Documentation Hyperflexion: The Happy Athlete

The horse in it's natural movements: Please do compare the body language of this horse to the body language and movements of the horses shown on the video clips on hyperflexion. The aim of dressage and dressage training is to develop the natural gaits and movements of the horse. Please also realise that posture and movement in the horse are closely connected to it's state of mind, it's emotions and its'well being.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• hyperflexion
• Rollkur
• LDR
• dressage

[Italianiceisnice]

In this slow motion clip, there are two 1 second frames where the horse hyperflexed just before quickly turning. During all the forward movements, the horse NEVER hyperflexed--but had his poll where it SHOULD be; the neck's highest point. All the ppl commenting how rollkur or hyperflexing must be developed know nothing about pysiology! Why should something be *developed* that is not natural?? Surely common sense tells us that making a horse do un-natural things will break him down eventually!

[hellybelly6]

Lovely horse. He only hyperflexed briefly. It was his choice and not maintained for long. It shows how a horse would prefer to be given a choice. I was always taught that a horse should flex no further than vertical and it should not be forced through rein/bit pressure or by the rider's weight. 'fashion' has a lot to answer for.

[joandme83008]

just want to note that you will never see a horse at his natural state with a rider..just sayin

[rainydayz714]

Ughh, sometimes I just want to quit dressage and do H/J or something because of what it has turned into.

[FireFlyHorzey]

What a wonderful horse! I can't quite see where the beaty is in modern dressage

[zhivana]

this horse looks a hell of a lot happier and more beautiful than a lot of the 'champion' dressage horses that are held in rolkur throughout the test...

[i2iwithhorses]

The questionable riding issue is the "rollkur" or hyperflexion. Search "Blue Tongue Dressage" Patrik Kittel is the Swedish OLYMPIAN rider.  The western clinician...three yrs ago I saw Clinton Anderson keeping his horse in a hyperflexed position, the horse was obviously searching for a release. Dont know if he uses it still. The problem is these high profile people are who aspiring horse owners look to for examples of what TO do. Chris Irwin teaches people to see what the horse is saying & more.

[HorseofCorff]

Who is the clinician. I would like to know who to avoid.

[i2iwithhorses]

CONT'D (clinic participants - yes he can get the job done through the owners; he's a gifted teacher.) No force, no beatings, just body language, understanding the movement of the horse and how horses live with each other. In a nutshell, keeping horses "balanced" in mind and body.

[i2iwithhorses]

I read their eye expression, facial expression, head carriage, tail carriage and movement, their connection with the handler, their back, the degree of tension in their body and where it is. The horses do talk - they just don't speak english; we have to learn how to speak horse!

Try looking up Chris Irwin's work. He bases his work on the body and mind of the horse. I have witnessed countless "makeovers" of the countenance of horses under his supervision of their handlers. tbc...

[i2iwithhorses]

Just because upper level riders win doesnt mean that their horsemanship practices are horse-friendly. I stopped looking to them for my examples to learn from (of what to do) and have initiated a search for masters of the classical art of dressage. So far, I haven't been dissapointed.

The horse is the one I rely on to indicate if any trainer's approach is suitable.

[i2iwithhorses]

CONT'D I've seen this method of riding used by a very popular western clinician. How many more horses are suffering in other disciplines? The first website above lists ways to get the word out to educate the public and influence the governing bodies. check it out if you want to make a difference. If they start hearing from people all over the world they will have to do something. It's a sad day when such agencies for regulation of a sport have to be shamed into doing their job. tbc...