The Price Tag of Knowledge

I just finished reading my October USDF Connection and put it on the shelf in chronological order with the previous year or so of issues. As I put it away, I glanced at a shelf of videos above it, and the shelves and shelves of books alongside. Most of them are dressage oriented, but over the years, I've open mindedly and "open pocketbooked" for various gurus, Natural Horsemen and the like. These particular items were generally pricey and their content (so its claimed) could not be executed without passing over more greenbacks for specialty equipment. I don't want to admit what I've spent in giving things an honest try, but its a lot.

What did I learn?
* Nothing, absolutely NOTHING makes up for a lack of an independent seat, and correct use of the aids
* ALL horses buck, spook, rear, pull-back etc. sometime and all the desensitizing, getting off, ground work etc. you want will not keep it from happening. The ONLY thing that works 100% of the time is to ride through it.
* Its okay to MAKE your horse do something. Your poor wittle howrsey won't hate you. In fact, he might just learn from the experience.
* It is NOT, repeat NOT okay to keep a horse that is too much for you on the mistaken belief that only YOU can understand him. Especially if said horse is not being ridden, or trained to make him a useful and desireable creature for someone else. Heaven forbid you die and someone is left to find a home for him. Its likely to be in a meat pack on its way to Europe.
* If you can train a horse on the longe line with side-reins and a bit to use his body correctly in a few weeks therefore making said horse a balanced and capable animal to ride on the bit in precise figures at walk/trot/canter within a few months then by all means. It is absolute hogwash to let a horse plod around in mindless circles doing silly games for the human enjoyment with his body leaning inward, torquing his joints, hollowing his back, for months before riding him with a halter and no contact for years...... WHY? Pick up the reins and ride your horse on the bit, not some of the time, or when you feel like doing something refined, or when you feel like you want to "pass an assessment"... ALWAYS ride your horse on the bit with an elongated topline, engaged hocks and a lighter forehand preferrably with bend.
* Of course this means you must actually apply aids to your horse. Sitting up straight, with your heels down, shoulders back and hips swinging so you can aid the horse appropriately (yes you have to manage what is going on.. you are the brains of the operation)
* Horses need a purpose in life. If you have an old campaigner who can't ride much, then by all means, teach him some work in-hand, teach him some cute (and safe) tricks like pushing a ball with his nose or picking up a cone.
* You can make a horse do just about anything if you use enough pressure. He will even do a flying change with you in the absolutely wrong position and timing. Sure, it will take less and less if you have followed through on your threat enough.
* Doing "games" like standing a horse on a rock, or laying it down can be just as much about the handler's ego trip as riding 4th level can be for a DQ. At least the latter is more likely to admit it.
* The relationship you have with your horse is only as noteworthy or strong as the hardest thing you can do with your horse well.

Now, back to my stack of USDF Connection magazines.... my USDF membership has cost me $60 for the past few years. I can join a GMO, in this case the California Dressage Society, and I'm a member of USDF by that. I choose to upgrade to a particpating membership for awards purposes (OMG! Ego boosting) but even that is less than $100. Each month I get a magazine that has tremendous information that I need to know.

* How the levels structure the horses training progressively so that he is obedient, calm, supple and balanced to ride. With exercises and lessons to demonstrate key elements of those levels written by USDF certified instructors (people who got certified because they attended lots of classes with a panel of experts and passed tests administered by a panel of experts... not a paid for franchise/certification)
* Articles on evaluating conformation and suitability as a sport horse- HUGE importance since so many behavior issues are the horse simply saying he can't do what is asked or needs further development.
* Articles on gaits and biomechanics of the horse
* Articles on the biomechanics of the rider including off horse exercises that can help me ride better.
* Reports from top shows with pictures that demonstrate good riders and good horses doing good work.
* Clinic reports, reports on USDF symposiums and other educational events with top instructors
* Links to certified instructors
* Listing of USDF University workshops - accredited courses with MORE info on everyting from bodywork, to judges continuing education
* Listings of "L" programs that one can audit or participate in

This list could easily go on ......
And I can really elongate it further if I factor in my $20 a year Dressage Today subscription with further articles, clinic notes, exercises, rider psychology, horse psychology.... and on and on.

All the info is out there and its cheap!!! Especially when compared to the hundreds of dollars one can spend on a NH gurus DVD's let alone their courses... sure they have certified instructors who have met their arbitrary definitions of proficiency (and paid for little franchise).

I'm not saying a person couldn't learn anything from some of the gurus out there. But, in my position where people are coming for lessons with their horses, the problems that they face have not in many cases been solved by the packaged systems. THis is largely due to the fact that they omit or negate two HUGELY critical elements in determining the success of a horse rider pair... and that is the horse your sittin' on and the rider sittn' on it. You can only ride well if you learn to ride and these programs simply don't teach riding. You horse can only do what you want if he is built for the job, and properly trained for it. I've had some serious WTF moments when people have come to me and said "I'm having trouble doing a half-pass" and the rider is slouched and flopping all over on a horse wearing a halter with his nose in the air and the reins a flapping. I'm not exaggerating... not one iota- and all this on a croup high ewe necked post legged critter. With critters like this, I'm at least glad to find out that they are thrilled to death to one the horse because he trots along side them at liberty and does any number of games for which they adore him. That is probably the best thing. But, please, please please, don't go smacking your orange sticks on him, making him jump things and trot like a sewing maching with his nose in the air with no saddle and bridle on because you have some personal need to feel "free" and "natural" or whatever....

Instead, if you really want to help your horses, seek the advice of an accomplished professional in the discipline you are interested in. In this case, dressage. Ask them to evaluate you and your horse's suitability to that discipline given your goals within it. If you want to keep your horse, find what he is good at and then go join the national federation that governs that discipline and absorb its educational material and get lessons from its accredited professionals. If you want to do dressage, join the USDF. Subscribe to mags and join your local club. Find the best professional you can find in your area that you can afford and work with them as often as you can. Then simply work your butt off to get better for the sake of your horse. Sprinkle in the guru stuff as fitted (if it fits at all) in to your unique situation with your horse. This stuff is the extras... its the stuff that you use when you have a situation or horse/rider flaw that is to the far edges of the bell curve and need a solution that lives on the fringe of practicle knowledge and application.

You will find that this approach saves a lot of $$ and will get you a lot further.

http://www.usdf.org

Great Reading on Training Horses

"The Nature of the Sport" by Jeff Ashton-Moore
http://www.todayshorse.com/Articles/NatureoftheSport.htm

"The Nature of the Horse" by Jeff Ashton-Moore
http://www.todayshorse.com/Articles/NatureoftheHorse.htm

"The Learning Process of the Horse" by Jeff Ashton-Moore
http://www.todayshorse.com/Articles/LearningProcessoftheHorse.htm


About the Author ~

International Judge, and international dressage, jumping and vaulting clinician - J. Ashton Moore is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Dutch Warmblood Registry in North America as well as the Co-Founder of the American Vaulting Association.
A noted breeder of Dutch Warmbloods, Danish Oldenbourgs, and Holsteiners, he has bred many successful national and international competition horses. He owns the successful Dutch Grand Prix Dressage stallions Taxateur, Rubinstein, and Vosmaer. He has also been a successful breeder of Hannoverian and Trakehner sport horses. A former hunter, jumper and 3-day event competitor, Mr. Moore now concentrates on dressage and vaulting. He trains horses thru the FEI Grand Prix (Olympic) level at the private training facility "Osierlea", which he owns with dressage luminary Elizabeth Searle in historic San Juan Bautista, California. He coaches national and international level dressage and vaulting competitors at Osierlea and at clinics throughout the USA and abroad.
Mr. Moore trains judges in several equestrian disciplines, and works to promote a better understanding of equine and human biomechanics among judges and trainers. He says "A better understanding of how horses and humans function - independently, and as centaur - encourages more insightful, more systematic, and kinder training methods, as well as more knowledgeable judging." He gives seminars on related subjects: "Horse Biomechanics", "Rider Biomechanics", "The Learning Process of the Horse", "From the Ground Up" (a training system that prepares the horse for stress-free breaking and ongoing training), "Training for Competition Riding", "Training and Showing the Sporthorse in Hand".
When not dealing with horses, Mr. Moore breeds threatened species of parrots, and runs a cattle ranch and experimental fruit plantation on the Caribbean island of Bocas del Toro.
Mr. Moore's additional credentials and accomplishments include:
AHSA Senior Dressage Judge
AHSA Sporthorse Breeding Judge
FEI Official Vaulting Judge (Judge of 5 World Championships and World Equestrian Games)
FEI Training Judge for vaulting
Director of AHSA National Dressage Judges' Forum
Director of National and International Vaulting Judges' Forums
Judge Trainer & Examiner of the US Dressage Federation Learner Judges' Program
Compiler/editor of "Glossary of Dressage Judging Terms" (USDF publication)
Editor of "Dressage Judge's Handbook" (USDF publication)
Editor of "Dressage Judge's Checklist" (USDF publication)
Producer of the training video "Showing Your Sporthorse in Hand" (USDF production)
Graduate "A" of the US Pony Club
AHSA Hunter Judge (retired)
AHSA Jumper Judge (retired)
AHSA Equitation Judge (retired)