Impressions of Villa Louis Carriage Classic

Every time I think of the Villa Louis Carriage Classic, I swoon. I cannot over sell this show. No one ever really believes me when I tell them about Villa Louis, but you see it on their faces when they arrive, "Wow! She's right!"

The excitement starts when I drive across the Mississippi and spot the tents among the trees. I get goosebumps. The Villa herself sits quietly impressive watching the arena; welcoming. Sharing her beauty with us all. The show grounds honor the historical site with their adjunct beauty. The symbiotic relationship between the grounds and the show is a tangible benefit to both. The river purrs at the hem of the grounds. It is impossible not to be moved.

As any gracious host works to make guests feel comfortable and special, the hospitality at Villa Louis is unparalleled. She wraps her arms around you and elevates you above the ordinary. It is a theme that permeates all aspects of the show from the show committee right down to the equines. All the horses I've ever taken seem to appreciate the elegance of it all.

In fact, I always consider the true winner of Concourse d'Elegance to be Villa Louis. The exhibitors are merely trying to mirror their surroundings and the show itself. At Serendipity, I urge my carriage driving clients to do everything in their power to allow the horses to be brilliant. I think that is what Villa Louis does for me.

An august thank you to Mike Rider for his splendid stewardship of this show. To determine the quality of the job, one only has to look at how easy Mike makes it look. This easy allure of Villa Louis will keep me charmed and coming back for more.

Serendipity Strategies for Carriage Driving Obstacles

Accidental Sagacity for The Day

1. Know Your Course

2. Know Your Horse

3. Love Your Horse

That is oversimplification, I know, but it's true.

This photo of The Major General and I at the Harvest Moon Carriage Classic in Urbandale, IA, shows something important that I harp on about all the time. Carriage driving clients of mine will say, "Michelle! You are dropping your shoulder!"

Yes, slightly. And notice that Major is slightly dropping his shoulder to mirror me. It is incredibly hard to drive a cones course on a hillside in the gig without dropping your shoulder, but this is what happens. This is why we placed fourth or fifth or whatever.

Second thing I say that sounds like a broken record: Look where you are going so your horse knows where he's going. I know he has blinkers on, but they KNOW. See, Major knows where he's going, he's looking at exactly what I'm looking at. He mirrors me.

Mirroring is a topic that too few people are aware of in their relationship when training horses. It can elevate you from a competent horseman to a remarkable one. It takes a study of body awareness both of the person and the horse. It takes commitment to the process both physically, mentally and emotionally. I constantly work to achieve the level of brilliance that my horses attain. The mirror works both ways.

A photo is worth so many words...

Bob Nervig and Chevals Topp Mentor prepare for Villa Louis Carriage Classic

Not much time for blogging this week as preparations escalate for Villa Louis Carriage Classic. The Serendipity team will be leaving on Thursday to get Ace settled in and Bob and his lovely wife Kathy will arrive Friday for course walks, exhibitors meeting and the always superlative Cat Fish Fry. I love the food at Villa Louis as much as the show.

Saturday morning Bob and Ace have Turnout and then Cross Country. Reinsmanship is in the afternoon, followed by the Villa Louis Wine and Cheese Reception and then the Prime Rib Dinner. Honestly, we work very hard at this show, we deserve a little pampering. Sunday morning, bright and early Bob and Ace will see if all the cones course preparation has paid off, if Ace will trot, rack or canter through the course [heavy sigh] and then on to Working Pleasure and Gambler's Choice in the afternoon. Followed by the always lively awards ceremony with more yummy food.

Keep Bob and Ace in your thoughts and wish them well. They are a super pair and have worked double time in preparation for this special show.

A Kid and the Ultimate Carriage Driving Machine

There really is nothing like driving a finely tuned, super charged horse.

I hitched Pecos yesterday for a fun birthday lesson for one of my clients. She and Pecos have a chemistry that is awesome. She feeds off his power and speed. He senses her verve and fearlessness. Her mother and I often stand there regarding them with our hearts in our mouths, but they stick like glue, the Daring Duo. Did I mention this kiddo is 9?

So she and Don Pecos are careening around the cones course I set up to train Ace with earlier: complex angles, tight, tight turns. Her first attempt she clocks 1:13 with several cones down. I am telling her to, "Slow down! Slow DOWN! SLOW DOWN!" Her mother remarks with that should-I-be-concerned-tone, that it looked the gig was on one wheel some of the time. We discuss an alternate route through the cones, and I tell her to go a little more s-l-o-w-l-y so she can be precise. Her next time is 1:09, one penalty. Yep. Tweleve sets of cones over 40m x 80m. In sand.

Well, I had to see if this course really was that fast. If you read Wednesday's blog, you know how I feel about cones. I am not going to tell you what my time was. I am going to tell you that I am a very fine instructor. I am going to tell you I have very talented clients. Very talented, 9 year old clients. And a very fast, finely tuned, super charged bad boy prince charming, Don Pecos.

Have a serendipitous weekend!

Centered in Iowa

Accidental Sagacity For Today

Lucy and I had the opportunity to take a sublime stroll down a country road this morning while the gig tugs were repaired by a local harness man near Luther. This time of year everything is so lovely in the early morning light. We walked past a government project of prairie grass reserve that was just breath taking. The plumes were mauve, stems purple and bases golden green; set against a blue sky this was Nature Mama at her finest. The stems were almost above my head and I wondered how this scene would have moved me if I had the opportunity to see it before corn and soybeans were its neighbor.

Still, no offence to those crops, for along the road they were bordered and laced with hay ground, which I always consider to enhance their beauty. The majestic corn was beginning to golden, but the beans on this road were still vibrant verdant. A lazy breeze tickled the silver undersides of the beans and they seemed to spread their good humor to us. I remembered while living in London, Iowa would be the butt of many jokes, but this morning, the beans and I laughed together.

We turned down a steep hill, which had its own sign proclaiming "HILL", which always tickles me, too. Oh, you mean that incredibly steep drop and vertical undulation of the land. Hill. Good to know. This particular Hill was gorgeous. Sumac starting its vermilion phase [see Todd, I can use it too], stoic oaks holding fast to their Brewster green, Black-eyed Susans tumbling down the bank, Cowslip elegantly fanning in the breeze, it struck me how gently wild is my home state. At the bottom of the Hill, was a brook and a startled Blue Heron flew up right in front of us. Lucy the Brave hid behind me until she was sure the giant dinosaur Beagle eating bird was gone, gone, gone.

On the walk home, I thought about the kernels and seeds that we were passing and how they would end up all over the world and the products that they would become would impact everyone on this earth. Iowa gets a bad wrap a lot of the time, but this morning, it was the center of the universe for me. The only thing I may have enjoyed more would have been to add a fancy pair and a roof seat break.

From the Carriage Driving Archives

Harold Ault sent me this photo of Loula Long Combs and I just had to share it, along with a brief Bio of the grand dame of horse shows that speaks to why I think she is so brilliant.

Loula Long Combs' first sentence was, "Please buy me a pony," according to her father, R. A. Long. Breeding and training horses was Loula's life-long passion. She entered her first horse show in 1896 at a fair in Kansas City's Fairmount Park. For almost 65 years, her horses won blue ribbons in shows throughout this country, Canada and England. She won the most ribbons at Kansas City's American Royal where she made a yearly appearance well into her 80s. To audiences' delight, Loula always wore a spectacular hat as she drove her carriage around the show ring.

Training Special Horses at Serendipity

One of the many pleasures of training horses for the Serendipity curriculum is the moment when the horse reaches the stage where he believes he's a show horse. The weeks of conditioning take away the sound of his hooves, his step is a spring, his neck sculpts into a crest, he raises his eyelids and looks widely at you. He knows he is special.

Ace has got to that stage. His extension is still a little wobbly, but he is working his heart out on it. The transition from baby sitter to ballet dancer doesn't happen overnight, and it is a credit to his breeding and disposition that he has got so far, so fast.

The longer I know Ace, the more he reminds me of his dam, Whitmorr Topaz. He shares her love of carriage driving obstacle courses: fast, fast trot, downshift, spin, more fast trot, turn, turn turn, go, go, go, stop, fast, turn, faster, turn, fastest trot, yeah! Topaz gave me three impeccable horses-Ace, Major and Don Pecos. They can all spin the gig 360 degrees at a working trot without moving the inside wheel. They love it, too.

Perhaps they enjoy it because the whip is having a ball, you might tell me. Yes, I agree to a certain extent. However, the fact remains that I hate cones courses. I do not enjoy them. And yet I trained all the above horses, and more, who do love cones courses. Maybe it's Morgans. Maybe it's Topaz's offspring. Who knows really.

One thing is for sure, they know they're special. You can see it when they move.

The Sun Shines

Gypsy gold does not chink and glitter. It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark.

Saying of the Gladdagh Gypsies of Galway

Tuesday already! I've been dog sitting and haven't had access to the Internet, so, of course I'm behind on everything. However, a wire-less yesterday was so refreshing, spent all day working horses, in real life, no high speed connections, except with Ace who is really getting into cones with a little too much passion.

Villa Louis Carriage Classic is a couple of weeks away, and the signs are beginning to show. My new client is dreaming about courses and classes. Ace is slick and shiny, buff and beautiful. New dash, fenders and seat for the gig are finished and ready to be collected. It is very exciting and I look forward to the last show of the season with great anticipation.

It is also a time to get together with fellow competitors. In all my horsey experiences, carriage driving folk are the best. We share experiences, tips, sometimes harness or spares, stories and much camaraderie.

It also signals the end of summer, which is bittersweet. But this year as our soil rests, I will be busy working on several new and exciting projects. Watch this space for details!

More later in the week, must go work the 'show ponies' and savor the last days of summer. For you, I wish the same.