tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post4367942311992556848..comments2024-03-26T08:22:23.744-04:00Comments on Glenshee Equestrian Centre: Some Notes on “Natural Horsemanship,” Part 1Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-77860075388471495412009-05-18T10:24:00.000-04:002009-05-18T10:24:00.000-04:00fryslan valley - thank you so much for your commen...fryslan valley - thank you so much for your comment (and sorry i didn't post/respond sooner - my internet has been out all weekend!)<br /><br />you make a really good point and i agree completely with what you say about 'classical' dressage. i remember while training in the UK some of the students were complaining that the head instructor was so hard to please because she was 'so classical' in her dressage. that head instructor then proceeded to yell at a student whose horse was resisting collection, 'well, then, sock him in the chops!' i'm not familiar with exactly which classical master advocated yanking a horse in the face to make it collect... :-\ all of the training there was like that. i was given the opportunity to ride that instructor's 'top' horse, and he was stiff as a board, resistant, and all of his gaits were distorted. they called it 'classical' but it was all draw reins, spurs and rollkur...<br /><br />what people call classical these days is really just another way to lend some authority and credibility to modern riding practices which, as you say, are so often geared only toward the show ring - it's all short-cuts and veneers to cover a complete lack of horsemanship (and those horses are still amazing!) it's one of the reasons i really don't show much anymore, and when i do i do it almost as a form of protest - even if we don't get ribbons, we go out there and do it our way - hopefully the right way. we try, anyway. <br /><br />there was a time when horsemanship was an art, not a product or a pageant. i doubt we'll ever get back there, but i'm going to keep trying :-)jmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04295140724737185132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-63285834734716535312009-05-15T08:44:00.000-04:002009-05-15T08:44:00.000-04:00Thank you, thank you for this article. Very well p...Thank you, thank you for this article. Very well put, and hopefully it will open more eyes. Too often we see misbehaving horses at showgrounds and strangely enough, most of them are tacked up with the "magical-horsemanship equipment" which was convienently sold though catalog or clinic.<br /><br />I remember a clinic with Ray Hunt, where one rider just had no control what so ever in the Horsemanship clinic. This rider was the only one riding in a ropehalter-mecate combination. At a certain point, Ray asked him: "Does your horse ride in a snaffle aswell?" The rider replyied (kinda cocky) "Yeah, sure he does, but this is natural" To which Ray answered: "Why don't go you put that snaffle bit on?"<br /><br />The "natuarl-horseman-ship fad is almost like what we have in Europe with the "classical dressage". Although many phrase the discipline that they ride in a way thet its not MODERN (with a negative sound) , they ride Classical!<br /><br />Still, I have never heard anybody tell me that they ride "Modern Dressage"<br /><br />I do see a lot of difference here in the USA between horsemanship, sports and show horses. The latter, stictly for show, is a rarity in Europe. Often I am amazed of the extremely limited training these horses receive and the money that goes with that. These horses are nonethe less pretty safe, in spite of their riders and trainers. (Gotta love the Horse!)<br /><br />One day I may get used to it.Fryslan valleyhttp://www.fryslanvalley.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-12944970101936518732008-04-23T23:13:00.000-04:002008-04-23T23:13:00.000-04:00Speaking of "what is natural horsemanship?", I fou...Speaking of "what is natural horsemanship?", I found this eloquent it short post, which sheds some light on the subject: <A HREF="http://leslierohde.com/?q=node/17" REL="nofollow">LeslieRohde.com</A><BR/>I enjoy reading your blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-9606270974193136772008-02-05T15:30:00.000-05:002008-02-05T15:30:00.000-05:00mrs mom,you bring up a really good point, and one ...mrs mom,<BR/>you bring up a really good point, and one i had planned on addressing further in upcoming posts. thanks for bringing another dimension to the issue with your comment! looking forward to hearing more from you :-)<BR/>-jmejmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04295140724737185132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-74526876401495243292008-02-03T20:21:00.000-05:002008-02-03T20:21:00.000-05:00Bravo!You have stated so well what we have been th...Bravo!<BR/><BR/>You have stated so well what we have been thinking for so long. The only question that is still teasing my brain is, what, exactly, is "natural" about the relationship between horse and human? If I read correctly in texts along the way, equines were prey, and humans are predators. In order for horsemanship of any sort to work, that initial relationship must be set aside by both parties, correct? The name "natural horsemanship" just, well, bothers me...<BR/><BR/>I look forward to more posts when you have the chance.Mrs. Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15269132012512166439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-61928613995199310852008-01-29T10:13:00.000-05:002008-01-29T10:13:00.000-05:00Extremely well said and well written!Extremely well said and well written!TnTConnecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02868281033919053366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-829570931882245246.post-29653902397232336682008-01-27T18:45:00.000-05:002008-01-27T18:45:00.000-05:00I couldn't agree with you more about this entire p...I couldn't agree with you more about this entire post. Unfortunately the horses and riders suffer for the sake of egos and the 'experts' who are lining their bank accounts. While natural horsemanship is a good idea,it is nothing new and unless it is taught personally by a professional, riders may get the wrong idea about how to train and interact with their horses. This could and does lead to some very wrong ideas about the natural instincts of horses and how to deal with them safely and effectively. It is my hope that more people will come to question the ethics of self-promoters in the horse industry.Grey Horse Mattershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05837575441967937196noreply@blogger.com