"In training one always wants to go too fast. To arrive quickly, do not hurry, but be firmly assured of each step. Demand often; be content with little; reward a lot." - F de Kerbrech 1891

Stages of Progression: The time to understand The time to learn The time to do or execute The time to perfect ""I have time" should be the guiding word especially of dressage riders during the entire course of training and remind him of the fact that the goal of the classical art of riding is to be obtained only by the gradual increase of demands." Colonel Alois Podhajsky Wolfie does very little work in the school. The other day I tallied up his time spent in the school since I backed him. Including, long reining, ground work and work under saddle, he was at under 7 hours. The majority of Wolfie's schooling is done outside on hacks. It's easier to 'school' him on hacks as he's in front of my leg and when he is out enjoying himself, asking him to move over, soften, is never a chore to him. If you watched him opening and closing a gate, you would see his abilty to step over and under, turn on the forehand and baby rein back steps. Our school is not very big and he finds the surface hard going. He also does not see the point in trotting around endlessly in circles and sepentines. When I do take him into the school, I tend to 'think' that I must have him listening to me straight away. Wolfie is a fidget and out hacking, if he fidgets or spooks, I find the best distraction is to keep his feet moving and put him to work.This works out hacking but is not necessarily what he needs in the school. This week when I took him into the school, I allowed him to spend the first 10 minutes walking around on a loose rein, looking around at whatever he wanted. He does need a good 20 minute warm up. I gradually started asking him to soften and begin to listen, it happened so gradually it was as if he had just been waiting. There was no me saying "wolfie listen", he just was. He has a busy mind and I am working on asking him to relax his mind as well as his head, neck and back. He's not built to work typically long and low, but he is beginning to offer a stretch. I have focused a lot on my own position and seat aids this week also. He has a big head and neck and is built on his forehand and is still very unbalanced. At the moment he needs his head and neck to balance, particularly in trot. He will occasionally overbend and drop behind the contact. This is an easy movement for him. When I work with him doing his carrot stretches or you scratch him, you can see how easy it is for him to bend his neck into all manner of positions. I must be quicker in activating the appropriate hind leg when he drops behind the vertical and ideally catch it before it happens. He is still very green, but when I get it right, even if it is just for 2 or 3 strides at the moment, he feels amazing. It gives you fire in your belly and makes you want to run to the yard with your saddle. We are just working on suppleness and balance and will continue with short schooling sessions and transitions, transitions, transitions. We have all the time in the world. I was disappointed that Badminton was cancelled this year. Badminton and Burghley are the two events I love to watch every year. As the build up to the Olympics continues, I am getting quite excited. I would have loved to have got tickets to go to any one of the equestrian events, but the cross country day would have been my first choice. I don't actually know of anyone that did manage to get tickets to any events. The wait continues for the short lists for the teams to be announced. Caroline Powell's Lenamore is now up for selection for New Zealand. At 19 years old, he was going to run Badminton again this year. I remember watching him on television over the cross country last year. He made it look easy and like he was loving every single minute of it. He is a very charasmatic little horse. Disappointingly Mark Todd's Land Vision, last years Badminton winner will not be competing due to being out with a tendon injury. And the pair everyone will be watching. Boyd Martin and Neville Bardos for the USA. The big orange horse with an even bigger attitude who has cheated death and has given everyone a little hope that miracles do happen. I watched Boyd and Neville competing at Burghley last year where they finished 7th. For anyone who hasn't heard Boyd and Nevilles story check out the interview on NBC Rock Centre. Apparently they have now sold the rights to a movie. It's a heart warming story and emphasises the strength and depth of a relationship that can exist between a horse and rider.