Peggy Cummings 6.12.2011

I had the opportunity to watch Peggy Cummings give 3 lessons at Cedar Creek Performance Horses on Sunday. I audited the past two lesson days after my ride and was thrilled by how much more I picked up on by watching other people. There is always a new gem that I haven’t listened to before and always things I have heard but forgot to remember. Sunday was no exception.

The first horse that Peggy worked with is one that I was able to observe in the last two lesson dates. Peggy had the owner work the horse out on the line in a circle around her. I’ve seen this horse and handler do this same exercise with Peggy in the past, but I heard something different this time. When the handler would step back to comb the line, she was stepping towards the horse’s hind end. Peggy told her to instead step back to the middle of her circle and to keep her feet moving. She also explained how combing works, it turns off the fight or flight response in the nervous system thus allowing the horse to move without tension or holding. It didn’t take long to see the difference in the big grey gelding out on the line. As he started to stretch his head and neck, his hind end became engaged. As he continued on the exercise his hind step started to cover the track of his front step and was even in front of it at times. In a matter of minutes the horse’s way of going and movement had dramatically improved. I was once again impressed by what could be accomplished in a short period of time without pain, pressure or sweat.

A few other things that I was reminded to remember:

1. Practice neutral pelvis everywhere; when pushing a wheelbarrow, sitting at my desk, walking, anytime handling horses.
2. Horses buck when they cannot find their balance, it is nature’s way of rebalancing them
3. Freeing up the head and neck allows the connection to their hooves
4. Use EVEN pressure between hands
5. I must be soft in my joints in order for my horse to be soft in her joints



I already knew before I got home that my afternoon with Grace would be spent on the ground. I kept asking myself why am I not doing Connected Groundwork every day. I usually get a session in once a week, but I know that if it make it a part of my daily routine with Grace I will be setting us both up for success before I even put a foot in the stirrup. Grace seemed more than happy to not see the saddle come out of the trailer; I knew she would be tired after hauling and showing the day before. When I worked her out on the line I had a much better feel for what I was doing. I was able to have her go out on the circle away from me and then step back towards the center of the circle while combing all the while keeping my feet moving. In the past I had stopped my feet and it had caused Grace to turn in on the circle with me. This time I was able to keep her moving which seem to allow me to soften my feel on the line. I then saw and felt the oscillation in her head as came in and went out on the circle. Then it happened; I had Grace stay straight for a few strides, her head lowered, her neck bounced in a rhythm and her hind end woke up. Before I knew it she was covering the ground with ease. I stood back for a second and said “Wow!” It took a few minutes when I changed directions to achieve the same level of fluidness, but it was there. In total I maybe spent 30 minutes doing ground work and only half of that time was on the circle. The horse I ended up with looked nothing like the one I had lead into the arena.

As I gave Grace her “day after a horse show massage” I let her know that we will be doing more Connected Groundwork from now on. I’ve decided to make a 30 day commitment to doing groundwork before every ride. If I feel I don’t have time for groundwork and a ride, I will just do groundwork. I’m sure like any habit it will take discipline, I find it helps if I take Grace out o f the pasture in her groundwork halter. I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes; you guys are going to be my accountability buddies.

When I'm Straight My Horse is Staight - another "Oh Really" moment!

I went to a show yesterday, but I really want to tell you about the lesson I had the night before. After the lesson I didn’t really care about how the show went, I was more excited about the exercises I want to work on in the coming week. The show actually felt like a minor interference in my training regimen. Once again at my lesson it only took Sarah 30 seconds to pinpoint exactly what we need to work on. Grace and I are improving in between each lesson, but it still always amazes me how Sarah has the next thing ready, the next exercise we need for our next break through. I’m starting to really appreciate having a trainer that puts me to work and knows that I am ready for the next step in the process, even if I am not convinced at first.

Sarah had me lope Grace in a straight line right at her. Turns out our straight is not very straight. Grace swings her hip to the inside and then gets really crooked from there. Sarah had me lope the straight line while taking Grace’s nose to the outside. Grace immediately threw in a flying change; I stopped her and backed her up letting her know that she has to wait to be asked before executing a flying change. On the next approach to the straight line I was clearer in my body about holding the lead. I then took Grace’s nose to the right and moved my right shoulder back. Instantly I was straight, and then my horse was straight. All the way down the straight line I could feel Grace rock back on her hocks and it was easy! It was a major “AHA” moment, followed by an “Oh Really!” when I expressed out loud how when I was straight my horse was straight. I could immediately see how getting straight was going to solve all sorts of issues at the lope.

At the show when I warmed Grace up for my Western Riding class I could tell that she was a little apprehensive about her left hock, not lame but just tired from the lesson the night before. The pattern started with line changes and then went into the cross changes. In the class our line changes were the best they have ever been! By the end of the pattern Grace started to rush and she was late on her last change to the left. The end of the pattern wasn’t pretty. When I ride her one handed I feel like I lose my ability to get her back together if she falls apart. I know that getting her stronger behind and straight at the lope will fix this. This show was the first time that they announced scores for Western Riding. Both judges gave me a 65. The rest of the riders in the class did simple changes. One judge rewarded me for executing the flying changes and kept the other scores below mine. The other judge placed me 3rd. I know exactly what we need to work on for Western riding; overall I was thrilled with her line changes.

There were more entries in our trail classes than there were at the show last month. There was also better competition in both of my classes. The first class called for a figure 8 with a simple change. By the time I got to that point of the pattern we were a little discombobulated and Grace picked up the wrong lead on the last change, she then immediately threw in a flying change – we really got dinged for it and placed 5th and 7th. I got more organized for the championship trail class which again was a full class with some real competitors. At one point in my pattern the call judge yelled out something about a cone. I had just passed one, so I stopped and looked back over my shoulder at him. He waved his hand at me and said “continue on”. On my way to the side pass I wondered what I had done wrong, but I really didn’t have time to think about it. I figured whatever it was I had blown the class and the pressure was off. This time the figure 8 called for flying changes which Grace was more than happy to execute. She did get a little flat and rushed at the end, but overall it was a good pattern. I checked the pattern again on my way out and didn’t see anything I had missed. I then realized that the judge had been telling the next person in line to move up to the start cone; I thought that was the job of the steward. I was thrilled to find out that I wasn’t marked down for stopping on pattern and placed 3rd under both judges. Of all the ribbons I took home I think those 2 yellow ones were my favorite!

Trail Course Practice

I set up a few trail obstacles in the smaller arena for practice today. I always love how Grace turns it on when she sees we have fun stuff to play with. Her lope is so much better when we are both focused on a pattern. The biggest challenge is not allowing her to anticipate our next move. I find if I take my time and a lot of deep breaths, it works out.

We Found June!

Grace after her bath yesterday in the sun.

This is one of those weekends when I remember why I live in the Pacific Northwest!

Shelly - the horse I owe an apology to. Part 2

From what I remember the first year we had together was great. Shelly was 15.3 when I bought her and only 4 years old. Yes, that means we had started her over small fences at the age of 3. It was our second show season when things started to fall apart. I remember one of the first times she reared up with me. We were coming to a 3’6” fence, I’m sure I must have tensed up as I’ve always been scared of the bigger fences. Shelly came out of the corner stopped all forward motion and stood up straight on her hind legs. She landed and did it again, I remember looking back over my shoulder at the heavy wood fence rail that was just behind me. The trainer screamed at me “Don’t you dare protect yourself, this mare will never go over backwards with you, she is too smart for that. The worst thing that will happen is that you will slide off her back. DO NOT stop riding her!” At that point I wasn’t sure who I was more afraid of, my horse or the trainer. It was just a taste of things to come. Shelly and I did well, as long as the fences stayed under 3 foot which was my comfort zone. As soon as a 3’6” oxer was set in the arena, I would freeze up a few strides out and assume the fetal position. Shelly packed me over the big fences the first few times, but after getting hit in the mouth from me getting left behind, she was done with the freebies. It didn’t just happen at home; more often than not she would perform her airs above the ground at horse shows. What had started as rearing had now turned into a full blown rodeo routine. When Shelly’s front hooves would make contact with the ground she would launch into a series of bucks. To this day I have no idea how I stayed on her back. I supposed fear of death may have had something to do with it. A well-known trainer in the area approached me at a show; he asked me the breeding of my mare. When I told him the name of her sire, he was the one that told me of his reputation for throwing rank babies. He had one at his barn that even his Mexican groom who was a former bronc rider could not stay on.

Shelly had her brilliant moments as well. I will always remember a jumper derby that we rode in one hot July day. There were 40 horses in the class, the first round was rather technical and had some tight distances. On her good days Shelly was incredible to ride to a fence. I could take a 5 stride line and put 4,5,6 or 7 strides in whatever the trainer asked for. She was incredibly agile and could turn off one fence and be ready to jump the next from any spot I put her at. The potential was all there, and on that day I saw what she was capable of. Of the 40 horses only 8 made it clean to the second round. I remember a triple combination that was set up the middle of the arena. I’m pretty sure at one point I grabbed on, closed my eyes and just prayed. Shelly hit the back rail of the last oxer on the combination, it bounced out of the cup and landed back in. The announcer said “she’s clean, but just barely!” In the jump off we were one of only two horses that went clean, Shelly and I were a full second ahead of the other horse. That day I took home a $150 check, a new bridle and whole lot of pride. It would be one of the last good shows on Shelly.
As time went on her tantrums in front of fences got worse and worse. The fences only seemed to get bigger. At one point when I had to go back East for a family emergency the trainer rode Shelly for me. When I came back he continued to ride her, when he handed her back to me he said “If you ever get offered money for this mare, take it!” She was much better after her time in training and the fences were now at 4 foot. Shelly was jumping them with ease and we made plans to join the group on an annual trek to Canada for a show. Shelly and I were only jumping in the 3 foot ring, it should have been a piece of cake, but instead I couldn’t get her past the 3rd fence in every single one of my classes. She was back to her tantrums, I was finally done. At one point I seriously considered untacking her and just walking away right there in the middle of the jumper field. I was heartbroken, clearly I didn’t have what it took to do this.

When it came time to discuss selling Shelly the trainer pointed out that it would be a challenge. She had thrown her tantrums in show rings from Oregon to Canada. We decided to trade her for another horse. Shelly ended up in a sales barn in California, she was now 7 years old and pushing 17 hands. I was still only 5 feet tall and was lucky if I weighed 95 pounds.

It took me a few years and some distance to see my part to and to see what a disservice I had done to that beautiful mare. I’ve learned a few things along the way and am now able to see my past mistakes. Mistakes that I will not repeat with a horse again.

1. Shelly and I had no business jumping anything higher than cross rails. She was not broke and I did not have the foundation for it. I did not have the confidence for the bigger fences and Shelly knew that. I also lacked the confidence and wisdom to speak up for myself to say “I am not ready to do this”.

2. My saddle did not even come close to fitting Shelly. It was a Crosby PreDeNation that was built up in the back. The twist and pommel were very narrow and it must have sat on her withers like a vice. When I look back at pictures I can see where I did try to pad it out for her. I think the only reason I got away with it as long as I did was that I hardly weighed a thing.

3. I constantly put my agenda over my horse’s well-being. I was in a show barn and horses went to shows and jumped big fences. Shelly had a full brother that was showing Grand Prix, it was what she was supposed to do. I never slowed down to fix the situation at hand; I just kept pushing thinking that this next show will be the one where we get it together.

4. My pride got in the way. I wanted to quit, many times. I was sick to my stomach on my lesson days. I even considered selling Shelly a year before we traded her, but I was convinced that someone else would buy her and then beat me in the jumper ring. I wanted to be the one that took her to the top. The idea of someone else doing it was just more than I could take.

5. I should have sought the advice of people outside my circle. When my new gelding arrived and Shelly left, droves of people came up to me and told me how happy they were for me. Again and again people told me that they were afraid for my life when I rode Shelly. I’m talking 30 people in a 3 week time span told me this. Where were they before this? Would I have listened to them?
I believe that there are days that Grace is my apology to Shelly. Everytime I step back from my adgenda and do what is right by her, I carry with me my mistakes of the past. I take full responsiblity for them and I only hope that Shelly was able to find a better life in California.

Shelly - the horse I owe an apology to Part 1

Shelly as a 3 year old

I've been told never to purchase a horse based on emotions. I've done it twice now. Grace was the second, Shelly was the first....

I was working at a local hunter jumper barn my senior year in high school, cleaning stalls on weekends and feeding the horses at night. I worked hard and was willing to do anything, always with the hope that someday I would get to ride the young horses that were in training. The barns trainer was getting ready to head to California for a winter series of shows. Shelly only had a few rides on her and he needed someone keep her going while he was gone. When he put the offer out there to me I didn’t hesitate, I finally had the chance to sit on one of his training horses. She was the greenest thing I have ever ridden, and by far the most breathtaking. Shelly was out of a Trakehner mare that was by the 1984 Olympic Gold Medal Show Jumping Stallion Abdullah. Her sire was a Dutch Warmblood who it was rumored had his papers pulled because his babies had a nasty reputation for being hot. None of that mattered to me; I just wanted to prove myself as a rider. I grew up just down the road from the barn riding in its shadow. My grade horses were small and average at best compared to the beautiful mounts that I often shared an arena with. When I started working there I was occasionally asked to hop on a rank pony or two, but this was the first time I had been allowed to ride one of the Warmbloods.

The trainer told me to stay out of her face and just guide her. She didn't have a clue how to walk a straight line with a rider on her back. He said what she needed right now were miles; I was to take her for walks on the nearby trails, the goal being to get her out to see things. After the trainer left for California I couldn't wait to get to the barn each day with my saddle in tow. Shelly was really quiet on the ground and uncomplicated under saddle. She was incredibly confident out on the trails, nothing seemed to faze her. By the end of the 3 weeks I had her trotting over poles in the arena. I dreaded the return of the trainer, as it meant that Shelly would be back in full training with him. I was thrilled to find out that the peering eyes around the barn had reported back to him that I had done a good job with Shelly and I was asked to continue to ride her several days a week. Any time the trainer would run short on time in his day he would leave Shelly for me to ride. Soon my own TB gelding was taking a back seat to her. Just a few months after I had started riding her, the trainer had me jumping her over low cross rails. She never hesitated; Shelly would jump from whatever spot you put her in at the base of a jump. She was cat like over a fence, incredibly agile. I even rode her in a cross rail class at the nearby show grounds. It wasn't long after that her owner pulled her from the barn to move her to a dressage facility where she would finish her training before being sold. I said my goodbyes and figured I would see her in the show ring someday. There was no possibility that I at 18 years old would be able to own that magnificent mare.

6 months later as I was headed into my day job at a local restaurant I ran into Shelly's owner as she was on her way to get coffee. I worked up the nerve to ask her how Shelly was doing. She let me know that Shelly was on her way back from the dressage trainer, it sounded like the mare wasn't going to be the dressage star that she had hoped for. I gushed on about how much I enjoyed riding the mare and how I could only dream of owning a horse like that. I had no idea that my rambling on about her horse would lead the owner to consider me a viable option as a buyer. When Shelly came back to the barn I was again asked to ride her several days a week. The trainer again advised me to stay out of her face, he felt that she had been over schooled at the dressage barn and just needed to enjoy being ridden again. It wasn't long before we were back out on the trails and hopping over small fences. The more I rode Shelly the more connected to her I became. My own gelding who took the best care of me was clearly in 2nd place for my attention. One day while I was tacking up Shelly in the aisle way of the barn I said out loud that if I could afford her I would consider selling my gelding Kidd. I was immediately approached by a very kind woman who told me that if I was serious she was very interested in Kidd, she had admired him from afar and would love to own him. In whirlwind of events that included the trainers at the barn going to bat for me with Shelly’s owner, Kidd was sold to Karla and his sale price was used as my down payment for Shelly. She was now mine.

Have you seen June?

I had really hoped to have her in a fly sheet by now.