That gif is missing the best part. The turn about on Elmer Fudd.
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Yes! I remember now! This was probably the only time I have been on LKās side about anything because I had some very serious issues with the same vet, who was eventually run out of the state.
The story was the horse colicked and the vet was called out. LK couldnāt be reached and the horse was treated. Later the same day as I recall the horse became worse and the vet came back out. LK still had not returned anyoneās messages. Most vets here need an ownerās approval to send a horse to NC State or UVA, or a signed document giving the barn owner authorization to use during emergencies. Once LK finally responded it was basically too late and the horse was put down at NC State as I recall.
Word to the wise, always leave written, documented, signed authorization for emergency treatment if you are unavailable. ALWAYS!
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I once rode with such a phenomenal person. Pam was part of my dressage group and rode in the same early Sunday morning lessons with me. I remember she had 3 young kids all under 5 or 6ā¦ and early Sunday mornings were the only time her husband could watch them for her - or something like that.
We had to be warmed up and ready to go at 8:00ā¦ brutal for those who may have been out clubbing the night before and maybe never got to bed and maybe had time to grab a quick breakfast and dash home and change before getting to the barn for 7:00 on a -20 winter morning. # COUGH 
It was part of the arrangement that we would tack Pamās horse up for her - so she just had to show up and ride. We had no issues with that - anything to help. She was grateful and said that those Sunday morning āhorse timesā were relaxing for herā¦
We rode lesson horses and private horses the trainer had access to then. I was blessed (or not depending on the day 
) to have a huge chestnut H/J mare who āneeded flatworkā and completely lost her sh*t if she thought you were pointing her at a jumpā¦ but Crimson and I got along well. Pam was assigned a few different horsesā¦ but whoever she swung a leg over - they became an instant Grand Prix horse. I kid you not. Round, collected, following through, fluid, happyā¦ the stiffest lesson horse or the rankest greenieā¦ all fell immediately under her spell - and she was completely unaware of how magical she was.
Everything that the rest of us worked hard to achieve - just flowed through her into whatever horse and left us dazzled and amazed. I was untacking her horse one morning as she thanked us and left - and that quirky, usually hot gelding actually called and murmured to her as he watched her leaveā¦ the same sound a mare coos when she sees her newborn foal for the first time. Astounding. 
Crimson glared at me and said I had better not be thinking that she would do anything so foolish and sappy about me - and I had better remember that she was the Ginger Goddess and treat her accordingly with all due deference.
Maybe in my next life I can be like Pam. Please?
The sad part of the story is that one Sunday she simply did not show up (not like her) and we never heard from her again. Concerned calls were never answered. The trainer even went by her house and left a letter in the mailbox - but nothing.
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We are still trying to equitate? 
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I had a neighbor like that. She was amazing but she just walked away
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I think she is scared to ride, but itās such a status symbol to own horses, soā¦ā¦
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If thatās the case, it can be just as much of a status symbol to own a horse and have somebody else show it. Especially if it wins that way.
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Iām not sure her ego could take that!
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She has always had an issue being in forward position from her hunt seat background.
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I didnāt say hunt seat was bad, just different.
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I come from hunt seat and have a problem with what to do in the seat. Albeit decades ago, my instinct was to āride lightly in the saddleā and have a light seat. We kept our seat out of the saddle and touched down lightly. The hip and seat were stiff. I still have not mastered the dressage seat communique with the horse. It results in a hard, stiff seat in the saddle, and keeps me at training first level. I recognize that in Lauren. If she placed in levels above first, it was because of the horse, not her ability to ride it.
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Great personal perspective! I think this is why so many western riders do well in dressage because they are used to riding deep seat, light hands and good leg aids.
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I put this in my boarding contract and make sure the signer knows itās in there.
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My dear Kate, you DO know the cure for that, right? (No irons for the rest of your natural life.)
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Are you kidding, my new instructor (western) fixed this for me in 1 lesson.
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I interpreted the comment about hunt seat = stiff to have more to do with how the riders are often taught to āposeā over their horses when jumping. Also, because they are in half-seat so much of the time, with short stirrups, they donāt learn to develop a deep following seat, and sometimes look more like they are āperchingā on their horses. And when you put them in a deeper saddle than they are used to, with stirrups much longer than they are used to, they often tend to brace a bit (āgo stiffā) just trying to keep their stirrups. Some even āgo stiffā when they feel the motion of the horseās back under their bums - itās not a sensation they are super familiar with because they donāt sit down during their rides like dressage riders do.
And yes, I know the better hunter riders can get all this sorted out fairly quickly, but for the less experienced or less gifted folks that have done hunt seat their entire riding life and are just now switching to dressage, the change in position/posture/feeling, etc., can be a bit weird (or even intimidating as one of my hunter friends has described it).
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Oh I can ride with out irons. My trai er had us on these push button ponies no stirrups, arms like airplanes, around a figure eight three foot course for half an hour. It did nothing for a soft seat. I developed a very hard stiff seat.
But today, you are right. In a dressage saddle, relaxed legs, no stirrups, Sitting soft and moving with the horse would be ideal.
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Yes, I was kidding.
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Yep. Thatās it. Much different than a gymnastic in 2 point with no stirrups.
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In dressage while
it certainly can help to have a well trained horse. However if your horse is trained to level higher than what you are at without a lot of hard work and help, either you will not be able to get the horse to do anything or you will very quickly bring him down to your level. Maybe there are exceptions, and some that may tolerate poor riding more than others but without some work on the riderās part(a lot for me) having a well trained horse doesnāt mean you can just sit up there and the horse goes around winning ribbons for you!
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