Oak Hill Farm
#30 2500 Hwy 97B SE V1E 1A6 Salmon Arm, BC, Canada

Such GOOD advise!! (As usual from Denny)

12-14-2020 Pippen out for a walk today, first time with bridle and saddle pad on.

Season's Greetings from Guido (Thank you Ann)

Today is National Day of the Horse!

Good analogies from Denny. The clay in the mixing bowl analogy--- We hear about using our inside aids to create forward and outwards pressures on the horse to create a thrust of energy in a forwards and outwards direction--- Then we hear about using our outside aids, seat, outside rein, outside thigh, calf, to act as containing aids. The physics of this, when done well, is to encourage a deeper engagement of the horse's inside hind leg, so that the footfall is pointing in a d...irection that if it went far enough, would place it between the two front legs. We have now placed that leg into a position that bears more weight. We have made that inside hind into a weight lifting leg---And weight lifting, over time, creates lifting strength, one of the primary goals of dressage based flat work. Right? You have learned this in your lessons? Right??? I hope you have--- So now, think of a mixing bowl partially filled with soft clay. The goal is to use the heel of the hand and to smear that clay along the rim of the bowl. The bowl represents our outside aids, the clay is the horse, and our hand represents our inside aids. Smearing is gentle. It is not shoving, It is soft rather than hard. It is a good analogy because any aids that are so strongly applied as to create more than a little tension or anxiety in a horse are apt to lessen the learning potential. Nervousness and learning don't blend. So try smearing your horse to the outside restraining aids---You won't find the word "smear" in any books about classical training, but it's a good word even so. See more

Does a horse exist that is 100% sound? Answer: Horses can move 100% sound but no horse is perfect. Every horse will fail a vetting at some point in time. Example: Valegro Why it's easier to sell a young horse....the dreaded vetting!!! Every horse, like every human, has its weaknesses. A good trainer and management practices can strengthen a horse, hiding weak areas, but sometimes a conformational flaw or innate behavioral issue shows its ugly head and causes a lameness o...r worse, a systematic problem. In good time and even good training there is normal wear and tear on a body. This may show up in flexions or radiographs, please do not discredit these horses! There is no such thing as a sound horse. There is only a horse that as a baby goes correctly due to proper conformation, and over time wants to move correctly due to good training, and thus prevents major injury. But every horse has breakdown somewhere, at some point, if they have ever had any regular training! Every athlete, from gymnasts to football players to Tennis players train and train and get injured or have weaknesses. But the best ones come back sometimes better than before. Why? They want to, their body knows the job, and they don't stop/give up. Stop thinking you are buying a machine to fulfill all of Your riding aspirations! Start thinking you are buying a living athlete that will perform for you IF: You instill or keep his/her will, Train the body to know, and Stay consistent Regardless of minor idiosyncrasies or flaws found in a ppe.