Dominique Barbier Clinic
My sessions
Saturday morning I was just figuring out what this French man was trying to teach us and trying to put preconceptions aside. My horse was sixth to go, and was on her toes when Dominique worked her, breaking into canter on the longe, especially to the right. Dominique persisted (“Come on, Momma!”) and eventually the head came down, the horse relaxed and went round, with neck bent. My afternoon session was spent on shoulder-in on the square, me trying to not use my legs or half-halt and both of us wondering where the outside rein was. But after a few rounds, there was shoulder-in on four tracks. After “shoulder-in-ning” both ways for about 10 minutes, Barbier had me straighten the horse and ask for a big trot, and boy did we get the big trot. It was fabulous.
You might look at the photo here and wonder about my position, but I was doing what Barbier requested by taking my inside shoulder back and leaning back. You can see my horse is going round and crossing her legs. We have more contact than he wanted, but the idea is there.
By the end of the morning session on Sunday, I wondered if anyone would make it to cantering, so I asked if I could do some canter in the afternoon, and he said yes (a dressage clinic without cantering? I told you to keep your mind open!). That afternoon after doing my shoulder-in walk and trot both ways, over and over and over again, he asked if I had any questions and I asked if we could do some flying changes. Ears perked up over this, since no one had been cantering, less likely doing changes. He said yes, so after a few more soft shoulder-ins, we picked up a canter circle, went from B to E and did a flying change as we crossed the centerline, turned and did another and turned and did another. No rushing, no fussing, no excitement. It was as Dominique said, the shoulder-in had given me everything – well, it gave me improved changes. Were they perfect? No, the first was late behind, but they were calm and light in the hand, without rushing off afterwards. I did not have to hold her together, she held herself together. It was good for everyone to see.I was starting to better understand the huge importance of shoulder-in.