Linda Baia

[Harmony]

I was one of the posters who did get to see Muriel's video.

Personally I was very careful in my choice of words and comments, because I knew how difficult it would be for her to hear what was being said, she must have felt isolated and stuck between two difficult options.
However, EVERYONE who commented on Muriel's video did so in  a constructive manner. I think anyone who reads the thread will agree the tone of ever post - incl. Heather's - was that of friendship.

However, I feel the value in video critiques is comlpetely lost if only positive comments are allowed.  If you don't want honest opinions - DON'T POST VIDEO.

I know that Muriel only wanted comment on her horse's way of going, not 'the rider's position'. Surely, on EE of all places, we have to accept that the two are inextricably linked.

Muriel, I suspect you are a strond-minded woman. There are lots of us on this site! We would love to have you and your wonderful mare participating.

[luckyrider]

I don't think one could ask for better than your last post, Heather, by way of helpful pointers for Linda's training.  This is something Muriel could take to Gigi and see if he agrees to give it a try.

It is for Muriel to decide, now.  Flashback is right, we will do more for horses in general and Linda in particular if we try to keep Muriel with us and do our best to get Gigi on-side.

You will remember that Muriel deliberated long and hard over whether or not to stay with Gigi.  There were things she did not agree with in his approach... but after airing her concerns on her blog she was urged to keep with him (I for one certainly encouraged her to stay with him). 

I do so hope Muriel stays.  She is, as many of you have pointed out, an intelligent horse owner who helps keep this a lively and interesting place to visit.

[sueblue]

In future, if asked a question such as the above, I should have responded thus:

" I would not be running her round out of her natural rhythm, with her head cranked to the inside. This will force her through her outside shoulder, which will then require correction, which has been caused by the action of the inside rein. I would work her long and low for the first ten minutes, loosening up her back, to encourage her to step through and swing her ribcage, and take the rein lightly forwards and down. I would never pull back with my hands, and ensure that the contact was light, but varied.

I would also have taught her some lateral work in walk by this stage, in order to supple her laterally as well as longitudinally. I would start to bring her more 'up' in front, but by only small raising of the hands, in a quick upward motion, always backed up by the legs, and carry this through with lots of transitions. Walk, halt, walk, halt, trot, walk, trot walk, and as she starts to become more balanced, trot halt and halt trot.

As soon as she learnt shoulder in, I would then also ask for rein back, and start to introduce rein back to halt, rein back  and walk on again. Ultimately, halt, reinback, trot, immediately. Nothing better to get the horse more back  on the hocks, and also develop more collection and impulsion. True extension can only come from collection, so I would not walk on lengthening the strides until this stage had been reached, as a horse like Linda would have natural ability to extend.

I would not work at all on the canter in the school until this stage had been reached, canter in a straight line out hacking yes, and through the building up of impulsion through transitions, wait until she offered walk to canter in the school. This usually happens when the horse is asked for trot from halt or rein back, but has built up so much contained power, that they offer canter instead. Once this happens, you can start to ask for canter from a very slow collected walk, and do not canter on for more strides than she is capable of maintaining an uphill jump, before coming back to trot for a few strides, fewer the better, and back to walk for a couple of strides, before asking for canter again from walk.

In this way, the horse will never have a problem with running into canter from trot, and immediately learning to canter on the forehand. This is a problem that can so easily be avoided!

And this would be the stage I would be aiming for, to be consolidated for a few months, before introducing lateral work in trot."


I apologise for jumping on Gigi, Muriel, and in future, will try to temper my Celtic tendency to shoot my mouth off, instead of taking a deep breath and writing a report once I had cooled down.

Heather

Great reply Heather!!
Almost thought Desi had returned!!!

[Heather]

Glad you approve Sue, but Desi back? Now that would make people realise what criticism can be!! :lol:

Heather

[Linda Baia]

Well Heather, I wish you wrote this reply before. Nevertheless, I will print it and take it to Gigi. As He is always very interested by others point of view.

I can answer to a few things. Yes Linda is NOW too fast and out of rythm. We are now working to slow things down.
However, she was, before Gigi, "blocked" refusing to move forward, and broncing at ALL transitions. So the "Off the leg, forward" idea has to be implemented before anything.
I won't post this video anymore, but I can tell you that Gigi never nags her and rarely uses the whip with her. He has so much intention and energy in him, that he rarely becomes "physical with horses". I have seen him touching ( not walloping) Linda with the whip maybe thrice in the last 6 months.

She is on her shoulder, euh yes! she has less than 40 hrs of training! What do you expect?

Shoulder-in at the walk or slow trot is work that she DOES on the long-reins.

Cantering while hacking? Sorry but you must be kidding! Linda is very green horse. she is bombproof to city things ( building sites, cranes etc... LOL) but not wildlife, she spooks at birds.
We are also working on this, but it is Gigi hacking her, not me as I do not have the nerve to do it.
He canters her in a BIG school 40m x 60m, mainly on the straight line slowing down before the corners to re-balance her.

The intelligent feedback I had on this video, noticed that great emphasis is made to the shoulders. Gigi works first on the shoulder, unlocking them, loosening them.

Maybe what you do not realise, is that I have seen  Gigi rides at least 10 different horses, different breeds, different training. He just changes them. they move more freely.

Is he agressive? Oh yes, he is an Italian male. Susan Garvin says that Italians riders are balls on legs      she is right.
He also exagerates b/c *he* knows that I am a very gentle rider, too feminin, I won't be as severe as needed with Linda.

Now about Linda, Luckyrider who has a very similar horse will agree with me.
Linda is a very green horse, full of her own power, she has also a mind of her own. Gigi is teaching her obediance. It is not a small thing.
I have learnt that she needs a CONSTANT firm handling. you give her a nail, she takes your arm.
My reminder is to watch Superhubby handling her, He is a softy. She takes a look at him, then she drags him accross the yard, sends him flying accross the barn when he cleans her hind feet, she stamps on his feet and nips him at will while tacking.

What a un-trained horse she is! Yes, she is in training. You might not agree with Gigi's method but they work. And hard to believe but he is FAIR! Because Linda won't take any BS, she is very potent. In fact We used a bit too thin ( b/c I did not find anything else here), she clearly told Gigi that was NOT admissible. He did not eat dirt but it was closed   

At the begining, I was very shocked by Gigi training. I argued with him, then I watched him again and again.

I come to realise that what shocked me was his INTENSITY and HIGH level of ENERGY. But he rarely becomes physical with horses. In his tuition, he insists that we must be determined in our thoughts, and directs our energy towards our action and to use as little legs or hands as possible.
Nuff said at the end of the day, I have learnt to respect my trainer. Do I agree with everything he does? OH no! He is too intense at time. but he is learning from me too.

Yes I am confirming I am leaving EE. The video was just the kick in the butt for me. I have found the EE community changed, or *I* have changed too.
I lived a very recluse life, b/c I was  the main carer of a small child. So I had to spend lots of time at home alone. EE was a safe haven!

I now enjoyed less the community and I contribuated far less, just keeping up with my journal really, so it is only fair to move on. Also my REAL life has taken off, because my son has grown up and we can now do "more things together". I am also becoming more business at my yard, going straight working and hanging out with my horses instead of iddling chatting.

Life moves on.

Again I sincerely wish you all the best. Best of Luck Heather with your EE venture. You are IMO the greatest remedial teacher on the market.

Ciao   

[sueblue]

Glad you approve Sue, but Desi back? Now that would make people realise what criticism can be!! :lol:

Heather

Where did it get him, Heather, a lonely old man who died on his own in a foreign land!!
He never appreciated the friends he had, like you and I ,who pulled out all the stops to help him.
Sadly he could have been such a great man with the knowledge he had.
But there thats just history now.
 :(

[Heather]

I am still very sorry that you feel this way, Muriel, but I still do not agree that horses need to be treated with strong arm tactics- my own horses are hot Iberians, and if you look at my last reply on your training blog, you will see that I worked with warmbloods, TBs and Arabians, for many years before I turned finally to the Iberian.

I was privileged to know and have discussions with, the late, great Dr Reiner Klimke, who I also was able to watch train his horses, and these were by no means easy warmbloods! Ahlerich was famously difficult! But I never saw him resort to tactics other than pure classical training, and likewise, I watched many of the top German and other nationalities of that era, visiting shows such as Aachen, World Equestrian Games etc, and being a guest of the Westphalian breed society, was also able to watch all the training and working in, not open to the public.I used to interview many of the top riders and trainers in my previous incarnation as an equestrian journalist/reporter for most of the national magazines here.

So you see, I do have a little knowledge about competition dressage too!!


But anyone who knows me, and has seen me handle horses that would make most women of my age run a mile, will know that I am not a 'softy'. You cannot handle stallions without them respecting you, or you put not only yourself in danger, but other people too. The difference is that I always use my understanding of biomechanics and body language, and I am always scrupulously fair. That way my horses respect me, but they also want to be with me, and that is all I aim for.

But we are sorry to lose you, and wish you every success with Linda in the future.

Heather

[Heather]

You are so right, Sue, and it saddens me to think that he never turned to any of us, in his last days, as he must have known we would have been there for him. :(

Heather

[sueblue]

Yes my biggest regret that there was no funeral to pay our last respects!!
Although I tried to find out !! never did!!

[Heather]

Just how I felt, Sue, very saddened :(.

Anyway, I am now locking this thread too, as Muriel has asked us to lock the other one. A bientot, Muriel.

Heather