{"id":164,"date":"2014-07-21T21:39:26","date_gmt":"2014-07-21T21:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hcequestrian.com\/?p=164"},"modified":"2023-08-15T18:11:28","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T18:11:28","slug":"summer-guest-instructor-ellen-eckstein","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hcequestrian.com\/?p=164","title":{"rendered":"Summer Guest Instructor, Ellen Eckstein"},"content":{"rendered":"
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HC Equestrian student Michelle talks about her first lesson with Ellen…<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Michelle<\/a>
Michelle and her Anglo Arab, Firefly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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As a horse-loving and horse-owning adult who is always trying to better her riding for the benefit of the challenge and the workout, I jumped at the chance to take a lesson with guest instructor, Ellen Eckstein.\u00a0 Everything I\u2019d ever heard about Ellen encouraged me to take the chance if it ever came – \u201cShe will change your riding\u201d was the sentiment I\u2019d heard from all my fellow HC Equestrians who had ever trained with Ellen.\u00a0 I had initially signed up to take a lesson on another horse I\u2019ve been riding in lessons for the last 6 months or so with HCE – a big moving, 7-year-old Hanoverian with fabulous training and beautiful gaits.\u00a0 When I found out that he may be unavailable during the week that Ellen would be doing her HCE lessons, I regretfully emailed Ali to cancel.\u00a0 Her reply was one that I had not expected \u2026 Do my lesson with Ellen on Firefly.\u00a0 \u201cFirefly!?\u201d I said to myself.\u00a0 \u201cBut he will only have about 30-45 days of under saddle work!\u00a0 How can I do that!?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Firefly is my 4-year-old Anglo Arab that I purchased as a long 2-year-old during my search for a eventing prospect.\u00a0 I knew I wanted a horse I could bring along myself with the help of some fantastic trainers.\u00a0 Our training has been going well but I never thought I\u2019d be taking a lesson on him after less than 60 days under saddle.\u00a0 Ali encouraged me to use my own horse for the lesson and I can\u2019t thank her enough.\u00a0 He is not the first horse I\u2019ve started under saddle but is the first I\u2019ve started using dressage principles and the first I\u2019ve personally brought along this far.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Ellen\u2019s lesson expanded my toolbox in ways that I could not have expected.\u00a0 I honestly had no idea what to expect going in.\u00a0 She focused on teaching him what the bit truly means and refining my cues to get the response that I\u2019m looking for.\u00a0 Ellen was in the arena with us during the lesson, helping from the ground – a strategy that I really value when starting a young horse.\u00a0 Coupling my rein aids with her encouragement from the ground to augment my aids, Firefly quickly picked up on what I was asking for.\u00a0 After just 15 minutes, he was traveling forward better even without doing a lot of work on the actual act of going forward.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Ellen\u2019s philosophy, particularly with a young horse, is to teach more of a \u201ccome with me\u201d approach, giving a young horse direction, instead of \u201cwe\u2019re going forward now\u201d, using body language and cues.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had a few more rides on Firefly since our lesson and I really feel like our lesson with Ellen led us to a breakthrough.\u00a0 Firefly, being part Arab, loves a good puzzle and seems to be enjoying the challenges I\u2019ve put before him.\u00a0 Every ride yields better balance and movement.\u00a0 Ellen is due back to HCE at the end of August and I can\u2019t wait to ride with her again!\u00a0 \u00a0 I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to get some insight on my young horse from her.\u00a0 It\u2019s a long road ahead for Firefly and I (we have big dreams!), but I know that Ellen has made it at least little bit easier.<\/p>\n

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HC Equestian hosts clinics with Ellen Eckstein in addition to the summer guest instructor sessons. \u00a0Go here<\/a> to learn more about Ellen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HC Equestrian student Michelle talks about her first lesson with Ellen… As a horse-loving and horse-owning adult who is always trying to better her riding for the benefit of the challenge and the workout, I jumped at the chance to take a lesson with guest instructor, Ellen Eckstein.\u00a0 Everything I\u2019d ever heard about Ellen encouraged … <\/p>\n

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