Comments on: The Right Way To perform Dressage?

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:51:21 +0000

I could only see the Cathy Morelli video. The horse in the beginning still seems behind the vertical to me. I enjoy watching well executed dressage work but wish milder bits were used especially at the lowere levels. As a hunter rider I use basic dressage to help my horse with balance and suppleness. Most dressage riders in my area go for artificial head set and think elevation created by extreme shortening of stride (they don’t know true collection) are the end all and be all. And dressage, just like hunters, reiners, etc. are plagued by poor trainers using whatever artificial “quick fixes” they can find to force horses to behave in a certain manner or form. What happened to partnership and less is more – bit, spur, aids? I would love to see more natural self-carriage in dressage interspersed with the high head carriage and collection. The current “stretch down” in some tests is a farce in my area, riders either let their horses fall apart or they have added another gimmicky head set with a horse cued to drop its head. Rollkur is just one of the many abuses that occur throughout the horse show world. We all need to speak up whenever we see abuse.

By: Jo Jarrett

Jo Jarrett — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:55:42 +0000

Not so much a comment, more a request. I was sorry to see that the video clip of the grey horse had been removed and I cannot find it on YouTube. Does anyone know how I can access it? The transitions were great and the horse was fluid and I would like to view it again.

By: Patrice

Patrice — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:03:05 +0000

Does anyone know the breed of Cathy’s horse?

In general I think this ride was much nicer than what we see in most competitions. It needs to be more open and soft in the neck with less downhill steps to be the best representation it can be.

I thought it had an Iberian pelvic tuck. I liked the degree of tuck behind the saddle most of the time. Shame it was quite tight in the neck and often btv, not seeking forward so that sometimes the collection requests just shortened the front. It can be hard to keep a horse seeking forward in front if the horse has a huge degree of natural pelvic tuck. I know she works a great deal more kindly than she feels she used to do and I _think_ she would not want that neck to be in such a sharp V from chest to jowl as we see in this clip. I have seen her video of her system of riding the neck.

I found it interesting that it was all slow mo (or is that my laptop??) which often disguises things and that when walk was attempted it was not awfully pleasant. Perhaps that was just too much tension.

I observed that the changes in the test arena were not as expressive as the ones in schooling. The ones on the far side of the schooling arena were not as good as those nearby the camera.

By: Dorothy

Dorothy — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:10:58 +0000

a very interesting observation, Heather, I will watch more closely and see how things progress with both horses in the future. Thank you for pointing this out!

By: Heather Moffett

Heather Moffett — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:02:47 +0000

It is so much nicer than many, Dorothy, but look at that passagey trot, yet again, and whilst he is not flicking the toe in extension as much as Paragon, that dissociation of front and hind is still apparent- the still shot at the beginning shows it totally.

I have always had huge respect for Kyra and Richard, but I gather the latter also is training Heather B, and horses both show, Rico to a lesser extent, the same pattern in training, that which until now, has been associated with rollkur, and we know that Kyra/Richard/Heather are absolutely not using rollkur.

But it is going to weaken the argument if those who do not use rollkur, are starting to produce the same results as those who do. OK, it proves that rollkur is not necessary to do so!! But at the same time, this trot and the extensions in particular, are not abiding by the FEI rules. So if the FEI doesnt want to see a hind cannon at the same angle as the forearm, and prefers to see the extension with hindlegs kicking out behind, and also now sees a passagey trot as ‘having expression’ then change the b****y rules!! What otherwise,is the point of having them!?

By: Dorothy

Dorothy — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:21:06 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW_M9dQa_Zo&feature=player_embedded
this is another amazing example – admin – can this be linked in? I am not sure how to do it!
this is Kyra Kyrkland on a wonderful Iberian….

By: Chris Sakoutis

Chris Sakoutis — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:23:39 +0000

I liked Cathy’s video the best and actually found it beautiful. The first horse, the grey was also very nice.

A quick visit to Cathy’s web page shows who her dressage influences were, and their mastery comes to life in Cathy’s riding. A list of books on her site as recommended reading clearly indicates this.

http://cathymorelli.com/bookstore.html

By: Anne

Anne — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:18:29 +0000

At this point I have only seen the grey, who I believe is lovely and fluid. I really wish the rider would show the horse in a simple snaffle just doing that lovely, fluid trot. The rhythm is lovely , with real “digging in ” behind to move the horse forward without changing the cadence. I am tired of seeing piaffes and passages when only a few can really judge their ultimate quality. I really would love to see the basic, pure gaits perfectly ridden. It used to be said of silver that it was much harder to make the simple pieces than those with all the chasing (engraving), as on the simple pieces every mistake would show and couldn’t be covered up. The loft and fluidity of the trot at the beginning of the video is magnificent for me. And I would rather see more of that than a piaffe in progress.

By: xuna

xuna — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:47:29 +0000

The grey horse and rider are very elegant and fluid, just a little more play with the fingers might allow him to open the angle of head that little bit more, a harmonius couple. I’d love to find that kind of balance.

Paragon is probably young still? Not so very balanced yet, connection of front and back end not really sorted yet and trot extensions a bit toe-flicky. Heaps of potential though.

3rd video Cathy Morelli, very, very inspiring in terms of elevation of the front end due to the wonderful,powerful engagement of the hindquarters.

By: Mimi

Mimi — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:32:22 +0000

I am riding first level and I am not very interested in competing. My trainer is very patient. Soft hands, ride back to front. It is a shame that when money and egos are at stake, this wonderful creature is the loser.
The end does not justify the means. As an amateaur, these 3 videos look like rides I would like to emulate. I will take a stand against Rolkur.