Linda Zang

Well, I confirmed it, Linda Zang is the Goddess of dressage instructors.

Missy has had a very, very limited amount of lessons.  Ever.  Frequently, we come away feeling like we spent more then we had to spend, and often, Missy has a difficult times remembering or processing the information.  She has always had some trouble with short-term memory loss, and when you can't keep going back week after week.....it doesn't do a lot of good in the long run.  So, much of what she has done, she has done through trial and error.  Sometimes she will listen to me, most often, it's like two rams butting heads to get anything done.

I once saw another lesson, with Buck Davidson, that left me in awe.  Missy could relate to Buck, and Buck was so gifted as an instructor, that she did, indeed, get a lot out of his lessons.  But most were jumping lessons.

This is her first true lesson, with a dressage instructor.  One of this caliper for sure.  When we got there, Sara, from Overbrook Farm was there, and that girl has some NICE horses!  Missy was intimidated with watching the lesson, and where she is in her education, vs. Sara.  Near tears, she just kept saying she was going to be embarressed.  Linda Zang doesn't embaress.  EVER.  I have seen many videos of her doing clinics, and she has always seemed kind the few times I met her in person.  Remember, I scribed for her at the AEC's a couple years ago....and had a blast.  She remembered me today, and the feeling was mutual, she had a blast with me too!  I LOVED THAT...but I remiss.

Missy, near tears, saddle Prince, and trepidiciously awaited her turn to be gutted.  Her words....never happened though.

First Linda said, quite clearly, this horse has no quads...NONE.  She said, his trot looks off, because he has no muscles there.  She made a comment on how strong Missy must be, to have carried him well enough to allow that to happen.  So you know all those comments that he needs stifle injections, or hock injections, or that he is lame?  NOPE!  He has no muscle there.  Do you know what a relief that is?  I told her so, I told her that I was only a few weeks shy of getting him injected. 

She told Missy, "what I show you today, is going to change your life forever, and will change who you are forever".  Pretty bold huh?

So she showed Missy some exercises to do for him to build those muscles, to help him to understand what she wanted, to help him unlock his neck.  It was so simple, so easy, so very very easy.   She had Melissa do this at the walk, then at the trot, all the while not caring where his head was, or if he was in trot or canter, and she said, "you will, by the end of this lesson, have a horse coming from behind, on the bit, and with a big stride", again, bold, huh?

Missy went from tearful, and fearful, to big smiles, and wow, and OH MY GOD's, more times then I care to admit.  She went from a horse not going forward, heavy, to one who was truly engaged, truly supple, and probably very sore now!!!

By the end of the lesson, after a few minor adjustments, we had a new horse, a new rider, and a great coach.  Fortunately, LInda comes twice a month here, and if I have to sell kidneys, we won't miss a chance to ride every time she comes.  But the best part, when Linda says..."ride your horse to the outisde rein", she doesn't just say to do it, but explains, in great detail, HOW to do it.  Which for Missy, made all the differance in the world.  She came home, put it to great use on the rest of her horses, and tonight, feels just a bit more confident, and a whole lot happier then 24 hours ago!!!