Do you think that the definition of GOOD HORSEMANSHIP has changed since you began to ride?

When I started educating myself about horsemanship in Northern Virginia in the early 1960's among the many authors I read in the English field (hunt seat and dressage) there was a pretty consistent definition of good horsemanship. Though I was not as familiar with Western riding there seemed to be a consistent definition of good horsemanship in Western riding also.

Now many people appear to think that many previously "forbidden" practices are good. Are you as confused as I am? Do you agree with the newer practices? If so, how have they helped you in comparision to the old ways of good horsemanship?

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Permalink Reply by Jackie Cochran on December 13, 2009 at 1:45pm

Yep, when I was young dressage riding was still considered HARD not easy. I am so grateful that my riding teachers told me that my seat was not good enough for dressage, even though no one knew I had MS back then. This saved me a lot of wasted effort, and saved the horses I would have had to learn on a lot of discomfort.
This is one of the MAJOR changes in riding since I started. Back then only GOOD or naturally talented riders were aimed towards dressage. Now it seems that dressage is recommended for everyone as an easy alternative to other horse sports. I even had a therapeutic riding teacher try to get me interested in dressage as a better alternative, notwithstanding that my seat was MUCH weaker than it had been in my youth when my riding instructors told me that I had a LONG WAY TO GO before I could even think about learning dressage.