Summer Wind Ranch Cowboy Dressage and Natural Horsemanship

Hello Cowgirls, I wanted to let you know that my arena is still a bit to wet to ride in tomorrow. I have a couple of ideas to throw out there. 1.) Go over to SHA and ride in their arena 2.) Go over to Ione to ride in that arena 3.) Go for a trail ride.... If you are interested please let me know by typing 1,2, 0r 3. You do not need to respond if you cant make it.

START WITH THE END IN MIND Dressage aims to develop and strengthen a horse’s body and mind to not only preserve its health, but make it stronger and more balanced than if it were left untrained. When starting under a rider, a young 'green' horse starts with a tense, hollow, weak back. To ‘start with the end in mind’ means to know what our end aim is for the horse, i.e. what does a strong healthy back look like? Can you visualise the difference between a tense, weak hollow ba...ck and a relaxed strong one? It's a lot more than an 'outline' or 'head frame'! It is a process. A progression of stages that build one on to the other, connecting the dots to create strength and flexibility. Some people visualise an outline that only involves the horse’s head and neck. They try to create a ‘frame' containing or enclosing the horse between pushing legs and restraining hands. But dressage is not at all about forcing or holding a horse into a frame. The outline of the horse's posture is one of the end results, but not a means to the end. What is the means to the end? Improving balance is more the priority. Balance is the idea to have in mind from the start: lateral and longitudinal. Surely balance is the means by which dressage is measured - and worthy of our study and understanding. A balanced horse is the end aim. We can influence the horse's balance from the beginning, in the early groundwork, in lunging and introducing the bridle in the work in-hand. The sooner we start to focus on balance, the sooner we progress, and the better we prepare a horse for a lifetime of carrying a rider. Balance is the habit we need to support, and through a methodical approach in all schooling. It means collaborating with the horse to solve problems that arise. We can collaborate by tailoring training to the horse’s individual physical needs and natural asymmetry, and then teach the horse to feel and respond to our cues, and engage with us: to start in balance, to move in balance, to re-balance, and to stop in balance. The diagram here shows first an unbalanced horse working in tension. The red muscles on top are tense, while the blue muscles underneath relax and extend. The horse moves with a weak back, which would have trouble to carry a rider. The second diagram shows a horse working in relaxation with a stronger back, stretching more forward. The top line muscles stretch and relax while the belly muscles, in tension, can raise the back now stronger and better able to support a rider. Ideally for a good neck extension the horse's neck would stretch further forward out and down to seek the hands. NOTE: In time, as the horse’s strength and balance improve with a rider, the withers, neck and head carriage would come higher, to further shift the balance to the hindquarters. Illustration: Posture from hollow to neck extension. (Philippe Karl) Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage.

Super fun ride yesterday with Todd Ross and Maddie (Andrea Lund Garcia). It was so fun to get all three of the horses out! We saw a great big bobcat, several jackrabbits, and an array of birds. Ahhhh fresh air

Someone called me last night regarding some Morgan horses that she had for sale or lease. I inadvertently deleted your message, please call me again. Sherrill (916)402-8550

Someone was feeling good this morning! I could watch him all day!!

Thought I would share a few exercises that we will be riding at our Wednesday Group Lesson: Sideways Movements: These simple exercises of turn on the forehand, for example, when executed correctly, mobilizes the rib cage and frees up restriction in a horse’s ventral muscle chain, which connects his pubic bone and abdomen to his jaw and tongue. So interesting! Then we will move on to Poles with Purpose: . As a horse takes measured strides with distances and heights set by pole...s, he corrects gait irregularities and poor rhythm. Lastly Pick-Up Sticks We will ride around the arena in a walk/ jog, crossing over the poles with loops, curves and zigzags. Cross the poles using numerous approaches. Sound like fun? I think so!! See more

Welcome to Summer Wind Ranch girls! I am super excited to have these two beautiful BLM Mustangs here for training! The Chestnut is Kiya and the Strawberry Roan has two names so far. Lady and Rosie

I have decided to split this clinic into two separate days. Saturday November 14th will be for Intro/Intermediate horses and or riders. Saturday November 15th will be for Intermediate/Advanced. When signing up, please be sure to check the date and clinic that best suits you and your partner. This will also help with smaller groups and more time for individual instruction.

This clinic will give you the "On Line (on the ground) Patterns" that will help make a better leader out of you and help you grow a real partnership with your horse under saddle!

Why I do believe I smell Fall in the air

Dallas smiling for the camera!!

Super fun weekend of Cowboy Dressage at Murietta Equestrian Center. Wrapping up my weekend with five firsts and three seconds!! Woo Hoo!!!

Ran across the super cool picture of Summer Wind Ranch barn sisters after one of our first Cowboy Dressage Shows in 2016.

All the horses love it when MC Kidd comes to the barn!

Super fun weekend of Cowboy Dressage! It was so nice to see so many Summer Wind Ranch students doing so well with their horses! Everyone had a great time and that’s what really matters!! Dallas and I came home with three firsts and a second Woo Hoooo!! I would like to have had my scores a bit higher so I will be busy preparing a bit better for Rancho Murietta in October.

Wow this beautiful memory just melts my heart