This message is from: Phillip Odden <n...@norskwoodworks.com>
Hello Folks from Phillip Odden in Northwestern Wisconsin where we
are experiencing our first thunder storm of the season. I can hear
Thor and his powerful chariot banging away in the heavens as I write.
Last weekend our Northwoods driving club hosted the second Suzy
Stafford driving clinic. We have a wonderful driving club composed
of members with diverse interests in the driving world. And there is
every kind of horse pony or mini imaginable but not too many highly
bred animals. Our club members come from Northern Wisconsin and
Northern Minnesota. We are used to making do, improvising and
getting along. But our members do very well in ADS CDE and Pleasure
Driving competitions in the Midwest and in other regions when we
travel. Our Northwood harness club members have proven we can play
with the best of 'em. And now we are inviting First Class driving
instructors to our area. There were three and one half days of
lessons booked. Suzy Stafford was able to speak to each and every
driver and horse on a level they could understand so as to make
improvements for their individual goals.
The problems were often the same. If the horse was not able to relax
it was often a problem with the bit or rough or busy hands with the
driver. Many horses were afraid of bit contact and drivers were
challenged to understand proper contact. Often the horses had
problems coming round without relaxation and proper contact. For
many they needed better rhythm in their gaits. After that there
were horses that were not bending well, mostly because the drivers
did not know how to help their horses bend. There was a lot of
inside- outside rein instruction. Not easy if you haven't been
exposed to it. After that there were some horses that were not
engaging their rear ends so they lacked impulsion.
I brought my 6 year old Red Dun gelding Frode sired by my stallion
Smedsmo and out of a mare I used to own Woods Karina. I called her
Raude since she was red. Smedsmo's mother was red. Now I have a full
sister to Raude named Eirose and she is red as well and she scored
an 81 in conformation. I have two full red dun brothers from Eirose
and by Smedsmo and they look just like Frode with darker red coats
and very light colored mane and full white tails. Frode is very
striking because of his well muscled body and his contrasting coat
color. And Frode is very athletic. He is fit and trim even in his
winter coat. Frode is shorter in his body frame, more compact and
stands about 14 HH. He brings lots of comments because of his
presence and athletic ability. It is easy to see.
I have been training Frode for about 16 month single and in pairs. I
drove him single for Suzy this past weekend. I can say that all my
pair horses drive single and none of them have any problem driving
single since I school them as singles and I switch them back and
forth from one side to the other in several different pair
combinations. Currently I have 7 or 8 horses that I can take to ADS
driving shows that drive single and in pairs.
Frode is a very calm horse and it takes a lot to get him rattled.
Suzy's first comment as I drove him into the ring was that he could
walk. He has a big natural over-stride at the walk. He had good
rhythm in his gaits, he could bend well both ways and he had the
proper flexion in his neck and head and he could easily come round.
He held his gaits well. She liked his steady working trot. Frode was
soft in the mouth and responsive. After a few minutes she stopped
the lesson to say that she didn't often see Fjords that could move
like Frode. Since all the basics were in place she asked what I
wanted to work on.
I asked her to show me how she works to get lengthening at the trot.
She drove as I watched her chase him from a working trot to the
lengthened trot by building impulsion from the rear with more energy
and holding him the front end closed. When she drove she kept his
face on the vertical so he reached up under with the hind legs and
shot the front legs forward. I think she was schooling a more
advanced lengthening than I was was looking for, but Frode seemed to
be capable, if only for 2 to 5 strides. When I drove him for her I
let him lengthen his body a bit as well since this is what most
judges have suggested should happen at Prelim level. In the past I
had been asking for lengthening from a more collected trot or I had
chased a horse on an open road into rounding up and lengthening. But
I have had trouble in Dressage tests in getting a solid quick
transition across the diagonal which is what seems to be required.
So now I will school in a different way. But it sure helps if you
have a horse with the conformation and natural ability to do this
stuff.
I have been holding interviews with my well trained driving horses
this past month. It looks like Marcy, Frode and Herger will be
pulling the load at the CDE and Pleasure shows. Smedsmo himself is
in shape and may get back in action this year. Gunvor and a new 4
year old Smedsmo daughter named Hanne might make an appearance this
season as well. I have five three year old geldings that I have been
training this past winter. Three or four of them have great promise
with the red dun Ildar being the stand out in the class. Eventually
it will be Ildar and Frode together, two matched athletic red dun
geldings.
Over time I plan to show horses of my own breeding sired by Smedsmo
so I will be selling some well trained horses.
Take care and be safe,
Phil Odden
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