Mr. Morris has unfortunately taken hold of the reins and galloped off in the
wrong direction.
Here's how it started:
>Linda:
>
>While the "classical training" may be of some benefit I do not believe that
>this is the proper way to go about conditioning an endurance horse to extend
>its trot.
>
>In my not so humble opinion (I have reached the age where-in I do not have
>to be humble any more) The reason that you, and many others, resort to the
>"classical training" is that you do not RIDE ride your horses as they are
>capable of being ridden. Also you do not condition your horses to be ridden
>in the manner they are capable of.
So after reading the entire missive I have to say, "Whoa there Bob"--back
off a minute and reread the posts that first inquire about how to achieve a
certain gait, then examine the various responses. You will nowhere find
anyone espousing a regimen of exclusive ringwork to achieve conditioning
goals! The topic is not about conditioning, it is about TRAINING, and that
is often best done with consistent work involving often "classical" training
techniques. And these techniques are not something that are restricted to a
ring! Even the Spanish Riding School programs in at least one day of trail
work a week.
New riders in particular need to learn a set of skills which will enable
them to safely and enjoyably solve the challenges that will be met out on
trail. Young horses similarly must be given a solid foundation for meeting
these same challenges. The best place to learn new skills is most
frequently, though not exclusively, in a ring, under the tutelage of a
knowledgeable instructor. The venue matters not, what matters is that the
rider learns to "feel" the horse. What would you rather do...spend some
months training (perhaps in a ring or some other "secure" location) a horse
to balance, flex and yield, become soft and supple...or just send him up the
mountain and hope he passes the lesson of the day? Oh yes, why not plop a
totally green rider on him just to make it a little more interesting?
The horse who has been given a carefully built foundation will meet and
exceed trail challenges safely and with confidence.
I, and the other people who have graciously sought to help new riders with
descriptions and visualizations of training techniques, or to refresh skills
for those who are long away from thinking in disciplined training terms,
wish to provide a framework for achieving goals or solving a problem. We
can do this with some level of confidence, utilizing this long-distance
medium, because classical techniques are successful, and have been proven so
over generations. Ask any of the French endurance riders about the benefits
of a classical education.
I am afraid you show your ignorance of what correct classical training can
do for both the horse and rider. This training provides balance, rhythm,
co-ordination, obedience...in short a solid foundation for any horse, in any
discipline, starting with the very young horse all the way to the old
campaigner who could use a refresher course. Reining horses use it,
dressage horses use it, Donna Synder-Smith teaches a variation on it for the
endurance community, eventing horses use it...you can use it also if you
will only open your mind to the endless possibilities.
Here in the East we have mountains steep enough to curl your hair, sand deep
enough to challenge the best, mud so slick, so cuppy, you can barely get
through it, rocks that challenge the best the West has to offer (yes, I've
seen both) and weather that swings from Artic to Amazonian. And we do all
this and more with horses who have also spent some time in the ring
"cross-training" to improve performance.
Our best riders challenge themselves on two levels, one of which is devotion
to improving their horses natural abilities through training (however you
want to label it) and secondly through careful conditioning. These are not
mutually exclusive programs. Most riders I know do "dressage on trail",
utilizing techniques learned in a ring or elsewhere, to solve a problem or
to help a horse learn a new set of skills...on trail. And I know of few
people who have the luxury of the groomed trails and sissy bridle paths that
you allude to! We are all of us out there slogging through foot deep corn
fields, untrimmed narrow woods paths no better than deer tacks, climbing
steep, rock strewn gas line paths or traversing tricky ledges to *condition
and train* our partners.
So I suggest the next time you anticipate hitting "Enter", please think
about the topic to which you are addressing comments.. On this one you were
way off base. And I'm old enough not to have to apologize either.
Regards-
Diane
Endurance/CTR/dressage/eventing enthusiast, participant, clinician and
trainer for 20 years