Thursday, 21 April 2010

Hi Everyone,

Well, 3 weeks of training and I feel like a new rider with a new horse!! Anzac is going so well...he incredibly light in the contact, supple to both bend and flexion...ahhhhh bliss!!

I am learning so much everyday...my lessons leave me on such a high!! The main focus remains on supple and lightness...in every movement...every stride no matter what we are doing he must be able to go forward, come back, move sideways...and that is exactly what we do with him. In the canter pirouettes we will do a few strides, then out in medium trot for 2 strides then back to the pirouette...in changes we will do a few, then we are learning to understand the sideways aid and not have it confused or conflict without the change aid...so much TRAINING as opposed to riding!!

Steffen says that the horse must respect our aids immediately not a stride later...they must move off and away from the quietest minimal aid possible and that our goal should be to need less and less aid as our training progresses. Riders must keep soft supple hands...not fixed in one position...we should ride with a "creative" hand...one that the moment the horse sits, leans or hangs we address immediately with a SMALL movement of the bit...so realistically unless your horse is perfectly in a soft, light contact our hands should be letting the horse know that contact is not acceptable...instantly, before anyone starts seesawing on the horse’s mouth...although Steffen’s message is far more subtle and detailed than this...it is more a soft wrist action that brings the horse to the attention that something is not acceptable...Steffen has NO tolerance for anyone aggressively addressing any problem!

The days are full of amazing horses ridden by amazing riders!! Still in my time here, not one horse has left the arena with the slightest ruffle in their coat! Most horses get a 15 min trail ride everyday...turned out for half an hour in a large yard and hand walked for a pick. They are all so well cared for. I cannot speak more highly of the staff here, the grooms treat these horses as if they were their own.

Shannon (Steffens Wife) has given me some great tips for my passage and piaffe work..so that is coming along well...and it needed to!!

So all in all life here is bliss...minus missing my beautiful children, my spunky boyfriend and family and friends!!

If anyone has any questions or general enquiries don't hesitate to drop me an email..nicolemagoffin@gmail.com

Cheers

Nicole Magoffin and Jaybee Anzac

Thursday, 1 April 2010

When I wake in the morning and stare out my window..I see Steffen and Shannon (Steffens Wife) riding around the arena. It is such a inspiring site...they both go about their ride with harmony, ease and brilliance.

I am getting the absolute pleasure of riding Sausage a Sandro Hit gelding. 8 yrs old and Grand Prix...he is so awesome..he has had 2 starts at GP so far for 70%...so really he is amazing..incredible half pass..amazing changes..and passage and piaffe is simply to die for!! Steffen gives me a lesson every day with him and everyday I write a full page of new things I have learnt, but always coming back to softness, lightness and ease...every horse here is ridden with such empathy and care...I just love it !!

The days here are filled with riding and enjoying horses .....so I am in my element at present.....

My gorgeous horse Anzac has arrived here ...yes Fat Guts is in Steffen Peters barn....ahhh I have to pinch myself.....Zac arrived a few days ago, so is still resting up but come Monday we are in training with Steffen and I will report back on our I am sure improved work !!

Cheers
Nicole

First Diary Entry18/2/2010 from Nicole Magoffin at Steffen Peters’ US Training Barn

WOW! What an amazing place!!! I am blown away by sooo many aspects of being at Steffen Peters’ stables. Undoubtedly the most profound aspect is how happy the horses, staff and clients are here! Everyone is bright and respectful of each other and the horses are all looked after with the utmost of care and genuine LOVE.

There are over 60 horses here, all in work, ridden by either Steffen, his amazing wife Shannon (who I must add, bakes EVERY morning for the staff here...much to my delight! It tastes sooooo good), David or Lienyja (both trained for years by Steffen). 

I sit on the side of the arena in the mornings watching Steffen riding Ravel.......wow! I cannot explain the feeling I get. He rides with no whip, there are no spurs marks and Ravel is patted and spoken to throughout his entire workout.  Steffen feels nothing but honour to ride such an amazing horse. To which I must add Ravel truly is amazing!

All the arenas are abuzz from 7am onwards, and as I look around I have yet to see an unhappy horse. Every rider here enjoys riding, respects their horses and train with the horses’ welfare being top priority.

The stable is run by 20 staff members and it runs like a well oiled machine! Everyone has their own jobs and responsibilities, but people are always pitching in for each other when needed. It is fun to be around here, joking around is always going on, games being played on each other etc., including Steffen (who has a healthy sense of humour). 

Just hanging our here is a wonderful learning experience and next week I get to ride some amazing horses. I can’t wait!!!

Cheers,
Nicole

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