Some interesting words from Bent Branderup

[ukica]

Only the first bit is in foreign language:

http://youtu.be/NDJPDfwidVc

[Wendy]

Excellent, thanks. I love the way he sticks his toes out  and the horse looks so relaxed.

[ukica]

I love the way he gels his moustache 

[Lyndsey Lewis]

I love the way he gels his moustache 

 

thanks for the link.

Ok can someone tell me why there is a huge bulging muscle right in front of the saddle kind of where the shoulder meets the neck....?????

[winnieandben]

I love the way he gels his moustache 

 

[Wendy]

 

[ukica]

 

[issywizz]

Sorry, I dont think it looks relaxed atall, the horse is chomping away at the bit constantly.

Also has a dipped back   

[Lyndsey Lewis]

Sorry, I dont think it looks relaxed atall, the horse is chomping away at the bit constantly.

Also has a dipped back   

It's odd cause his body looks soft but the lip flapping bothers me as well.

I remember Heather (I think it was Heather... ) commenting on the toplines of BB and Marijke de Jong's  horse's and saying they didn't look so good...???

I didn't really see the dipped back but I'll take another look...

[SueC]

I don't remember H saying that BB's horses have poor toplines, but we'll have to see what she has to say when she gets back from Portugal. 

I think BB's horses in the videos have very good toplines, plenty of evidence of very strong backs, easy enough to see in the in-hand work.   

The bulge on the side of the horse's neck looks to be an injury.  It's one side and none of the other horses have it. 

The grey horse at the end didn't flap his lips, so that could just be a quirk? I think at least one of his spotty horses is blind.  I noticed quite a few horses ridden in hackamores do the flappy lip thing.  Something I spotted years ago with showjumpers on tv, but no idea why they do it.

I would say his work is quite extreme old classical, so wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea and not at all what most of us are used to seeing.  Very few people do the movements demonstrated by BB or the kind of collection he works to.  So far I've not seen anything I don't like, unless you count Knabstruppers.  I don't really like spotty horses. 

I also like the teaching videos.  Everything looks to start quite gentle, with lots of treats and from a cavesson both in-hand and ridden, which is nice.

So I'm still a fan, though I always reserve judgement.  Experience has taught me to view everyone and everything with suspicion, those who are what they seem are rare as the proverbial. 

[Lyndsey Lewis]

I don't remember H saying that BB's horses have poor toplines, but we'll have to see what she has to say when she gets back from Portugal. 

No I remember now...I think it was Anja Beran's horses...my poor old brain....

The grey horse at the end didn't flap his lips, so that could just be a quirk? I think at least one of his spotty horses is blind.  I noticed quite a few horses ridden in hackamores do the flappy lip thing.  Something I spotted years ago with showjumpers on tv, but no idea why they do it.

Interesting...maybe they're laughing!!  Yay we don't have to wear a bit...or their way of blowing raspberry's...

I also like the teaching videos.  Everything looks to start quite gentle, with lots of treats and from a cavesson both in-hand and ridden, which is nice.

So I'm still a fan, though I always reserve judgement.  Experience has taught me to view everyone and everything with suspicion, those who are what they seem are rare as the proverbial. 

Oh yes I'm also a fan. There is waaaay more that I DO like than I don't like. And this is exactly the work I'm following now with my whole crew. And I agree about the teaching video's - always a pleasure to watch how quiet the training is and how often they reward!

I particularly love that incredibly slow canter pirouette...how does he do that and not have it look 'laboured'! Really nice.

[ukica]

Sorry, I dont think it looks relaxed atall, the horse is chomping away at the bit constantly.

Also has a dipped back  

I wouldnt say he is chomping at the bit, rather its his lips moving.  This can be a sign of relaxation actually, or could be a quirk as SueC says.

I think Hugin the spotted horse is short coupled, and many horses with conformation like this tend to be a bit dipped in the back region(My Luna is an example, she is 7, and only lightly backed).  Hugin is 25 years old lets remember.

There is some tail swishing though, but overall i think the picture is very nice.  

Yes, Heather did comment before that BBs horses are a little hollow.  (BBs own back is a little hollow when he rides too!)

[issywizz]

Dont get me wrong, I think he is a lot better than most. 

I dont see flapping lips or bit chomping as relaxation though and have to say I see any kind or oral behaviours like that as a serious fault and a sign that all is not quite right with the horses energies.

My Lippi, Sam, flaps his lips when he gets tense. 

[Woody]

i bite my nails but it doesn't mean I'm and abbused psychotic mess - but then maybe it does... let's not forget that working in this way IS stressful - it's not possible to do this without asking questions of the brain and the body even if they are well prepared. if you don't want stress anywhere then leave your horse in the field perhaps. But if you want a horse healthy into it's late 20s and still able to work then rest assured that the body will have to work harder than as a horse at liberty.

not all stress is bad. this work may well be what keeps this horse going. either way I'd go for a horse working like that at 25 + and a few flappy lips anyday, and I'm a pansy where stressing my horse is concerned. in fact I'd like that they could work like that at 15...

[issywizz]

Sorry woody but I TOTALLY disagree that a horse will only be healthy and able to work into his twenties if hes had to spend his working life being stressed 
I would say its totally the opposite in fact.

And where does the idea come from that there are only two options-stress the horse into showing conflict behaviours ( which is what such oral oddities are) or leave him in the field? 

I will say that I dont believe there is a place for airs above the ground in ethical horsemanship atall though having seen how various different trainers train them.