Jane
Olympic Poster
Colo ("koala")
Posts: 938
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Post by Jane on Dec 31, 2008 0:57:49 GMT 1
Heather, thank you for taking time to make such long and informative posts. They are fascinating to read as well as being critically important.
I have no involvement in dressage, but have Tug of War on my bookshelf, after it was recommended to me by an Austrian woman I know here in Australia. She trains in dressage but also attends natural horsemanship clinics. Perhaps that happens more in a country like this, where equestrian 'identities' and attitudes do not seem to be as fixed, but the fact is that more and more people are bringing such approaches together with their own horses.
And thank goodness for that - these are the same people who post on discussion groups and post the videos on YouTube that do expose how the elite train at home (Christine W) or show what happens in the GP warm-ups. All it takes is one person with a mobile phone...
My 14-year-old neice has been riding in RC dressage here and told me how much she admired Anky. I showed her Tug of War then one of the videos of Anky's warm-up on YouTube. She now feels very differently.
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Post by Louise C on Dec 31, 2008 10:26:54 GMT 1
Ah - good one for the birthday list!!!!!
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Post by Louise C on Dec 31, 2008 16:43:22 GMT 1
Amazon don't do it - where can I get it from?
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Post by heather on Dec 31, 2008 17:09:45 GMT 1
We will have it in the online shop soon Louise, until then you have to buy it directly from pferdiatv in Germany.
Jane, my pleasure- if it helps a few more riders to understand the awfulness of some of these training methods, then it is time well spent for me!!
Have you come across my EE representative in Australia, Paul Cairns? He is great, has one of my simulators there and I am sure you would find him a kindred spirit!
Heather
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Post by sarahbing on Dec 31, 2008 17:29:47 GMT 1
Heather, do you mean the IH online shop or yours? If the latter, please could you send me a link? Also, earlier in the thread you referred to your forum. I would love to know where to find this. Thanks for such an informative and intelligent thread. As always, it's an education... (even if some of it was over my head!)
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Post by Louise C on Dec 31, 2008 18:53:00 GMT 1
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Post by heather on Dec 31, 2008 19:01:02 GMT 1
Thanks Lou, it isnt there yet, hopefully winging its way from Germany!! Sarah, hope to see you on the EE forum too! IH an dEE share a lot of members these days- there are so many on both who are on the same wavelength, that of riding and training the horse in a kinder way- the ONLY way, as far as I am concerned!! Heather
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Jane
Olympic Poster
Colo ("koala")
Posts: 938
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Post by Jane on Jan 1, 2009 0:51:01 GMT 1
No, I don't know Paul Cairns, but I'll get in touch. I see he's near Sydney.
To sidetrack slightly, I saw an amazing simulator at Equitana 08 in Melbourne, at the stand of the country's major tack shop chain. It was shaped like a horse, just without legs, and had a large screen showing an animation of a horse in the dressage arena from the just behind the rider's perspective. The brave rider could ride a dressage test, while the rider's weight distribution was shown on the screen. The onscreen horse also responded perfectly to the aids given on the simulator, both intentional and unintentional. That's why the rider had to be brave... there was quite a bit of laughter around that stand. I think a few riders 'crashed'.
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Post by heather on Jan 1, 2009 1:07:31 GMT 1
Yep I know the simulator, Jane, there are a couple of those over here too. But the real importance of a simulator for me is to teach the rider to synchronise exactly with the movement of the horse, which in turn produces balance, which then permits the position to be maintained. It is also so valuable to teach feel- which leg is doing what etc, even though like my own machines, they have no legs!!
Having said that I have been asked to teach with a new one next month, which is supposed to simulate all the high level movements, and costs, wait for it, £47,000!! Frankly if you are ready to ride the high level movements, you shouldnt need a simulator! But I am intrigued to find out what it is like!!
Heather
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