I posted this for Dianne to critique my feet. As I am the jealous type, I will ask that she take into consideration that it was a small seat on the saddle, and I couldn't get off the cantle . That patch in, regardless of the saddle I have a bad habit with my feet. So tell em where they need to be. This isn't basic instruction, it is a reminder for all who want to go forward. This blog started out to be for answering training questions, talking animals, and a place to run censored posts which everyone had. But miraculously apparently the censoring stopped, as I am the only one who has posted the censors. As the poison seems to have drifted here, we may have to shut this deal down. It's not anything I care to be involved with, as my "bones have been made", and I am thinking about my family future. As I am fair and honest, and I am proud that a few who had gone away, came back and though it was worth sticking around. Let's spend the next couple of day's letting me know what went wrong, how it can be fixed, what you would like to see. You are the one's buying a ticket. For outsiders you have, had a pick inside the mysterious, closed society that is called the circus. What are your thoughts. There are so many thoughts on what will fix the circus, I don't want to muck it any more with more thoughts. Let us know.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Satin
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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14 comments:
I guess I am supposed to comment if I see something that would merit a comment. I note you are holding the whip in an unusual fashion and the reins as well. Shadows leave me to not see your feet or legs. I can't remember from our times together, but thisw photo would lead me to believe you are left handed. You appear to be much too large for the small horse, or maybe its a photographic illusion. I believe I note a martingale. What was thisw horse being trained or used for. Yesw my friend, no doubt you have been around more horses than I have been "around" cat animals,[none], but I nwould suggest your professional training of horses would amount to a very minute percentage in comparison, with no credentials in the field of Haute Ecole. I use this exotic continental wording as I note you have very little regard for me and my contempories now laboring in the field. So much for my expert comment. Use it as you may seem fit.
Wade, I have enjoyed certain parts of this blog immensely: answering training questions, talking about animals, the pictures and stories of you, your career, your animals, your family, etc. What I have not enjoyed is the sniping that certain individuals have done. Maybe it's time to censor them so that the rest of us can enjoy it. I would hate to see it shut down, but they have no right to take cheap shots at you and your family. You have been very fair and honest, and I honestly believe that is it the critics that have accused you of jealousy that are the jealous ones.
Mary Ann
Ah yes, Miss Satin. This picture I believe was taken about 30 days into her training. A pasture mare with almost no handling she came around rather quickly. Satin was very small but Wade was only breaking her not preparing her for his personal mount so her size was not Wade's choice . When someone is riding a horse way too small it is much harder to position your seat in the correct position. I might add that I am 5'8 and weight about 135 lbs, the saddle is correct for me but not for Wade who is over 6'. That being said, he is in a relaxed position and he does have a bad habit of positioning his feet forward instead of relaxed at the horses side. This is I believe an earlier picture than the one posted of Wade riding the Andalusian where he has brought his legs back due to my constant nagging LOL.
Also you can see he is way too big for the saddle which in fact pushed his feet forward further. The secret is "legs relaxed at the horses side". Too many riders assume that because their legs are on the side of the horse that they are correct but a stiff leg can be as incorrect as a leg too far forward. A rider's seat is like a sailboat keel, the legs are hanging down relaxed close to the horse for subtle corrections and long for the balance much like the boat keel which keeps the sail boat upright.
I don't consider him holding the whip in an unusual way, he is a relaxed position and all he has to do is pick up the rein and the whip is in position again. If this were a picture taken while the horse was moving I would say the whip position was unusual but since he is standing it is natural.
Johnny,
What I was doing was taking her inside the building for the first time. I had only ridden her for a week outside in the training pen. Brand new horse, John just under saddle. Why would it appear I was left handed? If you are going to the left, what hand is your whip in? If you are going to the right? Blow it up you can see it. My passion is putting horses under saddle, and in a effort to "bump" the shoulder over, I have developed a habit of letting my feet rock forward. But them under saddle in an association standard accepted way, is not something you are familiar with which is why I addressed it to Dianne. That is a martingale John. What kind? They are used with many newly under saddle horses. I never suggested I was an expert in Haute Ecole, ever, but I think you have suggested you know about cats. If I am wrong, let the public decide. I put horses under saddle. In an effort to become more versed I converse with an expert, that's how you met Madame Col. Yes young 3 year old fillies are small, but they grow given time. Just like training. Nothing noble or skilled about quick and fast. What "contemporaries", were you speaking of. The one sitting in Sarasota, as you suggested. I didn't realize you had "contemporaries". After you answer the questions above enlighten us.
Wade
John,
I titled this Satin, and asked Dianne to comment. Where did you suppose your comment was asked for? You have to get out in the world more, John
Wade
On the blog. I was very excited when this blog started as I love talking and reading animal training especially since I am so horse orientated, the training of other animals was rewarding to me. Unfortunately training comments were taken as personal attacks instead of just training differences and that's too bad. In defence of Wade he did try to bring back the subject of training when the tirades got too off track. I loved that everything was uncensored and I thought everyone would feel free to voice their opinions and discussions of different methods might be very rewarding. So if you are going to shut this blog down I will voice my and only my opinion of the subject I am well versed in.
Riding horsemanship sucks in the U.S. circus world. Please re-read the word RIDING as I am not addressing liberty horses. Those who think that a manage circus horse trotting around a cement floor doing very poor movements ridden by a very poor rider is entertainment is wrong! Horsemanship left the circus world many years ago and I would no more call the circus horses of today Haute Ecole or High School Horses but only very poor examples of the past. Mostly the horses are not clipped, groomed to any extent, the equipment is embarrassing, costumes horrendous and riders even more embarrassing. I have amateur riders that have performed better in less than a year's training than these so called professional entertainers. I have met some of these self professed professional riders and they truly believe they are the second coming but in fact they know not even the smallest amount of management of horse care, showing horses with 2 inches of hair hanging off their faces and legs, leaving the sweat marks on them after shows and unknowingly and happily cantering around the arena on incorrect leads. Is this all important, of course it is as the wonderful art of High School riding that the circus once brought to the U.S. has been terminated! No one is interested any longer nor care for the beauty this discipline offered. It is no wonder no new blood enters into the circus world as who would want to present their horse on a cement floor and tied back stage to a rope even if they were given the chance. I am glad those that passed before us did not see what their chosen craft has become.
Mary Ann,
Oddly people read people differently when they have only their words to evaluate. In starting this blog I assumed that. In private different thoughts are expressed, the in public. Not the voting for SuperStar. Two of those who couldn't decided are animal trainers, and they haven't addressed What is training, what is subjugation? How much do you actually know of the circus. How much is to be believed. A college addressed Rodeo admirably on Buckles blog, in response to the advances made. On the post of gorillas and different eras no response. Let me call 20 people and "tell" you what they said. Would they post their name on a public forum. Maybe because of fear of offending someone, most monumental decisions are made at Showfolks or the like. An attorney would have a hard time proving "expertize" being told to shut the hell up. Maybe the answer is to find an attorney who won't ask. Just so he can be in the court room. There's 4 on the "panel" let's wait for them. No need for me to go get 20 others so I can tell you what they said.
Wade
Dianne,
Thank you. I have a colleague who has expressed an interest in riding, and thought that this was a good start. In a profession that you used to be able to buy an elephant, to become an elephant trainer, and obviously shuns a standard, did you not expect as many "experts", as ways of doing it? I was hoping John would honor my request for pictures, but I guess not. You know of my dream to compete at the Nationals. I will only say, if I was I would be the best, and because I am not it is because I don't want to, but if I did, they wouldn't stand a chance, so they are lucky or I would have to put up or shut up. Wait a minute, that's the fearful Standard isn't it. 135 lbs? Come on.
Wade
Wade, you asked us for our thoughts about the circus, so here goes. I don't think that the problem is with the circus entirely, but also with the sophistication and education of the audience, myself included. How many spectators know what dressage is? or a tiger courbette? or a long mount? Is there a book for circus goers to educate themselves? Would someone attend a baseball game if they didn't understand the sport? I can only compare to some of my experiences attending the ballet. The audience applauded at all the wrong parts, somewhat akin to laughing at inappropriate scenes in a movie. The audience sat on their hands for fouette (which only a handful of ballerinas can accomplish), and went wild for chaine (which any good second year student can do). I can only imagine what the performers thought! My point of this discourse is that too much of the audience is at the circus for the hot dogs, popcorn, and cotton candy, and does not appreciate the skill, training, and finesse of the presentation. As I am not a circus performer, ballerina, or baseball player, I sincerely hope that I have not offended anyone.
Mary Ann
Mary Ann,
Of course not. I have nothing to be offended about. Odd how there is a worry about offending the circus, but not the ballet. Or are you afraid of the welcoming committee? For people that do end up loving the ballet, do they not have a standard by which to educate and learn. I suggest if somebody becomes a vegetarian, and stopped eating hot dogs, the would still go to the show, if they had a standard to appreciate. I have tried for a long time, and that standard usually is a finger point at how somebody else is doing it wrong, instead of a response of how it should be done right.
Wade
I think when trainers begin talking they go beyond what only their others know they are talking. I believe it is up to the performer/trainer to develop an act that need not be understood by the audience, just enjoyed and if done right that is indeed what happens. That should be the goal of trainers and with that is self gratification knowing that you did reach the audience. I spend a great deal of time with my music and choreography, much though on how I want it to be perceived, most of the time it works but not without a lot of trimming and changing as the act progresses. I find that the act begins a life of it's own and progresses further than I had imagined. I have also within the first minute of an act realized I was really wrong and from that moment it is never tried that way again. The audience will receive you with gusto or tell you it stinks. Listen to them because they are the ones needing entertaining.
Dianne,
One of the most beautiful show's I was with was up at Marineland and Game Farm. The music was specially selected for each act and each behavior. Shows were outdoors, so need for lights. Look a any Sea World for that matter. Ringling was the only othe show, that wrote music specifically for the acts/show. That it is spoken with reverence in regards to Charley Baumann is testament to its importance. I have never had to work to taped music, but a couple of times my son did. They used music from the act the year before!!!! Many times when you go to a circus today it is a quick put together "date", not caring how well it is received or what the public thinks. Get the money and get out. Many times the public leaves with that as there perception of the circus.
Wade
What a crack. That mysterious closed society called the circus. Lets see we have Circus Report, White Tops, Bandwagon, Buckles blog, Bill Strongs blog, your new blog, plus we have had Billboard and Amusement biz. Circus people are frequently being asked for in depth interviews of which they respond. We have Ringling Museum of the Circus and CWM, both with archives about shows and circus people, plus plus plus.
Johnny,
If you ask 10 people you will get 10 different answers. Thats what I mean about dark, mysterious. What is outside the house is different from whats inside. Why are there no more good high school acts, in the circus today? Who are your contemporaries?
Regards,
Wade
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