Fw: Re: Dressage Riders

["Spencer" <spencer@inu.net>]

VERY WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!

----- Original Message -----
From: Sue Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Cc: <lizfield@jeffnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2000 11:14 AM
Subject: RC: Re: Dressage Riders


> >This is an interesting list.  Not too long ago it was a good thing to be
a
> >dressage rider.  There was a whole thread where people wrote in and
> >mentioned what discplines other than endurance they used their horses for
> >and it appeared to me that dressage topped the list.  Now dressage riders
> >are snobs who don't want to ride as much or have as many demands as "we"
> do.
> >
>
> One of the things I noticed hanging out at dressage shows for a number of
> years was the fact that *yes*, some of the people appear very
> snobbish...but it's not a discipline that invites joviality around the
> campfire. ;-)  Dressage riders tend to be very focused on the tests
they're
> about to ride and don't socialize a lot beforehand.  After their classes,
> they often pack up and leave since there isn't a lot of reason to hang
around.
>
> Personally, I hate showing...but I love dressage and the benefits every
> horse can get from the training.  For a couple of years I ran the dressage
> shows hosted by the riding club I was involved in -- and learned a *lot*
> from this aspect also.  The people I met during this time were not the
> tiniest bit snobbish...actually quite friendly...but very, very focused
and
> oftentimes quite nervous about their rides coming up.  There's a lot of
> tension connected with those short 5 minute rides -- a lot of very serious
> individuals who aren't there just to have fun with their horse.  They
> desperately want a good score since they see this as verification that
> they've been doing their training correctly...and it's embarrassing to
them
> to get a low score.  I wish I had a buck for every time I said "hey, it's
> just one test -- just keep working and you'll do better next time."
>
> The higher up the levels you go in dressage, the more opinionated and
> snobby the competitors are.  They have had several years to be influenced
> by instructors that are also very opinionated and geared towards
> competition.  This is evidenced in one way by more acceptance of Arabs at
> lower levels but less as you go up the ladder...at which point they firmly
> believe you should be riding a horse designed for this level and costing
> somewhere in the 5 figure area in order to be competitive.  Also, in the
> higher levels, the riders are not allowed to have a "reader" for their
> tests and have to have everything memorized...and these tests are
> impressive!  You'll often see riders walking around with their little
books
> in hand doing the pattern on the ground and totally oblivious to anything
> going on around them.
>
> I'll take the friendly, helpful endurance crowd any day of the week but
I'm
> also a firm advocate of dressage schooling for every horse and rider
(which
> is why I've angled my instruction in that direction)...and it starts with
> good riding, balanced position, adequate knowledge of the biomechanics of
> the horse, and effective aids on the part of the rider -- in other
words --
> good basic dressage. <bg>
>
> Sue
>
> sbrown@wamedes.com
> Tyee Farm
> Marysville, Wa.
>
>
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