Dressage is Horsemanship

Posted from http://piaffedreams.blogspot.com/2007/07/dressage-is-horsemanship.html

As I am willing to take on clients whose primary aspirations are not to compete in the dressage arena, there are then a number of students who come to me having been "told" this is what they need or even simply having an intuitive sense of it without yet actually understanding what dressage IS or is NOT. One of these days I am determined to find the time to organize and put on a mini-symposium of sorts for riders in our area with just these sorts of questions, desires and trepidations. Because for many dressage is viewed as an elitest sport full of people fascinated with endless circles while cranking the horses heads down. Just about every equine endeavor has its 'stereotypes' and therefore detractors. (In some cases quite well deserved as we all are aware of the Big Lick world of gaited horses, and western pleasure horses)



I am excited to help people see the beauty, the discipline, and the reverence for the horse that is classical horsemanship..... or dressage. No one though can explain it his as well as the master himself, Mr. Charles De Kunffy. His published works I consider to be 'sacred texts,' for he clarifies and indeed illuminates the messages of the 'old dead guys' so remarkably well. He can put into a modern context the visions and aspirations, physical, mental, and spiritual of the riders who put to print what they knew so long ago. In our modern era, with our very different and always changing global perspectives and widely diverse philosophies, it is quite intriguing that the horse who is just a horse and has remained a horse for so many thousands of years, makes us all come to some point of commonality.



So, tonight before I sat down, I went to my library (and for those who have seen my room of books and videos on horses/riding/dressage/etc. it is a library!) and pulled off of its shelf what is Mr. De Kunffy's "signature" work "The Ethics and Passions of Dressage". Published in 1993 by Mr. De Kunffy himself.



Right from the first chapter, he clearly focuses the reader to the primary definition of good horsemanship - art. Good horsemanship is the elevation of the horse as a representation of nature in its raw and random form into his most cultivated and amplified form- all his inborn potential realized. Taking a horse with all his potential for athleticism, collection, extension, cadence and suspension, power and suppleness, tension and relaxation, and convincing him to express them willingly without any perversion.



For as he says, "A horse 'held in shape' by his rider is only posturing in a seemingly correct form, usually for the benefit of inexperienced observers." Riders in such cases, ride only for a trick or maneuver without understanding the two fundamental skills a rider must posess 1. to know how to energize a horse, and 2. how to control it for the benefit of the horse.



There is where the ethics come in. The horse is a product of nature and thus lives by natural laws of physics, biomechanics, and the natural instincts of his species. When we as a rider mount the horse, we immediately and profoundly impact him with a burden of weight and the burden of our character flaws, our physical deficits, and our mental cognition. Truth be told, we impact him in such a way the moment we step into his stall or pasture. Every step a horse takes with tension or impedence of his natural energies and locomotion breaks the horse down. Not only does he wear on his legs that pound more heavily against the ground, his bracing neck and back against a harsh hand causes further physical damage, not to mention the mental anguish that a creature of flight feels when trapped between a gripping leg and grabbing hand.



It is then the primary and fundamental goal "to reestablish the horse's natural balance under the added weight of the rider and tack." Furthermore, the rider having restored the horse's natural balance, must provide the horse with theraputic riding to supple the back, even out his musculature and the function of the horse's limbs before the rider can embark on atheltically developing the horse. He emplores that pursuits of horsemanship that do "not remain at all times attentive to the therapeutic and restorative needs of the horse will fail in the attainment of the athletic ones. Only knowledgeable equestrians can address this task."



Riders should then be ever in search of this knowledge and the skills required to be able to address the above task. Namely the correct seat and aids which can then energize the horse correctly and shape those energies in ways that restore the balance and straighten and supple the horse. "When all the basics are in place, the now 'unselfconscious' rider is liberated to become a 'brilliant' performer. Brilliance cannot be planned or contrived because it must be born of perfected technique."



In just this first chapter, I am reminded again of the daily pursuits with our horses and the responsibility I have as an instructor to continue to push this rather urgent message. Anyone can hang out a shingle to be considered a horseman. A great many will fool those 'unknowledgeable' eyes with fancy tricks, stunts, and postured maneuvers some will be so lacking in knowledge as to even be impressed by those who can merely hang on until the horse gives up or "fight it out". Those who have a great passion and love for horses will volunteer the long and dedicated hours to learning to see a horse moving relaxed, supple, and elastically - to see his whole body and thereby know the whole horse and the whole effect of ones training.



Ultimately, the essence of dressage is that natural movement should continue to permeate the entire horse even when he is encumbered by a rider who via dressage ultimately provides the horse with the means to be unencumbered with his burden. The beauty of the horse is then restored, perfected and his potential unleashed into a majestic and beautiful work of art.

Pan Ams Individual Final

US Rider Chris Hickey won the individual Gold Medal at the Pan American Games in dressage. Fellow teammate, Lauren Sammis earned Silver while Yvonne Losos de Muniz of the Dominican Republic took home the Bronze.

For full coverage, go to http://www.dressagedaily.com

11 years ago this week

I was there, taking that picture of Klaus Balkenhol and Goldstern in the Grand Prix Dressage test for the team portion of competition at the Atlanta Olympic Games. That was my first time to see the 'untouchable' European riders. No one had any doubts that Germany, whose team included Isabell Werth and Martin Schaudt as well would come away with the Gold Medal. The Anky vs. Isabell: Bonfire vs. Gigolo duel was just beginning. I got to see first hand what people talking about a few weeks earlier at a dinner function held during a clinic with Mj. Anders Lindgren when they discussed Anky's "impure walk."

The US rode to Bronze and I was excited that I had ridden in a clinic with Mr. Steffen Peters just 6 months prior. I had fewer degrees of separation from the action it seemed. These seats, were the best we would have all week even for the show jumping portion of the events as it took only panning the binoculars upward and in between the two big trees behind the ring to watch the warm-up. Fortunately, my travelling companion and mother was not offended when I spent more time watching the warm-up than the competition. Having been my show mom/groom, she got it. This was after all my college graduation present and what a treat it was.

I'd begun dressage only a year before, falling madly in love with the sport. Watching these riders, I knew I'd found my home in the horse world. What I didn't totally know then was how important so many of those memories would be for me and not merely for their sentimentality. Perhaps the most poignant thing for me in watching those games was understanding that dressage was not about doing a series of tricks and movements. The Europeans had horses that "MOVED" through and through, their bodies articulated and swung with rythm and precision. HOW they did that remained a mystery, but my quest to find out began then.

There was also the distinct differences between horses. Bonfire and Gigolo each represented entirely different 'types' of horse for the sport. While I had no personal spark for Bonfire, I was inthralled by Gigolo. Nicole Uphoff had received a special invite to the games and so I was able that one time to see Rembrandt who himself was an entirely different animal and far too hot for my tastes even though he was an incredibly elegant horse whose lightness on his feet was enchanting. Then there were the Spaniards who fielded their first Olympic team of Spanish horses. Invasor would go on to have one of the longest careers and the marvelous Evento who scored the highest of the horses on their team was simply breathtaking. The diversity and originality that the Spanish sport horses bring to dressage was undeniable from that point forward. Of all the horses, I would have taken home and still would take one like Goldstern. He was an "old man" at these games preparing to retire, and so not as elastic as he likely had been, but he was a happy horse. When I think of the "happy athlete" of our current FEI standards he comes to mind. Loose and unconstrained with great contentment described how he went. My barn today is a reflection of this, many different distinct types of horses including 3 spanish ones, but all with the aim and intention of creating happy athletes which I believe they are.

For myself at least, a formal education in international level dressage began at those games. Since then, 2 World Cups have been contested on US soil, and our own Olympic Qualifiers have moved once to the West Coast to afford more spectators the opportunity to watch some of the best in the world. Perhaps it was my position then as a "newbie" that has led me to feel such an incredible surge in understanding over the past 11yrs, but I think it has happened. Dressage in the US is more sophisticated, and has a stronger grass roots base of support. We are more knowledgeable and watch with a far more critical eye. Our standards are higher- we've "been there, done that" now. With all things, there are growing pains and as our sport has grown, not all growth is viewed as progress by all people. The education and experience base on which to debate such points however, is there.

However, the next Olympic Games is just a year away. Riders are already preparing, planning training trips to Europe, or already there competing. Our field is deeper than it has been and newer faces are emerging with up and coming horses. The European teams, particularly German and the Netherlands have also grown and are as deep as ever. Perhaps next year it won't be so "unquestioned" where the gold, silver and bronze will settle.

Can we at least dare to dream?

US Rider Holds the High Score at Pan Ams

Chris Hickey and Regent held the high score for todays Individual Dressage competition. Riding the I-1 test, they scored over %69 and took the lead. Find out how the other US riders did and get a complete listing of scores here.

http://www.dressagedaily.com

US gets team Gold!

The team portion of the Pan American Games Dressage competition has finished today with the US taking Team Gold medal. Lauren Sammis had the high score for US riders with a %70.2, while Chris Hickey and Regent brought in a score over %69. Kate Poulin-Neff and Brilliant Too rounded out the successful team with a score over %66.

Canada was in the Silver Medal position, and Brazil the Bronze. For riders like myself who compete on PRE and Lusitano horses, it is fabulous to see teams like Brazil earn respectable scores and medals on these horses.

See: http://dressage-a2x.blogspot.com/2007/07/quick-link-to-pan-am-games-equestrian.html to find a complete listing of teams, riders, and scores.

Quick Link to Pan Am Games Equestrian Schedule and Results

http://www.rio2007.org.br//WWW/ENG/SCH/EQ_YYYYMMDD.html

Dressage has started today, July 14th with the Prix St. Georges test to qualify for the individual rounds and as the competition for team medals. US Rider Lauren Sammis is currently leading with a score of %70.20 aboard Saugacious HF.

US riders Kate Poulin-Neff with Brilliant Too and Chris Hickey with Regent will go tomorrow.

Wish them luck!

Some Dressage Principles

Elongating the Topline
http://piaffedreams.blogspot.com/2007/07/dressage-principles-elongating-topline.html

The Half-Halt
http://piaffedreams.blogspot.com/2007/06/grand-prix-by-go-and-whoa-palace-is.html

Using the Training Scale: Groundwork
http://piaffedreams.blogspot.com/2007/06/dressage-principles-groundwork.html

Get to Know the Arena

The Dressage arena is a measured symmetrical space for training a horse with very specific dimensions that serve a valuable purpose. First off, the court as its called is 60 meters long and 20 meters wide. Mathematically its 3 times longer than its width which creates a space for 3 evenly sized circles to be ridden down its length. These are 20 meter circles- the first size of circle where a horse must begin to bend. Anything larger and the horse can negotiate it in balance without having to bend or thus gymnasticize himself. Since the primary aim of dressage is to gymnasticize the horse, its only logically that a dressage court is sized to begin t his process.

Circles ridden from the center line to the wall are then half the width in diameter, or 10 meter circles. 10 meter circles really begin to test a horse's capacity to bend. Lateral movements such as shoulder-in, haunches-in and half-pass require the same bend as a 10m circle.

The horse and rider begin to develop the skills for full 10m circles each time they come through the end of the ring and turn down the centerline. On a young horse, this turn can be ridden as a half of a circle rather than two corners with a brief straight period. In this way, the young horse gets his first introductions to the degree of bend he'll need for lateral movements.

As horses gain strength and suppleness and the riders better control and timing of their aids, they can traverse the corners of the arena as if they were quarters of 8 and even 6m circles. This takes a great deal of sophistication in ones horsemanship and training. Paying close attention to the dimensions of the ring and the size of figures ridden with good balance tells the rider a great deal about how the horse is or is not developing. Tighter figures should become gradually easier to ride in a balanced way.

The letters of the dressage arena have an uncertain origination, but they are extremely important. They are markers to guide the rider into precise figures and accurate transitions. Riders should be looking ahead and planning where they are going, not staring down at their hands, or their horse as so many do. Focusing ahead with a plan in mind immediately makes it evident when and where the horse listens, cooperates, or the rider miscues or misguides. Only then can fair and accurate corrections be made. Too often riders can be seen blaming and even punishing their horses for falling through a turn when it was never clear to the onlooker where the rider had planned on going. The rider wandered aimlessly and blamed it on the horse. Likewise a rider who plans well seems to never have to say anything to the horse. One can hardly see what they do for they can feel so quickly the slightest deviation as to communicate soflty and quickly to the horse where they intend to go. Horses ridden in this way are confident, calm and content.

Standard dressage tests are written so that they are presented in an arena this size. The US Equestrian Federation designs tests every 4 years that progress through levels and give a set pattern, movements, and transitions to be ridden at each level in a standard arena. Riders, even non-competitive riders can and should learn/practice riding these tests to advance their skills, find weaknesses in their training, and set new goals of achievment for themselves.

Friends can even gather to video each others rides and then discuss them. They do not NEED to be competitive. But, if that is to your desires, go for it! Riding a test several times in a season in front of a judge is exciting and rewarding. Learning to boost ones score makes each days training have purpose and a goal, but it also gives one a great sense of accomplishment.

Until then, happy riding!

Dressage Show Turnout

The dressage test is a demonstration of one's achievments in training. To present themselves and their horses with pride, riders turn their horses out in fine style. This style is partly for good looks and partly to show off the lines and development of the horse. So, not only should the rider be impeccably dressed in brilliant clean whites, polished boots, clean tack, and a tailored coat, the horse should be a sight to behold as well.

Braiding the horse is part of this. While it is technically not required for a dressage horse to be braided in USEF competition, you would almost never see a rider come in on a horse that is not braided. It would be considered disrespectful to the judge to do so. Horses with short manes go with a line of small braids pulled up tight against the top of the neck. A few styles are common, with "button" braids being the most popular.

http://dressage-connection.com/dressage-braid-article.html

This link shows a method of sewing in button braids.

For horses with a very nice neck conformation AND a good steady contact it can be accentuated by braiding down in "plaits" or skinny flat braids that lay close to the neck and then wrapping them with a piece of white tape made especially for the purpose. The picture above shows my 5yr Hanoverian going with white tape on his plaited braids. Not many horses have a nice enough neck or a steady enough contact on the bit to go this way as any deviation or flaw is highlighted by the flash of white! Its even more critical that the braids be evenly sized and spaced!

On some occasions, I would replace the white tape with metallic silver bands. These in combination with his silver chain browband has a very striking effect that set us apart from the rest of the crowd.

Breeds who traditionally wear a long mane, PRE's, Andalusians, Lusitanos, Lipizzans, Friesians, Arabians, etc. all have the option to either pull the mane short and do short braids or to keep the long hairs and braid them down into a french braid. When the mane is particularly thick as it is on some Iberian stallions, the mane may be parted down the middle of the length of the neck and a french braid done down each side.

For all types of braids its possible to use rubber bands, however they damage the hair and just don't give the polished look that yarn or thread sewn braids do.

Tails

For horses going with a short mane it is proper to square off the end of the tail and trim the long hairs at each side of the dock. How short one trims the base of the tail is partly a matter of preference and what shows off or "doesn't show off" a horse's strengths/weaknesses. A horse with flashy movement behind particularly if its not so flashy in front may be more striking with a shorter tail that doesn't hide the action. A horse whose tail is naturally very full may look more elegant showing off as much of that hair as possible by leaving the tail long. In general, most horses look very sharp with the tail squared off just at the base of the fetlock joint, or an inch above. Be aware that as the horse moves he raises his tail slightly so you may want to watch him move to get an idea of how far he lifts it (arabians tend to lift their tails quite a lot so you would not want to start too short) Thinner tails look a tad thicker when they are slightly shorter. Andalusians and other breeds who value a very long tail should still have the very base of the tail squared off. Not only does dragging hair get damaged in the footing and break off at the ends, it can actually be pulled out from the roots thereby thinning what would be a luxurious tail. For these breeds I typically square the tail just above the heel bulbs and then ask the horse to back up. If it comes too close to getting stepped on in the rein-back, I'll trim it another half and inch or the minimum necessary to take away that risk while leaving as much length as possible.

Muzzles, Ears, etc.

Muzzles and ears do not need to be clipped and for horses that go on regular turnout, it is not recommended unless they wear face protection in the form of a flymask. I've personally found a few of my horses have better ear hygiene however during turnout when I clip the ears while others get eaten alive if I do. Typically American horses have clipped muzzles and ears more than their European counterparts, but this is very much a matter of preference. Horses like Friesians who have feathers will typically be left with the feathers. I've found it helpful however to take a pair of thinning shears and trim at the longest hairs that tangle the most in wet or muddy footing. The thinning shears allow me to make the trim job look natural.

Want more information on grooming and presenting a horse for dressage shows?

Try these informative books:

More Dressage Blogs

David Blake's Road to Verden
http://davidblakedressage.blogspot.com/

Kentucky World Equestrian Games Organization
http://kentuckyworldequestriangames.org/

Lauren Sprieser's Blog (Brentina Cup Rider)

http://12to15steps.livejournal.com/

Oregon Dressage Society
http://oregondressage.com/news

Stacie Moyle's Piaffe Dreams

http://piaffedreams.blogspot.com/

US Dressage Riders Prepare for Pan-Ams to begin Saturday

http://www.horsesdaily.com/news/tour/2007/07panam/dressage/07-12-team-ready.html

US Team Dressage Riders begin competition at the Pan American Games on Saturday. Here you can find information and updates on the schedule, ride results, etc.

Go USA!

Technorati Profile

Article on the Theodorescu family

http://www.eurodressage.com/reports/walk/2007/theodorescu.html

A fabulous article on the daily training life and philosophy of Georg and Monica Theodorescu. Particularly interesting account of how they lunge horses and the use of an "overcheck". If you have to run a search to find out what that is, don't worry. So did I!

Enjoy!

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