Beth gets Bent

Barn survival, cleaning tips and potions

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The horse whose name precedes him "Dallas." Not sure if Dallas or Piddy the pig) would be our mascot...

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"IEA was formed and organized to promote and improve the quality of equestrian competition and instruction available to middle and secondary school students."

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9-yr old Evelyn Warren on her wonderful  Christmas pony "Treble Clef".  Pictured at their first show together, the GA Tech Benefit Horse Show 2/18/12.

Evelyn began her training at Bentmallet Farms in November 2010 as a beginner with no previous experience. This was her 1st show of the year, 4th in total, and 1st over fences.  We are proud to have her and look forward to many years of fun together.

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The Universal Truths (of riding)

Universal Truths - hot topic for this Trainer and most likely the subject of many future posts, but here is an introduction.

If you were to listen to audio (but no video) of two riding lessons, one with an advanced rider and one with a beginner maybe three months beyond their first lesson, you might not know which one was which.  This is because every rider struggles with two very simple riding principals for their entire career.  Very few things in life are absolutes and most relative to the situation (particularly with horses), but these two things never change - I call them the Universal Truths.

(Pictured - Bentmallet student Tai Willetts showing Mr Murphy Himself)

1) Control the Hip, Control the Horse:  A horse's "engine" is in the rear, the parts you can't see while you're riding.  We control a car's engine in order to drive, it's not so different with the horse.  Awareness of the horse's engine happens through a rider's willingness to do the hard work on the flat, the lateral movements (leg-yields), bending, and that outside leg behind the girth that seems so difficult execute.  

2) "Open your Hip and Lift your Hand":  No kidding, I could repeat that phrase into a recorder over and over, put the player on the riding ring fence and come back an hour later.  I have threatened my riders with it and and swear I will actually do it one day to prove a point.  Although I call this a Universal Truth, there is exactly ONE situation where using this would be a terribly bad idea - never apply this theory to a rearing horse!!!  Beyond that one example, have yet to meet a rider who didn't need reminding of this thousands of times.  Riders often think throwing their shoulders back is opening their hip, and that 6-8 inches below the bit-to elbow line often "straight."  You open the hip to readjust your center of gravity directly over that of your horse, and you lift your hand because the lower it goes, the more of your body that drags down with it, therefore weakening your base and creating a general mess.  Hmmm.

Any of this sound familiar?  

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Alex Edquist showing Bentmallet's Herman Von Braun, Chattahoochee Hills August 2011.

Alex has trained with Bentmallet Farms for five years now, we will miss her dearly when she goes off to college in the fall.

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Tiece: 2011 GHJA Reserve Champion Adult Jumper

Shown here by Cathy Reed at GHJA Finals, 11/18/11, 3.6" Jumper Classic

No less than THREE GHJA 2011 Champion and Reserve Jumpers are owned or trained by Bentmallet Farms

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Hunters   Jumpers    Equitation   Sales

Likely the most non-glamorous farm in Milton or Alpharetta, because we just like it that way.  Riders start here because of the great people and stay here because of the results

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Horses Playing at Bentmallet