A Trusted Leader

A trusted leader

By Jennifer Klitzke

“Let the horse know you’re the boss.” Did you grow up with this phrase?

This crude understanding accompanied cues like “kick to go” and “pull to stop.”

Just after purchasing my first horse 27 years ago, a fellow boarder gently asked me, “Who are you going to take lessons from?”

In ignorance I replied, “Why would I need to take lessons when I own a horse!?”

Back then I thought lessons were for horseless people looking for an opportunity to ride—not for horse owners learning how to interact well with their horses.

Then my kindhearted boarder friend invited me to watch a nearby dressage show. We got there just in time to see Kathy Theisen riding a horse named Bullwinkle in an upper level dressage musical freestyle. I get goose bumps just thinking about Kathy and her horse dancing as one to the rhythm of a waltz, skipping along the diagonal in tempe changes and soaring across the arena at an extended trot. She rode with an effortless finesse I had never seen before. This was my introduction to dressage.

That was the moment I realize there was a better way to interact with my horse than “kick to go” and “pull to stop.” No wonder my boarder friend asked me about lessons—no joke, I needed them!

Back then the German method of dressage riding was predominant in my area, so I learned how to drive my horse forward with my seat and legs in a mechanical way of going. While I learned how to become a technically correct dressage rider for the show ring, I didn’t learn much about leadership or why it is important to the horse.

Then after being dumped a few times, I became a very reactive rider. In terms of leadership, I was always on guard for the “what if’s.” Unknowingly, this transmitted insecurity to my horse and a lack of trusted leadership. So I rode in a very controlled environment—mainly in an indoor arena with few distractions.

Then a few years later Dominique Barbier, a French classical dressage trainer, rider and author of Dressage of the New Age began traveling to my region for clinics.  It was the first time I had seen a harmonious human-horse partnership demonstrated with lightness, balance, relaxation, joy, connection, rhythm, impulsion, and engagement. I took my Trakehner/Thoroughbred gelding to a few of his clinics. Dominique confronted my reactive riding head on and taught me the importance of riding with a plan and to visualize it for the horse’s sake.

Also during this time, I believed that only dressage riders practiced the art of riding. My arrogance was met head on when I was invited to a Pat Parelli event and introduced to the philosophy of natural horsemanship. I was blown away watching Pat ride his horse alongside a black stallion dancing at liberty alongside him mimicking the movement his mount performed as he rode. I left the event deeply inspired and awestruck with what is possible in a relationship with a horse!

I am humbled to say that if it weren’t for the cowboys I would never have learned how to become a trusted leader with my horse. The cowboys have taught me how a horse thinks and relates with a rider. No matter how many 20 meter circles I do or how technically correct my riding may become, it will not develop a trusted leadership with my horse until I begin to understand how my horse thinks and relates with me as a leader.

In the last five years I became acquainted with the work of Larry Whitesell who combines French classical dressage with natural horsemanship. In fact, I was interested to learn that Dominique Barbier is one of Larry’s dressage mentors.

my Spanish Mustang at the Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer clinic
My Spanish Mustang at the Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer clinic.

I’ve learned the most about trusted leadership from Larry Whitesell as a student at his 3-day and 5-day clinics. His unique riding philosophy is based upon French dressage, years of showing and training gaited horses, and understanding how the horse thinks and relates with its rider. He helps teach riders to understand what the horse’s needs are and meet these needs.

Larry says, “Don’t teach the horse what NOT to do. Teach the horse what TO do.” Instead of punishing the horse for making a mistake, redirect the horse to find balance and relaxation and at the same time the horse’s need for security will be satisfied, and the horse will better trust the rider as a reliable leader. This translates into less spooks, bolts, bucks, buddy sourness, and rears. The more a horse trusts the rider to keep it secure, the more the rider can trust the horse on the trail. It’s a win-win training method.

Learning how to become a technically correct rider is an excellent idea. I’m so glad that I didn’t stop to think that’s all there was to riding a horse. I yearned for more: I wanted the relationship Kathy had with Bullwinkle waltzing along the diagonal; the harmonious human-horse partnership Dominique has with horses; and the inspiring connection Pat Parelli has with horses at liberty and while he is riding.

It empowers me to know that my horse counts on me to lead him to balance and relaxation. Thanks to Dominique, I am reminded to visualize a plan for my horse’s sake. Thanks to Larry who taught me how to become a trusted leader for my Spanish Mustang that will help him find balance and relaxation which in turn will help him become a safer and happier mount on and off the trail. Thanks to great teachers such as riding bio-mechanics coach Mary Wanless who have helped me develop a more secure riding position which gives me confidence when my horse gets nervous. And thanks to God for the courage to perseverance and press on to meet whatever lies ahead.

The feeling of balance

The Feeling of Balance

By Jennifer Klitzke

High scoring dressage tests award the horse and rider who demonstrate a culmination of rhythm (with energy and tempo), relaxation (elasticity and suppleness), connection (acceptance of the aids and bit), impulsion (energy and thrust, straightness with alignment and balance), and collection (engagement, self carriage, and lightness of the forehand) as they move through a series of gaits, transitions, and movements precisely on the letter. Gait quality, harmony, and submission are factors in scoring, as well as rider’s position and use of aids as they are applied to ride the horse through the required movements of the test.

From time to time I’ve seen “needs more balance” written on dressage tests I’ve ridden. While I know that balance is a dressage essential, I began to explore the “feeling of balance” as I ride my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend. What does it feel like when my horse is in balance? What does it feel like when my horse is out of balance? As the rider, how can I identify, restore and maintain my horse’s balance?

My Spanish Mustang and Jennifer Klitzke riding at a Mary Wanless Clinic in 2012
My Spanish Mustang and Jennifer Klitzke riding at a Mary Wanless Clinic in 2012 and getting introduced to the A,B,C’s of riding bio-mechanics.

This last Fall two of my favorite traveling clinicians came to town. The first was international bio-mechanics riding coach Mary Wanless, who my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend (Indy) and I had the privilege of riding with in 2012. The second was successful Grand Prix dressage rider Heather Blitz (who is also a long-time student of Mary’s). While Mary’s clinic helped each rider discover the feeling of a balanced riding position, Heather’s clinic offered metaphors to help rider’s get in touch with the feeling of their horse’s balance and offered terrific training tips whenever their horses lost balance.

In regards to the feeling of balance, Heather encouraged riders to imagine a medicine ball inside the horse’s body while they rode and to notice where the weight of it tends to rest. If it feels like it rests in the horse’s chest then the horse tends to be more on the forehand, and if the medicine ball feels as if it is right beneath the rider’s seat, then that indicates the horse is more in balance with the rider. Indy tends to be a medicine ball in the chest kind of guy.

Heather’s “medicine ball” metaphor has helped me so much in the area of rider awareness as it relates to the feeling of balance. This awareness is an essential first step in guiding Indy to reposition his body into better balance. Whenever he feels like his balance is in his chest instead of beneath my seat, or whenever he leans on the bit or rushes in a quicker tempo, I calmly and quietly half half. If that doesn’t work, then I ask him to halt. And if that doesn’t work then I ask him to halt and softly rein back a couple steps until I feel his balance shift from in front of the saddle to under my seat. Then I calmly and gently cue him forward again.

The Feeling of Balance

We practice this at a walk before we proceed to trot, and then canter. The more I remain aware of our balanced, the more balanced steps we have in succession. When we are in sync, it feels like my seat and Indy’s core are connected together like Legos, and we travel together as one unit with power beginning from his hindquarters traveling through his engaged abdomen which lifts his back and withers, and the forward energy flows through my closed hands which push forward towards the bit with a light contact (instead of pulling back).

I am so excited that Spring is right around the corner so that I can begin working these concepts in good footing. Indy and I have made the best of it in the snow on the weekends. Below is a short video of a recent ride. I video record one ride a week as a means to help me see what I feel. This helps me learn. I share this with you in the event any of it helps you in your training of your Spanish Mustang.

Enjoy the journey!

Video: My Spanish Mustang at Trot with Commentary

Indy Connections

My Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend with Soup Man

By Jennifer Klitzke

Adventures with my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend have aligned my path to many cool people. One of which is a woman I mentioned in my last blog post who shouted, “Hey, Mustang Lady!”

Well, that connection led me to the North Shore a couple weeks ago to Aspen Ridge Stable for a stadium jumping lesson, cross country schooling, and a trail ride through some of the most beautiful forest I’ve seen.

Upon arrival, my new friend introduced me to the Aspen Ridge owner/instructor and I had one of those funny feelings like I had been here before. Then I looked down the barn aisle and asked, “Did you have a peacock here about 15 years ago?” The instructor replies, “Yes.”

Then I asked, “Did you have a 42 year old while horse?” She said, “Yes, but I have to tell you that it was more like 25 years ago, and that white horse lived to be 44 years old!”

Turns out I had taken one of my first jumping lessons from her a quarter of a century ago while I was on vacation in Two Harbors. I hadn’t made the connection that it had been the same stable since I was coming from the South instead of from the North.

So here I was 25 years later taking a jumping lesson from the same instructor who helped me get started. How cool is that! Below are photos of our schooling session.

My Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend jumping the 2'-3" flower fence

What a beautiful fence! It even matches my shirt!

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Indy baulked at this obstacle the first pass and jumped it beautifully the next time.

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Indy jumped the pseudo ditch without a care.

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Indy had no trouble over this little obstacle.

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Indy jumped the oxer in good form.

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Indy cleared this solid object by three feet the first time and then came to his senses thereafter.

Indy and I had a terrific time riding beautiful scenery with really cool people. Next summer I am planning to take Indy to Aspen Ridge for a week’s vacation. In addition to the local instruction, Aspen Ridge hosts Olympic-level eventing clinicians several times a year such as Jim Graham. The facility offers miles of wooded trails, a large indoor riding arena with mirrors and cushy, rubberized footing, lots of eventing obstacles and standards for jumping, plus unbelievable views of Lake Superior.

For more information visit, Aspen Ridge Stable.

Steepleview Horse Trials: The-Begin-Again-ers

Jennifer Klitzke and Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend at the 2014 Steepleview Horse Trials

By Jennifer Klitzke

The 2014 Steepleview Horse Trials came a week earlier than years past so that combined training events could be spaced apart better. However, the timing moved it to the same weekend of my husband’s annual golf tournament which meant he couldn’t be there to offer his support. So my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend and I were preparing to show solo—until I had a last minute idea.

A week before the event, I put the word out via the TCCTlist and formed a Starter Beginner Novice Team. Three people I hadn’t met before were game for the idea. We called ourselves “The-Begin-Again-ers.” It seemed appropriate since all of us were giving eventing a try after having pursued other horse-related interests. We had exchanged photos of each other and our horses to help us find each other among the 111 horses competing at Steepleview.

I arrived at the event and had coincidentally parked next to one of my team mates who also happened to be the horse/rider team competing just ahead of us in all three phases of dressage, cross country and stadium jumping. In fact, her friends and family kept me company, too. So I didn’t feel like I was showing solo at all.

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Shortly after meeting Sarah, I met Harvey and Sasha. What a neat team ranging in ages from 27 to 60 and their horses: Two off-the-track thoroughbreds, a bay and a dapple gray, a roan appaloosa, and my pale-yellow, buckskin-dun Spanish Mustang. We were the most colorful team of the predominately bay horses competing that weekend.

Indy did very well in dressage which was the first of three phases. We were tied for first place in our division and had the second best score of 24 horses in the Starter Beginner Novice category.

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Next was the cross-country phase. Indy was off to a great start. We jumped the first four obstacles perfectly and happily trotted through the water obstacle.

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After clearing the water, Indy seemed confused. We had ridden the course three times from the other direction. It was like Indy was trying to tell me that we were going the wrong direction. So jumps five, six, seven and eight were a struggle. After the eighth jump Indy decided to take a right when I was preparing to take a left. That’s when I came off. Thankfully I didn’t get hurt, but we were eliminated from the competition. I was bummed.

While walking Indy back to the barn, one of the obstacle judges told me that I could ask to be added to the list of stadium jumping courtesy rides. Was I ever thankful that this man came out of the woodwork and offered this tip. A few hours later I was granted a courtesy ride. So even though we were out of the ribbons, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to ride the stadium course.

While I was walking to the stadium course I heard a voice call out, “Hey, Mustang Lady!” I turned and recognized a woman I had met last year. I was so happy to have been re-acquainted with her again.

The kindness continued. The time arrived for stadium jumping. I was walking with Indy at my right side and carrying my video camera, tripod and mounting block in the other hand to set it up for our ride. Out of no where this kind woman asked, “Can I give you a hand?” and then she volunteered to record our ride!

Into the arena we went and over the ten-fence course with oxers. Indy jumped very well with no refusals. It was a great ending to the three-phase event, and our team took second place.

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Each of us on The-Begin-Again-er’s team returned home with a beautiful second place ribbon. Every time I look at it, I remember the faces of the new friends I made and how they and the other kind people saved me from a lonely show experience. I was so blessed by the kindness of others that getting eliminated in cross country seemed to lose its sting.

Photo Gallery>

Thank you to Steepleview Farm for hosting the event, to the dozens of friendly volunteers who make this possible, to my team mates “The-Begin-Again-ers”, the kindness of strangers, and to D & G Photography who captured terrific lasting memories I will enjoy for years to come.

2014 Steepleview Schooling Days

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By Jennifer Klitzke

Last year Steepleview Schooling Days introduced me to my first experience with cross country and from that point it gave me and my horse the confidence to pursue the Starter competition division level. I’ve been hooked ever since. I couldn’t wait for this year’s Steepleview Schooling Days, and even more with Len Danielson of North Run Farm as my coach. I love this guy! Not only has he been-there-and-done-that, but he never over faces me or my horse and he knows when we are ready to take on the next challenge.

This year our group of some familiar faces and some new, advanced our skills from last year to string several cross country obstacles together with strategy and fun. Our group encountered logs, ditches, and jumped up and down banks, and, of course, ended with Indy’s favorite, the water obstacle!

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Making a Splash at the Pig Pond Classic

2014 Pig Pond Classic Dressage Warmup Jennifer Klitzke riding Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend

By Jennifer Klitzke

My Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend and I traveled to Ham Lake for the 2014 Pig Pond Classic on June 29 for a three phase event: dressage, stadium jumping and cross country. We are still newbies at this so we entered the baby beginner novice division with 23 other horse/rider teams. The night before the event, the area received heavy rainfall and a few more water obstacles for us to navigate, even around the dressage arena. 

2014 Pig Pond Classic Dressage Jennifer Klitzke riding Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend

Indy did great in dressage with a score of 66.88% and rode through the stadium course clean without time faults.

2014 Pig Pond Classic Stadium Jumping Jennifer Klitzke riding Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend  

Now onto the cross country course. Due to the heavy rains, they cross country phase was turned into a schooling opportunity since several areas were under water.

2014 Pig Pond Classic Cross Country Jennifer Klitzke riding Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend

Indy and I could pick which obstacles we wanted to ride through and visit the pig pond as many times as we wanted!

2014 Pig Pond Classic Making a Splash Jennifer Klitzke riding Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend

Record June rainfalls weren’t responsible for this monster puddle, but likely add to it’s depth.

 2014 Pig Pond Classic Cross Country Log Jennifer Klitzke riding Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend

Indy loves to jump logs.

2014 Pig Pond Classic Cross Country Log Jennifer Klitzke riding Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend

And there were plenty of logs to jump!

2014 Pig Pond Classic Cross Country Bank Jennifer Klitzke riding Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend

We did some practice riding up and down the bank. I learned that it is important to let the reins slip through my fingers so that the horse can have its head for balance and for me to lean back.

2014 Pig Pond Classic Cross Country Tires Jennifer Klitzke riding Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend

This was Indy’s least favorite obstacle. It took three tries before he jumped it and it wasn’t pretty.

2014 Pig Pond Classic Cross Country Forest Jennifer Klitzke riding Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend

Now off to the enchanted forest where there were several logs tucked between the mature trees. What a beautiful place to ride!

Video: Dressage Test

Video: Stadium Jumping

Video: Cross Country 

Thank you to Birchbury Farm for organizing the event. We had a blast! My Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend and I received the second best score of 23 horse/rider teams in our division!

Bravo!

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By Jennifer Klitzke

Bravo! is the best word to describe the Three Ring Circus hunter/jumper and dressage schooling show, our first show of the 2014 season.

It didn’t begin that way though. Last year there were 32 entries in our hunter cross rail classes and the two-foot hunter classes didn’t start until around noon, so I thought getting to the show grounds by 9AM would be in plenty of time. Well, it would have been if the turnout were the same. However, this year, there were two shows and two major clinics going on that day which lessened the number of entries by about a third. So me and my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend arrived to the show grounds as they were calling our hunter class!

I literally ran to check in, took a mental snapshot of the course layout, and hustled back to the trailer. David Ramsden the equine massage therapist and farrier who volunteered that day to help direct trailer parking, provided encouraging words to calm my anxiety as  I tacked up for our two-foot vertical hunter courses. Indy and I hopped over a couple schooling fences and headed to our first ride just in the nick of time! (Thank you David, you are a God send!)

The grass course was laid out with beautiful two-foot oxers and double oxers, Indy jumped clean with no refusals. He was evenly paced, found his spot, rounded nicely over the jumps, didn’t rush, get strong, or break his canter. He jumped like a champ. In one of his three classes he was on the correct canter lead throughout and even took a flying change when needed versus a simple change through trot. His form for most of the fences was as good as he gets.

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I had to chuckle at the end of our best ride. I was so flabbergasted with the flying change that I gave Indy a really big pat, and he dropped from a canter into a walk, so we did our courtesy circle at a long and low walk!

This year, the show divided the ribbons between junior and senior riders. (Many more junior riders than grandma-aged folks like me!) We took fourth of four and fifth of eight in the judged classes. The third class was a non-judged warm up class. In any case, it was a personal best for Indy and I and rides I will never forget.

We headed back to the trailer for a little rest before our Training Level Three dressage test and took a short cut through the water obstacle. Indy LOVES the water!

Every where we go Indy draws attention. People remember us from years past and new people stop by to ask, “What breed is your horse?” I had great conversations with several people about the history of the Spanish Mustang and how intelligent, hardy, versatile, friendly, and athletic the breed is.

We had a couple hours to rest between hunter and dressage and enjoyed conversation with our Steepleview Horse Trial beginner novice team mate Karen who was parked nearby. We encouraged each other to try it again this year. It’s so fun to reconnect with people at these venues.

We tacked up and rode our best dressage test ever. Indy was soft, round, forward, balance, and responsive.

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20 meter canter circles and a transition to trot at “X”.

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Freewalk on a long rein.

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20 meter trot circle allowing the horse to stretch.

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Working trot.

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Centerline, halt, salute.

Indy and I were in sync and on point through our Training Level Three Test. It felt amazing, and when the judge hopped out of the judging booth shouting, “bravo!” I knew we must have done pretty well! Indy and I placed first among 18 Training Level Three riders and received a 72.8%, the highest score of the day from this judge. Words cannot describe how proud I am of my boy! What a way to end a terrific day.

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I love showing at Three Ring Circus sponsored by St. Croix Saddlery. It is well organized, the Carriage House Farm facility is top notch, the people are very friendly, and the last three years I’ve been showing at this venue the weather has been exceptional. Thank you to show organizers, the facility host, and for all who volunteer to make it possible. I appreciate all that you do for us!

Wanna Carrot with That?

By Jennifer Klitzke

We all know how intelligent Spanish Mustangs are as a breed, right?

Well, my 2006 Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend (Indy) is no exception. He is the only Spanish Mustang of our five horses, and the only one smart enough to figure out how to get from the pasture and into the vegetable garden and back. If that isn’t impressive, Indy discovered that carrots grow underground. So row by row, Indy began uprooting the carrots, having a snack, and leaving the carrot tops behind before returning to the pasture! (I caught him red handed with that “as-if-nothing-ever-happened” expression on his face.)

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Adding to Indy’s antics, 108.5 trail miles, 507 training miles, eight Training Level dressage tests ridden, and 14 stadium jumping courses ridden, our 2013 milestones include a cow clinic, a novice endurance race, a cow sorting league, a competitive trail challenge, three rounds of cross country jumping over solid obstacles, an orienteering event, and learning how to speak French.

Ever since I began riding in 1982, I have longed for the courage to ride cross country over obstacles. This year, my bold and adventurous Spanish Mustang drug me to Steepleview Schooling Days. Seasoned event rider Len Danielson instructed us through ditches, banks, water obstacles, and fixed jumping obstacles with objective and systematic coaching which instilled confidence in both me and Indy. We left that day sparked with a desire for more. Indy and I rode Starter level cross country at two schooling shows and the Steepleview three-day recognized horse trial. We placed second or third at all three events!

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Right after I had bought Indy last year, a co-worker purchased her first horse. She and I began to challenge each other and try new things with our horses. At work we became known as the “Dasco Duo.” Adding to last year’s trail rides and schooling dressage shows, the Dasco Duo entered our first novice Minnesota Distance Riders Association (MNDRA) sponsored endurance ride. What a great way for horse and rider to get in shape! One-and-a-half hours of brisk posting trot through the beautiful Sand Dunes State Forest. Of 16 entries, we took fourth place. It was also where I met Bethany Borchert, Spanish Mustang owner of Dun Adoby Fox who has done very well in competitive endurance races.

My Spanish Mustang MNDRA ride

In April, my fellow Dasconian encouraged me to take Indy to an “Introducing Your Horse to Cows” Clinic held a Hi Circle Vee to help him overcome his cow phobia. Once Indy figured out that cows were easy to push around, he seemed to enjoy it, so in May, we joined a cow sorting league. Each week, Indy and I rode with three different partners and we had 90 seconds to transfer 10 cows in numbered order from one round pen to the other without letting one of the two blank cows sneak in. It is a lot harder than it looks. While one horse/rider team locates and negotiates the next numbered cow to the other round pen, the other horse/rider team guards the “hole” so that no other cows escape or sneak through the hole. Once the other horse/team member retrieves their numbered cow, they take over the “hole” while the other retrieves the numbered cow.

My Spanish Mustang cow clinic

Then in October, the Dasco Duo entered a National Association of Competitive Mounted Orienteering (NACMO) event at Crow Hassan Park Preserve where followed a map, deciphered two clues that led us to two compass point reading that pointed to the hidden target. The six targets took us three-and-a-half hours of searching and cantering to our next clue. Our team took fourth place.

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Also in 2013, Indy and I traveled to RNR Ranch in St. Croix Falls for a competitive trail ride. We rode two glorious hours through perfectly groomed trails and negotiated six obstacles for points. Out of 30 riders, Indy and I had the second best score.

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Ending the year I took Indy to a “Riding in Lightness” Clinic with Susan Norman which introduced us to French classical dressage. Susan coached us in ways that promote balance, elegance, and harmony between horse and rider.

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What will 2014 hold for us? Well, topping the list is figuring out a way to keep Indy out of the carrot patch!

Story published in the 2013 Spanish Mustang Annual, official publication of the Spanish Mustang Registry.