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T, tell me why you think an endurance horse basic skill is flying  
changes?  Respectfully, I disagree.  Even in dressage, that is hardly  
a beginning movement.  And while I fully support the goal of a  
rounded back, I think it is not a basic either, since the spinal  
vertebrae don't completely close for years after most of us have  
started riding (ref Deb Bennett, from the feet up so the top ones  
don't close till 8!) so the young horse doesn't even have the  
necessary strength to maintain that sort of frame for the length of  
our events.  The ability to move forward without one's head in the  
air and without a hollowed back, there is a happy medium.  Leg yield,  
oh, yes.  Turns on haunches and forehand, indubitably.  A good "whoa"  
would be nice.

Lynne



On Nov 24, 2005, at 7:29 AM, Truman Prevatt wrote:
> >
> This is a paraphrase of what I said in an earlier post.
>
> There are certain skills a horse must have for me to be comfortable  
> with it as an endurance horse. Such things as being able to round  
> the back and carry the rider with a rounded back, turn on the fore  
> hand, turn on the haunches, side pass easily from side to side,  
> flying lead changes, etc. While those things are best taught in an  
> arena or on the trail by oneself, the horse has to able to execute  
> them flawlessly during the excitement at the start of an endurance  
> ride.
>
> As far as spooking. The tendency to spook is a function of a lot of  
> things, personality, eyesight, the strength of the fight or flight  
> response, etc. I've even seen a grand prix level dressage horse  
> spook on the trail. While they might still spook  -  the spooks  
> will be a lot more manageable and not be nearly as sever in a  
> trained horse than in an untrained horse.
>
> Truman

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