December 2012 December 2012 The Lakefield Line The Lakefield Lead Line News from Lakefield News from Farm Volume 1, Issue 1 I was going to start this article with the good news that Don and I won the big lottery. Unfortunately our winnings was a whopping $4.00 which left us $2.00 in the hole. I am continuing to read a lot of books and watch DVDs so that when I can finally get back in the saddle, I will be well educated! The 7 clinics by Buck Brannaman has been very interesting as has a new DVD by Julie Goodnight which we received one day in the mail because we subscribe to Equus. It is fascinating how just someone using different language makes you feel completely different about what is happening with the horse. Buck talks a Barnside lot about helping the horse understand what it is you want and showing the horse and then going back to the lightest command possible. Julie talks a lot about the horse misbehaving and how you have to reprimand the horse. They both address the fact that it is the human in the equation that has to make a change if the horse is not doing what you want, but it is a totally different way of looking at it. A book that I have found to be much more about horsemanship than I would have imagined is a book that I borrowed from Bobbie, which is The Horse Agility Handbook by Vanessa Bee. She does a nice job of explaining how to work with a horse on the ground. I am considering starting some agility work and wonder if there are others of you that would be interested. We could start some workshops. Now that I am a little more out and about, I Update on the Babies have started doing some groundwork with Joe and Knightwind which has been very enjoyable and with the beautiful weather we were having, Don and I have also been taking a lot of walks. He grabs one of the babies and I just walk. It is a great opportunity to get them used to traffic, llamas, cattle, mailboxes, etc. The update on the babies will talk about how they did. With the holidays almost upon us, and all these books and DVD's under my belt, I am busy thinking about what we will offer in the way of clinics and classes in the New Year. I have a lot of great ideas. Stay tuned! Leanne has already put together some great clinics for December so don't forget to check those out! We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy New Year, complete with a lot of quality horse time! It's very interesting to see how each one handles things. Cashmere, at 1 ½ years has been on the road several times and she handled the traffic just fine. She thought the Llamas were a little strange but didn't get too concerned, but... those cattle! She did not like them one bit. We spent some time over by the cattle and they were pretty much just standing there but that didn't do too much to ease her fears. We waited until she calmed down and then we walked away and will address it again another time. We also took her into the arena and put the bareback pad on for the first time, cinched it up and you would have thought she had been carrying one all her life. Then we worked with Dreamer who also has been on the road several times and is the just a month younger than Cashmere. He is extremely bold and nothing seems to faze him. The cattle were not visible with him so we don't have a good feel with how he would handle that, but we took him near other scary things along the road and he was just fine. We took him into the arena to put on the bareback pad. This is the second time he has had it on and you would think it was something related to a mountain lion! For such a bold horse it is very interesting to see how concerned he was about that bareback pad. Don worked with him for a bit and he became more comfortable but there is still work to be done. Then we took out little Doc. At only 6 months, he has never been on the road and the cars on Lakefield Road were definitely a big concern at first. He was amazing calm about leaving his pasture buddies which I thought was pretty impressive for his young age. By the time we were done with our walk and were heading back, the cars were no longer an issue but he definitely wanted to be back with his friends. Once he was able to see them, he calmed right back down which was pretty cool. Drifter the two year old is really coming around quite nicely. Don has had a few more rides on him and he just seems like he will be a very calm steadfast type of horse. Once he understands what it is that you want, he is very willing. 1
Congratulations and Welcome! Congratulations Wendy! Wendy Peche is leasing Snowman and we are so thrilled for her as she has taken the first step in realizing her childhood dream. Wendy took the "Welcome to the Wonderful World of Horses" class last spring and then continued with lessons. She has found that she loves to be around the horses and that Snowman, a quiet 18 year old quarter horse gelding is just a perfect match. They are building a great relationship. Wendy realizes that she is a beginner and plans on taking her time working on the basics and bonding with Snowman. She is also excited about introducing her husband, Leroy, to her passion. We couldn't be happier to have Wendy and Leroy be a part of the Lakefield family. Welcome Marilyn and Skippy! Wendy and Snowman We would like to give a warm welcome to Marilyn and her 20 year old Paint mare, Skippy. They enjoy trail riding but are looking forward to having an indoor arena to ride in during the cold winter days. Skippy seems like a very sweet mare and is settling in well. Soft Eyes Sally Canapa I ll admit it; this time of year oppresses me. The short days, the early darkness, the increasing cold, the layers of clothing it s hard to generate enough energy after a long day of mental calisthenics to put on long underwear and head out to the stable. It takes a certain kind of... patience. Patience is an interesting skill, when you think about it. In the 13 th century Gertrude the Great (a sort of cloistered nun) defined patience etymologically, thus: The word patientia (patience) comes from the words pax (peace) and scientia (knowledge). I read that with a little shiver of recognition. I thought of the peace the calm I experience when I finally (finally!) apply some new kind of knowledge to my horsemanship and suddenly it works. Peace, then, comes from the steady, focused acquisition and application of knowledge. And winter is a good time to work on the sort of steady, subtle knowledge that underlies so much of learning to ride. This year Saturday lessons have evolved into microhorsemanship. No, not wee horses going over bitsy jumps. Microhorsemanship requires focusing on the very small skills that often turn out to be the most important skills of all to master. Forward walking on a loose rein. Keeping close, conscious track of the feet. Reacting with startles, not against them. Correcting mare-ish behavior in the aisles rather than in the arena. (Even Katie gets crabby occasionally.) Little stuff. Big stuff. So even especially in the gathering dark, and the increasing cold, patience is required. We learn something from every moment we re awake and paying attention. Happy Holidays, everyone. Enjoy your moms and dads (big stuff). Star Out of the Box Why does Santa use reindeer, that s what I d like to know? There are thousands, probably even millions, of perfectly trained horses who pull carts, wagons, and yes, Virginia, sleighs. So, why is it he chooses animals that have trouble crossing the road without getting hurt or worse, and always seem to be afraid of their own shadows. O.k., maybe they are not alone in the fear thing, but why them and not us? We have been pulling loads for hundreds of years. Have you ever seen deer pulling a stagecoach? How about pulling an ice wagon or a load of logs? Have you ever seen one under saddle? I thought not. Just think, on Dreamer, on Twinkle, on Lenci, on Cutter, on Katie, on Cuervo, on Harley, on Whinny.Well, maybe it doesn t have the same ring to it, but we could always change our names. Star P.S. It s (or should I say Tis ) peppermint prime time. 2
Horse Talk Sally Moskol There is an old Jewish saying that if you put two Rabbis in a room, to discuss one issue, you will get at least three opinions. Or more. And so it is with horses and horse people. The most frustrating thing to new riders, I think, is the realization that a rule or guideline which helps you to understand the situation with your horse on one day, will be somewhat contradicted on the next day by the same respected friend or trainer, who coached you through your Ah Ha! moment the day before. It s the type of nuance that might make engineers and accountants trade their horses in for tennis racquets. Some folks just need things to be black or white and can t handle shades of grey. But the longer you work with horses, the more you realize that grey is the predominant color. Although I am not a trainer( nor do I play one on TV) and I claim no original thoughts on growing your human-horse relationship, there is one area in which I truly shine( or annoy): Compulsive Sharing. So here today for your reading pleasure, (or dart practice), and not in any particular order, is my list of Rider s Rules to Live By, or on the other hand, Completely Ignore If you are on your horse, and a little voice in your head says This doesn t feel right. I should get off, Get Off. Here s the beauty of this rule: You can always get back on again. But not listening to your inner intuition? That could be a painful mistake. Does this mean you bail out every time you are challenged? No. Does this mean you are a quitter? (And weren t you the one that QUIT girl scouts in 3 rd grade and QUIT golf lessons and bla bla bla?) No. It means you get to decide to listen to and honor a limit, which you can always analyze and work toward passing, from the safety of the ground, first. Do not assume your horse does not hear your thinking. Or understand your words. When we first bought Blue Moon in 2001, he stood in the aisle while we talked about him as if he was basically a piece of furniture with a special capacity for breathing. I know it s hard to believe. Although I was a very beginner rider( which may have had something to do with numerous trips to St. Mary s ER in the first few months of ownership), our allegedly quiet gelding was completely unhinged, throwing me into walls, trees, cars, planes and automobiles(?) like a rag doll. After extinguishing Lakefield Farm s entire supply of Instant Ice, I eventually started talking to Blue ( in my head) while he stood near me. I began telling him of my intent, my dreams for us, and my appreciation for him as a teacher and for his physical and mental strength. I acknowledged the great transition he had to make in leaving his other home of many years to come to me and my girls. As I said these things to him (again, not out loud) he would drop his head, and lick and chew, or put his muzzle on my head and breathe. Sure there were many factoids which helped to settle us both down. But who is to say that these conversations didn t help? We still have these talks, and both he and Lenci (#2 horse) will become very still and respond in these gentle ways. Some professional horse people will tell you there is absolutely no such thing as this type of communication. Hmmm. Can they prove it? Why don t you try it with your own horse, or the horse you lesson on, and see what happens? Internationally Known Clinicians Put Their Pants On Just Like You Do. You can learn a lot by going to clinics, as an auditor. And you can learn things by riding in clinics. One thing I learned by riding in clinics, is that I pretty much hate riding in clinics. But don t let that stop you. Learn, explore, question and discuss, but, in my humble opinion, no one person has the absolute answer or The Truth. Persons who completely challenge the traditional ways of thinking are extremely interesting clinicians. Unfortunately, there are so many clinicians who market themselves as non- traditional practitioners, you really have to research who you are about to invest in. The only clinic I almost vomited in while in saddle was cow working with Blue Moon and Unnamed Clinician. Do you really need more details? The clinics I most enjoyed were Ray Hunt ( Learn what happens before what happens happens ) and several clinics as a rider with Jean Luc Cornille, the Science of Motion. I rode both of my horses with Jean Luc Cornille and just getting Lenci Nobody Puts Lenci In a Corner Moskol comfortable trailering to the clinic, was a clinic unto itself. If you can take away one thing or two that can positively impact your horse s development and health, more power to you. But if you come home with an expensive orange stick with a rope on the end, I may have to beat you with mine. Happy Trails Everyone.and Happy New Year! 3
Mini Clinics and Lessons with Leanne Mon. the 17 th 4:30-5:30 Beginner Jumping Clinic 5:45-7:15 Half Hour Private Lessons Tue. the 18 th 4:00-5:30 Half Hour Private Lessons 5:45-7:15 Intermediate Jumping Clinic Wed. the 19 th 5:00-6:30 Ground work Clinic Thur. the 20 th 5:30-7:00 Advanced Jumping Clinic Fri. the 21 st 4:30-6:00 Obstacle/Trail course Mini-clinics $40 ½ Private lessons $25 I am limited on school horse so call/e-mail and reserve a horse sooner than later. Winter Horsemanship Jamboree Leanne Albers 262-227-6047 korinekleanne@gmail.com This is a great opportunity students to advance their horseback riding skills, expanded their horsemanship knowledge, understand that there is a lot more to horses than just riding, and just have fun with other students. Students will Learn- What they will need- Safety around horses Care for horses (Feeding, Cleaning stalls, Grooming, Exc.) Ground work Understanding the aids And much more Lots of warm clothes Sleeping bag Pillow Riding clothes Favorite snack Students will be dropped off at Leanne s house and be sleeping at her house, which is located right next to the farm. Dates And Times Beginner Horsemanship Jamboree December 26th at 10 A.M. till 27th 2 P.M. Advanced Horsemanship Jamboree December 27th at 2:30 P. M. till 29th 1P.M. Advanced students may be eligible to help out at the beginner camp. Cost Beginner- $195 Advanced- $275 Contact Leanne Albers with any questions or to reserve a spot. Ask about the equestrian team discount. 4
News from Lakefield Farm 1440 Lakefield Road Grafton, WI 53024 Phone: 262-375-4451 E-mail: horses@lakefieldfarm.com We re on the web, www.lakefieldfarm.com Advancing Horsemanship through a softer approach Silver Maple Flooring LLC Wood Floor Installation, Sanding, Staining, Repairs, Refinishing, New Construction Existing Homes Brad Korinek Owner Keeper of the Craft Member of American Quarter Horse Association American Paint Horse Association United States Equestrian Federation Trainers at Lakefield Farm: Don Korinek 262-227-6029 Rosanne Korinek 262-227-6039 Leanne Albers 262-227-6047 Paula Curtis 262-323-1102 Jack Curtis 920-645-1671 Lakefield Farm is more than just a boarding stable. Lakefield Farm is a place where horse enthusiast not only ride, but also take advantage of the beautiful property and river to snow shoe, hike, cross country ski and just enjoy being out in the country. We provide quality, dependable, knowledgeable care for horses while providing a friendly, relaxed atmosphere for horse enthusiast to learn and enjoy their horse. We believe in educating our customers in all aspects of horsemanship, including care, safety, groundwork as well as riding skills. Our five trainers have over 140 years of combined horse experience. We have a passion for what we do and it shows. Our services include boarding, training, lessons, horsemanship weeks and as well as self improvement courses. Have a horse question? Ask one of our trainers and we will answer in the newsletter. December Calendar 17 4:30-5:30 Beginner Jumping Clinic 18 5:45-7:15 Intermediate Jumping Clinic 19 5:00-6:30 Ground work Clinic 20 5:30-7:00 Advanced Jumping Clinic 21 4:30-6:00 Obstacle/Trail course 26-27 Beginner Horsemanship Jamboree 27-29 Advanced Horsemanship Jamboree 5