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Re: [RC] Posture & Pickups - Kathy MayedaHaving done both Parelli and Centered Riding (Donna Snyder-Smith is a Centered Riding instructor - I learned CR from Becky Hart and her coach Mary Fenton), I get totally flumoxed with my riding style. I often have to undo what I learn in Parelli when I take my dressage lessons. The Parelli's are studying dressage with Walter Zettl and I am curious to see how much this changes their program in the future. There's a lot about the way that the Parelli's teach people to ride that drives me nuts. I see where Linda Parelli is trying to get students to get the feel of the horse naturally, but when you perpetuate exaggerated movements it looks silly. It becomes a habit in some people, rather than a learning tool, because it gets taken out of it's context. Dave Ellis, one of the top Parelli trainers, advised his clinic attendees not to take dressage lessons until you get to the upper levels of the Parelli program because it would only create confusion. The Parelli program is a "horse training program." It's true. But I refuse to let things become a habit that I have to unlearn in the future, because I do want to be able to ride in dressage form. I just got the new Levels program from Parelli. I found it rather interesting that you don't really need to know to how to ride until Level 2, then you get tested with a Casual Rein (loose rein). You don't get tested with a shorter rein until you want to pass Level 4! K. On Thu, Feb 12, 2009 at 7:41 AM, Janice Taylor <janusstudio@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: The Parellis have a segment on this. Linda uses a big ball for the rider to sit on. She asks them to lift their feet off the ground while balanceing on the ball. The best position was on the pockets. Janice On Thu, Feb 12, 2009 at 10:30 AM, Naomi Preston <mustanglady@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:Julie's post really got me thinking! I think it's good for all of us to challenge what we think is "correct" or "right" from time to time. The clearest feeling I've ever gotten for using "balanced" posture while riding comes from an exercise that Donna Snyder-Smith and Peggy Cummings use in their clinics. One person, "the horse" gets down on all fours. Another person, "the rider" sits lightly on their back, with a balanced head/shoulder/hip/ankle position, and then the horse is asked to go forward. Peggy or Donna will ask "the horse" how easy it feels to move forward. Then, the rider is asked to go behind the vertical, sitting on their pockets, in a "chair seat". Again, the horse is asked to go forward. Usually there are groans from "the horse". When asked why, "the horse" will say there the rider's weight has shifted to their forehand, and they are almost unable to move. (I know Bruce Weary will have a field day with this!) Try this exercise, and see what you think. There are lots of other things you can experiment with, too, like having the rider arch their back, tighten their back, slump forward, grip with their knees, the list goes on and on. It's amazing what you will feel being "the horse". Naomi Preston www.TTeamforendurance.com-- www.janusstudio.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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