Ivy – Inspirational Equestrian #1

I read the Classical Dressage yahoo group where Ivy posts frequently asking questions and showing her progress through video. She rides this wonderful Quarter Horse named Jackson and I readily watch every video she sends to the group. In some ways she reminds me of myself, but in all ways she encompasses the spirit that I hope to always approach my horses with. Together they are doing really incredible things, which is why she is on my list of Inspirational Equestrians. This video is a culmination of a year of video clips rolled into one, and at the end the piaffe work is just lovely.

Visit Ivy’s Website

Anja Beran – Inspirational Equestrian #2

Anja Beran, a student of Marc de Broissia, Manuel Jorge de Oliveira (seen riding with Anja in the many online videos) and Luís Valença, is without a doubt an inspirational equestrian. She has a thorough background in Classical Equitation / Dressage and it shows. What I love a great deal in her work is the obvious relaxation and correctness of work. All things are done in lightness and thus appear seamless.

Visit Anja Beran’s Website

Carl Hester – Inspirational Equestrian #3

Recently I compared Carl Hester’s style of riding to that of Edward Gal, needless to say Edward Gal is not one of my inspirational equestrian references. I quite like a quote of Carl Hester’s - “You can’t blame your family for everything,” which I see as an extraordinary ability to take responsibility for your own life and its direction without blaming every fall or scrape on your upbringing. There are few Dressage Competitors at his level that I can bear to watch ride, but his rides have gone on to make me smile in enjoyment. Carl Hester has a sort of repertoire with his horses that is not commonly seen in the sport, and in doing so has earned a place in my heart as an inspirational equestrian.

Visit Carl Hester’s Website

What inspirational equestrians push you to go out and become a better rider?

I love discovering and adding to my list of Inspirational Equestrians and would enjoy finding out who inspires you!

Classical Dressage has two veins attached to it. One vein leads to the die-hards – the equestrians who study and practice and study and practice and try to perfect based on the teachings of the various Classical Dressage Masters. Some you may be familiar with include François Baucher, Comte d’Aure, François Robichon de la Guérinière, and the recently deceased Nuno Oliveira. Many of these equestrians choose not to compete but instead rigorously pursue the principles of Classical Dressage for no other reason than to be the best they can with their horse.

The other vein is not frequently addressed – and that is the marketing vein. It is every Competitive Dressage rider who realizes they can snag more students or clients by invoking the magic of “Classical Dressage.” Perhaps they studied under a “so and so” who took a lesson or two from someone else who had at some point trained under a Classical Dressage purist. Somehow they will find a way to prove they have an inkling of education linked to a Classical Dressage Master’s teachings. The truth is that every Dressage rider – whether Classical or Competitive – has some connection to those old dead guys. This is where the lines cross a bit.

Classical Dressage principles are what Competitive Dressage is built upon, it is merely the nature of competition and money that has turned it sour and removed from the art it was once meant to be. The two are intrinsically connected, but the motivations will always be different. I like to compare it to buying an original piece of art vs. buying a mickey mouse poster.

Competitive Dressage riders may wish to invoke the power of “Classical Dressage” because the image of the competition rider today is not what it once was. Dressage riders no matter their background were once considered elite, perfectionists, the die-hards who practiced the most mundane of arena figures for years on end and somehow never grew tired of it. And then along came Anky. No, she was not the first, and now is not even the most prominent, rider to use Rollkur and hyperflexion – she was just the one who made it scandalously popular and publicly acknowledged / promoted / sold it. Competitive Dressage riders were taken down off their high horse and the sport is no longer regarded by all as a sport of the elite. Perhaps a sport for those with deep pockets or numerous sponsorships… but the image of the faultless rider is no longer status quo.

The difference between Classical Dressage and Competitive Dressage.

Does Competitive Dressage need an overhaul? It does according to Dominique Barbier -

From New Zealand Horse & Pony :

To French classical dressage master, Dominique Barbier, the problems faced by modern dressage run so deep they are virtually insurmountable, and he’s suggesting a radical overhaul of the sport.

- Jean Llewellyn, July 2009 ‘It’s Anti-Dressage’

It would take more effort than there presently is from individuals who practice the art of Classical Dressage to invest in competing. There are too few making that effort, but as someone who has competed before and since given it up I sympathize with a disinterest in that world. Making Classical Dressage more readily available for people to see does not mean one has to do it through the competition scene, and trying to do so may not actually be as beneficial as one would imagine. Most people involved in Competitive Dressage hold tightly to their methods and do not wish to see or try anything different, anything that could take longer to succeed or even mean compromising their success in the show ring. Judges are no longer rewarding the most correct Dressage Competitors (according to the FEI rules) as it turns out anyhow.

The Masters used to perform in the Circus if they wished to publicize their talents, perhaps it will be by seeking alternative outlets to bring Classical Dressage to more people that it will gain some measure of widespread popularity. Then again, like breeding dogs because it is a fad this could sour that avenue of Dressage as well.

Aligarh is quite the lovely gelding, both in appearance and personality. Foaled in 2004, he is sired by the Dutch Warmblood stallion VDL Orame, who has been successfully competing on the international scene in Show Jumping. Aligarh’s dam is a Bashkir Curly mare of Native American bloodlines. Interestingly this combination has resulted in this stout, handsome horse with a bold personality.

There is always a story behind every horse, though I am at times loath to play to it because the horse generally cares little about that – it is instead us humans that like to get wrapped up in the details of their story. It gives us a scapegoat in the event of a problem arising that we are stumped by, we can blame it on some event in the horse’s past that would make him prone to behave in such a manner.

The important part of Aligarh’s story is that he is largely unhandled, and yet still tame. He is first one to the gate to say hello, unabashedly herd bound, catches, leads, loads, bathes. He likes being groomed and will stand to be hosed off loose in the pasture. His feet can be handled and trimmed with ease in the paddock, near his pasture mates, but taking him outside of his comfort zone quickly reveals the fact that he is as of yet untrained, only tamed. There is a big difference between the two.

His gaits are relatively flat, though not quite daisy-cutter. He still has a certain awkwardness when he canters about and reminds me of a yearling in that regard. Despite his flat movement, when he trots he has a very regal look to him. Heavy boned, thick through the body. To be honest there is a lot about him that delights me, far more than a horse who is a big fancy mover and perhaps causes people to gasp in admiration just with a single look to him standing still. Aligarh is not that horse. To me, however, I can see his diamond in the rough gleaming brightly. I enjoy seeing the change that inevitably comes from Classical work done properly. The horse’s posture develops and before you know it they transform from flat average movers to the most splendid thing you ever laid your eyes on.

Just where does a person start with training a 7 year old? I am unafraid of his age, a factor I feel is in my favor. He is mentally interested in interacting and physically there are no issues of whether he is mature enough or not. To me he is the perfect specimen – unspoiled at an early age now he just needs to be gently shaped. We begin on the lunge. He already knows how to be caught, led and groomed. Lunge cavesson is on and adjusted properly. From there it is still leading, bringing that forward energy along and encouraging him to feel comfortable leading the way. His position is with his shoulder even with me or slightly ahead and I give him the freedom in the lunge line he needs to take that position but nothing further without holding him.

Aligarh already gets this readily. The time spent leading throughout his life has mostly been with encouragement to take this position from both sides. Once he is steadily moving ahead in such a way I give him more distance and take the position of lunging him. I still walk with him because I want to encourage a larger circle – he is not physically developed and I do not wish to force him to a specific lunge circle. That will come with time.

Immediately my attention is on his feet, his tracking. This is the gauge I will follow during his time on the lunge for the rest of his training with me. The hooves do not lie and give away all the secrets of his balance, impulsion, straightness and intentions. At the walk he ideally will land with his hind hooves 6-8 inches ahead of his front hoof prints. Right now he landing directly in the front hoof prints or a few inches ahead. Laterally he is far from straight and his hind hooves land skewed to the outside of the circle going both directions.

At the trot he bobbles between over-tracking and under-tracking, and again continues with the lateral imbalance as his hind hooves are thrown to the outside of the circle. How does one achieve straightness on the lunge when it is the hind legs to the outside? The shoulders have to be addressed and utilized. Only by realigning the shoulders can you correct this on the lunge. Pulling the horse’s head into the circle will continue to push the hindquarters outside. The shoulders must be encouraged to move out on the circle. But how?

A great question… Half halts and the development of an indirect rein through the lunge. The half halt redistributes weight onto the hindquarters; effectively helping to “ground” them and allow freedom of the shoulders into the correct alignment. The indirect rein actually moves the shoulders while making the hindquarters the new pivot point.

I actually achieved a few strides periodically of this transition with Aligarh today. He offered it more freely traveling to the right than the left. You can immediately begin to see the development of the passage in doing this as well. Beudant wrote of the simplicity in first teaching the horse to passage and then piaffe, even before teaching him to canter. I have to agree.

Baucher and Comte d’Aure, who mastered the greatest equestrian difficulties, could doubtless have had their horses at the passage as quickly as they wished had not tradition, holding the passage to be the result of long and learned preparation, prohibited them from even dreaming of such procedure.

As a matter of fact, a passage is more readily taught an untrained horse than is a correct gallop-depart.

- Beudant (1931); Horse Training

I kept the work short, there is no use in tiring him out. A seven year old horse must be trained using his mind, not by wearing him down as is often done with 2 and 3 year olds. Besides, his mind is so much more interesting to interact with than his body to fight.

As I mentioned previously, she doesn’t yet have a noteworthy barn name so excuse me as I continue to refer to her in a way that seems nameless (and I’m too lazy to write out or copy and paste her registered name at every reference… that seems overboard). She arrived at her new barn on Friday after a long trailer ride from the coast. She marched onto the trailer with little effort and was a flawless traveler, impressing me and her previous owner as he remarked that she had been rearing and bucking when they last loaded her in a trailer just days ago. The key, I think, is that I wanted to avoid an argument at all costs with her and she seemed to take to that approach.

Stepping off the trailer she marched confidently to the arena where she got the chance to stretch her legs and wander around for a few hours taking in the sights and smells. She can now lay claim to her own stall at night and the chance to run around a pasture all day. A sociable horse she is keen to have her eye on everything at once, while at the same time having a sort of calm about her actions. Of course that was until she saw a lunge whip yesterday and decided she was back on the track… but more about that later.

I like to approach new horses without assuming they know anything, it seems to help in the process of training because any holes that are there seem to show up in a slightly ordered manner and can be dealt with right away. So now I know she trailers well, leads, yesterday she got groomed in cross-ties for the first time and had horses passing through the barn past her with no issues. She doesn’t really know to lower her head when asked – and believe me it is a tall head at times! She’s good with picking up her front feet and holding them for trimming (I already nipped a couple chipped flares off two days ago and plan to do a formal trim soon)… her hind hooves she still needs some work. She likes being groomed with one particular curry but not another and is decidedly sensitive at her flanks, stifles and the way back of her belly. Still she is very affectionate and loves having her face groomed, even if she does still believe that people make great scratching posts.

Overall she is a lovable mare, and I’ve been told that one of the barn owners has now ranked her as his favorite at the barn. If she attracts people to this degree when she is considerably thin, out of shape and still has that racetrack inattention… I can only imagine what sort of magnetism will ensue once she is fat, fit and on point.

Right now I am in the “messing” phase – the part where I am not really doing anything formal but rather just trying to get a feel for what she does and doesn’t know. Ground work at the moment. Not surprising she is better working to the left than to the right but I’ve dealt with far more difficult horses in this regard who weren’t track horses. Her concept of personal space is a little tight so that is a place we need to start at – teaching her to step away when I tap on the side of her shoulder and to step back when I tap on her chest. I know that this isn’t exactly classical – many promote using the chest as a cue for the horse to move forwards. In all practical sense however I want her to be safe and sane around people who aren’t classically trained.

I put her on the lunge for a short while, first without a lunge whip and later free lunged her with a lunge whip. She seemed to have flashbacks to track racing when the lunge whip came out and it was soon put away. Without knowing the exact history on a horse it can be surprising some of the triggers that they have. She has a beautiful trot and lovely canter on the lunge, nice forward gaits. I forgot my camera when I went out yesterday but will have to capture some pictures of her moving soon… and some video – she is quite vocal when she starts moving around at the canter and the noises are humorous. She reminds me of a half-Thoroughbred filly I had who was also quite vocal, considerably more so than any other horse I had encountered at the time.

For now it is a fine balance of beginning to initiate her ground work while at the same time not eating up too much of her energy. She has a ways to go with gaining weight and with winter coming the faster she puts it on the better. For now she is on a grass/alfalfa hay mix and senior feed with a generous helping of rice bran to top dress it. I need to make a run to the grocery store still and pick up a container of vegetable oil as well to help give her some extra fat calories. For the most part though I think she is taking quite well to her new digs and seems to enjoy the added attention from everyone.

Although most people can identify someone implementing Dressage in their program based on the saddle they are riding in and the outline of their horse, pinpointing the actual elements which ought to be present in those riders isn’t always at the forefront of everyone’s consciousness. I want to look a little closer at what is known as “The Training Scale” or the “Dressage Pyramid” and its importance.

Before I talk about how Dressage can benefit riders of every discipline and riding style, I want to go into the scale/pyramid and look at each individual element. After that I think the benefits will be more obvious. It is comprised of 6 elements.

1. Rhythm
2. Relaxation
3. Contact
4. Impulsion
5. Straightness
6. Collection

Each of these elements is built one upon the other, which is why it is often referred to as a pyramid. Think of the food pyramid, the food groups which make up the largest portions of our diet lie at the base of the pyramid. Unlike the food pyramid however you cannot simply exclude one element and still gain the others. You can produce an external appearance of these other elements, for example a rider can produce a horse who appears to be straight and collected but has no rhythm, relaxation, collection or impulsion. The problem with developing the horse in this way is that he will suffer in some other area. Many dressage horses develop joint and muscle problems at an earlier age, hit a wall in training where they cannot advance beyond second or third level and so on.

The beauty of such a system as the training scale/pyramid is that if you are having problems with one element you know to look back at those which are at its foundation to see where holes exist or improvements are needed. In my opinion this is a fantastic way to implement critical thinking skills and also eliminates a lot of guess work.

It is common now to see riders who compete based on the appearance of their horse vs. the horse’s actual development along the training scale/pyramid, which can account for many of the reasons riders are turning to other methods including rollkur/hyperflexion/LDR in order to improve the appearance of the horse’s gaits and secure higher scores in competition. Riders whose horses are solidly developed along the training scale however will always shine and stand out even without the extreme leg movement that is popularized right now.

Rhythm

The value of rhythm is without question. Not only does it develop a baseline upon with the horse’s physical development can be judged but also makes relaxation possible. I like to think of it like a metronome – the regular tick, tick, tick, tick, tick can almost bring autonomous hypnotism as your thoughts and actions fall into regularity. There is a reason that pianists practice with a metronome, the continuous rhythm assists them in reaching the same rhythm in their playing.

When we begin working with the horse it is important to develop them in a way that allows their body to carry a rider without undue stress and burden. When they are not yet physically fit the rhythm to which they move will be irregular, just as a persons’ movements are when they lack the physical fitness to perform certain actions. So in monitoring the horse’s rhythm you can begin to understand their physical strength and preparedness for the work you are asking of them.

Sometimes it helps for me to think of rhythm in terms of how it works with entrainment. If you’ve never heard of entrainment I encourage you to do a little research on it. I thought I had already written up a post about it but alas it looks like I will have to put that on my “to do” list for the moment.

Relaxation

The next building block is relaxation. Some will refer to it as suppleness but I really prefer to call it relaxation as I feel that is a more clear definition. In order to reach physical relaxation the horse’s body must be strong enough to work without strain. You cannot ask a person to be relaxed while jogging if it has been ten years since they have moved faster than a walk. Their muscles will be strained to perform what is being asked of them and as a result relaxation cannot be present. If however you were to ask a marathon runner to go for a jog it would be a simple task for their body and as a result they could do it in quite a relaxed manner.

Following a relaxed body the mind will follow. The horse’s mind will fret and stress if they are not physically capable of performing what you are asking. They will be out of balance – something that no prey animal likes to be faced with.

Contact

Following relaxation comes contact, an element which I believe is introduced far too early in the horse’s training – or perhaps expected too early on. Many look at contact as being the connection between the rider’s hands and the horse’s mouth through the reins. I prefer to view contact in a slightly different way though. I imagine it as the ability to communicate with all of the area’s of the horse’s body – not just the mouth. It means that I can influence the front legs, hind legs, the mouth, the back, the belly, the horse’s mind, and not just through the reins but through all of the aids in their simplest forms.

In the simplest forms the aids are singular. One rein alone. One leg alone. The seat alone. Often the aids are combined however to access all the areas of the horse but I feel that if combining the aids is necessary to influence the horse then there is another element missing which may be rhythm or relaxation.

Impulsion

Perhaps grossly misunderstood, and with good reason, is impulsion. I’ve heard people describe it as forward, speed, extension of the gaits, push from the hind limbs and so on. Sometimes it reminds me of the various descriptions I’ve heard over the Half Halt – many surrounded in vague wording. The Art of Riding website describes it as, “Free-flowing energy initiated by the rider, causing the horse’s back to swing, his quarters to engage, and his forelegs to articulate is impulsion.” According to Classical Dressage Notebook (by Sue Morris), “A horse is said to have impulsion when the energy created by the hind legs is being transmitted into the gait and into every aspect of the forward movement.”

For me it helps to think about where impulsion originates. It follows rhythm, relaxation and contact. It is also a form of energy. So impulsion is the element that comes when the horse movements rhythmically, is relaxed in body and mind, and every part of his body can be communicated with clearly through any of the aids acting on their own. Impulsion then is the rider accessing the horse’s energy in the simplest form of communication without hesitation or tension while the horse is physically capable of responding rhythmically.

Straightness

Once the horse is in rhythm, relaxed, able to be communicated with clearly and the rider can influence his energy, the next level of the pyramid can be achieved – straightness. If we are unable to influence the horse’s energy then all we are able to do is block, push and pull the horse into something that might appear straight. Being able to access the energy directly however requires far less physical effort on the part of the rider, does not result in degenerative or damaging physical results in the horse, and also produces a much more harmonious and attractive picture.

Straightness simply cannot exist without the base elements below it. Without rhythm the horse will be moving irregularly and one part of the body will have to work harder to make up for the other, weaker, areas. In a horse which lacks relaxation there will be a more pronounced presence of one-sidedness. Just as people generally have a stronger side so does the horse and with tension this imbalance grows. If the rider cannot communicate with all the areas of the horse’s body he also cannot directly and simply influence an area which interferes with developing the horse’s straightness. And finally, without impulsion the horse’s energy can also be out of balance with no means for the rider to channel it back into harmony and thus develop true straightness.

Straightness is not something which the rider creates, but rather it is the result of all the foundation below it having been developed systematically, patiently and correctly.

Collection

For as much as it is talked about, collection is the top tier of the pyramid which is rarely achieved in its truest form. That being after all of the other elements of the scale/pyramid having been developed correctly. Everyone wants to be a billionaire and no one wants to have to break a sweat doing it or go out of their comfort zone. The same happens with collection – we all want to ride a horse which is collected and beautiful but the time and effort involved in developing everything necessary to its actualization can get in the way. We’d rather inherit the cash from a rich distant relative who kicked the bucket.

To honestly ride a horse in true collection is vastly different from riding a horse which appears collected. The reason for this is a truly collected horse has an amazing amount of energy simply at the disposal of the rider to direct, and all of that energy is focused in one direction – that is through straightness. I think of it like if you are walking a pack of dogs and all are pulling in opposite directions, they will help keep you in one place. If however they were to all align in one direction you would be overpowered by their combined energy. The horse is the same way, there is no wasted energy. He is physically capable of performing the tasks that are being asked in such a way that he is also relaxed. He is no longer a run down sedan but instead a powerful sports car.

In Other Disciplines

If these elements were implemented in other disciplines the horse’s power grows exponentially. You do not have to ride your horse in a dressage saddle, in a snaffle bit, in an arena even, to develop these characteristics. That is the beauty that lies in Dressage. It has been transformed in the public’s eye as being a competitive sport but the truest qualities of Dressage can exist in any discipline including those just ‘hacking’ around in their backyard. And that, in essence, is why I love Dressage.

Perhaps the only question to go along with this piece is to ask yourself if you as a rider have all of these elements. Are you in rhythm by having the physical strength to perform? Are you then able to do the work in a relaxed state both physically and mentally? Can the horse communicate with you clearly through the aids and vice versa (remember, it’s a conversation and not dictation.. *wink*)? Is your energy able to be channeled at will? Can your energy not only be channeled but also be aligned into straightness?

Despite my initial “wow, I like this guy” reaction to seeing photos of him riding, reading about clinic experiences and even tracking down videos of him riding and working horses at clinics, I haven’t been able to dig up enough dirt to discredit my positive thoughts about this man. Unusual, I know.

Don’t get me wrong, there are usually positive points I can find in many equestrian trainers and clinicians, but to be without a large enough mar to make me veer slightly in the opposite direction over time is not nearly as common.

Perhaps I will have to eat my own words in the future, but for now it stands to reason in my little brain that all the signals I’m picking up on this horseman are great. I’m plugging in what I could scrounge up around the web to share with you – I like saving leg work when possible..

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What I found fascinating in particular was the history lesson on the Lusitano breed, how it came to be developed in the manner it has (with bulls, etc) as well as how he contrasts their speed/flexibility to other breeds and what that means in their training and handling.

As he is working with the horses keep a close eye because the habits he has are descended from many of the great masters which are talked about in Classical Dressage circles. What a wonderful opportunity that is not always common place!

Part I -

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Part II -

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Let’s take a bit deeper look into this.

#1 — PUBLIC OUTCRY

“Because equestrians are protesting hyperflexion through means which do not motivate abusers to change – i.e. silent protests at competitions, speaking out through niche internet, signing of petitions, etc.”

Hyperflexion is in some way connected to the abuses given to African American slaves, women prior to the feminist movement, many lab animals. Certainly it is not a human suffering, but it is a living being on this plant none-the-less and in the same way the horse is suffering for the sake of money and power. It took the violent sweep of the anti-slavery movement to see African Americans move out of the ‘public opinion’ of being less than and even animalistic and to appreciate the same rights and humanities of other Americans. Women were seen as weak and in need of men’s guidance and care, even if at times violent and sadistic. The feminist movement and women’s sufferage was not a gentle journey won by quiet voices. Many companies will not seek to right things which are dangerous to their customers until threat of public media involvement is made in a widespread manner.

Making hyperflexion an outcry to the PUBLIC – not just the equestrian community – may help raise the hairs on the neck of those who use it and support it including sponsors who fund it’s continued use. Many equestrians are still in the dark even about what hyperflexion is, why it is bad for the horse and what can be done to stop it.

Many have a notion that keeping the resolution of hyperflexion somewhat out of the public eye will help keep PETA and other animal rights activists from gaining a foothold towards removing all rights of equestrians in the use of horses. Is the fear of losing your own right greater than the present knowledge the the horse has lost his?! I can think of no more selfish thought than this. Secondarily, if this argument is to be made I can think of no better supportive argument than to take the side of PETA, etc because it is obvious that the selfishness of the equestrian community has grown to such an extent that it can no longer be entrusted to put the horse’s needs and welfare above it’s own interests be they emotionally or commercially driven.

#2 — MONEY

“Hyperflexion is money motivated and those who are making the most money are using the technique.”

You’ve heard of the golden rule before? Those with the most gold make the rules? Words to live by in this society, unfortunately. Take away the money and the well will dry up and move on to greener pastures. Just as energy efficient means will not lead the globe until they can make more money than traditional fossil fuels, top equestrians will not stop using hyperflexion until it proves to no longer be profitable.

#3 — CULT SUPPORT

“Riders who are impressed by abusers are willing to move in packs and use loud voices in support of hyperflexion and the ‘success’ it brings.”

Beware the person with too much confidence, fanfare and a loud voice – for they are surely the most foolish. If this isn’t a quote perhaps it should be. When I was a younger rider I always thought I knew exactly what was right and what was wrong, the best methods and what should be avoided. I had all the answers and if I didn’t it was because they didn’t exist. I’ve grown up a bit and in the years between then and now the greatest thing I have learned is that the quietest voice is often the most informed, or at the very least the one who is observing the most. Perhaps they are just asleep in class. Whatever the case may be… I tend to avoid people who always know the answers when it comes to horses.

That being said, I have also observed that equestrians who do well in competition often use shortcuts – both intentionally and unintentionally. And that competitors who are doing well often have a following of not as advanced of competitor equestrians or hopeful competitors. And those followers *love* the person they are following – of course if they didn’t why would they be following them? So in order to be correct in following this person they will defend them tooth and nail to the death in support of every action and intention of said followed equestrian competitor. They are unafraid to voice their opinion loudly because what they have to lose is their own belief that the person they are learning from and likely hold in very high esteem is flawless and perfect. And if they happen to lose this belief their whole world could be in a tailspin. Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy I have to wonder? Often people prefer to be right in just such a case…

As a result, louder voices are heard above quieter voices.

#4 — FEI ENDORSES THE ABUSE

“The FEI endorses hyperflexion.”

As if hyperflexion needed a booster seat, the FEI – the international governing body of olympic sports – steps up to the plate and gives it the green light and a get out of jail free card. What ‘professional’ can be made liable for abusing a horse when they are only using a method that their sporting association, which just so happens to hold as president the Princess of Jordan, says can do no harm if used by said professional? Exactly.

Of course this shouldn’t come as a surprise when they are also renegotiating ideas which would allow fewer restrictions on the doping and drugging of horses in competition. There is a reason that rules are in place to limit things that dull the horse’s ability to voice it is in pain or breaking down – because he cannot do it with words and is at the mercy of those gaining profit through exploitation. Yep, I said it – exploitation.

#5 – VETERINARIANS ENDORSE THE ABUSE

“Veterinarians publicly support the use/abuse of hyperflexion.”

How do you bring a strong man down? Cut him off at the knees and strap lead to his back. As if the above reasons were not enough weight to tow behind the half-dead pick up truck, lead veterinarians have publicly stated that hyperflexion is not physically harmful to the horse. Those bulges we see at the 3rd cervical vertebrae are now “normal” side effects of competition horse training. The unusual muscle development of the neck is standard.

It has been my personal experience that veterinarians are human, which means that not only are the subject to making mistakes and lacking knowledge in their so called area of ‘expertise’… they are also easily intimidated and or convinced to support a cause if they are in the right social circles. I tend to be a bit suspicious of allopathic medical ‘professionals’ be they human doctors or animal, and the supporting documents for hyperflexion only adds fuel to my fire.

#6 — EXTRAVAGANT MOVEMENT

“Hyperflexion creates more exciting movement from the horse to please an uneducated crowd, making hyperflexion a tool to market a sport once seen as boring drivel to those uninitiated.”

Think of hyperflexion what soring is to Tennessee Walking horse big lick shows. It is what creates the flash and boom and draws the crowds of uninformed and potentially horse-illiterate spectators. The TWH Celebration annually draws thousands, when is that last time you saw a national dressage show perform in the same way?  In the following video take a look at the sheer crowd in the stands at the 2007 NYPD Walking Horse Celebration.

I remember the first dressage shows I attended, they really were boring. Why? I liken it to watching someone meditate, or that is what it should be like – two beings meditating together to form a partnership of invisible communication. Now that meditation has to be marketable it is being spiced up. A bit like turning tai chi into MMA death matches.

#7 — MAKES WINNERS IN THE SPORT

“Hyperflexion creates Olympic gold medalists and ‘partnerships’ who score the highest test % ever awarded.”

Anky van Grunsven was the top rider for many years. She has only allowed this title to slip a bit by making room for others who now use hyperflexion as well. The last Olympic games I watched in China made me want to throw up as horses who were not forward, on the forehand, behind the bit, crooked, constant tail swishing, etc were the norm and being praised and glorified by thousands of adoring fans. I had to turn off my tv, go outside and praise be to my horses that I have not bought into such disgust. Mostly my horses just snorted and munched at grass.

Recently Edward Gal riding Moorlands Totilas scored a 92.30% in London. This is the highest score ever recorded for a competition, let alone of the caliber – a World Cup Qualifier. The horse’s movement is reminiscent of Anky van Grunsven’s Salinero if you ask me, complete with the horse behind the bit at the halt, tail swishing, leg mover, etc etc etc. The list goes on.

#8 — SHORTENS TRAINING TIME

“Hyperflexion creates an Internationally competitive Grand Prix horse in 3-4 years.”

Andreas Helgestrand rode to victory in 2006 on Blue Horse Matine – a 9 year old mare.

Of course Blue Hors Matine also died unexpectedly by breaking her leg when she was 13 years old, one last injury in a long line of them that began just after this competition.

#9 — BEHIND THE VERTICAL IS NORMAL / COMMON

“Horses behind the vertical and overbent about in pictures, video and in person in all corners of the world, making Hyperflexion “just a little bit more” of the same…”

Pretty self-explanatory. Do a google search for something rather inert in connection to horses and you will find a plethora of images showing riders with horses whose noses are behind the vertical. Behind the vertical is behind the vertical, period. End of sentence and argument. I’ve heard it all before and people will likely continue to argue the point that ‘it was only one moment captured in time’ or that their horse is always like that, etc. Horses ridden forward as they ought to be are not behind the vertical with their nose. If the horse is behind the vertical, he is NOT forward – maybe fast, but not forward. One moment captured in time 10+ times over is not ‘one moment captured in time’.

#10 — EXCUSES

“Hyperflexion abusers will continue to claim proof to be attributed to a “one time event” and not part of the normal routine or used for long periods of time.”

Can anyone else hear in this statement “WIFE BEATER“? See above – if it has happened more than once it is not a one time event. If it has been captured for more than a split moment, it is more than a split moment. Fairly black and white. Abusers often argue this point, of it was a one time thing, it isn’t as bad as it looks, it doesn’t last as long as it seems, blah blah blah. They are excuses, manipulative excuses. Why? Because if they can get away with it they will, they have not changed and likely will not change. Why are abusers and users of hyperflexion allowed to continue telling us what limits should be allowed in regards to abuse? Seems a bit like an alcoholic saying what the legal blood-alcohol limit should be for drunk driving.

#11 (BONUS) — CROSS-DISCIPLINE

“Hyperflexion is cross-discipline and has infiltrated horsemanship for longer than most would likely want to admit, even the Classical Dressage groupies (of which I cannot be completely excluded from).”

You can find it in jumpers, hunters, western riders, english riders, saddleseat, hunt, etc. While it is more prevalent in some disciplines over others the truth of the matter is that the majority of equestrians believe that control of the horse is gained largely by manipulating the neck. Yes, control can be had in this way but it is also mistakenly referred to as building a relationship, communication, a partnership, etc. Plain and simple it is a physical way to control the horse and avoiding communication and removing choice from the horse’s options.

Classical Dressage is often pitched as a ‘faultless’ practice and following that deviates from the intentions of competitive Dressage. This is like saying that because you call yourself a Christian you love your neighbor, honor your mother and father, and never sin or think impure thoughts. A name does not prove and action.

I wouldn’t call myself a groupie, per se, I enjoy the thoughts behind Classical Dressage while also acknowledging the fact that CD Masters or ODGs (Old Dead Guys for short) were human as well and because they are dead we cannot see with our own eyes as to the purity of their actions or truth behind their words. The internet should prove well enough that written words will never equate to spoken words just as pictures will never do justice to watching the same in person. There have been hints that Francoise de la Gueriniere may have used hyperflexion, largely in part of the images in some of his books. The Duke of Newcastle may have been suspect. Francoise Baucher has been touted as using hyperflexion heavily and is the one that Sjef Janssen ‘blames’ for imparting and inspiring the use of it with Anky van Grunsven. Reiner Klimke has been accused by a few small voices in the background. The Spanish Riding School has also been implicated among other national schools. No one is safe from the accusations. The truth of the matter is that whether Masters or ODGs used hyperflexion is irrelevant. As mentioned above, it only matters if a follower of one method or man over another wishes to be right rather than to be happy.

There is still hope in the world — you just have to look more closely for it.

I’ve just recently discovered that Google Book Search has scanned in a very rare translation of Ecole de Cavalerie, made by the late Captain William Frazer, which also includes notes from the Earl of Pembroke.

Link :Ecole de Cavalerie : A Treatise Upon Horsemanship

I haven’t had the chance to read through it myself just yet, but have been told it may be wise to print yourself a copy so you can rearrange a few pages that are not in order. If this is so and anyone wants to make the rest of us privy to which pages are out of order, please feel free to leave a comment! Enjoy!

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