Showing posts with label Horses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horses. Show all posts

Friday, October 22, 2010

Balance Detector

Ever wish you could know how it feels right at the moment when you are most balanced with your horse's movement? With all the technological advances of today, wouldn't it be great if someone would invent sensors that are small enough to fit into your tack and transmit where you are in your seat and reins?
Check this out:


Jane Savoie unveiled the new EQ Equisense Systems recently at WEG, to an enthralled audience. With her assistant trainers and the help of an Equicizer, visitors to her booth were able to experience it for themselves. You can see on a screen where you are in or out of balance, correct it, and have the strong reinforcement of knowing how it feels. This is very important in being able to improve your position quickly, and know how it feels when making minor adjustments. One woman who had a session where she started out very crooked, came back the next day and sat very well balanced immediately, probably the result of neurological "learning" and memory of how it felt when in good form the previous session.
Interestingly, I had recently viewed a DVD from Alexandra Kurland using similar principles, though her version was on a stationary object similar to a horse, taking a lesson practicing different rider positions and cues using focused body awareness. She also reported very effective improvements in rider position in a shorter time than some of her students who were taking riding lessons during the same time period. The DVD is titled "Helen House Horse", so named as the "horse" is a stationary object that can be in your house.
I am very excited to visit Jane in her booth at Equine Affaire in Massachusetts next month, November 11-14. You can visit virtually at the new EQ Social site, and meet others interested in balanced riding.
What are your methods for achieving balance? Do you think the EQ System would agree they are working?
Who's going to Equine Affaire, MA?

Follow-up: I WENT! It was so cool! I was crooked, and learned where and how to "feel" myself into balance. Here is my friend with Jane, her session went very well. I was so excited, I kept forgetting to ask the million dollar question: How much does this cost? Ha ha.



Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Lessons with Rosie Mally

Recently a few of us took lessons with Rosie Mally, benefitting from her extensive Dressage experience.
As a backyard part-timer on a young horse I learned a lot, and felt some good changes happening in myself and my horse as she guided us closer to that elusive "sweet spot" where both horse and rider are independently balanced yet moving in harmony. I liked that she gave constant feedback and explained HOW and WHY things build toward better biomechanics (or not), so I can get a feel for where I am and also be aware of what the bigger plan involves. It was encouraging and inspiring to see how well Rosie assessed each horse and rider and tailored the lesson to address their strengths and areas of potential growth so individually. It was very nice to see that she takes sufficient time without trying to rush, letting the horse's and rider's mental and physical readiness set the pace.

Here is a random clip on youtube from her recent clinic, 4/24/10:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsT32FKiqTE

Link to our lessons on youtube and vimeo:
http://www.youtube.com/user/lurleenp
http://www.vimeo.com/videos/search:Rosie%20Lesson%20Shayne

Visit Rosie's website for more info:
http://www.dressage-at-dogpond.us.com/

When was your last lesson? Please post any related comments and share clips if you have them, we can all use a little inspiration from one another.

L