Dressage - A study of the finer points of riding

[Titania]

By Henry Wynmalen....Anyone read this book? Thoughts?

I found it in the back room of an old book shop a two years ago in Savannah GA. Read a few lines, thought it looked interesting and bought it. it sat on my self for about two years until I was looking for something to read the other day and I picked it up. Now I can't put it down. I googled the author and it popped up as one of the books that EH suggests...HMMM....funny how fate works....

I'd love to talk to someone about what I'm reading...:)

[Sue]

It's an OUTSTANDING book. I had it years ago, and lost my copy.... lol, maybe you bought mine!

[Cinch]

I've still got it. Have read it about 7 times over the years. He sounds like Tom in a lot of places. My favorite part is about all animals language at the bottom of page 28.

[Titania]

LOL - I've read the first hundered pages 3 times now. Haven't made it past :)

Some of what he says just confuses me - and some of the stuff I think is really really good.

i love the part where he said "a thesis to be argued amongst men may, with good effect, be built up crescendo; the thesis to be worked out between rider and horse, to be effective, can only be built up diminuendo"


I also loved "but I can say this, and that with absolute conviction: there is no short cut, no mechanical means, no contraption, no method or invention of any kind whatever, whereby a horse's mouth can be made well and properly otherwise than by the skill and tact of his trainer"

However, there are a few parts that confuse me -

One he is talking about lunging (which really is not our eastern form of it) and he's talking about how to ask a young horse to slip into a canter from a trot (and by the way this is something that I struggle with getting as smoothly as I would like the first time or two) and he says: Naturally, it is likely that we may not succeed at the first attempt (whew), since the horse does not yet know, and cannot be expected to understand, just what we want him to do. If we fail we have to wait a little, make sure the horse is settled and try again when ideal conditions re-present themselves.

Ok, so I never just keep asking for the horse to go faster and faster until they are forced into a canter, but I do try to continue to ask, Sounds to me and please someone say if you think i'm wrong that he asks, if he doesn't get he releases completely then asks again...thoughts?

[rsandi5218]

LOL - I've read the first hundered pages 3 times now. Haven't made it past :)

Some of what he says just confuses me - and some of the stuff I think is really really good.

i love the part where he said "a thesis to be argued amongst men may, with good effect, be built up crescendo; the thesis to be worked out between rider and horse, to be effective, can only be built up diminuendo"


I also loved "but I can say this, and that with absolute conviction: there is no short cut, no mechanical means, no contraption, no method or invention of any kind whatever, whereby a horse's mouth can be made well and properly otherwise than by the skill and tact of his trainer"

However, there are a few parts that confuse me -

One he is talking about lunging (which really is not our eastern form of it) and he's talking about how to ask a young horse to slip into a canter from a trot (and by the way this is something that I struggle with getting as smoothly as I would like the first time or two) and he says: Naturally, it is likely that we may not succeed at the first attempt (whew), since the horse does not yet know, and cannot be expected to understand, just what we want him to do. If we fail we have to wait a little, make sure the horse is settled and try again when ideal conditions re-present themselves.

Ok, so I never just keep asking for the horse to go faster and faster until they are forced into a canter, but I do try to continue to ask, Sounds to me and please someone say if you think i'm wrong that he asks, if he doesn't get he releases completely then asks again...thoughts?



What pages are these two points on that you mention? Trying to follow along with what you are seeing...

Randy

[reata]

One he is talking about lunging (which really is not our eastern form of it) and he's talking about how to ask a young horse to slip into a canter from a trot (and by the way this is something that I struggle with getting as smoothly as I would like the first time or two) and he says: Naturally, it is likely that we may not succeed at the first attempt (whew), since the horse does not yet know, and cannot be expected to understand, just what we want him to do. If we fail we have to wait a little, make sure the horse is settled and try again when ideal conditions re-present themselves.

Ok, so I never just keep asking for the horse to go faster and faster until they are forced into a canter, but I do try to continue to ask, Sounds to me and please someone say if you think i'm wrong that he asks, if he doesn't get he releases completely then asks again...thoughts?

I agree in the most part with Mr Wynmalen, being forced to canter in a circle can be very scary for a young horse..Young horses can become unbalanced and when that happens they can loose confidence and cantering can become a bad experience.. its much better to ask and if it doesn't happen take the pressure off and allow the horse to re group, get his balance and ask again ..The horse will not think he got away with not cantering when you back off because he had no idea what you were asking for anyways .. Of course there are exceptions and some young horses don't think they CAN canter in a circle. These may need a little different approach and sometimes almost "made" to make the transition and then of course allowed to drop back quickly to a trot to regain their balance and confidence..

As you study the ODDG (Old Dead Dressage Gurus) more and more of what they say relates right back to our "Good Horsemanship" values and beliefs.. They knew most of this stuff!
Ya made me get out my old battered copy of "Dressage" - by Wynmalen, I might just have to read it again .. another one you might like when your done with Wynmalen is ..Horses are made to be Horses- Franz Mairinger.. another ODDG..That is a truly beautiful read..

[canadian]

Well, in an effort to read the actual instead of trusting to my memory, I ended up searching high and low, sure I'd be able to find Wynmallen's book. Well, not yet, but found some other good ones!
Another great one of the Dressage world. Reiner Klimke. Watching his victory ride on Ahlerich at the Los Angeles Olympics in '84, I am reminded that the real gurus of every style are much alike. And the proof is in their horses. Lightness and Joy.
I think this is a link to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbLXpW5-DG0
Ahlerich's nose doesn't come behind the vertical. Ha!
Anything Klimke writes is worth a read. It's especially great that we can see video footage of the proof of his practises.

Regarding lungeing a young horse........I think Wynmallen is saying release until the right opportunity re-presents itself, OR until you can set him up for this transition. In dressage terms, build in some half-halts to his trot before you ask for the canter. If you set it up right, he'll just roll into it, it will just happen, unless he's physically unable to keep himself together. In which case, is lungeing the answer?

Canadian

[Titania]

Hi! Thanks!!

In my copy (which is a 1975 ed.) the canter section i refer to is on p. 54 or "reflections on lungeing"

the crescendo quote is on p. 108 "some important principles"

and the quote on not using "mechanical means" is on p. 63 "The bit"

there are some many other things that gave me lots to think about - I only wish I had more time to spend with my horses to sort all this out...

CA- Thanks for the video! Very cool! there's nothing neater that just seeing the horse roll into a beautiful canter with the slightest ask...just the best. That makes for a good day.


Reata - very good point about all horses needing something a little bit different - and when you put it that way and then I think about the horses he likes working with (courageous and highspirited) - i probably would do the same thing. Guess I got confused in my mind when I tried to apply it to my really mellow QH. Your right... I guess the answer is always... it depends :)

yeah I was really surprised to read this book and find it pretty close to what we are trying to do here. I've thought about picking it up some many times over the years but just thought that it would be a disappointment like so many other books. Guess that will learn me not to judge a book by it's cover LOL!!!!!

Keep that reading list coming....i sure do appreciate it...

[KpH]

I have the book! One of my favorites. I found it in a friends personal library in the outback of Australia.
Later on Tom Dorrance said it was a good book too.
I've learned a lot from it.
K4H