<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JER:
(taking time out from my exotic, exciting life to respond to Robby…)
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Blyth doesn’t take his horses to a novice competition until they can add strides significantly between two poles on the ground. At the clinic I organized, we set the poles at, I think, six strides. He was really surprised that only one Intermediate rider (out of five groups; 2 OI, 2 OP, 1 OT) could get more than 10 strides between the poles.
Teaching the horse to adjust - lengthen and shorten - at the canter is what I now consider the core of cross-country riding. So Rhodey will not be going out until he can adjust between poles on the ground. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
But Robby, when Blyth says ‘Novice’ he’s talking about UK Novice, which is 3’6" and allowed to be quite technical (bounces, corners et al.).
I’m not sure a horse needs the same degree of lengthening/compressing skill to jump around a US Novice course, but I do agree adjustment needs to be there by Prelim, which is more or less the equivalent to UK Novice. I can think of exactly one N course out here that has a combination that requires some forethought – a long gallop to a short two stride with a rollback turn after – other than that, you find nothing but single fences spread out over the track.
Also, adjustment at US Novice can be a simple transition from canter to trot – this can allow a better set up for the fence. Getting the 6-10 stride adjustment in canter can take a while in a young or green horse because it does require strength and balance, and you have to develop a steady, rhythmic, forward canter first. Asking a horse to compress his stride when he’s not ready for it can be a very frustrating thing for the horse.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I almost put my disclaimer in when I posted that originally - that I know UK Novice is basically US Prelim equivalent and that was brought up when he came to Dallas. It doesn’t matter, he said. He said wouldn’t take a horse to anything if it couldn’t compress and lengthen it’s stride. It’s essentially the foundation of his method.
After watching him teach for two days, the value in this training is apparent. BTW, Kim is also a real stickler for impulsion and being able to ride forward to the fence on a controllable stride, as is Jim (Graham). These are the three trainers I’ve been exposed to mostly the past two years, and I really think their methods make sense.
I don’t think asking a horse to compress his stride, at amoeba level, is asking too much at all. It’s something you have to do as a fundamental step in flatwork, regardless. You say you must develop a steady, rhythmic, forward canter first. I ask you this, does a steady, rhythmic, forward canter not, by definition, carry an intrinsic degree of impulsion along with it?
If it’s frustrating to the horse, then you probably shouldn’t be schooling the question. To me that demonstrates a hole in his training. Because if I’m having to leave long and/or rush over solid obstacles, in a combination, I’m a danger to myself and my horse anyway.
The point of this thread was to introduce “types” of fences at earlier stages in the game. I’m all for that, and think it’s great for the horse and (probably even more so) the rider. But to address the question you must have resources and education which allows you to answer it. If you’re asked a question that requires compression - regardless of how big or how small it is - you need to be able to compress. Bottom line.
There are so many safety concerns about eventing, and really with just cause. Telling a green rider on a green horse to “just stay out of his way and let him figure it out” is toxic, the more I think about it. If the rider is talented, with natural balance, and the horse is correspondingly brave, they can fake it really well. (Ask me how I know this.)
And I think it’s a real duplication of mental and physical effort - especially in this country - when, once a comfortable level of skill is assessed, the pair must go back and begin to “finesse” and “pick apart” the current ride. I want my horse to be well-schooled enough on the flat that if I give him the aid for a 9-foot canter stride, he gives me a 9-foot canter stride, whether we’re jumping or in the dressage ring.
Incidentally, I cannot think of hardly any Novice courses in Area V that have related distance combinations. (Can you Dezi?) Oh, wait. While they’re numbered seperately, there is somewhat of a combination at an event called Greenwood in Weatherford, Texas. You jump out of the woodline over a coop, go maybe 6-8 strides, then have a rockwall between two trees that walks 4 strides to some log/brush fence.
I know this combination too well. Because I was riding a horse that couldn’t compress, we jumped out over the coop, barrelled “forward” to the rockwall and, because we couldn’t compress (and because her attention was on something other than the fence - namely the active warmup area closeby) I took a nosedive into a tree at about 400 mpm. She locked-on too late, realized she couldn’t do it, and tried to glance off to the left. Unfortunately, the standard was a sizeable oak tree. Fortunately she had enough self-preservation to stop herself. I, of course, took the secondary impact!
Now, do I wish I’d done a little more flatwork/compression preparation before that event? Absolutely!
Robby
You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
I am now thinking that it doesn’t really matter which I am doing, I just have to get his attention! (SJ & dressage are no problem)
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