Michelle Donlick & Avalo Farm
Natural Eventing & Performance
Babe of Ballisodare
Eventing
2009 Preliminary Level Competitors
Qualified for The American Eventing Championships - 3 yrs in a row!!
2009 Student of Karen O'Connor
ICP Assessments with Robin Walker and Brian Sabo - Demo Rider;
ICP Coaching Clinic with Karen O'Connor - Demo Rider
Qualified for The American Eventing Championships - 3 yrs in a row!!
2009 Student of Karen O'Connor
ICP Assessments with Robin Walker and Brian Sabo - Demo Rider;
ICP Coaching Clinic with Karen O'Connor - Demo Rider
2008 Training Level Competitors; American Eventing Championships, Il Sept 2008 (as well as Cindee BN)
Area III Championships, GA, 2008
2007 Training Level Competitors; Training Level 1/2 * - Full Three Phase Event, FL Sept 2007
American Eventing Championships, Il Sept 2007; Area III Championships, GA June 2007
2006 Novice Level Competitors; Area III Championships, Novice Level, GA, 2006
2005 Beginner Novice Level Competitors
2006 Novice Level Competitors; Area III Championships, Novice Level, GA, 2006
2005 Beginner Novice Level Competitors
Babe's Blog
August 4, 2009
I am here in VA with Michelle to take lessons with the fabulous Karen O'Connor. Wow is all I can say! I'll update everyone more when we get home cuz I have a long trip ahead of me, but the re-cap is this: 2 dressage lessons working on the quality of my canter using shortening and lengthening, haunches in on a circle and balancing my shoulders. We also did smaller circles almost like a piroutette that really helped my engagement. Michelle had to work on sitting centered, sitting tall, and leg position for engagement. Karen also showed Michelle how to improve our shoulder-in by opening her inside rein more, supporting and opening the ouside rein also, and moving the reins with my shoulder like a bicylcle and keeping her hips straight. Michelle's inside leg helped my engagement (when she finally put it in the right place along the girth!) and moved it rythmically to help my insde hind leg! It sure felt better. Our stadium lesson invovled speed changes within the gait as well (quality of canter), staying round, and balancing Michelle's seat better. We have XC tomorrow at 9am, then we load up to head to Greenville to drop my friend Kip off at his barn. We might stay there if it's too late but then I get to back home to see my buddies at Avalo Farm!
August 4, 2009
I am here in VA with Michelle to take lessons with the fabulous Karen O'Connor. Wow is all I can say! I'll update everyone more when we get home cuz I have a long trip ahead of me, but the re-cap is this: 2 dressage lessons working on the quality of my canter using shortening and lengthening, haunches in on a circle and balancing my shoulders. We also did smaller circles almost like a piroutette that really helped my engagement. Michelle had to work on sitting centered, sitting tall, and leg position for engagement. Karen also showed Michelle how to improve our shoulder-in by opening her inside rein more, supporting and opening the ouside rein also, and moving the reins with my shoulder like a bicylcle and keeping her hips straight. Michelle's inside leg helped my engagement (when she finally put it in the right place along the girth!) and moved it rythmically to help my insde hind leg! It sure felt better. Our stadium lesson invovled speed changes within the gait as well (quality of canter), staying round, and balancing Michelle's seat better. We have XC tomorrow at 9am, then we load up to head to Greenville to drop my friend Kip off at his barn. We might stay there if it's too late but then I get to back home to see my buddies at Avalo Farm!
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