FootFalls DVD/VHS

[Weebonilass]

I'm looking to purchase dvds or vhs on understanding and learning about footfalls. I only know of two people who currently have them out... Mark Rashid and Lee Smith. Are there others?

Of the two, which would folks think the better choice for someone just trying to get a handle on this powerful concept?

[Mulie]

I would be interested in that as well.

[FrancaV]

I imagine both videos have good information but strictly in terms of getting the feel of a horse's feet I'm not sure there's any substitute for having a person on the ground watching you ride. No amount of reading about it or watching someone else do it is going to be as good as doing it yourself and having someone there to tell you whether you are feeling it correctly or not.

The person on the ground calls out when a particular foot is leaving the ground till the rider is feeling it. Then the rider calls it out when the foot leaves the ground and the watcher gives immediate feedback. Do this with all four feet. Lather, rinse, repeat.

As for just getting it into your head which foot moves when at each gait, there are lots of places on the web that talk about this, and I believe it's been discussed in issues of EH as well.

Here's one example:

Footfalls (http://www.equusite.com/articles/basics/basicsGaits.shtml)

Although some folks would argue that the sequence of footfalls at the walk begins with the left fore rather than the right hind.... (Another possible topic of discussion? :))

[Weebonilass]

Franca,

I'm a solo rider most of the time and so having someone on the ground isn't possible 99% of the time. I'm a visual learner. Taught myself to dance on a competitive level by watching other dancers that I admired on tape...over and over and over and over. So I'm use to watching for a change of leg here and a change of wrist there.

I do realize that the partners here are a little different, but in leu of someone on the ground, I'm looking for something more than reading about it.

I have attended a couple of clinics where the topic was discussed, but I need something other than once a year to keep it fresh.

[graymule]

Try "Fix it up for the horse", by Pat Hooks. It addresses footfall, hand, leg, and seat cues. I think his website is HooksHorseRanch.com

[Excess]

Try "Fix it up for the horse", by Pat Hooks. It addresses footfall, hand, leg, and seat cues. I think his website is HooksHorseRanch.com

LOL! I was just going to mention Pat's DVDs and books. I was reading something the other day and was just reminded of him and I remebered this question on this board. Oh well. I second that motion! Pat does a lot of work on footfalls. I need to get a hold of one of his media.

[Weebonilass]

Thank you :) I'll head over there shortly!

[Craig McD]

Having been on the horsemanship journey for a while now, I can understand the frustration involved with trying to get in time with the horses feet and influencing them. From experience I wouldnt recommend spending your money on the Mark Rashid version of footfall and cant comment on the Lee Smith version, although there is a recent dvd out on horses footfall and influencing the feet by a horseman called Steve Halfpenny(www.silversand.com.au) which shows all 3 gaits with slow motion footage and how the feet leaving the ground effect other parts of the horses body ie barrel swing and hip movement. The dvd keeps everything in simple terms and gives advice and techniques for those people who are working alone and dont have someone to stand and call when each particular foot is leaving the ground.
Highly recommended and gives a great starting point and insights into how to achieve good timing on this CRITICAL subject.
You can buy the DVD from Steves website.

[Weebonilass]

Well, I ended up with the Rashid DVD and I have to say I don't think it was a waste of money at all... there were a lot of duuuuuuh moments for me as I watched it, while trying to work today. I plan on watching it again tonight after I come back from the barn. Then try it tomorrow morning a bit before work.

I promised Ah Men a couple of days off after the great job he did for me in the Wolter clinic, so have to wait.

Trying to decide whether or not to get the Lee Smith one too.

[Craig McD]

Thats good if you liked the Mark Rashid DVD and got some use from it...if you get the Lee Smith one it would be interesting to hear some feedback on that one...good luck with it all...!!

[FrancaV]

Good to know that Rashid's DVD is helpful. I know you're not a Chris Cox fan, but just FYI his RFD-TV show this week is about footfalls. I can't comment on whether or not it's any good because I haven't watched it yet. The show is only half an hour long so not exactly an 'in depth' demonstration but OTOH it's free and not a huge time investment. ;) It could be it could be useful; I'm going to try to watch it later.

[Weebonilass]

Unfortunately I don't get RFD in my rural neck of the woods...sigh...

[ELL]

Newbie here.
I was at a Mark Rashid Clinic recently and witnessed him demonstrating his footfalls talk. I got a lot from his explaination of how the horses feet influence its body and how our body influences the entire horse. But the most amazing part of the demonstartion was seeing the transformation in the horses gates as the rider "got it" and to "see" what MR refers to when he says "now your riding the inside of the horse not just the outside" because the two are so obviously moving as one (where they were not in the beginning)and there is something in the horses eye that tells you it is connecting to the rider. I plan on buying his footfalls dvd. I hope it is nearly as good as what I saw that day in person.
-ELL

[Weebonilass]

I'd love to audit a Rashid clinic and, in fact, he was in the state recently, but during the week and I just couldn't get off to go to it. I work from home, so couldn't use the I'm sick card :)

I did end up with the Rashid dvd and boy, did it have a lot of duh moments on it. He's really good about explaining things. I watched it during the clinic I was at and when from having to cluck and get after my gelding for a trot to a swing/leg,swing/leg,swing/leg and he was in the trot. Amazing stuff. Now to just get the creepy crawler down...sigh....

I still plan on getting Lee Smith's dvd. Brent was talking about how well she can direct her horse's mind and so now I'm curious to see more of her stuff.