Training with Carol
Carol believes that riding is a lifelong learning process that promotes constant evolution and growth. She uses a holistic approach to riding and training, incorporating the horses physical and mental well-being to insure training is both positive and rewarding for the horse and rider.
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Carol looks at each horse as an individual and tailors the training to suit his/her particular needs. Her emphasis is on relaxation, elasticity, connection, straightness, and purity of movement in order to achieve and maintain balance. It is only when this balance is attained that the horse can show its true beauty and potential.
Carol's primary focus is on rider position and biomechanics which enables her students to positively influence their horses and have a better relationship overall. Carol's teaching style is to empower her students with knowledge and understanding of Dressage, the Pyramid of Training and theory behind helping their horses become better athletes, no matter what discipline they ride.
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In addition to training under saddle, Carol strives to educate her students on horse behavior on the ground. She is a huge proponent of "ground work". Carol believes that having your horses attention and respect on the ground directly translates to sitting in the saddle. You will find Carol often, playing games with her horse and doing "liberty" work to keep things fun and playful.
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Carol believes that riding starts from the ground and therefore will spend adequate amount of time doing what the horse and rider need. For example, learning to lunge correctly takes practice and is a valuable tool when done properly. She also enjoys helping students with their position doing a "lunge lesson" . This enables her to explain true balance and connection with no reins or stirrups doing fun exercises while in a safe environment.
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Carol is very experienced in "long lining" and finds this method to be extremely insightful in connection issues. Long-lining is an excellent way to improve your connection with the horse through the reins, to observe the evenness of the activity of the hind legs and the level of engagement of the horse’s hindquarters. It can also help improve suppleness, collection and teach the horse to accept the outside rein without interference from the rider’s weight. Long-lining is also a good way to introduce variety into your horse’s training repertoire, and can be incorporated into every young horse’s training.
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Horses have always been Carol's therapy, her teachers, and her best friends. She has amazing clients of all ages and disciplines, some who love to go to shows, and some who just enjoy her help in building a partnership with their equines.