EQ – Equisense Systems Unveils a Revolution in Equestrian Sports at The World Equestrian Games

EQ – Equisense Systems Unveils a Revolution in Equestrian Sports at The World Equestrian Games

EQ – Equisense Systems unveils a revolution in equestrian sports at The World Equestrian Games, September 2010.

EQ Equisense Systems, Inc. will debut the most revolutionary equestrian training system in the industry at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. Developed with three-time Olympic coach, Jane Savoie, and the world-renowned McPhail Equine Performance Center Institute, EQs line of products changes the face of equestrian sports forever.

Savoie says, “This exciting marriage of training and technology skyrockets a rider’s learning curve far beyond traditional teaching methods because it relies on science rather than subjective human analysis.”

EQ-Equisense training moves leaps beyond traditional horsemanship and delivers riders unprecedented tools and technology to improve their own skills and their horses’ training. The EQ motto is: If you can see, you can fix it. EQ helps you see it.

EQ is also launching EQ Live–the premier equestrian destination for riders in all disciplines and all levels of experience. With EQ Live, you can learn, compete, and connect with other people who are passionate about horses. With a range of iPhone apps, DVDs, and online riding simulations, you can tune up your skills day or night whether at your stable or in your living room.

EQ-Equisense will also debut the EQ – Nutrena Change Your Game feed selector. The selector allows horse owners to match the right feeding program with their horses’ nutritional needs. This state-of-the-art system is available in the Nutrena pavilion in the downtown area at the International Equestrian Festival as well as EQ’s booth at the Horse Park–Booth #610.

Special demonstrations will take place at EQ’s booth twice a day. This is the first time EQ-Equisense will demonstrate the system to the public, previously code named SSNP (Super Secret Ninja Project), EQ will be unveiled on Saturday September 25th. Participants can register online at www.eqtrained.com or sign up at booth #610. Four lucky riders will be chosen daily to be evaluated by the EQ team led by Jane Savoie.

The public is welcome to visit Booth #610 at the Horse Park where you’ll have a chance to meet Jane and enter to win a chance to be evaluated by Jane Savoie’s amazing team of clinical experts. Experience the most revolutionary advancement in the industry for diagnosing, evaluating, and improving your riding skills!

EQ Equisense is proud to announce our growing list of partners, Cetyl M and Fortiflex.

For press contacts:

Peter E Raymond
EQ Equisense Systems
646-867-0644
praymond@eqtrained.com

4 Tips for Riding a Great Dressage Test

When it comes to riding a polished dressage test, preparation is the key to success.  So I want give you some competition tips to help you have the best experience possible.

Before I get started with the actual tests, I want to just talk in general about riding dressage tests because there’s a lot of things that they all have in common.

1. MEMORIZE YOUR TEST
The first thing is that you need to know your test. I mean REALLY know it. Even though from Training Level through 4th level, you can have some read your test out loud, it’s still important that you really know your test. This is critical so your test doesn’t look like a bunch of movements strung together.

That way you can use the reader if you occasionally blank out. But for the most part, you won’t even be listening to the reader because you’ll be paying attention to
your horse.

So you want to be able to do the dressage test on autopilot, so that you can reserve all of your focus for riding your horse. You want to be riding your horse not
concentrating on what comes next in the pattern.

To help you do this, start memorizing your test early on.

I have 3 different ways that I memorize tests. They include:

1. Visualization-I know that it takes approximately 21 days to develop a habit. So I start visualizing my dressage test every day at least 3 weeks before a show. I sit in an easy chair or lie down on my bed, close my eyes, and take 3 really deep breaths.

You want to do diaphragmatic breathing, so as you inhale, feel like your stomach is getting fat. That means you’re taking air way down into the bottom of your lungs. As you exhale, feel yourself sinking into the chair or bed.

Visualizing your dressage test is going to help you do two things. First, it’s going to help you memorize your test. Secondly, when you visualize the perfect ride, you program your subconscious mind to ride correctly. That’s because when you do “perfect practice” in your mind’s eye, your muscles will fire in the correct way.

As you visualize, go through your dressage test stride for stride. Fill in as much detail as you can.

What are you wearing? What does your horse look like? What does the arena look like? What color is your jacket? What color are your gloves?

Fill in as many details as you can AND include your senses. Hear the rhythm of the footfalls. Feel the contact with your horse’s mouth. See your horse’s head and neck out in front of you. Smell the fly spray. Also, add emotion to your mental movies.
Experience yourself feeling calm, relaxed, poised and the harmony of being at one with your horse.

2. Do your test on foot.
Another thing I do walk and trot, and canter the parts of the dressage test at home in my living room as if I were riding them.

Just mark off a rectangular  area and trot down the center line, do your halts, trot off, plan where you’re going to turn, walk where you’re supposed to walk, canter where you’re supposed to canter. So you actually have a chance to physically practice.

3. Know your dressage test “forwards and backwards”.
The third way that I memorize a test is to learn it the way it’s written from the first entry to the final salute. But then, to know that I “own” that test, I pick any movement and ask myself what comes after it.

And here’s the real thing that tells the story, I ask myself, “And what movement comes before this movement?”

So I might say, “What comes before the left canter depart?” or “What comes
before the free walk?” or “What comes after the trot lengthening?”

When you can pick any point within the dressage test and you can answer those two questions, you really own that test. Also, if you do happen to blank out in the
middle of the test, you’ll be able to remember where you are very easily.

2. THE ENTRY
Now let’s talk about the movements that all of the dressage tests have in common.

First, they all have an entry. You have to get into the arena. So I’m going to start while you’re going around the arena.

What you do as you go around the arena really depends on your horse. I find it helpful to just walk around the arena with tense horses. I know that things look
different to a horse from the left side and the right side. So, I’ll walk by the judge’s
stand then I’ll turn around and walk by so the horse can see the judge’s stand from
the other eye.

And then, I’ll actually turn and face the judge’s stand, halt, and pat my horse. I know that my horse is going to see two weird people in the judge’s booth when we
come down the centerline. I want him to have already seen them and know that he
doesn’t have to be worried.

For the horse that tends to be a little behind the leg, you might decide to do some rising trot lengthenings outside the arena. That way you can make sure that your horse is in front of the leg and that you really get his motor going.

Or let’s say you have a horse that is spooky or to tends to get a little on the forehand. Do a little shoulder-in when you’re still outside the arena.

The next thing that you have to think about is whether you’re going to enter
from the right rein or from the left rein? If your horse is fairly straight, enter from
the direction you’ll be turning at C. That will trigger your memory if you blank out
and forget which way to turn at C.

So, if I’m going to be turning right at C, I normally enter from the right rein. I enter from the left rein if I’m going to be turning left at C.

However, let’s say I have a horse that’s really hollow to the left (meaning he likes to bend his neck and carry his hind quarters to the left then); I’ll enter from the right. That’s because he’ll be straighter, and I don’t want the judge’s first impression to be that my horse is crooked.

Now, as you come down that centerline, look up, and make eye contact with the judge. This is part of showmanship. No matter how you’re really feeling, look confident, put a smile on your face, and come down that centerline like you own that arena.

Now, let’s talk about the halt. The way you approach the halt is different depending on the level of the test. If you’re doing a Training Level or Intro test, you can walk into your halt. You can also take a step or two of walk out of the halt into the trot.

From First Level and above, there are no walk steps. If you enter in the trot, go directly to the halt from the trot and then back to the trot after your salute. If you’re doing one of the higher level tests and you’re entering into the canter, go directly from canter to the halt.

Once you’re in the halt, you need to salute. The most common way to salute is to take all the reins in your left hand. Drop your right arm loosely behind your thigh. Nod your head keeping eye contact with the judge. Don’t make this big extravagant bow. You want to acknowledge the judge, but you want it to look crisp
and efficient.

A man can actually salute in the same way. He can take the reins in one hand, drop his hand loosely behind one thigh, and nod his head. Or he can take his hat off, put it behind his thigh, and nod his head. If you do take your hat off, make sure the top of the hat (not the inside of the hat) faces the judge.

Take your time in the halt so you can really show that your horse is on the aids. However, if he starts to move, go ahead and pick up the trot. You’ll get a better mark for a halt that’s too quick as compared to letting your horse move forward and then trying to halt again.

If you feel like your horse drops behind your leg in the halt, “breathe” your legs to help him react more quickly to your driving aids. To “breathe” your legs, take them ever so slightly off his sides. Bring them back an inch or two, and then place them on his sides lightly again.

As you finish your centerline, keep your horse straight. Pretend you’re going to lengthen toward the judge so you ride him between the channel of your legs and
hands.

Then warn him that he’s going either left or right by asking for flexion at the poll when you’re a couple of strides before C.

3. CORNERS AND DIAGONALS
Okay, you’re in the arena. No matter what level you’re doing, you have to ride corners. The general rule for riding corners is that you don’t have to go any deeper into the corners than the smallest circle done at each level.

So, the smallest circle you’re asked to do for First Level is a 10-meter circle. That means you need to get into the corner to the depth of one quarter of a 10-meter circle.

At Training Level, the smallest circle you’re required to do is a 20-meter circle. So you really don’t have to get into the corners any deeper than the arc of a 20-meter circle.

But if you can show a difference between the line that you follow when you’re going into a corner and the line that you follow when you’re on your 20-meter circle, you show the judge that you’re a savvy rider.

If that’s pretty simple for him, try to show a 3-meter difference between the line you’d follow if you were going into a corner and the line you’d follow if you were on a 20-meter circle. That shows a real clear difference between getting into the corner and being on a circle.

Your rule of thumb is to ride into the corner as deep as your horse can manage. That is, he can keep the same rhythm, tempo, balance and quality of his gait.

The next things that all the tests have in common are diagonal lines. Here’s what I’d suggest. First, ride deep into the corner before you turn onto the diagonal. Then look at a point about a half-meter before the final letter on the long side. Aim
for that spot when you go across the diagonal. By looking a little bit before the letter, you’ll have more time to really balance your horse for the next corner.

4. TRANSITIONS
Another thing that all the tests have in common is that you have transitions from gait to gait. And with the more advanced tests, you also have transitions within the gait.

First, let’s look at transitions from gait to gait. Always prepare for those transitions with half halts. However, the particular version of the half halt you give depends on the way your horse feels prior to the transition. This is because a transition can be no better than the stride just before the transition.

If your horse is well schooled, obedient, and is solidly on the bit, you can give what I call “Preparatory Half Halts”. That’s a momentary closure of seat, leg and hand–Take/give, take/give, take/give.

Direct those half halts to the inside hind leg. Give the half halts when the inside hind leg is on the ground just before it’s ready to push off. You need to time these half halts when the inside hind leg is on the ground because that’s really the only time you can influence a hind leg. Once it’s in the air, it’s already committed to its flight.

Your goal is to engage the inside hind leg prior to the transition. Give three Preparatory Half Halts prior to the down transition. Let’s say, for example, that you want to go from trot to walk. When you feel the inside hind leg on the ground,
say something like, “Engage, engage, engage, walk”. Or you can say, “Now, now, now, walk”.

So you might ask me at this point, “Well how do I know when a hind leg is on the ground?” When a particular hind leg is on the ground, your horse’s hip will feel higher. You’ll feel your inside seat bone either being pushed up or being pushed forward.

When I’m getting ready to do a downward transition, I tune into my seatbones. I feel which of my seat bones is being pushed up in the air or forward.

So I get into the timing of the inside hind leg being on the ground. Then, 3 strides before the letter, I give my half halts. I’ll say, “Now, now, now, walk,” or if I’m cantering, and I want to trot, I’ll say, “Now, now, now, trot.”

It’s pretty easy to feel the inside hind leg in the walk and in the trot. In the canter, feel the moment when your seat is deepest in the saddle. It’s also the moment when your horse’s mane flips up. So you can coordinate what you see with what you feel.

That’s how I prepare for transitions so that I ride a very accurate dressage test. I know how much ground my horse covers with each stride. So, when I’m 3 strides away from where I’ll be doing a down transition, I give my 3 Preparatory Half Halts–a momentary closure of seat, leg and hand directed to the inside hind leg being on the ground.

Click here for more tips on riding dressage tests

Use the Dressage Tests and Dressage Competition As A Guide For Moving Up through the Levels

I want to talk about using dressage competition and the dressage tests themselves to help you decide when it’s time to move your horse up to a higher level.

One thing to consider is your scores. If you’re consistently getting scores in the mid 60% to 70% range in your dressage tests, you’re probably ready to move up.

If your scores are consistently in the 50% range or lower, then you know you still have homework to do at that level. I’m not talking about the occasional bad show or class. We all have those. But if your scores are consistently in the 50% range or lower, you need to get some outside help.

Another thing to consider is the differences between the levels. For example, let’s talk about moving up from the Training Level to First Level at dressage competitions.

For me, there are two big differences between Training Level and First Level. The first major difference is that you need to be able to ride your horse consistently on the bit.

At Training Level your horse just has to accept the bit. By that I mean he has to accept a contact from your hand to the bit, and you can direct, turn, and guide him with the reins. But he doesn’t have to be “on the bit”. That is, he doesn’t have to be “round”.

At First Level dressage, he must be on the bit. Ask yourself if you can use your connecting aids to put your horse on the bit. Also, does he stay on the bit consistently?

If you want your horse to stay on the bit consistently, you can’t just give one set of connecting aids and expect him to stay there. You need to layer those connecting aids one on top of another, like coats of paint.

Throughout your dressage test or ride, you’ll give many connecting aids. The first one puts your horse on the bit and the succeeding ones say to him, “Now stay there; stay on the bit.”

So give “connecting aids” by lightly closing your legs and outside hand for three seconds. (Your driving aids create power and your closed outside hand recycles that power back to the hind legs.) Then soften for a few strides. Then repeat.

Another big difference between Training and First Level dressage tests is that you need to be able to sit the trot. At Training Level, you have a choice. You can either sit the trot or post. In the First Level dressage tests, you must sit the trot except in some of the lengthenings.

Then start to look at some of the new movements and exercises you’re asked to do at First Level. Here are three new things you’ll need to show at First Level:

1. To begin, you’ll need to be able to show lengthenings in both trot and canter. As I said in a previous article, if you can maintain the rhythm and tempo of the gait, start incorporating rubber band exercises into your work. Go more forward for a few strides, and then come back for a few strides. Then gradually increase the number of strides so that you can eventually do a trot lengthening across a whole diagonal or a canter lengthening down the whole long side.

2. Also, in the First Level dressage tests, your horse needs to leg yield. One of the questions you should ask yourself is “Can my horse do a turn on the forehand?” In other words does he understand to move away from the leg that is placed behind the girth?

For leg yields, he needs to understand the difference between a leg that is placed on the girth that says, “go forward” as opposed to a leg that is placed behind the girth that says, “go sideways”.

3. You’ll also need to be able to show a few counter canter strides. Can your horse maintain the balance and the quality of his canter as he arcs off of and back onto the long side?

To sum up, use your scores at dressage competitions and the dressage tests themselves as guidelines to help you decide if it’s time to move up. If your scores are consistently good and your horse is adept and confident at doing the work at the next level, you’re probably ready. Give it a shot!

Click here for more tips on dressage tests and competition.

RIDE AND COMPETE YOUR DRESSAGE HORSE AT HORSE SHOWS

Each year, you eagerly await horse show season so you can ride and compete your dressage horse. But when the time times, the fear gremlins creep in and you end up feeling paralyzed by “stage fright”.

In my own personal quest, I’ve discovered practical techniques that have given me a performance edge at dressage shows. I’ll share some of them with you here.

“DRESSING UP” YOUR PRACTICE SESSIONS”

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of dress rehearsals. Your practice sessions should include dress rehearsal on a regular basis before a live audience.

Grab a few relatives and friends and invite them to your “performance.” Have some on the sidelines and one or two in the “judges’ chair.” Before the rehearsal, braid your dressage horse’s mane. Put on your horse show clothes. Can you feel the adrenaline already starting to surge (for you and your horse)? Can you feel the anxiety building? With enough practice, these preparations won’t create stress for you.

“What do the judges/spectators think of me, my dressage horse, my performance? Do they think I’m a poor performer? “Are they critical of my horse training?”

Riders often get so side tracked and preoccupied with what other people think that they can’t do their job in the horse show arena. Dress rehearsals give you an opportunity to practice concentrating on your performance with the distractions of people watching and judging you.

At home, try warming up in one arena (the way you would at a dressage show), then moving to a second, performance arena. Often at shows moving from warm-up to performance arena produces anxiety.  Watch your and your horse’s reactions as you go from one venue to another. Practice moving until you and your dressage horse are so bored with it that it is no longer a novelty, just a “ho-hum” part of the routine.

Better yet, load your dressage horse into a trailer, go a short distance down the road to a neighboring farm, and hold your dress rehearsal there (with the permission of the owner, of course). The action of loading and unloading and being away form your home turf will add an extra dimension to the practice.

Dress rehearsals are great because they can call attention to problems or details you may not be able to anticipate.
My own personal experience is an excellent example. I was preparing for a schooling show in Florida with a Grand Prix dressage horse. I was very hot, so I was warming up without my jacket. I was actually quite relaxed, having done this show for years.

I finished the warm up and put on my jacket–a long tailed shadbelly coat.  I proceeded into the ring. My dressage horse, who had been just fine during warm up, was suddenly and unexpectedly very tense. I mentally reviewed what might have changed from the warm-up ring to the performance arena. The only difference was that I was now wearing my jacket. I finally realized that the long tails of the jacket were brushing my horse’s back in the wind. From then on during practice, I pinned a bath towel (not very elegant but it did the trick!) to the back of the  saddle pad to desensitize my horse to the feel of something brushing his back in the wind. If I hadn’t rehearsed, I wouldn’t have become aware of the problem until the day of the show.

Use the dress rehearsal to learn how to continue on after a mistake. It’s important not to focus on the problem you just had. If you do, you’re sure to ruin your next three moves. Stay in the moment. Don’t let it snowball.

JUST ANOTHER SANDBOX

Robert Dover has certainly done it a few times! Dover, a six-time Olympic champion and dressage coach to many Olympic and World Championship students (including me) taught me some valuable lessons. One in particular can help you overcome the fear of competing at horse shows.

Dover used to say that whether you were performing at the county fair or the Olympics, you were just doing your work in another 20-by-60-meter sand box but in a different place.

I’ve used this idea by making competition a very personal pursuit for me. It’s just another opportunity for me to get into a sand box and build an even better sand castle. I compete against myself. I set up personal achievable goals both for me and for my horse, and I concentrate on those. I’m relaxed to the point that I don’t even look to see who is in my class or what the scores are.

One winter, I was exhibiting in my first Florida show of the year with a horse that was competing for the first time at 4th Level. I had set up three very achievable personal goals: (1) use my corners effectively; (2) perform clean flying changes (this was the first time my horse would be doing these in sequence in the show ring); and (3) do well using a double bridle (again, a first for this horse in the show ring). After the show, it didn’t matter to me how I had placed. All that was important for me was that I had met all of my goals.

A couple of days later, I met up with one of the other riders competing in my class. The conversation went something like this:
Him: “You beat me!”
Me:  “I did?”
Him:  “You won all the money!”
Me:   “I did?”
I was oblivious of the results. I was totally focused on my personal goals.

So when you make horse shows personal, it removes so much of the pressure.

DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE!

Deep breathing exercises can add to your relaxation. Yoga breathing exercises are excellent for helping you to get into an Alpha state, in which brain waves slow and you feel relaxed, free, and easy.

When you inhale, keep your shoulders DOWN, and let your stomach expand as if you’re getting fat. That means that you’re breathing deeply and lowering your diaphragm.

When you exhale, relax your butt into the saddle. As a trigger phrase, say, “My butt is a marshmallow.” Also, imagine your butt dissolving into your horse’s barrel so you look like a centaur.

IT’S SHOW TIME!

Get to your horse show early. The day before is best; it gives you and your dressage horse time to get used to the venue.

Ride your horse before you compete so you can see his reactions to his new surroundings. Put him away for a few hours to relax, then bring him out again. Notice that the second time he’s more relaxed.

If you can’t ride him (or in addition to riding him), hand graze him. Get him out of the trailer or stall as many times as you can (of course with rest periods in between). Each time you’ll notice that he’s more relaxed. The more relaxed your horse is, the more relaxed you’ll be.

Your mind set is most important. Remember: This is just another ride, another day, just a different place. Be sure
not to change something because you see someone doing it differently. Stick to your routine. This is not the time to try something new that isn’t part of your practice. Have your personal goals in mind. Make those your focus.

Take three deep breaths, lower yourself into the saddle. Visualize what you have done over and over again in your dress rehearsals: 20 meters in trot; pick up canter; ….

Your subconscious has done this all before and will serve you well. Remember, if you make a mistake,  focus immediately on your next movement. The mistake is only one score of many scores. This is only one of many horse shows to come.

Have fun with your dressage horse at horse shows this summer! Competition is just another great outing for you and your horse. And isn’t having fun the reason we do this anyway?

Click here for more tips on competing your dressage horse at dressage shows.