how settled she was and how quick to knuckle down and work.
We have been working hard at home to get Indy more forwards and responsive to the leg using some of Alison's exercises plus increasing the amount of oats in her feed. Alison very quickly noticed Indy's increased willingness to go forwards into a contact as we warmed up so we decided we would start some exercises to teach Indy simple changes, required for elementary level.
Working first on a 20m circle we did multiple trot canter trot transitions insisting firmly on an immediate reaction to the aids for canter. We found this hard to start with until Indy had some encouragement from my schooling whip coupled with much shorter reins. She soon understood I meant business. We then moved onto a harder exercise where we cantered a half 10m circle on one rein trotted a few strides then cantered a second half circle on the other rein. Although I had to use as much leg as I could muster, to my surprise Indy managed to do the exercise correctly albeit not prettily and it felt like a real achievement.
To finish the lesson we worked on getting medium trot strides. I needed to educate myself as to what these feel like on Indy as she is very different from Sebastian whom I have ridden for over ten years. Alison videoed us to convince me that we were actually producing some medium trot strides. I have now got to practice how to get them at home and trust Indy to deliver.
All in all a very good hard working lesson which resulted in a very hearty appetite later for both me and the horse"

Helen Francis "What a great time both myself and horse Rose Petal had at the Solitaire Camp. It really suits us that we can have 2 lots of intensive training sessions per day -we learn more in one weekend than we do all month at home on our own.
I feel ready for our next challenge, competing at the Pet Plan Area Festival, which before the weekend was a bit of a daunting prospect. We even touched on rider nutrition often overlooked by many riders as an important part of their competition preparation. We need good nutrition as well as our horses! Plus it's easier to achieve than you think with new handmade produce such as Higgidy quiches ( which were yummy! )
Thank you Alison and the Solitaire Team."

On Location

We have had a busy few weeks with Freddie playing his part modelling with Vivian Chang. Fred also travelled with us to the Higgidy Quiche headquarters where we collected essential supplies for the second Solitaire Dressage Camp. We stopped off at the beach too though Fred was not impressed with the waves. By the time we returned home to prepare for camp Fred retreated for a well deserved nap!
I enjoyed our beach walk and as luck would have it found an old penny, this struck a chord with me- my grandfather had collected old pennies and the odds of stumbling across one on a stony beach particularly when I was not looking would have been long - a poignant moment bringing with it fond memories.

Ten things we miss about you...

Darling Archie, no more pain my boy, we are all grieving and holding on tight to the wonderful memories and character you shared. Miss you madly.
1) miss you pattering around the house to signal morning and making eye contact , tilting your head wagging your tail.
2) miss you sharing the chair, ears up waiting for the day to begin.
3) miss you sitting by the washing machine telling us its time to go outside and hang it on the line , the grin on your face as you mooched about setting up diversions for Fred to chase rabbits or toads or other mischief.
4) miss you bouncing a ball asking us to play
5) miss you waiting by the door whilst we do morning stables and your excitement when we come back in.
6) miss you in the car, your GPS telling us if we make a wrong turning and oh how many journeys you knew and travelled with us- listening to Bryan if you got fed up, stopping along the way if you spied a park or w you fancied...
7) miss you explaining to Fred that everything would be ok no matter what and giving us the same reassurance - a heavy weight on your shoulders at times I know - thank you little man
8) miss you woofing in a car park to guide us back when we forget where we parked
9) miss you on the yard at evening stables and bouncing along at last walk before bedtime
10) miss you everywhere all the time - you are cherished and loved and here still in our hearts- we have been growing flowers and you have pottered around the pots sniffing and waiting for flowers-a poppy bloomed this morning cue more tears though the desperate feelings are less sharp and the happy warmth and courage you gave me is returning just as though you were here, snuffling reassuring letting me know all would be well. Miss you Archie x

Summer keeps getting better at Solitaire HQ

I've had a brilliant few weeks. Jack and I returned to competition at Addington and Aston Le Walls and found our feet in the arena once again presenting show favourites M61, M69 and M75 which we both enjoy as it has clear patterns and gives us a chance to show the exercises we use in training at home. One or two oops moments with a super change after the half pass which I probably should not ride at home unless we are doing advanced medium however it was my mistake as I was thinking left rather than counter canter and Jack obliged. It was a simple mistake and he changed straight back when I asked him to. I am pleased to be back in the competition and hail, heat and horse flies did not stop me smiling.
We have been hiring a super horsebox through Stable Quarters Horsebox hire and not only is the box first class the customer service is unsurpassed and makes the whole journey run smoothly there is even a great radio and CD player so Jack has been chilling with Michael Buble and Bruno Mars - I watch him on the CCTV and he looks out of the windows enjoying the journey!
It's been a fabulous summer of sport so far and being a Rugby Fan the Lions Tour has had me on the edge of my seat willing them to claim the series. At the coaching camp at Solitaire HQ this weekend riders and supporters gathered in my lounge to cheer them on to a series victory before getting onto the series business of a goal setting workshop.
The visiting horses, Petal, Indy and Basil all made themselves at home quickly whilst Jack and Marmalade welcomed them with interest. I enjoyed seeing the horses develop in confidence and ride-ability as the weekend progressed. It was hot and so we worked for two short sessions on Saturday with the horses being washed down and retiring to the stables to relax in between. It worked well and all the horses offered improved work in the second session on Saturday and again on Sunday morning. Horses and riders worked hard and as a coach the sessions went quickly too though I'm tired today!
On Saturday evening I returned to the arena to give a ridden demonstration with Jack to show how I use my aiding system and to explain how I build and maintain my partnership with Jack. This was fun and Jack loved the attention, once the show and tell was finished I tucked him up for the evening with extra apples before joining our guests for a summer BBQ . It was a fabulous evening with great company. Back to training on Sunday morning with test practice and arena craft before a leisurely lunch then the riders headed home. Plenty of time to watch the tennis, enjoy Sunday evening stables and then thoughts turned to the following week with lots to look forward to and an overwhelming sense of pleasure at settling in and making plans.

Found at Waitrose!

Yum- I found the Innocent Smoothies Peach and Apricot and its delicious - a taste of Summer. Also picked up a Higgidy Quiche and Yeo Valley compote and noughties! Just got to find Cadbury Strawberries and Cream and the horsebox will be well stocked!

A few photos from Solitaire HQ May / June