Group Photo

This is the whole group at the clinic, instructor candidates and open riders.  I am in this photo, but Cecil stole my thunder. 

Last Day of Instructor Certification

The last day of this trip was foggy in the morning, which made for a couple nice photos of Cecil eagerly anticipating his morning mash.  Later in the day I rode him again, despite a minor wardrobe malfunction.  My newest, fanciest, and most expensive breeches were on for maybe 2 hours, before I even rode, and the seam on the right leg/butt split!  I had to wear my full chaps over my safety pinned breeches so as to avoid flashing the rest of the clinic participants.  Not too many people noticed, though, and I escaped with my dignity. 

Anatomy In Motion

Skeleton

 Between my private riding lessons with Carol and the actual instructor certification there was a day of "Anatomy in Motion" with Susan Harris, who apprenticed with Sally Swift, the founder of Centered Riding.  Susan is an incredible artist, and has developed this anatomy demonstration using washable colored markers to paint the skeleton onto a white horse on one side, and the major muscle groups onto the other.  As instructor candidates we were able to help do the drawing with Susan's guidance.

Major muscle groups

Riding Evaluation

Imagining holding a beach ball between my belly and hands

 The Centered Riding method was developed by Sally Swift, who authored the books by that name.  I arrived early for the Instructor Certification so that I could be evaluated by a current CR instructor to ensure I can ride what I teach.  Lots of Centered Riding is visualization, though it works with other learning styles as well.  It is not discipline-specific, it includes all genres of riding.  I was the only eventer there, but there was a hunter/jumper from Canada, ranchers from KS, people who work with gaited horses in IL, and several trail riding and endurance people. 

I am an auditory and kinesthetic learner, so it helps me to explain concepts back to the instructor

Nearly square halt

Shoulder-in

Nice stretch

Very down stretchy trot

Observing symmetry in the mirrors

An arm exercise to help adjust shoulder asymmetry

Road Trip to Kansas

 A bunch of us went to Kansas for almost 2 weeks for a Centered Riding Instructor Certification.  There were 4 humans and 2 horses, with 11 hours of driving each way, done by my dear friend Rebecca in the brown shirt.  Owen stayed home and ran the ranch while we were gone. 

At the first rest stop of the trip, everyone excited!

Calm and happy to be traveling

I have never met a horse who loved traveling as much as Cecil does.

The last rest stop on the last leg of the trip home, even Cecil was looking wilted

Rain was tired enough that she just rested her chin on her windowsill and took a nap.