Classical riding - how to re- establish your riding

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Hug

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Hi guys,

I have been riding for 3 years now, and the more I find about the art of classical riding, the more intrigued I am by it. I admire Anja Beran and find Heather Moffett and Enlightened Equitation really inspiring! I would love to re-establish my riding according to these values, lightness, etc... Problem is unfortunately I am not based somewhere (I am not a UK resident) with access to classical teaching... what do I do??? Is it possible to change the way you ride after being taught in a particular way?

I would love to go for a couple of weeks of intensive classical riding. Any suggestions where? Would that help? Any DVDS, books??

I would love to hear from people who actually experienced the same thing as me, i.e. taught in a particular way they didn't like and then switched to something more classical...



Thanks
 
Heather Moffett at some stage herself did not like the way she was taught and sought the more classical way...

I like her too, I read her book, it all makes perfect sense when you read her book... Just wish I were able to have lessons on a regular basis with her...
 
If it's classical work you're interested in, I'd recommend Sylvia Loch's DVDs and books, of which there are many, and from which you could learn a great deal. I'd also recommend looking at the works of Nuno Oliveira, Arthus Kottas etc, many of which are available on amazon.

Not personally a fan of HM and "enlightened equitation" though.
 
Yes, it IS possible to change the way you ride, but it is not easy. Luckily you havn't been riding all that long so it will be easier than if you'd been repeating learned behaviors for very many years. Wouldn't it be lovely if people actually learned correctly in the first place, though? Which is a whole 'nother can of worms........
 
JFTD said:
If it's classical work you're interested in, I'd recommend Sylvia Loch's DVDs and books, of which there are many, and from which you could learn a great deal. I'd also recommend looking at the works of Nuno Oliveira, Arthus Kottas etc, many of which are available on amazon.

Not personally a fan of HM and "enlightened equitation" though.
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Just noticed she lives in Scotland and not too far from me! :D Do you know if she does lessons?
 
I couldn't honestly say - I know she used to, certainly. She does demos from time to time, I saw one at YHL the other year which was great. If you can get lessons / to see a demo, you defintiely should... And get photos for us on here too ;)
 
Hmmm, Ive got an address but no phone number or email addy. :/ I could prob find both by doing a bit of online stalking but then again, a hand written heartfelt letter can get you quite far sometimes! ;) Will give it my best shot! :D
 
I've watched a lot of clinics at Arrow Training near Pembridge in Herefordshire, a great place to go for intensive classical training, some of the purest I've seen. Their training comes from Erik Herbermann who was trained at Von Neindorff's in Germany.
 
Where are you based? Perhaps someone could recommend a place near you, lots of non-UK based forum members :)

I spent the best part of my life learning the BHS way, I was an effective but not pretty rider. I then went to work on a classical dressage yard and the difference in my riding is amazing, I am sure the horses appreciate it too!

I really enjoy Sylvia Loch's books but they can be a bit technical. There was a lady called Sally Swift (I think) who wrote a couple of books based on classical riding but using imagery to help you 'get it', it is called centred riding. This might be useful if you are trying to teach yourself.

There are lots of places in the world you could make a short course in classical riding, there are a lot of centres in portugal and spain of course, but also in uk and even here in Italy. Good luck, I'm sure you won't look back :)
 
I had a bit of a crisis after 10 months at a BHS type RS. I had been given a very anxious tense horse to learn on and I became very attached to him. I loved riding him but I hated the type of riding I was being pushed to do. Ie contact more contact ect. I felt that I owed it to the horse to learn a better way to ride. He ( the horse) was a wonderful teacher in that he showed me how my body tensions and state of mind and breathing was mirrored by his responses. However I was being told to ignore this and toughen up.
So I searched and found a Philippe Karl trained instructor. Lesson one left me in an emotional tearful state in my car having finally been shown that how I wanted to ride was not a figment of my imagination. I've kept up with my regular instructor, mostly because I love the horse:(, but I can now moderate and balance what I'm being taught.
Good luck with your search. You won't regret it nor will your horse. :)
 
sbloom said:
I've watched a lot of clinics at Arrow Training near Pembridge in Herefordshire, a great place to go for intensive classical training, some of the purest I've seen. Their training comes from Erik Herbermann who was trained at Von Neindorff's in Germany.
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Another vote for Arrow, and I'm pretty sure that they do residential intensive training. Its a bit of an expedition for us to do very often but I credit Sue with turning around a child whose first experience of "Classical" (on a demo) was not happy and we are now all very happily having lessons with a local teacher who teaches classically.
 
I would definitley have a read of a Nuno Oliveira book- greatest classical trainer of all time. I actually visited portugal last year and worked with a dressage master "Nuno Andrade" and what an incredible teacher he was (he's very versitile in his methods though and doesn't soely focus on classical, but most of his work is) he trained for many years with the amazing Luis Valenca (master behind the show appasionata). I also went out to Luis and Filipa (his daughter) a few months later and had lessons with them- completely changed my life and completely changed the way I ride and treat horses in general. I would recommend looking at doing something similiar if possible as this is the best format of learning (well it is for me anyway- I learn best this way) :)
 
TrasaM said:
I had a bit of a crisis after 10 months at a BHS type RS. I had been given a very anxious tense horse to learn on and I became very attached to him. I loved riding him but I hated the type of riding I was being pushed to do. Ie contact more contact ect. I felt that I owed it to the horse to learn a better way to ride. He ( the horse) was a wonderful teacher in that he showed me how my body tensions and state of mind and breathing was mirrored by his responses. However I was being told to ignore this and toughen up.
So I searched and found a Philippe Karl trained instructor. Lesson one left me in an emotional tearful state in my car having finally been shown that how I wanted to ride was not a figment of my imagination. I've kept up with my regular instructor, mostly because I love the horse:(, but I can now moderate and balance what I'm being taught.
Good luck with your search. You won't regret it nor will your horse. :)
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How lovely, I would love to work with a Phillippe Karl trainer - is it just luck that you stumble across one or is there a list somewhere?
 
canteron said:
How lovely, I would love to work with a Phillippe Karl trainer - is it just luck that you stumble across one or is there a list somewhere?
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I think I found some info about PK first then bought the book. I was lucky that there is a place within an hours drive from me in Northampton. PK holds his training courses there so I suppose they should have a list of who's attended. http://www.holisticequitation.co.uk/ perhaps email Derek and see if he can help.
:)
 
Archina said:
Just noticed she lives in Scotland and not too far from me! :D Do you know if she does lessons?
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Yes she does, ive had them :D You need to be a reasonibly confident rider to ride her schoolmaster as he is a"hot" horse, beautifully schooled but very finely tuned, if you know what i mean :D
If you look on facebook, you can friend the classical riding club and contact her through there, or you can contact her through email if you go onto the classical riding club website.
I think you can arrange short breaks where your own horse can be liveried there for period of time while you have lessons
 
Scrooge said:
Where are you based? Perhaps someone could recommend a place near you, lots of non-UK based forum members :)



There are lots of places in the world you could make a short course in classical riding, there are a lot of centres in portugal and spain of course, but also in uk and even here in Italy. Good luck, I'm sure you won't look back :)
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Based outside central Europe but can easily travel to Germany, France, UK and Portugal. Centro Equestre da Leziria Grande, have heard so much! Anyone been there? Any other places in Portugal or the UK?
 
*Maddy&Occhi* said:
I would definitley have a read of a Nuno Oliveira book- greatest classical trainer of all time. I actually visited portugal last year and worked with a dressage master "Nuno Andrade" and what an incredible teacher he was (he's very versitile in his methods though and doesn't soely focus on classical, but most of his work is) he trained for many years with the amazing Luis Valenca (master behind the show appasionata). I also went out to Luis and Filipa (his daughter) a few months later and had lessons with them- completely changed my life and completely changed the way I ride and treat horses in general. I would recommend looking at doing something similiar if possible as this is the best format of learning (well it is for me anyway- I learn best this way) :)
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That is so good to hear? That was CELG right? I have heard so much about it? How long did you spend there? Did you take your horse with you?
Even a few days there would help tremendously right?
 
Hug said:
That is so good to hear? That was CELG right? I have heard so much about it? How long did you spend there? Did you take your horse with you?
Even a few days there would help tremendously right?
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Yep, it's CELG. I only spent 4 or 5 days there with 1 lesson per day with Fillipa, what an amazing teacher she was and I can't believe how much I learnt in such a small space of time. I also watched Luis (and aload of his students) teach also. I was pretty star struck watching Luis teach some young horses (they have such a great/deep respect for him that I've never witnessed in a partnership before) ...they're a lovely family too. Fillipa's young neice (13) teaches her own horses to grand prix level :eek::eek: ...we were lucky enough to be invited by Fillipa to go with her while she ran through a comp test with her neice and OMG that was an experience in itself.

A few days will help most definitley- it did me. Lessons are pretty expensive but it's money well spent and it's not everyday you are taught by the biggest riders/trainers in classical dressage.

Feel free to PM me if you want any more info :)

Didn't take my horse with me on my trip to Nuno Andrade's yard as it wasn't something I wanted to do permanently, and I wasn't there very long. I was debating whether to take a career break and head back over there to train with my mare, but at 14 I knew she was ready to step it down a gear (she had already had an amazing event career so it wouldn't have been fair)...I planned to head back alone (leaving my mare in the care of my amazing friends and YO) but sadly real life took over and it all started to seem a distant memory and just a dream, then I lost my beloved mare and couldn't face riding again. This has all been very recent, went to Nuno this time last year and lost my mare in June- I still am in regular contact with him as we became good friends and he often tells me off for giving up my talent, he always used to tell me I could have made it as a dressage rider. As of saturday I will have a new pony in my life though, a beautiful andalucian so I will be heading back to Nuno next year for a small stint (much to my happiness...and his)
 
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I train in the UK with Diane Followell who was a full time student of Nuno Olvieira for over 3 years and is an amazing teacher. Several of the people who also train with her also go to Morgado in Portugal and seem to really love it.
 
Hi read you blog which was really interesting. Not sure whether I missed it but who is Sue the instructor you refer to?

Many thanks
 
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