Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

A forum for discussion of training in dressage
piedmontfields
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2735
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 4:41 pm
Location: E Tennessee USA

Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby piedmontfields » Wed Sep 05, 2018 2:29 pm

This is just a reflection, but I'm sure many of you have keen insights--not to mention opinions--on this topic.

In the last few years, it has become clear to me that the trainers/instructors I find most valuable *at this point* in my education and with my particular horse have quite a lot of experience. They have trained dozens of *horses and riders* beyond 4th level (including non-WBs) and at least a few to GP. They have worked with many different riders and types of horses. And they have a deep understanding of an approach/system/philosophy that works + a variety of tools for translating that approach to different pairs. Many of you have the good fortune to work regularly with people with this level of experience (be grateful!). Some of you have lost such a trainer and are now seeking your next guide. I know this kind of instruction is expensive and I'm at a point that I can get enough from it that it is well worth the cost for the return.

That said, I think trainers with less experience still have tons to offer---and in fact are an excellent match for different stages of learning and development (although if I could have started with the first category of trainers, I think I would have progressed quite a bit more...but that is not the norm in the US). In the past, I have had many positive experiences and progression with much less experienced trainers than I described above. I would say that I have gotten a lot from trainers who have a very good eye for rider position/corrections (centered riding approach) and can train many different kinds of horses/riders to 2nd level. I learned quite a lot of horsemanship and horse care from these trainers, too. These are the people who taught me the basics of how to put a horse on the bit, ride proper circles, and understand the geometry of the ring and various movements. And before that, I had great experiences with someone who took a classical approach to starting horses and riders but could only ride to about 2nd level and train to about 1st. That was still valuable.

I suppose I'm now dealing with the fact that I just need a different skill set to progress steadily. If I had a different life (time) and zip code, this would be easier to address!

User avatar
Rosie B
500 post plus club
Posts: 641
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 11:38 pm

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby Rosie B » Wed Sep 05, 2018 3:39 pm

Good question.

The instruction I have access to now is limited, and most of it is of the same 'style'. Very experienced trainers who provide a constant stream of commands "riding the horse" through me. I find this works well for me - I am usually able to effect significant change in the horse under their eyes, then I manage to recreate it on my own at home. And I can go for a very long time between lessons and still make progress because I can fill in the blanks to some extent. Of course my progress would be faster if I had ready access to instruction, but that's not the situation I'm in. Also, none of the instructors I have access to ever have much to say about position. I think it would very interesting to ride with Dresseur's Andrea who deconstructs position to the nth degree.

In my past, I took lessons from a lady who is a wonderful horsewoman but who has never ridden past first level. I took lessons from her for probably 7 years, and it's from her that I gained my motivation to focus on position. She was the one who taught me how to ride a horse on the bit, how to ride a proper circle, etc. Having said that, had I access to a more advanced instructor there is no doubt it wouldn't have taken me 16 years from my first instruction to showing at second level (with Prussia).

piedmontfields
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2735
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 4:41 pm
Location: E Tennessee USA

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby piedmontfields » Wed Sep 05, 2018 3:54 pm

Yes, I love working with trainers who can "ride through me." Although I have had some experience with people who think they are doing this but IMO are not :-p

I think Dresseur's trainer will be offering short courses at her farm at some point. I think that would be totally interesting to do.

Dresseur
500 post plus club
Posts: 867
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2015 12:16 am

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby Dresseur » Wed Sep 05, 2018 3:55 pm

I'm very lucky in that I found a trainer who became a mentor. She is a stickler for position (and yes, she does short courses as well as video lessons :lol:), and she has experience starting 100s of young horses and retrains, and she teaches so many lessons that there isn't something from her experience bank that she can't pull from to help someone understand a concept. She's also very much a student still herself - so she approaches things from a student's mindset. I realized early on that if I wanted half a chance at figuring out anything having to do with dressage the way I wanted to ride, I needed someone with the experience - and I was lucky to have found her.

exvet
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1588
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:28 pm
Location: Scottsdale

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby exvet » Wed Sep 05, 2018 4:30 pm

I have been very fortunate over the years but was in a wasteland for dressage for several years before moving to Arizona. There I ended up taking clinics in order to get the help I needed and the progress was slow, very slow. Even in the 20 years I have lived here, I have seen my needs change and much of it depended on my priorities with developing my seat, my priorities with showing (which has changed over the years) as much as where I was with my riding on a particular horse. All in all, I've reached a point where I need someone who has trained horses to GP and showed at GP but are also able to work with green horses. I don't need anyone to ride my horse, just recognize and accept that if I say something is too much for my green horse, they accept it without argument. I find that those who have actually started horses from scratch are already on the same page; so, the conversation of what is too much doesn't really need to be had. At the moment I'm good with the combination I'm working with however I do miss my former instructor/coach(es) who were just as helpful - just too far for me to drive now.

demi
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2218
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:02 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby demi » Wed Sep 05, 2018 5:47 pm

I would also like to take a short course from Andrea, especially since I know so much about her training from Dresseur’s reports.

The trainer I have been with for almost a year now is just what I need. There are some things that I find valuable in a trainer and some that I find absolutely necessary. My current trainers has it all. She is old enough (51) to have a lot of experience and her experience has been excellent. She trained in Germany. She continues to clinic with BNTs on a regular basis, and brings Betsy Steiner to her ranch for regular clinics. She has trained and shown horses to GP from the beginning. She has students at the FEI level, and there is a waiting list to get in with her. Some students haul in and some have horses in full or part training. She has 2-3 working students. She currently shows one GP horse, one I1 horse and one 4th level horse, all that she trained. She also shows clients horses. She shows regularly even tho she says showing is out of her comfort zone. She is humble. She truly loves horses.

Wait, there’s more! She has her own place that she just recently upsized from her previous ranch. It an full size indoor and has huge rolling, green pastures and all horses get a lot of turnout. She breeds 1 or 2 Hanoverian mares a year and raises and trains the babies. She has trails and across country set up and jumps routinely just for their well rounded education. The brood mares are horses that she trained to high levels before she decided to breed them. She knows her horses inside and out.

She describes things fairly well, but more importantly for me, is that she can ride my horse through me. She can also get on and ride my horse, which she has done a lot. She is very, very responsive to my loss of confidence problem. Not just placating me, but working me through it.

And she has a saddler from the Netherlands that comes every six months.

There are several GP trainers close enough to me to train with, and a couple that I have tried. I had decided it was not worth training with someone that didnt have certain standards. I took 20 years here in TX before I found my current trainer. She doesn’t advertise, she doesn’t need to. I was dissolutioned with the showing world well before I came to TX so I wasn’t in contact with anyone who could have helped me find her.

And one last thing, she loves mares.

Moutaineer
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2479
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:45 pm
Location: Utah

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby Moutaineer » Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:42 pm

I've had some good and some truly ineffective trainers in the past, and looking back, I've wasted a lot of time. But, "you don't know what you don't know."

I'm extremely fortunate (and extremely broke) with the 3 people I work with at the moment.

My "in-house" trainer/barn manager has a very good eye and a wealth of excellent training and classical knowledge to draw from and has both ridden and trained through FEI, but thinks I have outgrown her--I don't think I have at all for many things, and she's my go-to person for "I'm stuck on something I know I should be able to do" lessons, or "is my position right" lessons. She's also around the barn and arena a lot when I'm riding and will comment on what I'm doing on a day to day basis, which is helpful. Unfortunately, after a serious accident earlier this year, she's no longer riding anyone's horses but her own, and that with a considerable degree of caution.

She has me ride with her trainer (enlightened self interest--she'll come to us for two people :)) Her training is more nuanced, and looks at more subtle detail of how I'm riding and how the horse is going. She expects input from me on how I'm doing and expects me to be able to articulate what I'm feeling. She's also the one who will sort out bigger issues like what's going wrong with the L to R FC and find a way to fix it. She'll get on my horse, which is helpful for both of us. She's also a very successful competitor and is helpful with the "ringcraft" side of things.

Then there's my quarterly (long may it last) check-in with Mette Rosencrantz. She brings a healthy outside perspective and looks at the bigger picture. She's the one who introduces whatever factor it is that I need to make the step-change in my riding ability, though the building blocks in between consolidate it and prepare us for the next big thing. She makes me more fearless and more prepared to experiment. She'll ask me what I'm working on, and understand when I say "it doesn't matter, just make me ride better."

I consider myself very blessed at this time to have these three people in my life who all have the same mindset and philosophy and who all respect each other, so I'm working it for all I can get out of it!

khall
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2515
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:47 am

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby khall » Wed Sep 05, 2018 8:24 pm

I like the Nuno O influence (except for Bettina, she was not my cup of tea). That style makes sense to me more than any other instruction I have had. Other Classical (PK or SRS) or competition based. Why Mark made sense and I feel a continuity riding with Cedar. Going to Portugal next fall to ride with Valenca's. Does not mean I cannot get anything out of riding with others, I actually enjoyed riding with the trainer in Spain, she was a taskmaster but never unkind. Loved her emphasis on geometry and movements.

User avatar
Chisamba
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 4452
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby Chisamba » Wed Sep 05, 2018 10:24 pm

at the moment i need a consistent mentor who is not show oriented but who will enlarge on traditional principles without being locked in to breed specifics. I say traditional because there seems to be a peculiar schism of people who use the term " classical". I do think that competitive dressage is actually based on traditional principles, if you read the guide lines and follow the exercises. However the horses that win are not always adhering to those principles in my opinion.

So my ideal is a trainer who i can really trust, work with say, monthly or bi monthly, for a long period of time. I think switching through a lot of different clinicians and trainers can derail progress.

I have had a few influences on my riding but not so strong as my first dressage instructor. Peter Bowker was the captain of the EP dressage team, in SA, and i was lucky enough to ride with him every morning for two years. He lived next door to the farm that I was working at, and the farm owner was worried that i rode to much by the seat of my pants so she only hired me if i would work with him. I got up at five, went over and rode whoever he wanted me to ride that day. He had lots of upper level horses, and not enough time to keep them all worked so i had the pleasure of working a few.

However my father arranged for me to go and do a riding course at the Kyalami and i was able to work with SRS riders there. http://www.lipizzaners.co.za/
It harked back to my days in Zambia , where i was very young and a woman from England came out to work with use, she had been a Charles Harris protege.
https://www.amazon.com/Workbooks-Spanis ... 0851318452

anyway, i was very much attracted to the riding progression, and tried to get in to the SRS but they refused women at that time.

Then i rode in many clinics , one clinician would yell more forward, the other would yell slow down, it was a very inconsistent set of influences which made me realize that a consistent trainer is better

since you asked :)

piedmontfields
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2735
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 4:41 pm
Location: E Tennessee USA

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby piedmontfields » Wed Sep 05, 2018 10:47 pm

Great posts. Thank you.

Besides a certain level of experience/expertise, you all have also pointed out what is truly essential---a philosophy and approach that you find absolutely trustworthy and worth emulating. I totally agree, and that is my local frustration (where certain experience and expertise is available...but not the kind I want to emulate or trust).

Chisamba wrote: " I say traditional because there seems to be a peculiar schism of people who use the term " classical". I do think that competitive dressage is actually based on traditional principles, if you read the guide lines and follow the exercises. "

You know, I totally agree with this statement (with my lesser experience) and so do the trainers I respect and would follow.

Tsavo
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1527
Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 2:01 am

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby Tsavo » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:32 am

I have had instructors who worked mostly with the horse and others who focused more on me.

I advanced more with the people focused on the horse. I would say this was "guided experimentation" which I am becoming convinced is how people get up the levels. That's because what works for one rider may not work for the next in terms of body logic.

HafDressage
Herd Member
Posts: 231
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:51 am

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby HafDressage » Thu Sep 06, 2018 2:34 am

While I think experience matters, I have had really experienced trainers who differ in their ability to communicate and teach. Probably the best "rider" I ever trained with, was among the worst of the teachers I've trained with. Where I think trainer experience matters most is when you run into problems and when you need to train advanced movements (like piaffe and passage). My current trainer is younger, so she doesn't have as much experience as some of my previous trainers, but she gets me and my horse and so it works all the same.

More than those things, what I think is most important is finding a trainer is that the trainer has a clear system... whatever that system may be. Having a clear idea of how A leads to B and then sticking with it I think are somewhat hard to find qualities in a trainer.

One other caveat I will add is that at this point in my riding, I don't care if someone is the world's best rider/teacher/trainer of all time, if you are a jerk, I won't pay a dime. Personally, I think that the dressage community puts up with too much bullshit bad behavior from trainers because we all so badly want good instruction. For me, if a trainer isn't professional in their communication abilities or treatment of their students or employees, I won't work with them no matter what they have to offer.

khall
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2515
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:47 am

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby khall » Thu Sep 06, 2018 3:34 am

Haf I completely agree with you about a trainer being a jerk, I call that ego issues. I want one who knows what they know but are humble about that knowledge.

piedmontfields
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2735
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 4:41 pm
Location: E Tennessee USA

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby piedmontfields » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:43 pm

Yes, for me finding a person with a philosophy and approach you want to emulate applies not just to riding/training but also to how the individual treats horses and people!

demi
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2218
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:02 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby demi » Thu Sep 06, 2018 2:01 pm

piedmontfields wrote:Yes, for me finding a person with a philosophy and approach you want to emulate applies not just to riding/training but also to how the individual treats horses and people!


Exactly. That’s why I listed all those things about my current trainer.There are so many different things involved in make a good trainer that it’s not possible to distill it down to just one or two or three things.

Ryeissa
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2349
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:41 pm

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby Ryeissa » Thu Sep 06, 2018 8:43 pm

For me, I needed a biomechanics person- ie- "feel when your hip flexor has this XYZ feeling, describe that in your own words, how do you know when you get that, and what language describes that so I know how to remind you?"

Turns out i am one of my trainer's only kinesthetic learners, so that is why this style was particularly helpful

Xanthoria
Herd Member
Posts: 363
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2017 7:47 pm

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby Xanthoria » Fri Sep 07, 2018 6:25 pm

I would just like to have a trainer at all right now...

There is no dressage or jumping trainer where I board. And I board there because my shivers/PSSM horse gets 24/7 turnout there - very hard to find here.

My trainer for the last year came to us - she's great but:
1. won't come for less than 3 people - and that's tricky for me to coordinate
2. doesn't have room for horses in training at her place, so I cant send my horse to her
3. is 1.5 hours away, making trailering there a 5+ hour thing
4. doesn't go to shows so doesn't really engage on that topic

What I like in a trainer:

No yelling at me
Will get on the horse
Has space for horse to be at their place to train them for a month or so a year
No shortcuts, gadgets
Whether or not they show, will engage with me in a program to improve horse consistently, with goals to hit.
Likes my horse and is kind to him
Lacks ego

HafDressage
Herd Member
Posts: 231
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:51 am

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby HafDressage » Sat Sep 08, 2018 3:05 am

Xanthoria wrote:I would just like to have a trainer at all right now...

What I like in a trainer:

No yelling at me
Will get on the horse
Has space for horse to be at their place to train them for a month or so a year
No shortcuts, gadgets
Whether or not they show, will engage with me in a program to improve horse consistently, with goals to hit.
Likes my horse and is kind to him
Lacks ego


AMEN Xanthoria! All very good points. I might also need to add "will get on the horse... but won't make me then feel like I can't ride my own horse after that." I left a trainer about 3 years ago for that behavior. I had her ride the horse for a month and when the month was over she was possessive over him and then made me feel like I was ruining him when I rode him. Of course, I wasn't ruining him and beyond that entire silly concept, it's my horse to ruin! :lol: So, I really get my panties in a wad when I see trainers belittling or making their students feel bad for not riding their horses as well as they do. Why pay a trainer if you can ride your horse as well as them?

To add to the earlier discussion, I've had trainers in the past who mostly focus on the horse and those that mostly focus on rider position. I have to say that I really do like a balance of the two. I do think that is hard to find someone who really has a nice balance between the two.

Also, I've had trainers who ride (or put me) on a circle for basically ever and we just work on the way of going on the circle forever and then poof the horse is balanced and we can execute the movements relatively easily. Alternatively, I've had other trainers, who are constantly using different exercises to create the thoroughness and balance. I've seen both work really well, but with my current lazy pumpkin horse, the second method works better because it add variety to his training.

heddylamar
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1405
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2015 3:04 pm
Location: Texas (o_O)

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby heddylamar » Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:28 pm

My overall needs really haven't changed a great deal.

There was a short period, after I took ~5 years off (retired my eventer + riding in college intercollegiate + moving as an enlisted spouse) where I would ride with anyone who could get me back to riding fittness. And, subsequently, after moving my then 4yo to MD, riding with anyone who was capable of providing eyes on the ground with my challenging youngster. In retrospect, I should never have strayed from my prior and current standards.

Anyway, my list:
- Adjusts/changes tactics to fit horse/rider (one size does not fit all) for the same end goal
- Receptive and encouraging of constructive feedback
- Addresses the complete picture (no sessions spent nitpicking; gives me a "fix this, this way" and moves on)
- NO yelling or berating (I will walk away)
- Will laugh with me (not at me) when I'm a dork and do something dumb
- Not offended or threatened that I stick to some basics I've learned and adopted from prior trainers
- Is a kind person who doesn't try to pressure me into anything I'm not interested
- Willing to jump on occassionally and demonstrate what I'm missing

And the most important thing I missed in the early years with Anzia: I need someone who has far more experience than me, not just eyes on the ground.

My current trainer has hit all my good points, except one: I doubt she'll be getting on Maia anytime soon after watching Maia blow up under me during our first lesson and telling me she prefers calmer rides. I'm fine with that -- she was upfront, and she is always praising Maia.

User avatar
Chisamba
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 4452
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby Chisamba » Sun Sep 09, 2018 10:44 am

I really agree with having a trainer who still rides and would get on my horse to help or show me something.

Horses can look deceptive. I remember well a particular occasion at an Anders Lindgren clinic where one horse was a quiet, relaxed willing easy going qh without a lot of talent.

Well the clinician got on and apparently we were all deceived, it was a behind the leg stiff creature that had been well ridden but needed a very different type of input.

Tsavo
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 1527
Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 2:01 am

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby Tsavo » Sun Sep 09, 2018 11:41 am

My horse can pose. If I take the slack out it can look like he is on the bit (to some instructors) but he isn't. Once I realized that I ask instructors to get on. I also like them to check my work.

demi
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2218
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:02 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby demi » Sun Sep 09, 2018 2:59 pm

One of the things I noticed about my trainer when I very first went to watch her ride and train, was that her lateral work was fluid and lovely to watch. In one of her lessons with Betsy Steiner, Steiner had her do a series of lateral movements (on her GP horse) that I couldn’t even follow the instructions she gave. Trainer went immediately into it and while I didn’t have a good understanding of what she was doing, I could see that it was beautiful. When she finished, Steiner clapped and said “Bravo”.

I mention this because I personally don’t have a good feel for lateral work, probably because it is something that I find hard to understand just by reading about, and I’ve never had a trainer that explained it well. So for me, it is important that I’ve found someone who is not only good at it herself, but she is tireless in teaching lateral work/straightening to her students. Even with the FEI level student that I watched yesterday, trainer was very persistent in correcting the rider’s straighten efforts.


She seems to spend a lot of her lessons on getting her students to straighten their horses. The ability to straighten requires, I think, a good understanding of lateral work.

demi
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2218
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 7:02 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby demi » Sun Sep 09, 2018 3:08 pm

I just want to add that I do find Karen Rohlf’s vids on lateral work very helpful. She explains by breaking things down into small components, and then shows each component on video. Unfortunately, online training, even as good as KR’s is still not as helpful for me as a good trainer in real time, real life. She can’t materialize out of the video and onto my horse :lol:

HafDressage
Herd Member
Posts: 231
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:51 am

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby HafDressage » Sun Sep 09, 2018 8:00 pm

Okay so after my earlier rant about people putting up with too much bad behavior from trainers earlier, this article came up on my news feed.

Let this boggle your minds for a second:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/sports/jimmy-williams-flintridge.html


While what I was referring to was clearly far less egregious than what was happening in this case, the points I made hold true. We often sacrifice our values because we want the help of "training gods" and feel that we can't progress or be successful without them. And those trainers then believe/learn/feel that their behavior is okay. So, while yes, tangential to perhaps what the OP was discussing (sorry to hijack a bit), relevant to any discussion on what we expect and tolerate from trainers.

khall
Bringing Life to the DDBB
Posts: 2515
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:47 am

Re: Reflection: The Kind of Trainer You Need (now, in the past, at different moments)

Postby khall » Mon Sep 10, 2018 3:01 am

Haf there are predators in all walks of life (think Catholic church and boy scouts). I can see how all the young girls involved in the horse industry would be a magnet for a predator. We have got to teach our children to speak up and let us know when they feel wrongness in a situation or with certain people and believe them. I do think this situation though is different from a trainer just being a jerk. Predatory behavior is whole different ballgame and illegal to boot. Being yelled at or cursed at by an instructor while IMO should not be part of teaching nor should it be tolerated, that is not worthy of wearing hand cuffs.

Demi, it would have been interesting to see your instructor ride with Betsy Steiner. It's been a long time since I have seen her teach. Lateral work is the cornerstone of straightening the horse. Figuring out which foreleg the horse is more dominant or more inclined to bear weight on is so important to understand so that the lateral work can be used appropriately for each horse. Doing lateral work in hand first is so beneficial to the horse, gives them a good understanding of the rein aids and able to listen to the body language of the handler which completely transfers to US. I am lucky to have learned this type of work from Mark Russell who was a master at WIH.

I too like watching most of Karen R's work, I get more out of watching the videos than I ever did riding with her. She does approach things a bit differently. I have not seen her use the lateral work on bending lines very much, have you? I know very well the trainer she works with(Jos Sevriens) and am not a fan of him. Might have something to do with him almost running me over in a warm up arena before! Karen is a beautiful rider and I love her outside the box thinking while keeping good biomechanics while working horses. She does a great job working with a wide variety of horses. It has a different flavor than the work that I am following but I still get a good bit out of watching her videos.

Some here on this board have thought because I admire and follow the Nuno Olivera influence of training that I would like Phillipe K's work. That is not the case at all. There is a big difference between what PK does and what I was taught by Mark. I have yet to see any instructor that I admire that follows PK, not my cup of tea. While I have seen several and worked with 2 now with the NO influence. Why I am going to Portugal next year to work at the Valenca's who also worked with NO. Will be interesting!


Return to “Dressage Training”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 69 guests