a lesson for charlie

This weekend's ice storm nearly derailed our highly anticipated first dressage clinic. The storm was more intense and lasted longer than anybody expected. And try as I might, rationalizing hauling out on Saturday morning or afternoon was just too foolhardy.

Luckily my lesson could be shifted to Sunday. So off we went! Let's discuss the details, shall we?

Clinic Takeaways:
1.      Change Charlie's bit to a big fat eggbutt snaffle.
2.      Keep my elbows bent and my hands held higher. Except for those other times.
3.      Charlie is uneducated about contact.
4.      Charlie is still too green for clinics.

  

Lest you think that's a rather slim collection of takeaways, let's unpack it a little bit (in descending order):

4. Charlie is still too green for clinics.

Big bay boy was a saint. The clinician legitimately asked if I had given the horse something. Bc. Guys. Charlie is quiet. It's an asset.

He came off the trailer sweaty in his one special spot (so weird lol) but set to grazing immediately. Whinnied at the horses in turnout.... but still stood nicely tied at the trailer while I saddled him up in the rain.

  

Charlie walked around the new-to-him indoor like the most solid of citizens for 25-30 minutes while we waited to start (I was early and the clinic was behind). He didn't care at all about the traffic or horses going every which way (including one who cantered up Charlie's butt repeatedly).

And upon beginning the lesson, Charlie was basically the same as he always is. Steering was a little worse, sure. But emotionally, big guy was accepting of the fate that had befallen him.

  

So. To the point: When I say he's too green, I do NOT mean that he couldn't handle the format or the travel or the pressure or the atmosphere or whatever you might associate with clinics. On that note, he was a star and I'm quite pleased with him.

Rather. He's too green in that he's just plain not broke enough, not trained enough. There are so many things that need work, and he's so inconsistent (even from moment to moment) that a clinician might reasonably struggle with directing our ride. Everything needs work, and it feels like you can't focus on one thing without breaking or undoing something else.

dis how we trot

Looking back at my cardinal rules for defining the successful clinic experience, chief among them is that the lesson must mesh well with my existing regular training program.

I already know that Stephen's philosophies match dressage trainer C's, and that his lessons complement hers nicely. But perhaps it's inevitable that when handed such an unshaped, raw lump of clay as Charlie, the two might diverge in approaches for first forming it.

And so. This lesson prioritized things differently than our lessons with C. We didn't go in a bad direction, or a wrong direction. It was just different. Bc let's be real. It all needs work haha.

earth to charlie!

But... we need consistency at this point in our training (both of us)... So until the horse is a little less green, and a little more educated about how to be a riding horse, we should probably stay the course with our regular program. #nowiknow


3 - 2 - 1. Charlie is uneducated about contact.

The other three takeaways can all kinda be lumped into this one duh statement. Charlie is uneducated about contact. Go figure, he last raced just over four months ago and has only had amateur me riding him ever since.

use your words, charlie

This would be our focus for the lesson. Stephen had us trotting on a circle to start out, with the occasional walk transition thrown in (predictably shitty bc Charlie's downward transitions are... uh... slow to develop haha).

Upon identifying Charlie's lack of understanding or acceptance of the bit as anything other than a chunk of metal in his mouth, Stephen began on what would be our full lesson: educating Charlie on what contact means.

This started with us standing while Stephen held the reins, asking Charlie to give. Progressed to us on a circle trying to find that same give to the contact. Regressed to us walking on a circle with Stephen walking along beside us holding the reins. Continued to us trotting on a circle while Stephen jogged along while holding the reins.

lead line lesson ftw

Intermittently he would let go and Charlie's head would ping! straight up again, despite his directions to keep carrying the contact forward. Idk. It was hard. The physics seemed all wrong: with Stephen below us holding the reins, his contact was at an angle I can't realistically achieve from the saddle. When he would let go for me to carry forward, suddenly my reins would be much too long after accounting for the slack he took.... And my 'feel' wasn't very in tune either bc I wasn't the one doing the work.

In some ways it was very cool bc I could really feel the changes in how Charlie carried himself and there were some really nice moments of trot in there.

pony is trying hard tho
(notice angle of inside rein)

In other ways tho... idk. It was kinda awkward as fuck to be trotted around on a circle with the clinician jogging alongside doing half the riding from the ground. Part of me wondered why he hadn't just asked to ride the horse himself.

Also, idk if it was the focus on the contact or the fact that there was a human at Charlie's shoulder dictating the pace... but we basically lost all forward. I was kicking the horse, and he just... kinda wouldn't go. And with Stephen's back to me, I didn't get much input on improving my ride.

  

Time ran out while we were still in this phase of being jogged on a circle with Stephen letting go intermittently.

So. Idk. Hopefully Charlie learned something haha.

hot + emotional: a lesson with Stephen Birchall!

I rode in yet another dressage clinic with my most favoritest clinician, Stephen Birchall! When I found out he would be back at Austen's barn I immediately asked to be penciled in on the schedule. Um. Even tho I didn't exactly have a horse to ride.

But!! There are truly generous people in the world, and a lovely mare was made available for my use. Plus this mare has had lessons with Stephen before, so neither of us individually were strangers to him - just to each other. Meaning.... this clinic recap may be a slight departure.

"I HAVE FEELINGS SO MANY OF THEM ALL OF THEM ALL AT ONCE OMG" - Shen, probably

There was only one catch: Shen is very hot. And very sensitive. And basically has zero confidence. Literally every single aspect of this lesson was about giving her confidence first and foremost, and improving her way of going as a secondary purpose.

equine therapy session starts now

A very VERY distant third was improving *my* way of going.... which. Well. Is a disappointment in some ways. And is also VERY apparent in the video and all of these pictures (major shout out and thank you to Liz for capturing so many wonderful moments!!!!!).

Part of why I'm interested in riding different horses in dressage lessons lately is to learn to be a better dressage rider. Perhaps in some ways this lesson did in fact add to my education in that department... but idk. There are some pretty serious positional and balance flaws going on (like the fact that I still sit on the outside of the horse despite making such a huge deal out of it in the Grant Schneidman clinic this past spring...).

"OMG NO I CANT DO THIS THING"

I'm going to go right on ahead and forgive myself for those flaws and errors in my riding for now tho. While I may be 100% confident that a more correct seat or position could have further helped Shen, I'm also 100% confident that we more or less made it work together.

"good girl Shen!" - emma
"OMG NO I DONT THINK SO ARE YOU SURE" - Shen, probably

Shen basically can't walk on a loose rein at present. She needs a certain degree of contact and support (her owner described it as a "thunder coat" haha), from both the reins and legs. But like. Don't put your heel on her. No.

No seriously tho, Emma. Stop that right now.

Ahem.

She is very sensitive. A shift in my weight, a jiggle with my legs, just about anything could set her off. Really tho, when I say "set her off" what I mean is: a sudden rigid full body tenseness and quickening of the step that feels like a bolt but doesn't actually go anywhere or turn into anything. It's just all so tight omg.

"I DON'T KNOW OMG HOW WHYYY"

So it's really easy to feel like you have to grab at that and stop it. Except guys this horse really isn't going anywhere. That's maybe the biggest sole problem here. The horse just doesn't have a lot of trust or confidence to actually go forward. But she feels so stuck and tense and electric that a rider could easily be tempted into trying to shut her down even more.

"OMG NO DEFINITELY CAN NOT DO THIS THING"

We started off in trot fairly soon bc the walk was jiggy and tense so might as well just start moving out(ish). Shen right away puts herself in a frame with very little effort, but it's very false. And there's almost no energy coming from behind, even tho in reality she has nice gaits. It's just lost in the tension right now.

"OK MAYBE I CAN" 

It was seriously hard for me to not try to push her out for more tho haha. Like, I kissed at her once. ONCE. Because that was a goddamn mistake haha. Basically any leg was too much leg. The aid to trot was a brief fleeting thought about trotting, and maybe a gentle slide with the seat bones. But NO LEG.

"ARE YOU THERE OUTSIDE REIN? IT'S ME, SHEN"

I got a lot of practice at this too since once we were fairly reliably trotting, we moved on to trot-walk-trot transitions. Eventually followed by trot-halt-trot (intermingled with trot-halt-walk-trot) transitions. The biggest important detail in all of this was to find the moments where I could release.

listening ears. listening way too damn hard haha

Could I release in the downwards? Could I release the inside rein for three beats? Both reins for three beats? The outside rein very much felt like a security blanket for Shen - but over time she started softening more and more in the releases.

"OK THIS THING I AM DOING THIS THING IT IS OK"

Stephen also had me work on spiraling her in towards him and leg yielding back out again. This had multiple advantages - it helped soften her more, but also gave her the opportunity to do a thing nicely (bc she's legitimately a nice horse to ride) and get praised for it.

And yea, the praise train pretty much chugged around constantly in this lesson. LOTS of verbal encouragement and reassurances happening with every step lol.

"EVEN THROUGH TRAFFIC BUT DAMN I WISH THESE ASSHOLES WOULD GO SOMEWHERE ELSE"

Eventually we got to a place where the trot was pretty darn reliable, as were the walk breaks in between. Going into canter was kinda tough bc I really struggled figuring out this horse's aid (she did in fact actually take leg for the canter aid, but it was still a balancing act for me). And of course it was also really hard to not immediately pull back in those first rushy bolty feeling steps.

We had a number of false starts in both directions (just speeding up into running racing trot) before figuring out how to strike off nicely into canter. It was fine tho. When we'd miss the depart, we would just ease back into reestablishing our trot - nbd, pony, it's ok! - and try again.

"OK YES THIS IS A THING I CAN DO"

And guys - that was maybe actually the coolest thing about this horse. That TRY. She was sensitive and unsure of herself and very lacking in confidence about what we were doing and why, but damn if she seriously NEVER quit trying. And listening.

So after those couple missed departs when we corrected by going back to nice trot (instead of say, just running into canter), she figured out the strike off based on my (likely shoddy) aids and away we went cantering.

now that's a better trot girlfriend!

For... maybe a couple strides at a time before she'd lose the balance and break. But that was fine too. Just back to trot (and perhaps not coincidentally, this was the portion of the ride where her trot was the absolute best - she would really settle into a much more swinging trot like she finally could move forward) and then try again.

life is tough for those red mares

We finished by getting a couple laps of our little circle at canter where she didn't really rush or invert at all - just kept pushing and trying - then let her be done and showered with praise. Upon realizing that she then happily put herself into a stretching free walk on the buckle, I opted to hop off pretty soon after to let her finish on that note lest the walk tighten back up again.

she really has a sweet face

So it might not have been some big breakthrough fancy pants dressage lesson for me. I didn't learn any new movements, nor did I walk away sitting like a grand prix rider (in fact, some areas perhaps regressed... le sigh).

But it still felt like a real win. I learned a lot about giving a sympathetic ride. And about being accountable for my lower legs, and shifting weight. And I tend to think Shen and I were able to build some very real trust by the end of that ride.

getting everything from her

These photos (from Liz at In Omnia Paratus!!! THANK YOU LIZ!!!!) have been edited and ready to publish for... oh basically since the day after our clinic with Stephen Birchall last month.

i like to talk at great length about our goings on. stephen listens patiently. isabel is less interested haha

The write up has taken longer to write bc.... eh. The words aren't really coming. I made the foolish mistake of not noting everything down right away. And then two really unpleasant schools later and I haven't even put a bit on the horse since. We have been exclusively trail riding.

hands-on teaching is effective teaching

So it rang somewhat dishonest in my head to sit down and write this gushing dressage clinic post when our rides since have been anything but. And thus, the post never got written.

Austen calls this one the "Puppet Master"

But just bc I'm bitter about my own riding shouldn't change the outcome of this clinic tho. This clinic was INCREDIBLE. I basically want to kidnap Stephen and learn every last little morsel of wisdom he has to teach.

mare worked so well

Fundamentally, we just worked on just improving the connection and improving the gaits. Compress to ride forward.

ears always listening

It was so interesting during the ride to feel how at the beginning, we had to compress so so so much before riding more forward. And that later in the ride, the same squeeze with my hand would much more instantly produce the same quickness and activity in the hind end - the same increased engagement - without needing to think as much about being 'on the spot.'

also isn't this arena so pretty?

Tho I also think that's a little bit where the lesson fell apart while schooling on my own. See, Isabel is a very quick study and figured out that after I asked for compression, I would ask for forward. So she anticipated the forward. And the compression became more braced and jiggy.

sunshine through the tail!

But during the ride, it was like magic. We suddenly had so many gears in the trot - this highly active almost-half-steps trot where the horse was so coiled up and into my hand could transform immediately into the fanciest of mediums.

we had a lot of fun motoring around

I'm not even trying to brag - Isabel was just on fire and working so well. Not without questions, and not blindly going where I told her to go, but getting it done when I managed to get myself (mostly) correct.

pretty at the canter (!) and walk

After playing so much with compress then forward, Stephen had us halting from a more working trot, then reining back, then trotting on again. Repeatedly. At first Isabel wasn't super fond of this game, and each step elicited some, er, feedback.

not to say that there wasn't any resistance tho - something i need to remember

But actually as we kept practicing, it got better. And Stephen deployed a tactic I wouldn't have thought of. In fact, I likely would have avoided it all together had I thought deeply about it. He asked for the halt and rein back in the same places every time.

bc izzy WILL have opinions (often very fair opinions lol)

My thoughts would have been to avoid associating any one place with a halt, given Isabel's history of gate sourness. But actually I see the value. She learned the locations, and figured out what I was asking more quickly. Then began to respond more correctly, after which point the same request in a different place was met with a nicer effort.

it's a conversation tho

Canter was a whole different ball game. In the best of ways. We got hands-down our best canter work EVER in this lesson. It felt incredible. Started off a little rough bc Stephen wanted me cantering from a walk. Something I get, ehhhhhh, a little panicky about. Not sure why. (And neither is Pig or Rico, for that matter - but they are just as unappreciative of it as Isabel).

and usually we can come to an agreement

So I would be big and dramatic into my canter aid bc omg canter from walk, guys. But then Stephen would have us come right back down again bc running is bad, and would tell me to thump her with my outside leg as a reminder (or use the whip if she raced off in trot), then ask again.

good mare

And whadya know, eventually she departed in the nicest of fashions into canter from walk. And we even got at least one semi-fantastic canter-trot downward transition too. It felt GREAT.

pretty awesome video clip here. you can get a very 

true sense for how Stephen teaches by listening

And it also felt so simple. I like to complicate things - make them bigger or more complex than they need to be. When, really, it's just a canter depart. It's not a big deal. But I ride it like maybe we might die or something if we don't make it happen.

Idk. I (half-heartedly) blame hunter hack classes for this lol. Like, "Omg omg the judge is probably gonna call for canter soon, better get ready, get ready NOW, omg THERE SHE SAID IT CANTER NOW FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST!"

lots of pets

But this lesson proved that it's probably not as big of a deal as I like to make it. The horse is such a fast learner. I just need to keep up.

Oh, and Rico also just reaffirmed that so many of my canter issues are ME, and not Isabel. So those terrible no good made me wanna cry rides we had after this clinic were... ya know. Probably rider error. Le sigh. We'll see. Maybe I'll try again soon.

Birchall clinic recap: validation (and half steps!!!)

Yesterday you saw the outtakes and random candids from our lesson with dressage rider Stephen Birchall. Today is a rundown of what we covered and what I am taking away from the clinic.

Ohh how I wish for more video - I'm totally regretting not bringing my helmet camera to set up on a ledge, as that proved perfect for Sunday's fix-a-test (post tomorrow). Oh well. Next time I'll be better prepared!

regal mare <3

In any case, it was the most intense 30min in the saddle in recent memory. In a good way. Stephen quickly got an accurate read on Isabel and took us down a challenging but appropriate path. Essentially, he validated the work we've been doing with trainer C - particularly liking how our contact has developed from riding back to front.

He liked that I didn't get noisy or fussy when Isabel bounced around a little bit (matching trainer C - who says "it doesn't matter, keep riding her where you want her to be"), and that our typical frame has Isabel's nose poked slightly ahead of the vertical. C says this is harder for Isabel than ducking behind the bit (obvi I concur), and Stephen added that it's critical to "ride the horse's conformation" (something he repeated to multiple riders).

isabel's confo can sometimes make for a unique ride  <3

Stephen was also pleased with my efforts to improve my seat and leg position. Little did he know: he was my inspiration. Recall when I audited back in November, it struck me how he began each ride with his leg explicitly OFF the horse. He said "Leg is Sacred" and that his leg says absolutely nothing to the horse unless he MEANS it.

I've been chewing on that idea ever since, and lately have been practicing the leg lifts in the saddle that Catherine Haddad discusses in this video (someone in blogland originally posted that but now I can't remember who!).

Specifically, I start each ride lifting my entire leg, hip to heel, from the saddle. Focusing on feeling my seat connect with Isabel's back - while still pushing my big toe into the stirrup iron.

Stephen liked this a lot, and took it further by adding that the heels must always be down. He said he constantly rides off his core, seat and stirrup irons - and *not* by pinching with thigh, knee or calf. The leg should be able to come off. This feeling really helps me - esp now that I'm learning to keep my seat in the saddle (rather than popping out) while pushing into the stirrup.

lighting made for neat silhouette effects

Ok. Omg. So much blabbing and we haven't even gotten to the good stuff. Kinda sorry.. kinda. Anyway, after introducing myself and the mare ("we're both new to first level dressage, but Isabel takes to the work very well and has been an excellent horse to learn with"), we opted to let Stephen choose our direction for the day rather than schooling any specific tests or movements.

So what did he choose? Half steps (omg). Starting, of course, with sitting trot (without me even needing to tell him we are a train wreck in that department haha).

Obvi, tho, first we started with some basic trotting in both directions, complete with changes of direction to assess our contact etc. Directions of note included:

• Shorten reins one at a time (a la Austen's recent post on the topic)
• Don't let inside hand get too low - stay aware, esp with holding the whip
• Soften elbows, esp outside - must allow that softness in the outside rein to get flexion to inside
• Shoulder fore on a circle
• Counter flexion (think travers, or was it renvers?)
• Then back and forth between inside bend, going straight (on a circle), and counter flexion

#werkin

Then we started sitting trot, just a couple strides at a time. 

• OMG I was a hot mess - having stopped practicing as much, since we wouldn't be sitting in the upcoming show.. womp
• Don't let the connection go just bc I'm sitting the trot
• Sit a few strides, post a few strides, sit, post, rinse, repeat
• Don't look down!! 

mare fit right in with all the fancy dressage horses

As might be expected, the sitting grew a little easier with repetition (and with C's many directives zooming rapid fire through my mind). But before I had a chance to think about it, Stephen shifted directly into working towards half steps (omg). All while ridden sitting: 

• He wanted NO LEG, half halts with core and reins, and simultaneous tap with whip 
• I was to take my time, no rushing. Think "halt" but.. ya know.. don't halt
• Carry whip in outside hand (haunches fishtailed in too much with whip in inside hand)
• Must be careful not to clench inside hand when moving outside hand to tap with whip
• Tap with whip tells her to quicken her hind end and push up into bridle - NOT go faster
• Must be patient and kind with aids to help Isabel understand what I'm asking
• Encourage her to stay ACTIVE while bringing the movement more onto the spot with the reins
• Rein aids need to mean a quickening of the step
• Then allow forward again. Then back to half steps. Then forward. Rinse repeat.
• This is the beginning of piaffe - becoming more and more 'on the spot'

not half steps... still cute tho!

Omg. Guys. This was incredible. It was HARD, yes, and Isabel grew a little frustrated at one point - but let it go and kept working, kept trying. She was SO ROUND. I finally know what you all are talking about when you say the horse "gives you a place to sit." Stephen said 'when you have the hind legs, you have a place to sit.'

Anyways, next:

• Depart into canter from that small trot. No running tho! 
• Transitions were difficult and sticky (definitely harder for mareface!) - so I needed to truly commit to the canter.
• If Izzy tried running, we were to bring back to collection then bump with outside leg (as a correction, not as a signal to depart again). 
• Half halt immediately upon cantering.
• Canter needs more inside bend (shocker - esp since we did all this work to the left, our notoriously harder direction)

Then back to trot:

• Working trot on a circle, then into medium trot, then back to working trot
• Back and forth, back and forth (a theme, and our homework)
• The resulting working trot was THE working trot we want

isabel is so game

Our homework is to play with the forwards and back like this, play with the trot. Push for more. Stephen asks, what's the risk? What's the harm? What the hell, just go for it!

Personally, I'm a little less sure haha. Honestly, the biggest reason I'm bummed about the lack of video is bc the way Stephen directed us through the movements - his voice, his timing, his choice of words - was SUPER effective for me and helped me ride Isabel to the best of my abilities. Without which we wouldn't have gotten as good results. 

So I'm not entirely sure I trust myself to try on my own (unless I can somehow procure a recording of Stephen's voice? LOL) bc I can definitely see how battle might ensue if I somehow end up riding the mare unfairly. We'll see. I'll probably try a more watered-down version.

But generally - the canter and half steps work was incredible. I really felt like I "had a place to sit" in both gaits. 

stephen demonstrating a stretch through the back and legs

It was interesting tho - later in the day Stephen, after discussing how to best manage a different horse, referred back to Isabel, saying: "She's stoic, she's not going to pitch a fit or explode if she's uncomfortable. You'll only ever know it after the fact by discovering she is back sore." 

UM YES, DING DING DING. That is exactly Isabel, and our exact struggle over the years with her. She doesn't tell me much under the saddle, but carries it all through her back. Stephen's advice was to "manage her care accordingly." We're trying dude, I promise. 

Tho I'm also very pleased to report that while Isabel was fatigued for our fix-a-test the next day and not super eager to take weight onto her hind end, she was *not* ouchy to the touch. The muscles and strength, folks, they're developing!

Phew. Lots of little nitty gritty details, and maybe hard to envision without supportive video/media evidence. You'll just have to take my word for it tho: Isabel was super game and worked her butt off (quite literally). I think the reason this mare has so much dressage potential (aside from just being a cute mover) is her ability to handle pressure. Ask her to do a thing, and damn if she doesn't try.

All in all, it was a really positive experience. Stephen's teaching style worked for me, and his philosophies meshed with my regular training program. Riding with him was worth the expense of a 30min lesson (and 3hr round trip), and I will absolutely try to do so again when he's in town.

audit all the clinics!!! (while Pig feels feelings lol)

So one of my birthday treats was skipping on down to Austen's barn to catch Stephen Birchall teach a few lessons. This is the same clinician that Austen rode with a little while back (click that link for more excellent gifs haha), and he was also here the last time I visited the barn.

i like a clinician who is comfortable lecturing

I really enjoyed watching him teach - and got to observe three lessons (on three very different horses) to see which tactics stayed the same and which changed horse by horse.

also huskies. even if they eat mice, Lyra. 

In particular, the second horse reminded me a little bit of Isabel. Namely, the horse had plenty of GO, but simultaneously got a little stuck behind the leg and btv. So not a true connection.

included purely for entertainment value

Takeaways of interest included:

• Leg is sacred. When Stephen first got on the horse (he started out in the saddle for two of the three lessons before passing the horse back to the rider. and for the third, he schooled the horse for the full session), he was very explicit that his legs stayed OFF the horse. No nagging, no constant nudging. No nothing. But when he *did* do something, he wanted a reaction. It had to mean something. 
• "When I close my leg he has to go forward and take my hand, NOT go faster." Yeeaahh. I need more of this in my life haha. 

the horse went like isabel... but did not look like her at all haha

He also focused extensively on keeping the horse even between both reins, and employed a tactic of "rattling" the reins. The riders I saw seemed to be a bit too slow with the movement, but when he did it himself it almost resembled (quickly) turning a door knob with his hand/wrist. 

pictured: dis how you sit the canter

 He also lectured a bit on the 'elusive connection' - how to find it? The answer: Patience.

Womp womp, no magic bullet.

this horse was SUPER adorable

Another tactic that isn't particularly original (but is right in line with how I need to ride) is to keep focusing on asking for softness by opening and closing the rein - like a vibration - and then be QUIET. And after asking for the horse to soften, you close your leg to push them into the hand.

Like I said - not exactly earth shattering, but just steady consistent patient training, every step of the way.

husky balls!!

One thing that really stuck out to me was that no matter the rider, no matter the horse, the focus was always on improving the gaits and connection. Stephen played around with some movements like half pass and changes while he was schooling the third horse, but generally while teaching it was all about quality quality quality. Inneresting. 

Pig!!

 Then I got to stick around a little while longer to see Pig go through his paces with Austen.

'three tracks = no problem' - Pig

Such a pleasant pair to watch - tho Pig's hotness was very apparent after watching all the big lumbering warmbloods lol. This guy's got ZIP!

pictured: Pig feeling feelings

Then off for phase two of birthday celebrating - beers and fried mac and cheese and beers!!! (Tho not before I saw my life flashing before my eyes when Pig spooked at something - mouse farts? - and spun in my general direction. Not particularly close to me... but plenty close enough to set my crippled nerves ablaze and slam down my broken limb... womp womp). 

I'm actually thinking that a third (and belated) birthday treat might be to sign up for a lesson with this clinician sometime this winter if he continues to brave the blustery north. We'll see!