The Anky thread that has nothing to do with anything but has a whole lot to say about alot

[Gucci_Cowgirl]

DHF - LMAO!! gotta…come up…for air…LOL!!!

On a more serious note, Anky is most definately human, and quite a nice one at that, my friend and trainer went over to her place to look at some horses to buy, ended up choosing one (Krack C x Darwin) and it will be here shortly.

My friend (she owns Darwin) was discussing being a possible Canadian agent for Krack C and Anky’s other young stallion (I forget his name).

I suspect she really is a nice young woman and would really cringe at some of the stuff that has been said here in the past.

I know nobody means anything by it, but remember she IS human!

“Stupid tree, BE MORE FUNNY!” - Homer

[coppelia]

Just try reading this discussion from an outsider’s perspective. Yuk.
KAM - thank you for posting that from PH. SO true.

I also have watched Anky perform both years at Spruce, as well as the Celle stallions. I love watching Anky and will applaud her style and accomplishments till the cows come home.

The Celle stallions put on a fabulous show also… But my opinion was that it was A SHOW - a demonstration and a good one at that, but it was not the highest level of dressage.

Those matched chestnut stallions are all wearing matching tack, with highly polished gold breastcollars & other fancy trimmings. Then there are the motionless riders with their long red coats and big hats. Their turnout is flashy and flawless, and their timing in their riding superb. They did the “tricks” that got oohs and aahs from the crowd, and from what I remember, for me it wasn’t the most amazing performance ever. If you took away all the glitz and glamour attached to the Celle show and put just one chestnut horse in the ring with a rider in a top hat and tails, it would have lacked sparkle and energy. Sure you would have seen a beautiful rider on a horse with a big trot and great movement, but the really collected GP movements… just not what I saw with Anky on her horses.

Her horses were working very hard, but still made it look easy 95% of the time. And my thought is that sometimes all the movements still aren’t so confirmed in the horses she brings over on the long trip to Canada to do a demo. You could tell that Junior’s piaff needed work - it’s not automatic for him.

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> These hanoverians were soft and flexible their ears were forward (or to the side,but never back!), and their movement… WOW. I’ve YET to see any dressage horse that compares to those Hanoverians with movement, grace and style… It was as though they were floating a good foot off the ground - and they were quiet and relaxed amidst all the distractions. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hmm… If you were there for the DuMaurier, you must have been so taken by all the big trots that you missed the one saucy stallion who was so full of himself that he broke his breastcollar? His ears were NOT always forward, and he thought the “distractions” of the crowd were just reason for him to be extra fancy! He was absolutely my favorite boy out there because he was full of personality, where some of the other studs looked like robots.

All the top riders are only human. We can chose to learn from them, or criticize them without really understanding what we’ve seen. Like I said before, I will applaud Anky always, but that doesn’t mean I don’t see some mistakes in her performance. I don’t think she’s perfect. But I know that if it were me in that big ring riding for 50,000 people I’d make a lot more mistakes than that!! I’d give anything to be 1/2 as good as she is. Just my 2 cents.

[suzy]

I imagine that there is more than one way to achieve deep, but what has worked best for me is this. I place my hands on either side of my horse’s neck below the withers. They must rest there quietly; no pulling, no manipulation of ANY kind – absolutely still. I then drive the horse up into the bridle. He has to really step under and go into the bridle.

Typical evasions are swinging the quarters to the side or coming against the hand. If he swings his quarters to the left, I position them to the right. Always ask the horse to do the opposite of what he’s offering. It’s what Jane Savoie refers to as benign antagonism. If he comes against your hand, resist the temptation to do anything more than keep them in one place. If he tries to back up, really drive him forward – tap with your spurs or whip; whatever works best on your particular horse. The instant you feel him yield in his poll, reach both hands forward 2-3 inches and let the reins loop. This is where you feel his withers and back lift, and he will be light to your leg aids.

I work on transitions in this outline and use a stilled seat to collect the gaits, then open my hips to lengthen. Any time he comes against my hands, I put them on the side of his neck and push him back up into the bridle. The instant he yields, I push my hands forward together and the same amount. The give is the most important moment. Riding the horse deep reveals probably better than anything else whether or not the horse is sucked back in front of his withers.

When the horse becomes really through in this deep outline, you will be astounded at how much easier it is for you to maintain an elegant, around the horse position.

I wouldn’t recommend anyone running out and trying this without a knowledgeable instructor.

[Brookes]

Maria, ROTFLMAO!!

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!!

[jl1]

can lead to serious chapped thighs.
Been there, done that.
Kathy-huge guffaws.

[suzy]

I knew they were wrong and that you would NEVER hurl ON me.

suzyhurlinginyourgeneraldirection

[Kathy_Johnson]

SLC,

I have a mare in training, the oh so gentile Rambling Skye, who can not stand a drop of spittle on her either. Fortunately or unfortunately, she has taken matters into her own capable hooves.

Skye knows it is wrong to stop and wipe her muzzle. She knows what we would do. So, she has learned to take her front feet in some sort of semblance of Spanish Stomp, and wipe her muzzle with her feet.

It is amazing, extraordinary to see her wipe her nose with her front feet at the canter. You can’t even pull her head up, because her head doesn’t go down–her feet come up.

She is completely ambi-nostrous. I am going out right now to invest in a case of Vaseline.

Eggy, I envy you being the 500th.

Kathy Johnson Dressage

[Velvet]

Anky NOT a beautiful rider? Hello? I’ve watched enough jumper riders over the year to know a beautiful seat when I see one, and it belonged on Conrad Homfeld. I also know a gorgeous style in dressage, and that belongs to Anky–you just need to be more well rounded in your education of riding abilities.

And there is NO WAY to buy a World or Olympic top position. You have to have talent. You cannot be a passenger in dressage and be at the very top. Not ever gonna happen, no way, no how. Maybe in the jumpers it can happen (I didn’t think so, but maybe the horse can overcome the riders lack of ability–you can enlighten me on this one), but in dressage there is no longer this hole. You must be able to ride, or you won’t win.

Sure, money plays a part, and getting in front of the international judges help, but the competition is very, very tight at the top (because they all have the money, the horse and the talent) and she’s on the top.

Your opinion is, at best, misguided. And that’s not my opinion, that’s based on the facts I listed.

[Jen_West]

sorry that you are so narrow-minded and simple as to think that you are training horses that are never actually listening to you. A horse without a spook isn’t a horse? Learn to ride.

[muley]

That it’s true, riding a warmblood with a nice relaxed and moving back, is much different than riding a horse with his back braced. I rode a horse a few months ago with such a tight back, that I had to look down to see if we were trotting. I found this difficult to post as I didn’t know what diagional to go on…and nothing was moving. Sure it’s easy to ride those horses.

Also, one more point… Aren’t we supposed to be loose and relaxed? Loose ankles and knees make for a better and more secure seat than pinching with the thighs… I could ride quietly too, if I had a tight horse, and rode incorrectly with my thighs…

But then again, I’m not a world cup rider like some who post here.

http://members.home.com/hagys/sabainspage.html

[Velvet]

Behind the vertical (not behind the bit, that’s an entirely different thing than behind the vertical).

Pictures are only a moment in time, but haven’t we all noticed that most horses these days are behind the vertical? I don’t like it when they’re in front of the vertical most of the time either. I guess I’m from the old school where horses are supposed to be as close to “on” the vertical as possible throughout most of the ride.

(Oh, and I don’t believe that riding deep creates this situation because I’ve seen Anky and others “on” the bit.)

It’s all about ME, ME, ME!!! (The only signature worthy of a real DQ.)

[DebS]

not enough boogers.

[HeyYouNags]

You folks with the chronic nose rubbers (you know who you are), have you ruled out allergies or a manifestation of photic headshaking?

Of course you have, I shouldn’t have bothered to ask.

The chestnut nag has a similar problem in the summer months only, and it seems to be an allergy (uhhh, but not an allergy to drool.) Some summers it is pleasantly associated with overall itchness, vibration of skin on neck and withers, and dropping her head to scratch her nose in mid-trot stride. And she only suffers from it when she’s being ridden, what’s up with that?

The problem disappears in the fall/winter.

[Robbierox]

Mary Wanless stated publicly in a clinic in Canada last November that Anky is the most perfect rider she has ever seen. Mary stated that Anky’s position is absolutely classic and that she uses her body position, particularily her front, in a way that enables her to be very effective with her aids yet ride very softly at the same time.

[KellyS]

I am also not trying to start a war here, but…

Jen West, why don’t you post some pictures of yourself riding and showing us how to do the dressage movements better. Since all the pictures posted have been such a bad display of dressage, it would be a relief to see it done right.

I’m being completely serious

[Brookes]

Wow you guys, I go out to ride and look what happens here! Suzy I have to admit you’re pretty cute! What is the name of your plastic surgeon, I must have it!! Sorry that your diamonds don’t show, however if you were wearing your tiara like any good DQ we would have recognized you immediately for what you are!

Thank you ladies! Yes the french manicure is in for the DQ! Those red nails are totally passe Velvet dahlink!!

LOL! I bet she does have some of them hot red little hook. … oops boots to go with the claws!! Besides a proper DQ has a nail brush at the barn to clean the forensic evidence from under ones nails!!

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!!

[smashing_fishnets_an]

ok…name that Old(i dont know if she’s alive)Woman! and performing a Piaffe on a Welsh Cob/Arab! i can tell you that a well known man trained with her, and that she often rode side saddle…
and for you deep entrepreneurs(as i am one myself), i have found MANY photos of her riding DEEP. Correctly.

The mem’ry of your Saint-like life, It spurs me on through storm and strife; And often at the Throne of Grace, So plain and clear I see your face.

[Gry2Yng]

Wow, work is abysmally slow, so I came over from the eventers board and have successfully read all 22 pages (count went up from 21 to 22 as I was reading). You guys are really fun/funny!

[Brookes]

slc you never told us you were expecting, may I suggest calling 911 and getting thyself to the delivery room pronto!

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!!

[coppelia]

Well, since I set myself up on another thread for a critique, I may as well crucify myself here…

Here’s me and the same 4 yr old, same day as the other photo was taken but earlier in the ride. I KNOW that he’s behind the vertical and normally his position is not this way. But he’s only 4 and still not always steady in his position and this kind of thing can happen. But I do warm him up “deep” like this in the neck…

I know it’s impossible, but TRY to ignore the nose position and look at his legs. Do you think he’s stepping under? I do. And this is the warm up of our ride - you can see another picture on the critique thread of our “working frame”. I can move his neck where I want it and to me that’s a good thing.
Besides, I wuv him