Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

 Well, lot to ask.  I went to his clinic, have been reading his stuff for 
years, read all his books have his ground training and riding manuals and 
DVD. For the best help you could subscribe to his mag.   and join the  
intenet group on his site . There ares ome trainers on there who will give 
advice and a whole set of archives to browse.
 Secondly, he was a western trainer first, and  it took some time for 
techniques for english riders to come about . He has a cassete set out on 
dressage techniques and how to use them and in the last year or so  some 
dressage  on his magaxine articles.
  Also the "trainer" may not be approved. Some learn then add other 
stuff,so he may not be a 'real' one or a ''good one" JL website has a list 
of "approved"  trainers who he thinks have maintained a good reputation to 
client and horse.
 Also  I have done a bit of dressage riding and lessons and the two methods 
on the surface are incompatiable. Bad dressage is cranking the horses head 
in and not paying much attention to lightness and roundness. Using gimmicks 
and  hanging on the horses mouth. Most dressage horses I met and rode are 
very dull in the mouth and tight. Riders often use the mouth for balance.
 That being said, I have seen John Lyons on Seattle and Preacher and Zip  
do very refined  dressage movements on a loose, light rein, even though I 
wouldn't  consider those horses built right for dressage.(He also adds leg 
cues as they progress)
  John Lyons premise is all on teaching the horse that you get a realise 
form pressure for doing the right thing. Starting with the rein as a 
cue...He keeps it simple, consistant, so the horse understands. But it is a 
different language than  other  more traditional methods that relay on  
"equipment".
  The hardest thing is the rider has to train themselves to respond to the 
horses effort. Most riders  dont' concentrate  enough on the horses 
response.  You have a goal , you break it down in the most, easiest steps to 
get there. You reward the  horse as he tries to figure out what you want . 
When he gets it you relase ,even a bit of the pressure and praise him so he 
knows that's what you wanted.  You drill on that a while, then you add 
modifications. Eventually you and the horse are very tuned into each other 
and it gets easier.
   Theis horse may have been started well or right (or not) --then other 
riders added stuff , confusing him from the orginal ---and there is always 
the premise " the horse drops or rasies to the riders level".  The horse may 
have picked up  on wrong cues, etc.   But one thing I like about John Lyons 
he  has a great attitude to the horse, He doesn't let us off the hook  by 
blaming the horse.
  To be honest I  took a while to understand his methods as I knew english 
riding first-- and his earlier work was confusing to me (I was green too)-- 
But his later stuff is much more refined and easier to understand. He also 
says  he is learning and growing too.
   Of course, it is your horse  and you can do what you want , but here is 
his link to his website and you can  puruse it and glean what info you wnat 
or need. I really recoomend his "Riding Manual - It has step by step , in 
depth lessons to teach a horse from first saddling  and up to more refined 
stuff, in one manual with cards you can take with you and  DVD's showing the 
 lesson. Best investment I ever made and not nearly as $$ as other 
trainers. You can find them used too. The same lessosns are in his magazines 
, but it takes a long time to get them all .....

  http://www.johnlyons.com/index.php



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=