Rebecca & Milly Preparing For The Riding Grade 4 Touchstone
In October, I went to London to join a personal development course, and since ST Instructor Rebecca Gilbert doesn't live too far away from London, I visited her and her lovely horses.
Since the beginning of this year, Rebecca has been submitting a lot of Grade 4 Touchstones in the ST Academy in the training pillars groundwork, longeing, work in hand and liberty, and she has done several additional coaching sessions with me. And to graduate on the level of Grade 4,
Rebecca only has to submit her Riding Grade 4 Touchstone with her horse Milly, a 19 y/o Irish Draught x Dutch Warmblood mare.
So when we met in 'real life' in October, we dived into her riding lab to tweak some 2mm.
Now Milly's canter was not easy at the start of Rebecca's ST Journey back in 2012, but at the moment Milly is over-delivering: she even tends towards the Grade 5 level where a full canter pirouette and the highest form of collection is required:
"Had a super weekend with Marijke, finding some more really amazing 2mm. But in all honesty, we wouldn't have been able to reach this if it hadn't of been for the Touchstone lessons. They have provided me with months of tips to keep me on track. So they have been incredibly INVALUABLE! ⭐💞👍 Can't thank you enough, Marijke de Jong, for giving us all the gift 🎁 of ST! I could never have dreamed of exploring the things we are now if it wasn't for ST. The Touchstone online coaching support has provided a huge boost for us this year! Milly is conformationally challenged and was once very crooked. Indeed, in the beginning, she couldn't canter with the burden of a rider! So to be doing what we're doing now is mind-blowing! Thank you so so much! We still have much more to learn and grow, but am so grateful to walk this fantastic path that you have given us a clear map 🗺 for! 💞"