Demystifying Classical Training - Chapter 1 The Classical Horsemastership Philosophy

Demystifying Classical Training - Chapter 1

The Classical Horsemastership Philosophy

Piaffe, passage and flying changes are EASY! It is the preparation needed to get to the point of asking for them that is the difficult bit. This book has been written to help YOU get there!

chapter 1 -photo (1)    chapter 1 -photo (2)

Horse people the world over have different reasons for participating in equestrian endeavours. Some ride for the sheer pleasure of being out of doors on horseback.  Others devote themselves to achieving technical perfection for competition success. Still others are interested in the creativity of the artistic side of dancing with their horse. These extremes and the myriad of in-betweens are all equally valid. What matters is that you enjoy your horse to the maximum and, in turn, you do him no harm while he serves your needs. You hope that he also benefits from and takes pleasure in the journey you have embarked upon. For that to happen, common sense dictates that he must be educated and gymnastically developed.

My intention in becoming a trainer of classical dressage was to share my love of the art with people who are committed to improving their horses, whatever their purpose. Some students come to my clinics as keen dressage enthusiasts, desperately seeking to perfect a particular advanced movement.  Others arrive for the first time worried that they or their horses don’t know enough ‘dressage’ to justify being there at all. As far as I’m concerned, everyone qualifies. The French word ‘dressage’ simply means ‘training’, so anyone who is taking the time and trouble to educate and improve her horse is a welcome student, even if all she wants is a safe weekend hack. In my opinion, those who are forward-thinking enough to recognize the link between a safe weekend hack and dressage are generally well on the way to being top students!

Chapter 1 – photo 3      Chapter 1 – photo 4

I don’t claim to have original thought on the training of horses; my main influences are the people and methods of training who are mentioned in the introduction. I believe that we owe it to our horses to make them the best they can be, physically and mentally, in order to carry out what we require of them in comfort and safety. It is with this in mind that I have developed the ‘user friendly’ training system which I use in all my clinics around the world. The system is based on classical principles – that is to say, using my interpretation of the original methods of the old masters as they were taught to me.  It also draws on the common sense and survival skills I learned working with livestock on a day-to-day basis in the bush, and the experiences shared with my students over the years.

My desire to perpetuate these methods has nothing to do with wanting to be part of a privileged school of thought.  Years of trial, error, experience and soul-searching have shown me that these principles work, time and time again. They work with a huge variety of horses and riders with a multitude of different strengths and weaknesses. Whether one believes that competition dressage and classical equitation are antithetical or not, the bases of the training are universally effective – and thus classical.

For me, classical riding is beyond doubt an attitude, along with a particular set of technical skills. It is particularly that change in attitude that I love to see developing in my students. My wish is not merely to give riding lessons, but to train my students to become thinking, empathetic and effective horse people. To do this I need to share with them a foundation of knowledge they can draw on to solve their own problems and engineer their own progress. Given that every famous writer started by learning the alphabet, and at the basis of every complex mathematical mind is an ability to count to ten, I consider the classical principles outlined in this book to be the rider’s ABC.  I am using the best of what I have discovered that works, and is not contrary to nature. I remain interested in discussion and new ideas, but so far these principles are the best I have seen.

Of course, many roads lead to Rome. I will not deny that there are many different ways of training horses, some of which achieve a high degree of success.

Chapter 1 photo 5

However, I see quite a number of riders around the world (even those competing at the advanced levels) who are confused or demoralized by their lack of progress. I see many horses who lack correct muscular development and are dispirited.  Horses never lie.  Something in their training must be contradictory or incomplete.

It is also important to recognize how much luck has been a part of many ‘training programmes.’ How many people have had one good horse with enough natural ability and understanding to be successful? Yet when those same people get another horse and have a completely different situation on their hands, they can never figure out why they can’t train him!  Chapter 1 – photo 6  & Chapter 1 – photo 7

The more I see and teach, the more convinced I am that the needs of the majority of riders and their horses could be met more quickly, with less stress and a greater sense of accomplishment, by changing their attitude and using classical techniques and principles. This book aims to provide logical, practical exercises and theories, which are effective for every horse and rider, no matter what their talent, ability or experience.   Chapter 1 – photo 8

There is a recent fashion for alternative therapies and ‘psychic powers’ which horse owners in the search of ‘the answer’ employ. I understand how this can occur if it is driven by repeated disillusionment and the need to find a ‘better way.’ I am certainly against closing the mind to any possibility or new technique if it can genuinely help. On a daily basis, I see how the mind and spirit influence the results my students get from their horses as much as what they are doing with their bodies. Indeed what they do with their bodies is often limited (or not) by their minds.

However, while some of these therapies and techniques have value, they have also paved the way for charlatans, and in my view they miss the essential point. It doesn’t matter what breed, age, shape or size the horse is, how bad his previous Chapter 1 – photo 9 training, or under what star he was born. Every horse becomes more assured and secure in his behaviour, both ridden and on the ground, if he is trained according to logical, progressive principles which encourage him to be respectful of his human partner and light to the hand and leg from the beginning.  To do this he must carry himself and use his body correctly.

One part of the Ruthless Rules is Be Effective – if what you’re doing isn’t working, try something different. This sounds obvious, but how many times have you seen people try, try and try again, and then try harder, using the same tools, with no appreciable results? You need to have a box full of tools if you are going to fix all the puzzles that your horses offer you.

Since you are investing your time in reading this book, I’m assuming that you like the idea of becoming a good horse trainer and rider who can tackle a variety of problems with confidence.  You want to educate and equip yourself with the necessary tools to achieve this. That is what my clinics aim to do. This book aims to do it too, without jargon, and in steps that readers can follow and thus acquire more tools on their own. My purpose is to build up my students’ toolboxes of skills and resources so they can expect success in a variety of situations with the minimum of stress for them and their horses.  Chapter 1 – photo 10

This is a book – not a clinic where we can see and speak with each other. However, you know your own horse, and you will simply have to be observant to see whether what you are doing is effective or not. If you really ‘look at your horse,’ your eye for what is correct will improve. Of course, training on your own is challenging – novices struggle with knowing what is a ‘Fair Ask.’ However, the best bet is to get going: no one else is going to do it for you. You must exercise your own judgment about what is ‘appropriate’ and when, and learn to trust yourself when you feel intuitively that something is correct or incorrect.  It may help both your resolution and your focus if you bear in mind one of Nuno Oliveira’s wise sayings: ‘You are judged by your horse and not by the gallery.’ 

Cartoon  –`You are judged by your horse and not by the gallery' 

It’s okay to make some mistakes. Try to acknowledge and learn from them.  If you adhere to the principles and processes in these pages, you will improve your horse. (That is not to say that you should close your mind to anything you hear from other sources, but take care that you don’t become confused by trying to incorporate every idea you hear.)

While I hope that the tools you learn in this book will increase your effectiveness, you will only know if you have achieved a breakthrough with your tools if you knew what you were striving for in the first place – an obvious but often neglected part of progressive training. You have to establish a game plan: where are you now, where do you want to be and how are you going to get there in a logical and progressive manner.

To get to a good game plan, ‘no limits’ is the rule. When we sit down and discuss what students hope to get out of the clinic, or what they dream of achieving with their horses, I insist that they don’t restrict themselves by thinking that they or their horse ‘can’t’ do something. Says who? My philosophy is to aim for the stars.  You may not get all the way there, but you’ll certainly be a lot higher up than if you focus down into a trench.

It is better to aim for the stars and hit the clouds, than to aim for the lamp-post and shoot your foot.

Author unknown (one of my favourite sayings)

While remembering that ‘perfect practice makes perfect,’ it is also important to recognize that perfect piaffe starts with one imperfect step, which can be built on. Chapter 1 – photo 11 & Chapter 1 – photo 12 

With this philosophy you may still never achieve perfection, but you will be much further towards your goal than if you never set foot on the path. Flying changes, piaffe, passage – it’s all there, even in the tiniest and most uneducated foal as he skips around the paddock.

In training horses, it is important to remember that actual riding is just one tool. I’ve found that the best place to start teaching the kind of obedience, comprehension and gymnastic development which builds firm foundations is to work the horse from the ground. Such work has developed into an art form practised by establishments such as the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, The Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Jerez, Luis Valenca in Portugal and other classical trainers. I must also acknowledge the passion and dedication to this art of my students around the world. All the ground work can also be used to keep a horse fit. This makes it a very attractive prospect for the average owner struggling to fit in work, family, social and horse commitments with weather and limited resources.

Using the in-hand ‘tool’ sometimes requires strict self-discipline on your part. For example, the best way to resolve a particular issue while riding might be to take what appears to be a step back and work through it on the ground first.  So the short-term pleasure of riding your horse is sacrificed in the name of long-term gain (and anyway, is it a ‘pleasure’ to ride a horse with problems?).

It always amuses me that many students initially believe that In-hand work is the ‘poor relation’ to actually riding, and they look at me with some scepticism as they bring their horse to their first classes in a plain cavesson and no saddle. I await the revelation: inevitably the horse’s ridden problems will surface In-hand, usually within minutes. Then they can be recognized and dealt with effectively, regardless of the student’s riding ability. Very soon students see and feel the benefits. They realize that to make progress, ten minutes In-hand is often worth an hour under saddle.

Chapter 1 – photo 13  & Chapter 1 – photo 14

In a Classical Horsemastership International (CHI) clinic – an organization I founded in 1996 – students concentrate extensively on their own horses, tackling particular issues and individual problems.  They are also expected to support and watch each other. Students have much to learn from this experience. Egos, preconceptions and competitive streaks must be abandoned at the arena entrance, and preferably well before that. 

Cartoon  – 'Leave your emotions at the door'

Their effect of blinding and deafening the student to other possibilities is not compatible with the whole-hearted embrace of learning which is the ethos of the CHI clinics.

It’s often a mentally exhausting five days, but also exhilarating to watch students make the breakthroughs they have strived for, to the delight of the rest of the group who have been watching their progress (often for many years in the case of my ‘regulars’) and willing them to succeed every step of the way.  

My preferred way of teaching takes the format of an intensive five-day training clinic once every six months. The six-monthly intervals have proved to be an extremely effective time gap, giving students the opportunity to develop and master their skills so that they are ready for the next step.  A group of approximately twelve riders, with their horses, get together for the whole five days and commit to improving themselves as horsemasters. There are short, frequent sessions throughout the day that combine dismounted discussions, work from the ground (i.e. In-hand, distance education, lungeing and therapeutic exercises for the horse such as stretching), and tuition under saddle both in a group and as individuals, plus quadrille work to music.

Chapter 1 – photo 15

In order to treat thoroughly those elements that I think are the most important and relevant to this book, I have had to leave out other elements, I have tried to provide reasons why I consider the elements included to be so crucial and also to give step-by-step guidance to show you how to start and develop the various exercises for each.

The precise content of a CHI clinic varies according to the needs of individual students and their horses. Consider this as you work through the exercises described in the following pages.  I base my teaching around a number of Ruthless Rules of Reality and Golden Guidelines. They help my students stick to the straight and narrow when working on their own. They form a basic framework of principles to which everyone can refer when any training issue becomes clouded, confused or open to debate.

The whole process of training a horse to a higher level does not have to be mysterious. Each part can be broken down into manageable sections with achievable goals. Students can make progress on their own if they have a clear idea of what steps they need to take.

When many people see the power, elevation, and expression in slow motion embodied by piaffe, they never consider that it is within their reach. Why not?

Chapter 1 – photo 16

Perhaps you think that such things are beyond you, or you may not think that you ‘need’ a horse who can piaffe. You’d be wrong on both counts. Above all, piaffe is a gymnastic exercise which strengthens the horse physically and tests his control and obedience.  It also tests the trainer’s dexterity and communication skills. Whatever your aims, surely you’d like a horse who is strong, sound and obedient.

Regardless of breed or ability, horses can be trained to carry out such exercises on command. They have to learn how to use their bodies correctly regardless of conformation.  Even the natural athlete will be limited if he is not working correctly. In fact he has a great need for correct training because of the forces he can create on his body.  Spectacular but incorrect movement may be hard on him.  Although conformation may aid the lesson, it is horses’ intelligence and willingness that will be the biggest factors in his learning.  It is true that once the natural athlete has learned the lesson, it may be easier for him to make progress and in the end produce more expressive movement, but all horses can respond. Unless the horse is in pain, how far you get is largely dependent on how much time and effort you put in.  I have had elderly riding school hirelings in my clinics who were transformed into the classiest creatures when they lifted their backs, used their bodies correctly and expressed themselves with pride during moments of pure harmony.

Chapter 1 – photo 17 & Chapter 1 – photo 18

Taking the training to the highest level you can is not just for those interested in competition or commercial success. It’s the greatest tool for relationship-building there is. Training sessions are both the school and the playground where you socialize with your horse, teach him to respect your authority and give him a physical and mental workout.

Chapter 1 – photo 19  (get photo gill ward piaffe in hand)

Once you’ve learned how your horse’s body works and what you need to do with yours in order to set him up for success, moments of pure harmony are not rare or even that difficult to achieve – training a horse to produce them instantly and maintain them for long periods is the hard bit. Horses are expensive because somebody has taken the time to train them, and you can start adding to your horse’s value right now by doing just that.

The arena is our schoolroom, gymnasium and artist’s studio.

Cartoon  – school room, gymnasium, artist's studio' 

 Dressage is training and training is the journey, not just a destination. Schooling is not about the rider ‘telling’ the horse what to do or ‘making’ him do it, but about horse and rider learning to dance together as partners in fluid, harmonious movements of mutual co-operation and understanding. This book is for everyone who wants to dance with their horse, showing harmony, softness, strength, obedience and lightness without abandonment.

So it is that certain students eager to put the finishing touches on their piaffe may be disappointed to find that their problems are caused by lack of firm foundations.  On the other hand, others seeking a single balanced canter transition may end up with flying changes, because their foundations are so well established. By opening yourself to every possibility and allowing the horse to show what is appropriate at each stage, it becomes a journey of learning, the pace of which is always dictated by the horse.

My aim is not to create competitive dressage riders. It is simply to guide your first steps on the endless journey from mediocrity to perfection, to offer reassurance that you have what it takes to attempt such a journey and to give you the tools which will make it a more comfortable ride.