Searching for Excellence in Horsemanship by Melodye Sweetin
Submitted by: Melodye Sweetin
Phone: 804-639-3488
Email Address: MelodyeSweetin(at)earthlink.net
Date Added: 10/28/2009
In Search of Excellence in Horsemanship
Like many of you, my initial interest in dressage was intended to be casual and fun. However, as many of you also know, our discipline is one that compels some of us so totally that eventually we choose to dedicate our existences to our horses and our education as horse people.
In my case, my "horsey addiction" finally delivered me to several years of apprenticeship in an FEI training barn. This type of educational arrangement is as old as the hills and the basic equation goes something like this: Your blood, sweat, and tears = a real opportunity to learn.
Nothing is given to you. Your earn every ounce of knowledge you are clever enough to absorb. This exchange process is what separates the women from the girls. As challenging as this arrangement is, it is, in my opinion, the ultimate way to challenge yourself to determine if you "have what it takes."
I learned so much about the horses and myself that I feel obligated to share information.
* The saying "be fit to ride, don't ride to be fit", is not just a good idea. The reality is that you cannot expect to be a top notch rider unless you possess strength, stamina, coordination, & balance.
* Read voraciously! There are so many wonderful books that anyone who considers them self "a rider" should read.
* Watch good riders. DVD s are a great learning resource.
* Set goals and work towards them. Enlist your instructor to help you in this area.
* Get videotaped regularly and keep a riding journal. Day to day progress sometimes is invisible, and good training doesn't happen overnight, but, if you can document your work consistently, you can compare and contrast your progress from month to month.
* Get good riding instruction. It's far easier to learn to ride correctly from the beginning than to have to re-learn. There are no shortcuts to becoming an effective rider and no substitutions for hours in the saddle. Development of good position and riding basics are integral to positive results in your horse since only when we are in true harmony with our horse can we begin to positively influence (or train) the horse.
* If you are a novice and necessity dictates that you will only be able to have professional help once a week or less, do not buy a young or green horse. Learning good basics on a horse that knows its job is challenging enough. You cannot expect to teach the horse something that you don't know yourself.
* Correct position: chin up, focus up, shoulders down & back, long neck, chest open, pulled up from the waist, arms falling softly shoulder to elbow with elbow at waist, straight line from elbow to bit, tall back sitting at the vertical, pelvis open, hips swinging, adductors against the saddle, soft and loose lower leg draping the horse's side.
* Correct basics: school the gaits-active, engaged, over the back, energy into the bit. Never compromise on connection. When all of this is right, you can ride movements easily. Without correct basics, the movements are nothing more than tricks.
* Know the training scale and incorporate it into your daily work:rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection. Make it your top priority to obtain a clear idea of what each of these elements means.
* Be proactive managing your horse's care. Don't just wait for something to go wrong. Get involved firsthand with the care of your horse, and be aware of every crevice on his or her body. Communicate with your vet and farrier and know that the equine athlete requires consistent care and appropriate maintenance. Don't over-ride your horse, but do ride as regularly as possible.
* Remember that your horse's physical and mental condition on any day are only a snapshot of his current nutrition, exercise, and rest/turnout program.
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