long-rein/in hand work, esp for haute-ecole movements???

[rjr]

I have been watching some video of long-rein and in-hand work by the Spanish Riding School and am completely mesmerized and in awe. So far, I have not been exposed to any trainers who do significant in-hand work other than a little ground work to introduce piaffe-passage. Does anyone know where (in the U.S.) I would go to learn more about this style of long rein and in-hand work. Or books/articles would also be of interest.

Some examples in this video: I am particularly in awe of the 1-tempis in-hand (at 1:20 and 5:12.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn6Jmqs9IHQ&feature=youtu.be

[belgianWBLuver]

I’ve been trained to prepare young horses in long reining and in hand work.
Its true that the upper level stuff is mesmerizing, however, the low level exercises can really make a difference when correcting issues or teaching certain movements for the first time.
Just a small example, I do the flexions on foot about 1 - 2 times per week give or take.
They help my guy maintain his flexibility and/or help me recognize any stiffness issues he may be having especially in his pole and neck.
After a session of flexions, I do about 20 mins or so of in hand work, walk, stop, backup, walk off, all in softness, shoulder-in and counter shoulder-in. with halt transitions and backups sprinkled in - in complete softness.
Sometimes - when the weather is not so hot - I do a little in hand trot work with him - same exercises. (But good fitness is a requirement for this and the extreme heat makes it difficult)
I also do ground driving regularly with him and he does very well at all 3 gaits.

[Scribbler]

The airs above the ground don’t make it into any level of dressage test, so no one on a strong competition track would probably even consider teaching them.

I think I’ve seen on-line references to people in the Baroque horse community playing with these moves, which would make sense since they come practically factory-installed on some Andies and Lusitanos. It would be hard to imagine most warmbloods doing a capriole! But I never followed up any of those links to see how well they were being trained.

I’m familiar with people teaching piaffe from the ground, building up from halt/back/trot transitions in-hand. It works well, if the horse is ready for it. And like the poster above, we do in-hand flexions and use that to build up to in-hand lateral work, so that the horse can do the lateral work on the ground before we try it under saddle.

I think you would need to work through training all those lower moves on the ground before you could start training the more complex ones.

There is strong potential for abusive training in-hand, and especially if the horse is tied between stanchions. Not all owners of Andalusians are kind and knowledgable.

[belgianWBLuver]

Maybe start with these 2 books:
https://www.amazon.com/Horse-Training-Hand-Modern-Working/dp/1570764093
Mistral took the time to travel and study with several classical masters.

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Reining-Philippe-Karl/dp/0713634626/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1470242125&sr=1-1&keywords=philippe+karl+long+reining
Phillip Karl is a master on this subject.

[pluvinel]

[QUOTE=rjr;8777505]
I have been watching some video of long-rein and in-hand work by the Spanish Riding School and am completely mesmerized and in awe. So far, I have not been exposed to any trainers who do significant in-hand work other than a little ground work to introduce piaffe-passage. Does anyone know where (in the U.S.) I would go to learn more about this style of long rein and in-hand work. Or books/articles would also be of interest.

Some examples in this video: I am particularly in awe of the 1-tempis in-hand (at 1:20 and 5:12.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn6Jmqs9IHQ&feature=youtu.be[/QUOTE]

Try Helene Asmis in Santa Fe, NM. She has a pretty interesting background, and may be semi-retired by now.
http://www.casadebrio.com/bio.html

I saw her do pretty much what you show in the video with one of her old stallions…who was also a school horse, and specialist for teaching long lining.

Unfortunately that horse is no longer alive, but she teaches all her horses, and students, long-lining as foundational work. As someone said above, this is not something you typically see with someone focused in competition…

[Willesdon]

Someone with Portuguese training will use ground work consistently. http://www.grelofarms.com/frank_grelo.html

[alibi_18]

[QUOTE=Willesdon;8778056]
Someone with Portuguese training will use ground work consistently. http://www.grelofarms.com/frank_grelo.html[/QUOTE]

That’s is where I first learned in-hand work!

My profile picture and the horse doing the levade are the same. Loved that horse.

[pluvinel]

The work shown on the SRS is called work on the “short reins” where the handler is walking right at the horse’s tail.

It is the zenith of a horse/human relationship that is established over time. It is the place where horse and human fully understand each other…kinda like an old married couple…in a good way.

This work requires that the human be very aware of themselves…their mental state…where their perceptive skills provide insights into what the horse is trying to do in answer to the handler’s request.

I’m watching the train wreck on the thread about buying vs training your horse. People are speaking past each other without awareness that both have valid POV’s. Neither is willing to let the other “be”.

Same with the horse/human. You have to let the horse “be”…and to think of it in a positive light, that it is trying to do what is being asked…and the handler has to know how to “correct”…but not fight…with his horse.

The horse knows how to be a horse, so most important, it puts responsibility on the human to be aware of what they bring to the equation when asking the horse to do a movement.

I would say that being able to do precise work on the short lines requires a rider/handler who is willing to develop personal insights and self awareness…and that the responsibility is not always on the horse.

[belgianWBLuver]

[QUOTE=pluvinel;8778171]
The work shown on the SRS is called work on the “short reins” where the handler is walking right at the horse’s tail.
…
This work requires that the human be very aware of themselves…their mental state…where their perceptive skills provide insights into what the horse is trying to do in answer to the handler’s request.

I’m watching the train wreck on the thread about buying vs training your horse. People are speaking past each other without awareness that both have valid POV’s. Neither is willing to let the other “be”.
…

I would say that being able to do precise work on the short lines requires a rider/handler who is willing to develop personal insights and self awareness…and that the responsibility is not always on the horse.[/QUOTE]

This^ and Thank you!

I develop a “calm” when my horse and I work in hand or with the “short reins”. He loves the work and so do I. Every slight try from him gets a complement and/or a treat.

The important thing is when I am feeling stressed I just get on and “hack”. No precise work in hand, short rein or riding. Just hacking. Because horses sense everything.