fbpx

Blog

January 2020 Newsletter

Happy 2020 to you all. I am actually glad I am stepping out of 2019 as I don’t feel it was an easy year and I’m convinced 2020 is going to be much better, so I am jumping into 2020 with excitement and vigor.

In 2019 I undertook a lot of extra training myself so that I would  always be challenging my depth of knowledge. This has involved a wide range of learning, one of which was learning about the skeletal frame of the horse by bringing a full horse skeleton named Jane over to Western Australia for all of us to learn from. ‘Building’ Jane has caused me to look through x-ray eyes at every horse I have seen since.

Working with Belinda Bolsenbroek who is a true master in classical training, is another and I am thankful to have been able to be one of her Master class students. I will continue to work with her throughout 2020.

The year ended with another learning experience, working and training with Mary Wanless in New Zealand. Mary’s forward thinking and knowledge is inspirational – she always seems to be a step ahead of others in her field.

Additionally, I have invested in some super new equipment/toys, to add to the learning experience for myself and my students. The Telerein is fantastic and I am sure a lot of you will have seen my posts on Facebook regarding this valuable tool. The Telerein lets the rider know how strong the rein contact is as they are riding, with sensors on the reins it has lights that change colours as the contact changes. It will be used in lessons and clinics, if the riders want to use it.

The other ‘toy’ I purchased was a ‘human tool’ – eeeekkkkk, a bit of a weird name! But, it’s use is far from weird, it is a swiveling saddle shaped seat which the rider can move the their pelvis around on, allowing them to ‘feel’ how to balance and correcting errors.

It has been a lovely quiet month for me and I have had time to reflect about my own direction and choices, in both training and also guiding my life into a place of contentment, addressing what I’d like to receive into my own life.

It has also been a time of reflection on how am I going to direct my coaching in 2020, and how I can deliver to my clients and their horses. Clarity is a word that comes to mind – I want to deliver clarity in my coaching, to my students and especially to the horses. Without clarity, frustration and confusion will step in, and from there it’s a downward spiral.

Over this quiet time, which has allowed me to catch up on updating the calendar on my website with the help of Sarah Williams (Thank you Sarah for your patience), I have been working on the promotion of my business with my new mindset.

One of the things I have had to make a decision on is increasing my clinic and lesson fees in 2020. The fees for lessons at my home base will remain the same. I haven’t put them up for a while and yet my running costs have gone up in travel, education, equipment, etc.

2020 is already looking busy with lots of plans underway with Clinics being held at Oakford monthly, Albany and Margaret River, Sunninghill four times yearly. For further information check out my website Calendar for these dates: https://annmontgomery.com.au

A number of these clinics that are already planned will be running as themed clinics run over two days, as these seem to be very popular and it gives the opportunity for me to go into more detail with riders.

The themes will be:

  • Contact. This is an interesting subject, after all what is a good contact? Is your contact even, too light or heavy? How can I get my horse stepping from behind if I don’t hold a firm contact? As mentioned above, I have now invested in a Telereinwhich tells you how much contact you are holding, and we will use the Telerein on this clinic and go into discussions about contact.
  • Timing of the aids. Often riders are frustrated by their horse not responding quick enough or as they want. But the truth often is, that you may be asking when it’s not possible for the horse to balance into the request, and their feet are not in a place to be able to respond at that exact moment.
  • The seat of the rider. This will go into using your seat more effectively. The seat can be under-used and then the hands and legs become too strong. Let’s train you to be more subtle and therefore your horse too.
  •  Biomechanics of the horse and rider. Laura Bird and I will be doing some clinics together, working with Jane.
  • Body & Mind Mastery clinics will be held once again with myself and Jennifer Abdelnoor, with  two in Keysbrook on 2-3rd May & midweek on 5-6th May and one at Albany on 9-10th May.

Talking of Themed Clinics, our first will be on Contact and will be held at Albany 15-16th  February. Followed by Oakford 22-23rd February and Margaret River on 7-8th March.

And amongst all this I will be doing my rounds to Mackay, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin and New Zealand. And maybe pop to Europe to see my two new grandchildren in July ;-/

So, as you can all see, I am trying to slow down a bit this coming year.

Up and coming Clinics are:

January 2020 

17th Fri and 18th Sun – Oakford ( Fully booked)

19th Sun – Murray Riding Club.

25th & 26th Sat-Sun – Margaret River.

February 

1-2nd Sat-Sun – Baldivis ARC

15-16th Sat-Sun – Albany. Themed two day clinic on Contact.

21st Fri – Private lessons Oakford

22-23nd Sat-Sun – Oakford. Themed two day clinic on Contact.

March 

7-8th Sat-Sun Margaret River. Themed two day clinic on Contact.

I am wishing you all a very happy riding into 2020 and onward into your future.

Best Regards

Ann