windurra: the unmounted sessions

The Windurra Camp curriculum was truly designed to be a 360* immersion into the performance ecosystem. Because as we all know, there’s more — FAR more — to success with horses than just what happens in the saddle. Arguably, a solid comprehensive system will get you sustainably farther than just talent or resources alone.

As performance coach Natalie Hummel said in her kickoff keynote session “Think Like A Champion,” Boyd’s system is set up so that it would literally take more work for him to stop, than it would to keep executing the plan to be World #1.

Natalie Hummel opened the camp with a group session on framing mindset

So she opened the camp with a talk intended to provide riders and participants with a framework to establish sustainably healthy mentality, accountability and intentionality. 

The material would be familiar to anybody who has listened to Natalie’s podcasts or RideIQ sessions, but essentially she focused on shortening emotional recovery time. Everybody makes mistakes, it’s inevitable — and the temptation to get stuck into the drama is hard to resist. But that drama, or the dwelling, is basically just wasteful consumption of what may be limited resources of energy, attention, stamina, etc.  

ah yes. all my red flags LOL

So she talked about the “Notice - Reset - Recover” process, comparing it to “how many strides does it take to bring your horse from an extended to collected gait (Editor’s note: this is a major recurring theme across the whole camp). Specifically, “Feel your feelings, then carry on” and stay in the moment.

Her C.H.A.M.P. framework is designed to help riders recognize and name the common pitfalls or emotional obstacles to improve awareness, recovery and resetting to: Composure, Humility, Alignment, Mastery, and Performance Standard. Scan the QR code below if you’re interested in more material.

scan the code if you’re interested in more material

For me, and actually for many session participants, that “Composure” element is a pretty big one… And not gonna lie, when I got back to the barn later that evening, I explained very carefully to Doozy** that “Composure” would be our vocabulary word of the day for… ever, probably LOL.

And another little mantra from Natalie: Taking feedback is not the same as dwelling or fixating. She suggested asking ourselves in a difficult moment, “WWBD” (what would Boyd do?), with the answer: “Win this Moment.” You can’t carry a mistake forward, you can’t ride yesterday’s round or yesterday’s horse, you can’t be stuck on the last jump when another is right in front of you. Whether we like it or not, our horses demand that we stay present in the moment with them.

(**Who was a hot fucking mess bc her fields did a normal rotation but she had ended up turned out alone in a new paddock for a couple hours in the changeover and was very very sad about it…)

 

Xander from Stübben led a deep dive session on bitting

Obviously readers won’t be surprised that the sports psychology session resonated with me, as that’s an area I’ve personally spent a LOT of time working on in myself over the last few years… But let’s keep moving through this 360* ecosystem, shifting gears to the Stübben session on a key piece of equipment in our sport: bits. 

Boyd tag-teamed this session with Stübben product designer and internationally recognized bitting specialist Xander Boere, with demonstrations conducted by a working student whose name I missed (sorry!) but who has started the FEI eventing levels with his thoroughbred gelding.

one of boyd’s working students did the bitting demo ride on a sensitive slightly insecure but lovely and very willing thoroughbred gelding. 

Boyd talked a lot about his own favorite bits, and especially the reality that while he may have literally hundreds in his collection, he probably uses the same three or four 95% of the time (regular snaffles, twisted snaffles for jumping, and a baby Pelham). Xander, meanwhile, emphasized that your bitting solution needs to support a good contact, and that without that contact and connection, you lose the body of the horse.

He advised riders to use bits they like the feeling of, that the horse also likes. Realistically some horses will just get offended at some bits or some points of pressure, so a little trial and error may be needed. 

A general guideline he offered was that a smoother reaction that takes longer to work is “better” than the alternative of a quicker reaction that’s less smooth, bc you can always keep finessing and refining the training from there. 

boyd, looking deep in thought lol

Key topics in the talk included reviewing cheek piece styles, mouth pieces, materials, and best practices for fit. For example, a loose ring bit wants a finger of space on either side of the mouth to avoid pinching, but an eggbutt can be much closer. 

The baby Pelham is one of Boyd’s favorites — especially for his working students who might be hacking or exercising his horses — bc its action helps bring the horse’s head down and back up without a lot of fussing or tinkering in the connection. Alternatively, the three ring can help with raising a horse’s head up, tho you may sacrifice some hollowness in the back. 

Most of Boyd’s horses will flat in their ‘normal’ bit 90% of the time, but there may be certain scenarios where it’s helpful to change it up. For example, after a show when the horse is feeling tight in his back, or before a show during ring familiarization — these are both examples of a time where you can move back and forth between bits to help the horse understand and achieve the beneficial posture with minimal fuss.

doozy is clearly so excited to put my takeaways to work as we keep chugging along in the rehab

Xander also highlighted a new plastic compound Stübben is using for their bits. It’s his feeling that rubber as a bit material is basically outdated technology — that rubber is actually too drying and too prone to wear and tear. The plastic, on the other hand, encourages a wetter mouth and is less likely to get chewed up. 

I actually ordered a baby Pelham in the plastic material (with the same mouthpiece as the kimberwick Boyd’s holding above) using the clinic discount, and will report back!

(Editor’s note: another major theme from the clinic — an ever-growing shopping list LOL)

head groom / operations manager / boyd’s-right-hand-man Steph’s personal horse was an extremely willing participant as demo horse in Dr Kevin Keane’s session

As with anything with horses, there really aren’t any hard and fast rules or requirements here — the horses haven’t read the textbooks and all our experiences will vary slightly. If you’re interested in getting more personalized feedback or even a fitting, it might be worth reaching out to either a rep or independent fitter in your area!

And same caveat with the next session, “When do you NEED the vet?” with Kevin Keane, DVM. He was crystal clear that these are really just informal guidelines and helpful highlights based on the experiences of the professionals leading these sessions. When in doubt (or in urgent need!) — turn to your trusted tribe.

Kevin’s an accomplished vet and also an accomplished eventer in his own right!

Apparently Boyd’s head groom* Steph suggested this topic to Kevin, so he put together a remarkably concise and clear list, and talked through each aspect — including why it matters to his practice.

The session started with a review of measuring Temperature / Pulse / Respiration (TPR), the relative normal ranges, and the circumstances where variance is totally ok and non-emergent. His main point was to encourage folks to be comfortable enough with these metrics to be ready able and willing to provide them in a call to the vet should a situation arise, so vets can triage their response. 

(*A wildly underwhelming title for the person who by all accounts is a major driver in overall program operations…)

great session on when do you NEED your vet

Then he went through his emergency list — specifically, the situations where he feels it’s appropriate for a vet to make an emergency visit to see the horse immediately, vs scheduling an appointment. The list is:

1 - Eye: pain, tearing, shut, discoloration. Especially if you live in a warmer climate like Florida, apparently the fungal pathology can get very bad, very fast.

2 - Uncontrolled bleeding. The blood vessels get larger higher up the leg, as does the scale of blood loss. He reminded the audience that in emergencies, you want to do what it takes to save the horse first — and worry about complications later. Example: use the tourniquets or vet wrap around delicate structures etc. if that’s what it takes to save the horse

3 - Lacerations need stitches if the skin edges are separated. K.I.S.S.

#justwindurrathings

4 - Colic: painful abdomen. Again, he reminded the audience that there are a LOT of other organs in the abdomen beyond just the guts, and that uncontrolled pain can be a big deal. You’ll want to be able to tell the vet your horse’s TPR (prior to administering banamine or any other drugs!)

5 - Choke: food material coming out of nostrils. Horses that are choking for a long time are at increased risk of dehydration, compounding the emergency. Soaking food is a good way to reduce risk.

6 - Lameness: affecting horse’s mobility. The distinction between an emergency call and scheduling an appointment can be fuzzier here, but is basically related to whether the horse can actually get around or not - esp to get to the water bucket. When in doubt, make the call.

7 - Neurological status change. Biggest issue here is safety to the humans and other horses who may be in the same space as an ataxic horse.

the conditioning pond: shallow water, peacefully ensconced within some shrubbery, best enjoyed as a quiet group activity

It’s probably a safe bet that if you pinned Kevin down to keep meditating on this question for another couple of hours, days or weeks, the list might get a little longer… Or maybe there’s something you would add to or clarify about that list, based on your own experiences??  Honestly, tho, I appreciated the simplicity and focus on the most common situations. 

Ultimately, his most emphatic advice to the audience was to develop a good relationship with your team — your vets, farriers, trainers, etc., so that if the unthinkable happens, you’ve got the resources you need.

i would like to please special order an exact copy of this round pen for doozy LOL

Whew, ok, are you still with me? I know this is a lot of information packed into a single post, but hang in there — we are shifting to the last topic addressed in the various unmounted sessions, which you may have guessed based on the last few pictures: Conditioning!

I saved this for last because I’m honestly most interested in adapting or modifying to fit my situation, vs trying to replicate a 5* fitness program for Doozy. Thanks but, uh, no thanks!

doozy’s first time in our home round pen — complete with chicken coops LOL

The horses at Windurra spent a LOT of time conditioning — the vast majority of their ridden time falls more into this category than “proper schooling.” A typical session for a horse could include hacking out with a working student for 20min before being delivered to Boyd for a dedicated ~20min schooling ride, flat or jumping, then picked up by another working student for a second cool down hack.

Very rarely would a horse go straight from the arena back to the stall — they’ll at least walk the drive way or do a loop around the fields. Something. Variety in location, footing, terrain — it’s all part of the program.

For more intentional conditioning hacks — let’s say an hour of walk/trot out in the woods and fields — the horses trot on the flat and uphill sections, walk on downhill. Boyd said he’s not too insistent on frame through this work, only that the horse isn’t upside down or inverted. He wants the back to be soft, but the work is more about the heart and lungs vs muscles.

“what the fuck with that rooster tho” — doozy, being tall but composed

Peter Wylde offered some perspectives on connecting the conditioning to the schooling in his various sessions (more on all that in a later post!). He said he’s fond of free lunging a horse (if you have a safe secure space like a round pen) for ~5min each direction in loose relatively passive side reins — either connected to the side or just down to the girth. Then remove the side reins and do another few minutes each way. 

He also likes integrating more passive conditioning style work into his warm ups — including getting up off the horse’s back and letting them go 3-4 times around the ring. Not running or chasing, just a low frame, free back, sending the horse forward but letting him take a deep breath. This is apparently an approach Michael Jung uses even in his dressage warm ups.

and then off on a semi-serene hack! better than fully-feral, amirite?

Steph Simpson added some additional nuance to those thoughts in what turned out to be a 1:1 discussion on conditioning on the last day when a lot was going on and I was the only one who showed up LOL. It was super cool tho bc we really got into the weeds on my own special critter, Ms Mondeuse. 

And, well. Basically, Steph said her impression of my description of where we are with the rehab (on one hand progressing slower bc we don’t have a ton of control; on the other hand introducing more complicated flatwork sooner for… the same reason LOL) was that it sounds like a “Hostage Situation,” except she’s not sure which of us is the hostage. Oh. My. God.. haha…hahaha??

doozy maybe you’ll be grown up one day

She talked about the slow canter / galloping program they use to leg up the horses in the winter, and wondered if a similar structure (in concept if not in intensity) might suit Doozy? 

Basically, all along I’ve had this idea that Doozy doesn’t need to be fit. I don’t WANT her to be fit. Thanks, but dear god no thanks… Except, that approach might be missing a key concept that was another major recurring theme throughout the whole camp: You have to find ways to let the horse succeed, let them do what they’re good at, find salvation in the forward. 

And guys… Well. Doozy is good at running lol. It’s like her lungs are in her feet, she never really takes a breath until we’re settling in at canter. There’s a reason cross country is our easiest phase, ya know?

So Steph suggested adapting their slow canter (aka quasi gallop) program into my work — as appropriate with the rehab schedule — starting with 2-3 minutes of continuous canter in week 1, sticking with it long enough to get over the “hump” of what might an explosive start lol. Then for the next couple weeks, adding in a second 2-3 minute interval. Then increasing again to a third interval for another few weeks, etc. Eventually their horses get up to 5 intervals of a mile each, tho obvi that’s not my goal. 

Rather, Doozy’s goal would be to integrate this type of work into our system to 1) alleviate the hostage crisis; and 2) create a more productive connection for practicing the “forward and back” that will be a major theme in the Dressage and Show Jumping posts.

We’ll see lol — does any of that conditioning work align with your program? Or any thoughts / ideas / comments from the other sessions on sports psychology, bitting, or vet work? Or maybe you’re just waiting for me to get on with the good stuff — the ridden sessions?? lol…