On the bit

[suewhitmore]

It's not lack of love, my dear, it's a cold, a sore throat and a splitting headache. I'm going back to bed now I've printed out explicit feeding instrucitons for Nigel. xxxx Sue

[heather]

The thread on Western riding a few weeks ago, really showed what it is all about, and Daisy Gray's riding was absolutely exemplary!

A well trained Western horse is a joy to watch too, and I am not exclusively fixated on classical riding, as anyone who read the thread I started on the Whitakers last week, will have noticed!


My comments on Numbat's photo were meant to be constructive, not derogatory! I know Numbat- she is riding in one of my saddles!- and she and a number of other friends in Saudi are all riding their horses in Bob Cook bridles, and I am intrigued to see how far they get with collection.

For me, this is a fascinating experiment and I will be the first to congratulate them if they achieve without a bit at all, what it would take most high level riders to do in a double !!

Heather

[heather]

Oh dear Sue, do you reckon you will be fit for next week?!! Hope you feel better soon.

Heather

[numbat]

He he, it's not me riding Casper, but my daughter who is slimmer and a better rider. When it comes to photos of me riding I'm with you, I can see plenty wrong with them myself without going to the trouble of putting them up on a board. I'm pretty happy with the way Oscar is going when he's like that, myself. He carries himself lightly, he's soft, and he responds to the merest of suggestions. I think it's a very comfortable, relaxed-yet-alert way of going for both rider and horse.

I had no problem with Heather's comments. It was just a pic of where we are now. I would like to see what else we can get, but I fear if we prove Heather right and don't ever get the level of performance that would satisfy her, it won't be because of the choice of bridle
but because of the lack of skill of the trainer, i.e. me.

[suewhitmore]

heather said:

Oh dear Sue, do you reckon you will be fit for next week?!! Hope you feel better soon.

Heather

I *WILL* be all right. Sarah's driving, so I can just drink coffee and winge.

[sarahfox]

I really didnt think Heather was being atall critical of numbats lovely horse,whats to criticise? they look super together,and anybody who has trained a horse to carry itself like that without a bit gets my total respect!

Sue,how will we know the difference??!! teehee!!

[suewhitmore]

You won't.

[heather]

Well I have to say, Sue ( numbat) that I thought you were looking younger still than the last pic I saw of you!! ;D

And Sarah, if SueW is going to whinge, put something stronger in that coffee !!

Heather

[sarahfox]

No,I shall put her in a gag...on the 3rd ring!!

[lovelylace]

I really like the way numbats horse was going, looks forward and in a nice self carriage, for me that is what I would strive for in a prelim test, and obidience to the aids so that transitions etc is done at the markers and without any resisitance...not what I usually see out on prelim tests, stiff tense and over bent horses....but slowly I think people are changing even in the dressage world....

more pics, will see what I can do..lol, got to find pics and scan them in...

[trudi]

sarahfox said:

and certainly most sensible people shouldnt get into the blasted perfection of classical !quote]

Couldn't agree more Sarah!!

I can't understand my passion, when the planet needs saving, drought kills thousands, floods take people's homes and here's me getting worked up about classical!!

My favourite book ever, Seunig's 'Horsemanship' in it's preface, written just after the second world war and with that in mind, says roughly

'The face of the world, disfigured by deep scars, has changed fundamentally. People are different too. The loss of my home, my entire fortune (for the third time) and, last but not least, separation from my favourite stallion have devalued everything that was sacred to me. .......he goes on in similar vain about the pointlessness of it all......

And yet! Though irreplaceable cultural values of yesteryear have depreciated or been destroyed, art has not allowed itself to be profaned, it has not fallen victim to irreverant chaos. For art and it's teachings are eternal; despite continued creative development, they are not superseded with time, but always emerge victors in their contest with it.

Like Seunig, I see it as an art to be preserved (by those much better than me) but also to be enjoyed by us all. I understand Casper's desire to enjoy what she does and to all other horsepeople to take what they can from the joy of horses.

However, there are some fundamentals that apply to all aspects of horsemanship, seat, hands, mental attitude, respect... and the DG is surely a great place to develope this?

I hope more will post great 'pics, like numbat and baymare, and I hope you will all forgive me my passion of classical!!

Trudi

ps Sue, feel better soon xx

[suewhitmore]

heather said:

And Sarah, if SueW is going to whinge, put something stronger in that coffee !! Heather

Yeah, more coffee. It worked in Spain.

[fin]

You can never have enough coffee

[sarahfox]

Lovely Trudi,

Yes,that is the crux of it isnt it? ART.It moves us all in its purest form.

[suewhitmore]

I always think of it as "horsemanship beyond" - beyond competition, beyond what other people think, for it's own sake, the same reason as we own Iberians - when you have horses that are for you to develop with, not to win, not to just toddle along with, altho we do those too, but horses that give you the best chance of obtaining excellence.