So, You Qualified for Regionals

              This weekend was the last weekend to qualify for the Region 8 USDF Regional Finals. I hope for you, that if this was something you worked for, that you accomplished this primary goal. If you were unable to qualify, I know that whatever the circumstances, you will make the necessary improvements and make better plans and have success next year!

              If you have qualified CONGRATULATIONS!, what are you going to do until September 20?

                              I have a couple of suggestions:

                                              Go over the health of your horse, is there necessary routine care that needs to be done? worming, shots, blood tests etc? Do this now! These things can be taxing on your horse, and blood tests can give you important information. Do not wait until right before the show, give your horse plenty of time to recover.

                                               Have your horse flexed, the back palpated, teeth checked and other performance checks that you may want to act on to improve your horse's comfort and happiness level.

                                               Go over your feeding program, supplements and any other medications that might need to be changed. Be absolutely sure about what medications are allowed and take care to substitute something (healthier) and legal well before the show.

                                               Order gastroguard, supplements, buckets, anything that you might need for the show so that you have it well in advance.

                                               Make a plan with your trainer that will improve your overall fitness and accuracy when riding your tests.

                                               Start working on a suitable warm up. Time yourself and get to know how much time you need for your horse to feel happy and swinging and ready for the test. There are way too many horses leaving their best performance in the warm up, don't do that! Start timing and practicing now, so you know it and feel it.

                                               Build motivation and rapport with your horse daily. Know what makes them tick.... what helps them love to work and try harder for you? Practice doing more of these things!

                                               Learn your test (s) for yourself! Don't drill your horse, but do practice linking some movements together so you can be effective with each transition and accurate with each movement.

                                               Make sure to put some fun days into your schedule between now and then. Go for hacks, do trotting poles, maybe even learn something new that will improve your partnership.

                                               Has your horse been to Saugerties before?

                                                                   If yes! was he/she relaxed and happy? 

                                                                                  If no, what are you going to do about it between now and then? Lunging your horse to death is not a good answer (in my humble opinion) so, talk to your trainer about options for ground work, the possibility to take your horse to a different venue to practice, some relaxation exercises, TRT Method etc. that might set you up for success.

                                                If you have not been to Saugerties have you looked at the map? Can you familiarize yourself with the layout. Is there someone you know who has been there that can tell you a bit about it? 

                                                                Also, make a plan for when you get there to go around and look at everything first, without your horse, so you know what to expect, are able to make plans and create a good time schedule for getting to your rings etc.

                                                 Will your horse need to be clipped? Don't do this the day before the show!! Horses can be very sensitive about being clipped, so unless you have a complete dead head that you want to jazz up, be sure to clip at least a week before so he/she gets used to the new feeling. And be sure to blanket appropriately, this is a super hard time to manage blankets, so you have to be sure to be available for changes.

                                                  How is your tack? Do you need anything new? Don't change things right before the show!! Be sure that you make changes well in advance so you are sure both you and your horse are comfortable. It can happen that we get nervous before a show and start changing bits and spurs etc. Talk to your trainer, get the best choice organized now, then stick with it through the championships.

                                                 Make sure your horse is shod at a good time so he is not over due or just done for the show. Talk to your farrier, make sure he knows your plans and then schedule your appointment together.
                                                 Start working on your Performance Mindset! This is something I am good at! So, Book a Coaching Session!! If you don't have opportunities for Coaching Sessions talk to your trainer about suggestions. What does he or she do to strategize the best performance mindset? What would he or she recommend you do to set yourself up for the best success?

                                                  Read the rules! And practice with the new rules! For instance, whips are not allowed. So, practice your test without a whip, if you usually carry one. The rules for Regionals are a bit different then your regular shows, so go over the rule book and be sure to note anything that might affect you.

                                                  Build your team: trainer, coach, groom, shipper, support friend. Start asking now so you can make all of the necessary plans. Hotel reservations, dinner plans etc. 

                              So these are a few ideas to get you thinking ahead for your big show. "Control the Controllables" Herr Schumacher always said. There will be enough that you cannot do anything about, so set yourself up for success.

                       Be sure to email me at nancylaterdressagehorses@gmail.com if you have any questions, and if you would like to set up an online or phone coaching session. 

                       Love to Ride!

                                Nancy

                                             

Positive Thoughts for Today!

              I am listening for the 4 th time to Robin Sharma's Everyday Hero on Audible.

 Audible, if you do not have it installed on your phone, you should stop reading this and install it, and then come back! Audible is a life changer for anyone that wants to motivate their life forward and drives, works out, cleans stalls, folds laundry, anything! You can take it with you everywhere!

               Back to Robin Sharma:

                             Todays inspiration:

                                        When things seem hard, trust your strength

                                        When we question everything, we are truly growing

                                        When we feel alone, we are connected to the shared experience of everyone

                                        You are stronger than you know

                                         Braver than you can admit

                                        You are more capable of navigating anything that life can throw at you than your intellect can ever teach you

                                         When scared ask, what would heroism do?

                                         When worried wonder, how would confidence behave?

                                         When angry, question where can understanding be given?

                                          When hurting, go where optimism lives.

                                          When insecure, follow where self-love leads.

                                Your tests will yield triumphs!

                Have an amazing day!

               Be youthful in your approach, connection is the key and remember, anything is possible!!

                   Love to ride!

                          Nancy

                        

 

               

                                        

                                        

Sitting the Trot

               All of my life I have worked, watched, practiced and improved my sitting trot. Sitting did not come naturally to me and it was many hours in the saddle before I really start to understand how to move with the horse and then influence the horse from this place. My belief is that being able to move with the horse is a priority. Understanding how the horse moves naturally is possibly a prerequisite to this. Having an interest in the horse's comfort and freedom to move will also direct one to want to learn how to sit properly. 

                On one of my early trips to Europe I was extremely surprised to see some top competitors actually standing slightly in the stirrups when crossing the diagonal in extended trot. I was shocked that these elite riders did not even try to sit these phenomenal gaits. It was almost imperceivable, but it was happening. Yet there were plenty of top riders sitting fluently and beautifully to these amazing gaits, so I continued my quest to do the same.

                Teaching people to sit is one of the hardest things I have to do. Especially since the word Lunge in America has become a bad word. I believe that learning to sit on the lunge line with a trainer that truly understands what is happening in the horse's body, and then in the student's body is imperative to success. The rider must not have the reins to balance on and there must be someone controlling the pace of the horse.

                  So, now we propose to make it optional for people to sit the extended and medium paces up to 4 th level in America. 

                  I am 100% in agreement that this will be kinder to the horses. I am also in agreement that there is a very high percentage of people competing that cannot sit. However, where if anywhere, is this reflected in the scores, placings or even the ability for people to enter a class?

                  Saddles have become so restrictive that those of us who do move with the horses cannot! in one of these ultra deep saddles with knee blocks made for someone going to battle. People who cannot ride a horse through are allowed to put a double bridle on and enter 3 rd level. Renvers was removed from 2 nd level because the judges were tired of giving low marks.

                  Yes, dressage needs to survive. Honestly, we need to create shows that are more interesting, easier to enter and possibly on a grass roots level less expensive. We need to train the horses to be safe so that riders do not need to be scared of spectators and golf carts. I see more people at dressage shows out of control, because they are scared of disrupting the perfect neck posture, than at jumping and eventing competitions. We are meant to be training horses, not making pretend when we can't stop or steer. 

                  I believe that posting to the trot in upper levels should be a different division. I do not look down on this in anyway, and you never know, perhaps I will have a horse that needs it or someday my back will be such that I need it.

                  However, I believe that instructors need to teach people how to sit properly. I believe instructors need to know there is a progression of the seat (and maybe new judges too). In the beginning of finding our seat, our leg may not feel as tight and perfect as it did when we were clamped on and our hips aren't moving. This is a phase and should be looked at as such, let's be careful not to send people back to gripping. It is easier, I believe, for a horse to move through a seat that bounces a little bit than one that is clamped and gripped on.

                  What is an incentive for people to learn to sit?  For me it was the relationship I wanted to build with my horse. I am not saying my seat is perfect! I still work at it every day. Dressage is not easy. In this day and age everyone wants to make things easier. Students will move to another trainer that will be happy to blame the horse, get the double bridle or even buy a new horse instead of listening to the lesson; we need to work on your independent seat, leg and rein so that you can apply your aids correctly and your horse can work happily with you.

                 So, it is a super interesting conversation. I applaud Natalie Lamping for bringing this important subject to the light. I think it is fun to see the people conversing about it and all of the different opinions.

                 I personally have had riders discontinue lessons, often with their parent horrified, that I was unwilling to blame the horse for not wanting to make extended trot. When I wanted to discuss the seat and talk about how to work on sitting with the movement they stop listening. I will continue to teach this.  I am grateful to my trainers who have taken the time to help me with this and not sweep it under the rug because it is a difficult subject.

                   I have taught in other less developed countries and found that the willingness of  people to work on their seat and how to move with the horses is distinctly different from here. There are some mindset issues that play in and this is one of the reasons I did go "back to school", so that I could learn better how to communicate and encourage people to let go of preconceived notions about other peoples opinions. Letting go is a big part of learning to sit, and this is difficult when you want to be in control!

                    So, I invite everyone to join in the conversation. Contact Natalie and open the discussion wider. Have a view of where our sport is going and what it looks like five and ten years down the road. And what kind of riders can we start creating? Let's learn how to teach better and perhaps use the posting trot tests as a step along the way, but not the end goal.

                                   Love to Ride!

                                              Nancy

108 Ways to Show Yourself Love

 I started a new project, 108 Ways to Show Yourself Love. It seems unrelated to dressage, but to me it is related. Horse people tend to take care of everyone else first. We take care of the horses, students even the dog before we spend a couple of minutes on ourselves. Luckily, being active is a big part of health! And riding and training horses is an active lifestyle. However! there are other things we could do to boost our health, and they do not have to be overly time consuming.

   I hope you will join me in this project. On my Carousel Coaching page on Facebook there is a new idea everyday. Try some of these out! #108waystoshowyourselflove to see them all. I would appreciate knowing which ones have more of an impact, and I will love it when you share with others who need to pay a bit of attention to themselves.

   It is easy to get running these days. We are lucky to have horses to keep us in the present. Take time with the horses, do not overschedule and rush through the training. Mr. Schumacher always amazed me how much he could get out of one training session, how? Because he was willing to dig into the big rocks, the most important aspects of the horses learning and then go from there. When we are in a hurry we gloss over the deeper issues so that we don't have to unpack them and spend time on them. These issues will turn into monsters when not addressed. Take time every day to set an intention for your ride, warm your horse up slowly and thoughtfully and after your workout go for a hack and enjoy the relationship. If you are taking a lesson, feel comfortable to set the intention with your trainer. As a trainer I will come to a lesson with an idea of what I believe we need to focus on, but if I am not on the same page as my student, most of the lesson will be spent trying to get on the same page. Feel free to talk about your problems, goals and experiences prior to getting started so that the time can be spent well. 

                 I hope this benefits you! Please share with someone who might need to hear it today!

Be youthful in your approach, connection is the key and remember! Anything is possible.

                           Love to Ride!

                                        Nancy

    

    

More fun less work!

     We have to remember that every day we take our horses out to work, we are taking them to the gym, and they are not understanding why they need to go to the gym!

     So how do we make it fun for them? Here are three ways to keep the training mentally light while still getting your work done:

                         Have a beginning, middle and end to your training session and be flexible about the middle!

                              1. Beginning is for warming up! Loosen the body and retune the aids. Do not be too strict, be playful and vary tempo, size steps and energy.

                              2. Beginning should relate to the middle! In other words what is your intention for the work and in knowing that, how can you prepare your horse the best for this subject?

                              3. If the beginning does not go as planned and your horse got up on the wrong side of the bed, notice and redefine the work for the day. Ride the horse you have, help him to develop into the horse you want, be careful not to ride what you wish you had and then be impatient.

                               4. Give the middle a purpose. Fitness, strength, accuracy, teaching something new, test riding, suppleness, forwardness, you pick the intention before you ride.

                               5. Be flexible, stay in the moment, if the intention is not working out on this giving day do what is necessary to have a productive day, do not be stubborn!

                               6. The end is for relaxing, stretching, hacking out, praise and gratefulness. Be sure to know what your horse likes as a reward. If he/she does not like to hack, that is something to work on but not to use as a reward :)

                    Vary the work!

                               1. Fitness work can be done on a track, in the field or by utilizing groundwork, cavaletti and even free schooling.

                               2. Don't repeat the same exercise over and over! Be creative! What is another way to teach that feeling or movement?

                               3. Keep a sense of humor when trying something new.

                               4. Within each movement have a beginning, middle and end. This will help you to keep the conversation open, get ready, go and finish. When something is not going well ask yourself what aid is not working? Then create an exercise that isolates this aid. After you feel it is better understood go back to get ready, go and finish .

                     Keep your sense of humor!

                                1. Meditate in the car or tack room (or Bathroom) a couple of minutes to free yourself from work, problems or your last ride.

                                2. Visualize your best selves and be free to chuckle at mistakes.

                                3. Remember that you Love to Ride and do not let outside influence or worry of other people's opinions interfere with your peace.

I hope this benefits you!

             Please share with anyone you think might benefit!

                          All the best,

                                    Nancy

                    

                    

                            

Positive Daily Practice

     

      Hello!

                I have finally decided to start the Blog again! After a fun and productive winter in Florida, I am back in New Hampshire and trying to get back into a routine. This makes me think about Daily Practice and how do we get back on track after getting distracted or having a setback?

                The most important thing to remember is that it is okay to have slow days, it is okay to take a break. We must forgive ourselves when we make mistakes and move on from the mistakes with renewed energy and a vision for the future. 

                 What are Positive Daily Practices? For me this is self-care. The act of paying attention to myself, my energetic health, my healthy body and my mindset. If I am able to take good care of myself, I will be much better equipped to do my job well and help others.

                  Taking care of horses can be time consuming and takes a lot of energy. Training people and horses is all consuming. I have many colleagues that are bleeding themselves dry trying to keep up with this heavy load. I have never ever felt bad about working hard with horses. I feel blessed every day to be doing something I love. I have in the last couple of years adopted some daily practices that are helping me stay physically healthy and have a better point of view as I help others.

         Everybody is different, so pick things that work for you. I am here to throw out ideas. Help you to realize that self-care is not a bad word, it is not selfish but instead it is a prerequisite to success.

                   Start by getting up just a little bit earlier so that you do not have to rush out the door. Start your morning by sitting with your tea or coffee and perhaps a journal and write a bit about how you want your day to go. If you have time perhaps do a little yoga, meditation or watch an inspiring video.

            Too much? Any of these things can be done by simply getting up one half hour earlier. Think of this as something you are doing only for yourself. Do not give this time to anyone else. Do not turn on your computer or phone. This is your time.

                    Another act of self-care is to plan your food! Buy healthy snacks, prep dinners ahead of time and shop in the produce section. The energy you will reap from your healthy eating will power you through your days with ease.

                    I am also an advocate for protein shakes. I buy clean organic protein powder and mix with fruit, veggies and some vitamins to help make up for when I am unable to cook for myself.

                Mindset practices? It is important to have positive self-talk. Start to pay attention to what you say to yourself and then consciously change the recording. It is so easy to be negative about ourselves and our mistakes. What we focus on we find. So always stay with the message that "the world is working for me" and "I can do it". If there is a little blip along the way learn from it and move on. 

                           Talk to your friends! When you find yourself in a negative place talk to your friends. Reach out! It is so easy to hide and get down, but talking about things, reaching out to a supportive friend can change your energy in just a couple of minutes. Know who your real friends are, this is very important!

                  Another really helpful thing to do if you feel down is help someone else. Can be big or small. Hold the door open, compliment a smile or an outfit, or even pay for someone's coffee. Such small things can change the day for someone and this will bounce right back to you.

            I hope that this benefits you! Please share with someone you know that might need a little boost.

                         Have an amazing day!

                                            Nancy

                

                

Comfort Food is not "comfort" food, let's stay confident and energetic!

           I have been super interested lately in food and how it affects our energy and performance. Sometimes the only way to really know what foods are right for us is to make a change and track  progress with a journal or at the very least a calendar where you can track good and bad days.

           Different diets are going to suit different people, and it is up to you to find out what foods help you feel healthy, confident and strong and which ones contribute to low energy and anxiety. There are some basics that I think apply to most of us, however, playing around with eating times, quantities and types of food are going to help you maximize your potential.

                           Some basics:

                                       Eat early in the evening

                                       Prepare snacks ahead of time so you don't get famished during the day and reach for the closest bag of chips.

                                       Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables

                                       Try not to eat processed food and fast food

                                       Stay hydrated. Drink water with some sugar free electrolytes or celtic sea salt and lime throughout the day. Sometimes when we think we are hungry we are dehydrated. 

                                       Plan ahead, shop, prepare, take time to care for yourself

                                       Balance proteins, carbs and fats to be suit your energy needs, carbs are not bad! Processed carbs are BAD! 

           When we have a bad day we often reach for food, or drinks, that are going to help us to feel more "comfortable". We have a bad day so we "deserve" a little splurge. The thing is that comfort food, things like chips, ice cream, mac and cheese are the worst things to bring up our mood. These foods are going to burden your system and cause your energy to plumet, making you feel even more down, which causes you to eat more bad food which makes you feel even worse. Believe it or not it is not the guilt over eating the crap that gets you depressed it is the crap food itself.

           Part of success is the ability to bounce back from adversity. We all are finding out that making mistakes is part of learning, there is no failure, only experience. How do we bounce back from a bad day quickly if we burden our bodies with toxic fuel?

                  I encourage you to change this habit!  The next time you have a bad day instead of feeling like you "deserve" some donuts, reach for some mixed nuts, prepare yourself a colorful salad and some healthy wild rice or sweet potatoes. Feed your brain and your stomach. The act of cooking for yourself, or going to a healthy restaurant and being surrounded by healthy people with boost your mood and help you to feel more empowered to take care of yourself. This energy will spill over into your work, relationship, riding, everything.

               Remember, bounce back is everything. We all have bad days, we make mistakes and life can get us down. Get to know your body, what foods help you feel great and what causes you to feel down or less competent? When we don't have energy we make bad decisions, when we make bad decisions things go wrong, when things go wrong we lose confidence. Keep your energy up! Hydrate and eat to fuel your body and success will follow.

                              Remember:

            Stay youthful in your approach, Connection is the key, and Anything is Possible!

                     Have fun,

                         Nancy