Dressage, Naturally with Karen Rohlf

Creating healthy biomechanics and stronger partnerships through combining natural horsemanship principles with the art of dressage...

photo: Terri Miller

never underestimate the potential for harmony & lightness to improve in ways you cannot yet imagine

This Month: • 2 NEW DVDS available!!

• A word from an osteopath

• Student Letters

• Ancora Imparo

Upcoming Clinics: Clinic schedule: CLICK HERE

May 8-9 Finding the Sweet Spot Lindstrom, MinnesotaContact: Sally Taylor

May 10-12 Upward Spiral of SuccessLindstrom, MinnesotaContact: Sally Taylor

May 15-17 Finding the Sweet SpotHamilton, Ontario, CanadaContact: Fawn Anderson

May 18-19 Upward Spiral, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaContact: Fawn Anderson

A P R I L 2 0 0 9

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Welcome back to the Temenos...Temenos is an ancient Greek word. It refers to a sacred space that has no lim-its, where special rules apply and extra-ordinary events are free to occur.

“They always say time changes things, but you

actually have to change them yourself.”

Andy Warhol

Photo Above: Dana RasmussenAuditors welcome at all events!

Home of:

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2 NEW DVDs!Playing with Posture I & II

These DVDs were created with 3 premises in mind:

1. There is already a lot of information out there regarding what the ‘correct position’ should look like.2. Many students still have trouble improving their position even when they have that information.3. Students need to be empowered to trust their instincts in order to take charge of their posture.My passion as a teacher is to not only give students the information they need, but to help them access and ‘own’ it. It is this last part that fascinates me. Why is it so difficult to modify one’s position/posture while riding?

DVD #3 is all about changing our patterns One reason it is difficult to change postural patterns is because we are (usually mindlessly) ‘practicing’ our posture during all the hours when we are not riding... during ‘normal life’... when we are not with our horses.In this DVD I get a little silly; changing my patterns (in exaggerated ways), to tempt you to go ‘outside the box’ and experiment with your full range of ‘ways of being’. It is 25 minutes of deceptively simple exercises, but they are not to be underestimated in their power & effectiveness. (includes a Bonus Track... where you meet 2 of my alter egos!) :-)

DVD #4 takes us to exercises in the saddle. In this DVD Karen coaches a stu-dent through a series of exercises in the saddle. Karen shows her how to trust her in-stincts in developing the position she wants. A key point is that it is less about the specific exercises and more about her personal explora-tion and instincts. In the end the student feels the best moments not because of where Karen told her to be, but because she explored the possibilities and found it herself. A student can take this concept and explore endlessly to continue to refine, no matter how advanced they are.

This DVD is 40 minutes long and is filmed with a high definition camera!

EXCITING NEWS! The Results In Harmony Video Series

gets an upgrade:DVD #4 was filmed with a big, fancy

HIGH DEFINITION camera!

Each DVD stands on its own, but I really believe they will be most effective as a set, so I am offering a

package of both DVD 3 & 4 at a permanent 15% discount. Of course they can still be purchased separately, as a part of the entire Results in Harmony Series or

in a Special Package (the original book/DVD plus all 4 of the Results in Harmony DVDs).CLICK HERE

to visit the WEBSHOP at Dressagenaturally.net

W H A T O N E A R T H I S S H E D O I N G ?

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When ever I look at photos like this of myself I can’t help but start hearing the U2 song in my head that goes: “...it’s alright, it’s alright, it’s al-right... she moves in mysterious ways...” or maybe it should be the Donna Summer song: “She works hard for the money!”

So what am I doing? What ever it takes!! What ever it takes to get the point across to help a student visualize something or to try a new movement pattern in his or her body. I also use this technique to help me learn something new. The 2 new DVDs: Playing with

Posture, and Playing with Posture II are all about... you guessed it... Playing with posture!Read on for details about the 2 new DVDs and also an observation from an osteopath/Parelli student/Dressage, Naturally student. Steve Miller audited a clinic I gave n the UK in 2008 and made some interesting connections between some body work techniques and my Basic Alignment

Exercise. But before we do all that, let me ask you: “How willing are you to give up what you’ve got in order to get what you want?”

“How willing are you to get ridiculous, in order to end up refined?”

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Hi Karen, You asked me to write to you outlining some perspectives on your work that I gained whilst auditing your clinic at the James Robert’s Foundation Station in Wiltshire last Summer in the UK. You had explained about experimenting with your own and your horse's position in an effort to discover better balance and flexibility. You talked about the horse having it's own 'crookedness' which the rider could potentially help the horse realize and release. As an Osteopath, I readily recog-nize the crookedness within the rider which you also emphasized.

Sorting out the dynamics of our own and the horse's respective and mutual crookedness is the challenge of course! This crookedness can be through lack of awareness, habit, non-compliance or 'injury' and this fits neatly into the theme of your podcast where you suggested we reflect on “I won't because I can't” versus “I can't because I won't”! Involuntary musculo-skeletal restrictions (Osteopathic 'lesions') will give rise to, at best, “I would if I could!”

At your clinic last Summer, I made a connection between your teaching and the ideas of the “Jones' Spontaneous Re-lease Method” as explained to me some 20 years ago by one of my college lecturers. I will reiterate the story as I recall it;

Mr Jones had a clinic with many booths as was common some time ago. He would treat one patient then move on continually in an efficient manner. However, one day a man was carried in writhing in agony and virtually unable to move and Jones was totally perplexed about how to treat this sudden and very acute injury. They somehow got the patient laid down and, in an effort to ease the man's pain, he passively and gently re-positioned the man's trunk and limbs and head and neck, one at a time, until he found the position of least pain. The patient was made relatively comfortable but was in a peculiar, con- torted posture. Mr. Jones had other patient's waiting in other booths so left the acute patient to go about his rounds. Much later, Jones suddenly remembered that he had neglected the acute patient having totally forgotten about him! He rushed back into the booth to find the man sitting up, relaxed, smiling and ready to pay him; his pain had totally disappeared! This experience made Jones consider what had occurred. He came to realize that, accidentally, he had probably brought the ends of the spasmed muscles toward each other by flexing or rotating the affected joints. Once the two end points of the muscle had been brought together, the muscle had achieved it's aim so spontaneously stopped pulling! To see this in action, pull a rubber band apart between your two hands. This represents the spasmed muscle. Once you bring the hands together, the band relaxes and sags. Jones had achieved the man's release purely empirically but once he understood the principle, he applied it more rigorously and got great results through passive positioning alone.

Prior to this, most Osteopaths (and probably all body workers) had considered it necessary to 'stretch' a tight muscle to encourage it to lengthen and relax. In other words to take the two ends of the muscle apart (sometimes referred to as 'ex-aggeration' of the lesion). What Jones had discovered was that the opposite strategy (sometimes referred to as 'reversal' of the lesion) could work just as well and, in the right circumstance, could work better.

(Continued on next page)

Osteopathy and Balance in the Horse... Notes from an Osteopath and student of the horse

I met Steve Miller last summer while teaching in the UK. He was interested in some of the exercises I was doing with the horses and riders, espe-cially the Basic Alignment Exercise and ‘Moving Massage exercise. In this exercise I use exploration in order to find the place of functional align-ment. I ask the horse or rider to show me where they are crooked, then tempt them to show me something that is opposite to that. Then the are free to do as they like and we repeat until they find a new ‘middle ground’.

In this way I have found it helps develop an athletic balance and the best position comes from function, feel, awareness and freedom of move-ment. Too many times a horse who is, say, stiff to bend left... is simply held in a bend and all the horse knows is he was much more comfortable when he was bending right! Or a student who is in a lesson to improve their position is told all the places he or she needs to hold her body and the overwhelming sensation is that of tension...When asked if they are breathing the reply is usually: “You expect me to be able to breathe and do this??!!”

So instead of fighting with the body, I like to go with the body, then give it some other possibilities, and allow it a chance to see where it decides to go. Given these additional possibilities the body will more naturally find a place of alignment, and will be there because it sought it, not because I put it there.

In the DVD Playing with Posture II you will see me ask the student to: “Show me all the things in your position that you don’t want to do... then show me the opposite, equally ‘incorrect’, then rest in the middle.” You will see that when she finds the best position, her comment is: “I feel re-laxed” (and even able to breathe!). In Steve’s email to me below, you can read his thoughts about all this! Very Interesting stuff! ~Karen

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In my opinion, the best use of the Jones 'Reversal' method is when the injury is acute or the degree of pain or spam is ex-treme. In these cases, patients can often not easily tolerate being stretched but they can nearly always bear stretching to-ward the injured side to passively release the spasm on that side. You just hold the position until you can feel the affected muscle soften then slowly release the position. This might help guide you when to use it preferentially. Breathing plays a big role in facilitating all of these stretching techniques. In horse terms, holding the position and getting one of those big, deep sighs would most likely do wonders but be sure to monitor the tension in the affected muscle and see that it has relaxed be-fore slowly releasing the position.

In practical terms, if the muscles of your horse's neck were tight on the right, for what ever reason, the head and neck would flex and rotate in that direction. The conventional view in HMS still is, I believe, to encourage the opposite movement in or-der to stretch the affected muscles. This DOES work and is the basis of all conventional athletic warm-up stretching as in, take up the slack, hold the position until the muscle relaxes, then repeat (usually about 3 times). The constant (non-ballistic) stretch challenges the sensory apparatus in the muscular-tendonous junction and the control mechanisms of the brain to 'reset' and accept the new length of the muscle to be the default length and tension is reduced.

What struck me, whilst auditing your clinic was that in experimenting to find the physical 'sweet spot' of your horse you too are employing both 'exaggeration' and 'reversal'. You too are using an empirical and experimental method. In both cases, it is highly effective. The method seems efficient but what Jones went on to do was to use his anatomical knowledge and pal-patory expertise to discover which muscles were too tight and then determine which position would provide the Spontane-ous Release. Thus he became more proficient and effective. It struck me in your book and DVD that you DO use palpation of the horse's muscles in motion to provide the horse with feedback and to show him that he can actively relax parts of his musculature; to help him experience a better way to use himself (to become “your horse's personal masseur”).

I feel sure that you could certainly combine these two aspects to find and release the horse's internal biomechanical restric-tions very efficiently, should you wish. ...Please do not feel obliged to use any of the above but if you do experiment I would much appreciate it if you could let me know your results. In the meantime, if you could use an Osteopathic consultant (who is also a L3 PNH student), let me know! : )

Regards,

Steve Miller

PS: We did discuss another matter that you asked me to email you about but for the moment it escapes me. Was is possi-bly, 'The Ideo-Motor Effect'? This phenomenon describes how our thoughts become tiny muscular actions that forms our unconscious body language and informs our horses! : )

Steve, Thank you so much for taking the time to write this... It really helped me be more con-scious of what I was doing and YES, please send me more info on the Ideo-Motor Effect. I have some practical and academic understanding of it, but would love to hear what you have to say about it!

Also, I had a computer crash since we last emailed and I have lost your email address, so, Steve, if you read this please shoot me an email! ~Karen

Hi K1, I wanted you to know what my friend, “Doug" Maye, who is a PHBA carded judge, APHA carded judge, IBHA carded judge, AQHA Novice carded judge (pend-ing) and AMHA (Am Mini Horse Assoc) carded judge said about Sage and me in the [March Dressage Naturally] newsletter....He knew I was, in his words, 'dabbling in dressage', and was worried that I would be convinced to take my little cow pony and put an english saddle on her and I'd start wearing breeches (what he doesn't know won't hurt him, as I al-ready am).....this is what he said of the photos and the article...(you are the 'gal' he is referring to!) “wow, that's very impressive....Love the extension of the front leg...she looks as if she is really using her body...I rarely get to see any horses use themselves in this manner. Please tell me she can still 'get after a cow' and that you are still riding west-ern!  I am intrigued with this gal’s use of dressage in helping a horse move correctly and her thoughts on confi-

dence.”~ K2

Question From Student, Laura French:

Hey there. . . another question . .Ha!

Every now and then I take a lesson when its offered at this eventing barn I work at ... once i know how they teach. And also if I have a horse that is ready for what I know they will ask of us, and myself, etc.

So anyway, I took one friday ,and I indeed did get some positional stuff out of it (for myself ) that I needed to hear again and reminded of.

Question though: The instructor . . he said, ‘I don’t have a problem at all with what you do HORSEMANSHIP-wise, he said, you have that down (ha! I don’t think so!) but i knew what he meant, he meant I understand softness and keeping contact of the reins without hanging on them , hence letting the horse be in this SHAPE without it being uncomfortable for him .. yada yada,.. you know what i am talking about.

But my question is this . . .He was FINE with how soft I had this horse . . (and I didnt have her nearly as soft as I want her to be). He said she was more than supple enough, its time to take this mare into more STRAIGHT. I DO get that, but my question is this, why would he not want me lighter than we were before going straighter? I know he isn’t NATURAL and wants to head to the goal a whole lot sooner, but I thought maybe you could shed some light on it . . .

I also watched all the riders ride . .and they all STAYED IN FRAME the whole time, and were asked to be. no one ever said get LONG AND LOW, then back up, then back down. I totally get how by going in and out of these two frames loosens the horse and when you ask him to come back up and together . ..he can stay there for longer and longer and more loose than if you said . ..stay up and col-lected ALL THE TIME.

Any thoughts on this? Its so NOT fun fish-ing through Normal and Natural! I am

pretty good at it most of the time! heehee hee

I just need to know if staying in LOOSE MORE and going after more of it is still what I should be wanting. . .It feels like I should. I want softer!

Hi Laura,Difficult to say without really seeing....But I can say, there are many ingredi-ents to the 'final' picture... and they all inter-relate.

Sometimes we can't find true straightness until we are supple and soft, and sometimes we can't find true suppleness and lightness until we are straight...

We can't be too rigid in expecting to have 100% of one before going to an-other... the truth is that it will come in layers over time as the horse devel-ops.

I certainly go through stages where up and straight is the priority during the horse's session. Ultimately I love if a horse can go from long and low to up and collected back to long and low, but the reality is that at different times in the horse’s development I highlight the different skills. They may be at a learning stage where it is harder/more confusing for them to go back and forth.

It comes down to timing... during the ride, and then over blocks of days, weeks, etc....

Being up and carrying equally with both hind legs (straightness) IS a necessary ingredient. Perhaps it is time you added more of it in... it doesn't mean that you have to keep your horse there forever without relief, just build those skills...

It is quite typical for a horse to go through a stage where, in order to get more straight and ‘up’ they become a little ‘tight’ in the back because they have not yet learned how to use their body for this. But after you go through this stage with enough horses

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ABOVE: K2 and Sage 1 year ago

BELOW: K2 and Sage 1 month ago

LETTERS FROM STUDENTS:

you forgive them and don’t worry about it!

For example, right now Ovation is in this stage where being straight, carry-ing equally and being more up is an important next step. So to set him up I don’t cruise around big and long and low on the days I am going to work on collection. I DO loosen him, perhaps with a nice trail ride, walking through the woods, up and down some hills and a power walk, really using his back... so I know he is physically warmed up, but not bombing around.

Then a short session of carrying up and straight, then a warm down of perhaps some stretching at the trot and canter if, mentally, he felt good about the collection. If he wasn’t so ‘sure’ then just a nice walk again.

Now he has days where he can feel able to ‘have it all’ and the stretch has taken on a new, improved quality due to the increased engagement and gen-eral balance he gained from the straightness. (hmm, perhaps the topic of DVD #5??) :-)

Hope that helps!Karen

A GREAT BIG “THANK YOU” TO KAREN ROHLF We just wanted to let everyone know how thrilled we were to be able to ride under your instruction in the Fall/Winter Monthly Workshops at Temenos Fields. We followed your advice in sharing thoughts, ideas, and information by form-ing a weekly three-some study group. We live close to each other in the same neighborhood and have access to rings and trails so forming the study group was the easy part. We started by taking your book, Dressage Naturally, and going through an exercise each week. Times that we were unable to meet on horseback, we met for home study using your book and DVDs. Sounds simple, right? Wrong! We con-tinue to be amazed at how deeply your examples and explanations walk us

through each exercise. We really do study hard and our horses have gradually improved. We know that we have made many mistakes along the way, but that only makes us learn more. We are having so much fun sharing, learning, and growing together (person-ally and with our horses). You should have seen us doing the simulation exer-cise with the ball between two of us at the pelvic level trying to walk forward with-out losing the ball (as you suggested in one of your exercises). We were hoping that no neighbors were watching the crazy ladies in the back yard! With our meetings, laughter, and sharing we are having a great time building a bond that will be hard to break, and encourage oth-ers to do the same. . This note is just to say “THANK YOU” for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us, and giving us the opportunity to study at the lovely Temenos Fields. Karen,

I received your book and CD a couple of weeks ago.  I have so enjoyed learning and applying the concepts, and just wanted to personally thank you.  I’ve been interested in the Par-elli system for about 2 yrs, and have attended 6 weeks training at the FL center (2 wks in 2008, 4 wks in

2009).  My background is as a dres-sage amateur rider, and I had the wonderful privilege of working with an old dressage schoolmaster, now re-tired, my horse Cossino, and have had what I consider some very good dressage training, through about 3rd level+.  But, I did not have a good un-derstanding of the horse training psy-chology that I’ve learned from the Parelli system. Your work has really helped bridge these two worlds for me personally, and helped me apply so many of the concepts I appreciate about the Parelli system to working with our 2 young horses.  So far, I have been working w/exercises 1 thru ~12 with them, and loving it (they do and I do)!  Also, I’ve been riding fre-estyle (wow…what a scary concept for me, at first, to ride in a “halter”! J ) and, after first realizing that my horse and I both depended mostly on the reins, have really been focusing better and using/teaching us both to re-spond to my body.  Thank you so much!!! I love the journey, and have been having more FUN with my rid-ing.

Sincerely,VickyThomas

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~Lori Setter, Nancy Sepe and Bonnie Neff from left to right)

Who we are, effects our experience in life. I am continually amazed at how sub-tle and profound this concept is. Every relationship I have is a reflection of me, and can transform completely, with even the smallest shift in how I feel, think, act, or present myself.

As with the photo above, my presence creates a unique experience of shadow and light that changes the perception of what is, and what can be seen... Of what finds light and what will remain in the dark.

Through everything I do, there is a signa-ture ‘way in which’ I do it. It is easier to choose what to do everyday,(Do I ride for longer, or shorter. Do I ask stronger or softer? Do I put on the bridle, the hackamore or go bridle-less today? Do I do dressage or go on a trail ride?) then to choose how to do it.

Some choices are those that we aren’t often thinking about: The way we carry ourselves, the attitude we have, the small gestures that are so meaningful. It is the postures, the mannerisms that send im-mediate subconscious messages to those around us. It creates the context, the fil-ter, through which everything else is in-terpreted.

I have found it is, indeed, easier to make the choice of what to do than how to do it. It is a gift simply to know there is a choice.

The next gift is to give yourself freedom to explore. Some of the most profound im-provements I have experienced in life and horses were preceded by challenges to my comfort zone. Sometimes they were indeed actual challenges (jump out of a plane, walk across fire), but often they

were only challenges of my own subcon-scious habits or thoughts: (To hold myself confidently when confused, soft and smil-ing when threatened, to do a happy dance when upset).

Even more difficult yet may be to deter-mine how much the truly subtle choices have effected my experience... The way I stood, the direction of my gaze, the style of my handshake, the intonation of my voice, the timing of my stride, the gesture of my hand, my choice of words.

These are the things that we do without thinking, often without awareness, they can literally define us, and may be the only difference between meeting our goals and missing the boat... And yes, these habits often are the hardest to change. ~Karen

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Ancora Imparo

“The easier it is to do, the harder it is to change.”

~Eng's Principle

“Ancora Imparo is what Michelangelo is quoted to have said upon completing the Sistine Chapel. It translates: “I am still learning.”

Photo: Horsepix.uk