there are many different ways to train the high school collected movements, Piaffe, Passage, etc. but the rider must know which method is the correct one for the horse which he is working with. while some horses will respond real well with work in hand to get started and familiarized with the high demand of work, others are too sensitive for this work and should be left for under saddle work but o...nly when the time is right. the expert will be able to communicate with his horse in such a way that there is not too much time lost in trying to figure out the method or methods to be employed. also, while the piaffe and passage can be started from, the half step trot, the trot or the walk, at times it will also be only successful if the one depends on the other. for example some horses will not be capable of doing a good quality piaffe and so he must learn the passage first, then the latter can be reduced in length of stride until the passage is on the spot, piaffe, to then release the impulsion forward again. the passage in the same way will at times depend on the piaffe, and only after perfecting the piaffe and learning to flex properly the three joints of the hind leg, will this type of horse be able to spring from one diagonal to the next out of the perfect piaffe, into a good passage. when the basics are established well and the horse is given time to be strong the collected movements will come with ease, when that is the case, it is actually the horse and not the rider who will dictate the correct method for him, but the rider must be able to detect this or he will be like a blindfolded man getting through a complicated maze. it really is a piece of cake. good night everyone.See More
Friday, July 26, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
leg yield
the leg yield is only important to teach the horse to respect the rider's leg and to yield to pressure. in dressage tests we often see horses yielding to the leg at the trot from one long side of the arena to the other, most often in approximately a second or first level test. this is good but not the only method of teaching the exercise to a young horse. in classical Spanish riding we use the leg... yield mostly at the walk, along the wall, from the wall to the wall, from the center to the wall, moving in and out of circles and in turns on the forehand. we start the exercise only from a very large circle where the bend is minimal, at the rising trot and by use of inside leg and outside hip we influence the horse to take the first step or two in shifting his body weight beneath our center of gravity. the horse tries to balance himself under our shifting of the body and taking advantage of the moment of suspension at the trot he happily yields, or we give the aids in the exact moment when the inside hind leg comes off the ground at the walk, for this the rider must know exactly how to feel his horse or he must have an expert on the ground to assist him. its that easy, if we build on this day by day in no time at all our horse learns to yield happily and readily without the use of the spur. la lazy horse might need a little encouragement with the spur, but we need to be careful not to over do it, while more exited horses should not be tickled with the spur to not over stimulate and over aid. we practice this exercise mostly at the walk because if it is done too much at the trot, when we reach the time to teach the half pass the horse may recent the bend and try to avoid the aids. again we must be careful not to stop the natural rhythm and motion of the walk so that we don't ruin it and turn a good walk into an amble which has no place in good riding.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Choosing Tack for the Dressage Horse by: Theresa Truscott
Dressage is a riding discipline that celebrates discipline, grace, elegance, and beauty. It is a riding discipline that is made even more beautiful by its simplicity.
When is comes to outfitting the dressage rider less is better. A rider competing in the lower levels should be wearing well polished black hunt or field boots. They should have invested in a pair of britches. A clean white shirt should be worn with a collar and ta stock pin. Covering the white shirt should be wearing a dark colored jacket. The riders hands should be covered in dark colored gloves that will help disguise the movement of the riders hands. If the rider has long hair is should be gathered up and tucked neatly out of sight. On the riders head should be a black helmet. If the rider is a junior rider, under the age of eighteen, many show committees require that the rider's helmet should meet ASTM/SEI standards and have a fastened harness. Unless the rider is aboard a hot horse (high spirited horse with an excessive amount of go) the rider should have a pair of spurs which help dress up the rider's leg.
A rider competing in the lower levels of dressage should make sure their horses tack follows the same simple guidelines as the riders apparel. Before entering the competition the horses coat should be clean and well groomed. Long before leaving for the show the rider should have pulled their horses mane and on the morning of the show they should have plaited the shortened, thinned mane into several tidy braids, if they have a horse with a nice steady head set they can wrap the braids with white adhesive tape, at the lower levels of competition braids are not actually required but they are a sign of respect. The tail should be left upbraided. The horses hooves should be polished with either clear or black hoof polish. The horses bit should be a simple snaffle, curb bits are not acceptable in dressage competitions, the bit can not include any copper. The bit should be attached to a plain leather bridle. On the horses back their should be a leather saddle. At the lower levels of competition the rider can choose between a black or brown colored saddle and they have the option of using a dressage saddle or a dressage saddle. Under the saddle their should be a saddle blanket, the blanket can be black or white and be either a square cut or can be shaped to follow the line of the saddle.
Once a rider has reached the upper levels of dressage competition their are a few subtle changes in their show attire. FEI rules require that they wear a pair of white britches. Hunt coats are no longer allowed, riders are required to wear the longer, more elegant shad belly. Although their is no rule banning the wearing of a helmet most riders choose to wear a derby style hat. Black gloves are replaced with white gloves.
Just like the riders show clothing there are some changes made in the horses tack. The bridle must be made of black leather, in the horses mouth their should be two bits in the horses mouth, a snaffle bit and a curb bit. A whip is no longer allowed in competition. The horse must be braided. The saddle must be a dressage style cut and be made of black leather. Some riders have chosen to add a jewel encrusted brow band to dress up a plain horses head.
When is comes to outfitting the dressage rider less is better. A rider competing in the lower levels should be wearing well polished black hunt or field boots. They should have invested in a pair of britches. A clean white shirt should be worn with a collar and ta stock pin. Covering the white shirt should be wearing a dark colored jacket. The riders hands should be covered in dark colored gloves that will help disguise the movement of the riders hands. If the rider has long hair is should be gathered up and tucked neatly out of sight. On the riders head should be a black helmet. If the rider is a junior rider, under the age of eighteen, many show committees require that the rider's helmet should meet ASTM/SEI standards and have a fastened harness. Unless the rider is aboard a hot horse (high spirited horse with an excessive amount of go) the rider should have a pair of spurs which help dress up the rider's leg.
A rider competing in the lower levels of dressage should make sure their horses tack follows the same simple guidelines as the riders apparel. Before entering the competition the horses coat should be clean and well groomed. Long before leaving for the show the rider should have pulled their horses mane and on the morning of the show they should have plaited the shortened, thinned mane into several tidy braids, if they have a horse with a nice steady head set they can wrap the braids with white adhesive tape, at the lower levels of competition braids are not actually required but they are a sign of respect. The tail should be left upbraided. The horses hooves should be polished with either clear or black hoof polish. The horses bit should be a simple snaffle, curb bits are not acceptable in dressage competitions, the bit can not include any copper. The bit should be attached to a plain leather bridle. On the horses back their should be a leather saddle. At the lower levels of competition the rider can choose between a black or brown colored saddle and they have the option of using a dressage saddle or a dressage saddle. Under the saddle their should be a saddle blanket, the blanket can be black or white and be either a square cut or can be shaped to follow the line of the saddle.
Once a rider has reached the upper levels of dressage competition their are a few subtle changes in their show attire. FEI rules require that they wear a pair of white britches. Hunt coats are no longer allowed, riders are required to wear the longer, more elegant shad belly. Although their is no rule banning the wearing of a helmet most riders choose to wear a derby style hat. Black gloves are replaced with white gloves.
Just like the riders show clothing there are some changes made in the horses tack. The bridle must be made of black leather, in the horses mouth their should be two bits in the horses mouth, a snaffle bit and a curb bit. A whip is no longer allowed in competition. The horse must be braided. The saddle must be a dressage style cut and be made of black leather. Some riders have chosen to add a jewel encrusted brow band to dress up a plain horses head.
Friday, July 12, 2013
what do you think of long and low?
somebody asked me in a text: "hello Tony, I was wondering if you could tell me what you think about riding the horse, long and low, and if you at all practice it, if it should be practiced, and why or why not? thanks"
I responded I would post my answer here and try to keep it as short and simple as I could. so here it goes:
a horse must be ridden in the long and low form to relax him, to give ...him rest, to help him search for the contact with the riders hands and to help him lift his back. if the horse however naturally raises his head in such a way that he is comfortable and not hollowing his back, it is better to let him travel this way. when the rider misunderstands the use of long and low, the risk is that the rider can over bend the horse producing a false flexion, from the neck or withers, which causes at the same time the hind leg to be left behind the movement, pushing the mass and not carrying it. it is better to have the horse hollow his back and get a little above the bit, because we can push him into the bit by an energetic rising trot and thus fix the hollowing with patience. a horse that leaves his hind legs behind the movement is more difficult to correct, because he tends to get too far behind the bit, producing stiffness in the hind legs and too much softness of the mouth. this is especially so on horses whose morphology demands them to naturally flex in an exaggerated way, such as horses with a too long neck. also a horse which learns to get behind the bit, will also learn to lean on the bit, turning at times into a horse which runs away or rears dangerously. many riders, especially competition riders focus too much on the long and low technique as well as on the exaggerated stretching of the front limbs when at the trot, ignoring what is truly important. the development of the hindquarters and the muscle development of the entire horse. I advice my riders to warm up the horse in a walk, allowing the horse to look around and stretching down as he pleases for a short period of time, keeping in mind the age and training level of each horse of course. with younger horses we want to be more careful with older horses we expect them to be more calm, more mature. once the work, or the lesson for the day commences the horse is allowed to stretch long and low, only in motion and only as a reward for a short exercise well done, especially with Doma Vaquera, or Working Equitation horses whose job is to maintain collection for most of the time that they are at work. (collection that comes with time only and by correct use of seat, legs, and hands, and not by a fixed frame of the horse, which again is nothing more than a false flexion.) allowing the horse to cool off as well in a long loose rein at the walk before he/she is taken back to the stable. the young horse of course is treated differently, and is allowed more freedom and more rest in between shorter periods of work, than the more mature horse with say three years or more of training. for horses that are a little more lethargic it is good to rider the technique of long and low while warming up to get the blood pumping and the natural forward urge going, this should be done in my opinion at an ordinary rising trot, and for only a few minutes in large circles, serpentines and going large along the entire arena. again for a short period of time, we don't want to warm up the hors in this way for an hour and then start work, because the horse would be too tired to do any serious work. if you wish to set up a lesson schedule or sponsor a clinic in your area for a more in depth and detailed study of the latter feel free to contact me..
I responded I would post my answer here and try to keep it as short and simple as I could. so here it goes:
a horse must be ridden in the long and low form to relax him, to give ...him rest, to help him search for the contact with the riders hands and to help him lift his back. if the horse however naturally raises his head in such a way that he is comfortable and not hollowing his back, it is better to let him travel this way. when the rider misunderstands the use of long and low, the risk is that the rider can over bend the horse producing a false flexion, from the neck or withers, which causes at the same time the hind leg to be left behind the movement, pushing the mass and not carrying it. it is better to have the horse hollow his back and get a little above the bit, because we can push him into the bit by an energetic rising trot and thus fix the hollowing with patience. a horse that leaves his hind legs behind the movement is more difficult to correct, because he tends to get too far behind the bit, producing stiffness in the hind legs and too much softness of the mouth. this is especially so on horses whose morphology demands them to naturally flex in an exaggerated way, such as horses with a too long neck. also a horse which learns to get behind the bit, will also learn to lean on the bit, turning at times into a horse which runs away or rears dangerously. many riders, especially competition riders focus too much on the long and low technique as well as on the exaggerated stretching of the front limbs when at the trot, ignoring what is truly important. the development of the hindquarters and the muscle development of the entire horse. I advice my riders to warm up the horse in a walk, allowing the horse to look around and stretching down as he pleases for a short period of time, keeping in mind the age and training level of each horse of course. with younger horses we want to be more careful with older horses we expect them to be more calm, more mature. once the work, or the lesson for the day commences the horse is allowed to stretch long and low, only in motion and only as a reward for a short exercise well done, especially with Doma Vaquera, or Working Equitation horses whose job is to maintain collection for most of the time that they are at work. (collection that comes with time only and by correct use of seat, legs, and hands, and not by a fixed frame of the horse, which again is nothing more than a false flexion.) allowing the horse to cool off as well in a long loose rein at the walk before he/she is taken back to the stable. the young horse of course is treated differently, and is allowed more freedom and more rest in between shorter periods of work, than the more mature horse with say three years or more of training. for horses that are a little more lethargic it is good to rider the technique of long and low while warming up to get the blood pumping and the natural forward urge going, this should be done in my opinion at an ordinary rising trot, and for only a few minutes in large circles, serpentines and going large along the entire arena. again for a short period of time, we don't want to warm up the hors in this way for an hour and then start work, because the horse would be too tired to do any serious work. if you wish to set up a lesson schedule or sponsor a clinic in your area for a more in depth and detailed study of the latter feel free to contact me..
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
directing the horse
the legs of the rider control the hind quarters and asks for bending of the horse, the hands of the rider controls the front quarters of the horse and regulates the degree of the bend. when the horse becomes well adept and the rider is an expert, then it can all be done by legs and body of the rider and one or both hands are free for other things, the reins become only an emergency back up tool. have a wonderful day everyone.
The Classical art of riding is more than ever in a sad and steep decline
The judges awarded extreme scores to a horse and rider which should have not scored so high. As a matter of fact most of the horses in "Dressage" training today hardly ever really develop the gaits and especially the extended trot correctly.... Sadly our Spanish horses are being wrongfully bred to compete with this pantomime of movement turning the "Horse of Kings" into nothing more than just another warmblood for the market of competition riders.
Riders and even breeders recently boast of the "incredible movement" of their horses. They focus however on exaggerated movement of the front limbs and think what they are looking at is not only beautiful but correct. Some breeders focus only on the trot of a colt/filly at liberty but ignore the walk or canter, which are even more important than the trot. Many judges in todays era are nothing more than a joke in competitions, and riders boast of being experts because they BUY a certification through the USDF or other such institutions and by riding a set of patterns on horses which they themselves did not train. The Classical art of riding is more than ever in a sad and steep decline because of the huge ignorance in the world of riding and training horses. An ignorance that awards super high scores on incorrect moveme todaynts, and that dismiss the classical riding methods of the ancient times. Few of us ever get the chance to learn from a real expert, even fewer of us try to not take it for granted. Stupid handlers, to say the least resort to unnecessary punishment of their horses while in training, and many more resort to all kinds of artificial aids to produce a result that their natural abilities and talents would not permit them otherwise. On the other hand, some riders believe that the spur and whip must never ever be used, they too are wrong.
You might disagree with me, and that's fine. We all have a right to have an opinion, but I warn you that what you sometimes think is beautiful or correct, often times is not. If you agree or disagree let me know and please do tell me why. For those of you who try to follow the classical principals I urge you to continue. for those of you who are more into ribbons and competition I urge to reconsider, for when you understand the real meaning of riding, nothing but the well being and correct development of the horse matters.
Thank you for visiting my page.
Riders and even breeders recently boast of the "incredible movement" of their horses. They focus however on exaggerated movement of the front limbs and think what they are looking at is not only beautiful but correct. Some breeders focus only on the trot of a colt/filly at liberty but ignore the walk or canter, which are even more important than the trot. Many judges in todays era are nothing more than a joke in competitions, and riders boast of being experts because they BUY a certification through the USDF or other such institutions and by riding a set of patterns on horses which they themselves did not train. The Classical art of riding is more than ever in a sad and steep decline because of the huge ignorance in the world of riding and training horses. An ignorance that awards super high scores on incorrect moveme todaynts, and that dismiss the classical riding methods of the ancient times. Few of us ever get the chance to learn from a real expert, even fewer of us try to not take it for granted. Stupid handlers, to say the least resort to unnecessary punishment of their horses while in training, and many more resort to all kinds of artificial aids to produce a result that their natural abilities and talents would not permit them otherwise. On the other hand, some riders believe that the spur and whip must never ever be used, they too are wrong.
You might disagree with me, and that's fine. We all have a right to have an opinion, but I warn you that what you sometimes think is beautiful or correct, often times is not. If you agree or disagree let me know and please do tell me why. For those of you who try to follow the classical principals I urge you to continue. for those of you who are more into ribbons and competition I urge to reconsider, for when you understand the real meaning of riding, nothing but the well being and correct development of the horse matters.
Thank you for visiting my page.
When a rider changes bits constantly
when a rider changes a bit constantly on a horse's mouth, it should be because the horse has a delicate mouth and the bit must be softer or non existent until through the rider's soft hands and skill the horse accepts the bit. going from a hackamore, serrata, or snaffle to the more severe double bridle or curb over time. changing the curb for a snaffle or hackamore, when ever the horse resents the... bit, and introducing the curb or double bridle again gradually, over more time. when a rider changes a bit constantly on a horses mouth, trying different kinds of ports and/or shanks, to see what helps him/her have more control, it is because of lack of tack, knowledge, patience, and skill this type of rider perhaps should not be allowed to ride without supervision.
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