Straightness training, is this schooling by another name?

[Orangehorse]

But a horse should still be "straight" even when going on a circle or round a corner. The spine should be correctly aligned at all times (note: should). It is all to easy for them to get a kink, like a wooden train, somewhere from the poll to the tail.
Often the worst is on the lunge, if they are pulling away their weight is not correctly distributed.

 

[Casey76]

thank again all, I'm not remotely bothered about needing to buy stuff because as far as I can see, much of the content of ST is given away for free for self-study and you could use whatever tack you already had. It's not like the mega sales pitch that parelli turned into (ester I think you possibly shot yourself in the foot by mentioning them earlier, lol)

Unfortunately only the very basic information is free (that'll be the "hook"), the actual full course is about £1250 (and as far as I am aware you are not "allowed" to ride until your horse is working straight and correct on the lunge)

 

[milliepops]

Unfortunately only the very basic information is free (that'll be the "hook"), the actual full course is about £1250 (and as far as I am aware you are not "allowed" to ride until your horse is working straight and correct on the lunge)

Ahhh really? I missed that. I guess people have to make money somehow :wink3:
Sounds like there are trainers dotted here and there though and they seem to be more like clinics than following a strict course? Certainly the ones that popped up on my FB feed sounded more tailored to the clients that signed up.

 

[tallyho!]

Ahhh really? I missed that. I guess people have to make money somehow :wink3:
Sounds like there are trainers dotted here and there though and they seem to be more like clinics than following a strict course? Certainly the ones that popped up on my FB feed sounded more tailored to the clients that signed up.

Is this the Marijke de Jong course? I think she's done well to package it up into accessible compartments. There are some good and bad practitioners around.

However, there are some great classical trainers around who will also do this as a matter of course, again, some better than others. When I started to school my mare properly, I used in-hand but it's useful in more experienced horses to. It's not endless in-hand work, you need to get on quickly but the in-hand allows you go back a "correct" something if it goes unexpectedly wrong later. My route was based on PK's work and I get on with that rather well. You have to pick something that works for you at the end of the day and find something you resonate with. I don't think we ever stop learning.

 

[milliepops]

You have to pick something that works for you at the end of the day and find something you resonate with. I don't think we ever stop learning.

amen to that.

 

[Bernster]

Didn't realise the course cost that much! Have to say, I found Mary Wanless really good a few years back, her book really clicked with me at a time when I was struggling to understand a lot of the jargon that seemed to accompany so many lessons, with a lot of different instructors!

I think you need different schools of training and instructors at different levels in your riding. I find that I can follow most people most of the time now, so hopefully I'm doing something right, but I did struggle a few years ago, when I needed more basic tuition and instruction. Pick n choose as suits you.

Sounds like ST might not be right for you mp at your stage of riding ��

 

[milliepops]

Didn't realise the course cost that much! Have to say, I found Mary Wanless really good a few years back, her book really clicked with me at a time when I was struggling to understand a lot of the jargon that seemed to accompany so many lessons, with a lot of different instructors!

I think you need different schools of training and instructors at different levels in your riding. I find that I can follow most people most of the time now, so hopefully I'm doing something right, but I did struggle a few years ago, when I needed more basic tuition and instruction. Pick n choose as suits you.

Sounds like ST might not be right for you mp at your stage of riding ��

agree that different trainers at different stages can be helpful. It was a genuine query of mine at the start, because I literally have pathetic internet and couldn't look into it in the way it's presented online with loads of videos. I just wanted to know if there was something 'else' holy grail style, or whether we could bumble away as we were quite happily

There's something to learn from everything though, I firmly believe that, even if what you learn is that you would do it another way.

Lordy lord, fingers crossed BT will connect my broadband tomorrow and then I can catch up with everything :lol:

 

[tallyho!]

agree that different trainers at different stages can be helpful. It was a genuine query of mine at the start, because I literally have pathetic internet and couldn't look into it in the way it's presented online with loads of videos. I just wanted to know if there was something 'else' holy grail style, or whether we could bumble away as we were quite happily

There's something to learn from everything though, I firmly believe that, even if what you learn is that you would do it another way.

Lordy lord, fingers crossed BT will connect my broadband tomorrow and then I can catch up with everything :lol:

You don't need videos or stream online. The ST method brings together the old classical schools and the in-hand stuff is very much a Baucher thing - all about the flexions and mobilisation of the jaw, which got adapted by many of the contemporary masters, and still really valuable today - but it isn't taught in the mainstream nowadays. Probably why there is such a large gap in the market, one so easily filled by numerous gadgets that end up in the bin and insurance premiums going up. There's a false economy if ever there was one.

I have to say, Mary Wanless went over my head, but Sylvia Loch I kind of got. I rode very much portuguese classical and now moving more french. A fascinating journey, but one that is focuses on lightness and towards less gadgets, not more.

 

[ester]

Totally agree re the packaging tallyho.

and the not being allowed to ride your horse thing? Ride your horse how? I know plenty of people using it as an adjunct to the rest of their work, no one expects you to stop riding your horse that you have been riding for years .

I also know a couple who were too darn scared too, one was a homebred that walked all over it's owner had been broken but she was pretty scared of it and I thought well at least she has something better to do than parelli with it (fwiw both the teachers local to me were ex parelli and having discovered the issues with it moved on ) I only had lessons with one, she was practical and straight talking and her way of teaching worked well for me and watching enabled horsey natters over soup in the hosts house at lunch time .
The host also had a very skittish cob mare, badly broken and known to bolt, she was riding her by this point but only with help for herself as much as anything.

Also for those further away from anyone no one takes umbridge at the more experienced helping the newbies out either and having their own 'working' groups so to speak.

I could never do the actual course because Marijke's voice drives me nuts!

I had 3/4 lessons with Frank and made massive progress given he is 23, and as it was only 20 minutes away travelled to watch a few inbetween too. I have just added it to my knowledge base for future use like everything else. A friend also took her eventer (having given me a list) and I thought she wouldn't be interested at all but after he'd had a serious bout of pneumonia and lost all of his muscle she was looking for new ways to help him and it certainly helped. It was interesting with him because he can be very reactive and has been known to reverse on the lunge sharpley. He thought about having a meltdown briefly but watching how it was handled was fab.