Health & Soundness for Horse & Rider through Balanced Riding, Biomechanics, Saddle, Hooves & Species Appropriate Lifestyle MSFC - 
04/24/2025
The horse world has changed more in the past 20 years than it did during the previous 40 years. The general focus on horsemanship has diminished while the focus on the riders and the disciplines has increased. The shift in focus away for the horse and onto the riders has not been good for horses.
Horsemanship, the training, riding and care for horses, has been declining not because of rule changes or misunderstandings. Many of the harmful "innovations" that have proved to be abusive of horses or dangerous for riders have come from individuals who, by leveraging their fame or success, spread flawed ideas and became rich.
We need to understand how this happens for two reasons. One is that by understanding equestrian history we gain context from which we can judge present and new methods. Many of these present methods are flawed. Another reason is so we can spot frauds, fakes and manipulators who sell bad training.
Many of these frauds and manipulators focus on reaching guru or elite influencer status on social media or with clinics. Others use their competition high profiles, and some are simply marketing geniuses. They all pretty much follow the same pattern of promoting "something new" that almost always is a shortcut to achieve something that otherwise requires a great deal of time to accomplish.
Recently I have put up two posts on flawed, once "new" innovations that caught on with the riding public and that increased their promoters' profile and wealth. Both of these innovations, the crest release and the forced frame of self carriage have big names behind them. These destructive shortcuts were promoted by individuals with enough fame to make people believe they were improvements to correct, time tested methods.
At left we see George Morris next to an image of a very restrictive crest release that impedes the horse's balance and movement. At right we see the Anky van Grunsven, author of the hyperflexion idea that has crushed free movement and interferes with a horse's balance and wellbeing.
I am warning new riders and horse owners that a substantial number of techniques and methods taught today come from flawed ideas of horsemanship. Some are dangerous to riders, and most are detrimental to horses.
These flaws catch on as riders demand to be taught these bad ideas because they are "easier" than the proper process of learning to ride. Because "easier sells" better than hard work, and because too many instructors are in it primarily for the money, riders must be careful and use critical thinking when exploring riding instruction programs.
A big red flag is promises of quick progress like, "You'll be showing within a year". Another is telling you that you should buy or lease a horse after a few lessons. Be suspicious of anything that speeds up what is a slow learning process or feels like it exploits your lack of experience. New riders are getting hurt and horses are being used up in the name of increased profits. Riding is a great pursuit but only when done correctly.
Morris innovation post link -
www.facebook.com/BobWoodHorsesForLife/posts/pfbid036661bPdsebxmL9M9H6bB2qK96Hy4zzjm1HhVAsMeW5mMJjv7JK2khmi8zVUi4977l
Anky innovation post link -
www.facebook.com/BobWoodHorsesForLife/posts/pfbid0vYwRA6oYtbMub7Zh7Vgyyvj4SHBWZnCtghySrMSFoA8UGYT1b2PxJpGCQBxbYPKul
