Just hanging out
So what have we been up to.. Well if you follow us on facebook you will know that on the 1st of November 2015, Charlie started his well earned rest, a winter sabbatical if you like.
It had been a very busy year with a lot of changes for him and I was amazed by how he coped with it all, but it is always prudent to be mindful. Allowing him to mature over the winter, both physically and mentally will set him up for a great 2016.
For the month of November, we just spent time together, taking leisurely walks, without pressure. These days of sharing time and space creates a partnership where they are able to see you as a confidant, a friend. Trust is built and the flow of communication becomes mutual.
Spanish Mustangs are notorious thinkers, inquisitive, which makes them the perfect breed for me. With every question answered there is always another to follow! As the month progressed, He began asking me for something more. I started investigating things we could do together to continue strengthening our relationship, that would stimulate our minds and bodies.. As Charlie is still physically immature particularly in the spine, I began looking for something that would involve ground work so not to put pressure on his growing skeleton, but at the same time would stretch and strengthen his muscles.
ST Mastery – Student
In researching further I discovered Straightness Training. It is a method of moving your horse initially from the ground and in hand to realign his body. Created by Marijke de Jong. “The goal of straightness training is to develop the horse symmetrically in body and limbs.” The more I read, the more I was fascinated and so decided to go back to school! Charlie and I became Straightness Training Mastery students in December 2015, for the last 8 weeks we have been working through the program. It has opened both my mind and my eyes and has given me an insight to the horsewomen I can be.
How often have you heard “he goes better to the left” or “he is heavy on the right”. Just as you might be right or left handed, horses can be left or right bent and footed, and this will affect all their movements. This asymmetry is a natural occurrence for all horses, the perfect straight horse has yet to be born, by being aware of it, we can better prepare our horses accordingly. Although the principles are based in the old masters and the movements would be associated with dressage it in no way is limited to this discipline. No matter what area of equitation we are working towards, this form of body and mind training will benefit all horses and riders. Is it not our duty to prepare ourselves and our horses in the correct manner if we expect them to carry us without complaint or resistance.
To help you understand further, imagine you are right handed, you are asked to pick up a heavy backpack and swing it on your back with your left hand… Try it. Of course you can do it, but you will find it awkward and uncomfortable. it will take you a few minutes to shift the weight so it feels better for your back. Well that is how a horse feels every time you get on and ask him to perform without correct preparation.
Charlie has great genetic conformation inherited form a long line of his ancestors that have excelled in various disciplines not to mention the origins of his breed as natural endurance war horses. But no matter how his genetic makeup has been written it will never be able to compensate for his natural asymmetry. His Natural Asymmetry, just to make things more interesting for me, is left bent in the hind and right bent at the fore. Trust him to be different, again!…
8 weeks of being ST Mastery students.. All in hand and at walk
We began our studies on the 1st of December and I am blown away with the results after such a short period of time. These pictures show the change in his form from the 30/11/15 to the 30/01/16 an 8 week period that included only 28 ST training sessions. (taking into consideration rest days and the holiday season!).
Examining both images you see the changes in his muscular form, particularly around his shoulder muscles, his topline and crest where his natural collection is emerging. You can also see where his bum is filling out at the point his tail starts, as his hind is further engaged.
The change is not only physical, his mind is more open, and his inner being has grown. He is more horse.
Straightness Training: Horse and Rider relationship
What enthralls me about Straightness Training, is it is not only about the horse and what you expect him to achieve, but about you as a person, as a trainer.
How can you balance your horse if you are out of balance? How can you ask your horse to be all he can be if you are not being all you can be?
It is OUR responsibility (Charlie and me) to develop as a team. The development not only of the physical, but of the emotional and spiritual. This is a fundamental part of the course and was a deciding factor in my participation.
We are both novices and at the very beginning of this journey. I cannot wait to see where it takes us. I will certainly keep you up to date here and don’t forget to like our Facebook page to follow all of our news.
For further, more detailed information on Straightness Training and to see if it is something you and your horse would benefit from, please click on the Link and check it out.
