Garland Farms Dressage

Testimonial by Michael R.

June 2000

Hi guys:

There is so much to say, but probably for starters I would just
say "WOW." William's opinion was more like, "It's about time." But I'm getting
ahead of myself.

Went to the barn to talk to William about my experience, after getting him
from the pasture. As usual, he saw me opening the gate and ran up to me.
Being covered in dirt and dust from rolling all week off didn't give him
his usual luster. In the barn, I started with sugar (learned from Garland
Farms) and already he knew something was up, as this had not been my previous
routine BGF (Before Garland Farms). I told him about Ricky and Pik and, at
this point, there was a general lack of interest and much yawning. More
sugar got a better reaction.

As we walked to the ring (about 500 meters), William was expecting me to
ask him to jog/piaffe with me on the line as he has been asked to do so BGF.
When I just asked him to walk quietly, he knew something was definitely UP.
Instead of mounting from the ground per usual, we went to the mounting
block and I got on. He simply looked around as in "What is going on here."

Immediately thought, "I forgot to steal/borrow the gel saddle, oh s***."
They'll be happy but this saddle feels sooo different -- not as deep and
for some reason, I had to consciously "pull pelvis forward." William took a
much bigger step than usual. We proceeded on a loose rein, long and low. What
do you know, no long and heavy! Something definitely up. I consciously moved
my leg long and low, seated with the triangle of my stomach and thighs flat
against the saddle, upper body up, hands holding the reins with thumbs and
pointing finger. William moved along sluggishly, so I sat up lightly and
asked him to fill the space under my crotch. Miracle of miracles, he came
right up, shook his head, came above the bit a little, settled down and
moved forward. His left hip was "off" at the walk, tilting inward. I tipped my
right toe in, unlocked my right hip -- no problem do to Ange's lunge line
torture exercises -- and his straightened out and marched forward. Took
short diagonal, stretched upper body up and worked on rythmn and straightness.
More BGF crookedness at walk -- fixed with seat. Grabbed front of Kieffer
saddle stood up and did the "Masthead" manoever for several strides. Re-seat
myself. Ask for more walk, nothing happens. Ask again, nothing. Release legs, keep
seat and go TAP, TAP with whip. Immediate trot. Walk again, ask with seat
and legs very gently, looking straight ahead, and we're off trotting with
lift. Back to walk, 10 meter circle. Fails to hold line, shoulder falls in and
hip falls out. Correct with leg pressure and seat. No reins. William's
response is to come above the vertical and straighten shoulders and hip. Head comes
down. Now we have a horse that is through. Out of circle at walk, shoulder
in left. Consciously look down line with shoulders square. William gives a
little but not enough. Circle again and ask for more shoulder off wall
with leg. Nothing happens, so I ask once with legs off with whip. Immediately,
we are fine. Continue along. Loss of rythmn, ask with leg, back in rythmn,
but tempo too fast. Correct with seat. We have now run out of room on this
side Walk through short side, 10 meter circle and back to shoulder in. Reins
steady, no pulling. William wants to pull, but I wait it out, keep asking
forward with seat. Pulling stops because I rebalance legs -- weight equal
on both sides. Change rein. Same exercises but now we're walking and paying
attention, but light and forward. On long side, 10 meter circle to
haunches in for 1/3 ring, then shoulders in for 1/3 then rendvers. Begin trot,
drops off the end of my hand. We walk, ask again with legs. Nothing. TAP TAP.
Moves right off. Rising trot with Masthead exercise. He's now going forward
through back. Same thing other side. At E ask for canter with leg back slightly
but stomach and shoulders up. Not much happens. I forgot to release inside
hand slightly. We try again. Moves into canter with one big step. I sit up
higher, check right toe and let him canter long and low in 20 meter circle to
right -- our BGF weak side. No problem, he goes forward and light. Looses rythmn
a couple of times when I try to drive from the "back seat." Re-seat myself
forward and upward. Saddle is definitely not as nice as MR.GELCO. Will
need to call Mafia contact and explain where your tack room is. Also must
indicate about the barking dogs!

William is now going forward on light upper leg pressure. Recollect my
reins, keep hands low, ask for canter. Immediately, we are RIGHT THERE! Along
long side, not straight, haunches in. Problem is in my weight. I fix it, and
we're straight. AND we didn't have to counter canter. Go canter walk with seat
only. Works right away. We are both startled, me particularly! Proceed
collected canter. Collect with seat and he stays right up. Keep hands
steady, sit higher, create a space under me, and he comes up higher to meet me.
Unfortunately, tightened seat too much and his back hits me right in the
testicles. Good response by him, not by me. We try again, me not
tightening, rather soften back but stay tall. I'm now having fun. Was going to try
canter half-pass, but forgot to try it in the trot first -- I got a little
excited, what with everything working. Went back to trot, turned on
quarter line, asked for half-pass. Went right along, but over turned in neck.
Straightened with upper leg, opened hand and he moved right into the space
provided, shoulder first. Good steps to next quarter line. Did same in
other direction. This worked so well we did it again a couple of times, me
waiting for us to screw up. We didn't. Took a long and low walk break on the
buckle.

Crowd has now formed along both sides of the ring. We go back to canter. I
practice going from collected to working. From C to corner I collect and
ask for extended down the long side. Big jump when I stay tall and ask for
extended. Use seat to bring him back. He comes right under and now his
rear is down and poll up. I check the shoulder muscles. He's not Pik, but he's
coming right out of his withers and is through all the way. We go to walk
and I ask for Piaffe. I just sit and wait and his hips move softly up and
down This has NEVER HAPPENED THIS WAY BEFORE. My seat stays forward, and my
hands are barely there. As a matter of fact, when he tries to drop behind the
vertical, I move my hands forward and "fluff him up" with my seat, keeping
my ankles soft but on. We get half of the long side in correct piaffe
movements.

There's silence everywhere along the ring sides. I'm shouting inside going
YES YES. I feel that this is enough for today, so we trot long and low in
connected 20 meter circles each way. On the way out of the ring, Carol
says, loud enough for everyone to hear, "He's never gone like that in the 8
years I've seen him here and at shows, and you've got a new seat as well."

Enough said.

Thank you both very much for giving me a wonderful time, and a new way to
dance with my best 4-footed friend.

Love, Michael :) and William :) [He's even more happy]

Back to Testimonial Page