I've managed to open what I consider an interesting can of my very own worms. As I was watching, sorry reading your exzellent comments, I realized something, and of course, it is sooo obvious. To Me, anyway. I am weird, though.
What does this post have to do with Patrick Swayze? You, of course, have seen his movie with Jennifer Grey, who really should have left her nose alone.
That "dirty" dancing, chiquitas. Can you do that? Honestly? If you Can'T, learn how.
If it hurts? Well, it depends on how "much" it hurts. Be careful, do not over do anything. Without suppleness, there is No sitting the trot. You "must" be as supple as you can, and again, be careful, backs are funny things. If you can't, for various entirely valid reasons, take heart, all is not lost. See my previous "Posting" post:)
Part of the problem with women trying to sit, is the "must be supple" part. To some women I know, that translates to "tighten up". Trying, too, hard. Hey, it's Patrick, enjoy! Over-thinking is kinda rampant in our poor brains. Well, SOMEone has to, men sure don't seem to be doing much.
Now, here comes the hard part, no snickering. Can you dance like that with a partner? It absolutely DependS on that partner, doesn't it? If you are not in synch, you are in serious danger of losing a knee-cap or two. An eye. When you're in the saddle, the danger is to far more private parts. And not so privates too, of course;)
To Live is to Ride, to ride is to live.
Hey, posting's hard enough! When I first clambered back on a schoolie, when was that? Too many years ago, I couldn't believe that my body had forgotten about posting. Hadn't I been practicing my riding fitness, all my older life, in order to keep myself, well, duh, riding fit???
It was funny as hell for me. Here I was, struggling with what I had NeveR struggled with before. Didn't help that I was on Raven, the immovable western pleasure horse, who had sized up how many cigarettes I had also stupidly smoked. (yeah, well, you try getting foaled out in the 50's.)What rhythm? He's not moving! Raven knew I had not enough lungs. Smart critter. But, yeah, it was fun. My instructor helpfully suggested posting every other stride, and that helped kick start my stupid (smacks legs) muscle memory.
Sitting was actually easier! Why? Because I still had my memory of the big bay, telling me what to do.
In everything you do. Stand, sit, straight, proud, natural. Do not cross legs. Flex heeels down. Open up, then relax, the back and inside muscles of your legs. Calm, assertive calm.
This is where you can just simply remember that. And sitting happens. It does. Don't make it happen. LET IT HAPPEN. Gravity and Patrick Swayze will do the rest.
Try Not to think. Turn your chittering monkey brain, off. How, you beg? Pretend your horse is Patrick Swayze, or whatever else floats your boat. Within reason, please, this is a family blog. Do giggle, though, or not, whatever, frickin' have fun, and don't be embarrassed. It's just normal behaviour, alrrighty?? Dancing has many, many forms, ya know. I may have to rant, again. I think I've ranted this before, draT!!!
I finally coagulated a GL-NotSoSwift-pseudo brilliant point to make about BHM's Vertical Post.
I'd also like to address the latest decree by the FEI, and try, once again, to clearly state where I'm at, with roll-curing. This might become VERY oblique, hang on tight, it's really contorted in here.
tangent..Drives me crazy when I see the word verticle, try ventricle, hmmmmm? It's not spelled horizontle, either, btw. Jeez, the spelling police would have a field day.
ANYway, it's been fermenting for some time, this brilliantly useless notion I had. I know, everyone else knows this, but maybe it needs typed again.
Maybe I'm channeling for Chaz, shown here doing his disappearing act.
HE was "roll-cured", in my strictest sense, because he had learned how to evade the bit, and run through any sort of attempt to control him. It took a long time to re-school this mistake.
I'll wager a zillion bucks it was just poor timing and lousy judgement on the rider's part, at the time. You see, it finally hit me.
Of course, it restricts a horse's forward motion, the act of chin to chest. It makes good physiological sense to slow down if you can't breathe deeply when you need to. It DOES restrict forward motion, for that very reason, first. If release always follows, the horse learns how to relax and breathe in this position. This is according to my vet.
IF IT IS "FORCED", and/or "locked", THAT is abuse. And, sadly, it happens all the time. Across the multi-discipline board. The first thing any young horse wants is to go somewhere, anywhere. That's what they do. If that isn't encouraged, first, you'll end with a sulky, balky or psycho horse.
I'd love to see some necropsy reports, before I would pass judgement on the lone vet's findings. I searched, and I've read the articles. You see, the FEI very basically said, if the hyperflexion is not locked, you're okay.
EVERY single excellent dressage rider I've ever seen released, after bringing in the nose. Every, single, one.
I spoke with my veterinarian friend about the FEI findings, briefly. Basically, if the horse is allowed to relax, the issue isn't one of abuse. That's what the FEI is saying.
Look at this picture.
Or this one.
If you see abuse, you seriously need your eyes examined. Not because the pictures are blurry, either.
A horse, willingly placing his head/heart/soul in your hands, will be relaxed, and WILL BE ABLE TO BREATHE, in any position you ask of him, within obvious reasons, that also depend on the horse's actual build..
A horse that is forced, and abused, and stressed and locked into this position (or any position for that matter), is NOT able to breathe properly. And indeed, becomes a difficult, if not psychotic ride.
That just makes the most sense to me. But as we alll know, I do live under a rock.
With thermal mineral springs. sigh.
Happy Valentines Day!
Go Canada, GO JENNIFER HEIL!!!!!!
9 comments:
Okay, I agree with your view on rolkur. It is a tool. It is a tool that is easily abused and misused by those that don't understand, or don't care.
Top will stuff himself behind the verticle, head to chest in evasion, and them bolt or dive. It was learned.
Horses don't usually go there on their own, it is something that has been done to them, and they figured a way out of it...so his right shoulder disappears, he totally drops it, and dives left after he's put his head on his check to avoid the bit.
He doesn't do this anymore...but I'm sure if you got ham handed or scared him..he'd do it.
allrighty I really can't type.
Tt should be: and 'then' bolt
It should be: head on his 'chest'
Another good post GL. Right you are about the differences in dancing partners and how it relates to riding. Some people have a lightness on their feet and seem to just glide across the floor with ease, where others are more like an elephant in a tutu, attempting Swan Lake.
The same goes with your ground crew when clipping ears or working on difficult horses. People who are on the same wavelength make life easy, those who aren't, make it hell!
The quiet mind and quiet rider makes for a completely different ride. To good rides for all of us.
One of the tricks I have used to get myself sat and centered is to just close my eyes and feel what is going on (probably best done in a controlled environment ) I changes your perception and makes you balance properly .(try standin on one foot ,then close your eyes and feel how different it is)Same thing on a horse ,when you actually feel the horse moving it clears your focus and changes a lot about what you do .(that is also how I would teach peple to dance years ago you can't see the music , you have to feel it
FV I do that. If I feel out of sync, or I'm struggling and feel a bit lost...I close my eyes. Then my body just seems to fall into the correct position/rhythm.
I've always thought that good riding, no matter the discipline, was a dance. Kind of interesting, GL, how you looked at it from both sides of the equation...Rider has to be relaxed, supple, and strong enough to go with the horse, and the horse has to be relaxed and supple and strong enough to go with the rider. But it's all dependent on the rider, since we're the ones asking horses to do all this stuff. (FV and HP, the closing my eye things works for me, too.)
A rider pounding on a horse's back at a sitting trot is just as abusive, and just as limiting to a horse's flow, as a rider holding the bit in a vice grip. One of my favorite trainers says something like "99% of the time, it's the rider/handler."
I think the best people to have around horses are the people who understand when 'enough is enough.' The proper amount of movement, force, or release at the exact time. It takes both instinct and training, because no matter how much talent you have it's a dull sword that must be honed by discipline.
True brilliance as usual. I'm in awe.
Go Jennifer!
Sitting the trot- I thought it would be impossible with my back inuries but when taught properly, I found it to be very comfortable. It must have been a Swayze moment. Didn't last long, just long enought to let me know it can happen. Took away one on my long list of excuses on why I can't ride.
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