Vol. 17, Issue 1
www.azdressage.org
JANUARY 2017
Sitzfleisch
“The ability to Persevere or Endure”
Arizona Dressage Association
by Susan Downs Parrish, Ph.D.
“Forward means hock to bridle! Klimke said there are a thousand things you can do with the reins, but two things you should never do with reins: shape the neck or inhibit the hind legs. Two riding tools exist: the rider and patterns.” (Charles de Kunffy, 11/04/16) On November 4th through the 6th, Charles de Kunffy shared his mastery of classical dressage in a clinic in Sonoita, Arizona. Among friends, about twenty is my guess, he was at his best. Colleen Clement and Scarlett Fahrenson worked together to host the event. The grounds, weather, and ambiance were perfect. It’s no secret that I spend many hours riding, watching others ride, and thinking about riding. Lest you pity me, I am a daughter, mother, grandmother, and wife, but I’m one of the lucky few who are surrounded by independent, healthy people. For the most part, I have the luxury of choosing my focus, and my passion is classical dressage. Bet you didn’t know that. What Charles taught me changed my life. Really! Charles said, “I’m tired of hearing people talk about driving a horse forward, and making a horse in front of the leg. Forward means hock to bridle, period, end of discussion.” He proceeded to prove his point by coaching riders into creating more activity in their horses’ hind legs, not by dashing around in a “forward” trot, but by producing a “melancholy” trot so the animal could “articulate” the hocks before the rider asked for bigger strides. When I followed his direction, Maronda produced half steps followed by an airborne trot that looked like a lengthened passage, not to be confused with a passagey trot. My eyebrows disappeared into my helmet. The man didn’t hesitate to point out unevenness behind, which he detected within the first few seconds of a lesson. Usually, the source of the problem was in the failure of the left hind leg to track up. The remedy was to give up the left rein rather than let the horse lean on the rein. Giving up the quick fix—ever so subtly maneuvering the head to the left—may sound easy, but it’s not. At home, on my own, I am following through with the idea of giving up the left rein. Tracking left at a walk, Maronda likes to invert her neck and look right while her haunches fall inward. Inversion (head up, back dropped), falling in or out with the shoulders or haunches represent resistance. Oh, the urge to pull Maronda’s head to the left was strong, but I didn’t succumb. Instead, I held my elbows close to the rib cage, leaned back twenty degrees behind the vertical, and screwed my seat
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