Hurry UP!!!
I think any good trainer will tell you his/her most important tool is time. All the techniques and equipment in the world won’t make a horse without time and effort. But this is a hurry up world. Time is money and all that garbage.
I watched a tape the other night on dressage training for young horses . I don’t remember his name but it was by a very high level trainer.
Although there were some good techniques involved, the biggest thing that struck me was the training times. What I would consider to be done in months, weeks or maybe even days he took YEARS to train. What he said should be accomplished in the first year I try to basically try to put on a colt in the first few weeks.
Since my patience level is usually about as short as a politician’s promise, I really have to keep myself in check when working with a horse. Doesn’t always work out that well but next time I get that “we ain’t gettin nowhere” feeling…I’ll hear that German fella’s voice telling me it doesn’t happen overnight….or maybe even not this year.
Hey, how long did that German feller say it would take to teach a horse a turn on the forehand?
I think dressage is so fantastic. I’d love to take lessons someday. I’ve heard that it does take years and years to get those horses to competition level. It’s sure impressive when they get there.
03 Jan 2008 at 1:07 am
He really didn’t even start any lateral movements until the 3rd year!!! A finished horse was 5 years.
Dressage to me is kinda like reining with funny looking tack and clothes. I know a lot of reiners study dressage and I’ll bet alot of dressage folks look to see what we’re doing (although they won’t admit it). Either way, it’s definitely a very high level of horsemanship. No reason we can’t learn some from each other.
03 Jan 2008 at 6:17 am