Progress to date

byCaroleF

167 followers

5 years ago

I have made some progress and am on my way to fulfilling at least my near-term plan. I started out by outlining the principles of dressage as I remember them. Along with this, I wrote a brief article about my intention for doing all this in the first place, that intention being to inform my own riding since I am at present without a coach . I also have wanted to bring back into the equestrian consciousness and conscience the principles of classical dressage. These are the principles that have formed the foundation for the discipline over centureis. In observance of the latter, I have been calling on the expertise of riding master Alois Podhajsky, former dierector of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and a modern purveyor of classical principles.

In addition to informing my own riding, this effort is important to remind the riding public what it is and why we ride the horse beautifully and with harmony. using the mehtod of dressage in the first place. Riding disciplines of today, even modern dressage, have tended to vere away from the classical theory of riding the horse which has proved to be the safest and most beneifical to horse and rider. I talk about this in the article in which I disucss how Podhajsky's classical principles can go awry in practice if one is not diligent in guarding against this.

I took a brief diversion to talk about what it means to Ride for God. I made this a page as opposed to a post because riding for God in fact forms the basis of everything I do on horseback.

My plans for future articles include a discussion of the principles that guide modern dressage riders and how they differ, or not, from those set out by Podhajsky. I will then include a critique of these principles by a couple of present-day horseman along with my own. I believe the theory of dressage is exptremely important because it is what guides our practice. I will then delve into exercises on horseback which support the theory. That's the goal.

One thing which is central to all this is my work with my stallion. Being a 72-year-old widow has the potential for making this work somewhat precarious. But I have a stunning and cooperative horse which makes it all worth it and possible. To my credit, my dedication to our work makes it all possible, and my stallion knows this.

The picture above is of my 2 1/2 acre property in Acton, California where I live and keep my horses and other anianls.