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Post by heather on Dec 10, 2011 19:44:12 GMT 1
Hope all goes well Michelle!!
PonyNutt, I agree, overdoing Pilates can cause the lower back to be held too still. We need a strong core to be able to ride well so I am a great believer in developing this off the horse, but not to the nth degree! As with everything, all in moderation!! ;D
Heather
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Bay Mare
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Post by Bay Mare on Dec 11, 2011 9:52:52 GMT 1
I looked at RWYM but just couldn't get my head round the imagery and didn't like what I could understand. It seems to be made far too complicated (to keep them coming back?) with not an awful lot of progression. My friend, who was a decent rider, got into RWYM and I don't see that she's improved at all, in fact her position is worse. She just sees it that she's got a lot to learn but I believe that she would progress further with another method. I don't know a lot about CR but, again, didn't like the imagery used but that's just my brain. I do think that the riders who follow CR are much better than RWYM though. I ended up with EE which I've stuck with, is explained simply, makes sense and works for me. I've had lessons with Heather and Becky Holden and have got a lot out of them. My mare responds positively to EE techniques as do other horses and riders that I've seen which is why I've stuck with it. The transformation in my mare in just 4 months using EE methods (from working with a good BD trainer) was amazing
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Post by rj on Dec 11, 2011 12:24:37 GMT 1
I spectated at a lot of RWYM courses before I eventually took some lessons because I didn't believe I wanted to be that analytical or that aware about what each muscle was doing. I just wanted to be part of the horse in perfect balance, as a whole. But I'm not. Not after 55 years riding & learning. Much of what I saw made sense though and I could see the results of the subtle changes in response to the suggestions made by Nicky, so I could see that the horses like it. But with everything, there are alternatives out there, so we should all be able to find something or more than one, that 'speaks' to us and helps us to improve. And if you can say 'no that's not for me' you have learnt something important about yourself.
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Post by lisap on Dec 11, 2011 13:54:37 GMT 1
You know, in the end it always comes down to the skill of the individual teacher and how well they can communicate with their pupils. All three methods are about improving the position of the rider in order to improve the horse. Although I am a CR instructor, I freely admit to 'nicking' ideas from lots of people, and constantly work to improve my own knowledge and understanding of how the human body works when riding a horse. Any teacher worth their salt will get to know how their pupil's mind works by the response that they get. Some just don't get any kind of visualisation - so I will use basic biomechanical explanations or hands-on bodywork instead. Others get certain images, but not others, so you have to have a massive repetoire of explanations to try to help them. My advice is to try out a few teachers and see who you click with the most.
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Post by Teeni on Dec 11, 2011 15:27:50 GMT 1
I've just recently had a lesson with an EE instructor and also watched a lesson from a CR instructor who trains with an EE instructor, both for me made complete sense.
Watching my friend in her CR lesson yesterday with very subtle changes made in her position really made a massive change to the horses ways of going, there were lightbulb moments for us all very interesting stuff.
I can't really report much back from my EE lesson as we had lighting issues at my yard that evening and i'm in desperate need of a Bowen session or two to sort me out as i was struggling to even my weight and seat bones, but everything we discussed made perfect sense and even with me being a wonky donkey a few small pieces we put into pratice were good. Hopefully will be having another lesson soon after i've had some treatment, have to say lovely instructor she really understood where i was coming from and also knows plenty about back troubles and Bowen therapy ;D
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Post by holi on Dec 11, 2011 16:57:48 GMT 1
I have looked at all three - and although I favour EE my mare is not accepting things at the moment as she is being very resistent and having to learn how to accept a contact. I have found using Phillipe Karls methods of raising the hand suits her.
I think at the end of the day its about you and your horse not entirely one system. I borrow bits from what I have learned in all and experiement - I think this is fine as long as it is based on things such as a sound understanding of biomechanics
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Post by heather on Dec 11, 2011 21:10:06 GMT 1
Holi, be VERY careful of using the raised hands.
This is the one thing that I have been voicing warnings about with the PK stuff, right from the first time I saw his earliest videos. He is a Master, but I have already seen horses being made into hollow, upside down necked horses by riders trying to emulate him and not having the same timing and skill. You may not be one of these, but I always advise against any extreme methods, as it is so easy to get into difficulties and especially without supervision.
I do use momentary high hands, raised quickly, but not sharply, if riding a horse that has been trained in draw reins, or taught to overbend in other ways, and yes, this is very succesful, backed up instantly with the legs, and I believe PK only advises the hands to be raised as a small part of the training. But one has to be so careful not to lead people to thinking that this is a training method in itself.
Heather
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pip
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Post by pip on Dec 11, 2011 21:47:45 GMT 1
I agree Holi.
There is nothing wrong with the standard BHS method of riding and what is in Manual of Horsemanship. It just depends on who is doing the teaching!
I have had heard mixed results from RWYM, some people love it, others find that it has blocked their horse's movement and the horses have become more and more difficult - but I would argue that that is due to the interpretation both by the instructor and the rider.
The fact that we al trail round to these different clinics, instructors and read umpteen books by umpteen different authors means that there is a serious gap in riders' education. Maybe we sould be like the Spanish Riding School and not allowed to ride on a horse until we can be lunged without reins and stirrups for 2 years.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2011 13:49:38 GMT 1
The fact that we al trail round to these different clinics, instructors and read umpteen books by umpteen different authors means that there is a serious gap in riders' education. Does it though? Or is it just a sign that we have choices available to us and many horse owners like to try things to see what suits them and their horse best rather than being told? I found my introduction to EE yesterday simpler than the RWYM lessons I had. The RWYM undoubtedly improved my riding at that time, and some of the things the RWYM coach told me to do were the same as what the EET told me to do, but overall with EE I'd say with my young green horse it was a revelation to see him respond correctly and immediately to aids he'd never encountered before so they must have been more intuitive to him. I should add, I did look up CR but as there aren't any instructors anywhere nearby it wasn't a practical option for us.
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pip
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Post by pip on Dec 12, 2011 14:43:46 GMT 1
Glad it went well for you and your horse liked it.
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