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WHEN STRAIGHTNESS THREATENS THE PYRAMID
Hello friends and greetings from England. After a very rewarding week of work in Ireland last week I now find myself in England enjoying a clinic with the Brit’s and taking time to shoot some new video footage for Riding the Wave 2.
Yesterday I was invited by Roger and Joanna Day to be their guest at the Badminton Horse Trials during the first day, the dressage test, before I drive north (today) for my weekend clinic in the Wales.
Joanna is a highly recognized trainer and riding coach here in England and Roger is the Chief Steward at Badminton. They are the breeders of “Primmores Pride” who is recognized as one of the most successful event horses ever produced as he won both the Rolex event in Lexington and has also won twice at Badminton. Roger and Joanna are also the authors of the highly acclaimed book: The Fearless Horse and that is how we first came into contact with each other. Much to my surprise and delight both Roger and Joanna give much credit to their ability to deal with and transform “very challenging horses” to training concepts they had seen in some of my earliest videos.
Last Friday night was our first chance to actually meet in person when they went out of their way to drive a few hours to come watch my demonstration here in Berkshire County. The next thing I know I am at Badminton watching the top international 3 day riders from around the world warming up in the collector ring before heading out to perform their dressage tests. And when I was asked what I think I had to honestly reply with “disappointing”.
Now I know that last statement sounds arrogant and some of you may well be wondering “who the hell does Irwin think he is saying that he finds the best of the best in international 3 day eventing to be disappointing?” Well, at the risk of political correctness I do not believe that human hubris should be put before the well being of horses and, by and large, watching the vast majority of these horses warming up I did not see many horses enjoying their work.
As I said to Joanna – it is my understanding that all of these horses and riders have loads of courage – they need it to charge straightforward over those incredibly daunting and death defying cross country obstacles – but the facts of competition results in this particular game prove over and over again that more often then not a horse and rider team will end up with a final result in their standings in the competition that is at the mercy of their dressage test. And the dressage, as I said, was hugely disappointing.
In fairness, what I see happening in eventing is also happening in jumping and yes, most ironically of all, in dressage. And the common issue is that riders are putting “straightness” as a greater priority then relaxation.
When we consider the elements of the classical pyramid of dressage I firmly believe that relaxation is the BASE of the pyramid that all other elements must be built upon. This is akin to a carpenter requiring “level” when building any kind of structure.
When I am talking about straightness I am not talking about a horse being “straight within a bend”. I am talking about literal straightness – like an arrow – as asked for coming down the center- line in dressage during the entrance to salute the judges. And I am talking about “straight as an arrow” as it is often needed in riding a jumping horse and galloping to a “skinny” fence or obstacle.
When we have a horse very relaxed on bending lines – aided primarily from the inside leg into the outside rein that arcs or curves the body (like a bow to align to the earlier arrow analogy) then the next test is how does the horse respond as we release one bend and look for that one step into straightness before going into the next bend during changes of bend/rein? This is a very critical moment for the horse.
If the horse when asked to straighten begins to brace or stiffen their body, more often then not actually hollowing their spine into an inverted frame – then instead of following through with the straitening I believe that we should aid the horse back into relaxation and then attempt to straighten them again.
At the initial training levels a rider should be helping a horse stretch long and low through his or her topline when going into straightness (how we do this will be the topic of my next blog). And until a horse stretches long and low into straightness it is unrealistic to expect it to stay level headed in the topline during the moment of straightness between bends. And until a horse stays level headed in the topline between bends then it is unrealistic to expect the horse to truly lift its back and shorten its stride and “rise up” underneath the rider with a rounding back during changes of bend into straightness when asking for these changes during collected work.
In short – it is a misunderstanding by so many jumpers that the reason their horses get so excited and hard to manage when they get “hot” is due to their anticipation of the adrenaline fueled by jumping. In fact, if a rider is trying to ride a collected horse who is still stiffening and wanting to hollow or invert his or her back during straightening – then the back of the horse is like a time bomb ready to blow up because there is just far too much stress in a back that is trying to hollow while being told to lift. The back and spinal column of the horse is simply not relaxed enough during straightness to be expected to perform straight while collected.
The real issue here is yet another case of putting the cart before the horse and getting our priorities backwards. Yes, performance horses must have many moments of straightness in order to be able to perform the athletic tasks being asked of them. But when trainers get greedy and start riding rigid in the name of straightness – trying to “hold” a horse straight between the legs and reins when it is not relaxed enough about being straight – then the entire concept of the classical building blocks in the pyramid of dressage come crumbling down. Without relaxation when straight there is no foundation to build upon. And this is happening in dressage tests everywhere – yes, even at the highest levels of the game.
When dressage horses are grinding their teeth with ears flat back in anger – or a tail is swishing in annoyance or wringing in anger – how can that possibly be a demonstration of relaxation?
And when there is talk in the highest levels of showing that perhaps riders should not be mounted on their horses during the presentation of their awards at a show because the horses are too often too scared or flighty to stand quietly while a ribbon is placed on their bridle or a half sheet cooler is laid upon their back – then obviously something is missing. And what’s missing is the trust and confidence in horses that can only come from training up through the levels of any discipline with a foundation of relaxation. With all due respect to Anky – relaxed horses do not run away with their rider because of a bird.
Okay, I’m done with my rant. Next time I will do my best to outline what I think are the steps necessary to insuring relaxation as we build horses from long and low, to level headed, to collected, to asking for more and more difficult gymnastics while collected and finally into true straightness while collected. One step at a time with a true golden rule that nothing is ever asked of the horse at the expense of relaxation.
In closing, and in fairness to our sport, I did see an unbelievable Prix St. George dressage demonstration by a lovely rider named Charlotte Dujardin on a horse by the name of Valegro. I have not met Charolotte, I know nothing about her or her British coach and trainer Carl Hester. But I can tell you without hesitation that it was one of the most beautiful rides I have ever witnessed. Watch out for Charlotte and this gorgeous dark bay/black horse at 2012 Olympics because they are a thing of beauty to behold and a force to be reckoned with. I have never seen such power, such elegance and such poised relaxation. Not once did this horse even swish his tail during the entire ride and he was so elastic and supple he looked more like a 17 hand jaguar then a horse. He loved his job. Now THAT is dressage.
Yesterday I was invited by Roger and Joanna Day to be their guest at the Badminton Horse Trials during the first day, the dressage test, before I drive north (today) for my weekend clinic in the Wales.
Joanna is a highly recognized trainer and riding coach here in England and Roger is the Chief Steward at Badminton. They are the breeders of “Primmores Pride” who is recognized as one of the most successful event horses ever produced as he won both the Rolex event in Lexington and has also won twice at Badminton. Roger and Joanna are also the authors of the highly acclaimed book: The Fearless Horse and that is how we first came into contact with each other. Much to my surprise and delight both Roger and Joanna give much credit to their ability to deal with and transform “very challenging horses” to training concepts they had seen in some of my earliest videos.
Last Friday night was our first chance to actually meet in person when they went out of their way to drive a few hours to come watch my demonstration here in Berkshire County. The next thing I know I am at Badminton watching the top international 3 day riders from around the world warming up in the collector ring before heading out to perform their dressage tests. And when I was asked what I think I had to honestly reply with “disappointing”.
Now I know that last statement sounds arrogant and some of you may well be wondering “who the hell does Irwin think he is saying that he finds the best of the best in international 3 day eventing to be disappointing?” Well, at the risk of political correctness I do not believe that human hubris should be put before the well being of horses and, by and large, watching the vast majority of these horses warming up I did not see many horses enjoying their work.
As I said to Joanna – it is my understanding that all of these horses and riders have loads of courage – they need it to charge straightforward over those incredibly daunting and death defying cross country obstacles – but the facts of competition results in this particular game prove over and over again that more often then not a horse and rider team will end up with a final result in their standings in the competition that is at the mercy of their dressage test. And the dressage, as I said, was hugely disappointing.
In fairness, what I see happening in eventing is also happening in jumping and yes, most ironically of all, in dressage. And the common issue is that riders are putting “straightness” as a greater priority then relaxation.
When we consider the elements of the classical pyramid of dressage I firmly believe that relaxation is the BASE of the pyramid that all other elements must be built upon. This is akin to a carpenter requiring “level” when building any kind of structure.
When I am talking about straightness I am not talking about a horse being “straight within a bend”. I am talking about literal straightness – like an arrow – as asked for coming down the center- line in dressage during the entrance to salute the judges. And I am talking about “straight as an arrow” as it is often needed in riding a jumping horse and galloping to a “skinny” fence or obstacle.
When we have a horse very relaxed on bending lines – aided primarily from the inside leg into the outside rein that arcs or curves the body (like a bow to align to the earlier arrow analogy) then the next test is how does the horse respond as we release one bend and look for that one step into straightness before going into the next bend during changes of bend/rein? This is a very critical moment for the horse.
If the horse when asked to straighten begins to brace or stiffen their body, more often then not actually hollowing their spine into an inverted frame – then instead of following through with the straitening I believe that we should aid the horse back into relaxation and then attempt to straighten them again.
At the initial training levels a rider should be helping a horse stretch long and low through his or her topline when going into straightness (how we do this will be the topic of my next blog). And until a horse stretches long and low into straightness it is unrealistic to expect it to stay level headed in the topline during the moment of straightness between bends. And until a horse stays level headed in the topline between bends then it is unrealistic to expect the horse to truly lift its back and shorten its stride and “rise up” underneath the rider with a rounding back during changes of bend into straightness when asking for these changes during collected work.
In short – it is a misunderstanding by so many jumpers that the reason their horses get so excited and hard to manage when they get “hot” is due to their anticipation of the adrenaline fueled by jumping. In fact, if a rider is trying to ride a collected horse who is still stiffening and wanting to hollow or invert his or her back during straightening – then the back of the horse is like a time bomb ready to blow up because there is just far too much stress in a back that is trying to hollow while being told to lift. The back and spinal column of the horse is simply not relaxed enough during straightness to be expected to perform straight while collected.
The real issue here is yet another case of putting the cart before the horse and getting our priorities backwards. Yes, performance horses must have many moments of straightness in order to be able to perform the athletic tasks being asked of them. But when trainers get greedy and start riding rigid in the name of straightness – trying to “hold” a horse straight between the legs and reins when it is not relaxed enough about being straight – then the entire concept of the classical building blocks in the pyramid of dressage come crumbling down. Without relaxation when straight there is no foundation to build upon. And this is happening in dressage tests everywhere – yes, even at the highest levels of the game.
When dressage horses are grinding their teeth with ears flat back in anger – or a tail is swishing in annoyance or wringing in anger – how can that possibly be a demonstration of relaxation?
And when there is talk in the highest levels of showing that perhaps riders should not be mounted on their horses during the presentation of their awards at a show because the horses are too often too scared or flighty to stand quietly while a ribbon is placed on their bridle or a half sheet cooler is laid upon their back – then obviously something is missing. And what’s missing is the trust and confidence in horses that can only come from training up through the levels of any discipline with a foundation of relaxation. With all due respect to Anky – relaxed horses do not run away with their rider because of a bird.
Okay, I’m done with my rant. Next time I will do my best to outline what I think are the steps necessary to insuring relaxation as we build horses from long and low, to level headed, to collected, to asking for more and more difficult gymnastics while collected and finally into true straightness while collected. One step at a time with a true golden rule that nothing is ever asked of the horse at the expense of relaxation.
In closing, and in fairness to our sport, I did see an unbelievable Prix St. George dressage demonstration by a lovely rider named Charlotte Dujardin on a horse by the name of Valegro. I have not met Charolotte, I know nothing about her or her British coach and trainer Carl Hester. But I can tell you without hesitation that it was one of the most beautiful rides I have ever witnessed. Watch out for Charlotte and this gorgeous dark bay/black horse at 2012 Olympics because they are a thing of beauty to behold and a force to be reckoned with. I have never seen such power, such elegance and such poised relaxation. Not once did this horse even swish his tail during the entire ride and he was so elastic and supple he looked more like a 17 hand jaguar then a horse. He loved his job. Now THAT is dressage.
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Comment
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Comment by Chris Irwin on May 15, 2009 at 9:45am
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Hi Hank - Thanks for the great comment. Yes, I agree, that was indeed a big part of the problem with the dressage horses. And why I wrote the blog relative to "straight straightness" is that the horses who were truly stressing would be working reasonably "okay" on the bending lines but then brace their bodies and get very stressed - many inverting and going "above the bit" when asked to be straight-straight while collected. I agree that this is the result of "rushing" horses into a level of performance while collected that, as you so aptly said, they have not been truly prepared for. And, with that, bottom line is HOW they were ridden. It is amazing to me that I can go to a world class event and see so many backwards riders! Horses were being straightened by hands on reins instead of the leg. (for instance, when in left bend I saw too many horses straightened by the right rein instead of the seat, core and right leg of the rider) - and I saw so many turns and transitions being initiated by hands and shoulders of riders instead of seat and leg. Riding back to front involves riding seat and legs forward into the bridle that supports... but bottom line is that there were a lot of riders tyring to make it all happen with the bridle. Skipping training steps to "get there" quicker and doing so by riding backwards is exactly why so many horses finally lose it when they get to an event like that. The environment is the final straw that breaks the horse's back - but only because the back is so stressed to begin with!
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Comment by Hank on May 14, 2009 at 4:43pm
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I just thought I'd throw my two cents in and venture to say that I would suspect that perhaps many of the event horses that you witnessed were possibly not strong enough to carry a rider at the level of dressage that they were competing at. That's not to say that they're not extremely fit but dressage takes a different kind of fitness that can only be achieved through years of systematic training. I've always found it interesting how many advanced level eventers can take a horse off the track at four and suddenly, by six, it is competing at the advanced level. It might take a few more years before it competes successfully at that level but it says to me that some steps are being missed and perhaps the tail swishing and anger that you saw is a result of horses being asked to perform higher level movements before they are truly ready just because they are naturally talented enough to do so. Just a thought.
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Comment by Ann Crago on May 13, 2009 at 4:35pm
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.....Hi Terry...I remember your famous "Trot in hand...now fall over your horse's feet"!!!!!....Not to worry I have a broadchested Halfinger and he either steps on me or we catch each other up too.....Hope to see ya at the next clinic....and yes ...I love those AH HA...moments.....it's great when you finally "get it".....
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Good Lord! I actually understood that entire blog! Which means you don't have to be a dressage rider, or jumper or eventer or any other style of riding that's out there, to understand what you're trying to say....It's great when it clicks in the saddle but it felt good when it clicked when I was reading this. I must be paying attention at those clinics :) ...... when I'm not stumbling over my feet !
Take care
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Hi Barbara, after reading your last comment I would agree that we are indeed on the same page, and saying the same thing each in our own way. Your comment that "horses can occasionally surprise you - for better or worse" is of course very true. There is an old cowboy saying: "there isn't a horse that can't be rode and there isn't a cowboy who can't be throwed". (forgive the spelling - 'tis the way the saying goes.) And this of course is also true. Taking this into the english world one of my saying is that "it's not likely that any of us will ever score 100% on a dressage test." However, training with sport psychology suggests to me that if we "settle" in our mind with the idea that 70% is an incredible score then, most likely, we will continue to score in the low 60's if our horse is having "a good day". However, if every moment we are with our horses - not just in the saddle during schooling but EVERY MOMENT - we are truly empathetically connected to what they need from our behavior in order to be "in a frame of body that facilities a wonderfully contented mind" - and that we strive for the excellence of 100% in all we do with our horses - then we would start seeing more scores into the 80's and potentially low 90's. My overall point in my original post of this blog was simply that priorities are too often backwards. For instance you said in your first comment that "if we don't have the relaxation required for proper contact, impulsion or straightness, then good luck trying to get proper collection". Now first, remember in my rant in the blog I said I was not talking about the straightness referred to as "keeping a horse on track - by being between the aids on bending lines - or being straight within the bend - I was talking about how horses are being asked to be 'straight-straight" as an arrow before they are staying relaxed about being collected during bending. So if we go back to your quote - "if we don't have relaxation required for proper contact - but not unlike the chicken and the egg question - I don't believe that you can not have and expect to maintain relaxation in a horse UNLESS you have "proper contact" to begin with. You also said "without impulsion or straightness, good luck getting collection" - but the fact is that you can ride beautifully collected horses on bending lines (think shoulder in) who then get stressed about riding them collected when asking for "straight/straight as an arrow while collected". My point is that straight/straight when collected while expected to be calm is the LAST thing we ask for and it is not going to happen if your horse is still showing resistance of any kind while working collected on bending lines. First we must "aid" a horse like a physiotherapist by working in bending lines to "massage" all the stress out of a horse while it's spine is still bending - and if as we begin to straighten the bend we feel the horse beginning to drop its back and stiffen/hollow out then we should immediately resume the bending lines and NOT ride collected while straight until the horse can LIFT it's back into straightness from bending and stay calm and supple into straightness. I believe that too many people have the order of process backwards. FIrst alignment of all the moving body parts of you and your horse together - then forward into contact that aids staying straight within bending lines - then bending while maintaining relaxation by bending - then being able to lengthen or shorten bending lines with the half-halt and then adding up strides of "straight/straight as an arrow" only when the bending lines are staying calm and forward while bending and STAY calm and forward without stressing during the moment of releasing the bend into straightness. In other words - straight/straight while collected is the LAST thing we should ask for in the horse and why so many collected horses in all the disciplines are stressed is because they are not relaxed enough in bending lines (why is another subject for another blog - suffice to say it is how they are being ridden from body to bridle) but even though they are still resistant in bending lines they are being told to ride straight and collected. Hence my focus that straight straightness should not be placed as a higher priority then true relaxation and suppleness while maintaining impulsion and rhythm on bending lines that can be shortened or lengthened with half halts. There are many dressage coaches who will say that "the shoulder in is the foundation of everything in dressage" and I agree completely. But the shoulder in is not straight as an arrow - it is a suppling gymnastic performed with bend. Anyway, enough for now - time for me to go ride and bend!.
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Comment by Barbara F. on May 10, 2009 at 6:44pm
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Hi Chris,
I completely agree with you that the international horses don't have to be "a handful".
I hope I wasn't giving the impression that my coach's horse is a handful at all, but a very electric, sensitive and highly tuned athlete with a very positive forward attitude. He is, in fact, a fantastic hack horse and a joy to ride. Nevertheless, he's lots of horse. Very forward, enthusiastic and challenging to contain. :)
Also, in reference to an international competitor vs a pleasure horse, I do believe that the different job expectations do requite a different type of temperament, athleticism, and degree of hotness. With that hotness, you also get the brilliance required in the ring. The other side of the coin is, in spite of the excellent training that someone like Anky would put into her horses (oh boy, some people will disagree with me there!) you can get a very big reaction that is hard even for top athletes to control ie the Anky bolt.
However, like you, I don't think the horse needs to be fighting with the rider (or the rider with them) and I completely agree that if you wrestle with your dance partner what an ugly dance that will be.
My approach is that horses are flight animals and even the coolest among them can be suddenly unnerved, so it is no surprise when the hottest among them become unnerved from time to time as well.
I don't have to deal with very challenging training and re-training situations, as you do (thank goodness!), but my years in the saddle (from pleasure riding to competing) have shown me that horses can occasionally surprise you - for better or for worse.
I'd love your thoughts on all this - I'm always open to learning more!
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Great comments! And yes, Barbara, as you say one big "incident" in all these years isn't all that bad. I agree completely. In fact, if indeed there has only been one incident then that is exceptional! Of course, as I travel around, especially in europe, there is a great deal of controversy about "incidents" in the plural - but I have not seen them so I'll to just chalk it up to gossip and perhaps even envy. However I will respectfully disagree with you about upper level competition horses being "so much horse" that this is a legitimate excuse for them being, as you say, "a handful". I have been called in to work with many elite horses who compete at the highest levels in various disciplines including dressage and jumping - and even a few 3 and 4 star eventing horses and, yes, extremely well bred thoroughbreds from the track. So please don't think I am limited to working with what you call "pleasure horses". Far from it - when grand prix jumpers start refusing fences or thoroughbreds at the track won't go in the starting gate - or eventing horses are refusing fences or refusing to enter the starting box - I get called in. And when dressage horses are "inconsistent" - winning or in the ribbons on some days but bucking with their riders on others - yeah, call in the behaviorist to "fix" the problems. And no matter how powerful and "how much" horse they are, or how "hot" they are - it is the quality of the training that makes or breaks a horse who can handle the stress of intense competition with calm composed focus. When Giacomo won the Kentucky Derby a few years back as a "fluke" 50-1 longshot he was by far the calmest, straightest and most focused horse coming down the home stretch. That was training. When I watched the magnificent results that Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin are getting with Valegro, and he is a very intense horse who is working at a very high level, in a very stressful environment while staying wonderfully calm, relaxed, supple, and focused, while explosive with power, then I bow to with respect to the training. And William Fox Pitt rode a beautiful dressage test and his horse was under the same stress as all the others at Badminton but he was calm and elastic in the dressage test. That is training. I am all for giving credit where credit is due but having said that I will respectfully disagree with you regarding a grand prix dressage horse who is a "handful" because I believe that if a dressage horse is a handful then that is a contradiction to the ideal of partnership, relaxation and harmony. You don't wrestle with your dance partner! You lead in lightness! You float and glide! :-) But that takes training. There were some great horsemanship and horses at Badminton - but there was also a LOT of very stressed horses who did not need to be that way. That's NOT training.
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Hi Chris,
Carl Hester is very highly regarded as a horseman and is also apparently a really nice guy!
It's great to hear his student Charlotte is doing so fantastically!
Now for the dressage stuff.
The bottom line, as I think you've illustrated, is follow the scale of training. If you don't have rhythm and suppleness you won't have the relaxation required for proper contact, impulsion or straightness - and then good luck trying to get proper collection.
It is incredibly tempting to skip a bunch of steps and only focus on the end result, but like anything else you build, without the foundation, it will crumble.
As for Anky, I didn't see that big spook/bolt during the ribbon ceremony, but of course, I have heard about it many times over.
In the case of horses at this level of competition, I do want to present the other side of the coin...
At her level, the horses do have to be incredibly sensitive and fit, with some positive tension (not stiffness, but a very high degree of alertness). In other words they have to be "a lot of horse" to get the job done, and so they do react very differently to stimuli than, say, a pleasure horse who has a very different job. Very very top riders know how to take all of this energy and alertness and ensure that it is all focused on the rider. An incredibly hard thing to do. I know this first hand, as I've been lucky enough to ride my coach's Olympic horse, and even cantering around in a relaxed warm-up frame, boy is he ever a lot of horse to contain!
With that in mind, one big "incident" for Anky in all these years isn't so bad. :)
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...Wonderful to hear your British visit went so well...it can only be good to meet with the best in your sport...and while I understand what your saying from your teaching point of view....I have to say....If I could ride as well as they do on their worse day...I would be so happy....the PERFECT ride will NEVER happen for me in this life-time ...and so we keep on working at it.....I am also so happy to hear we will soon be treated to the much awaited "Riding the Wave 2 "....perhaps another long winter..my excellent woodstove and the new DVD watched a couple of dozen times will bring me a little closer to my personal marker of the 'PERFECT" ride......Cheers ...see ya soon.....
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Comment by Lallanslover on May 8, 2009 at 12:09pm
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I think you mean Charlotte Dujardin, and she would have been riding Valegro (who stands at 16.2hh). He is owned by Carl Hester and Rowena Luard. Charlotte is indeed a beautiful rider, and we Brits hope that she will represent us as the true, sympathetic, equestrians our nation produces at future championships...
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