Here are links to various blogs and reports regarding this year's Global Dressage Forum at the Bartels' family home in the Netherlands.
Article from Equisearch
http://www.equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/english/dressage/dressageforum_010505/
Eurodressage.com Coverage
http://www.eurodressage.com/reports/shows/2008/08gdf/pr_recap.html
Karen Robinson's Blog Report on the Forum
http://gaitpost-karen-robinson.blogspot.com/
Report from British rider Laura Bechtolsheimer
http://www.horsehero.com/laura-bechtolsheimer/6070
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Zettl's: Shoulder-In Entwickeln
This is one of my favorite exercises to ride to help both the rider and the horse learn to "ride both sides of the horse" through the entire movement. Like many people, I learned the exercise through reading Walter Zettl's book Dressage in Harmony: From Basic to Grand Prix (The Masters of Horsemanship Series, Bk. 4)
He describes the movement while tracking left, "start the long side in shoulder-in left. After a couple of steps of shoulder-in, straighten the horse as though to ride on the diagonal. Proceed straight on the diagonal for two steps only, then re-position the horse in shoulder-in and ride shoulder-in position back to the wall. When arriving on the track with the outside hind leg, proceed again straight on the diagonal for two steps, and so forth down the track."
The exercise he says can be ridden in all three gaits and I have found in canter for this to be something akin to riding between shoulder-in and "plie" as Charles de Kunffy describes it. Overall, the process honestly puts the rider and horse onto the outside rein while teaching the rider to subtly control the horse by being acutely aware of "both sides". Key points are to remember not to lose the angle or have the haunches swinging away. We straighten a horse always by positioning the shoulders ahead of the haunches in order to follow the classical maxim of "ride the horse forward and straighten him." As with all exercises of course it cannot be attempted without the proper preparation and so the horse should already know the shoulder-in.
I find this exercise also particularly helpful with horses who are a bit tentative to go to the outside rein. The almost leg-yield like moment of SI headed back to the wall gives the horse a place to go and can help them build confidence in stepping with the inside hind towards the outside rein which is in this case traveling a little away from the leg as the line of travel is changing.
Horses on the other hand who like to "blast through it" should be ridden carefully in this exercise with great thoughtful control of the outside aids so that they don't 'bulge' through the shoulder back to the wall. I like making changes from shoulder-in to renvers to shoulder-in with such horses.
For more of Walter Zettl try his other book The Circle of Trust: Reflections on the Essence of Horses and Horsemanship
or his wonderful DVD's A Matter of Trust: A Harmonious Partnership Between Horse & Rider Vol. 1 Walter Zettl 2 DVD Set
He describes the movement while tracking left, "start the long side in shoulder-in left. After a couple of steps of shoulder-in, straighten the horse as though to ride on the diagonal. Proceed straight on the diagonal for two steps only, then re-position the horse in shoulder-in and ride shoulder-in position back to the wall. When arriving on the track with the outside hind leg, proceed again straight on the diagonal for two steps, and so forth down the track."
The exercise he says can be ridden in all three gaits and I have found in canter for this to be something akin to riding between shoulder-in and "plie" as Charles de Kunffy describes it. Overall, the process honestly puts the rider and horse onto the outside rein while teaching the rider to subtly control the horse by being acutely aware of "both sides". Key points are to remember not to lose the angle or have the haunches swinging away. We straighten a horse always by positioning the shoulders ahead of the haunches in order to follow the classical maxim of "ride the horse forward and straighten him." As with all exercises of course it cannot be attempted without the proper preparation and so the horse should already know the shoulder-in.
I find this exercise also particularly helpful with horses who are a bit tentative to go to the outside rein. The almost leg-yield like moment of SI headed back to the wall gives the horse a place to go and can help them build confidence in stepping with the inside hind towards the outside rein which is in this case traveling a little away from the leg as the line of travel is changing.
Horses on the other hand who like to "blast through it" should be ridden carefully in this exercise with great thoughtful control of the outside aids so that they don't 'bulge' through the shoulder back to the wall. I like making changes from shoulder-in to renvers to shoulder-in with such horses.
For more of Walter Zettl try his other book The Circle of Trust: Reflections on the Essence of Horses and Horsemanship
or his wonderful DVD's A Matter of Trust: A Harmonious Partnership Between Horse & Rider Vol. 1 Walter Zettl 2 DVD Set
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Piaffe and Passage
http://www.eurodressage.com/reports/covers/archive/ed_20000321.html
Follow the Link above to read more.
" The piaffe and Passage
by Cynthia Shehata
Follow the Link above to read more.
More Videos
YouTube is an amazing thing. It is full of terrible videos and mis-information, but if you know how to look you can find gems.
This is one of MANY videos posted with permission from the EDCTA of a symposium with Steffen Peters and Janet Brown-Foy.
This is one of MANY videos posted with permission from the EDCTA of a symposium with Steffen Peters and Janet Brown-Foy.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
"My horse isn't quite right..."
Do you have a dressage horse that just isn't quite right? Is your horse lame? Is it just stiff? Is your horse suddenly not his usual self? Check out some of these resources to see if anything might match what is going on for your horse.
Sacro-Iliac Pain : A great blog post with references
Hooves!! : Fran Jurga's blog on hoofcare and lameness.... some of the coolest stuff about horse's feet you'll read anywhere on the web.
Colic, Metabolism, and More : e-Vet online healthcare information
Sacro-Iliac Pain : A great blog post with references
Hooves!! : Fran Jurga's blog on hoofcare and lameness.... some of the coolest stuff about horse's feet you'll read anywhere on the web.
Colic, Metabolism, and More : e-Vet online healthcare information
Friday, April 25, 2008
Tying a Stock Tie
The stock tie is an important element of dressage show attire. They come in a variety of styles, with some requiring to be tied while others are pre-tied. Recently there is also a fashionable ruffled European style which does not require tying either.
For the traditionalists however, a stock that must be tied each time it is worn is second to none. Fastened then with a pin that holds sentimental value, is a "good-luck" charm, or is an accent to one's entire outfit the whole look is one of high class.
By following this link you can see an animation of how to tie your stock. How much you 'style' or fluff it up is a matter of personal taste.
http://www.saddleshop.com/extras/stocktie.htm
tt
For the traditionalists however, a stock that must be tied each time it is worn is second to none. Fastened then with a pin that holds sentimental value, is a "good-luck" charm, or is an accent to one's entire outfit the whole look is one of high class.
By following this link you can see an animation of how to tie your stock. How much you 'style' or fluff it up is a matter of personal taste.
http://www.saddleshop.com/extras/stocktie.htm
tt
Thursday, April 24, 2008
FEI Statement on Rollkur a TYPO!!
It seems the FEI's published statements that Rollkur or Hyperflexion is mental abuse was a typo and should have read that "excessive" use of the technique was condemned.
Read the new statement here: http://www.fei.org/Media/News_Centre...10April08.aspx
This leaves everyone to question what exactly is excessive? Is two minutes excessive? How about 10? Or is 30 seconds?
Certainly anyone who has ridden for very long has realized that at times an intentional placement of the neck in an extremely flexed position either laterally or longitudinally can position a rider for greater control. This fact is the "success point" for most of the modern Natural Horsemanship trainers out there who rely on hyperflexing the neck to the rider's knee to gain control or subdue the horse. In an extreme emergency for an less that skilled rider it can be more effective than other things although never as effective as simply having a horse on the aids.
The fact remains that hyperflexion as a training method is still very much in question as to its real intended uses/purposes, and subsequently any real benefits or detriments it may entail. There is no shortage of condemnation of such techniques in classical literature as the phenomenon is not a new one glorified by the super stars of competitive international dressage. The uprise is only in its relative prevalence in the warm-up arena and home training rings of the most successful competitive riders. It would seem that the use of this method is the reason behind their success and thus inspires a host of riders to try it with sometimes very deleterious effects. Some would argue that these bad effects are as noticeable among the top riders as they are among the non-top riders. Do these horses truly move better or worse? Are they more precise? Are they more supple? Are the standards of the training scale met more to the ideal by a horse trained with this method or not?
The judges preside over the courts in international competition which decide the validity of the methods to meeting the standards and ideals set forth by the FEI. However, the FEI must use its position to decide its ETHICS. They have done their very best to acknowledge that this is what they need to do without actually doing it. Dr. Gerd Heuschmann
has scientifically studied its effects, as have others. Some claim to see detrimental physical effects and some do not. This area seems to be inconclusive regarding actual physical harm.
Mental factors have also been addressed. At the Global Dressage Forum, a segment was presented on the concept of "Learned Helplessness" and thus its relation to training methods. It was shown that almost any training method like what is used in hyperflexion can walk a very fine line. It is only logical that excessive use of it would be mentally harmful.
Excessive has yet to be defined. So as of this point, there is only an acknowledgment by the FEI that there must be an ethical consideration to the use of hyperflexion, but no definition of what that actually is. Its important as riders and trainer then that everyone continue to push for these definitions. If we truly love our horses, respect them and the ideals of our sport as it relates to the promotion of the horse as a happy athlete, we owe it then to the horse to concisely define what is considered ethical treatment and training of the horse.
Read the new statement here: http://www.fei.org/Media/News_Centre...10April08.aspx
This leaves everyone to question what exactly is excessive? Is two minutes excessive? How about 10? Or is 30 seconds?
Certainly anyone who has ridden for very long has realized that at times an intentional placement of the neck in an extremely flexed position either laterally or longitudinally can position a rider for greater control. This fact is the "success point" for most of the modern Natural Horsemanship trainers out there who rely on hyperflexing the neck to the rider's knee to gain control or subdue the horse. In an extreme emergency for an less that skilled rider it can be more effective than other things although never as effective as simply having a horse on the aids.
The fact remains that hyperflexion as a training method is still very much in question as to its real intended uses/purposes, and subsequently any real benefits or detriments it may entail. There is no shortage of condemnation of such techniques in classical literature as the phenomenon is not a new one glorified by the super stars of competitive international dressage. The uprise is only in its relative prevalence in the warm-up arena and home training rings of the most successful competitive riders. It would seem that the use of this method is the reason behind their success and thus inspires a host of riders to try it with sometimes very deleterious effects. Some would argue that these bad effects are as noticeable among the top riders as they are among the non-top riders. Do these horses truly move better or worse? Are they more precise? Are they more supple? Are the standards of the training scale met more to the ideal by a horse trained with this method or not?
The judges preside over the courts in international competition which decide the validity of the methods to meeting the standards and ideals set forth by the FEI. However, the FEI must use its position to decide its ETHICS. They have done their very best to acknowledge that this is what they need to do without actually doing it. Dr. Gerd Heuschmann
has scientifically studied its effects, as have others. Some claim to see detrimental physical effects and some do not. This area seems to be inconclusive regarding actual physical harm.Mental factors have also been addressed. At the Global Dressage Forum, a segment was presented on the concept of "Learned Helplessness" and thus its relation to training methods. It was shown that almost any training method like what is used in hyperflexion can walk a very fine line. It is only logical that excessive use of it would be mentally harmful.
Excessive has yet to be defined. So as of this point, there is only an acknowledgment by the FEI that there must be an ethical consideration to the use of hyperflexion, but no definition of what that actually is. Its important as riders and trainer then that everyone continue to push for these definitions. If we truly love our horses, respect them and the ideals of our sport as it relates to the promotion of the horse as a happy athlete, we owe it then to the horse to concisely define what is considered ethical treatment and training of the horse.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Olympic Selection Trials
Tickets are now available for those wishing to watch the USEF Nat'l Dressage Championships which serve as the selection trials for the 2008 Olympic Games.
go to http://www.dressageontheroadtohongkong.com for ticket information.
go to http://www.dressageontheroadtohongkong.com for ticket information.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
FEI Ruling on "Rollkur"
The International Equestrian Federation has now made a formal statement regarding its viewpoint on the controversial training technique of "rollkur" or hyperflexion of the neck.
"STATEMENT ON HYPERFLEXION (ROLLKÜR): the following statement was adopted:
There are no known clinical side effects specifically arising from the use of hyperflexion, however there are serious concerns for a horse's well-being if the technique is not practiced correctly. The FEI condemns hyperflexion in any equestrian sport as an example of mental abuse. The FEI states that it does not support the practice."
Go to the FEI's News page for the full detail.
Further coverage can also be found at Eurodressage and DressageDaily
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