The Atkins Diet for Eventers

Moose and I had a wonderful time at BeaHive Ranch continuing our education with Peter Atkins. As I watched other riders adapting to Peter's unique riding theory it made me think of the first time I rode with him.

I rode into my first lesson with Peter in July 2010 as part of Come Again Farm’s first event camp.

Peter Atkins Teaching at Come Again Farm

He watched me ride around a bit and promptly lengthened my stirrups…for a jumping lesson. 

OK, I will admit it. At this point, I figured I had a cook on my hands. Nevertheless, I figured you could learn something from everyone, kept my mouth shut, just lengthened my stirrups and jumped.

Only to be told to “Stand Up”. Huh? What? Clearly, I misunderstood.

“Peter, I’ve been taught to fold my entire life over jumps. Are you saying this is wrong?”

To which he replied emphatically, “YES!”

I was now convinced I had a cook on my hands. But I’d paid my money so I might as well give it a go. It would at least be a fun story to tell. So I tried it. Huh,…that kind of worked for me…let’s do that again…hmm the light bulb was starting to go off.

Peter explained that a horse clears a jump with front end. In jumping in the manner that the American equitation system dictates, we are making the horse’s job more difficult. By standing up over the fence with our leg in front of the girth we are freeing the front of the horse while also cementing our position in the tack.

This was starting to make sense...And then there was this strange flushing sound....the sound of 25+ years of jumping lessons with the red coats of  show-jumping fame, advanced event riders and $100s in well thumbed classic American texts going down the crapper. Best damn day of my riding life.

More was to follow...much more. At the end of my first lesson my perspective on riding theory had been flipped upside down. Since that day I have attended every possible lesson with Peter. I am going to share a few of my favorite 'Peterisms' below...they may sound odd at first (trust me -so been there) but give it a chance. You will be changed for the better.

Peter on Riding

Of primary importance is balance and tempo.

Horse should always be ridden in balance. A balanced horse is happy horse as the horse is a prey animal -their worst fear being unbalanced, falling and thus unable to defend themselves.
Riding the horse round, always in a high quality working gait decreases the load on the joints as the horse uses it muscular strength to support itself. Horses always ridden in this manner stay sounder longer.

The control of balance and tempo is your job as a rider. My mantra as I school at home has become "Who's trot is this?" "Is this a quality canter?"

Peter on Jumping Position

Your stirrups will be lengthened (“ride long, stay on long”). Your leg will be moved forward with the toe out (“imagine hooking your spurs in front of the girth”). Finally, you stand up over the jump –you do not fold.

"Stand Up, Look Up, Kick Up" Note: leg should be in front of the girth #@$!

The effectiveness of this position is illustrated as Peter has riders jump horseless. It is almost impossible to jump the fence folded as the weight of your head and upper body disrupt your balance. The jump is easily cleared when one jumps upright.

This is hard!

A bit easier now!

“Stand Up, Look Up, Kick Up” is the oft repeated phrase.

Sound interesting? Well I'm stopping here-you'll need to ride with the man himself.

In a Peter Atkins clinic you will be treated to a complete education. From appropriate tack, bitting, and whipping technique no topic is left uncovered.

And yes -after my first lesson with Peter I headed to a tack store for a new bit, bridle, reins and spurs. Darn it all it just made so much sense. And darn it all if my little horse did not improve just with the new tack.

Trust me. Find a clinic near you or better yet organize one yourself.

If you are lucky enough to ride with Peter Atkins, a proponent of inquiry based learning, I am going to give you some questions to mull over beforehand. You might be surprised by the answers...but they will make you a better rider.

Q & A with Peter

"What does the horse need to be on the bit?"


"Why do jockeys ride with their stirrups so short?"


"Why do horses not like water"?


"How big a fence is this up-bank?"

And finally, a question you thought you might never hear in a riding lesson;

“How heavy is a bowling ball?”

Good luck to you...and a helpful hint. Guess if you must. NEVER say "I don't know."

Peter Atkins at BeaHive Ranch

October 22 & 23 was spent at the jaw-dropping gorgeous BeaHive Ranch in Springville IN for a Peter Atkins clinic.

BeaHive Ranch

Uhhuh. I brought my unclipped (he lives out all winter) fat pinto camp pony to this place. I was a bit intimidated...until I was greeted with warm smiles, hugs, steaming hot cocoa and welcome gifts. The furry pony was ushered into a freshly bedded stall complete with topped off water bucket. I was made to feel like family and we quickly settled in to enjoy our weekend.

My first lesson was later on Saturday so I spent the morning with a trusty bottle of Miracle Groom getting the beast the Moose presentable. As Moose is not normally stalled BeaHive had kindly provided a guest turnout....it seemed a good idea to let him out for a bit to stretch his legs before the lesson. I left him quietly munching grass only to come back to this:

Iz ready for my lesson now

Not.Enough.Miracle.Groom.In.The.World.

%$#@! We dusted off and got ready to ride. I was looking forward to continuing our education with Peter. Moose and I have worked with Peter since 2010 and under his guidance had been slowly making progress.  Peter took a minute to check on us a few minutes before the lesson started-he of course wanted to see the canter. I think he was pleased (yay!). He gave me some home work (canter-trot transitions every 4 strides as well as walk-canter transitions) and then it was time to start the group lesson.

The clinic began in traditional Peter Atkins style (if Peter had a punch card I could no doubt redeem it for a free lesson or 2!) with riders navigating scattered poles in an exercise I call "pick-up sticks". Moose and I have already done this in previous lessons as well as praticed at home so were able to complete the task now as easily as the "first-timers"...but hey-that's progress!

The pick-up sticks are are systematically removed and jumps added until resulting in a traditional grid.

Through the Grid

I felt Moose and I did well...hell we have had lots of practice at this. However, I did not perform as well as I hoped. Reflecting on this I realized I had not been jumping much at home. Our work has mostly focused on improving that gaits (especially the canter). When I did jump it was through a series of low bounces used to improved the canter (Peter homework from July) so I had not been working on me. Another factor was fitness. I have completely slacked off on the exercise routine as of late. The body control was just not there.

On to Sunday -Cross Country! Moose had recently completed starter at the Come Again Farm Horse Trials and I was ready to work on our improved skills. Apparently so was Peter.

We started out easy enough over some beginner novice and novice type fences. Moose Tracks was jumping great! 

Unfortunately I had the same feeling from the grids lesson -not enough body control and not enough fitness. This became more apparent as the fences got a bit bigger. Poor Moose had never jumped fences like this:

meh, it looked bigger in person

I was now asking him to jump a few training fences for the first time and instead of helping him he had to help me. Good Moosey. Bad Amy.

I came off cross country thrilled with my wonderful, kind, generous horse! And vowed to not do that to him again. I will be fit next time.

Days later I am still replaying how wonderful my horse was for me. Thank you BeaHive for allowing us to use your beautiful property, for stuffing us with goodies and for the very genuine hospitality and kindness. Thank you Peter for sticking with Moose and I as we fumble around the sport of eventing. And thank you MooseMan for taking care of me.

More:

BeaHive Ranch

Peter Atkins

Clinic Photos

Octoberfest Moose Tracks Style

Moose Tracks has had a very busy October. From relaxing trail rides galloping waterways and leaping yard art to cross country schooling with friends he has not been home a single weekend.

In early October, we trekked to Come Again Farm’s Fall Horse Trials to eat test our mettle at starter level. Yes, starter –as in Beginner Novice Test A –as in we are cantering in public! Yup, time to test the new hocks!

With some trepidation, we entered the dressage ring….and…wowza! Moose pulled it together and gave me his best! I left the ring thrilled and humbled by my little horse. Icing on the cake was a score of 35 putting us in second!

For full disclosure we did get “hurried tempo” on the first canter circle, “needs slower tempo” on the second and “needs to work on better control of canter tempo so not so hurried” in the comments. Poor judge –if she only knew!

On to showjumping –Lee Ann out did herself with a really challenging and fun course decorated to the nines. Moose jumped clean and even cantered most of the course! Woot!

I thought this picture was cuuute. My husband, however, felt he looked like a leaping Okapi :(

Ok...there is a vague resemblance

this. I needz it.

We tore up the cross country cantering the entire thing. I had promised Moose he could eat the popsicle they were giving at the finish flags so we were there in no time…when I went to look at the final scores we had time penalties. For speeding. Oopsie…I did not think to wear a watch-who tries for time at starter anyway? It never occurred that new hocks=speedy Moose. 

Oh well! Still thrilled with the MooseMan and his pretty yellow ribbon.

That's my Baby!

Last weekend Moose got to clinic with Peter Atkins at BeaHive Ranch…post on that coming soon (promise).

Teaser alert –Moose Tracks jumped some TRAINING level xc fences (and I did not pee my pants!).

Yes! This is a training level fence!

PS –and for the record I did actually go to CAF to event. I only dropped $25 or so at the concession stand. For full disclosure Lori ran out of food :)

Thank you fairy godmother

Moose and I have a fairy godmother. Really.

One that understands why I would need to pay more for a lameness exam from an FEI vet for a camp pony than most people pay in vet bills for a year.

She understands why he has a dentist, a chiropractor, custom fitted saddles and bits from Germany.

She knows that Moose can't talk. He can't say that his saddle that once fit is now digging into his back making him horribly sore. He can't say that his girth rubbed and that his bit is making a sore on his sensitive mouth. He never mentioned that his hocks hurt so badly he could not gather them to canter.

The only way Moose can say this things is by acting out-which he simply will not do.

So thank you fairy godmother...for being my support. Thank you for loving me and Moose.

Stifled...?

When I got Moose I figured we would spend the fall and winter training and by spring be ready to go beginner novice moving up to novice. That did not happen. Though our walk and trot work improved 200% our canter…resembled a canter. In the same way a barrel horse charging for home has a gait that resembles a canter.

I sought advice…transitions, circles, just let him canter, transitions, cavaletti, lateral work, backing, transitions, just improve the trot and the canter will come, transitions, lunge with side reins, lunge without side reins, transitions.

After all that our trot and lateral work improved another 100%. Our canter not so much. I began to look for other causes.

• Teeth
• Saddle fitted
• New girth
• New bit
• No ulcers

Check, check and check.

I did notice his stifle occasionally slipped…armed with google I began to suspect a stifle issue.

Our Symptoms

• No canter
• When asked to canter crowhops. A lot.
• Stifle slips
• Straight stifle conformation

One of the bestest vets ever (that sadly lives far away) confirmed my suspicion that it could be stifle or possibly an SI issue. Since I could not haul him to Boston (yes- I considered it) the vet search began.

I consulted the best of the best, checked references and loaded Moose up for an 8 hour round trip voyage. ..and the clinic was very good. But. I could not help but feel  a little bit as though my Moose was not quite fancy enough. The Doc kept saying “he is not lame”…and finally “I can’t make him an Olympic horse…that canter is what you have”. Almost the same line spoken by an Olympian coach. I refuse to believe that.  No-Moose will never rival Totilas….or get even an “8” on gaits. But this horse has a heart of gold and more try and willingness to please than any human or animal I have encountered.

Stifle and hocks were injected and home we went.

So far his canter has improved. The last 3 rides an actual gait has been developing…I have hope.

Moose at Hospital

It all started with the thoroughbred...well maybe an Arabian.

In my first and second blog posts EVER I introduced my man Moose Tracks.
Turnabout is fair play. Here is how I got started with the all consuming passion for horses and the sport of eventing...

It all started with the thoroughbred...well maybe the Arabian.

I cannot remember when my love of horses began. As a child I read every one of Walter Farley’s Black Stallion series. Most of these books were centered on the sport of racing...little did I know at the time but Arabians do not in fact race in the triple crown.

As a kid in the city the only outlet I had to horses was through the television. And the only programs that had horses was racing. The first race I clearly remember was Gato Del Sol's derby victory. I would have been five years old.

From such a young age I awoke (on my own) at 6:30 am every Saturday to watch the newest edition of Race Horse Digest. I lived for the first Saturday in May and the Triple Crown series to watch my thoroughbred heroes in action.

Awwwww

I whinnied stomped and pranced anywhere I went. Every time I threw a penny in a fountain or blew out my birthday candles I wished for a horse of my own.

At eight years old a family friend gave us a pony. And some goats. You see my uncle wanted goats...to get free goats he had to take the pony. That should have been the first clue. We did not have the first clue.

 It was a dream come true for me and a nightmare for my mother. Every time I rode, the pony bucked, brushed, or rolled me off. To my mother’s horror, I would immediately climb back on until the next untimely dismount.

After only a few short years, my pony died of cancer. I was devastated. And we still did not have the first clue. Would you believe we bought the horse from the first for sale ad we saw? And that the horse was a green broke/been gelded two weeks/4 year old Arabian? But he was so preeeetttttty (as in he did not resemble a very hairy dog and did not try every way possible to remove me from his back)! And cheap! And the price included delivery, brushes, blankets and a saddle! (All of this should have been the second clue but we just though ourselves savvy shoppers).

With this fine new horse we decided to board our purebred Arabian locally for a whopping $75/month. This led to lessons (praise the lord). I lucked out-still did not have the first or second clue-with getting a decent instructor. She cussed a lot and could be a little mean but she knew what she was doing!

Leg loose in the canter? Well stirrups were locked in a tack trunk for a week. If you wanted to ride you rode with out them. Hours, hours I tell you were  spent on the lunge line without stirrups or reins with me clinging to my pony's back exhausted. Days where spent marching around the barn duck footed and bowlegged if I turned my toe out to much in a lesson.

Best thing that could have happened to me. I had a trainer that demanded perfection in riding, turnout and horsemanship. It did not matter that my equipment was all hand me downs -it fit and was clean. It did not matter that my horse was an Arabian and she did 'A' hunters. His long mane was pulled and the bridle path shortened.

Admittedly our start in short stirrup and then the pony hunter ring was rough. He never was an easy ride and always had a dirty stop. I knew we had come into our own when another trainer argued with my mom that he could not possibly be a full Arabian -he had to be at least half welsh! As I got older I got more self conscious. I began to realize the difference between my horse/clothes/equipment/ that I worked off lessons while others paid and others. The snide remarks (that happened a lot more as we began to do well) began to bother me. I was a teenager after all. I needed a change and decided to try pony club.

The first activity when I joined was something called 'Combined Training Rally'. I may have had the first clue but still not the second. I happily signed up never having seen a dressage arena or cross country course. I showed up proud of my turnout complete with slow twist bit and standing martingale...that was hastily changed! My pony did a dressage test -hunter style with nose poked out- and jumped handily around stadium. Then cross country. The first fence was a log -they do not have these in the hunter ring. Pony stopped not once but twice. On the verge of elimination I gave him a swat and off we went. I ended the course beaming and knew no other type of riding would ever be good enough. I also found a new family. A family where competitors helped each other. To the little girl (from another team no less) that walked with me to the start box that day telling me what to do and who also shouted words of encouragement as we tackled the log - you are eventing. Thank you.

My aunt (yes, the aunt from this post) had a friend who had a cousin that she was pretty sure did eventing. I enrolled in their summer camp (oh how I love camp!)

I spent that week in a variety of activities including basic dressage, grid work and conditioning. In the heat of the afternoons, the other kids swam in the pool and watched TV. I, on the other hand, stuck around the barn helping the more advanced rider’s clean tack, hold horses, or just watched them ride. At first they were a bit surprised that I would help feed or clean but by the end of the week they were accustomed to me being underfoot. Come Sunday we packed up and readied for our journey home. Mrs. Kitty, as she is fondly known, pulled me aside and invited me for another week free of charge provided I would work as hard as I had the prior week.

That invitation began many summers of residing at Southwinds Farm. More on this later perhaps.

So dear reader or dare I hope readerS. How did you get your start?

Camp ends. Bittersweet & Breakthroughs.

Thursday –Pick your lesson…hmmm if you guessed Peter Atkins you are correct!

The last day of camp was Thursday and included a show jumping lesson with Peter. The focus was…improving the canter (surprised?).

We stated with the trot working Moose very round and low. When a balanced, round and low outline was achieved Peter had me imagine my arms/ reins as poles to push his nose forward. Instead of transitioning trot to canter Peter set up a series of poles 9 feet apart (this helped simulate a canter stride). We totted in and cantered out with me again trying to catch the front feet with my hand and kick his back up. The goal was to do a balanced transition to trot before the canter deteriorated…that was the goal anyway.

The poles soon became jumps. And then *it* happened.  The best jump of my life. I felt those little mutton withers come up and Moose’s back round as he sailed over the last element.  It had finally clicked-I kicked at the girth and got out of the saddle at the right moment. I loved the feeling of that jump and have been dreaming about it ever since.

Sadly I have not yet had my canter breakthrough nor have I been able to try and recreate that jump as the Midwest has been under a heat warning since I have been home.

So with a big breakthrough in our jump we left camp. A bittersweet moment for sure. It was a great week of learning, socializing and eating (had to put that in there –food was AWESOME).

I can’t think LeeAnn Zobbe enough. Come Again Farm is a very special place and Come Again Event Camp is a very special offering. I have longingly eyed event camps for quite a while-however the fees and distance were out of my range. LeeAnn has created a unique camp. Us ‘regular Joes’ with our ‘unlikely event horses’ as well as several future super stars can come together to train with world class instructors and live our dream for 4 days a year.

With that said thanks to the clinicians –especially for taking time with amateurs like me on cheap unlikely event types. I did not ride with all of them but heard glowing reports from those who did. Peter Atkins, Leslie Law, Dorothy Crowell, Mary Lowry, Jennifer Kasier, and Bonna McCuiston are all appreciated.

And to my fellow campers –see ya next year!

Thanks Amy, Amy, Amy, and Susan (honorary Amy) for being great riding buddies!

Want to ride better? Jump Grids. No Horse Required.

The Pool.

Quoting Rachel "Peter Who? Courage smack, or punishment? Screw it, I'll just drink my beer."

Stepping through the broom...some were better than others!