Do any top riders get there the hard way?

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After reading a post by someone else, who said the YO said all their horses where ridden in a harbridge (to help the riders!) and after reading on horsehero ( www.horsehero.co.uk ) about the site owner visiting a top showjumper and being thrilled by the fact that he didn't ride his horse in anything but a snaffle (after seeing countless top showjumpers warming up in drawreins and all sorts and then whipping them off before they went in to do their round)

Does anyone at the top of their game whether Dressage/Eventing/showjumping or whatever get there by riding minus the gadgets or do they all heavily rely on them??

Is this normal practice for them to use them?
I guess I just thought the top riders didn't need them being top riders and all that jazz!!

Is there anyone out there to aspire to?
 
Carl Hester seems to ride beautifully (as do people who ride his horses like Charlotte DuJardin) and although I do not know what he does at home he never advocates the use of these kinds of gadgets in demos, etc.
 
Yes, that's good actually as I have always liked him (seen him at demos too) He is also quite down to earth, i. e with turnout and hacking etc which is good to hear.
 
There is a huge difference between using training aids to achieve something, and using training aids to aid training.

I hack my 4 year old in a (very loose) market harborough, as I want him to walk in a decent shape without having to constantly 'ride' him into it. I do, however, ride with proper contact, legs on etc, and can achieve better results without it - I just feel it helps whilst on a 2 hour hack to relax, but have something as a reminder. I dont use it in the school.
Similarly, my ex racer had a small issue with rearing when he spooked, so he was hacked out in draw reins which helped in not allowing him to get his head up and away with me (martingale didnt work) and in 2 weeks the rearing stopped.

Critisise all you worked but I used gadgets to 'aid' my training, not to achieve a way of going. I think it is perfectly reasonable to use them. The issues come where people ride day in day out with a gadget, and cannot achieve results without them.

FFS a Pessoa is a training aid and people love them, however they shove them willy nilly on unfit and unbalanced horses and who knows what affect that will have?

If a professional dressage rider wants to ride with a gadget, they still have to go to a competition, warm up, and ride a test without one - and therefore can achieve the results. Same with showjumpers...if my horse was strong over 1.30-40's I would put a strong bit in its gob, to save itself and me!
 
Well I can't speak for OP, but the thread that prompted this post made me worry because of the INDISCRIMINATE use of this gadget. I agree that aids can be useful in the right hands at the right time, but using such a strong gadget on all the horses can't be good.
 
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Well I can't speak for OP, but the thread that prompted this post made me worry because of the INDISCRIMINATE use of this gadget. I agree that aids can be useful in the right hands at the right time, but using such a strong gadget on all the horses can't be good.

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Yes, it was like there was no other option available!

Also, horses that are ridden day in and day out with such gadgets, the moment you ride them they are still fixed in that position still, so whether or not they can ride their test without them is not showing their true skills as the horse is still in play to that mode.

Also, a lady i knew brought a horse from a very well known dressage rider (brought a youngster who had been broken) and when lunged would go around with it's nose tucked in, without anything on it... It was until said horse sneezed and realised that actually he could stretch out..
 
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Critisise all you worked but I used gadgets to 'aid' my training, not to achieve a way of going. I think it is perfectly reasonable to use them. The issues come where people ride day in day out with a gadget, and cannot achieve results without them.

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Fab post.
IMO,training aids for horses/dogs/whatever are like flash cards/rebus system for children.Use them to help the child understand what you want and then do without.

If a horse has had little or no schooling,has not been taught to go in an outline ect then I think it is better to use a gadget for a short time to help him understand then for both horse and rider to get more and more fustrated at what is a lack of understanding.Most horses love to do the right thing is they know what it is you are asking of them.

When younger,I worked for a dressage rider hwo is now at international GP.Not once have I seen her ride the horses she was training in anything other then their tack,but she was not against using gadgets to work through a problem if he felt they were of use.

All gadgets have their place,and are helpfull when used properly.
Trouble comes when people use them without reason,understanding or simply because thats what their idol rides a certain horse in.
 
carl hester is a fantastic rider. he always adapts his riding to suit whatever horse he is riding......it is not about using or not using gadgets.... its about being able to read the horse your riding at that time, and finding the easiest and kindest route to help with any dificulties. which mr hester seems to be able to do within 10 mins of being on a horse....if he ever uses a "gadget" im sure it would be for the benefit of the horse and not a short cut to success.
 
Ditto R2R that things can have their uses if used properly. Have horse at top yard, all horses schooled and hacked out in just snaffle, no martingale, no draw reins, nothing but occasionally they may have draw reins or a market harborough to deal with a specific issue and then only for the period needed to move on.
 
I think in the short term, to school through a problem, in the right hands, yes schooling aids can be a help.
On a long term approach with a horse with no (visible) issues- I'm not so sure- what happens when you take it off?
You can't do a sj round or dressage test with some of these various aids, so surely it is sensible to practice without them too.

Also in said scenario below, they were not on loosely incase the horse lifted it's head so it was slack, but were taught thus acting more towards pulling the head down. I know naff all but find this a bit odd, they're flipping highly schooled horses, surely they can work in an outline without them?!
 
Training aids can be fantastic as a short term solution. They can help create understanding in the horse and rider, and can also aid muscle developement. However, over used they can create a "robotic" horse which shows no expression or understanding of the true aids.

I disagree they should be used at the start of a horses career, only correct ridden work to teach the horse about a contact and to accept the leg should be used then. Training aids can be very helpful further along the line to HELP get consistency and iron out problems.

So, its a difficult one I think! But they should definitely be used in moderation, as opposed to being used as the "norm"
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I think a lot of eventers are actually better in the fact they DONT use alot of gadgets, as the horse needs to be an all round athlete, as opposed to being fixed in one way of going?! Maybe completely wrong though
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I agree with KatB and R2R training aids have a place and used in their place can be very helpful.

I don't think any training aid should be demonised per se, it is the use of the training aid that can be damaging or even cruel.

Same for certain bits/nosebands etc.

I've used draw reins and a market harborough (separate occasions) in the past and found them a useful aid, but I wouldn't use them all the time on every horse.

I think gadgets can have particular use when you are reschooling an older horse that is set in a slightly incorrect way of going. Often you need a bit of help to get them to see the correct way and to retrain muscles.
 
IMO i don't see anything wrong with using training aids, espec by proffessional riders who will be using them effectivly! i understand your point if they are being used by more novicey riders who do not know how to use them properly, but if you can use them and ride your horse properly without them i don't see the problem.
its the same as the bit arguement, about people putting bits in strong horses when they don't need them. a bit is only harsh if the hands are harsh. using a strong bit softly can mean that both horse and rider are safe and have a positive enjoyable experience.
 
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