Skip to main content

Classical Dressage - Are we reinventing? Who are we kidding....

Sometimes you feel the need to stand up on your soap box and this is one of them. I may not be at Hyde Park Corner in London, but I do think this message can still garner an interested audience of dressage aficionados if not the common man.


We can talk about offering classical dressage training. We can talk about competitive sporthorse dressage training and discuss German versus French until the cows come home. But really folks. If you study the classics, you will find Baucher, Fillis, Steinbrecht, L'Hotte, DeCarpentry and so many others already expounded on everything you see today. No - not seeing the Duke of Newcastle included ( God forbid we should mention the British having anything to do with it, though the latest successes of the Brits Carl Hester, Laura Bechtolsheimer and Charlotte DuJardin etc. might make you wonder). Are the great riders of today such as Kyra Kyrklund influenced more by Nuno Oliveria, Brenderup or Alois Podhasky or none of the above? Aren't we all seeking, "Dressage in Harmony," as Mr Zettl so aptly calls his book.



Did Anky Van Grunsven and Stef really invent Rollkur? Or was it Nicole Uphoff. Obviously it was none of the above. Was Gerd Heuschmann, Klaus Balkenhol and the Xenophon club bringing something to light we didn't already know about? Should we follow Barbier, de Kunffy? It has been an endless task to differentiate between French and German, classical and Olympic medal driven training. I agree with Paul Belasik's approach that he sites in his DVD The Lost Quixotes......German/French/British/Portuguese/Spanish etc...back in the day all these were joined as almost one. It's all wrapped up together.


Did Christoph Hess reinvent German dressage? Did Kalmen De Jaremak produce the best Hanoverian horses ever on earth with the Verden breeding program? Of course not. And I swear if I hear another thing about 'Legerete" and the Philippe Karl method I may gag. I am not saying Philippe Karl does not have some wonderful riding techniques to share, just that it should not be thought that other training methods are exclusive. It's all just riding folks. Not conducting an orchestra with our hands. Not using special stirrups that 'angle' or 'bounce' to help you. It is also not about 'Kick, spur, kick," and sitting behind the vertical to somehow drive your horse off the ground behind. Not choosing between French, German or whatever. It's about working with your horse on what works for his particular needs and working correctly. Using your core, breathing and positive attitude with a hands off approach to interference. Pretty much what we should be doing in all aspects of our lives.

Yes, a perfect horse never a rider made and you cannot, as another iconic equitation master George Morris heralds, "You cannot, buy a good seat." You truly do have to earn your spurs. These old sayings are cliche, but ever so often true.

Maybe. Just maybe. Instead of looking at the ins and outs, like the details of Henriquet - no, no flexion to the outside ever, shoulder in, shoulder in and more shoulder in, we should look at the bigger picture. And that my friends, is the horse on whom we have the privilege to sit!

As German team rider Gabriella Grillo once said to me and to others, "This horse did not ask to be here. In my yard. I owe him the best I can give him."
I agree.

Dr. Klimke, Herbert Rehbein, Conrad Schumacher always focused quite marvelously on the conformation and needs of the particular horse on which they sat ( or on which you sat if you were lucky enough to work with them). Mr. Schumacher probably still does.

For me when I look at the horse I see a myriad of truths and challenges to be enjoyed. To be worked through with the best interest of the horse always front and center. To look kindly at the weaknesses as well as the strengths of both the physical and mental conformation of my horse and to be flexible when he or she tells me this is too hard or too easy.  Yes, here I am on my high horse.  I hear my voice shrill and enthusiastic standing on Hyde Park Corner. Please. It is very easy to decry others. It is not so easy to do the right thing. To be patient. To be humble. To be 'told' by the horse. But all the ideas that trainers today expound, have already been discovered. Do your homework.

So my best advice and that which I give my students is read everything, evaluate everything with kindness and an open mind and then just ride. I'm guessing by all the links I put in this blog you may have received that message loud and clear. And enjoy the journey. Stop and enjoy the view as you climb the mountain and enjoy the breather, because those are the moments when you truly appreciate how far you and your horse have come no matter how far you may still have to go. But. The journey is everything. And most importantly remember. There is always something you don't know and welcome any opportunity to learn. We all have something to teach each other and sharing is one of the best feelings in the world and as this wonderful article in http://www.CatskillHorse.org magazine authored by Bethany Videto explains, Trust is the foundation of good training. I love to hear young talented riders like Bethany, who has now turned from English to Western, appreciate that ethic.
I can't say I was totally aware of it at her age.

Charrington WVH Now a 'Finished"horse or "Fully Dressed Horse," and no that doesn't mean he is lame or naked,  as in dressage terms  - "In teaching him over the years,  he has taught me more."


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dressage Bit Contact: The Dreaded Break at the 3rd Vertebrae and How to Resolve it

Schooling challenges: Inheriting a horse that has been trained incorrectly and breaks at the 3rd vertebrae - It is much easier to work a horse correctly from the beginning than to have to 'fix' an issue later on as we all know. Our latest equine protegee, this lovely stallion - has received minimal training and but has shown at Training Level in Canada ~ however somewhere along the line he was ridden incorrectly and allowed to hide behind the vertical. Though he scored well the judges comments noted inconsistent contact. As he does not have an excessively long neck this is an interesting achievement. How to resolve it? We'll begin by working him a little in front or above the bit, sending him forward and setting a good rhythm from the get go. Then we'll encourage him to take the reins and stretch over his back and out down in front, without putting his head too low i.e. not below the knee - he must learn to take the contact and to take his part of it consistently. T

Flying Changes Problems Answered

The fun to do, fun to train, dressage flying change is truly like dancing with your horse. Unfortunately all too often issues arise during training that make them less than perfect. Major issues which are very common include swinging of the hindquarters ( which will cause lots of issues with tempi changes so be warned), changes that are late behind, swishing tails during the change, changes that are not forward, where the croup is high and the horse shows stiffness behind. In the latter event the horse will cover very little ground as he is not 'flying' through the change. Other issues that occur in training are running off after the change, bucking, coming above the bridle and the riders hand. Do not despair! There is some discussion as to which leg should push hardest during the change and to whether there should be a lightening of the seat during the movement. From my experience and training, lightening the seat is to be avoided. Stay straight, do not collapse a hip and

The Grand Prix Dressage Test ~ All Chopped Up With No Place To Show

The new shortened version of the Grand Prix dressage test will be showcased at Olympia, London, UK, this December. The new test has not been well received in the dressage community and there are many good reasons why.   Are You All In With The New Test? ( Photo: Brittany Fraser and All In) The FEI seems to have gone for a shorter test, thinking this means more spectator interest which is ridiculous as the reduction of the test by 2 minutes per test will not mean more viewers. What it will do is to reward the horses at the very top of the sport already, that have crowned their talents with excellent 3 'p's movements.  The new test offers lots of activity early in on the test which means no time to allow the horse and rider to settle into the test. While much of it feels more like an Intermediate test than a Grand Prix, the missing elements such as the zig zags would have Wolfgang Niggli turning in his grave. The rein back also missing will have many clas