page 2Question of the Month
"We're always taught to maintain impulsion.
How come in pirouettes the horses
are allowed to slow down?"
This is an example of the classic “Impulsion is Energy, Not Speed”
concept. While in a pirouette you will see the horse travel more slowly
over the ground, in very collected canter he should maintain his rhythm
and energy throughout. The whole idea in Collection is that some of the
horse’s forward thrusting power is converted into upward lifting power.
If you see a pirouette where the tempo markedly decreases and the
strides look labored or dragging (as opposed to crisp and active),
you’re watching a bad pirouette.
The same concept applies in all the collected work. For instance, inexperienced dressage riders coming from another discipline may sometimes think of slowing down or shortening their horse for a shoulder-in. On the contrary, they should think power, engagement, lift, and expression when the topic of Collection arises. This is what judges want to see, and this is how each exercise will have its intended gymnastic value for the horse.
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Next Exotic Venues
on the 2009-2010
World Tour
Feb 5-7 Bill clinic
at Jordan, UT
8-9 Bill clinic/book signing
at Spokane, WA and lessons in
Sandpoint, ID
10-11 Bill Clinic
on Bainbridge Island, WA
13 Fannin Hill schooling show
19 Susan judging RHHT
20 Bill judging RHHT
27-28 Canterbury Show
March 6-7 Susan judging
AHAF Spring Fling, Tampa
13 Susan judging RHHT
13-14 Ocala Dressage Show
20 Bill judging
Silver Sands, Daytona
27-28 Bill clinic at Odessa, FL
April 15 Bill judging
Citrus Cup Morgans at
Newberry, FL
17 Bill judging
Holly Hill HT, Benton, LA
23-25 Bill judging schooling show, then
2 day clinic at Taos, NM MOVED TO AUGUST!
May 1 Bill judging Tri-State schooling show,
then 2 day clinic at Benton, LA
8-9 Canterbury Dressage Show
15-17 Bill clinic at Bainbridge Island, WA
18-20 Bill clinic at Spokane and Sandpoint
21-23 Bill clinic at Jordan, UT
28-30 Bill judging at Wm Woods University,
Fulton, MO
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