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Horses For LIFE
Conte pg 14 pg 88
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tent Highlight s PG 140
pg 64 Horses For LIFE
Content s cont’d pg 126
pg 156 12
Cover Photo A rescued nurse mare foal at Dream Equine Therapy Center. http://www.dreamequinetherapycenter. org/ (Photo Cover Copyright Ron Schroll)
On behalf of all of us at Horses For LIFE may the gift of the horses be with you always.
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We recognize and salute Dressage &CT for their incredible contribution and as the inspiration for Horses For LIFE with the welcome blessing of Ivan Bezugloff Jr. the editor and founder of Dressage &CT.
Horses For LIFE
Nuno Oliveira
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Part 2
Conversations with a Master
By Stephanie Grant Millham
Horses For LIFE
The Dressage of Nuno Oliveira By Stephanie Grant Millham
Watching Mestre Oliveira schooling his own horses, it is not too difficult to imagine you have stepped back in time several hundred years to one of the small royal riding schools, perhaps even the famous Ecole de Versailles itself, where the grand masters perfected their art in the so-called Age of Enlightenment. Certainly the Master’s relaxed legs, upright torso with his incredibly strong back, and reins of silk have few counterparts in modern days. It is almost as if a living vision of the old French grand masters on their proud Iberian horses has galloped out of the classic engravings of the time. To this day, when I see the famous print of Monsieur de Nestier, écuyer to Louis XV of France, I am reminded of an equally famous photo of Nuno Oliveira that has appeared on the cover of a number of modern works. With his tricorn hat and royal blue casaca (the Portuguese bullfighter’s ornate formal dress coat
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Conversations with A Master - Part2
which most closely resembles the gentlemen riders’ frock coats of the 18th century), riding his magnificent grey Andrade Lusitano Euclides in exhibition, Mr. Oliveira seems the modern-day model of the old French maitre. Indeed, in that same signature coat, but also wearing a historical powdered wig, he is history come alive in an equally famous photo on his bay Ervideira stallion Beau Geste in levade. I strongly suspect “Le Grand Silencieux,” as Nestier was called, could never outshine the modern Portuguese master. Several notable scholars of equestrian history have commented on Nuno Oliveira’s remarkable blending of the Old World with the new. “You do not even have to be a horseman to see the closest semblance to perfection between man and horse when you set eyes on Mestre Nuno Oliveira,” writes Sylvia Loch in her beautiful book, The Royal Horse of Europe (J. A. Allen, 1986). “This great Portuguese classical riding master is acknowledged the world over as probably the most brilliant dressage rider alive. He might well be described as the Guérinière of the twentieth century, and in true Portuguese tradition, he passes on to his worldwide pupils the disciplines laid down by his seventeenth-century predecessor, Marialva. As with all Portuguese teaching, the emphasis is on softness
Horses For LIFE
NUNO OLIVEIRA DVD 1 & 2
A Piece of Equestrian History “Excellent...”
“WOW”
“I’ve been watching it again and again!”
“WELL DONE”
“What a treasure!” 18
“It is... a dream come true to observe Oliveira at work”
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To order go to: http://www.nunobook.com
Horses For LIFE
Reprinted from Dressage & CT with Permission
Michel Henriquet on Nuno Oliveira
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Horses For LIFE
Michel Henriquet on Nuno Oliveira Previously reprinted in JANUARY 2006 • VOLUME 5 • HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine Reprinted with Permission from Dressage & CT Nuno Oliveira and Baucher by Michel Henriquet By Michel Henriquet and Jean-Claude Racinet A Debate on Nuno and Baucher Between Michel Henriquet and Jean-Claude Racinet This from Michel Henriquet: Baucher or the equivocal dogmatism I hesitate to mobilize once again this excellent ridertranslator that is Hilda Nelson, but I do want to bring up a few points mentioned by our friend Jean Racinet in “Comment and Response,” which appeared in the December 1995 issue of D&CT. It should be pointed out that, contrary to Racinet’s thinking, I have worked as many central and northern European horses as I
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Michel Henriquet on Nuno Oliveira
have Iberian horses. In fact, at the moment, I have only one Lusitanian horse qualifying to participate in the Olympic Games; alas, he has been convalescing now for several months. At the moment, I also have in my stable two Dutch, a Westphalian, and one Russian Holsteiner. All of them are being worked by my wife Catherine and by me. The Westphalian is seven years of age, 1.80 meter, and in 1995 came first twice in the Prix St. Georges and once second and placed at the Intermediate I. The Dutch horse came second (behind the Westphalian) and has placed three times. All of them execute the airs required for the Grand Prix and possess and equilibrium and a lightness that is the equal of any Iberian horse. For this accomplishment, I thank Nuno Oliveira and, through him, La Guérinière and Baucher. Concerning the philosophy of my master. Short of being the “simplistic” rider, attributed to me by Jean Racinet, I can say that more than 30 years of regular work with Nuno Oliveira, as well as with my three of four Portuguese co-disciples, have given us a clear understanding of the sources from which Oliveira drew. The recent new edition of Oliveira’s early work, pre-
Horses For LIFE
Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling
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THE LONE HORSE The Story Behind The Video
Horses For LIFE
The Lone Horse
The Story Behind the Video
[KH]: I’ve been thinking about the main part of what I’m doing with this horse, why it’s working with this horse and why, maybe, it’s connected with this entire theme. Why, maybe, this video, with this horse, with this type of work is, at this moment, popping up. Because all these things are braided together so it has to do with something in general of what’s going on, more or less, in the horse world, even in the world in which we’re living. The world is changing in many, many ways. So starting with the horse. I have been working with this horse now for three and a half or four months. But I do not work with him full time, only for a few days and few weeks, here and there. I got to see the horse and work with him, for the first time in the Pure Practical Performance in September where I had been working with five horses. We had six horses there and I decided not to work with this
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Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling
The Lone Horse one after I had been working one or two days with him just to come into contact. The funny thing is I had only been working with this horse in the beginning, one, two days because it was too complicated. Not that it was too complicated to work there, but I did find out this was something which was going pretty, pretty deep, and I realized that I needed much more time, and the very slow work I had to do, especially with this horse. It was an opportunity with this horse to show people how much time it needs sometimes, until you have the first contact with the horse. The funny thing is I had been working in the first meeting for something like two hours, keeping the horse at a distance, guiding him very slowly from one side to the other. And after two hours, for the first time, I got as far as touching the horse. There is some footage of this material. Maybe some day I will publish it. What was becoming very obvious for me was that the horse had a very deep kind of aggression inside. What you can see there in this video clip is more or less the guidance toward more or less the opposite of what the horse had been in the beginning. And I think this is why it came out this way.
Horses For LIFE
The Sense Method Mary Debono
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Rocking the Horse
Horses For LIFE
The voice on the phone sounded desperate. “I really want to bond with my horse” the caller said, “but I don’t think she likes me – let alone loves me. When I try to groom her, she threatens me with her teeth or hooves. I know I have to be the alpha, so I hit her when she tries to bite or kick. But that strategy seems to have backfired. Zara* is now even more anxious about grooming and saddling up. “Zara is tense and difficult to ride as well. I’m working with a trainer who has a lot of experience with Arabians, but I don’t think she’s helping. She gave me a stronger bit to use, but that has only made Zara even more nervous when I ride her. “What really breaks my heart is that Zara now walks away when she sees me coming. I want a close relationship with my horse but I don’t think it’s possible for Zara to connect with people. I’ve thought many times about selling her, but I’m afraid that she may end up with the wrong person or even at the killers. I don’t know what to do. Can you help?”
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Mary Debono The Sense Method Rocking the Horse I sympathized with this horsewoman, who I’ll call Joan*. While I didn’t agree with her approach, I could sense that she was doing what she thought was best. And, as frustrated as she was, she didn’t send this challenging horse down the road to face an uncertain future. Instead, she sought a better alternative. So, after confirming that a veterinarian had recently performed a thorough examination to rule out a medical or dental condition that might be causing the mare’s behavior, I scheduled a visit to her ranch. Upon my arrival, Joan led Zara to the grooming area in the barn aisle. The mare appeared grouchy, her ears back and her eyes hard. Joan shortened the blue cross ties before she attached them to each side of Zara’s leather halter. I noticed that both Joan and Zara had shallow breathing. At times they even appeared to be holding their breath. With a body brush tightly held in one hand and a dressage whip in the other,
Horses For LIFE
How Levade straight Pia 32
lives in the Part 4 affe WEGames Horses For LIFE
Confinement by
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Dr. Brie Hamblin DVM
Horses For LIFE
Have you ever asked yourself why you want your horse in a stall? Is the answer that it is what is best for the horse? Or because it is convenient for you? Why would you take a historically pasture-grazing animal, meant to roam literally miles a day, and park him in a stall? When did we decide that was a good idea? Confining our horses occurs for a number of reasons: because of lack of turnout space, because of convenience and easy access (no pasture wandering involved here), because we think it is too cold out, it’s raining‌. The list can be endless. I propose we stop and think about what we are doing to our animals. Placing our horses in a barn leads to a number of different health and behavioural issues. Colic, behavioural stereotypies, recurrent airway obstruction, other inflammatory airway diseases, loss of bone density, decrease in GI motility, to name a few. Barns are known for their dusty air and poor air quality. Many barns will not, or cannot, fully empty the stalls and so water and ammonia build up. Wet environments breed more bacteria. The result, more bacteria means that there is more endotoxin present.
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Dr. Brie Hamblin DVM Confinement
Horses For LIFE
The Lusitano for Beginners
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One reader’s thoughts on the Lusitano for beginners. In reply to the interview with Anja Beran
A
nja Beran, along with Klaus Hempfling and Nuno Oliveira, are probably among the people whose work I most admire and to whom I revert for guidance in my everyday dealing with horses. Above them is solely my old coach who was the one who opened my eyes to what a horse really is all about, and who puts up with all my petty questions and trivial everyday horsey stories. However, as any human should think, I suppose, I don’t agree on every point with any of the four, though I think I understand what supports each of their convictions. On the particular case of Ms. Beran’s interview, I disagree on only two points: One, the fact that Lusitanos aren’t naturally collected, and two, that they are not good for a beginner. Well, to put it straight, I do agree with her, but only if I add: “generally speaking”, or “often enough” to the affirmation.
Horses For LIFE
I may be very lucky, or live in a particular horse scenario, but truth is, all Lusitanos from the herd at my yard are naturally collected, have extremely strong backs and hindquarters and have a great forgiving character. This may be because the owner selects his mares and stallion based on those principles, and because here in the island at least, a good mind is a paramount condition. I say the scenario here may be different because we have no bullfighting. (For some reason, all the wild bulls we bring into the island become tame after two weeks… I always wonder if it’s out of fear for how rough the farmers are around here…) However, when I look at the horse market, I do see more and more weak hindquarters and long backs, along with thick heavy necks and big heads. So that may be what Anja Beran was referring to, I’ve seen her work at least two stallions built this way.
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Reader Response The Lusitano for Beginners
The unforgiving mind is also a characteristic I had never heard of, unless from the Alter Real, which is basically a select group of Lusitanos with a lot of inbreeding (the purists might disagree with this simplistic view, though). Anyway, they are extremely intelligent, more so than the average Lusitano, extremely sensitive and will blow up for no apparent reason, if not handled right. On the other hand, from my common knowledge, as an example, the Lusitanos from the one line of breeders have the most amazing characters I’ve seen! We get 4 year-old stallions riding along with mares in heat without the smallest fuss! And they’ll forgive just about anything. I’ve personally ridden two of them and have heard of a few more; they’re about the loveliest stallions one could dream of, with a spectacular will to show off, very eager to bond with us, always playful and 100% trustworthy, not a common combination, I’d daresay.
Horses For LIFE
Baucher’s New Met Developing a Goo
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thod on od Seat in 46 Days
Horses For LIFE
Baucher’s New Method on How to Develop a Good Seat in 46 Days Francois Baucher is best known for his use of flexions with the horse. You may be surprised to discover that Baucher was about so much more than just the hands of the rider. He believed not only was he an innovator with the flexions, he was also an innovator in developing a good seat. No matter what equestrian school you follow you would be remiss in not looking at how Baucher says he can develop a good seat in forty-six days. The following is from the
NEW METHOD OF HORSEMANSHIP, INCLUDING THE BREAKING AND TRAINING OF HORSES, INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING A GOOD SEAT. ILLUSTRATED By F. BAUCHER •Translated from the Ninth Paris Edition. NEW YORK : Published by ALBERT COGSWELL, PUBLISHER, No. 139 Eighth Street.
NEW MEANS OF OBTAINING A GOOD SEAT
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Baucher’s New Method On How to Develop A Good Seat In 46 Days By following my new instructions relating to the man’s seat on horseback, we will promptly arrive at a certain result; they are as easy to understand as to demonstrate. Two sentences are sufficient to explain all to the rider, and he will get a good seat by the simple advice of the instructor.
The seat of the rider.— The rider will expand his chest as much as possible, so that each part of his body rests upon that next below it, for the purpose of increasing the adhesion of his buttocks to the saddle; the arms will fall easily by the sides. The thighs and legs must, by their own strength, find as many points of contact as possible with the saddle and the horse’s sides; the feet will naturally follow the motion of the legs. You see by these few lines how simple the rider’s seat is. The means which I point out for quickly obtaining a good seat, remove all the difficulties which the plan pursued by our predecessors presented. The pupil used to understand nothing of the long catechism, recited in a loud voice by the instructor, from the first word to the last, consequently he could not execute
Horses For LIFE
Foals: Worth S http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXqstE8CQds
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Sign and Share the Petition that asks the FEI: Uphold the Rules!
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/justsayyesto401/
We ask that the FEI returns to strictly upholding its Standards, the FEI Rules for Dressage Events, Article 401: Object and Principles of Dressage and Article 419. Article 401 Object and General Principles of Dressage 5.” …the head should remain in a steady position, as a rule slightly in front of the vertical, with a supple poll as the highest point of the neck…” p.11 A supple poll as the highest point of the neck according to the stage of training and the extension or collection of the pace, represents the optimal anatomical, physiological and biomechanical way to develop the dressage horse according to the FEI Rules. Without a supple 48
poll at the highest point, the Object of Dressage to develop a calm, keen, attentive, confident horse that is supple, loose and flexible cannot be met.
Article 419 Object of International Dressage Events “The FEI instituted an International Dressage Event in 1929 in order to preserve the Equestrian Art from the abuses to which it can be exposed and to preserve it in the purity of its principles, so that it could be handed on intact to generations of athletes to come.” p.28 Thus as articulated in Article 419, the paramount duty of FEI Officials is to protect and uphold the existing rules for future generations. It should not be within the moral or ethical jurisdiction of any particular group or at any time to take decisions or pass rules that contradict completely the spirit and letter of the existing Rules and of Article 401 in particular.
Among the Signators to Date Colonel Carde FEI “I” Judge Selected for the Moscow Olympic Games Former National Dressage Coach for France Former Head Rider of the French National School of Riding and of the Cadre Noir in Saumur Claudia Saunders, Publisher and editor in chief, Dressur Studien Laetitia Bataille, Rédacteur en chef, Cheval Savoir Linda Tellington-Jones Creator of the Tellington Method and Tellington TTouch Training, founding member of the California Dressage Society, Worked and cliniced with Dr. Reiner Klimke, Ingrid Klimke, Klaus Balkenhol. Christine Stuckelburger, Kyra Kurkland, Anne-Katrin Linsenhof, Elena Petushkova & Trainers from the Spanish Riding School. Dr. Gerd Heuschmann: veterinarian, bereiter, founding member of Xenophon, author of “Tug of War” and “If Horses Could Speak”
The Fair Play Standard
Dr. Robert Cook
No result can be meaningful or valid if it has not been achieved “on a level playing field.” There is no level playing field when some riders adhere to the letter of the law and others break it. It is unjust for an organization that has strayed from its mission to penalize riders who embrace and abide by the rules as written, and rewards riders who disregard them with no concern for consequences.
Dr. Brie Hamblin Walter Zettl Dominique Barbier Pat Parelli Linda Parelli http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/justsayyesto401/ Horses For LIFE
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The Great European Schools of CLASSICAL DRESSAGE by Alain Laurioux and Guillaume Henry Reprinted with kind permission from CADMOS http://www.cadmos.co.uk/ and Trafalgar Square http://www.horseandriderbooks.com/ 52
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