"ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE TRAINING EXPERIENCES IS THE DRESSAGE RETREAT @ HILLCREST" Intensive, Individualized Instruction for the Dressage Rider Call us or email for available weekends, long weekends or weeks for your own personalized 'Dressage Retreat' now offered at Hillcrest. You can bring your horse or horses for one or more days and take instruction here in Franktown, Virginia. Your overall goals for horse and rider are reviewed and a complete review of systems is done. More than a clinic or lessons, your education, motivation, horse husbandry, theory and any special area of interests are addressed. If required or desired we will ride your horse for all or part of the training session. If you prefer to ride your own horse the entire session can be dedicated to instructing you on your horse. You can also take lunge sessons on your horse or on our school horses instead of riding your own horse. We have large dedicated box stalls specifically for our overnight equine 'guests'. We have accomodation for up to 2 people in our on site Guest Cottage equiped with full kitchen, laundry, bath, 2 single beds, local phone (no TV). Alternately accomodation is available in the local Bed and Breakfasts, or Hotels. Areas of Expertise: Rider's Seat and Aids addressed in training and on the lunge Putting the training scales into practical use Diagnosing Rider and Horse Challenges and Prioritizing which issues to addresss Focus on 'What' to do next and 'How' to do it. Equine health review, including shoeing, appropriateness of tack, dental inspection, weight and nutrition. Behavioral issues addressed and corrected as required Complete Dressage Training Basic through Grand Prix Teaching the horse to Lunge, ground drive, in-hand work Cavaletti and gymnastic jumping Riding in open country safely Rider's academic education: recommendations for specific reading Equine Flexibility, Stretching Exercises and on-site 'Equi-sage' therapist
The costs: Each riding lesson $85 each (or $75 each for 4 lessons or more) Each lunge lesson $85 each (or $75 each for 4 lessons or more) Bare stall for your horse (you provide bedding and cleaning) $20 per night Bedded stall for your horse (we provide 4 bales of shavings) $40 per night On-Site Guest Cottage Accomodation $40 per night (one or two people) Health and Wellness Consultation by Dr. Frances Williams $350 for up to 2 1/2 hour visit, boutique style medicine including: Bariatric (metabolic weight loss) vitamin therapy, diet consultation, hormone therapy, general wellness. Visit Dr. Williams' site for more details at www.FrancesWilliamsMD.com Non-Refundable Reservation Fee $100 (this deposit is required to reserve your dates once mutully agreed upon). This amount will be applied to the total costs. This is to be submitted by check or PayPal to rfwilliams37@hotmail.com . Your reservation is not confirmed until receipt of your Reservation Fee. Balance is due upon arrival at Hillcrest.
To inquire about availability send an email to rfwilliams37@hotmail.com or fill out the online form on our 'Contact Us' page. If you do not hear back from us by email, please call us at 757 414 0393 We look forward to helping your achieve your riding goals by developing a holistic approach to a complete training program. Other amenities: On site whirlpool for your muscles and relaxation Equine Massage Therapy available upon request. Advance notice required. Human Massage Therapy available upon request. Advance appointment required. Rustic beach cottage also available for Spring/Summer/Fall visits
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Leg yielding vs. Two track exercises with bend By Richard Williams copyright 2006 For centuries the debate has roared over whether to leg-yield at all or whether one should use shoulder-in for suppling. Many experts from the past have warned of the perils of leg-yielding. De la Gueriniere’s quest led him to the development and documentation of the shoulder-in as a better way to supple horses. There has always been a chorus of admonishment against leg-yielding. For instance, some say the leg yield may make the gait impure, and thus may cause various lamnesses or injuries. It may put the horse on the forehand and by many experts is considered “not classical”. Among the conscientious objectors are illustrious names such as Alois Podhajski, Waldemar Seunig, Louis Seeger and Gustav Steinbrecht. How do we reconcile the leg-yield today when it is called for in USDF First level tests? Has the pendulum of critical thinking swung in the opposite direction? These are good questions. Let us shed some light on how and when to use the leg-yield, and when to use the shoulder-in or other two track movements. At the top of the classical training tree is collection. Collection is, by definition, increased weight bearing by the haunches. Any time the center of gravity of the horse is shifted forward, or the haunches of the horse shirk the task of assuming more weight, the horse is, relatively speaking, moving on the forehand. Whenever the horse goes relatively more on the forehand, the ultimate goal of collection is thwarted. The primary benefit of the leg-yield is simply to teach the horse to move sideways away from the rider's leg. Strictly speaking, a forward and sideways combination reaction is desired rather than a purely sideways movement. Purely sideways movement is very dangerous because the crossing set of legs may interfere with the supporting set of legs and the risk of injury by hitting the supporting legs is very high. Adding the forward component to the leg-yield is essential to reduce the risk of interfering. An overly sideways moving leg-yield is a severe mistake, and should be avoided at all costs. A turn on the forehand is considered a leg-yield on the spot around one front leg. In the leg-yield, the horse is positioned away from the direction of movement. For example, if the leg yield is to the left, the horse should have very mild right bend at the poll and minimal bend at the top of the neck only. The rider asks the horse to move sideways to the left and forward away from the rider’s right leg. If the leg-yield is done on a straight line, perhaps from the centerline to the wall as indicated in the current First Level Tests, the horse’s right hind leg is asked to cross under his body and over in front of the supporting left hind. Likewise, the right front will also cross in front of the left front. In this exercise, the right hind leg crosses behind and to the left of the horse’s center of gravity. The left hind escapes collection by traveling even further to the left of the center of gravity than the right hind. The haunches are swinging out to the left. This is one of the major drawbacks of the leg-yield. The hind legs do not step under or in the direction of the horse’s center of gravity. Because the hind legs “side step” their responsibility of carrying weight in the direction of the center of gravity, the leg-yield has the distinct effect of putting the horse on the forehand. All other influences being equal, during straight travel on a single track, the amount of weight carried by the haunches is greater than when leg-yielding. Hence the leg-yield lacks collection and is therefore more “on the forehand”. Why then perform the leg-yield? The benefits of the leg-yield are specific: 1. It teaches the horse to move away from lateral leg pressure. 2. It stretches the ligaments and muscles on the sides of the horse’s limbs. This second point is very important. Often horses have very limited range of motion laterally. The leg-yield can help provide the beginning of suppleness required to perform other, more sophisticated two track exercises. 3. The leg-yield when done on a circle or spiral out, can be very helpful in lowering an extremely high head carried around on a large under neck muscle. Because of this inversion of the top line, the horse may even have a tendency to rear. The leg-yield on the spiral out is very helpful in lowering the head of this difficult mount. The experts are in relative agreement that the leg-yield, if employed, should best be done on the circle. Our pattern of choice is to start on a small circle such as a 10 or 12 meter diameter circle, then, with bending in the direction of the circle, the rider weights his inside stirrup and seat bone. In this position, the rider asks the horse to cross the inside hind leg outward thereby enlarging the circle gradually. The shoulders should always be kept closer to the center of the circle than the haunches via tactful use of the outside rein and the rider’s torso turning toward the inside. This movement modifies the leg-yield to something closer to a shoulder-in. This allows for greater impulsion. Impulsion in the trot is compromised when leg-yield is done on a diagonal line. With the spiral out from a small to a larger circle, the leg-yield does not put the horse on the forehand to the extent which occurs when done on a simple diagonal. Furthermore, the rider, having made several repetitions, can easily follow this movement with a 10 meter circle followed by shoulder-in along a straight line. Once the leg yield is achieved, the rider should seek to graduate as soon as possible to the classical two track exercises and look toward abandoning the leg-yield. The main distinction that makes the shoulder-in, haunches-in, and half-pass so far superior to the leg yield is as follows: In all three of the two track exercises just mentioned, the horse’s center of gravity is placed directly in the path of the activated hind leg. Because one hind leg is asked to step directly toward the center of gravity there is incredible suppling, strengthening, engaging, and collecting potential of that specific hind leg. In the shoulder-in, the leg that is more heavily weighted and therefore strengthened is the inside hind leg. In the haunches-in and half-pass, the leg that is strengthened is the outside hind leg. In both shoulder-in and half pass the shoulders benefit by considerable suppling as well.
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In summary, the haunches-in, shoulder-in and half-pass provide far superior strengthening than the leg yield. Riders must be cautioned: in all three of these ‘Royal Trio of Two Track Exercises” the potential for error of putting the horse on the forehand still exists as follows: 1. In the shoulder-in, if the angle of the horse’s position in the arena relative to the line of progression is too steep, the inside hind and the outside front will not be on the same track. In this incorrect shoulder-in, the outside shoulder is brought too far to the inside and the inside hind leg will step across and behind the horse’s center of gravity. This produces the so called “over angled shoulder-in” i.e. leg-yield. 2. Similarly, in the haunches-in, if the angle with the line of travel is too great, the outside hind leg will step behind and to the inside of the horse’s center of gravity, akin to a counter bent leg yield. 3. In the half-pass, if the rider pushes the haunches ahead of the forehand (this is universally recognized as a severe fault), and the haunches lead the shoulders, the outside hind leg will step across and behind the horse’s center of gravity, thereby putting the horse on the forehand. Again, this is similar to the mistake of the over angled haunches-in; it is a counter bent leg yield. Riders are often seduced into an overly sideways crossing two track movement because they “can really feel their horses’ legs crossing”. More crossing is not always better. Correct stepping in the direction of the center of gravity with adequate reach, correct orientation of the horse in the arena with correct impulsion, length of stride and rhythm with proper bend, and a round top line are the criteria by which correct two track movements are evaluated. Riders at all levels should seek to become proficient at these significantly beneficial exercises in order to enrich their training repertoire. Combinations of Two Track Exercises: 1. Trot, 10 meter circle, shoulder-in, straighten out and lengthen stride, change rein, collect, repeat. 2. Trot, 10 meter circle, haunches-in, straighten out and lengthen stride, change rein, collect, repeat. 3. Trot, 10 meter circle, half-pass, straighten out and lengthen stride, change rein, collect, repeat. 4. Trot, shoulder-in, half-pass, shoulder-in, straighten out, lengthen stride, change rein, collect, repeat. 5. Trot, shoulder-in, half pass to change rein, haunches-out (renvers), shoulder-in (new direction), half pass, change rein, renvers etc. 6. Same as number 5 above but add a lengthening of stride sitting trot in the shoulder-in phase. 7. Same as number 5 above but add a lengthening of stride sitting trot in the half-pass phase. 8. Same as number 5 but add a 10 meter circle after the renvers (new direction) before the shoulder-in. 9. Canter, shoulder-fore along the wall, half-pass toward the center line, shoulder-fore on the center line, change rein on the diagonal in medium canter, to collected canter, flying change (or simple change through the walk) and repeat. The flying change can also be done at X as a variation.
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10.Trot and volte as outlined by De la Gueriniere: ride a square with haunches in on all sides including on the corners. We recommend beginning with a larger square perhaps 20 meters x 20 meters and work smaller until it is 10 or 8 meters across. Finally attach another square to it and change direction and do the same on the opposite hand. This is can also be done in the canter as a gymnastic exercise preparing the horse for pirouette. 11.Trot and half-pass zigzag. If the difficult half pass is to the left, track left and from the wall half pass left 10 meters, insert 10 or 8 meter circles as required to re-establish the bend, follow this by half-pass right (the easier half pass) 10 meters perhaps not needing any circles if the bend is not compromised, change bend and resume the half-pass left for 10 meters inserting 8-10 meter circles as required to re-establish the bend. Follow this by lengthen stride. This exercise can also be done in the canter with flying changes at the change in bend and change in direction of the half-pass. 12.Trot, shoulder-in on the wall or inside track, lengthen stride on the short diagonal to change rein, collect, immediate shoulder-in in the new direction, followed by lengthen stride(medium or extended) on a short diagonal, collect, repeat. 13.Trot, shoulder-in on the wall, center line, or inside track, straighten out on the path of travel and lengthen stride straight ahead, collect, change rein, repeat. 14.Collected walk, half pirouette to straight ahead in medium walk, collected walk, shoulder-in (new direction) collected canter, collected walk with immediate shoulder-in, half pirouette to straight ahead in medium walk collect etc. 15.Collected trot, shoulder-in, canter with shoulder fore, collected trot with immediate shoulder-in, canter with shoulder fore, half pass, counter canter flying change when straight, shoulder fore in the new direction, medium canter in shoulder fore, collected canter, collected trot with immediate shoulder-in, repeat. As with all gymnastic exercises remember that the horse should be: a) ridden in both directions the same number of repetitions b) rewarded by changing rein when an exercise has been done well or if improvement is shown c) rewarded whenever each part of the exercise is done correctly or better than before d) given a short (1-2minute) rest period in the walk every 5-10 minutes e) ridden alternately between extension and collection. It is detrimental to keep the horse in extension for long periods of time. It is equally detrimental to keep the horse in collection for long periods of time. The best strengthening and suppling comes when we alternate between exercises done in collection and exercises done with either extension or stretching. Credit: Richard Williams is a well known clinician and trainer who teaches throughout the country. He and his wife, Dr. Frances Williams, train students and horses in classical dressage at their facility on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Their web site is www.williamsdressage.com All material in this article is copyright Richard Williams 2006 and may not be used in part or whole without express written permission from Richard Williams. |
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Longevity for Dressage Riders by Frances Williams MD Dressage is a discipline that is really an adult sport. It takes years to acquire an intellectual foundation to be able to ride correctly. For many people this coincides with onslaught of the aging physique. The mind is educated but the body is decreasingly able to execute that which the mind knows. There are many forms of therapy to help delay this, such as yoga and Pilates for riders and cross training. All of these are fabulous forms of physical therapy. However, there still exists a genetically pre-programmed cell death which occurs because of: - Poor health habits
- The decline of hormones
- Chronological age
While nothing can be done about the passage of time, the first two items can be adjusted so that a person's biological age is much younger than their chronological age. Arthritis, loss of muscle mass, stiffness of cell membranes and poor connective tissue lead to a condition where the rider's mind is willing but the body is unable. What can be done about this? In general, stiffness of cell membranes is due to a metabolic state that leads to insulin resistance. Excess weight and blood sugar fluctuations viciously cycle and progress in a downward spiral. Excesses in the following substances create an insulin resistant state and biochemical condition where nutrients have decreased absorption into cells and toxins are stored within the cells: - Sugar
- Simple starches which turn to sugar in the digestive tract such as flour, baked goods and processed grains such as pasta and most cereals.
- Alcohol
- Environmental toxins
- Bad fats such as saturated fats (as found in red meat) and trans-fatty acids (as found in many pre-packaged foods)
- Acetaminophen
While there is truth in the "low-carb craze", eating a plate of bacon for breakfast can kill you. Food combining, time of eating, time of exercising, and carefully choosing "good fats" are scientifically sound methods of helping to keep the muscle mass up and the fat mass down. Too much of the above listed junk in the diet causes this transportation problem across the cell membrane (where the good things can't get in and the bad things can't get out). This leads to the terrible union of poor general nutrition and increased adiposity "fatness". Yes! Obese people are by and large malnourished! This of course excludes the 1% of fit obese people, the so called healthy fat. They are lucky they do not get the degenerative diseases associated with increased fatness in an aging body. Without going into much biochemistry, I am going to state the simple solution for most people. The details will be explained in future articles. - Regarding the above list of toxic substances, I stated that they should not be consumed in EXCESS. Dark Chocolate with high cocoa content has some health benefits which make up for the sugar content and everyone is entitled to their indulgences. Even Dr. Laura knows red wine is good for you provided you are not an alcoholic.
- Do not eat within 3 hours of bedtime. If you must have something before bed, make it protein and/or good fat such as olives or dairy (which contains triptophan and will help you get a good night? s sleep). Do not eat your starches and sugars at night.
- Sleep at least 8 hours.
- The first meal of the day should contain at least 20 grams of protein. Your body cannot utilize more than 30 grams of protein per meal. Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, olives, macadamia nut oil, avocados are examples of good fats. The almond is the king of nuts. Soy is the only legume which alone provides complete protein. However, in its unfermented form (soy nuts, soy protein powder, and soy milk) it contains phytase which can inactivate testosterone so men should have their soy fermented (such as miso, tofu and soy sauce). One egg contains 6-8 grams of protein. For most people this is an impractical source of 20-30 grams of morning protein. I recommend whey protein power mixed in a blender with milk, ice and flavoring to enhance the taste. It often comes in palatable forms such as chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and these can be augmented with almond butter to make it taste even better.
- The majority of starches should be eaten in the middle of the afternoon or prior to exercise.
- If you consume alcohol, red wine has the most antioxidants. Also if you drink, you should take an extra B complex vitamin containing at least 400mcg folic acid and 1mg thiamine, and to prevent alcoholic dementia, at least 500 mcg of B12. Extra B12 is needed for people who are poor methylators of vitamins to overcharge their system. The above formula is also a treatment to prevent hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
- If you drink alcohol or take acetaminophen or get exposed to a lot of chemical bug spray, you should take alpha lipoic acid, the best oral liver cleanser available without a prescription. 100 mg twice daily. Acetaminophen uses up the liver's stores of glutathione, which is necessary to clear the body of many environmental and metabolic toxins.
- If you eat lots of deep sea fish such as tuna or mackerel and mercury is a concern, eat lots of parsley and cilantro. Selenium 100mcg taken with the fish meal can help chelate the mercury and other heavy metals like arsenic and lead. Remember selenium poisoning causes horse's hooves to fall off, so don't go overboard and loose your hair and fingernails.
- Take omega3 fatty acids, 2 grams twice per day to lower your triglycerides and increase the pliability of your cells (remember the stiff cell problem mentioned above)
- You need at least 1500 mg of calcium with 400 IU vitamin D daily to help prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin D is actually a hormone, regulating calcium metabolism, and there is epidemic deficiency in America.
- Eat an unlimited quantity of leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables daily. If you must have a midnight snack, skip the pound cake and get yourself to a head of broccoli.
- If you eat in this manner, you will also get enough magnesium to balance your calcium. Profound chocolate cravings are often a magnesium deficiency. Profound cravings for non-food items such as gravel, dirt, arena sand, cardboard, raw flour and ice chips is a sign of severe iron deficiency. This is called pica and these people need to see a doctor.
- Try to eat as much pesticide free food as possible.
- Drink at least eight, 8 ounce glasses of water per day.
- Don't eat plastic. Frozen water bottles and cooking in plastic and storing hot food in plastic releases the plastic molecules into your food supply. The healthiest material to eat and drink from is glass or modern (lead free) china.
- Do not burn your olive or macadamia nut oil, the healthiest cooking oils.
- Get lots of exercise.
- Consume at least 20 grams of fiber per day.
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Athletes today such as riders need more truth about nutrition and supplements as we pursue our personal victories. These recommendations are biochemically sound and it is unlikely that they will be proven in laboratories in our lifetimes due to lack of financial incentive to do so. These scientific facts are based on what we know about nutritional biochemistry. The world is starving for this information. However, the industrial political complex is not interested in researching supplements that are natural and therefore not patentable, nor are they interested in discovering the toxicity of their own products. One of the most overt examples of this problem in our "health" industry was the recent "discovery" that horse urine is bad for women. Premarin/Provera "therapy" never replaced the declining hormones estrogen and progesterone. Premarin/Provera "therapy" is not native to the human female. If you are an aging horse, Premarin may be helpful. Provera is NOT progesterone. It is a progestin, progesterone like drug chemically altered to hang around the body longer than progesterone. Strictly speaking, the definition of a hormone is a chemical messenger, produced by an organ of the body to regulate function of the same or another organ of the body. Any and all substances which are not native to the human body cannot be hormones. This definition does not mean that a hormone cannot be manufactured by a chemist. As long as it is identical in its chemical structure to human hormones, it is correct to call the substance a hormone. However the medical and pharmaceutical industry has gotten very lax with this definition so much so that even doctors are confused. Today, when people speak of hormones, they are often referring to chemicals not present in humans that have SOME hormonal effects and other UNKOWN effects. We know that menopause is often very uncomfortable and often leads to the beginning of living decay until death is finally reached. A large study showed Premarin/Provera treatment was very dangerous. The hypothesis was that these two chemicals would sustain the benefits of estrogen and progesterone in the post-menopausal female. Instead, there was an increase risk of heart disease in those taking these chemicals, (not hormones). Many women are afraid of the misery of menopause and the rapid aging which follows. Me too! That is why I became an expert on natural hormones. I don't mean to leave the men out but most of the riders in this county are women. Men also experience hormonal decline but in a more gradual manner. In both men and women, sex hormones peak in the mid 20's and decrease by approximately 2% per year thereafter. In women this occurs until menopause when there is a sharp decline. In men, the decline creeps along steadily until death. Other hormones also decline and should be measured and replaced to maintain the best function while staying below excessive levels. Neither men nor women want to end up in their 90's or older with their mind non-operational and their body shriveled up like a Raisinette. Definitely riders do not want to end up this way. Suitable hormone replacement regimes can be designed for men as well as women. Natural hormones are not of great interest to drug companies because they cannot be patented. Who is going to foot the bill for the research to prove that natural hormones are the answer to hormone deficiency? Some people argue that hormone deficiency and the general state of our elderly population is natural. While this is true, it doesn't make it desirable. Chemical companies are trying to create substances to stave off osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, strokes and breast cancer to name a few. As a chemist and a physician, the most obvious choice of substances to study would be natural estrogen and progesterone. How do we know that estrogen and progesterone are good for women? We know that they are at least good for women under 55. Therefore, they should be on the top of the list to study for hormone replacement. However, there is no financial incentive to do so, and life isn't fair. In fact, there is a great deal of financial incentive to avoid studying them or revealing the natural solution to the public. The use of these hormones must be supervised by a physician familiar with them, and not self administered or administered by a non-physician. The point of replacing the hormones is to mimic the natural hormonal balance prior to menopause. Those who wish to age naturally and not take hormones have my blessing. This indeed is a noble approach. Both men and women suffering from hormonal deficiency who are willing to enter into an anti-aging regime that has not been proven know who they are. These patients should enter into a health maintenance program as described above. The hormonal arm of a truly preventive program must be designed by a knowledgeable physician, compounded by a specialty pharmacy and monitored by both clinical effects and blood or tissue levels of hormones. Clinical effects are the symptoms of hormonal deficiency or excess and the effects on the organs. This includes bone density, thickness of the lining of the uterus (measured by ultrasound) skin condition, sexual function, bladder function, muscle mass, etc. The key to prevention is to: - Follow all American medical association and American cancer society screening guidelines.
- Create a specific nutritional and hormonal regimen for each individual patient.
- Find a physician with whom to work to create an intracellular environment that promotes a youthful physical condition.
- Develop a cross training exercise program which promotes muscle mass, bone density and flexibility.
- Adequate sleep is necessary for many reasons. Sleep deprivation has been proven to be the fastest way to go insane. Many hormones are rhythmically secreted and circadian rhythms are destroyed by lack of sleep. Cells repair during sleep. Most people need 8 hours sleep per 24 hours, although as we age, this appears to decrease. This is partly due to melatonin deficiency, which is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland and also decreases with aging.
Frances Williams, MD is Board Certified in Bariatric Medicine and Family Medicine with special expertise in hormone replacement, nutritional biochemistry, and longevity and aesthetic medicine. She is an accomplished FEI level rider and trainer who lives with her trainer husband, Richard, on Virginia? s beautiful Eastern Shore. To schedule a consultation, contact Dr. Williams at rfwilliams37@hotmail.com. copyright Frances Williams MD 2006
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