From Tug Of War: Classical Versus "Modern" Dressage by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann
I found the below at the conclusion of the book above and thought they were pretty important principles to consider and always keep in mind as we work with our horses. So, here, the 9 ethical principles of the true horseman:
1. Anyone involved with a horse takes over responsibility for this living creature entrusted to him.
2. The horse must be kept in a way that is in keeping with its natural living requirements.
3. Highest priority must be accorded to the physical as well as the psychological health of the horse, irrespective of the purpose for which it is used.
4. Man must respect every horse alike, regardless of its breed, age and sex and its use for breeding, for recreation or in sporting competition.
5. Knowledge of the history of the horse, its needs, and how to handle it are part of our historical-cultural heritage. This information must be cherished and safeguarded in order to be passed on to the next generations.
6. Contact and dealings with horses are character-building experiences and of valuable significance to the development of the human being - in particular, the young person. This aspect must always be respected and promoted.
7. The human who participates in equestrian sport with his horse must subject himself, as well his horse to training. The goal of any training is to bring about the best possible harmony between rider and horse.
8. The use of the horse in competition as well as in general riding, driving and vaulting must be geared toward the horse's ability, temperament and willingness to perform. Manipulating a horse's capacity to work by means of medication or other "horse-unfriendly" influences should be rejected by all and people engaged in such practices should be prosecuted.
9. The responsibility a human has for the horse entrusted to him includes the end of the horse's life. The human must always assume this responsibility and implement any decision in the best interest of the horse.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Competitive Trail
I wanted to share the video below of what constitutes to me a REAL trail class! Enjoy:
In my opinion, THIS is a true test. The horse is asked to do all the things it would find in the real world - boulders, logs, steep hills, water... isn't that what Trail is all about? These are ALL the things I have always expected of my horses out in the real world. The rails-on-the-ground competitive trail the AQHA has out there just is not an accurate test IMO, as it does not relate to reality whatsoever. I mean, how many times have I had to ask my horse to go over various rails (granted, laying in various directions and at differing heights...) and little flat wooden bridges, or open a ROPE gate? Never. Yet we have had to jump massive logs at a moment's notice, gallop through brush, swerving trees, or gallop down rutty roads where the footing was terrible and iffy (and invisible, thanks to long grass), bolt or slide down steep hills, clamber up impossible-looking cliffs, and tromp our way through rivers, streams, and thick sinking bogs. We've had to walk over wooden and concrete bridges that actually had WATER beneath them, and open gates that were NOT, I can assure you, made of rope. I suppose "to each their own" and maybe the modern version of Trail is okay by some people. I just find it absurd. On the other hand, I do recognise it to be a challenge to perform in itself and so give credit where it's due in that regard - I suppose it is sort of like agility for dogs (and even that is different , much more respectable IMO, and has more variance!). At least the horse has a job to do, just since we often rely upon our horses for practical purposes, I feel like we should maybe be competing in a more practical sense too, like our competitions should reflect what we REALLY do with our horses. HOWEVER, who am I to impose MY beliefs on others ;)
Enjoy the below, if you enjoy the AQHA version of Trail:
Let me say I DO respect and admire the fine nuances and intimate/subtle communication between horse and rider. That takes a LOT of work and refinement! BUT, it is almost (ALMOST) over-ridden by my severe dislike of the lame-looking jog and lope and the nose-to-the-ground fad upheld even at the World levels (and every level below). These horses are not using themselves correctly. Of course a horse has to have its head lowered so as to see the obstacles set in front of him, but what is demonstrated in the above video is to an extreme. Yes, I know what a horse should look like doing Trail and going over obstacles in real life, because I've ridden such horses in real life. My Quarab drops his nose literally to the ground when he is watching his feet in the bush, especially at high speeds. But that head comes up sometimes too!! It varies according to how he is using himself, the footing at hand, etc. It doesn't STAY on the ground, irregardless. The horse in the video has his nose dropped as soon as he enters the course, even BEFORE he has to go over obstacles, so the excuse "well, he has to be able to see the obstacles in front of him!" doesn't fly with me. That nose dropped so low is much too extreme for my taste. BUT, then again, to each their own. The only place I draw the line is if/when such a position becomes detrimental to the horse because the horse is not using its body efficiently, etc. *sigh*
In my opinion, THIS is a true test. The horse is asked to do all the things it would find in the real world - boulders, logs, steep hills, water... isn't that what Trail is all about? These are ALL the things I have always expected of my horses out in the real world. The rails-on-the-ground competitive trail the AQHA has out there just is not an accurate test IMO, as it does not relate to reality whatsoever. I mean, how many times have I had to ask my horse to go over various rails (granted, laying in various directions and at differing heights...) and little flat wooden bridges, or open a ROPE gate? Never. Yet we have had to jump massive logs at a moment's notice, gallop through brush, swerving trees, or gallop down rutty roads where the footing was terrible and iffy (and invisible, thanks to long grass), bolt or slide down steep hills, clamber up impossible-looking cliffs, and tromp our way through rivers, streams, and thick sinking bogs. We've had to walk over wooden and concrete bridges that actually had WATER beneath them, and open gates that were NOT, I can assure you, made of rope. I suppose "to each their own" and maybe the modern version of Trail is okay by some people. I just find it absurd. On the other hand, I do recognise it to be a challenge to perform in itself and so give credit where it's due in that regard - I suppose it is sort of like agility for dogs (and even that is different , much more respectable IMO, and has more variance!). At least the horse has a job to do, just since we often rely upon our horses for practical purposes, I feel like we should maybe be competing in a more practical sense too, like our competitions should reflect what we REALLY do with our horses. HOWEVER, who am I to impose MY beliefs on others ;)
Enjoy the below, if you enjoy the AQHA version of Trail:
Let me say I DO respect and admire the fine nuances and intimate/subtle communication between horse and rider. That takes a LOT of work and refinement! BUT, it is almost (ALMOST) over-ridden by my severe dislike of the lame-looking jog and lope and the nose-to-the-ground fad upheld even at the World levels (and every level below). These horses are not using themselves correctly. Of course a horse has to have its head lowered so as to see the obstacles set in front of him, but what is demonstrated in the above video is to an extreme. Yes, I know what a horse should look like doing Trail and going over obstacles in real life, because I've ridden such horses in real life. My Quarab drops his nose literally to the ground when he is watching his feet in the bush, especially at high speeds. But that head comes up sometimes too!! It varies according to how he is using himself, the footing at hand, etc. It doesn't STAY on the ground, irregardless. The horse in the video has his nose dropped as soon as he enters the course, even BEFORE he has to go over obstacles, so the excuse "well, he has to be able to see the obstacles in front of him!" doesn't fly with me. That nose dropped so low is much too extreme for my taste. BUT, then again, to each their own. The only place I draw the line is if/when such a position becomes detrimental to the horse because the horse is not using its body efficiently, etc. *sigh*
Monday, January 31, 2011
Laying Horses Down
Recently I spotted the below video, which initiated between an acquaintance and I a conversation about the benefits versus the possible detriments of laying a horse down. Said acquaintance felt that laying a horse down would trigger a dissociative response in said horse, that it would cause a horse to "shut down". While the below video showed actually very little of the actual process, I like the man's thinking and overall way of working with horses, which leads me to believe the way in which he laid down the horse in the video to be beneficial and not harmful to the horse in question. I particularly like the following statement by the man in the video: "...and what I'm doing with a horse is just to change what he thinks, to listen to me, what I think...to get control, in a nice way. And in the horse's language too." Personally I do not feel the horse would be apt to shut down if handled appropriately - overall, whether that include laying the horse down or any other work one might do with the horse. Laying a horse down I feel might be equated to an extent to laying a dog down - something I have done, with success, and without the dog shutting down. It is not the action itself that causes the animal to shut down, but how the action is performed. That said, laying a horse down on the ground places the horse in a very submissive and vulnerable position. While it requires trust of the horse, it will also initiate a lot of trust in the horse, when done correctly. It places the horse in situation where he is gently "forced" to trust his handler and as such, the horse is able to relax and build further trust in his handler as he learns and the handler earns said trust. Personally, I think laying down a horse could be a very valuable tool, though I have yet to use it myself (though I definitely have intentions of doing so!). I think the proof is in the pudding: doing so (correctly) with many horses seems to greatly benefit training and development of the horse in question, and I have yet to meet a horse who "shut down" or who did not respond positively overall, when it was done (again, correctly). A trainer has to be careful in their approach however, as laying a horse down incorrectly - ie, roughly and in a manner where the horse is scared and distrustful, will only undo a horse's training and development as opposed to further it.
Check out the video below and research the method further, then draw your own conclusions:
Check out the video below and research the method further, then draw your own conclusions:
Monday, January 24, 2011
Reining vs. Dressage
All too often you meet individuals who can't seem to understand the importance of a foundation and that such a foundation can only benefit in so many aspects, regardless of your discipline. Reining and dressage are very inter-related and personally I feel they are very much the same - at least, when done correctly, though the rider in each utilizes a different "style". Both disciplines should be about teaching the horse to use its body effectively and efficiently, in such a manner that benefits the horse himself physically and also allows him to carry a rider in such a way that is not harmful to his body. Mental collection translates to physical collection and vice versa, which is another important benefit within dressage or reining, that will allow specialization in another discipline down the road. Even if the horse and rider always remain within the Reining or Dressage disciplines, doing as such and specializing and building on that foundation will only have positive benefits by developing both horse and partnership between horse and rider.
Essentially, there is a reason cavalry horses were taught dressage. It initiated physical and mental discipline in the horse and strengthened the partnership between horse and rider. Such was absolutely crucial on the battlefield, where a single mistake could mean life or death. Dressage and Reining, or basically creating a strong foundation from which to build off of, enables the horse and rider to then move forward into their chosen discipline, with greater success. Foundation before specialization. A horse and rider require a strong base, a strong foundation, of discipline, physical and emotional fitness, and general development, so as to specialize. Furthering that dressage or reining base later, or specializing into say jumping, or cattle penning, or whatever may be, horse and rider are then prepared - both mentally/emotionally and physically. They are set up for success and are in the best spot possible. Skipping that foundation however, allows for holes and gaps in the horse's training and development and also in the partnership between horse and rider. Horse and rider might still be successful, however their journey will be more difficult and they have the chance to be MORE successful with a strong foundation. I cannot stress enough the importance of a strong foundation! That said, such a foundation must be accomplished in a correct manner.
Dressage and Reining are definitely two foundational disciplines that are VERY similar! Check out the video below as a decent example of such ;)
Essentially, there is a reason cavalry horses were taught dressage. It initiated physical and mental discipline in the horse and strengthened the partnership between horse and rider. Such was absolutely crucial on the battlefield, where a single mistake could mean life or death. Dressage and Reining, or basically creating a strong foundation from which to build off of, enables the horse and rider to then move forward into their chosen discipline, with greater success. Foundation before specialization. A horse and rider require a strong base, a strong foundation, of discipline, physical and emotional fitness, and general development, so as to specialize. Furthering that dressage or reining base later, or specializing into say jumping, or cattle penning, or whatever may be, horse and rider are then prepared - both mentally/emotionally and physically. They are set up for success and are in the best spot possible. Skipping that foundation however, allows for holes and gaps in the horse's training and development and also in the partnership between horse and rider. Horse and rider might still be successful, however their journey will be more difficult and they have the chance to be MORE successful with a strong foundation. I cannot stress enough the importance of a strong foundation! That said, such a foundation must be accomplished in a correct manner.
Dressage and Reining are definitely two foundational disciplines that are VERY similar! Check out the video below as a decent example of such ;)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
