A Natural Way of Evaluation

A Brief Look At How to Trouble Shoot.

 

This article comes directly from Karen Rolfe's Dressage, Naturally website. There is tons of awesome information there, I wanted to share a bit. This evaluation is the same one I use when introduced to new horse and rider combinations too. Thought you would enjoy!

Many times people who have observed me teaching a new dressage student and their horse tell me later that they were surprised by what I did with them, or they ask me how I decided what to do with them.  So I thought I would attempt to explain what my thoughts (and feelings) are when I am in this situation.

 

Let me first explain a few of the ‘systems’ or dynamics involved.

 

There is a Relationship, there is Communication and there is Dressage.

 

The Relationship dynamic is expressed by things like:  does the horse feel confident with the rider or want to leave him or the arena?   What is the respect level?  Does the rider get frustrated or angry with the horse?  Is the rider intimidated or scared by the horse?  How does the behave about things like saddling?  Is the horse’s attention on the human?  How are the horse and the human handling their emotions?

 

The Communication dynamic includes things like:  How sensitive is he to the aids?  Again, what is the respect level? Is the human being clear and consistent, or erratic and confusing with their signals?

Are the appropriate things sensitized/desensitized?

 

The Dressage dynamic considers factors like:  If the horse is willing and understands, how can he be more supple?  Is the positioning the rider is asking for correct for that movement?  Is the horse strong enough?  Is there a balance or rhythm issue?  What is a gymnastic pattern that could help improve the horse?  Does the rider understand this movement?

 

Many times dressage students express to me a problem they are having with their horse, and they are trying to solve it with dressage strategies, when the issue has nothing to do with dressage…it has to do with a basic relationship problem, and no amount of correct shoulder-ins will improve it.  And, often Parelli students have problems that no amount of foundation training will improve, they are ready to use the genius of dressage to take their horse’s bodies to a new level…This is why I feel it is so important that we are all sharing knowledge, so we all have access to the best strategies for all situations.  (ok, for as many situations as we can!)

 

Another system is the Respect, Impulsion, Flexion system

 

Parelli students are taught these systems, and there is much overlap in what I described above.  Basically the Respect system makes sure that the horse and human are very clear in understanding at first, safe boundaries, and later more sophisticated communication.  The Impulsion system deals with the horse’s (and human’s) emotional fitness and degree of impulsiveness, and patience.  The Flexion system deals with how well the horse can give his body to the human, and how much ‘feel’ the human has when asking the horse to yield his body when they are closely connected.  There is also mental flexibility; what is the range of what the horse can be asked for and remain confident?

 

Then there are The 8 Responsibilities: 4 for the horse and 4 for the human.  This is Principle number 4 of the Parelli Eight Principles

 

The responsibilities of the human are to:

Act like a partner, not a predator

Have an independent seat

Think like a horse and not a human

Use the natural power of focus

 

The responsibilities of the horse are to:

Act like a partner and not a prey animal

Don’t change gait

Don’t change direction

Watch where you put your feet