Uta Graf lets her horses get out everyday, and be horses, even her expensieve grand prix ones. I saw this article, and definatly think it is worth reading!
Link to the article here: http://www.eurodressage.com/equestrian/2010/11/03/uta-graf-and-stefan-schneider-kingdom-horse
The best of different equestrian approaches
| At Gut Rothenkircherhof Uta Gräf and Stefan Schneider, two horse people with different equestrian priorities, work hand in hand to realise one common aim: fine riding on motivated horses. Training horses we work hand in hand to realise our aim to advance them after their natural abilities. With our different priorities in the work with horses we complement each other ideally. First of all it is important for us that all horses show themselves likeable and well behaved in the daily handling, may it be during the grooming, tacking up, trailering or at the farrier. This is the reason why with young horses we work intensely and systematically from the ground before breaking them in. This way we establish faith and respect for us. Stefan with his great experience in different ways of horsemanship is responsible for this. Moreover he does the lunging and breaking- in of the young horses. Here we benefit from the fact that Stefan had already established a general obedience from the ground and won the faith of the horses so our well schooled team is able to give the youngsters positive first moments under the saddle. Apart from the ground work a wide variety in training is another column of our training philosophy. We integrate Cavaletti-work, work in long reins and in hand into the individual training programme of each horse of all training levels and additionally hack them regularly in the hilly terrain and let them go into the watered horse- walker. The work in long reins and handwork resides with Stefan who likes to use the extensive fields and forests surrounding our manor to give the horses as much external stimuli as possible to strengthen their self- confidence. After the horses passed through our “primary school” on the ground and under the saddle I take over with classical dressage training. One of my fundamental principles is that I only give the horse as many impulse-like aids as necessary which works very well when horses follow me and remain attentive in their work. I get the horses there, no matter at which training level, by combining short phases of collective work with such in which the horse is allowed to stretch and go forwards. No matter how talented a horse is and how much it offers us, we never take or ask for 100% in the training. If I cannot progress on a certain issue as a rider Stefan very often is able to solve the problem from the ground or in long reins. The most important thing for us is to keep our horses as natural as possible. No training in the world and may it be excellent can replace social contacts and free movements in the fresh air—indispensable preconditions for a horse’s well-being and its even temper which facilitate us the daily work. We are firm believers that only the combination of various training and natural horse- keeping generates a “happy athlete” and exactly this one we want to get through our hippological “joint venture”. | ||||||||||||
| Uta Gräf |
Taken from her website which you can visit here http://www.gutrothenkircherhof.de/index.php?site=betrieb&lang=en
