Valerie Fratellini

What an amazing lady, We got there to watch the young Stagier from the riding school doing shoulder in contre shoulder in then followed by Half pass and then teaching the basic's of flying changes, you could really see the young girl improve from beginning to end and her confidence boosted.

But what really impressed me was when a young girl on the riding school pony came in, she started of with shoulder in on the right rein ok but left was getting tough the pony was just not listening to her, so Valerie got on, ha the pony didn't know what hit him a few tickles with the dressage whip and legs on!!!! wow you could see his back round outline formed, her legs were so strong he started to passage and very little contact with his mouth in fact I would have said she had washing lines for reins, but it was clearly enough.
And what Valerie explain to the young girl was that even if you don't know what you are doing you have to convince you horse that you do other wise he will never give, precise movements require precise aids and she showed us exactly that.
Valerie then lesson the continued teaching the young girl how her weight turns the horse showing her an open rein the horse barely turned and then she dropped the reins and used her upper body to turn.
The funny thing was I had been doing this exact lesson with my friend Marielle only a few weeks ago when she was having problems turning her just broken mare.

Even though this was work done on the basic's, I came away inspired and motivated and although I know my faults and my horses, but it made me realise the best trainers/riders, are the best because they know how to ask and they don't ask horse for it, they tell the horse that's what they want and that's when they get "Submission" for want of a better word and that only comes from Respect and no horse will respect you if you confused it and your self in your aids.

There is a famous American horse trainer who once said, would you trust a pilote who landed his plane sucessfully 60% of the time 80% of the time or 98% , so why should your horse trust\respect you, if you don't ask with consistency?
It is soo true.

Valerie will be at the ridding school today giving lessons anyone can watch for free!
Domaine de Beaurecueil, st Sulpice de Mareuil 0553609984

Will let you all know when the next it on, its normally every 3 months.