I've been a quiet fan of Manolo Mendez's for some time and always look forward to seeing him write about the art of dressage. You might enjoy his perspective on the health of your horse's topline and what it says about your riding & training.
Source: Manolo Mendez Dressage
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I've been riding since I was 9, and in love with horses from the day I was born. Living in Washington with my horse and 5 dogs.
For those in the know, Philippe Karl is one of the modern Masters of Classical Dressage. For those who do not know, he will just seem a foreign concept. Perhaps it is time you learned more about this modern Master of the Equestrian Arts… Now you can read his article “Taking Over Equestrian Culture” online.
I’ll keep the background story brief about me and my horse Jobi for now. I’m sure it will develop itself with more posts. I owned him for many years and brought him up through advanced…
“I don’t want to have riders who tire themselves out. Work by thinking instead.”
“It is good to ride with closed eyes once in a while.”
Dressage riding is a dull and graceless pursuit when it does not primarily aim at satisfying the basic principles of good horsemanship.
Question: Do you know what Mr. Oliveira was seeking?
Answer: I think like all artists, an expression of self that isn’t selfish. I think because he stopped verbalizing it to himself, stopped being honest with himself, he lost the thread. He lost where he was going. But he never lost the desire to share with someone, which I find extraordinary in such a egocentric human being. He desperately wanted an audience. He wanted a private audience towards the end of his life. He wanted a really good horse and private students that would admire him. He never stopped riding, even when his body was giving out. Unfortunately, he could never become a coach. The only place to go when your body gives out is to be the teacher, the supportive coach. Why I thought he could do that for me when he couldn’t do it for his own son, I don’t know. But I had thought that it was going to evolve. I had to pick myself up when it didn’t happen.
Even underweight and sprouting a dull coat in preparation for winter she garners the attention and appreciation from fellow horsemen. Lit De World On Fire may not have impressed racing aficionados but off the track…
This post couldn’t have come at a better time – I’ve recently taken on a very green and out-of-shape 7 year old and I’ve been searching for a guide that will help me monitor the development of muscle tone and ensure that we’re heading in the right direction. This is really great advice and I’ll definitely be using these ‘tests’ to measure how we’re getting on and which areas need more focus.
Wonderful to hear Zoe! I’ve really enjoyed watching Manolo ride and all of his horses have beautiful gymnastic development all around so this article in particular I think is very useful. 🙂
Good luck with your new horse, send over an update on your progress if you like!
Cheers