Core Conditioning for Horses

 

This is a fascinating little book that I picked up through Kindle for $14.99. 

It gets to the theory of why the core is so important, while explaining how the three sections of the core interact including the thoracic sling.

After giving you tools to give your horse a “core score”, different combinations of the 10 warm up exercises are recommended with a detailed explanation of each exercise.  Each exercise has three difficulty levels which is also very helpful.  A kind of cool extra is that each horse exercise is paired with a human yoga pose.

I purchased this to basically check that I wasn’t missing anything and was pleasantly surprised by how many of the exercises we were already doing in one form or another.  There were a few that we haven’t been consistently doing though, and the explanation of the core theory was very illuminating.  I also really like the format where you can easily check out each exercise and then go back to the theory if you’re so inclined.  Highly, highly recommended this book.

Training Test 3 Dressage Show Online

 

I was really pleased with this test, especially given that it has quite a bit more canter work.  I thought the judge was fair and gave a couple of excellent pointers.  I will be looking up those serpentine loops…

With an above 60% on this test, that means we are qualified for all three Training Tests in the year end show in August.  My goal is to polish everything up, especially the canter departs, and score above 70% on all three tests.  I think it will be a challenge but doable.

While we’re working on that polish, we’ll continue working on the TRT stuff with objects and tools, little “trail rides” with targets around my fields, and schedule some lessons off the farm.  

If you’re interested see our test HERE.

Warwick Schiller’s Letter to My Rookie Self

 

I thought this was so lovely and worth sharing.  Many gems.

DSO Training Test 2

 

I was pleased with this test, especially because going into it I knew our canter work was “variable “.  See it HERE.  I kept my soft eyes, Cruise was calm and obedient, and our canter transitions were a little late/early.  Oh well.   I liked how solid he was and felt like the judge’s pointers on the free walk, stretchy circle, and my sitting up were valid and helpful.  Next month I’m planning on doing Training 3 and hopefully we will score above 60% as well, which would have us qualified for the year end Dressage Show Online in August in all three Training tests.  It’s a small goal to keep me chipping away at improving the canter and my test riding in general.

Besides polishing components of the Training tests, we’ve also been working on the goal of walk, trot, and canter on the buckle.  He’s solid at the walk and trot and about half a ring of canter.  It’s not far off though.  We’ve also been doing a ton of groundwork, some TRT Method with scary objects and tools, and a lot of field walks.  I feel like my deep dive into Warwick Schiller gave me a better understanding of a horse’s focus, sympathetic/para sympathetic state, and general ability to read a horse.  I’m taking all that and revisiting the TRT Method and it’s going really well.  Hopefully, leading to hauling out to SW’s in the near future.  I also found a somatic yoga video on YouTube to release my psoas and hopefully help me sit up.  The jury is still out, but I will do a post soon if I find it helpful.