The ADS (American [carriage] Driving Society) What might their future look like?

Several months ago, (July 2017, scroll down); I talked about the relevancy of ADS, and perceived problems at that time.
Since then I had hoped the Society had turned around. The disputed affiliate agreement with USEF has been reinstated, (a big thank you to those who put in huge effort to achieve this), things appeared to be improving, and there was a palpable buzz at the October Annual Meeting.

Unfortunately, things seem to have totally stalled after the meeting. Sources I consider very reliable (and who I will NOT name in this article) have indicated that the Executive Director and several members of the Board Executive Committee have resigned or somehow left. I’ve heard there’s a distinct lack of harmony among Board members, who just can’t seem to pull together.

Another invitation to provide a permanent home for the ADS at the National Horse Center (at KHP) has gone completely ignored, this after an actual site visit, as well.

Where then, might the ADS go from here? I realize the future lies squarely on leadership, but so far progress seems to be very painful. I have a few suggestions that some may find controversial, but I believe have merit.

The competitive areas of ADS should be eliminated entirely. The Board should approach U.S. Eventing (USEA) and negotiate the Eventing Association to assume management of Combined Driving. They are essentially the same sport and the wheel of USEA is already rapidly spinning. ADS should take advantage of that now.

The same should be done with Pleasure Driving Shows with the USEF. USEF already has purview over Pleasure Driving, plus driving classes in a multitude of breed ring shows. It wouldn’t be hard at all to have USEF do them all. Another possibility would be to relinquish the Pleasure division to Carriage Assoc of America, as much of those shows feature vintage carriages, the CAA’s special area of expertise.

ADS should eliminate the Whip and Wheelhorse, very draining on ADS resources with little information that isn’t well covered in other publications.

Training of all licensed driving officials should be conducted by USEF to ensure standards and uniformity. ADS can assist by coordinating and assisting Learner Officials in both divisions by matching Learners with Mentors at shows and essentially “smoothing the way” to help Learners move along toward recognized status. In addition, ADS could identify and coach members interested in pursuing that track.

As I mentioned in the previous article, dues for ADS currently are higher than the other 8 horse sport organizations I belong to and support. Dues should immediately be reduced to $35 or $40/year for individuals.

ADS should concentrate on the huge (non-competing) majority of its membership by encouraging grassroots participation in recreational driving, building the sport by holding events to demonstrate and attract new drivers, maintain a drastically reduced Omnibus that wouldn’t need to include recognized CDSs and Pleasure Shows. ADS should also develop and encourage implementing driving programs in sister organizations, like Pony Club, 4H, and breed organizations. A couple more great avenues for the ADS to develop are Distance Driving and Trek Driving. Both great fun, yet with less competitive nature than CDE or Pleasure Showing.

While I believe current leadership is well-intentioned, the ADS website now shows 25 active Directors. This is a very large and unwieldy number! Twenty-five different people can’t agree on anything as a group, and in-fighting is to be expected in a group this large and diverse! Ways should be found to cut the Board to 12 or 15 people, 3-year terms, with 1/3 of the Board being up for election every year. There should be limits of 2 consecutive terms, with a minimum 2-year break before being able to run for a position again. The Board positions should be open and available for any Society member in good standing to run, with members volunteering for positions as desired. Biographies of those wanting to run should be distributed to every active member well prior to the annual meeting.  Additionally, open nominations should be taken “from the floor” at every annual meeting, before voting takes place.

That looks like the only way to a viable future for the American Driving Society.

Any thoughts?

After all, this is…Just One Man’s Opinion.

 

Trainer Relationships: Caustic or Constructive?

I read two completely separate posts on social media this morning. They couldn’t have been more opposite!

Post One:  From a well-established Eventing trainer who was at an Event this past weekend and was lamenting the fact that she heard two different “trainers” screaming at their students, insulting them, and basically being a bully. She was wondering, WHY the students and parents accepted this behavior?

Post Two:  A local horsewoman had opportunity to take two of her horses to a clinic herself this weekend. The clinician was a rapidly up and coming rider at the 4 star levels. ( Think Rolex 3 Day, the very top, international level). This poster stated that her “big time trainer” could not have possibly been more accommodating, helpful, and of value if she tried. She had an overwhelmingly positive experience with both horses and was anxious to tell everyone about it, even posting her own blog!!

As you can imagine, both posts generated lots of comments! On the first post, another, well established, rider mentioned that many times clients lose sight of the fact that trainers are your employees!! Please read that sentence again!! It’s your trainer that works for YOU! The trainer is ONLY being a bully because you ALLOW him/her to be!!  It was also suggested that trainers bully because that’s all they know (a VERY good point, indeed!). They can’t solve the problem they are seeing; sometimes not even able to recognize the problem. (Incidentally, those are the same ones you see on their own horses, picking a fight with their mounts in a futile attempt to disregard their own short comings.)

Well, those who know me very well know that I do not have a politically correct bone in my body. I read articles and posts about bullying, and can’t help but thinking, Hmmmmm.  I was taught, and taught well, that bullying needs to be dealt with, and dealing with it right up front is the only remedy. I’ve taught my daughter the same.  Back (WAY back) in my middle school days, I was quite slight (puny, might be a better word) at 5 foot 10 and a whopping 140 pounds. An upper classman would get on the bus and “clip” the back of my head every morning. It became quite humiliating and I didn’t know how to handle it, but I knew that I MUST formulate a plan. That plan never did quite form, but…one day we had just entered school and this big kid was in the hall reaching for some books off the top shelf of his locker.

That was MY instant!! I took a flying leap and slammed into that locker door, which, of course, slammed into his forearm, breaking it.  I received a 3 day suspension, but the kid never bothered me again (in fact, we became friends…marginally, anyway). The bullying had been dealt with.

Now…I am NOT advocating that you physically harm your trainer!! (well…maybe a little), however if you, or your child, feels intimidated, unhappy, and being treated with less than a normal level of respect and professionalism…it is up to YOU, and no one else, to do something about it. It does no good to complain to anyone else, or online. It does no good to drive home from training or show time feeling badly about yourself or your horse. Do you really think you can ever improve if you do???

Resolve today…right now…to MAKE SURE the relationship you have with your trainer is one of value, one that brings the very best out of you and your horse. I don’t (and probably can’t) give you a formula for recognizing this…but if you look down inside yourself, you’ll know if your own trainer/client relationship is a functional one, or not.

Again, this is…Just One Man’s Opinion.

 

Just Off the Track; To Let Down, or No.

Over and over and over again, on almost every OTTB web page or article you see, is an opinion about a recently retired racehorse, and transitioning him into a sport horse.

Many, many people will say, Ï give my horses at least 6 months of turn out to let down from the track.” or “No OTTB should be ridden right of the track without a year of let down to just be a horse!”

Why is this?  Does your horse need it? Does your horse benefit? Or, do you? The thinking seems to be that they’ll relax, they’ll “forget being a racehorse”, or somehow become a better riding horse with weeks, or even months, of (typically) pasture let down.

Where did this theory start and does it truly help. My thought is NO. It does not help in the least!

(NOTE) In cases where the OTTB is recovering from injury or illness, or if his body is simply sore from an intense racing campaign, then there certainly is a reason for letting him down. It’s very unfair to the horse to put him right into work, if he truly needs recovery time to be physically and mentally fit for his new career. A chiropractic adjustment, checking teeth, etc., is a great way to start, as well!

On a perfectly healthy horse, I think it’s his new rider that benefits from the time off, NOT the horse. (did I wake a few of you up with that statement?) With personal experience with dozens of OTTBs, I think the real reason people insist on let down is for the benefit of their own personal confidence in getting on a “racehorse”!!  Many people, way deep down inside, are afraid. Afraid of their own (lack of) ability, their own self-confidence, what they’ve come to believe re racehorses and Thoroughbreds, or just that they feel they are not qualified to be a jockey. That after weeks or months of relaxation, their horse will tend to “forget” his life on the track.  IT WON’T HAPPEN!

Think about it, horses learn via memory, both good events, and bad. Once they are exposed to track life, albeit for a short time, they do not forget it. They only can learn more and cannot be untaught.

While on the track, your new OTTB was used to steady exercise six days a week and plenty of hand walking on the seventh day. He’s received daily grooming, attention to his feet, regular bathing, and quantities of high quality concentrates and forage. Turning him out in a large paddock, with minimal attention is doing him no favours whatsoever. He has grown extremely accustomed to attention and human interaction.

In all the years that I’ve owned OTTBs, and placed several dozen more, I always recommend an early change to better enable transitioning to show-horse life, is diet modification. While racing, your horse was fed large amounts of concentrates with a high sugar and starch content. Race Trainers want them “hot” and exploding with energy. Besides that, they have a significant workload that burns a ton of calories. Not so much when transitioning to the show world! I recommend a feed (preferably pelleted, as many times they contain way less sugars than a textured feed) that is as low as you can find in sugars and starches, and higher in fat content, with a protein in the +/- 12% range. The higher fat is a great source of fuel, without the spikes and drops in blood sugar that the sugars and starches impart. I believe you’ll see a difference in a couple weeks on his new diet. Another excellent product for horses just of the track is Remard’s Total Gut Health supplement. Many OTTBs have ulcer issues, and I believe a few months of this product works wonders, and is far more effective and less costly than the ulcer- and gastro-guard products.

If you still insist on a let down period, for whatever reason, I suggest keeping your horse in some type of work several days a week. I am not talking about hours of mindless lunging in circles, either. That only accomplishes two things, boredom (for both of you) and an ever increasing level of fitness for your horse!

My suggestion would be to spend the time doing ground work, double lunging (2 lines) and ground driving. An accomplished trainer with long lining can teach a horse dressage movements, up through Grand Prix from the ground! Think how much easier it would be training tons of basics from the ground, before you ever get on!

My daughter currently owns an FEI driving horse, currently transitioning to ridden dressage. She has taught him to move away from the tiniest touch of her finger tip on either side, exactly where your heel or spur would touch when riding. She can make him back up, step, after step, after step, just by touching the middle of his chest with her index finger. He will walk in a wash rack, she twirls her index finger in a circle, and he immediately turns 180 degrees and stands waiting to be cross tied. If a Dutch horse can learn, an OTTB certainly can, as well!

Training like this can pay huge dividends; a polite horse that’s easy to handle makes any horseman’s life improve immeasurably! Your bonding and trust between you and your partner will leap forward and you’ll be comfortable knowing you’re getting the very best out of your new OTTB.

Thoughts?  After all, this is…Just One Man’s Opinion.

Special thanks to the following for reviewing and critiquing this post!

      Linda, Hauck, OTTB expert, Eventing trainer/judge, Tapestry Equine Products

      Steuart Pttman, President, Retired Racehorse Project/Thoroughbred Makeover

      Michael Heath, former jockey, exercise rider, young sport horse expert

Tack: Fashion or Function? Part 2

Well, our last post covered somewhat of a general overview on training and the (sometimes, over) use of “gimmicks” to obtain results (presumably) faster.

Now let’s look at specific pieces of tack that we see often. Often…because of fashion or function?

First, let’s talk about the ubiquitous 5 point breast strap (in the Eventing world). I’d guess they first came out 6 or 8 years ago. Now go to any Event from BN level up to Intermediate. You see these 5 point breast straps everywhere!    

Why?  Why does a rider put this piece of tack on that hits the top of the shoulder with straps running right over it, then…ask his horse to go out and tackle increasingly tough questions on XC with his shoulder constricted by these straps and cushions? This makes absolutely NO sense! Oh, I can hear it now!…”But, __________ (insert big name rider here) ALWAYS uses one!” No…they do not!

Phillip Dutton riding Woodburn USA

The big name rider has enough experience with enough horses, that he’s learned what it takes for each INDIVIDUAL horse to perform his best (comfortably)! He will NOT put on one because some other big name rider uses one!!!  (Note: tack will NOT EVER make you a big name rider!!!)   

If you DO think you need a 5 point breast strap, please check your saddle fit first, as well as your horse’s conformation. Use that 5 point money to get your saddle adjusted to fit your horse!       

By way of additional research, I consulted 2 other professionals on the 5 point, one near Nashville and another friend in Southern Ontario, Canada that works with dozens of OTTBs, and both are solidly in agreement with my assessment of the 5 point breastplate.  (Pictures: Fox-Pitt, Dutton, Jung on Sam, Jung on Roncana) Big name riders NOT using the 5 point!

Moving on, a couple years ago, I dropped out of the OTTB Connect Facebook group over a bit discussion I simply could no longer handle! Someone had posted the question, “which is the best bit for an OTTB?” (yes, I know). 90% of the answers had to do with the (usually, snaffle) cheek pieces. Of course, several said loose rings, several said eggbutts, etc. And yes, both can work very well with different horses, and many times cheek pieces, as on full cheeks, D rings, or Fulmers can really help. What I had noticed is not a single poster mentioned their bit’s mouthpiece! I had to chime in that the mouthpiece was, generally, far more important to your horse’s comfort and way of going than the cheek pieces ever were. The final straw to me dropping out of the group was a nasty response to my mouthpiece comment, “Well, I don’t care what type of mouthpiece it is! My OTTB looks so handsome in a D ring snaffle; I will NEVER use anything else!”                                                                                                                                          Time to leave!! What’s the use??

Let’s look at one more item of tack that I’m seeing a whole lot of nowadays in Dressage and Eventing Dressage, the Micklem bridle. First, if you are using one, throw out the plastic clips or “bit keepers.” They are illegal in most competition, and not needed.

The Micklem is probably not needed for the vast majority of horses. I do like them though, and do not object to seeing them. I believe they are well thought out and intelligently designed for the comfort of the horse. They seem to be particularly helpful with horses that tend to be a bit fussy. Note: If your horse does seem very fussy, PLEASE look for a cause first, before you buy a bridle! On the Micklem, please take the time to adjust it properly, as well!

So, is this post a bit controversial, or maybe ruffled a feather here or there?

What are your thoughts?

After all….this is, Just One Man’s Opinion.

 

Tack: Fashion or Function? Part 1

I just read a Facebook post today, from a very dear friend. She was given a trunk full of equipment including tie-downs, draw reins and an assortment of other “training aids.” Her dilemma was to toss it, because she trains by classical, time proven methods (IMO, a true horsewoman!), or to “not waste it” and give it away, knowing it could very well be used on young horses in training.

My answer….”I’d try working a few horses in tie downs as tight as they’ll go, with the draw reins. If you pull a horse over backwards, I expect they’ll straighten up quickly. That rollkur is the fastest short cut I know to Grand Prix, and don’t you have several horses anyway? Only the real cream will rise to the top! Remember, in training, time is money, so don’t hesitate to do whatever it takes!”           

Well, she most certainly knows me well enough to recognize my sarcasm in an instant, but…it got me thinking….don’t we ALL know horsemen that immediately default to aids and short-cuts way too easily?  Think here the short martingales, way too tight side reins, draw reins, chambons, etc. I know you’ve seen them!

My question, for those that have the trunks full of gimmicks, is, What, exactly, are you trying to accomplish? We know that development of a horse always has to be sequential. Things MUST be done in order. Horses, like human athletes, have to build muscle strength and mental acuity BEFORE they can progress to the next level of training. This holds true for the Jumper, the Eventer, the Dressage horse, the swimmer, track star, weight lifter, or ball player!

There is a reason every major league ball team begins the year with Spring Training!! It serves as a building period, both athletically and for the team, and, it’s a series of back to basics exercises. Without a solid foundation, the building will eventually crumble!! And…typically at the worst possible time!

Your horse comes to recognize you, your horse develops expectations regarding your behavior, your horse comes to trust you, (NO…your horse does NOT love you!), and each day as you start work he is ready to go. I do believe, sometimes, horses do have off days, just like we do. The horseman recognizes that and puts his horse back in it’s box or paddock, or hacks quietly for fun and conditioning. Generally though, your horse is ready and willing to do what his rider asks. Horses do NOT start schooling intending to be a butt head, intentionally ruin your day, OR pick a fight with you!! (Please re-read this last sentence!!) They are willing to work in a productive session with the rider taking the lead. This, in turn, puts huge and total responsibility on the rider! The Rider MUST remember that if a horse is not doing what he asks, then the horse does not understand what is being asked of him, OR he is not yet physically or mentally capable of doing so!

One additional factor to consider…is your horse built for what you’re asking him to do?

Using over-tight straps to force him into the “frame” or “headset” that one may think is proper, may possibly be beyond abusive IF the horse simply cannot do it because of his build. This factor can be overlooked all too often!           

This fact then, ties directly back to riders using gimmicks as short cuts. I maintain a horse will progress in his training quite regularly, with a knowledgeable rider who knows what he’s doing, can clearly transmit his wishes to his horse, and is aware of his horses’s capabilities at all times. This is the mark of a horseman!

Any thought’s?

After all…this is just one man’s opinion.

Part II to follow soon. A look at tack, including bits, 5 point breaststraps, Micklem bridles, and more. Fashion or Function?

The Professional Edge: Classically driven or Client driven?

Professional trainers and instructors are faced with a continuing dilemma. Is teaching accomplished along classical methods that have been proven over time OR does the Pro acquiesce to the client and do what they say (the goal in most cases of getting little Johnny or Janey a ribbon or the horse moving up)?

This subject came up recently in a conversation with a long-time friend last week. Let’s use the very common example of connection. ie. getting your horse on the bit, on the aids, round, in front of the leg,etc. All somewhat similar terms.  Contrast that classical (and, I believe, CORRECT) concept to what you hear SO often nowadays…. A term I hate!!… “Headset.”

Classical concepts focus on developing the horse along the lines of the German training scale. A progressive type of training where our horses respond to energy created by the aids of the rider in seat and legs, encouraging the horse to get his back legs “‘under him”’ and use the quarters of the horse to push off. This in turn, develops the longitudinal muscles on either side of the horse’s belly. As those muscles develop, the horse gains the strength to raise his back and begin “self carriage.” The position and development of the head and neck and increasing topline musculature only result from systematic training and muscle building over time.

My exceptional friend, Lauren Doyle, of ClinicHorsemanship.com has given permission to post this 5 minute podcast from her Riding Master, the late Ed Rothkranz. Please listen if you are bringing along a young horse. It is a few minutes of excellent advice!  http://www.clinichorsemanship.com/?powerpress_pinw=425-podcast   

So, let’s contrast this with the pressure professionals are getting from clients (who DO pay the bills) and who have an expectation for their horses, their kids, or themselves to achieve success (usually manifested in the show ring). You can almost hear the client say, “Wow! He looks great!! Look at that headset!” (not that you never hear those phrases from professionals, too!!)

So, to achieve that end, the pro abandons the classical principles, (hopefully he realizes the difference, too!!) and resorts to the typical short-cuts we’ve all seen, ie draw reins, chambons, tight martingales, etc. I’ve heard of trainers recommending spurs on OTTBs to get them “going forward” and, at the same time asking the rider to go to a much stronger bit, to “hold him from bolting and getting him to flex that neck.” They accomplish the result of “headset”, to what ends and at what cost to the horse?

You have another type of pro, that I consider equally as abusive, but they are far more subtle in doing it. They are the ones who yell at their students constantly, but you don’t see all the obvious gadgetry. You can, though, hear them constantly shouting in a lesson, “Push, Push, Push, Supple, Supple, SUPPLE!!’’   Those are simply code words for driving a horse into the bit, then the rider roughly see-sawing the bit in the horse’s mouth, again to force him to back away from the bit (you know…the bit he is supposed to be accepting!) by dropping his head and flexing thru his neck. Many times, in a period of relaxation after such treatment, you may observe the horse going with his mouth open (Hmmmm, wonder why?), unless of course the pro has the horse’s mouth tightly strapped shut!!

This “headset” stuff may look great to an uneducated observer, and may even result in a few ribbons in low level competition. That said, it’s a false and artificial look that a competent judge will spot immediately.

So, since we’ve looked at the 2 extreme’s, what is the teaching or training professional to do, when they know the correct (classical) way to bring a horse and rider along, yet clients and/or parents insist on “the look” and little Janey or Johnny has instant success in the show ring? Does one stick to their guns and possibly lose business or prostitute themselves AND the horses, for the sake of client satisfaction and ribbons here and there?

My personal feelings are that these latter issues can many times be addressed with direct, honest explanations and dialog. If that doesn’t work, then the pro needs to decide who he or she really is!

What are your thoughts on this?

After all, this is….Just one man’s opinion.

The ADS: Is it still relevant?

There’s a ton of chatter among combined driving people about the American Driving Society. Is it even relevant as an organization?

As near as I can surmise, the ADS has in the area of 3500 active members. Not large numbers, even in the world of horse sport. I think there are at least a few reasons for this.

The first is the actual size of the driving community. There might not be 250 active, competitive drivers in Combined Driving, although I think several more in Pleasure Driving. This discounts the breed ring, with their ASBs, Morgans, Arabians, Hackneys, Friesians, etc.

Another reason, I believe is cost.  I belong to a multitude of organizations in horse sport, and ADS dues are the highest of every one, at $75 annually. Disclaimer: My USEF dues are currently higher than ADS’, but, for me, they include FEI dues and officials’ insurance all combined. Isn’t it logical then, that higher dues infer more services and benefits?

Service to its members may be another reason to question the organization’s relevancy. The new, and brightly refreshed, website is now online. That seemed to be a painfully slow process, with competitors for a long while, not even having access for the latter half of 2016’s show schedule, via the ADS Omnibus. This service is critically important to active competitors!

Part and parcel of service is response to the membership. I’ve personally heard from organizers, extending back to before 2010, in which ADS did not respond to Organizers’ requests for show recognition and corresponding insurance and services. This was not only combined driving events, but pleasure shows as well! Out of frustration with ADS, those organizers simply gave up, (while retaining the bad memories), and simply turned to USEF, who proved far more responsive.

Speaking of USEF, they are a sanctioning organization for USEF recognized Pleasure Shows and for upper levels of Combined Driving. There is much redundancy, and resultant complaints and confusion, among the 2 organizations. Lower level competitors tend to prefer to follow ADS guidelines, and complain bitterly when ADS attempts to not re-invent the wheel and follows USEF/FEI rules, and high performance drivers have the conundrum of varying nuances in the rules that can change with the divisions they compete in. This results in continuing arguing and debates, doing harm to both organizations!

In recent years, the Carriage Association of America has very successfully undertaken a Driver Proficiency Program. While one would think this to be the bailiwick of the ADS in educating and improving drivers (as opposed to CAA focus on history and restorational endeavors, with past era tradition) It was a hole the ADS was unwilling to fill, or simply didn’t think of, and, now, the CAA is doing a superlative job of educating our drivers to be more knowledgeable, competent, and safe while on the box seat.

What then would make the ADS more relevant to those who enjoy carriage driving? Well, of those 3500 members, the vast majority, I think, are the recreational drivers who don’t compete, but simply want to enjoy their equines. To this end, Mike Lyons and his stellar crew started the National Drive roughly 11 years ago. It’s an October gathering of 300+ carriages, usually at the Kentucky Horse Park, where those attending enjoy 6 days of driving the entire 1200 acre Horse Park, with attending clinicians, a trade fair, seminars, and a whole lot of socializing and networking going on. I have participated in a majority of the National Drive and it’s one of the most enjoyable weeks of the year! Now, ride and drive, as well!! The Drive, thru the ADS, has been a wonderful and noteworthy endeavour!

To me, if ADS is to continue as a viable organization in horse sport, its focus must be on recreational driving, and development of new activities for horse and carriage. Some newer, emerging carriage activities are distance driving, trail driving, and even quadrilles! Competition driving, to include combined driving and pleasure showing should be administered by one organization, the USEF(FEI). CAA has already assumed the driver education/development roles, and done so in fine fashion.

Thoughts?  After all, this is…Just One Man’s Opinion.

TRAINERS: Do Commitment and Communication still exist?

 

I would expect the three people who read this blog are either professionals in the industry or advanced amateurs who are, or have used a professional trainer for your horse(s).  This is not about choosing a trainer. That subject has been discussed to death!

So, whether you are a professional now with clients, or you’re the client of a professional, what are the expectations on each side?

I’ve known dozens and dozens of trainers over the years, with hundreds and hundreds of customers’ horses. (Note: In this discussion Trainers train (and/or show) horses. Instructors teach riding. There is a critical difference, and I do not believe the terms should be used interchangeably.) I’d say the vast majority of trainers are knowledgeable, with proven experience (I’m not real big on credentials or certifications), and very capable of doing an exceptional job. Does this equate to winning in the show ring or Eventing field? Obviously, although many times the expectation, this cannot be guaranteed, simply by the existence of WAY too many variables.

In a conversation with a friend yesterday, a very knowledgeable horseman himself, he was relating how he has a horse with a trainer to learn the basics in a few months, getting safely started, with a solid foundation. Then, the plan is to bring the horse home for the owner to put on those critical hours and refinement to produce a “show horse”, one that is reliable and fun to use. My friend was telling me that he gets little to no feedback from his trainer, and many times, no response from his voice mails and texts. He has received one picture in 3 months! (He is about 300 miles from his trainer). Is his trainer doing a conscientious and thorough job with his horse? He’d like to think so! But….the issue here is he has to rely on his relationship with her, her reputation and capabilities that he’s learned by seeing her over the years. But….he doesn’t KNOW, and he says, “I’m writing the checks!”

Questions: Is his trainer committed to his horse? Her job to train? Are there issues the Owner is aware of and could offer suggestions, or issues the trainer has found that the owner is unaware of? Is the guy progressing as expected? Staying happy and healthy? The Owner doesn’t know!!!

Everything may be going perfect, but the Owner doesn’t know!

A professional trainer may have all the commitment in the world to a client’s horse. May do an absolutely stellar job. But…if the client doesn’t know, it becomes a huge source of frustration for him, he unconsciously questions the trainer’s ability and commitment, and makes him question if he’ll send that trainer his next horse. That, my friends, is very damaging to any professional trainer!!

What are your thoughts?

After all, this is,… Just One Man’s Opinion.

DRESSAGE: Classical vs Competitive

A social media post came thru my newsfeed today, wherein the poster complained about the recent riding at the Falsterborg (SWE) show. She used the words “rough” and “abusive” and feels that type of riding is prevalent in today’s FEI CDI rings.

Should the FEI, therefore, do something? Or…is this a different sport than classical dressage after all?

Firstly, let me explain my viewpoint on classical dressage…most likely, in most people’s minds, as practiced by Vienna’s Spanish Riding School. The aim is to produce a horse that is happy and relaxed in his work, while increasing his lightness and adjustability by ever increasing training and subsequent body development, by utilizing a sequential progression of exercises. As the horse’s body develops the proper and necessary musculature, the quarters drop, the head and neck come up, producing the engagement and lightness that enables the trained horse to perform the required advanced movements, primarily exhibited in the piaffe, passage, and one-tempis, all requiring maximum collection.

This is accomplished by starting under saddle training as a 4 yr old, and progressing at the individual horse’s speed, both mentally and physically. The end goal is a horse that is ready and able to perform the Grand Prix movements thru the logical progression of the German training scale.

Let’s contrast that with the competitive dressage of today. Usually, it can be said, there are specific goals in mind, that, preferably, are met as soon as possible:  Ribbons (winning) and profit (the old ‘time is money’ thing). Sandbox riders today are out to win! It may be a division championship, a blue ribbon at a specific class or level, a USDF medal of accomplishment or a quick sale of a horse for profit. (obviously, the level a horse is showing at, and his age, directly correlates to his worth in the marketplace).

So, we have end goals that are VERY different! Therein, I believe, starts the disconnect today’s purists see in the competition world today. Essentially the same sport, but with very different goals in mind. Is one “better” than the other? I think, not necessarily, UNLESS the competition horse is bullied for results, sacrifices soundness, is obviously unhappy or sore, or is simply asked to do more than his body is ready to handle! Proper development takes time, application of a consistent program (again, the German training scale), and an empathetic trainer (or Rider) that has the knowledge to do the job, as well. Without these attributes, flaws appear ranging from ears pinned, tail wringing, etc. to a sour, injured, unhappy, or otherwise broken down horse.  It is always wise and safe to fall back on the classical methods and always, always, listen to your horse!

There is also a very distinct second type of competitive dressage rider. That is the one who begins and dies at Training level. But…we might come back to that rider on another day.

What are your thoughts?

After all, this is…Just One Man’s Opinion.

Off and running! (I think)

Wow!! A blog.  I haven’t blogged in years, and back then it was real estate related…the ins and outs of buying equestrian property and residential real estate.

 

In conversation with a couple dear friends, in the last week or 10 days, an idea was hatched to do this blog, which will feature some subjects that I hope will foster lots of discussion. Subjects that usually will have one or two completely different approaches, depending on the outcome(s) desired.

As an example, here are a few of the subjects I’ll be writing about in the days and weeks ahead,

the Professional’s Edge

Winning blues or Training to Move up?

Buying a Medal or Earning a Medal?

Knowing your limits or Asking for trouble?

Pushing your horse too fast or Training with long term soundness in mind?

When does use of Aids cross the line to Abuse?

I hope you’ll look forward to them, and my views from 5o+ years of first hand experience. I’d love each subject to generate tons of discussion!

PLEASE!  Send me your topic suggestions as well!

Bill