Carreg Dressage

16/01/2025

Why you will not see me being spectacular on a young horse:

Klaus Balkenhol explains, "Although breeders have created a better horse, the market has created a demand for a stronger, healthier, more powerful horse. It's easier to sell a horse that looks like a carefully developed eight-year-old, and not like a three- or four-year-old just beginning his career. If you force it, you can get a three-year-old to physically look like a developed eight-year-old. Too many colts remain stallions which, if approved, promise breeders higher prices as three-year-olds. Now 250 to 300 young stallions are presented each year, when only 40 or 50 will be approved.
Few breeders have the sense to geld the yearling stallions and leave them on the pasture to mature naturally. Instead, yearling stallions are brought into a stall, fed too much grain, and at three, look like six- or seven-year-olds. They have muscle mass, but not enough bone structure to support it. They look mature from the outside but aren't . . . and when started to work, degeneration sets in. Competitions also create pressure to push horses too fast as competitions are now scheduled throughout the year without any breaks."
Common Mistakes In Pushing Too Fast
Tightening the noseband: "A horse resists by sticking out his tongue. Tightening the noseband too much puts pressure on the nose and on the poll. If it is necessary to tighten the noseband very tightly, then something has gone very wrong in the basic training of the horse. The horse cannot be relaxed, the first step on the training scale," warns Klaus.
Specializing too early: "Drilling every day in the indoor arena is too intense for the young horse. It's very important, especially in the first two years of training, not to specialize the young horse. Training should include a variety of activities, including trail riding, which is good for the mind as well as building strength with hill work. It should include jumping, either free or low jumps under saddle, including small natural obstacles on the trail, and cavaletti. A variety of work will allow the horse to stay mentally fresh and to enjoy his work. Only when the horse is happy can dressage become art."
Not checking tack frequently: "Saddle and tack need to be checked constantly for proper fit and adjusted as the horse's body changes with growth, and as his fitness improves with the training. If the noseband gets too low, for example, and the skin between the noseband and the bit is rubbed and becomes sore, this causes the horse discomfort and loss of relaxation. Regularly check for sharp edges and bit problems in the horse's mouth and teeth."
Working too long: "The goal of our training is to build the horse's mind and his muscles. Suppleness and relaxation require adequate muscle strength. strengthening requires both contraction and relaxation. Blood flow and oxygenation occur when the muscle relaxes. If the muscle is kept in a constant state of contraction, it loses power and strength, and actually becomes smaller. Frequent rest periods, especially for a young horse at a free walk on a long rein, are necessary. The rest periods are not for a rider's fatigue, but to allow the horse to stretch and relax his muscles. The rest breaks will give you a completely new horse. This is the systematic gymnasticizing of the horse."
Riding when the horseman is tense: "Horses are particularly sensitive to the rider's mood. A rider shouldn't ride if she is under undue stress or doesn't have the time to ride. If the rider has a bad day, give the horse a rest day or go for a relaxing trail ride; don't work in the arena. The horse mirrors the rider's mood."
Not praising the horse enough: "The horse must perform from joy, not subservience. Praising a horse frequently with voice, a gentle pat, or relaxing the reins is very important to keep the horse interested and willing. If the horse offers piaffe, for instance, because he's excited, praise him for it. You shouldn't stop the lesson at that point nor make a big deal out of it. If you don't want piaffe, quietly urge him forward into trot, but you should NEVER punish him for offering the piaffe. - Klaus Blakenhol

07/01/2025

„Vor Jahrzehnten hatte man im Reitsport, vor Allem für den Dressursport, ganz "normale" Pferde zur Verfügung. Diese wurden nach der klassischen, deutschen Reitlehre, den überlieferten Grundsätzen ausgebildet.
An diese Richtlinien, an eine rote Linie und an diese überlieferten Grundsätze haben sich Reiter wie auch Trainer, vor allem in Deutschland und in der Schweiz, gehalten.

Das mussten sie schon deswegen, weil sie oft aus "einer Klamotte" ein "Pferd" machen mussten, denn manche Dressurpferde von damals waren vor der Ausbildung "graue, unscheinbare Klamotten" und erst durch diese langjährige Ausbildung wurden sie zu "Pferden" (diese Definierung stammt nicht von mir, ein berühmter, deutscher Ausbilder hat das vor Jahrzehnten so erklärt).

Durch diese Ausbildung und langjährige Arbeit wurden auch die Gänge der Pferde verbessert und sie gewannen an Ausdruck und Schönheit, wurden zu Athleten so, dass sie auch fähig waren eine harmonische Passage und Piaffe zu zeigen.

Heute wird vielerorts anders geritten. Oft wird da der Ausdruck "modernes Dressurreiten" verwendet. Dieses "Anders" hat sich im Laufe der letzten Jahre entwickelt auf Grund der gezielten "Dressurpferdezucht". Es gibt kaum noch "Klamotten" im Dressursport. Heute werden gezielt Dressurpferde gezüchtet und diese bringen von Natur aus all das mit, was früher von den Reitern "herangeritten" und "gebildet" werden musste.
Man versuchte damals die Mängel im "Pferdegebäude" mit viel seriöser Arbeit auszugleichen. Bis ein Pferd nur schon imstande war zum Beispiel einen korrekten und schönen starken Trab zu gehen mussten durch die seriöse, lange Ausbildung die Muskeln und Gelenke so gekräftigt werden, dass überhaupt von einem starken Trab gesprochen werden konnte. Und selbst dann tat sich manches Pferd mehr oder weniger schwer.

Die Grundlage, auf welchem die ganze Ausbildung eines Pferdes bis zur höchsten Stufe basierte, waren damals das A und das O.
Sozusagen ging es um das ABC oder um das Einmaleins, dem Fundament in der Ausbildung von Reiter und Pferd.
Es sind heute ganz andere Pferde wie wir im Vergleich auf Fotos und Filmen von damals und von heute ganz deutlich sehen können. Da muss man gar nicht lange aufzählen was heute anders ist, es ist augenfällig. Die Pferde verfügen heute über ein korrektes Exterieur welches kaum zu wünschen übrig lässt.
Bewegungen in Schritt, Trab und Galopp die man sich früher nicht hätte vorstellen können und sich auch nicht vorgestellt hat. Zwei- und dreijährige Pferde sehen heute aus wie gerittene Fünfjährige und bewegen sich auch so. Das "A" und das "B" (im ABC) sind diesen Pferden heute angeboren und so wird oft, ja sogar meistens, bei Reiter und auch bei Pferd auf "AB" verzichtet und man glaubt, gleich zu "C" kommen zu können.

Die Versuchung ist heute auch groß, gleich nach dem Anreiten eines Superpferdes zu testen, ob da auch Talent für Piaffe vorhanden sei.
Die Gänge der hohen Schule wie Passage und Piaffe sollten aber nicht bei "C" beginnen sondern Piaffe und Passage müssen sich aus "A" und "B" allmählich entwickeln können. Oft wird jedoch keine Zeit genommen für dieses "Sich-Entwickeln".
Meistens deshalb weil die Pferde heute so Vieles von Natur aus mitbringen und von sich aus anbieten. Oder weil man den Anschluss nicht verpassen oder auch möglichst schnell zur Spitze dazu gehören will.
So werden dem Pferd denn auch viele Lektionen andressiert und angelernt anstatt, dass diese aus dem Ausbilden, aus der Einwirkung des Reiters und der damit verbundenen richtigen Hilfengebung sich entwickelt haben.
Es darf kein "früheres" und kein "heutiges, modernes" Dressurreiten geben wenn wir diesen Sport erhalten und Freude an ihm haben wollen.

Das Rad lässt sich nicht zurückdrehen und das ist auch gut so. Aber dort, wo das Rad im Eifer sich selber überholen will muss es mit Kompetenz, Konsequenz, einheitlich, mit Sachverstand und mit einer roten Linie aufgehalten werden.
Dies vor Allem von den Richtern.“

Marianne Fankhauser-Gossweiler, Schweiz - R-haltenswert

Silbermedaille Mannschaft Olympische Spiele 1964 Tokio
Bronzemedaille Mannschaft Olympische Spiele 1968 Mexiko
Silbermedaille Mannschaft Weltmeisterschaft 1966 Bern
Silbermedaille Mannschaft Europameisterschaft 1965 Kopenhagen
Bronzemedaille Mannschaft Europameisterschaft 1967 Aachen
Schweizer Meisterin Einzel 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965 und 1966

07/01/2025

I just wanted to give a thumbs up and thanks to our very efficient feed suppliers who all gave instant results when asked to e mail gm free confirmation at short notice.
Baileys Horse Feeds
Dodson and Horrel
GWF Equilibra
Dengie
British Horse Feeds Speedybeet
While we mainly feed our own organic haylage our older horses need more support. All these Feeds contain great accountable nutrition suitable for our Organic Business.

06/01/2025

Every time you ride. You're either schooling or un-schooling your horse. There's no in-between.

Correct, traditional training is tested, proven and is suitably firm and kind in tandem. Bits, required to mouth and flex a horse to help him lift his core and carry his rider well into his teens or twenties if done correctly and fate remains kind to him.

Coaching, not terrifying the horse, allowing mistakes, but correcting them gently, progressively , not by yanking a rope or knotted head collar where the knots correspond painfully to pressure points on the face, but through repetition.

Correct training, its really deep, it's not easy, it demands more from the trainer than the horse most days. No loss of temper, no gadgets. It is about building the horse, physically and mentally, giving him confidence in you and allowing him to find himself, to learn balance, to accept the aids without a fight, in grace.

There's growth and understanding, not submission in a negative way. Kind legs and hands, a good seat for the rider to guide him through the process, through all of the training. No crude, cruel methods that are cleverly gift wrapped and presented as natural.

Forget about quick fix "systems" that only seek to hoodwink you into thinking they are working. Done through bullying and bulls*t, with tarpaulins, plastic bags on sticks and fast talking sales people, offering the holy grail by art of distraction. Most not able to actually do anything constructive in terms of correct training with any longevity.

Bullying, spinning, yanking, HURTING your horse by constantly brow beating him until his brain shuts down, his hind quarters hurt and his fetlock gives out. Know that doing this stuff, he will go lame and switch off if you're "lucky", fighting back if you're not!

Focus less on ego, or that of these so called messiahs with more Instagram followers than gods, but with so little knowledge, if you poured it into a teacup it wouldn't half way fill it!

I'm tired of bitless, bridleless, barefoot, not for a circus act but for day to day and at any cost. I'm fed up being told by nervous wrecks how groundwork will cure them of their fear of riding which as an experienced rider, I know, sadly, it won't.

Modern so called groundwork is not the correct method of long-reining and beautiful in hand working of the horse to flex, strengthen and advance him. The new so called groundwork, reported to build a bond just by subduing and confusing the horse, losing him all hope. Not to mention, this stuff is contextual. Horses don't think like us, so the tarpaulin indoctrination may be possible in a clinic or at home, but just you wait until it's out of the blue, on a hack, trust me, you won't ride him over it because riding isn't groundwork! The horse doesn't relate or connect the two.

Understand, you can build an unbreakable bond with your horse, through mutual respect, through taking time for his educational needs. Leave your ego at the door. Stop listening to snake oil sales people.

A horse is made, a rider is made. Making either takes a lifetime of hard work, repetition. consistency, disappointment and of course the absolute feeling of elation, joy. The highs are beyond comprehension, and until you have walked that path, you will never understand why the natural, no hope brigade talk such utter nonsense.

I accept the people who believe, I feel sad for them. Most so indoctrinated they want to justify their cults without stepping back and seeing it for what it is. Often, dare I say it, middle aged women, nervous to ride, looking for a reason not to, being sold an expensive dream in order to have the decision vindicated by others who want to "play" with a horse. I only hope, for the sake of the horse, they one day realise they are wrong. As a middle aged woman, I know the joy of riding. That's why it saddens me that the "cults" normalise not riding when I bet, 99% without medical reason, would buy the £1000 nerves cure potion if it was a thing, so they could ride fear free! I get it, I'm not being mean, I'm trying to make you see the wood amongst the trees!

I don't bother to fight back, the argument is pointless, the disciples are as subdued as their horses, confused by smoke and mirrors.

Just know that you can go to groups that love all that rubbish. Share this post so you can moan about it with other believers. I really don't care, because I know what is right and humane and correct. I thankfully ride every day, my horses are happy and healthy with no fear of me or my methods. Just, know it won't change the facts, moaning will only make you feel better, justified, able to discuss with your peers about how uneducated I am (!). That's fine, you haven't found your way yet. I hope you do.

This group is for people who genuinely want to get on better with their horse. To overcome nerves and anxiety riding to progress. This is not a place for natural horsemanwhatever, and I invite you to leave if that is your thing and you don't like my point of view.

If you want to genuinely find a way, please stay, open you mind, your heart. See where it leads.

Save for the Masters who preserve the correct training methods, modern opinions have changed, usually driven by money in sales of gadgets and promises.

Methods have changed, but in the last five thousand years, one thing hasn't changed... the horse.

HU Owen
Author & Rider.

I HOPE IT RAINS The Confidence Manual for the nervous rider https://amzn.eu/d/8uUZXVp

24/12/2024

11/12/2024

The two pictured dressage riders demonstrate the one of the most egregious" changes in dressage over the past several decades. The left rider is balanced in shared unity of motion with his horse. His saddle is minimal and does not aid or restrict his position. By contrast, the modern dressage rider is leaning back with the help of a saddle with a high cantle and huge thigh blocks or knee rolls that allow her to lean back and use her body weight to increase her ability to apply greater rein pressure.

The visual difference between the riders is inescapable. One rider is relaxed and balanced while the other is unbalanced, "water skiing" off their horse's mouth with the help of a saddle that contains her imbalance. One rider works with their horse's energy while the other opposes their horse's energy with significant force.

Centuries old horsemanship is the distillation of the experience of thousands of riders with countless horses over centuries. This leaning back to enable riders to use their body weight to apply greater force to control their horses is not new. Because it is wrong, as evidenced by blue tongues and blood from horses' mouths, and because it is counter to true unity with one's horse, there has been a long standing rule of horsemanship to stop it. That rule states that riders should not be allowed to lean back more than 5 degrees behind vertical.

In our new commercial era of modern riding, each discipline has more or less created their own separate "horsemanship" with their own set of rules and standards. Many of these separate "horsemanships" have subordinated the protection of the horse in favor of fulfilling the expectations and desires of the riders. In this case of excessive rein pressure, abandoning the 5 degree rule gave modern dressage riders permission to use more physical force to impose on horses at the horse's expense and to their detriment.

Furthermore, abandonment of the 5 degree rule has required external supports in saddle design to deal with the rider's intentional imbalance when leaning back 10, 15 or even 20 degrees. Without the high cantles and giant thigh blocks, a rider leaning back past 5 degrees would likely fall off their horse.

This is one more example of how today's flawed riding that undermines the wellbeing of horses can be fixed. There is no need to ban certain bits and equipment. The need is to improve riding to the level that it is no longer destructive to horses.

If the 5 degree rule were to be reintroduced, riders would once again be required to ride in unified balance with and motion with their horses. This single change would greatly reduce the current level of excessive force applied to horses by simply making it much more difficult to develop the greater force levels that now cause the blood, blue tongues and the destructive hyperflexion.

A big part of these kinds of problems is that the well meaning advocates for the protection of horses are not educated enough to address the causes. Instead they address the symptoms related to equipment. Improved horsemanship is always the answer, and we have largely forgotten this.

05/09/2024

19/08/2024

Important job . Trigger checking whether haylage is ready to cut

19/08/2024

Compassionate Training for Today's Sport Horse - online course - horse riders - horse owners - equine professionals - videos - horse trainer

18/08/2024