Saturday, August 8, 2009

say oops upside your head say oops upside your head

A slight 'aside' to start tonight. How the bloody hell did the gap band have a hit record based on the repetition of oops up side your head......oops upside my head I have no idea except that it was a popular thing to get the disco going (sitting astride on the floor rowing for Britain). Sorry I digress.
Any self repecting horseman will have read many great tomes on horsemanship. My question tonight is does this help one wade through the mud of modern equitation or does it make one feel part of the gang (knowing the fundamentals of the system) and actually divert you away from the real lesson of riding and learning on the job. Why are 'masters' masters and why do we plebs know nothing?
Panic not beloved bloggers, I have not lost the plot. Some of you may well 'feel' what I'm banging on about. I have not imbibed more than two glasses of wine and I NEVER lie, lol.

12 comments:

Claire said...

I think it can have that effect, when you're in the depths of Baucher, or Racinet, or Belasik or whoever and then trying to translate that into what you do on your horse, and at that point we all become over analytical and forget to just ride! (at which point a hack is a good plan, LOL, as I did today!)

Di said...

Are you over analysing again, Trudi? ;-D
I've learned a lot in the last few years about what good riding and training should be (also, what it shouldn't be!)And thanks to all the info 'out there', I also have half an idea of how to do it. It makes me realise how much I didn't know and how much I still don't know. It can be overwhelming, but exciting too. The 'Masters' were born to do it, I don't mean that you can't learn to be a very good rider, I know that you can, but they were in a position to devote their lives to it, not fit it between everyday life. And it takes a lifetime and more.......

huh, memories flooding back of dirty disco floors!!!

trudi said...

hehe Di, yes, beer soaked disco floors.

Well good on you two for trying to get my point. I'm not over analysing (I don't think) but I'm fed up to the back teeth of folks spouting on forums/lists etc and then not backing it up with skill. That's the problem with 'classical' there is no 'judgement day' as there is with competition dressage. Yes I know we don't all want to go and set the compo world alight but it's funny that there are so few classicists that do. It's almost as if it's easy to slag off the world but then hide behind the classical tag.
OK don't jump Di, I haven't lost it but have you been reading the CD list lately? Folks that sound like masters in the making but then I see them on youtube, doh, I have eyes.
Oh right so now I'm on one, lol, who says the old 'masters' were true masters? I was near to tears at the thought that Baucher had a crap position (even though he is illustrated in near perfect pose) don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he was a god but many modern classicists take more than a bow at his image.
So my real point last night was...what is the truth?? My answer, naively maybe, but get out there and ride and train and be your own master...it's honest work, truly :-)

Di said...

CD list? Oh where's that? I want to go see!!!
But a true classicist isn't in it for the glory surely? They want the horse to be the best it can possibly be, happy and healthy. They're not pot chasers. What do I know. For me, the truth is in what I see before me. A beautiful, harmonious picture reflects the quality of the training.

trudi said...

Oh Di, I love your innocence it's beguiling. Do you really think that?? You know CD, Ritter's lot ;-)

Claire said...

but if one can get the pot classically, rather than using e.g. rollkur, so much the better...

As for what is said about Baucher's position - we'll never know, but think, a lot of video of oliveira, taken when he was older, shows a position that is not right .. but which reflects his age/physical issues, and frankly, if we could all ride like that it wouldn't matter what position was....

Di said...

Ooh err, what have I said?

trudi said...

Nowt Di,just me with a bee in my bonnet as usual, I'll tell you Friday :-)

Yes Claire, I see what you're saying but if Baucher had the position they say then why did his followers allow him to be represented otherways? I'm just not sure of the truth anymore (never was re Baucher I think he's just a bandwagon that we all get on from time to time). I guess it's like religion and folks become polarised about their version of the truth. Doesn't mean either faction is wrong I suppose each has it's truth but can't see the truth in the other side....heck there's wars raging around the world because of it so dressage has no hope....lol
Yes Oliveira was captured on video and we're lucky to have that, his position deteriorated as he got older but there's many didn't like him even in his hey day, they just don't see the same thing as I do *confused* oh well good job we're all different I guess.

Cabruze said...

What an interesting question Trudi! And one I've been asking myself recently! In fact I decided to "rationalise" my huge equestrian library. I'm much clearer these days about the path I want to progress along and so I'm only reading books which will help my understanding. If they're not of practical use on my journey they're going!! (And of course I reserve the right to detour if I want!!)

Cabruze said...

LOL - you can see why I'm reducing my library - commented before even reading other comments!!!
Trudi I feel the same as you! 2 thoughts to add (apart from all the others which I agree with!) The "old masters" as Di said, were wealthy aristos who had the best horsepower of the day, grooms etc and so all the time they wanted to be equestrians. But the point is that they were very similar to you and all of us who want to learn. Surely they're writings were not so different to yours? If they weren't learning and searching why else would they feel the need to document their journeys? They just had the advantage of loads of money and servants!!
And although the internet is great, it's also fraught with conceit and deceipt .... in short a great place to pretend to be anything you want to be!
(That's what makes me nervous about showing off my little dream boy to virtual friends ....and critics!)

trudi said...

oh Jane, I'm relieved not to be alone :-)
I once left a private forum because I was so frustrated with a friend's attitude to anything different. Debate is good but there is a limit to what one can take, I no longer *care* what people think but hope that the tiniest bit of advice from a video shared may help me progress. I do absolutely understand your nervousness though.

Cabruze said...

I don't mind objective criticism from friends who "walk the walk". It's the advice from those who simply "talk the talk" that I find tiresome. But I'm old enough and thick skinned enough to ignore internet bull***t but it still annoys me!