Another Barbi Breen-Gurley Clinic

On Sunday, Izzy and I participated in another clinic with Barbi Breen-Gurley. Barbi hails from the central coast where she runs her training and boarding facility, Sea Horse Ranch. Barbi is an active competitor, trainer, and "S" judge. She earned her USDF Bronze Medal in 1977, just four years after it was offered by USDF. She earned her Gold Medal in 1982, but then went back to earn her Silver in 1985. She's been in the dressage world since USDF's very beginning.

Posing with "S" Judge, Barbi Breen-Gurley

I rode with Barbi last month, so I felt a particular sense of commitment to apply her suggestions since I knew I'd be riding with her again. For me, it's embarrassing to have to repeat a lesson. As hard as I tried though, one of the things that I had worked on still needed (and needs) to be improved. My bend was much more correct, and I was following with my elbows at the walk. Both were things that Barbi had pointed out last month, and both were things I have since "fixed."

Before we started to work, Barbi asked what I would like to work on this time. I explained that I had been focusing on her previous feedback, but the one thing that I am truly struggling with is how to follow with my elbows in the canter. The problem is that Izzy is so short and stiff in his neck that there's nothing to follow. Of course, it's likely that me not following is the reason he's so tight, but simply dropping the contact doesn't fix the problem either. We both need to change something. Barbi was completely on board. 

Me trying to do a shoulder swivel exercise to get my left shoulder back.

My favorite thing about this clinic was that none of it was about "fixing" Izzy. Instead, Barbi focused on fixing me which then had the immediate effect of softening Izzy's neck and lengthening his stride. Near the end of the lesson, Barbi yelled out Do it for him! as a way to help me buy in to the correction she was asking my body to make. Those words really resonated with me because they proved to me that fixing my body wasn't about looking good, it was about changing my body so that Izzy will be be more comfortable in his work.

Left arm behind my back. Horse's neck is much longer. Coincidence?

The hardest thing we did was to put my left arm behind my back and grab my shirt as close to my right armpit as I could mange. My entire left side wants to turn be forward no matter which direction I ride. Or walk. Or sit. Or drive. It's a problem for sure. To help me really feel how twisted I am, Barbi had me grab my shirt and ride with one hand while spiraling in to the left. If your seat says right, it's awfully hard to turn left.

Try riding one handed and still turn.

I can steer with my seat, honestly I can, but forcing me to do it one-handed really pointed out my weaknesses. Barbi was merciless though. There was no cheating. She peppered me with commands: neck rein him; spiral in; turn sharply NOW; don't let him look outside; turn him with your shoulders, and on and on. That one though - turn him with your shoulders, that one started to connect some dots for me. It wasn't really about my shoulders; it was about my whole torso and down. 

Left shoulder needs to be back. Left leg needs to be back. Hands need to be in front of the saddle.

What it came down to was this: Izzy wants me to turn my torso and lower body in the same direction that he's traveling. That means my shoulders, my seat, and even my inside leg. If any of those elements are not turning with him, he braces. Once my left shoulder was "back," Barbi found that my left leg wants to come forward which negates the whole thing. If my left shoulder is back, my left leg needs to drop down, not push forward.

Once my position was better, Barbi also had a way to help Izzy. When I am following with my elbows, particularly at the canter, her exercise went like this: one in, one out, one down if he'll take it. What she meant was a flexion to the inside, a flexion to the outside, and then give him a moment to ask to stretch down. If he doesn't, then we do it again. When I could keep myself together, when I could keep my hands in front of the saddle, and when I could allow with the outside rein, Izzy took the stretch every time.

He was just butter.

For the canter, Barbi left me with a few thoughts:

• ask for the canter when the inside front leg is down
• calves on in the upbeat
• elbows go with the hips
• one in, one out, one down if he'll take it.

Barbi gave me a lot to work on, but even so, I really enjoyed the lesson. She was very quick to let me know when it was right, and just as quick to correct me when it wasn't. It was so easy to tell that she really wanted me to understand that what she was asking me to do was for the good of my horse. And speaking of my horse, Izzy was an absolute rock star. He stood patiently when asked, worked hard, and other than a few looks here and there, was all business.

Here's a short clip where I am trying to put it all together.

It was a great experience to finally be able to work on what's wrong with me without also trying to control a rocket on a string. When I got myself together, Izzy was happy to listen. We're definitely making quick progress.

Slowly ...