Re: Dressage

Alice Steinke (alicest@hcc-uky.campus.mci.net)
Wed, 08 Jan 1997 09:06:08 -0600

This discussion is coming at a particularlly good time for me. Iown two part
warm bloods and have thought for several years that I wanted to seriously
persue dressage as a hobby and sport. Especially now that one of them is
proving to be so talented. However, after having been on this group
(recently signed back on after abscence) I'm thinking I'd rather have a
horse that could truly participate in CT or Endurance. I sold my TW last
spring and I've been silly with grief ever since. This young WB I ride is
always jumping around and shying and I had gotten so spoiled with the other
horse.

So tell me, what horse could do both sports, morgans, arabs? a cross? I'd
like some assistance in this.

As far as training techniques go, I think that as long as you in lower
levels of dressage it doesn't make much difference about how you are
achieving the training b/c you want a well behaved horse period. If you
achieve this through dressage, great. However, I'm beginning to think that
you can't have an upper level dressage horse that's also a good trail horse
b/c the minute you quit thinking about perfect balance up there, you don't
know where the horse will go. Ideally, we'll all develop our technique to
where this won't be a problem, but realistically, on a trail, you are not
concentrating on the same things you would in the dressage ring.

At least that's my two cents quickly.
alice
At 02:18 AM 1/8/97 -0500, you wrote:
>I am posting an opinion which may be viewed as either idiotic or stupid. I
>am a new subscriber and have read the copious notes regarding the dressage vs
>trail or otherwise training technique. It seems to me that we are getting
>overly sensitive regarding the true abilities of horses (particularly our
>own). Getting back to basics would suggest that (1) not all horses are
>created equal, (2) not all riders are created equal and that we look for
>sound conformation in whatever breed or sex that we are considering. When
>all is said and done, we are left with the bottomline which is ability,
>soundness and heart. You cannot MAKE a horse a winner; you may help him/her
>but in the long run nature will cull according to natural selection. We, as
>riders, are there to guide and assist, not to create and I feel it is rather
>conceited to assume that we are responsible for our horses achievements,
>regardless of breed or discipline.
>
>JTWRIGHT!67
>
>
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Alice Steinke
Willie (15 pound 3 yo red wire), Lacie (7 yo schnauzer mix), Sandy ( 6mo
cocker puppy)
Turbo, the cat
Hannah and Chester, the horses

If I ruled the World, Every Day would be the First day of Spring.
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