(Broadening horizons with round pen work and desensitizing natural horsemanship)
At the end of April I moved back to my favorite town, Aiken, SC, to start a new job on a polo farm. Mind you I knew nothing about polo, like, I could hardly follow what was happening while watching the few games I have been to. But I have done Dressage, I have done Eventing, I have dabbled in Hunters/Jumpers and I have done the race horse thing, so why not add Polo to my resume?
I am far from a Polo expert, trust me. However, since starting at C-Spear South and working along side my boss Julie Nicholson my eyes have been opened, my horsemanship skills have sky rocketed and my 'toolbox' is more full than ever before. Julie no longer plays in games however she carries over her skills to breaking polo horses that we breed on the farm. In the last two months she has become such an inspiration to me and who I am as a horsewoman. I have watched her put 30 days on two young fillies since I started. Though she does many similar things to what we used to do breaking the babies at Darley, she does more and has more time to do so. It's evident how well her methods work when 15 days in, these horses are out playing stick and ball. After 30 days they are kicked back out in the field to continue to be horses and grow until its time for their polo career to begin.
(Coordinate expressing a loose stretchy trot without a forced frame)
So now for a little insight to just how much I have learned from my Polo experience thus far. Did you know many Polo horses are played in draw reins? (Yup I went there) Are you aware of how light these horses feel in the bridle? How reactive they are to your aids?... But how can this be if they use such a 'horrible' artificial aid such as draw reins? Well I am here to assure you...they are light, they are reactive to your aids and they are some of the coolest horses I have ever sat on. But while chatting with Julie in regards to some of my struggles in developing Coordinate, my Retired Racehorse Project mount for this year, she said "why don't you try him in some draw reins?" and like many I thought, 'oh no I couldn't do that!' But not because I didn't think it was a good idea. I didn't want to try him in draw reins because I knew I would be judged, ridiculed and have people say I didn't know how to ride if anyone caught wind of me using them. Guess what? After having that thought I realized I needed to let that go. Why? Because I have seen and felt first hand the difference they can make when used correctly. That is all I am going to say about them...
(Everything in the universe has rhythm, Everything dances - Coordinate "dancing" in the Historic Aiken Horse District 6.2.16)
So I haven't just learned that I am 'okay' with myself using draw reins and not caring what anyone wants to say about it, but tonight for example, I went back to the drawing board. Digging in my toolbox, knowing that there are a few small holes in my training. In doing so I found myself in the round pen (see first picture), taking him back to the basics. I went in and had him join up with me, did some desensitizing and then hopped on bareback in a rope halter. From there I worked on neck reining at the walk and backing. I know that moments like tonight will make all the difference in my next dressage test and if I can train myself to have more of these sessions, then before I know it his lateral movement and reaction to my aids will be far better than I ever imagined.
It's not always about "training for your discipline" ... sometimes you have to take a step to the left or to the right, outside of the "box" you may restrict yourself to in order to incorporate new techniques. My regular training schedule has consisted of regular trail riding with a few days of disciplined dressage training but after today I have come to the conclusion that broadening his horizons as well as my own are going to benefit us. Having mentors in different disciplines continues to be humbling and reminds me to always have an open mind.
Thank you to our sponsors Darley/Godolphin and EnviroEquine. Also a shout out to our fans and supporters like Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, without you our success would not be near what it is today!
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