>
> Saw Wendy's post about her horse wanting to keep up with
> the others....and I wonder if ANYONE has been successful
> at having their horse walk when others trot, trot when
> others canter etc . At the start of rides I usually stay
> in camp for an extra 5 minutes to avoid the bedlam.
>
> Even on training rides, I'd like to have more control
> of Paco's speed, and quite frankly this has kept me
> from riding with many of my friends this summer.
>
> I'm intereted in keeping his attention on my request
> for speed, not on his desire to keep up with a buddy.
>
> Is the real answer to find a partner that goes the speed
> you want and then just let those horses hang out together ?
>
> Ann & The Salsa Guys.
>
Hi Ann, The Salsa Guys and everybody else who might be interested in my
opinion,
I highly <DO> believe in basic dressage. Once or twice a week in the
arena or only warming up in the arena and then go on to the trail does
change a lot. It basically trains your horse to listen to your request of
speed by making him/her respondent to your aides. It also trains the
horse to be in general more attentive to the rider. He/She will quit to
not bother about you and your speed requests at all.
You don't want to find a partner about the same speed and then let the
horses just hang out together. In Germany this kind of thing is called
"glueing", meaning that the horses stick together like glued to each
other. Now what do you do when you ask your horse to cross a creek and
his buddy refuses? You will end up having two horses not crossing the
creek and a big mess.
Dressage is just basic obedience training, that will make riding even
more fun (because your arms don't get stretched inches any more, just
because your <cute animal> wants to go). I am not talking about the high
level dressage, just training level. The basic request on this level is
obedience to the speed you are asking and attention paid to the rider
(which is exactly what you want).
Yes, I HAVE been successful making my horse walk when others trot, trot
when others canter. And it was not a slow, old, experienced endurance
horse everyone could make do whatever he wanted to. I account it 100%
to my dressage training. You learn more ways to use your weight to slow
down your horse, other than just your reins. Of course, I do have to admit
I had a lot of dressage training and ride up to third and fourth level.
But still basic dressage is the key. About all the other advantages of
dressage already wrote a mail some time ago and I don't want to bore you
anybody.
This is just <my> opinion, everybody feel free to comment.
Katja Laubin, Germany