Sarah Martin Dressage Teaching the Rider to Feel

We have had many people and their horses come and go this summer. Currently Sandie McConnel and Elaine Capps from Nebraska have joined us for a week of training. The weather has decided to add a fall touch- my family in Massachusetts says the same is happening there- and I just don’t want to let go of summer!

We have had a really fun schooling show series here this summer. We start with all entrants [generally about a dozen] riding into the arena, and I conduct a group lesson based on the topic of the show. The series started with Dressage Geometry- where are those 20 meter circles?- Second was The Square Halt, followed by How to ride a Straight Center Line. The last was Round Transitions- Putting It All Together. I wish I could have had a camera as the variety of horses- paints, warmbloods, thorobreds and Arabs- executed the final lesson, we had a line of horses on centerline, nose to tail, all straight, round and square- it was pure fun.

After the group lesson, everyone goes back out and each rider rides a test of their choice, and at the end of the test is allowed the option to reride if they choose. We had a series of awards at the end- largest point spread for the same horse/rider/test; trainer who brought the most students, rider who rode the most tests; we created about 10 categories and then added door prizes and a final pot luck dinner. I have to say, it was the most fun showing  I may have had all summer- except for riding my own mare, of course!

I hope all of you are enjoying the last part of summer!

Hello everyone,

The back office is pleased to announce we have selected the winner of our survey drawing.  For all of you who participated in the survey that led to the development of Teaching the Rider to Feel series, Thank you. 

Our rider is Mikelle Roeder from Arkansas.  She selected Disc 1, Alignment, and we look forward to her feedback on the educational value of the information.  Sarah is passionate about the dressage training she provides and it is important to her that her students have the basic knowledge they need to progress and succeed.

Sincerely,

The Sarah Martin Dressage Project

 Anything said in regards to time and summer seems so trite, but that resides in the fact that these statements are so true. I imagine for those of you who are slogging out the heat and humidity that is setting records this year, summer can’t end soon enough. However, here in the cool San Luis Valley, summer is simply heaven. 50 degree nights and 80 degree days is probably as stable a temperature swing as we see in this area. This year I am travelling out with horses to shows every two weeks, and every trip back over the pass to home just leaves me so happy that Clayton and I elected for this move 4 years ago!

There is so much to keep up on- a clinic in Wichita over the July 17 and 18 weekend was just such a blast-
students came up from Tulsa plus the regular Wichita crew gave the clinic a depth of horse flesh and rider ability- Kay Kamish found a piaffe in her horse Odakai that was unbelievable. Moments like that give me enough energy to teach 20 riders in a row, it was truly inspiring! I had told myself to bring the camera, [something I need to get better at remembering to do] but of course in the moment grabbing a camera is out of the question anyway. We often discuss how important videoing your lesson is, as so much information gets passed out, and in the process of “doing” and staying with the feel of the moment, there is no way all of it can stay with a rider. Add trying to process the “what” and the “why” along with the exercise you are trying to learn, and there really is just a load of information that is way too much to process. When we worked regularly with Karl Mikolka we found the tapes we had of our rides helped us for weeks- and now, years later, going back over them always reminds or refreshes the thoughts around a particular exercise.
I often think if I could remember everything I’ve ever been taught, I’d be pretty smart- not to mention if I could remember to DO everything I’ve ever been taught!!!!

Of course, there is nothing like a horse show to test your ability to remember, and I am having such fun this summer getting my horses out on a regular basis- one at training, one at second and one at fourth actually allows me to breathe during the show day. This past weekend I left a few at home and just brought a bunch of students- Heidi McNamer and Kim Cheek are here from Little Rock, joined by Janice Dulak and her talented horse Ruby who I was able to ride and show at first level. Janice came to the show to let her horse get miles and to help me with position tips in the show ring, always so helpful to have that finishing reminder just before auto drive kicks in [collarbones lift, armpits engage!] Stomach, stomach, stomach! We are having fun- hope you all are, too! Drop an e mail and keep me posted on how your summer is going- I’d love to hear!

              

at 3 weeks”]

Frohdo Steps Out

Spring is foal time, and we are enjoying our very small role with the introduction of “Frohdo” a dutch colt by Rousseau and out of Vadette, a mare by Democraat/Juventus.Frohdo was foaled at Trisha Kerwin’s stable, Oak Hills, in Salem, Utah. He will stay there until we wean him and bring him home. Clayton and I both like geldings and have no intention to leave him a colt for long :]

In the meantime, Trish, Becky and Gail are doing a wonderful job introducing him to the wonders of his new world, and we are very grateful for their help!

This busy week sees our barn filled with folks from all over.
Betsy Jacoby has come from St Louis [with a heat index over 100 degrees in St Louis perhaps I should say has "escaped"]
to come and collect her horse, Jet. Jet has been with us to learn his flying changes, and now he is happily showing Betsy what he has learned, and in turn teaching her.

Robin Wright and Loye arrived to pick up their horses who have been with us for a month. This is a great way to capitalize on the trip to Blanca- bring your horses, much like dropping your kids at camp, and come back a month later to pick up your new, upgraded model. Both of their horses have gained weight and muscle; increasing their suppleness and balance, which all comes out in a much greater response from a much smaller aid. Which everyone agrees is a good thing, as the first few days here most people DO feel the altitude, so breathing comes a bit quicker and with not as much oxygen as it seems to deliver at home!

Laurie Losorwith has also come in from Memphis, to get ready to both watch and to participate in riding her gelding Taz at the upcoming AHIEC show. Taz is also here to learn about changes, but is solidifying his strength in the show ring at 2nd level while he stretches to the changes at home.

The best aspect of coming while other riders are here is twofold: for one, there are other people to share the highs and lows with; to discuss just HOW HARD it is to DO LESS- and then, of course, the second best aspect are the evening dinners. We all rotate who cooks, and as a result there is always a great variety of favorite meals and different cultures presented at dinner time. Of course, this has to be preceded by a bit of relaxing on the patio, discussing the days lessons and reflecting on the progress being made [or commiserating on the feeling that it NEVER gets easier!] Hey- nothing a glass of wine can’t fix!

I am so excited by the the new Icon saddle that Custom Saddlery is making! Graham and Susan came by our place today and my 4 year old mare, Belle, definitely chose the Icon. We tried a number of saddles, all of them a wonderful fit and balance, but Belle clearly loved the Icon. Enough so that when we put the next saddle on her, she sulked and then kicked the round pen wall- clearly wanting the Icon back!
So it will be. I have been so happy and relieved to be able to work with Cary [albeit long distance- it seems we are always about 2 weeks off of being in the same place at the same time] and now having Graham making regular trips to the Colorado /New Mexico/Utah area will really help all of us keep our horses and our saddles in the best shape possible.

It has always been important to me to have a saddle maker/fitter that I can trust to work with my horses and my students. The team at Custom has stepped into a void, where I have been trying to find high quality, reasonably priced saddles that the maker will stand behind, service regularly, and honor the commitment to the customer. I have been working with Custom for many years now, and I can truly say, they are a team you want to “have your back” and I am certainly glad that they have mine- and my horse’s!

Congratulations go out to our first competitors of the year! This past weekend Beth Geier started her season with a 61% at PSG, clinching her USDF Silver Medal. [See Beth's story as our first "Featured Student"] Not bad for first tet, first show of the season, especially after celebrating her 70th birthday the weekend before- go Beth, you inspire us all!!!

Kim Benson crossed some “t’s” and dotted some “i’s” and took care of her USDF Silver Medal as well- Kim had run in to the sickening issue of dates, memberships and horses not all being registered at the right time and place from TEN YEARS ago when she went to file for her medal- so please, everyone- be sure your memberships and scores are in order, and that everything that SHOULD have counted HAS- and then get those scores earned and acknowledged! Congratulations, Kim, for proving that you did it then and are doing it now!!

Heather Petersen’s horse Joe performed his first 4th level test with me riding and took home a 60% his first time out- another impressive beginning. You can read about Joe nd Heather also as our current “featured students”.

As you will see below, my management group and I have hooked up with Greg Mortensen and his efforts to build schools which especially tend to benefit the education of girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is hard to imagine the poverty and restrictions youth in these countries face. As I pursue my dream on a daily basis, and spend my time trying to help other people gain theirs, I feel strongly that somehow I owe the world a larger debt. Greg’s work, as so beautifully written about and expressed in his two books “Three Cups of Tea” and “Stones Into Schools” gave me a way to direct my desire to help, but to keep pushing along my dreams and the dreams of my students. My rationale is that our universe does tie us all together- and if, wherever we are, we are working to create good and positive energy, then we are helping, even if in a very small way. I can feel selfish sometimes, but it is not selfish to spread joy and provide ease to an animal, and those thoughts keep my energy for traveling, teaching and helping riders and their horses flowing! We will start by donating 5% of our profits to Greg’s non profit. To read more about Greg and his efforts, go to:
www.ikat.org or
www.penniesforpeace.org

   When you enter our front door there is a framed piece of embroidery that says ” It is worth traveling far to find wisdom.” At the time I asked a friend to make that for me I was thinking of the  thousands of miles that Clayton and I have  driven, have hauled the horses, and have flown to expose ourselves to the best training dressage has to offer.

   There are many facets to this sport. Breeding, judging, dressage training, showing: each one can be a lifetime study in and of itself. To become good at it I believe you need to keep constantly exposing yourself to the aspects that make the sport tick. While I am not wild about spending a day judging, I love the education that is provided to judges. If anyone gets an opportunity to attend an “L” program, USDF has now opened the basic education to all who care to attend, and it is well worth it. Knowing what judges are being taught to look for can only help your understanding of how to present your horse in the show ring.

   Understanding the bloodlines that excel in our sport was another topic that Clayton and I chose to study. We were lucky to discover a friend in Toine Hoefs, a breeder and KWPN judge in Holland. For about 5 years Clayton and I would join Toine every winter for the Dutch Stallion Show in Holland. We would sit with Toine and watch the incredible young stallion prospects be presented. This is an event for anyone who loves horses to attend. The young stallions are presented first in hand, then turned loose to see the trot and canter, and then put through a jumping grid. They are presented by “Stallion lot” so you will see a block of colts by Rousseau, by Contango, by Ferro, etc.  It is a wonderful education in the phenotypes these stallions stamp on their offspring. Being lucky enough to sit with Toine, we could also get his input on the strengths and weaknesses in character and performance various stallions presented.

  What motivated this piece is that we have been joined lately by a student from Australia, Tami. Tami grew up on a cattle station in  Queensland, but somehow the dressage virus worked it’s way into her blood way out there.She worked her way to the USA, to a breeding farm, and then through a clinic we met, and now she finds herself in Blanca, Colorado with her wonderful young  mare that she bought from the breeder. Tami is at the very beginning of her “dressage journey” and it is exciting and fun to be able to help her train and to help lay out the dozens of  choices she will have to choose from as her journey progresses. I can assure you, the pictures to come will be a far cry from her”previous life” mustering cattle in Australia!

April 19

  I returned home to Colorado on April 1st. I spent April 9-11 teaching a 3 day clinic in Lincoln, Ne with 12 sessions a day and a wait list. The 12th was spent teaching 10 riders along the front range , returning home at about 10 pm Monday night. On Tuesday we worked horses in strong winds, and I kept reminding myself of all the outdoor shows in California and Florida where I have been at in 30 mph winds with flags flapping and trash blowing. I am sure I am lucky to be able to train in high winds but sometimes…At any rate, that afternoon I met Sally Patton and her husband Bruce, who had traveled here from Portland, Oregon to spend some time and investigate our area. The next day saw the arrival of our new working student, Tami Nowlan. Tami has come all the way from Toowoomba, Queensland in Australia in pursuit of furthering her dressage training. We swept her up into our non stop routine, which included working 6 horses and then driving 6 hours to spend the weekend teaching a Pilates for Dressage Clinic in Longmont, Colorado. It seems as though since I have returned home, every day has been spent with people who will travel far and dedicate endless energy and effort to pursuing their dressage education. What amazes me is how ENERGIZING this is for me. The miles driven, flown, and hours spent in discussion or instruction just seem to disappear as you see “lightbulb moments” take hold. Even better is the joy I get when I see a horse soften, reach and offer their body to a rider. I am truly grateful for the opportunities I get to share what I know, and to the people all over who are pusuing the process. Enjoy the ride!