I'm very glad to show you Manuel Jorge Oliveira, the master of my trainer (Isa Danne). He is also the trainer of Anja Beran.

Here, he is doing a pas-de-deux with one of his student, Crystal Samani.
You can observe the suppleness of the back, the flexibility of the whole body and the activity of the hind legs. Especially nice in the counter-pirouette  at the piaffe, the backward piaffe and the half-pass. And see how quiet the rider is !
His horse is 8 and the horse of Crystal is 6 ; for both of them, it's their first time in public.

I remember a video of him training at his place, teaching for the first time spanish trot to a young stallion. Switching from one exercice to another, straightening out, then another exercice... slowly preparing the body of the horse, to enable it to perform spanish trot - that was really eloquent.
Unfortunately, I don't have this video, but I am very please to show this one that can give a little idea of the man.

Big big news !
From the FEI website :

FEI Executive Board Calls for Immediate Resignation of the FEI Dressage Committee 03/11/2008

The FEI Executive Board has requested the immediate resignation of the entire FEI Dressage Committee. The FEI Executive Board has taken this decision following a series of issues indicating the current Committee’s lack of flexibility on certain key matters. The Committee has been seen to work in isolation, not fully representing the interests of the Dressage community as a whole.

An interim solution is being discussed within the FEI in order to ensure the sound management of the sport whilst reviewing the strategic direction of Dressage. The names of the interim committee and their mandate will follow.

As the custodian of equestrian sport, the FEI will continue to maintain stringent level of transparency and professionalism meeting the requirements of a modern international sports governing body.

We'll see what happen... But at least, some things are moving.

Click here to read the full report I did for the Association Allège-Idéal.

That was really an amazing week-end, with a lot of great people, including of course the three dressage masters, who did not hesitate to take strong positions : "ban the drawing reins" (Heuschmann), "you don't need side-reins", "terrible influence of dressage divas who are more interested by medals than by classicism" (Carde), "it's very sad to see the 3/4 years old on the auctions catalogs pictures, they are already put to piaffe and look like 8 years old" (Balkenhol)... And so on ! Please read the report, it really worth it, as it is very unfrequent to hear such things in a big public event.
Balkenhol, Carde and Heuschmann are very precious people !

 "*Equitation, just like other activities does evolve, particularly competitive Dressage*

What is specific about this evolution is that we are changing the way in which Dressage is conducted but the rules stay the same.  In other words, as with music, the same notes can be played, but in a different manner.  This poses problems in judging the tests and what is more these training methods are copied from those who win, which is quite logical.  So if the judgement regularly poses different points of view, the methods also will not be unanimous.  The recent upsetting cases are proof of this.  The new world came to us with this idea:  what about giving a point on what is done and what should be done? 

Klaus Balkenhol , a dressage rider with an impressive record and US Dressage Team National Trainer together with Gerd Heuschmann, a world famous vet, agreed with your servitor to take part in a symposium.
This aims at taking stock on this matter as well as to propose some ideas to ensure the continuation of the discipline and will take place in New York on October 18th.  German and French people discuss together about the high school.  Here is an all passionate challenge about to start.  I warmly thank these people for their involvement.  I am proud to be part of it."

Colonel Christian Carde   

Here is the link to Maplewood Warmblood website.

It takes place October 18th and 19th.
The Colonel Carde, Klaus Balkenhol and Dr. Gerd Heuschmann (see Readings) will be the main speakers !
There'll be great riders for the clinics.

For JC Racinet, the dominant use of medium trot is one of the aberration of modern training.
Indeed, too many people consider the medium trot to be the normal trot their horse should give them. But before asking your horse to go in a big trot, you should make sure he is using his back properly.
Especially with young horses, this is a difficult gait. The horse has already to use a lot of energy upward, to get his topline to sustain his whole body and your weight. The more muscled he'll get, the more energy he'll have at his disposal, "stored" under your seat. It's only when you feel that you have enough gas under the saddle that you can ask a bigger trot.
If too early, you ask the medium trot as you're asking your horse to raise his back, then you'd be asking for two different and difficult things at the same time : the lengtening of the trot and fastening of the rythm - forward energy and the raising of the back - upward energy. And because it's more easy and urging to give in to the leg order, the horse will hollow his back and rush forward. You'll get the medium trot but you'll lose the back.
The impulsion is not something you ask, it is something you gather, a situation you create.
And it takes some time until your horse is feeling as confortable and powerful in his trot so that you feel you have extra energy to use in a bigger trot.

Time is patience and time is money. But going slowly is the best way to go fast, as classical master once said (please help if you know who!). Many people try to go over each step without making sure the horse is already performing the first one with no more physical or mental tension.
And most of all, the desired frame, the way to collection is very long and shall not be hurried. Don't force a young horse into a frame he cannot sustain because
- his body is not ready
- his brain is already overwhelmed by all this new job he has to do
Don't add pain and stress, and don't get despaired if during the first months, the head move up and down. Reward when the horse stops fighting, disaprove verbally when he fights and get tensed ; but don't force the frame with a steady and heavy contact.
On the lunge line, no side reins or anything, just let him find by himself that everything is better when he puts his head low. And he will ! They understand by themselves, always... Sometimes it takes longer, just be patient. You'll protect the body of your horse from any tension created by side reins that overtense the top line in a contracted unfreely manner. And eventually... save you the time of tightning all this ropes and buckles !