Post by lisap on Jun 3, 2007 12:48:18 GMT 1
We've just returned from a two day workshop run by Craig Stevens which was an introduction to working the horse in hand.
The workshop was hosted at Derek Clark's lovely venue near Stow-on-the-Wold and Derek had let me know about it because Craig Stevens was a pupil of Francois Lemaire de Ruffieu many years ago, although Craig admits that he has developed away from many of the Cadre Noir military school principles over the years. (As some of you know, Francois came over to the UK at Easter to deliver an extraordinarily successful clinic - more news about him coming back to the UK later this year very soon!)
I, and two friends took three horses down on the wednesday before the workshop, and were able to combine the academic intensity of the workshop with some lovely hacking in the beautiful Cotswold countryside.
It was a very interesting two days. Craig is obviously passionate about his subject, and has studied the art of classical riding in considerable depth. He has some provoking comments on the divergance of the various classical schools of riding, and the emergence of modern competitive dressage.
You do need to be very open minded as some of the concepts he put to us were way outside our normal range of experience - the whole idea of riding just with the use of one primary aid (the educated hand) and no use of the legs at all is quite a show stopper.
The in-hand workshop was just what we had needed. Although there are several classical riding instructors, and some excellent groundwork (RA type) practitioners, it has been hard to source information about 'how to do' the classical principles of working the horse from the ground to ultimately achieve various advanced movements. I mean, just how *do* you use your hand on the bit/cavesson? What does light, gentle, firm actually mean? Do you walk forwards, backwards to or from the horse (all four, it turns out). Exactly how do you use the whip to touch the horse?
Craig was able to answer all these questions and many more. The three of us who had not experienced Craig's teaching of in hand work previously all learned a lot, and noticed definite improvements in our horses' attention, calmness and flexibility. Now we are going to practice, and hopefully Derek Clark will be coming up in a few weeks to check on our progress and give us a bit more help.
The workshop was hosted at Derek Clark's lovely venue near Stow-on-the-Wold and Derek had let me know about it because Craig Stevens was a pupil of Francois Lemaire de Ruffieu many years ago, although Craig admits that he has developed away from many of the Cadre Noir military school principles over the years. (As some of you know, Francois came over to the UK at Easter to deliver an extraordinarily successful clinic - more news about him coming back to the UK later this year very soon!)
I, and two friends took three horses down on the wednesday before the workshop, and were able to combine the academic intensity of the workshop with some lovely hacking in the beautiful Cotswold countryside.
It was a very interesting two days. Craig is obviously passionate about his subject, and has studied the art of classical riding in considerable depth. He has some provoking comments on the divergance of the various classical schools of riding, and the emergence of modern competitive dressage.
You do need to be very open minded as some of the concepts he put to us were way outside our normal range of experience - the whole idea of riding just with the use of one primary aid (the educated hand) and no use of the legs at all is quite a show stopper.
The in-hand workshop was just what we had needed. Although there are several classical riding instructors, and some excellent groundwork (RA type) practitioners, it has been hard to source information about 'how to do' the classical principles of working the horse from the ground to ultimately achieve various advanced movements. I mean, just how *do* you use your hand on the bit/cavesson? What does light, gentle, firm actually mean? Do you walk forwards, backwards to or from the horse (all four, it turns out). Exactly how do you use the whip to touch the horse?
Craig was able to answer all these questions and many more. The three of us who had not experienced Craig's teaching of in hand work previously all learned a lot, and noticed definite improvements in our horses' attention, calmness and flexibility. Now we are going to practice, and hopefully Derek Clark will be coming up in a few weeks to check on our progress and give us a bit more help.
). Really works to get soft aiding and turns, and Susan Harris told me that Peggy Brown gets her carriage horses to walk on by breathing out - I must try that one next!