judges give no breaks for extra tackle.
Excuse me, all, for having the poor form to interrupt this (of all) threads with an idea, but–have you tried slobbering his chin with something like baby oil before you begin riding? Maybe the spittle won’t feel as irritating over a greasy base. Or–or you could hire one of those helpful, neophyte first-time dressage show helpers who carefully wipes all the slobber off your horse’s face just before you go into the arena, so that he looks “neat & clean”.
sorry, sorry, I can’t help myself…
back to pseudo thread killing and Anky bashing.
sigh
<<<<Don’t forget that, my idea of riding style is different from yours… I like a pretty hunt seat [that is effective) with the heels down, and the body extremely quiet [no floppy legs that I tend to see in the dressage world)…>>>>>
No offense ment to hunter riders here, but, what’s your point? Although GOOD dressage and GOOD hunter riding have simularities, they are different.
mariaknowingsheshouldjustleavethisalone,bangingheadonthewalltimeandtimeagain
precisely what I do with a RAIL HORSE- ie, a horse whose forward impulse is to my economic advantage to squelch. Hallefreakinlujah. You are mainstreaming “the beast”. Be proud. You are bringing dressage closer to “the masses.” Soon there will be no discernible difference between the Miller’s Under Saddle Futurity winner at the Congress and the World Cup Dressage Finalist. Is that the ideal for which you strive? If so, zieg heil.
Is this suck up to Velvet day?
My, my Velvet, aren’t you just getting the lion’s share, or should I say lioness’s share of lovin’ here today!
By the way my dear red nail polish is for hook…never mind, true DQ’s have french manicures with toesies to match! 
Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!!
This photo shows behind the vertical rather than deep. I’ll give this rider the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was just an unfortunate moment that the photographer hit the shutter release. Even the best riders on the best horses have less than perfect moments. It’s the overall “picture” that counts.
sl*t- mare in heat
tart- mare not in heat
ignorant motherfcking whre- mare who has just kicked you whilst trying to examine her genitalia to determine if she has hidden her heat.
angel-mare who has just given birth to the perfect warmblood baby
well, I honestly doubt that ms anky cares a hoot about what a bunch of doughheads like us might say on a BB…and likely has better things to do with her time so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
I would like an explanation of what riding with the neck over-bent does for a horse. I’ve not heard or read anything that gives me a good idea. I may just be over-sensitive to the issue, having had a horse whose main evasion was going behind the bit. Why wouldn’t it be as easy for horses trained this way to use it as an evasion? Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying they are going to do it in expert hands, but if this becomes acceptable, many less than expert riders are going to be doing it.
As far as Anky’s riding, there’s no denying that she’s an expert. That doesn’t mean, of course, that she’s perfect. If I question some of what she does, that does not take away from her expertise. There are many very good riders, but apparently she has had the winning combinations many times. She certainly has been a boon in popularizing dressage, all the more reason to not ride a horse with its neck over-bent and waaay behind the vertical, unless she can say what the bio-mechanics are of the activity.
If any of you reading this know what it is accomplishing, I would appreciate an explanation as I can’t quite understand yet.
(Another long post I am afraid, but I find this topic interesting)
Jen West,thank you for your insight. I wasn’t sure if I was riding deep, but from your description I am not (although I don’t know how I would describe it, but then perhaps there doesn’t need to be a name for everything!). (Perhaps “riding deep” means that the horse’s neck is curled up?? which is the opposite to what I am trying to get). When my mare lifts her back as I described, she is light in hand but connected, balanced (certainly not heavy on her shoulders) and goes forwards willingly of her own accord. I certainly don’t have to drive her or force her…I just stay in balance, central-feeling. If I waver for an instant and my weight goes forwards a fraction, she lifts her head and hollows. If I go behind (rarer for me) she shoots forwards and rushes. I need to maintain lateral position also. A difficult task all round. The key is my position. My horse tells me when it’s right!
Which brings me to a point I have often wondered about. Why do so few instructors correct or develop the rider’s positon? It is so crucial. My current instructor is constantly giving me feedback and correction. When I get in first with my observation that I have gone wrong and why, she is pleased because it shows I am paying attention! I don’t think any of my previous instructors have made any but the most coarse corrections, if any at all. They spend all their time on the horse’s way of going, but unless the rider is correct, the horse cannot possibly move properly, although their generous nature means they try. I am not a good rider by any means. It is a very long road, but I hope that at least I am striving to improve.
I am sorry that this post is too “me” oriented, but every lesson, and in many solo work sessions, I make an improvement, and it is so exciting for me to see how we are progressing. There aren’t many people in my circle that understand what it means to me.
Zeroing in on you AND your little dog, too, while I’m at it. Be afraid, be very afraid. 
Thank you for posting the link to the article about Reiner Klimke. It brought tears to my eyes. He was the best. The photos tell the story much better than words could.
http://members.home.com/hagys/sabainspage.html
I’m aging like fine wine…I’m getting complex and fruity…
Well…I was trying to stop swearing, but maybe you’ll like this French word: Foutre.
It’s all about ME, ME, ME!!! (The only signature worthy of a real DQ.)
the proof is in the pudding, m’am.
anyhow, i’ve got a really important question, i wonder if anyone could help me with this one.
quick replies would be appreciated.
i mean really quick.
does anyone know how to deliver a baby?
This is how I look at it.
Anky, Nicole,Isabel, and all the others that are top riders in our sport have a big responsibility.
Because they have the ability, and the feel to do something that “appears” to be less than correct or accepted training. They go on to win the gold medal, then every yahoo in the dressage world with no idea of the why’s and wherefore’s of riding deep will go and bury their horse’s head in their chests and think they’re riding “deep” when in fact their doing more harm than good.
I have always been taught that a horse cannot be through with a broken 4th vertebra. I don’t care what anyone says, it cannot be through in the back and hind end if he’s broken the connection in the neck. He also cannot be raising the wither if he’s not connected.
I think it’s wrong, incorrect, and flawed training. and i imagine that we will be arguing about this for a long time. But I am hoping that one of these days, this “fad” will subside, and the top riders will come back to the classical way of doing things.
This is also my last post on the subject as we could be argueing about this forever. Kinda like religion and politics heh?? 
“I want to go deep.”
It’s a proven training method. It works. And anyone who can’t back up their screaming about it being bad with a wall full of International ribbons/trophies must be one of the pathetic few who live in a fantasy and don’t really know anything about how to ride dressage. Hey, I’ve known quite a few of those. They’re the type that go in the show ring and blame the judge for being blind (no matter how many they ride in front of–and hear the same remarks from) because they always lose, and the photographer for catching only bad moments.
Ah, reality can bite…hard. I guess if you can’t deal with it, you just pontificate about how wonderfully right you are in an attempt to drowned out reality.
(Suzy, what in the world are you doing snorting things and risking your latest nose job??? And here I thought you were more careful in your attempts to make Michael Jackson jealous… )
[This message was edited by Velvet on Oct. 09, 2001 at 11:00 AM.]
Rosey, you’re my new hero.
o.k first congrats to me for reading the whole 18 pages of this, actually kind of sad that I don’t have anything better to do on a friday night… aw geeze now I want to cry 
Anyways you guys are hilarious and are opening my eyes to “real” dressage, not just the stuff a fellow boarder used to do and call it dressage because she didn’t jump.
Anyhoo I ride hunter, maybe not very well but my main goal is pefection in my disipline (hey there’s something in common right?). My coach right now is a level 2 with her background in dressage, though we haven’t gotten into a debate about “deep” or vertibraes (which I still don’t fully understand, but I should) it’s still very present in the work we do. It’s wonderful and has improved our hunter/jumper performance greatly ** though I want to make it clear that I do not claim to ride dressage **
I can’t comment on anything major that has been written in this thread but I don’t think everything is black or white like people hope (or expect?) it to be.
That’s it, nothing really to contribute 
<…and a big ol’ can of whoop a$$>
i think if she rides like that she’s inexperienced. or it is just a bad moment and the rest was better perhaps.
i just came from clinic and everyone pretty much was riding like that. people do that.
the book says you wrap them up, in a rag or palm fronds or whatever, and put them in a box.
you can dry them off with straw, rags or a sheave of rice.
i haven’t got a sheave.
the book says they’re very slippery, so to hang on to them really tight.
she’s round about 5 inches. GOD this is exciting!
gonna crown here, gotta read the next paragraph, LATER!!
