Sunday, December 28, 2008

4 Best Equestrian Art School of Europe



Equestrian show of Royal Andalusia School of Equestrian Art (Andalusian-Spanish Horse), The Portuguese School of Equestrian Art (Lusitano), The Cadre Noir de Saumur (French Saddle Horse) and Spanish Riding School of Vienna (Lipizzaner) in Paris, 2007


6 comments:

Wade G. Burck said...

This clip really illustrates the differing philosophies of the various school's, neither better or worse then the other,just differing. I note the Portuguese school corrected a lot with the bit, with snatches/jerks, and the Royal Andalusia School, tended to show their horses, behind the bridle and low. I also noted the horse's of both schools going away from the handler when performing levsdes. By contrast there as a lightness to the Spanish Riding School horses, and the only real correction I noted was a slap with the long rein, as opposed to a snatch on the bit. Just my observation.
Wade

Anonymous said...

Wade, please explain more about several things in thes videos and related ones for me. I'm admitting my lack of knowledge and seriously asking for understanding. Why when on long line (long rein) is a second handler needed? Because I do not know a lot about how high school or dressage horses are trained, please explain how the time on the "pillars" (hope I got that spelling right) is more natural for the cappriole? To me this is not a natural behavior of a horse at all and I don't understand the difference in the training method but I admit I've never even seen this much less attempted it.
I cannot find fault with any of the presentations in the current videos because I'm not a technician in these areas - although I did see the issue with the week airs in one of the videos compaired with what I thought I expected them to be - can you, or someone else clarify some of these technical details for those of us who are trying to understand?
Also, thank you for the beginning of understanding of Spannish Bullfighting. I've never really understood this "sport" but with your videos and comments, I'm beginning to see this thing in a whole new light.
Warren

Wade G. Burck said...

Warren,
I would be able to only give you the basics of the pillars, and will deffer to Madame Col. Olds Rossi on the subject. I have surrounded myself with experts, because I learned long ago, "if you want to soar like an Eagle, don't surround yourself with Turkeys"(Jim Shockley is my go to guy for wildlife issues, as Emile Smith is for my European cage acts, and John Herriott is my liberty guy.) LOL Rudimentary principle is the pillars compensate for additional people to hold the horse straight, and one person can school the horse. The additional person with a long line "air" horse serves the same purpose, the horse can not side step or move away from the forward motion asked for. It is the same principle of using a wall to block the right side of the horse, if you are on the left.
Wade

Anonymous said...

Madame Col. Olds Rossi here. Wow, I have now viewed all the videos and concerning the pillars used for Piaffe I can say that they probley orginated at the Spanish Riding School. They are the most successful at using them. The horse has to learn to go forward and balanced into the bridle in Piaffe, anything else and all is naught. The pillars will let one person work the horse and keep him forward,straight and balanced easily then adding the rider when ready, the handler still on the ground allowing the rider to sit tall and quiet not desturbing the horse. I do not know the method to which the Spanish Riding School teaches Piaffe by that I mean I don't know if Piaffe is started before the horses goes into the pillars or during the introduction to them. I do know that pillars can become a crutch to the rider and horse. You will see it mostly in the Andalusian horses as their tempo suffers greatly the minute they are out of the pillars, in the pilars they become confident and do well. I have seen this over a span of years and see that they have not figured it out yet. The Spanish Riding School seem not to have the tempo problem but lose height on their Piaffe when they leave the comfort of the pillars. I do not use pillars, one because I never had any and two I found a way that works better for me therefore the complete training and balanced is trained throughout the arena never having a crutch besides my legs, hand and seat. It's all in the personal success but in case of the Spanish Riding School I amsure it is tradition.

As for the capriole, twe people are best used for keeping the horse straight while he is learning the movement but that can be a catch 22 if the other person isn't a qualified handler for there is a great deal of timing required. I would rather see the trick in it's final stage with one handler but sometimes that is not possible. Many capriolle horses are "one trick ponies" doing that one and only movement and become very "hot" and hard to hold consequently two handlers. I disagreed with that and proved it with four horses, all with the capriolle and all doing a complete act with all the movements as well. I had all of mine geared for the "jump" always from one direction, always at the same place and always down the middle of the arena. In this way my horses always knew when and what I would be asking of them. The capriolle is rather a violent movement and there is really no room for error.

Wade G. Burck said...

Madame Col.
I don't think I have seen a capriolle that really looked nice, or was as it was described in the old books, and never really like the behavior. With the exception of old pictures, it just seems to lack the "effortlessness" that is the historical hallmark of the airs.
Wade

Anonymous said...

Capriole, I saw only one time and it was from Arthur Konyot. He was training a herd of Lipizzans in Chicago and it was amazing clean and effortless. It was beautiful and I never forgot the view, also never forgot the sound of the movement rushing though the air. It's the best I remember of Konyot.