What To Say

[Danielle]

Hi maybe you folks can give me some ideas as I am no good at explaining things.

When people ask me what classical riding is and how it differs form say BHS teaching. I know the diffrences are great and may, but have a hard job getting to grips with an explenaction(sp).

Any of you got any basic answer you give to people.  So I dont look to thick when they ask.

[Sonora]

Corr, that's a question and a half! I'd start running the other way lol. (not very helpful I know! sorry) I'd be tempted to say BHS taught me nothing, Classical teaches me everything and then some. Not very good either

[hinny_heart]

I'd be inclined to say "different strokes for different folks" and "horse for courses" and point out - without pointing the finger at any particular method - that different styles of riding and  types of horse are good for different purposes, eg working cattle is very different to driving a brewery dray, which is different again to ridden showing, but that classical equitation is applicable to all equine disciplines;  it is a combined system of management, training and riding which aims to give a firm foundation for all disciplines,  in such a way that the horse is enabled to continue learning and developing his particular abilities throughout a long life of good health, which is enhanced by the physically and psychologically appropriate environment and training he receives.

Too long? Too waffley? Then just say that it is a system of horsemanship which aims to give a firm foundation for any discipline and which enhance a horse's health and physical appearance without drugs, "gadgets" or forcing.

[Heather]

BHS teaching is based on Classical- there is nothing wrong with the BHS MANUAL OF Horsemanship- the problem is they dont adhere to it!!

But then Jane, certain Classical instructors dont teach anything of value either, eh?   :lol:

Heather

[Kandi]

Perhaps say its like the difference between yoga and body building.....? He he.

[Sonora]

But then Jane, certain Classical instructors dont teach anything of value either, eh? 

Well, I can only be honest and if I am not honest I am not doing myself justice. I find as with all teaching/instruction, some things work some things don't work. I am lucky to have found the instructor I have now, I learnt so much the very first lesson after lots of riding schools (bhs) where I learnt all the wrong things. That is what I should have put, instead of BHS taught me nothing. They made me an expert in kick, kick, kick Quite the opposite of what I'm learning now   [/color]

[Funky MeerKAT]

I find the problem when I explain classical riding is that people think that this is what they are already doing. Dressage is usually explained in classical terms, and the average person learning dressage has no idea that they are learning otherwise... if you get what I mean.

I have been there and done the competitive dressage thing, LDR and all (I do believe tho, that doing that has given me a better understanding of the method, why people do it and why I don't want to). And I thought that this:

classical equitation is applicable to all equine disciplines; it is a combined system of management, training and riding which aims to give a firm foundation for all disciplines, in such a way that the horse is enabled to continue learning and developing his particular abilities throughout a long life of good health, which is enhanced by the physically and psychologically appropriate environment and training he receives.

Is what I was doing... When you are learning you are not really aware that there are so many different methods of 'dressage', you think that they are all one... And because the classical defintion sounds like what you want to learn, it tends to be used by all.

[rosie14u]

hi,
classical riding? well what is classical riding, there can be just as many bad classcial so called trainers as there are dressage trainers, I believe that it comes down to just good riding and nothing else, when people often say what sort of riding do you do, I would say classical, they would say "oh is that to music", hahahaha, funny. Now I just say my  teacher is showing me how to ride well and her training is based on the old masters of riding, and if they don't know who the old masters are then I guess they better get reading, I mean most dressage people here do not know who Nuno is! I find that quite astounding. I think if you are truely interested in the art of riding then you will read about it, if people ask you next time what you do,  maybe give them a few names of some books that they could read, then you won't have to explain yourself, because I can't do it either, I have it in my head but if someone ask me, I go blank  :unsure:  
cheers
Tania

[fluffy]

My daughter has spent the last two years being taught that if you want to trot, you kick, you want to canter, you kick. I despair :(
She rode a differant pony at the riding school for the first time, and got told of because she didn't squeeze when she gave the "aids"  

[Jaydee]

It is well to remember that, with riding as in so many other skills, there are many roads to the same destination. This includes Classical riding, of which there are many types, each purporting to be the 'real' one.

The objective remains the same - but the ways of reaching it are different. That does not mean that any are right or wrong, just that there are different ways. Each was 'right' in its time. Each will suit some riders and some horses, but none will suit all. Some of us cherry-pick bits that suit us from each, and some find a 'school' that suits them and stick with it.

[black_dragon_9]

Look it up in the dictionary :-)

Classical =
e.g. Standard and authoritative rather than new or experimental;
of recognized authority or excellence; of or characteristic of a form or system felt to be of first significance before modern times; standard or recognized especially because of great frequency or consistency of occurrence.

Hence, classical dressage means (to me) a tried and tested system that relates to the works of the great masters; a system that people refer back to time and time again and stands beyond any of the fads and fashions that may exist in modern times.

A lot of people call themselves classical, but are far from it. I think there are very few truly classical people left. Because the term 'classical' stands for something tried and tested to work, structured, true and 'wholesome' people use it to market their training method or their new fangled product - a contradiction in terms really.

It amazes me how many people say they train/ride their horses according to classical principles, but don't even own (nevermind regularly refer to) texts by the more modern classical riders such as Podhajsky and Oliveira?! Very odd.

Rant over!
 

[black_dragon_9]

It is well to remember that, with riding as in so many other skills, there are many roads to the same destination.

Hmmm, I'm not so sure that they are the same destination. I think people perceive that its the same destination i.e. a well trained horse and rider combination, but in fact I think what actually results is different. For example, sometimes it is more of a harmonious partnership and sometimes more of a dictatorship. And some types of riding are more sustainable than others e.g. rollkur or trotting on the roads.

I think someone really educated could tell the difference between a horse and rider partnership trained in an extremely French classical way, compared to an extremely German classical way e.g. lightness and collection compared to more of a connected partnership.

 

[shoveltrash]

"classical riding"
i like what black dragon wrote here:

Hence, classical dressage means (to me) a tried and tested system that relates to the works of the great masters; a system that people refer back to time and time again and stands beyond any of the fads and fashions that may exist in modern times

and i always keep in mind that the very ROOTS of *dressage* are military.  
to ride a horse into battle & survive one had to be able to ride the horse's BODY, not it's NOSE!  (wielding swords & such doesn't leave much room for pulling reins for direction,etc.).  true expert calvarymen had horses who were trained to respond to cues to perform life-saving maneuvers (be it levade, capriole, half-pass, canter pirouette, whatever).  from this came Haute Ecole as an art forum in the Renaissance, TRUE *classical riding*.

people ask 'what is dressage?'  i always say -
riding the horse's body, not it's nose -- and 'classical' refers to lightness, lack of force, true harmony.
(when 'classical' is not being used as purely a MARKETING term, that is <_< )

[sam&anita]

i also find it hard to explain...last week i had to explain it to someone on the yard....i told her: we go for the same excersises/results like other riders, the difference is the way we go to achieve the result. the result should be a good partnership and riding with lightness and harmony, trying to show how beautiful the horse is, in good health fysically and mentally.
she looked at me and said yeah...but i saw she did'nt know what i was talking about......its very difficult to explain..at least i'm not good at it :(  

[TashaKat]

The awful thing is that BHS teaching shouldn't be too far different.  

I was incredibly lucky to be taught by a BHS instructor who had BHS written through her like a stick of rock.  She would have bawled me out for kicking and woe betide I'd have too strong a contact on the reins.  Her principles are very similar to 'classical' principles and the welfare of her horses comes WAY before competition ribbons.

My current trainer is BHS and BD by trade.  He again is very sympathetic in the way that he teaches.  A lot of the things that he tells me (and others) are very 'EE' although I think that I've said before that I'm pretty sure that he has never been on one of Heather's courses  :unsure:

Both of them are a credit to the BHS.  It's just a shame that they're not all like that!