Grant Schneidman's clinic: "Don't flip him the bird"

Former USET Three-Day Event team member and USDF Gold and Silver medalist Grant Schneidman came to Finland once again to teach us a few things about horsemanship and riding. Just like the last times Schneidman was at Peuramaa it seems that we all left the two day clinic with a few bigger revelations and a great and positive feeling. 

The first day Thor was fantastic to ride from the beginning and the whole lesson was just pure enjoyment. We did a lot of basic stuff and many transitions and Grant concentrated on the rhythm and feel the whole lesson. I joked to Jilla and Salla that were joining the next lesson with lovely Finn horse Torsten and took all these amazing pictures that my biggest problem is what coloured bandages to choose for the first day's lesson and it actually seemed that that was the day's biggest challenge. Thor was just very balanced and nice and it all felt very easy. 

We did a lot of work on just making the ride even more balanced and relaxed and Grant pointed out that I am a strong woman and I should try to do less. He also told me not to talk whilst riding because I really need to concentrate on Thor or we are way off in the wrong direction. I think that we are very similar with Thor. We are a bit spaghetti like in the bodies and our minds are very fast so we both need to really focus on being present and ride in the moment.

When I bought Thor one of the biggest things to work on were transitions and halts and relaxation in general. Thor was too fast and sensitive and his reactions were always to go forward and fast. And like Johanna said many times Thor is really not that sensitive when he becomes more secure and used to his surroundings. 

At the moment Thor is mostly moving at a pretty nice pace and we get to do some good transitions. What easily happens with a horse like this though is that first you go too fast and then you go too slow and Grant told me to pay a lot of attention to my aids. I hardly noticed that I started walk by kicking a bit all the time and he told me to be careful and use the aids once and then lay off. Since I have been trying to calm down Thor so much we are almost getting a reverse effect and I sometimes forget to ride him forward. 

"Walk should be marching (going somewhere), the trot swinging and elastic (no bang bang bang) and the canter jumpy and springing (so u could jump a big jump)."

The second day Thor also felt very good from the beginning but I needed to work harder on my own seat and Grant asked me to take off my stirrups. What I truly appreciate is that Grant actually took the time to explain things and he stopped us a few times so that I could really let it all sink in.

At the beginning he asked me to turn my legs all the way from the hips forward. As you can see from the pictures of the first day my legs and toes turn a bit outward and it puts my whole body in the wrong position. He told me to imagine how it feels when you start skiing downhill and put my legs more in a position like that.



Even if I am not very happy with our current Albion Dressage saddle I did get a much better seat with some help and as you can see in the videos I really start to sit much deeper and become a lot more relaxed in the hips. Unfortunately I do not have the last ten minutes on tape when I had a huge revelation and I actually forgot that I was riding without stirrups. So good did my horses trot at the time feel.

In the beginning though I did try to tell him that I would love to canter without the stirrups since it was very hard work. Grant did not take it very seriously and asked me if I blead or did I bite my tongue off? If not, then what was I complaining about??

He also told me to keep my right leg a bit forward since I was almost kicking Thor's sheet which comes to show that we do have a bit off a size difference with my darling horse. 

In the trot and canter Grant also asked me to open up the legs completely and put them back on in order to relax the legs and also become a bit more open on the right side of my body.

One of my big revelations from this clinic was the last few minutes of the second day. Grant stopped us because he got tired of telling me not to let go of my reins all the time. He told me that I had to stop flipping Thor the bird because what I was doing was actually not kind but rather unfair and since Thor needs very clear guidelines I was just making it all wishy washy.



So Grant took my hands and showed me where I should be stable and how I should hold on when Thor is unstable and oh my that feeling of the last minutes when we just got it. It just all fell into place and the feeling was pure bliss. Wow! These moments are just amazing. So worth it all. 

I love this picture so much. Thor is very balanced and his well-built muscles really show. 

This time the clinic was so good it actually took me a while to digest it all and I hardly wanted to ride for the next few days just to keep up that amazing feeling that we achieved together with Thor. 

Grant said that he thinks that I have become a better rider and that both Thor and me are less crooked. He gave us a lot of positive encouragement and has a fantastic humour spiked with the kind of disciplinary teaching we thrive in. I noticed that I really concentrated so well and was very happy with my own riding. 

What amazes me with Grant is his amount of energy and the extensive experience he possesses. He sees us all as individual horse and riders and no lesson looks the same. He is really a true professional and just being able to ride and learn from such a master is such a privilege. Really looking forward to the next time already. 

This blog post is written in English because Grant does not know Finnish yet and he is sent the blog posts that are written about him. 

I also want to thank Jilla, Salla and Torsten for the funniest company and all pictures and the first day video are photocretided to Salla Seppänen. The second day videos I owe a huge thanks to Kati from our stables. Thank you for your help. No better way to learn than to look and analyze the riding after the lesson. 

The riding pants in the pictures are Kerrits Flex Tight II Fullseat that you can buy from Classic Equeen. Absolutely love them. So comfortable to ride in and they sit like a sock on a dock (whatever that means). 

Read more: 

Previous clinics with Grant Schneidman

Turvallinen ystävä

Tänään tuntui ensimmäistä kertaa siltä, että pystyin luottavaisin mielin antaa Ellan istua Thorin selässä ilman satulaa. Thor oli oikea herrasmies ja kävelimme maneesissa pitkiä pätkiä ja Ella ja Thor saivat jumpata käyntiaskeleita puomin yli. Vasta kun leikimme hippaa maneesissa ja Thor oli vapaana totesin, että piti hieman hidastaa tahtia kun Thor innostui leikkimään ja juoksemaan kanssamme. Ihanat ihanat lapsukaiset.

Toisessa kuvassa Ella makaa Masin selässä. Upea Meadow Master. Mikä sen parempaa lapsille tai aikuisille kuin hevosen lämmin selkä johon nojata. Turvalliset ystävät, jotka ovat mukana elämän kaikissa vaiheissa.

Finnish and Australian farrier teaching hoof care in India

"The lack of knowledge and skills in proper hoof care is a huge problem all over the world. And even more so in the places where animals are still used for work." 

I have had the pleasure to meet and get to know amazing Finnish professional farrier Riina Villanen and she has been shoeing Thor for almost half a year now. Not only is she a true professional but she has together with Australian Ben Pollock volunteered in Rajasthan, India to teach local farriers about proper hoof care.

Both farriers volunteered for the Flying Anvil Foundation and the film was shot at Dundlod Farriery Institute, which is the first school in India to provide knowledge in hoof care and farriery.

Flying Anvil Foundation's main goal is to respond to a lack of knowledge and training in farriery in regions where needs are greatest. .

Riina will be one of the lecturers at the next event on horse welfare organised at Peuramaa Horse in the autumn about proper hoof care for horses.

Nice job guys!

Huikeat kanssajoogit

Meitä oli eilen huikeat 43 osallistujaa Erika Serkon vetämällä ratsastajille suunnatulla yin-jooga live-tunnilla. Aivan mahtavaa. Kiitos osallistumisesta!

Sain nämä upeat kuvat Ypäjän asuntolasta. Mukana on ratsuhevosen koulutuslinjaa käyviä opiskelijoita sekä pari kengitysseppälinjalla ja harrasteohjaajaksi opiskelevaa. Olivat pitäneet tunnista ja huomasivat vartalon toispuoleisuuden. Jee!

Tunnin voi vielä katsoa tallenteena yoogaiasta. Saat 2 viikon ilmaisen kokeilujakson kirjautumalla sisään koodilla KIAHEROLD2015.

Feed your horse before exercise

I really wanted to write about this because we sometimes anthropomorphize our horses too much. Even if we might be well of exercising on a pretty empty stomach ourselves it is extremely important that horses should be fed before exercising them. The Horse Channel crystallizes why in the article Can horses eat before exercise by Dr. Juliet Getty:

"The horse’s stomach, unlike our own, secretes acid all the time. That’s right—it never stops. Chewing produces saliva, a natural antacid. But left without anything to chew, the acid will accumulate in the stomach and settle along the bottom (as water would in an empty jar). The lower portion of the stomach (the glandular region) has a protective mucus layer, but the upper squamous region has no such lining. Ask your horse to move, and the acid sloshes around, reaching the unprotected area, leading to an ulcer. And, as the acid flows through the small intestine, cecum, and large colon, it can cause further damage along its wake, potentially leading to colic and ulcerative colitis.

Allow your horse to graze on hay or pasture before asking him to move; 15 minutes ought to do the trick. You’ll keep him healthy and save him from physical and mental discomfort, which will all add up to his being more relaxed and receptive."

Just keep this in mind the next time you are about to take your horse out for a run on an empty stomach. 

Read also:
Pohdintaa hevosen ruokinnasta
The FeedXL-newsletter: Feeding Before Exercise

Jäikö Thor kiinni mutaan?

Meillä oli kaksi aivan ihanaa päivää Grant Schneidmanin valmennuksessa. Thor oli alusta loppuun aivan super ihana ja niin tyytyväisen ja rennon oloinen. Siitä oli hyvä jatkaa pääsiäisen viettoon maalle todella hyvin mielin.

Sunnuntaina Thor sai pitää ansaitun vapaapäivän ja tänään pidimme vain hauskaa maasta käsin. Mietin kurssilla, että nyt vihdoinkin on sellainen olo ratsastaessa mitä olen hakenut ja toivonut Thorin ja minun yhteistyöstä ja kirjoitin tällaisen listan:

• Rutiinit: Thorilla on elämässä todella tarkat ja selkeät rutiinit päivittäin. 
• Oikea ruokinta: meillä on nyt ruokinta kohdillaan. Tallin heinä on erityisen hyvälaatuista ja heinän arvot hyvät.
• Kengitys: meillä on aivan HUIPPU kengittäjä ja kengitysväli on ollut 6-7 viikkoa pidemmän aikaa. Kengät ovat myös pysyneet jalassa.
• Satula: Thorilla ratsastetaan vain 4-5 kertaa viikossa ja siitäkin noin kerta karvasatulalla. 
• Monipuolinen liikunta: käymme koulu- ja estetunneilla, maastoillaan melkein päivittäin ja kävellään paljon. Irtohypytän tai teen muuta puomijumppaa Thorin kanssa säännöllisesti ja Thor kävelee kävelykoneessa viisi kertaa viikossa. 
• Kiputilat: Thor ei tällä hetkellä vaikuta kipeältä. Suu on ollut pidemmän aikaa hyvässä kunnossa ja selkä ei ole kipeytynyt. Uskon myös, että Thorin vatsa on ollut kipeä aikaisemmin ja oikea ruokinta ja rauhallisempi mieli on edesauttanut sen paranemista. 
• Lihaskunto: Thorin lihaskuntoa on rakennettu pikkuhiljaa ja nyt Thor alkaa rehellisesti kantamaan itseään oikeassa muodossa. 
• Suoruus ja symmetria: Monet asiat ovat vaikuttaneet siihen, että Thor on suoristunut, mutta säännöllinen hieronta ja etenkin kiropraktikkokäynnit ovat avanneet Thorin jumeja ja edellisellä käynnillä pääsi kiropraktikko avaamaan SI-niveltä, joka selvästi on vaikuttanut Thorin symmetriaan ja suoruuteen. 
• Rentous: Thor on sekä mieleltään että fysiikaltaan todella rento ja tyytyväinen. Rento mieli vaikuttaa kokonaisvaltaisesti Thorin liikkeeseen ja kun mieli on rento voi myös hevosen fysiikka paremmin. 

Ja tärkeintä kaikista: 

• Hauskanpito: Meillä on super hauskaa yhdessä ja vietämme paljon aikaa yhdessä. Tänään kävimme kävelemässä metsässä, näykimme ruohonkorsia ja kaikenlaista muuta hauskaa. Jossain vaiheessa oli vain pakko odottaa ja seurata Thoria ja naureskelin Thorille, että "juutut vielä kiinni mutaan pohtiessasi maailman menoa." Sen jälkeen suuntasimme maneesiin, jossa irtohypytin Thoria ja totuttelimme pikku hiljaa peuroihin esteiden alla ja Thor lähestyi ensin hallitussa ravissa estettä jonka jälkeen Thor laukkasi monta kertaa peräkkäin esteen yli. Ei vain todella hauskaa puuhaa vaan myös parasta lihaskuntoa ja huoltoa hevosen selälle. 

Me ei kyl nyt oltu ihan varmoja tänään missä noi hevoset oikein olivat tiellä?

Grant oli erittäin tyytyväinen Thoriin ja totesi myös, että istuntani on parantunut ja olen suorempi ratsastaja nykyään. Olin siitä todella iloinen ja huomasin, että olen löytänyt paljon symmetrisemmän istunnan ja rauhallisemman mielen. Myös keskittymiskykyni on parantunut huimasti ja huomaan keskittyväni aivan eri tasolla ratsastaessa. Siitä suuri kiitos Minnalle. 

Tämä osoittaa jälleen vain, että symmetria ja istunnan parantuminen tulee niin vahvasti myös muualta kuin vain hevosen selästä. Huomenna lähden siis tallitöihin ja illalla osallistun ratsastajille suunnatulle yin-jooga tunnille nettijoogastudio Yoogaian kautta. 

Olipa hauskaa kun kerrankin pääsimme keskittymään Grantin valmennuksessa omaan istuntaan niin vahvasti, kun suurin osa ajasta ei mennyt niin monen isomman ja muun asian korjaamiseen. Tästä lisää lähipäivinä.

Ihana, ihana hevoseni

Ensimmäinen päivä Grant Schneidmanin valmennuksia takana ja menossa taas tänään tunnille. Thor oli todella upea eilen. Harvoin saa nauttia niin tasaisesta ja harmonisesta hevosesta. Wow! Super tyytyväinen.

Ihanat Jilla ja Salla olivat mukana Torstenin kanssa ja sain näitä kauniita kuvia käyttöön. Kiitos!

Kuvien copyright Salla Seppänen.