Beginning in 1988, I took regular dressage lessons under my first riding instructor for 12 years. She helped me train my Trakehner/Thoroughbred gelding through Second Level until he retired. Then my instructor sensed God’s call into Seminary where she became a Pastor, and my husband and I moved North and bought a hobby farm. My riding consisted of trail riding and hacking in the arena. I had no intentions of showing dressage again—that is until I bought my Spanish Mustang, Indian’s Legend in 2012.
I have made many connections with interesting people thanks to Indy. Last weekend, he reconnected me to my first riding instructor. She was between ministry opportunities and was asked to judge the schooling show I rode in. What an honor to ride for her again and to introduce her to Indy.
She loved Indy’s relaxed attitude yet forward and balanced gaits. And she LOVED his free walk and stretchy trot—noting that they were the best she had seen all day. Areas we need to improve include more lateral bending, more lengthening in the trot and canter, and more roundness in his frame, but she said we are on the right track.
Me and my first riding instructor, reconnected after 15 years.
It was so great to see her after 15 years! It’s hard to believe it has been that many years as it only seemed like yesterday.
Indy took home two blue ribbons and his best scores in First Level yet. In First Level Test One we received 66.3% out of three riders and in First Level Test Three we were the only entry and scored 65.5%.
“Is that a Norwegian Fjord?” This questions pops up everywhere I take my Spanish Mustang. This time it led to an inspiring story…
The weatherman guaranteed rain and he was right. This was the third time showing my Spanish Mustang, Indian’s Legend, at the Three Ring Circus dressage and hunter/jumper show, and the first time showing in the rain. It wasn’t cold. It wasn’t a down pour, and it wasn’t windy. Plus it kept the bugs away and the arena dust-free, so it wasn’t that bad.
Normally we ride stadium and dressage at this wonderfully organized show, but I didn’t want Indy to take the risk of slipping on the wet grass, so we stuck to the two dressage tests we had pre-entered: First Level Tests One and Three.
I was extremely pleased with Indy’s ride through First Level Test One which felt improved over the last show. We received a score of 59.26% placing us sixth of nine.
Video: First Level Test One
We headed back to our trailer for a break and a gentleman approached us with THE QUESTION: “What kind of horse is that? Is that a Norwegian Fjord?” Giggling, I said, “No, he is a Spanish Mustang. But no worries, I get that a lot.”
Elated, he said, “A Spanish Mustang? Really?!” He couldn’t wait to tell me about the BLM horses he and his wife have adopted and trained. When he described their qualities: intelligent, friendly and trainable, I thought he was talking about Indy! In fact, one of his Mustangs was competing in the hunter classes by a teen who began riding at his place several years ago. Back then this young girl was very despondent, rather anti-social, and failing in school. Her concerned parents tried everything to help her. As a last resort the parents saw an ad for riding lessons. At first the young girl wasn’t that interested until she met “the Mustang.”
Over the course of a few months and many lessons the Mustang broke this nine-year-old out of her shell. Instead of failing classes, she became a straight A student and has made lots of friends. Years later, that’s the horse she continues to show—the Mustang who broke her. She calls him her first love.
The gentleman said that she has her own horse now, but still favors to compete with the Mustang. She doesn’t often win against the thoroughbreds and warmbloods, but it makes her work twice as hard, and when she places it means even more.
Delighted with our conversation, I retacked Indy for our next Test: First Level Test Three which consists of 10-meter trot circles, 15-meter canter circles, counter canter, trot and canter lengthenings, and a zig-zag leg yield at the trot. This was the first time we had shown this test.
Indy was a bit distracted watching a man walking around in blaze orange (which really stands out on a gray rainy day). Even though First Level Test Three felt less solid than our first test, we receive a score of 62.06%, placing third of four. Judges from both shows made comments to work on improving impulsion, bending, and developing the trot lengthening, so with a little more practice, we will enter a couple recognized dressage shows this summer to begin working on our USDF Bronze Medal.
Video: First Level Test Three
Sponsored by St. Croix Saddlery, the Three Ring Circus schooling dressage and hunter/jumper show is well organized with dozens of volunteers and hundreds of entries between the dressage and jumping rings. It is the largest schooling show in Minnesota which is held at Carriage House Farms in Hugo, Minnesota. The facility is top notch and the atmosphere is always low-key and friendly. Special thanks to everyone who made this show possible.
Three weekends in a row of fun activities for me and my Spanish Mustang. This week Indy and I trailered to the Pig Pond Classic Schooling Show held at Birchbury Farm for dressage and stadium jumping.
Since this was our first course since last September, we began with 18″ cross rails.Next we jumped the 2 foot vertical course of nine jumps.And we finished with First Level Test One – our first time entering First Level.First Level introduces the trot lengthening.
We didn’t place in our jumping classes but took second place in First Level with a score of 61.111%. While checking in I was tapped on the shoulder by a Mom and her daughter who I had met two years ago at a schooling show. The mother rides a Spanish Mustang and her daughter rides a dun pony. I was thrilled to watch her winning ride over the two foot vertical course. It was a simply textbook ride—forward, confident, and well negotiated!
Since storms moved in just after the last dressage test was ridden, it cut the day short so we will have to take a rain check on schooling Birchbury’s elaborate cross country course.
The week after the Minnesota Horse Expo the annual MnDra endurance ride was held at Sand Dunes State Forest—my favorite place to ride. The footing is ideal for barefoot horses like mine and the scenery is breath taking. I took Indy to this ride in 2013 and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to return.
Our weather couldn’t have been better. Our Novice group of four included two Arabians (one was ridden by our seasoned leader and the other by my friend), a Morgan, a Haflinger, and Indy my Spanish Mustang.
Our Novice Group led by a seasoned endurance rider kept us from getting lost. Our group included two Arabians, a Morgan, a Haflinger and a Spanish Mustang.Following pie plates and ribbons to keep us on course.The beginning of our 12 mile endurance ride. (Note how clean we both appear.)Cool photo by Hanks Hauser of our novice group.MnDra reflections.Indy wonders, “What is that hanky doing in that horse’s tail?” (I kept him a safe distance not to find out.)Heading toward the finish line after nearly two hours of brisk trotting. (Note how not so clean we are.)We made it back to receive our completion award.
Congratulations to my friend Michelle and her Arabian mare Molly who placed first in Novice out of nine.
Special thanks to volunteer photographers Bob Kaleido and Hank Hauser who took this fantastic photos and to the dozens of volunteers who made the endurance ride possible.
My Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend at the 2015 Minnesota Horse Expo.
By Jennifer Klitzke
For decades it’s been a tradition to come to the Minnesota Horse Expo and soak in all things horses. This year instead of being a spectator, I took my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend (Indy) and joined the Spanish Mustang demonstration team Thursday-Sunday, April 23-26, 2015. We were one of the three horse/rider teams for the American Heritage Horse Association. Words cannot express how great of an experience it was for me (and I’m pretty sure Indy had a good time, too). His curiosity kept him entertained with all there was to see and do.
Gwen riding Hota, Erika riding Jetla and Jennifer riding Indy.
Not only are Spanish Mustangs a unique and rare breed, but they attract a unique and rare group of people: down to earth, kindhearted, and fun. My Spanish Mustang team mates were strangers to me on Thursday and quickly became good friends through the four days. Indy bonded quickly with the other horses and did terrific through the two exhibitions we rode each day.
Gwen was a last-minute substitute when one of the horses was unable to come. The owner of that horse was who I had bought Indy from and the Expo would have been the first time we would have seen each other since that snowy February day I brought Indy home in 2012. Although I was sad that it didn’t work out for her to be there, Gwen and her white Spanish Mustang mare Hota made for a wonderful team member.
What a precious moment for this little horse lover!
After our Friday demonstration, we passed a mother with her two-year-old daughter who was carrying a white plastic pony that looked exactly like Hota. The spellbound little girl realized that her dream horse was walking right towards her!
Can you tell the difference between the Spanish Mustang and the Norwegian Fjord?
Another fun memory was warming up with the Norwegian Fjords (another really nice group of horse people). Every event I bring Indy to, people ask if he is a Norwegian Fjord. Seeing him side-by-side with the Fjords, people were commenting, “I’ve never seen a long-haired Fjord before.”
Indy was drawn to the trail obstacles like a child to a swing set.
Later that day when all of the Spanish Mustangs arrived, we took them to the outdoor practice arena and played on the trail obstacles before walking through our demonstration. Indy’s curiosity lead him over the teeter totter bridge and the raised platform again and again. Even the Expo videographer captured footage of his enthusiasm!
Jetla and Erika riding bareback, barefoot and bitless.
We met so many wonderful people at the Expo including a dressage judge and a seasoned fox hunter. Both were intrigued with the Spanish Mustangs. The dressage judge commented, “What an uncomplicated back this breed has.” And looking at Jetla he said, “I could take this one home with me!” Jetla certainly has the gaits for dressage! The fox hunter dressed in his formal red attire looked like someone who just walked out of a history book. He invited me and Indy to give fox hunting a try this season. I will definitely work this into our riding schedule.
Our Spanish Mustang demonstration team.
Friday through Sunday we rode in the Parade of Breeds, on Friday and Saturday we performed a breed demonstration, and on Sunday the American Heritage Horse Spanish Mustangs lead the parade down main street. We had unseasonably sunny weather three out of the four days which made the Expo even more enjoyable.
The American Heritage Horse Spanish Mustangs led the Expo parade.
When Indy and I got home I called my Mom and she said she saw us on the news. (Turns out it was one of the Norwegian Fjords!)
“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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
What a beautiful fence! It even matches my shirt!
Indy baulked at this obstacle the first pass and jumped it beautifully the next time.
Indy jumped the pseudo ditch without a care.
Indy had no trouble over this little obstacle.
Indy jumped the oxer in good form.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
