I have had a few requests for a write up, so here goes, it will be long but still won't even cover a tenth of what was said and what I learnt! I was very impressed with the clinic, it was very thought-provoking and I'm glad I went as a spectator as I got to see the huge range of horses and the different ways Gerd dealt with them.
Looking back at my notes, I have written in big, bold letters something Gerd repeated over and over again:
You always have more time
So, I went to the lecture on the first evening which was 4 hours long and he still didn't get through everything! He started by saying that many 'horsey' people are very focussed on finding one way and being quite evangelical about it, whether that be parelli, french classical equitation etc and judge others for training their horses in a different manner. He stressed the importance of understanding other philosophies and accepting them for what they are, not judging others as they have all come to where they are due to different reasons and they are no 'better' or 'worse' people than you. I really liked his down to earth attitude, very un-egotistical.
So the difference between Iberians and warmbloods: Warmbloods were bred for the cavalry, with long striding, suspended gaits but they are not quick! Iberians were work horses bred to be out in the fields all day, to round up cattle and bullfight, they needed to be comfortable and there was no point to their gaits having suspension. They both have their pro's and cons, but will find different things more difficult. The cavalry training was focused more on the longer benefits of training- making the horse fitter and stronger- if your horse went lame or stiff you wouldn't come back from the war!
Very interesting, but quite difficult to come to terms with was that many 'hobby' horses have just as many orthopaedic problems as top level dressage horses, plodding along, doing low level jumping and dressage on a horse that is on the forehand, in an incorrect outline and not engaging its hindquarters is just as bad for the physical health of the horse as some of the training we see from 'high level' competition dressage riders. From a veterinary point of view I accept this, but part of me just wanted to give up riding at this point! I hope noone else feels the same after reading this but he was talking as a veterinarian for the health of the horse and that is what I am writing also. It was not a training clinic, it was much more than that, he truly cares about the health of the horses we ride and wants to promote training that will make them stronger and prevent injury, not just riding for the rider's sake. Nowadays many people ride because they want to compete and not compete because they ride. This has put a different emphasis on the training of the horse. People need lessons in horsemanship because they have not grown up with horses. Horsemanship is vital, you must be able to read your horses and understand their reactions and responses to the world around them. You don't learn this from reading books but spending time with your horses.
Muscle physiology: If you do a workout at the gym (ha, notice that I said you and not me, you would never catch me at the gym!
) the next day your muscles ache. We must remember that our horses feel the same. It is vitally important to remember this and when you train a young horse and one day he is fabulous and the next day a little monster- have a think why... maybe he is sore from the previous days training. The same goes for an older horse who has just come back into work. In a 1912 manual for the German cavalry school it stated: for a 3yo work 3x a week, for a 4yo 4x, for a 5yo 5x etc. Muscle remodeling takes time, it is stupid and unfair to your horse if you fight sore muscles.
The neck as a lever: As the neck stretches down, the nuchal ligament and supraspinous ligaments are stretched. This ligament can hold the weight of the head instead of the back muscles doing so. This allows the muscles along the back to contract and relax without tension without holding the head and neck up. It is important first to establish the horses ‘natural balance’, allow the horse to stretch his head and neck, find his balance and work him in this position until his backand hindlimb muscles are strong enough to hold a higher head and neck carriage without getting tense and quickly fatigued. Again he stresses the importance of time, it is not just the horses mental attitude that dictates the speed of training, it is very important to allow the horse to develop his muscles over time and not rush his body development. Many modern horses are so kind and rideable it makes it easy for us to push them, but they will not be able to relax and work correctly if we do because tense muscles will have to compensate.
Contact is something you get given, you do not ‘take’ a contact
Again you have to be patient, take time, do not take a contact from your horse, allow him to find his natural balance and he will come forward into your contact. Imagine his poll stretching away from you as far as possible, do not bring the nose backwards towards you. You will look unattractive when your horse is young! Do not accept a curled up position from a youngster, a baby should look like a baby and should be in an outline as such.
Stretching: An athlete doesn’t stretch all day, he stretches before and after his sport! With your horse you should stretch at the beginning and end of an exercise but not the whole session!
Next post, first ridden sessions!
