Dr. Gerd Heushmann

[rigaletto]

LOL can you all tell that I am in a slow period of my year.

Ok, Have you heard of Dr. Gerd Heushmann?
He is realy interesting he does symposiums where he draws the skeleton of the horse on the outside. He even adds the muscle and tendons, its very fascinating! The best part is that he puts a rider on the horse and shares how the human effects the balance,anatomy flexibility of the horse and visa versa etcetera.

Look him up good stuff!

[reata]

Hi Rig,
Yes, I have heard of him. Mares and I have treated ourselves to copies of his book.
Tug of war: Classical Versus Modern Dressage.
It looks very interesting although I have only read a few pages.. I think Mares has read a few more..
Lots of good photos and diagrams in the book explaining what he means..
Whats your association with him??

[rigaletto]

He did a symposium here about 5 months ago.
Fantastic!

[Excess]

I believe Susan Harris does this too at all her clinics. The "visible horse" and her books are on here. She was explaining the other day how the owner of one of the horses she used for the clinic kept the paint on and didn't wash it off all the way. They turned the horse out the next day and their pastures are near the road. She said that the owner kept hearing screeching tires. She went out and people that drove by kept almost crashing because of the inside-out-horse.

[boosma47]

Fantastic experience attending International Dressage Symposium hosted by Dr Gerd, Christian Carde and Klaus Balkenhol in October. These gentlemen are on the right path as far a promoting horse centered training is concerned.

They provided a clear link for me between the truly classical horsemanship of the French and Iberian schools - all based on the same principles of the vaquero tradition. Dr Gerd is able to demonstrate the anatomical effects of proper, correct physical and emotional development of the horse.

Great stuff, this, and the logical next step in our appreciation of our wonderful equine partners!

[reata]

AHHH!! Love it!!! :-)
Boosma welcome to our little forum. I just love it when somebody can recognise the similarities of our horsemanship and the classical dressage principals, and yes the French and Spanish schools are so similar to our thing in a lot of ways.
The German school nowadays is more the competition dressage but some of the old masters in the German school knew a lot of the same stuff. Some sympathetic Germans are still around and I think Mr Balkenhol may be one of them.
I come from a very UNDRESSAGE, sporting horse background, rode for many years and then found our horsemanship through Buck, then Ray and Tom and it changed my whole world. Soon after the Sydney Olympics I found Dressage and fell in love.. I feel my horsemanship has helped me understand the more classical side of Dressage and Dressage has helped me understand and expand my horsemanship. To me its a perfect mix..
I just got back from a 4 hour trail ride on my dressage horse.. for 4 hours I combined horsemanship with dressage.. it was great fun.. :-)
Glad you found us, I would be interested in any observations from your clinic, I think it may have been a good one.

[boosma47]

Why, thank you, Reata, for your warm welcome.

It is fascinating where one's horsey journey takes one! I'm a hunter/jumper person of long standing and experience, but 20 years or so ago, realized how essential the principles of correct dressage training are to all sporting disciplines. Was first exposed to Buck at the Three Masters clinic in Buffalo, NY 10 years ago, which fascinated me. George Morris I've known forever, but Buck was a breath of fresh air. Since then, I have attended a Buck clinic and had my beautiful tempermental Boo retrained by a NH trainer. For a long time, I was stuck in the basic groundwork, the slow development of the horse, without a clear connection to what I already knew. Boo has shown me the way.

The International Dressage Symposium was fabulous. All three presenters provided a logical, scientific and positive case for their training beliefs. Christian Carde, former head at Saumur, worked beautifully with Dr Gerd and Klaus B. In power point presentations, round table discussions, ridden demos and Dr Gerd's painted horse, the case for humane, horse centered and correct, classical training was made. The goal, of course, is a happy, willing, trusting equine partner who is able to shine. Correct physical, emotional and mental strengthening of the horse is the only way!

Anyhow, Dr Gerd's book is well worth the reading. His voice needs to be heard, loud and clear, along with those of Col Carde and Herr Balkenhol.

Check out www.allege-ideal.com. You can practice your French! LOL

[Mares Tales]

"Was first exposed to Buck at the Three Masters clinic in Buffalo, NY 10 years ago, which fascinated me."

You know, when I first read your post I got a chill thinking you might have been at the Three Masters clinic.......then I went to your website and blog and again I got that feeling and here you come back and say that you were there! Oh my goodness! I go to great lengths (I am afraid sometimes I preach) how good that video/dvd is. Buck really is at his best in that video; explaining a lot of how those horses feel that he is working. It is a great introduction for people wanting to know what this horsemanship is all about, great demos....AND.......is also one I keep to review and review because just like Tom`s book, I get more out of it everytime I view it. How lucky you were to be there in person.

Another WELCOME boosma47 !!!!

[reata]

Oh wow boosma!! And I used to like you now I'm green with envy. ;)
If you have time I would love to know how the 3 masters clinic impacted on people like your self.. and how he was accepted!!
I agree with Mares its the best video of Buck ..

[boosma47]

Thanks, Mare's Tales and Reata. To hear your enthusiasm for Three Masters recording is enlightening. I can tell you, I was blown away by the juxtaposition of my familiar h/j world and by Buck's incredible demonstrations. His main 'student' was a young stud colt warmblood - the black horse - which had been pulled out of a field for the clinic. By the end of the three days, Aaron Vale was jumping this colt around a small course of jumps, quiet as you please. George and Susie had put this idea together, and while no where near as effective, Rodney Jenkins added another perspective to the mix.

The sad part was a frightened young chestnut gelding who had been started and treated badly. Buck was so kind to this horse, while telling us that the hour or so the horse spent with Buck would probably be the only happy time the horse would ever have. Horse was sent over, no owner or trainer with it to even attempt to learn where things had gone wrong. Tragic. Don't think that was on the tape, though.

The h/j world in general seemed to be lukewarm to Buck's methods at first, although he has worked alot with one of our great GP jumper riders, Melanie Smith Taylor, at her place in Tennessee. I recall seeing a photo of BB jumping one of Melanie's horses over a good sized fence - in perfect form! He has spent time in Wellyworld, with the show folk and polo peeps. There remains a small, firm resistence in the discipline, and in the dressage world, to NH, as many feel the commercialization of the BNTs programs and products overshadows the good that might come of the training. As some have mentioned, the image of out-of- shape novice middle-aged ladies doing the carrot stick thing is not an appealing one to 'serious' horse people, the potential dangers notwithstanding. The dressage resistence is more understandable ( if not acceptable!), as the classical background of NH is so alien to many of those involved in result-oriented competition. Their focus is mechanical in nature, not free.

What I find encouraging is that so many true horsepeople are on the same wavelength when it comes to their horses. Whatever their level and discipline, they intuitively extend themselves to better understand and appreciate their horses.

George Morris, who is the top of the top of the h/j world, gives many clinics throughout the year, and I have often caught him referring to fundamental truths found in NH.

I guess we all dream of the day when all these principles are applied and taught in all disciplines. Perhaps it is not so far off.

[reata]

Thank you Boosma, what you have said is exactly how the Video of the clinic comes over. Buck was just another cowboy at first but won the ones with some real horse sense over when they could see what he did.
Both the black Stud and the tormented chestnut gelding were on the tape and we knew the owners or trainer had not bothered to come along..I think it is a true masterpiece of Bucks talents and if you haven't seen the video you should!! LOL (My turn to recommend it Mares)
LOL I had to laugh at your description of the PNH disciple.. How true..Mr P and so many of the other NH clinicians have done so much to hurt the reputation of our Horsemanship.
I think you will find most of the people on this forum respect the more true horsemen Ray, Buck, Bryan, Harry, Joe, Martin.. not the ones out selling stuff or on the TV.
There will always be novice people with horses and always be those novices teaching newer novices. Our horsemanship takes a lot of knowledge and thought, its not easy and to be true to the horse you have to have a pure intent. Not everybody is capable of that in this goal orientated world. Sadly I feel our way is never going to be the norm, but it is spreading slowly..

[boosma47]

What appeals with this forum is the sense of a true quest, of serious intellectual exploration of an intangible entity, a striving to understand what can only be felt at the deepest level. I know many of us of a certain age are on this type of journey, for what could be more fulfilling than to find one's place in the scheme of things? The humility, gratitude and openness that result are priceless gifts.

I have the Master's tape, but have not viewed it in years. Perhaps it is time to do so again.

How wonderful to have new friends!!