Past Events
Christmas Dinner 21 December 2012
CHG members and partners gathered for a Christmas Dinner at Cafe Clemence in Chabanais on the Friday before Christmas.
CHG members and partners gathered for a Christmas Dinner at Cafe Clemence in Chabanais on the Friday before Christmas.
Training Demo - Saturday 24 November 2.00 pm Le Mas David
Lynne kindly held another training demo on Saturday, 24 November. It was a blustery afternoon but Max was very well behaved, if not completely relaxed! Lynne started by lunging Max, explaining that she was looking for him to go forwards with rhythm and ideally straightness, she explained how important the hind leg step is, and pointed out how to see the engagement of the nuchal ligament and abdominal muscles. Lynne then rode Max and demonstrated exercises for straightening the horse and then more advanced lateral movements. After the demo we enjoyed tea and delicious cakes inside. Thanks very much to Lynne, Max and John (and Hector who gave a good demonstration of how PPID (Cushing's) doesn't necessarily affect an older horse when correctly managed when he was turned out with Max after the demo!), and to everyone who brought cakes. |
Comments and questions received from members following the demo:
Thanks Lynne, I really enjoyed the demo. Max was a star!
Lynne, thank you so much for another enlightening demo - it's so useful to watch you working Max, I always learn a lot and it really helps consolidate the training we are doing. The take home message for me - forwards and straight!
Thank you very much, Lynne, for a most interesting afternoon - you make it look so easy, but you also make it make sense as well.
Q: Do you think I could practice shoulder in or haunches in whilst on the chemins?
A: Absolutely. I never had an arena with my horses in the beginning and used to use any available piece of land for practise.
The aids for shoulder-in and haunches-in are just the turning aids, left position and right position. In the shoulder-in the inside leg dominates and prevents the horse from completing the turn. In the haunches-in the outside leg in its position behind the girth is the dominant leg and holds the haunches away from the track, the inside leg keeps the impulsion and holds the shoulder on the track, the horse's neck position is facing down the track with the jaw bone parallel with the track. But it is the more difficult lateral movement and in the case of a young horse better not practised too much. It would be easier for you both to practise that movement in the form of a haunches-in leg yield without any bend.
Before leaving the UK Lynne had a dressage yard, competing and training to advanced level, she trained with Andrew Day and Arthur Kottas of the Spanish Riding School, and is a Teachers of Tomorrow Trust trainer and BD judge. See Lynne's articles under Riding & Training.
Thanks Lynne, I really enjoyed the demo. Max was a star!
Lynne, thank you so much for another enlightening demo - it's so useful to watch you working Max, I always learn a lot and it really helps consolidate the training we are doing. The take home message for me - forwards and straight!
Thank you very much, Lynne, for a most interesting afternoon - you make it look so easy, but you also make it make sense as well.
Q: Do you think I could practice shoulder in or haunches in whilst on the chemins?
A: Absolutely. I never had an arena with my horses in the beginning and used to use any available piece of land for practise.
The aids for shoulder-in and haunches-in are just the turning aids, left position and right position. In the shoulder-in the inside leg dominates and prevents the horse from completing the turn. In the haunches-in the outside leg in its position behind the girth is the dominant leg and holds the haunches away from the track, the inside leg keeps the impulsion and holds the shoulder on the track, the horse's neck position is facing down the track with the jaw bone parallel with the track. But it is the more difficult lateral movement and in the case of a young horse better not practised too much. It would be easier for you both to practise that movement in the form of a haunches-in leg yield without any bend.
Before leaving the UK Lynne had a dressage yard, competing and training to advanced level, she trained with Andrew Day and Arthur Kottas of the Spanish Riding School, and is a Teachers of Tomorrow Trust trainer and BD judge. See Lynne's articles under Riding & Training.
Third talk on Herd Dynamics by Susan Rainbird - Friday 14th September 1.30 for 2.00 pm hosted by Kerry at Champsac.
Susan briefly summarized information from the previous talks, and then showed several videos showing sessions with some quite difficult horses.
Comments received from members:
"Susan, thank you for another very interesting and informative talk, it was a great mix of theory and practise, and watching the videos helped bring everything you have talked about together. It was a very professional presentation, and you have such a depth of knowledge, I suspect everyone would have liked to carry on the discussions for much longer. Another talk would be very welcome, and your idea of people bringing video of their horses to discuss sounded very interesting."
"Kerry, thank you for hosting Susan's talk, and for again providing delicious refreshments - you clearly went to a lot of trouble and yet made it look effortless!"
Susan briefly summarized information from the previous talks, and then showed several videos showing sessions with some quite difficult horses.
Comments received from members:
"Susan, thank you for another very interesting and informative talk, it was a great mix of theory and practise, and watching the videos helped bring everything you have talked about together. It was a very professional presentation, and you have such a depth of knowledge, I suspect everyone would have liked to carry on the discussions for much longer. Another talk would be very welcome, and your idea of people bringing video of their horses to discuss sounded very interesting."
"Kerry, thank you for hosting Susan's talk, and for again providing delicious refreshments - you clearly went to a lot of trouble and yet made it look effortless!"
Would you recognise PPID?" - Friday 17 August 2.30 pm at Pressignac
Talk on laminitis, EMS and PPID by Andrea Jones of The Laminitis Site.
A well timed talk as horses were entering the seasonal rise in POMC-hormones (Aug to Oct). Andrea talked about the diagnostic tests that are now recommended for PPID (Equine Cushing's Disease) and Equine Metabolic Syndrome, how it is now possible to have these done at Liphook, the symptoms and the treatment of both illnesses, the links between EMS and PPID and how fat laminitic ponies are more likely to get PPID, and how our management of insulin resistant ponies could even be contributing to them getting PPID. Much of the talk was based on information that has come out in the last year, some even in the last week! Every horse and pony could get PPID and Andrea explained that it is currently thought that the earlier PPID is diagnosed and treated, the better its chance of a long and healthy life. Recent research has also suggested that there may be different "types" of PPID, and also that current diagnostic tests are probably not picking up early cases. Management as well as drug treatment is very important for these horses. The talk also showed some of the successful rehabilitations that The Laminitis Site has been involved with, with amazing photos and x-rays of feet that looked as if there was no hope for the horse, but in all cases the horses were either back in work, or soon would be, the hooves having been realigned to the pedal bones. Several people were surprised that feet with rotation could be restored to health, but Andrea explained that is it generally very easy if 2 principles are followed:
1. Diagnose and remove/treat the cause.
2. Realign and support the feet.
Comments received from members:
"Thank you Andrea for yet another very well prepared and presented talk. My non existent scientific background does no credit to your research, experience and knowledge but I am as ever glad to have my awareness raised to the new developments and I know who I would contact if I had any worries relating to PPID, EMS or Laminitis."
"Thank you, Andrea, from me also. You are a fount of knowledge and present it in a very interesting and acceptable way."
Information about laminitis, EMS and PPID is available at www.thelaminitissite.org
Talk on laminitis, EMS and PPID by Andrea Jones of The Laminitis Site.
A well timed talk as horses were entering the seasonal rise in POMC-hormones (Aug to Oct). Andrea talked about the diagnostic tests that are now recommended for PPID (Equine Cushing's Disease) and Equine Metabolic Syndrome, how it is now possible to have these done at Liphook, the symptoms and the treatment of both illnesses, the links between EMS and PPID and how fat laminitic ponies are more likely to get PPID, and how our management of insulin resistant ponies could even be contributing to them getting PPID. Much of the talk was based on information that has come out in the last year, some even in the last week! Every horse and pony could get PPID and Andrea explained that it is currently thought that the earlier PPID is diagnosed and treated, the better its chance of a long and healthy life. Recent research has also suggested that there may be different "types" of PPID, and also that current diagnostic tests are probably not picking up early cases. Management as well as drug treatment is very important for these horses. The talk also showed some of the successful rehabilitations that The Laminitis Site has been involved with, with amazing photos and x-rays of feet that looked as if there was no hope for the horse, but in all cases the horses were either back in work, or soon would be, the hooves having been realigned to the pedal bones. Several people were surprised that feet with rotation could be restored to health, but Andrea explained that is it generally very easy if 2 principles are followed:
1. Diagnose and remove/treat the cause.
2. Realign and support the feet.
Comments received from members:
"Thank you Andrea for yet another very well prepared and presented talk. My non existent scientific background does no credit to your research, experience and knowledge but I am as ever glad to have my awareness raised to the new developments and I know who I would contact if I had any worries relating to PPID, EMS or Laminitis."
"Thank you, Andrea, from me also. You are a fount of knowledge and present it in a very interesting and acceptable way."
Information about laminitis, EMS and PPID is available at www.thelaminitissite.org
Mon 25 June 2012 2.30 pm Horses Inside Out
Discussion of Gillian Higgins' DVD "Horses Inside Out" which shows the muscles and skeleton painted onto working horses, kindly hosted by Kerry near Champsac.
www.horsesinsideout.com
"A big thank you to Kerry for a very enjoyable and informative afternoon. It really helped me to understand the skeleton when Gillian showed parts of a real skeleton against the skeleton drawn on the horse, and showed the range of movement of the joints, and it was good to be reminded of how the horse's legs relate to our arms and legs, as it's easy to forget that their knee/hock is our ankle, etc. I also liked how she related saddle fitting to the spine and explained exactly how to find the reference points for saddle fitting. I'd have liked the movement of a real horse to have been broken down a bit more into the flexor and extensor muscles - I got a bit confused there - and perhaps to have seen the muscles clearly working on a horse in slow motion. But she helped me finally understand isometric v isotonic - although are they different muscle groups, or the same muscle groups used in different ways (must be the latter, mustn't it???)?! She confirmed the position of a couple of muscles that I've recently had to identify - the brachiocepahlic and sternomandibular that Dan has had problems with, and the flexor muscles in the legs, which probably should be massaged & at least monitored for horses with laminitis. She grouped muscles together, which made them much simpler to understand than my anatomy books! So I'd say the DVD was an excellent introduction to anatomy, and like Gerd Heuchmann's DVD, something that every rider and trainer should watch (or have knowledge of) before getting on a horse.
Kerry's home baking was very much appreciated (and disappeared very quickly!), and it was lovely to sit around and chat over a cup of tea, and to meet the guinea pigs."
Discussion of Gillian Higgins' DVD "Horses Inside Out" which shows the muscles and skeleton painted onto working horses, kindly hosted by Kerry near Champsac.
www.horsesinsideout.com
"A big thank you to Kerry for a very enjoyable and informative afternoon. It really helped me to understand the skeleton when Gillian showed parts of a real skeleton against the skeleton drawn on the horse, and showed the range of movement of the joints, and it was good to be reminded of how the horse's legs relate to our arms and legs, as it's easy to forget that their knee/hock is our ankle, etc. I also liked how she related saddle fitting to the spine and explained exactly how to find the reference points for saddle fitting. I'd have liked the movement of a real horse to have been broken down a bit more into the flexor and extensor muscles - I got a bit confused there - and perhaps to have seen the muscles clearly working on a horse in slow motion. But she helped me finally understand isometric v isotonic - although are they different muscle groups, or the same muscle groups used in different ways (must be the latter, mustn't it???)?! She confirmed the position of a couple of muscles that I've recently had to identify - the brachiocepahlic and sternomandibular that Dan has had problems with, and the flexor muscles in the legs, which probably should be massaged & at least monitored for horses with laminitis. She grouped muscles together, which made them much simpler to understand than my anatomy books! So I'd say the DVD was an excellent introduction to anatomy, and like Gerd Heuchmann's DVD, something that every rider and trainer should watch (or have knowledge of) before getting on a horse.
Kerry's home baking was very much appreciated (and disappeared very quickly!), and it was lovely to sit around and chat over a cup of tea, and to meet the guinea pigs."
Fri 08 June 2012 Talk on Classical Equitation by Ross Harper-Lewis
at Equibroc, La Monneraie, Oradour sur Vayres
3pm Talk in English (hosted by CHG)
6pm Talk in French (hosted by Amicale Cheval Bandiat Tardoire) - Apero available
Come along and meet Ross and hear her talk about her views on training horses the classical way. Ross is a rider, trainer and breeder of horses. She worked with Nuno Oliveira for 5 years in Portugal as his stable master and rider. You can read more about Ross at http://horsesforlife.com/RossInConversationPart3.
She also helped Jenny Rolfe editing her book "Ride from the Heart" and continued to train Bettina Drummond (see http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5gx0a ... mond_sport) the protege of Oliveira after he died.
We hope to organise some mounted training sessions in the area with Ross following the talks.
The talk will be followed by an open Q&A session. So bring along your questions.
This is also a great opportunity to find out more about "Equibroc", the new depot vente for secondhand and nearly new equipment for horse and rider. Why not have a tack room spring clean and bring all that stuff you don't use to sell?
at Equibroc, La Monneraie, Oradour sur Vayres
3pm Talk in English (hosted by CHG)
6pm Talk in French (hosted by Amicale Cheval Bandiat Tardoire) - Apero available
Come along and meet Ross and hear her talk about her views on training horses the classical way. Ross is a rider, trainer and breeder of horses. She worked with Nuno Oliveira for 5 years in Portugal as his stable master and rider. You can read more about Ross at http://horsesforlife.com/RossInConversationPart3.
She also helped Jenny Rolfe editing her book "Ride from the Heart" and continued to train Bettina Drummond (see http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5gx0a ... mond_sport) the protege of Oliveira after he died.
We hope to organise some mounted training sessions in the area with Ross following the talks.
The talk will be followed by an open Q&A session. So bring along your questions.
This is also a great opportunity to find out more about "Equibroc", the new depot vente for secondhand and nearly new equipment for horse and rider. Why not have a tack room spring clean and bring all that stuff you don't use to sell?
2nd June TTouch talk by Danielle Dibbens
Danielle gave us a very interesting and informative demo, showing how to do a basic daily assessment of the horse, including some touches and exercises. She even did some body wraps for our members!
If anyone wants more information, or is interested in having Danielle assess their horse, she can be contacted here: http://dcdibbens.blogspot.fr/ |
|
"TTouch (also known as TTeam) helps horses overcome a wide range of difficulties, one of the primary aims is to help improve the balance of the horse which naturally has positive effects on performance and behaviour. Using observation and a flat hand assessment we isolate areas of tension and bracing in the body, bodywork and groundwork exercises encourage the horse to relax these tense muscles and lengthen and strengthen the topline allowing their body to move more efficiently.
A TTouch practitioner's job is not just doing about bodywork and groundwork, it's about teaching the carer of the animal what they can do to help reduce the habitual tension patterns that may be created inadvertently every day. How many of you have had an osteopath or bodyworker visit your horse only to have the problem reoccur a short time later? With TTouch we try to look at the horse wholistically to solve the cause of the problem, not just addressing the symptom. During this talk I will be explaining the TTouch methodology, illustrating some common signs of tension and giving you the opportunity to try some touches on yourselves. I aim to leave you with an understanding of what the work involves, an idea of what it feels like for the horse and some tools you can take home to try on your horses." |
Sun 20 May 2012 - Healing Day Dorine Berendsen Schut arranged a healing day with registered healer Brenda Henderson at Ferme des Jolies Allures, 24450 St Priest les Fougeres. In the morning Brenda talked about healing, and in the afternoon there was the opportunity to have a go with horses (and dogs). Dorine owns Tennessee Walking Horses and Mangalarga Marchadores - see http://.joliesallures.free.fr |
Sat 19 May 2012 3.30 pm - Memorial Day for Gill McGovern
Tue 03 April 2012 - Training video afternoon
Sylvia kindly hosted a video afternoon to watch and discuss Carl Hester's Fantastic Elastic demo and a recent BD Convention demo, accompanied by excellent tea and cakes! Lynne gave us the benefit of her training experience and explained how to recognise correct and incorrect hind leg movement and how this impacts on the rest of the horse's body and the rider, and we discussed the horse's outline through various movements. We were able to freeze frames and get a really good understanding of good riding and correct training, or not! We enjoyed watching Carl's horses, all appearing to go forwards in a relaxed manner, and with the training seeming to be very much about the horse.
Sat 28 Jan 2012 - Talk on bitting by Glenn Hasker, master saddler
Glenn Hasker, accompanied by his wife Trudy and brother Martin, kindly gave a talk on bits and bitting to the group at Le Soleil Couchant. Glenn brought many different bits, several of which were unfamiliar to most snaffle-using members, and explained how the design of the bit changes the action in the mouth, talked about leverage, curbs and joints and discussed the use of different bits for different disciplines/problems.
Hasker Entreprise
Administration Address
32 Avenue Jean Timbaud
87500 St Yrieix La Perche
Shop Address
3 Rue Emile Frange
87500 St Yrieix La Perche
http://www.englishsaddlerinfrance.com
email [email protected]
Tel 06 43 96 34 08 (Trudy Hasker)
Hasker Entreprise
Administration Address
32 Avenue Jean Timbaud
87500 St Yrieix La Perche
Shop Address
3 Rue Emile Frange
87500 St Yrieix La Perche
http://www.englishsaddlerinfrance.com
email [email protected]
Tel 06 43 96 34 08 (Trudy Hasker)
Fri 16 Dec 2011 - Christmas Dinner
32 members and partners gathered for the Christmas Dinner at Le Soleil Couchant.
Thu 24 Nov 2011 - 2nd talk on Herd Dynamics by Susan Rainbird
Susan briefly revisited the subjects covered in the first talk, and then moved on to explain the inherent traits of the horse, how horses categorise their experiences and why owners need to understand and appreciate these natural inbred characteristics when training and schooling. We also discussed how to assess our horses and how to incorporate Herd Dynamics into our existing training methods. There were plenty of opportunities to discuss our horses and it was really interesting to hear about the different dynamics in other owners' herds.
"Susan, thanks for another brilliant talk on herd dynamics today, I feel that I could sit and listen to your experiences and observations for hours. Your talks have really made me think about my little herd and how I interact with them, and reminded me about lots of things that I know but forget from day to day, like not letting them move my feet!! I really liked your list of the 10 things horses are born knowing, and their 4 classifications. Just keeping those things in mind would probably help avoid a lot of difficult situations. There was talk of a live demo at the end of today's talk - can't wait!!" Andrea
"Susan, thanks for another brilliant talk on herd dynamics today, I feel that I could sit and listen to your experiences and observations for hours. Your talks have really made me think about my little herd and how I interact with them, and reminded me about lots of things that I know but forget from day to day, like not letting them move my feet!! I really liked your list of the 10 things horses are born knowing, and their 4 classifications. Just keeping those things in mind would probably help avoid a lot of difficult situations. There was talk of a live demo at the end of today's talk - can't wait!!" Andrea
Thu 29 Sept 2011 - 1st talk on Herd Dynamics by Susan Rainbird
About 20 of us gathered at Le Soleil Couchant for Susan's talk on Herd Dynamics.
Susan gave a clear explanation of the hierarchy which exists in all herds and the part played by horses within the herd and within their pair bonds. According to their position in the herd the horses will have different roles. The hierarchy is constantly reassessed by herd members and their ranking can move up or down between Alphas and Omegas.
Susan challenged the oft held view that horses perceive humans as predators and supported her opinion convincingly.
A very stimulating and thought provoking talk and we look forward to the Training follow up. Viv H-B
Susan gave a clear explanation of the hierarchy which exists in all herds and the part played by horses within the herd and within their pair bonds. According to their position in the herd the horses will have different roles. The hierarchy is constantly reassessed by herd members and their ranking can move up or down between Alphas and Omegas.
Susan challenged the oft held view that horses perceive humans as predators and supported her opinion convincingly.
A very stimulating and thought provoking talk and we look forward to the Training follow up. Viv H-B
Tue 13 Sept 2011 - Pilates demonstration by Kerry
Following a discussion about Pilates and unmounted exercises for riders, Kerry demonstrated a broad range of Pilates exercises and encouraged and helped everyone to have a go.
Pilates lessons are available with
Annie Cox http://www.pilateslimousin.com/
Morag http://www.pilatesphysique.net/
Pilates lessons are available with
Annie Cox http://www.pilateslimousin.com/
Morag http://www.pilatesphysique.net/
Wed 27 July 2011 - Video afternoon "Classical v Classique"
Diane hosted a very interesting viewing and discussion of the Hess v Karl DVD, with excellent tea and cakes!