For those in the know, Philippe Karl is one of the modern Masters of Classical Dressage. For those who do not know, he will just seem a foreign concept. Perhaps it is time you learned more about this modern Master of the Equestrian Arts… Now you can read his article “Taking Over Equestrian Culture” online.
Perhaps fitting, yesterday was my birthday, and I was born in the year 1984… the same year that Reiner Klimke scored the Olympic Gold Medal aboard his Westfalian gelding, Ahlerich. Here is a tempting video, highlighting their victory lap at the Olympic Games.
And, in case you weren’t privy to the show live or watched it previously, or maybe you just want to watch it again… here is the winning video of Reiner Klimke riding Ahlerich to Gold at the 1984 Olympic Equestrian Games.
Ever have the curiosity about someone who not only pursues academically, but artistically, that of Classical Dressage? The haute ecole, equestrian art, etc? Bettina Drummond, an American, student of Nuno Oliveira… Here it is for you, hope you can understand French. Cest la vie!
How do we create change to affect horse owners and breeders, to impact them on a level that brings about responsible ownership, care, training, retirement of older horses, as well as the knowledgeable insight to breed quality horses vs. large quantities of horses. Can this be a change by only a handful of people?
For anyone not familiar with the french mastery of equestrian theater, The Theatre Equestre Zingaro is perhaps the epitome of horsemanship made into art and displayed in a public theater. It’s latest production, Battuta, appears to leave one wanting only for more horse theater!
What do I mean by stunts? Well, things like using so much pressure on the horse that he will eventually blow up, but as a professional having enough tact and skill to manage the blow up and keep it from being something dangerous. That is a great stunt that is really common, but when put in the hands of those without the tactful skills it turns into a mess.
Well, here I am thinking these are covering the bases, helping keep my horse’s backs from injury, but perhaps in my own happy congruence of ignorance I was causing more harm than help.
Good to see a horse so personable and who has such a relationship with his rider! I hope everyone is looking forward to the games as much as I am…
What we see in the competitive arena are collected movements that look like collection, act like collection, are called collection and scored as though they are collection, but there is that vital thing missing – the reality of collection.
I caught this one on my way out the door for the day, and it put a smile on my face. Simple, easy, enjoyable. Reminded me of starting my first horse, minus two blondes… Oh, and for those that think this is a dig at the hair pigment challenged… fyi, I’m a (natural) blonde myself.
I am happy to see a report coming to the public that addresses the downward spiral of Thoroughbreds in racing here in the USA. I am not a large supporter of the Thoroughbred racing industry, long have I seen it as being money motivated as the primary with the horse falling to the wayside as a disposable commodity. I am very happy to hear the round-table discussion going on that addresses factors such as not putting the horse first among other ideas… check it out for yourself.
Voice it! Say what you are thinking. I know, we’ve been made to believe that talking to ourselves is a bad thing, but at least we are taking that magical thought out of our heads for a moment. Talking to other people who will not support negative thinking is a great way to break the habit as well. Hanging around with people who share your negative thoughts is an excellent way to keep you stuck in the habit.
We find fears with the horse. He moves too fast or too slowly. He turns the wrong way or doesn’t turn at all. We want him to be caught easily, when he runs away rampantly. He bucks when we want an easy ride, or pulls back in the cross-ties. Perhaps we want to be successful in competition, while our horse refuses to polish just the way we want?
The essential ingredient in a horse who develops into a well balanced, collected, light horse with a beautiful and correct head position.. is forward. We all hear it told from instructors and riders alike, “MORE FORWARD!” What does that mean? What is forward?
Circular, that is time. We live in a world dominated by linear functions, our calendar reads left to right, start to finish. There is little left of the cycles we once relied upon as a species to guide our functions from day to day, week to week, month to month, season to season, year to year. Instead we rely upon days, minutes, hours… seconds, to remind us of the time we have lost or wasted, or perhaps the time we have saved.
What does it mean to be a weak rider? Is it the inability to hold the correct posture and position in the saddle? Is it the lack of strength in the aids to apply them correctly and productively? What if weak riding were not a bad thing, but a highly sought after reality?