The weekend 28th – 30th of October we held the second academic gathering in DK. Location at Maiken Bjerggaards (Knight 99) place.
We succeded in having three squires and one knight present – which is quite something considering the Danish standards!
Arrival was friday evening and from there on there was only one agenda: HORSES!
From left to right: Markus with Line, Christel, Runa and Charlotte in the riding arena:
We started out talking and discussing straight away!! After saying hello to the horses we had dinner – talked – watched videos – and talked.
The two squires (Charlotte Lyngaa-Banff and Christel Resborn) – who didn’t bring their horses – had brought videos of themselves to discuss.
At Maikens place there are 4 horses; two – Dansiamo and Templari - owned by her. Markus owned by the squire Line Sangill, and the last one is the only three year old Cheval owned by Runa Sangill (not yet a member of the knighthood).
With these horses we both showed what we are present working with, and the guests rode both Dansiamo and Templari.
The gameplan was to discuss our present problems and doing that through the videos and on the horses. And as it turned out we all had the same wish to discuss the seat.
I think the combination of videos and ‘live’ horses worked out quite nicely.
Saturday morning we had breakfirst and then started with the horses.
At first Runa showed her and Chevals handwork. He is gelding and the youngster with his 3 years and has a top secret pedigree. They showed the first basic things with the youngster – and quite nicely done.
Then Maiken rode Templari – he is 7 year old PRE stallion and is doing basic in walk and trot. Foreward down, shoulder in and travers.
Line showed Markus twice. He is an 8 year old gelding, Danish warmblood, and has had many problems with headshaking. They showed both work by hand and riding a bit more advanced, also with some canter work, more collection and piruettes in walk.
At the end of the morning work we had Charlotte riding Dansiamo, he has a very nice movement of his back which makes it very easy to feel the movements of the hindlegs, and hence he is a vey good horse to learn from. Dansiamo is gelding, 10 year old Danish warmblood and is educated to further collecting – starting out towards passage and piaffe.
Then it was time for – a rather late – lunch, and more talking! We watched some of Charlottes and Christels videos – and ideas and suggestions worked the room!
Then time for the ‘live ‘ horses once again – Both Charlotte and Christel rode Templari, a different feel of the back and much more lively way to move than Dansiamo.
Then Christel rode Dansiamo while Line had Markus out the second time.
We were quite lucky – Maiken has an outdoor riding arena and the weather was fine all day long – and after we had finished with the horses, it started raining…
After the evening work well done, we had dinner and the discussion was livelier than ever!
The highlights of the weekend must be Charlottes focus on the way to rotate the chest with the inside thigh bringing the horse to a bending. Quite interesting! And Maiken screamed on all weekend about the riders outside shoulder – keep it parallel with the horse’s shoulder! And then ofcourse a lot of talk of weight on the indside seat bone, the angling of the pelvis, how to relax in the pelvis floor muscles, and and and and!!!
We went to bed with our heads full of bending, rotating and shoulders everywhere!
Sunday morning was used to debriefing over breakfirst and then the guests went home after a weekend that gave room for a lot of new ideas and inspiration!
We look foreward to next years gathering!!
Maiken obviesly showing the importance of the shoulder to Charlotte riding Templari.