Educating The Rider's Eye - ART2Ride

I enjoy watching Will Faerbers videos on youtube, because I think they have a lot of good points, and combine good horsemanship with dressage.  I may be very critical of things from time to time on my blog, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy watching dressage (as long as it is proper, and not at the expense of the horses well-being) . I just think the basics should be in order, and the goal should be to "dressage" the horse into using itself correctly. This should be done so the horse wont maintain injuries while ridden (which in my opinion is the basics of dressage). I think a lot of what I see, is where people have moved away from this goal, and instead decided to "take the easy way out" to be able to compete faster on their horses and gain "results" more quickly. Or a lot of cases where the amateurs doesn't know any better and end up doing it, simply because it is what they have learned to do by their trainers. (been there myself).
This is why I like sharing articles, because I find them interesting myself, and I figure that people reading my blog, are kinda on the same "wave-length" as me, and therefore will find them interestign aswell ;)

Well enough talk, here is a video I found today and I thought I would share it:

Spreading some positive dressage energies

I feel like I need to share some positive dressage videos after my latest blogposts. I want to point out, I love horses and riding (and almost everything it entails), but I do think we have a responsibility to treat horses correct, since we chose to use them for our own purpose (riding). I am in no way an angel, I have made plenty of mistakes myself, but one day I woke up, smelled the coffee and corrected my ways, because that is what we owe to our beloved horses. They arent just a tool used to achieve our goals, but deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

I also want to point out that I absolutely love dressage, but I feel some of these methods used on elite levels (and below) are abusive and unfortunatly getting rewarded for it (people riding on elite levels KNOW better, and they should set the standard and be an example to follow, not make people frown and turn the other way). There has always been ugly riding present on all levels, from riding school to the top, but the world of riding, and especially dressage has taken a turn where it is no longer frowned upon using these ugly methods openly, and people using them are also getting rewarded with prizes and medals, and my animal-loving-heart bleeds because of it, and that is why I refuse to shut up about it, and why I write about it here on my blog.

So as I was saying, I feel I want to show some beautiful dressage, worth watching, worth respecting. So without further ado:


I love watching Uta Gräf riding, so beautiful and effortless. Amazing.


I also like this video with Carola Koppelmann. Not giving me the chills like the Uta video, but still this is what dressage should look like.

Marzog

Found this video and thought I would share it. I think it is amazing to see old dressage videos and I like to see how dressage was back then, and how it has developed, both the good and bad sides.

Uthopia

After watching the olympics this year. I am just completely smitten with Carl Hester's stallion Uthopia. The way that horse moves under his rider, and the way he just seems so calm and in his zone when he is in the arena. He makes dressage look easy and effortless- like it is supposed to be. What a horse!

You can see a video here with Carl talking about Uthopia: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/equestrian/8217391.stm

I think that horse is absolutely amazing, he just excudes beauty.
I read on eurodressage that he has been approved for breeding in KWPN. The article can be read here: http://www.eurodressage.com/equestrian/2011/08/23/uthopia-approved-kwpn-breeding - Which is actually something I was thinking about when I saw him at the olympics. I think that horse has so many amazing qualities that a good dressage horse needs, and he looks like the kind of horse that is a pleasure to ride, every single time.

In my opinion- Totilas go home ;)

Some picture spam:

Olympics 2012 profile: Carl Hester dressage

Will Faerber - New project horse

I really enjoyed his other video - (Which can be seen here http://dressage-enthusiast.blogspot.se/2012/02/correct-dressage.html) so I was looking through his other videoes and fell over this one and thought I would share it.

Dressage Clinic with Carl Hester

Follow the link: http://vimeo.com/882558

The quality is abit poor and dark, but I think its still worth watching. :)

Kristina Sprehe and Desperado

Correct dressage.

I found this video very interesting and I think this is what dressage is about.

Steffen Peters and Janet Brown-Foy - Training video

The rest of the series can be watched by doubbleclicking on the title of the video and it will re-direct you to youtube. Enjoy!

Helen & Damon Hill GPS

Adjust the window so you can see the video :)
Directlink: http://www.topdressage.tv/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2944

Seminar of the German Federation

This is some great links for other dressage entusiats like myself, with a great walk through of correct dressage and correctly ridden horses.

Enjoy!

http://wwww.clipmyhorse.de/en/archive/show/78/2700/ (a more trained dressage horse)

http://wwww.clipmyhorse.de/en/archive/show/78/2697/ (the young horses)

http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2010/07/young-dressage-horse-seminar-a-unique-learning-opportunity-in-warendorf/ - article about the seminar

A good rider

What is a good rider?

I my world- this following rider delievers an excellent performance:

http://www.topdressage.tv/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2797

The rider has a lose and light contact to the Kandar briddle, the horse is working correctly under her- no agressive tail swiping. Its using its back and the behind legs arent hanging somewhere way behind.

Its definatly worth watching that video! (And she beat Isabell Werth- Which is Great!)