What PK has to say about the FEI.....

Philippe Karl Official Statement on LDR and the FEI Statement
 Today at 23:31
"The FEI has bravely decided to make no decision at all. Rollkur isn't officially permitted, but the same posture persists under another name (Low, Deep and Round). The rules haven't changed and everything will go on as before, in the most perfect hypocrisy. But we're not giving up yet; rather, we will continue to fight against this catastrophe."

Die FEI hat beherzt entschieden, nichts zu entscheiden. Die Rollkur ist offiziell nicht erlaubt, aber dieselbe Haltung bleibt uns unter anderem Namen („Low, Deep and Round“) erhalten. Das Reglement ändert sich nicht und alles wird so weiterlaufen wie bisher, in tadelloser Scheinheiligkeit. Wir geben jedoch nicht auf, sondern werden weiter gegen diese Katastrophe kämpfen.

La FEI a courageusement décidé de ne rien décider. La Rollkur n’est pas autorisée officiellement, mais l’attitude reste d’actualité sous un autre nom (LDR). Le règlement ne change pas et tout continuera comme avant, dans l’hypocrisie la plus parfaite. Mais nous n’abandonnons pas, nous allons continuer à nous battre contre cette catastrophe.

Philippe Karl

Philippe Karl's Petition

Took Anky up to the school today, usual lungeing, five minutes each rein, she is looser and more relaxed, starting to stretch over her back and neck.
Worked with Remy for a very short session, practiced the giravolta on both reins. He was very calm and responsive. A short, sweet session. (thanks for the info, Trudi)

Just been on Philippe Karl's website reading the correspondence between him and Christoph Hess of the German Equestrian Federation.
Philippe Karl is certainly passionate, but, unfortunately, I think he's banging his head against a brick wall.

It would do no harm at all for all riders to watch the vid below to see what good training can achieve and how beautiful a horse and rider can be.

Thomas Arrives

Thomas is my nephew and he has come over for a few days. He's growing up so quickly and it's so good to see him. Jim has lots of jobs to keep him busy.
I didn't have much time this morning, lots to do, so I didn't ride Anky but did some flexions in the stable at halt. I can't believe how relaxed she was, very active in her mouth and some very good flexions to both sides. I think she's really starting to get it now.

Rambling

It's been a busy few days horsewise with turning out, mucking out, bringing in, holding for the dentist ( all very well behaved!!), holding for the farrier, turning out...... you get the picture.

But no groundwork or riding.

Well the only excuse I can give is that Jim is away and I've been busy ( I really do take him for granted ) and the weather has been pretty glum.

I've been thinking a lot though about the complexities of riding and I realise that the more I've learned, the more I need to learn . Occasionally I get those wonderful moments when it all clicks into place, but it can be frustrating and quite confusing. I wish I could have reached this point of awareness 20 years ago! Although then, I was too busy jumping, hunting and chasing about cross country thinking I was doing ok , wasn't open to all the knowledge that I now know is available to me.

So I've read a lot of the books ( my friend and I have a running joke that we've read the book so obviously we're experts, of course we deal with horses every day so we do know that we're not), watched dvd's taken in the information (tried to understand it) and tried to put it into practice.

It is so addictive. The craving to learn more, to utilise the knowledge,to just be a better rider/horsewoman is so compelling.

I get so doubtful of my own ability, I don't know if I'm a good, bad or indifferent rider ( I have to be honest, it's the riding that does it for me, some people just like having horses around, or prefer the groundwork, or are into body language and behaviour (all of which I have great interest in), but for me, if I couldn't ride, I think it might be too painful to keep horses. Like having the most beautiful paintings and not being able to look at them, or having a collection of the most beautiful music that you couldn't hear. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.) I just love to ride, I want to be better, more in tune with the horse, more instinctive,more able to feel, more able to teach him correctly, have so much knowledge that it's coming out of my ears, AND, be able to use it!

I never thought I would want to write a blog, it's not really me, but I'm finding that it makes me think more about what I'm doing, (is that a good thing??) and also thanks to my blog friends gives me support and a base for discussion.

I know that I'm leaning more toward the French camp, as opposed to the German camp as a way of training. (classical training not competition dressage, which is a constant source of despair for me (don't even go there or I'll never get off my soap box). Of course I'm generalising here as I don't have a massive knowledge base and I know that it is complicated but I want to ride with lightness or "légèrité" and, from what I do know, i'm interested in the methods of Baucher (second manner), Racinet, Philippe Karl, Anja Beran, Paul Belasik, I don't know enough about Nuno Oliveira and there are many others I don't know enough of, probably don't even know of!!

It feels to me that out of the massive library of knowledge and understanding out there, I've only only just started thumbing the pages of the first book.

It's hard to train a horse alone. I miss the comfort and support of having people around, to chat, bounce ideas around, most of all I miss "eyes on the ground"

Just read this back and I'm rambling so I need to collect my thoughts( if I can find them).