tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post3777299767346185862..comments2024-03-26T08:22:23.744-04:00Comments on Glenshee Equestrian Centre: The Direct Rein of OppositionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-25442827903593834042008-12-07T18:04:00.000-05:002008-12-07T18:04:00.000-05:00billie - he sounds exciting! it is a shame, as i ...billie - he sounds exciting! it is a shame, as i suspect he was, as you say, ruined with poor training. but i've seen a lot of horses come back from the edge with time and good training. my horse mellon was once considered hopeless and too dangerous to ride, and after some remedial training, patience and time he turned out to be a great horse; he's saved my life more times than i could count! if there is nothing physically wrong with him (i've seen horses with arthritic backs or epsm become dangerous) then maybe there is hope for him. or at the very least, i'm sure he'd be grateful for a kind, loving home and good friends :-) keep us posted!jmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04295140724737185132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-27851894533920812622008-12-07T15:16:00.000-05:002008-12-07T15:16:00.000-05:00jme, I've seen similar riding and horses that look...jme, I've seen similar riding and horses that looked like they were getting ready to explode. That they didn't is a HUGE testament to just how much horses will endure for us.<BR/><BR/>I am right now mulling over the idea of taking an 11-year old German Hannoverian gelding (branded by the Germans, so he is esp. NICE) who cannot be ridden because he is dangerous under saddle. He's a sweetheart on the ground, and his owner, who imported him, decided to have him put down after a couple of big name highly-regarded trainers tried to fix him and ended up telling her he should not be ridden again.<BR/><BR/>They have no idea what happened, but even as they discovered that he couldn't be "fixed" they also fell in love with him - and had the owners sign him over so they could find him a non-riding home. <BR/><BR/>They feel he would make a super therapy horse and I'm not sure I can do it yet, or if it's the best option for him, but the talks are happening.<BR/><BR/>I suspect someone pushed him way too hard and since he was trained in dressage I suspect it has to do with reins and bits and pushing him into a frame. <BR/><BR/>So very tragic.billiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18187141867284800597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-3562008017780397082008-12-07T14:14:00.000-05:002008-12-07T14:14:00.000-05:00billie - keil bay sounds like a great horse and an...billie - keil bay sounds like a great horse and an amazing partner :-) <BR/><BR/>i think we've all been there at one time or another :-\ many years ago, we had a really nice 17.3hh working hunter with a naturally HUGE stride (like 15+') and an equally big jump which made it hard for him to 'do the numbers' (a concept i find ridiculous.) when i first started riding him i rode him exactly the way i rode my eq horse: light, forward and and slightly on the bit. and i thought he went great that way - soft, adjustable, etc.. <BR/><BR/>but then a certain trainer told me i needed to 'collect' him and make his big stride fit in the lines by continually pushing him up into my hand. well, it didn't make much sense to me, but i did as instructed and the poor horse was so confused he just got heavier and stronger to his jumps while i would be hanging off his teeth trying desperately to control him. <BR/><BR/>he was an equine saint as well, and never refused a jump or fought back. eventually, i figured out that it was my clashed aids causing the problem, (as well as the artificial idea that every horse should have a 12' stride!) and decided i needed to ride him the way that was best for him, even if it put us out of the running for ribbons. that meant trusting his natural stride and ability enough to leave out strides in the lines. so i know just how intimidating it can be to let these big talented horses use their full stride (especially with a 4' oxer in front of you ;-) but the alternative of creating a frustrated, unhappy, resistant horse is much worse. its something i try to remind myself of often.<BR/><BR/>i attended a dressage clinic where one of the riders was a girl whose horse had put her in the hospital rearing and flipping over on her. she rode 2 horses during that clinic and it was immediately obvious (to me at least) that this was her problem. she didn't understand the effect of direct opposition and so she would grab the horses' mouths and drive them into the hand so that they'd back up behind the bit, break behind the poll and hollow in front of the wither (you could see it in their conformation and muscle development - an overdeveloped crest and undeveloped trapezius, etc..) she'd kick and yank all the way around the arena while the tension mounted until the horses finally had enough and would threaten to go up. it's the kind of thing i've seen a lot of in schooling rings at both dressage and h/j shows (where people are in love with draw reins and spurs,) with disastrous effects. and yet this is what people continue to teach! sorry, got a bit carried away with this comment, but it just blows my mind :-\jmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04295140724737185132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-41332030609048584922008-12-07T13:01:00.000-05:002008-12-07T13:01:00.000-05:00GHM - thanks! i would love to put it all together...GHM - thanks! i would love to put it all together in book form, but i doubt anyone would read it! (i think people only read books by 'big name' celebrity trainers) but who knows, maybe someday i'll give it a try...jmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04295140724737185132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-3905253695751516212008-12-07T08:55:00.000-05:002008-12-07T08:55:00.000-05:00Okay, this one is where I need to award Keil Bay t...Okay, this one is where I need to award Keil Bay the World's Most Sainted Horse trophy.<BR/><BR/>When he first became my riding partner I was doing that very evil thing - giving him mixed messages. Legs saying go and hands saying "oh my god that stride is huge I'm afraid you're going to run away with me please slow down now." <BR/><BR/>But... go.<BR/><BR/>If he were not such a saint he would have done something scary. As it is, he basically learned to tone everything down. His brilliant movement, his go button, and he let me find my comfort zone with his size and his stride.<BR/><BR/>I am finally learning how to say go and mean it, and back it up with the ability to ride what he gives me. <BR/><BR/>Bless him, and thank you for the eloquent reminder!billiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18187141867284800597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-46526789915821704372008-12-06T18:45:00.000-05:002008-12-06T18:45:00.000-05:00As always a post packed with great information tha...As always a post packed with great information that is easy to understand and put to use. This series is so helpful to those of us who really don't get the uses of all the different rein aids. You should put it in a book or pamphlet as a reference guide. Thanks for another great post.Grey Horse Mattershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05837575441967937196noreply@blogger.com