Pics/Vids from Dressage Lesson w/ Barney the Lipizzaner

[RachelEvent]

The following pics vids are from a lesson I had at Huntley school of equitation last month. I have just started training for my stage 4 exam, but i don't get to ride often because of work and living in central london. So when I can, I treat myself to a week at Huntley for intensive training! It's a fantastic place that can train to the hightest level, with a mixture of horses from reschooling racehorses, through to a grand prix dressage schoolmaster, a selection of intermediate event horses and top class hunters - even horses used for beginners are well bred and beautifully schooled.

Barney (in these pics and vids) has only been there one month, and is a ten year old advanced medium level dressage horse. Purebred lipizzaner - he has a Maestoso prefix.. although I'm not entirely sure what that means! I rode him twice during the week - this being the second. After riding him for the first time it slowly dawned on me that I used to know him when he was a five year old - he was stabled next to my pony Penny at our livery yard - he has changed a lot, but is still the cuddly albeit spooky chap he always was. Even owned by the same owner - but circumstances mean that she had to find a loan type home for him - and he's a special chap that requires consistently good riding.

In the lesson we were working on getting him to loosen and stretch, as being a lippi he is designed to be very collected and to be a little too short in his frame. He is being slightly reschooled now to learn to lift his back more and keep it lifting even when asked to lengthen his frame. With this key thing in mind we were also working him through flying changes, simple changes, travers and half pass (both canter and trot h/p)

Anyway - enjoy pics/vids! Critque type comments are appreciated although please bear in mind my riding muscles are severely wilting with lack of use

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=122CV0MEMMI

 

[CER1389]

Love it:

"Muuuuuuuuuurrrrrrch Betttttttt-uuuuuuhhhhhhhhhh"

I'm so jealous though, if thats you riding when your riding muscleshaven't been used in a long time....well...whats my excuse?! You look brilliant, and it's compliments to the instructor that you can see the improvements in just that short clip.

And did you see that related videos, the second match is Adreas Helgrastrand and Blue Hors Matinee (sp?) at the WEG - so thats a compliment if there ever was one! They obviously think your level of riding is up with his

 

[RachelEvent]

Yes, Carole's voice carries doesn't it

Thanks Ceri - after a week of riding 4 or 5 hours a day I felt like I was getting back into shape - only to stop again. But I'm pleased I'm not deteriorating too badly!

Barney is a very special horse, feel privilged to be allowed to ride him...

 

[coss]

great vid and pics! you can really see an improvement in his work, more swing etc.
great riding!!! especially from "not being in shape"

 

[Sexy Sietske]

Think I need riding lessons....

 

[jaydevon]

hi there, the name prefix comes fronm the breeding, to be registered in the stud book and classed as the purest of pure, there breeding lines have to desend from the original 8 stallions, Maestoso of which is one. did you know that they are classed as a rare breed? less than 4000 thousand in the world.

the breed are not "designed" to be collected, but they have a natural high head carriage. what you have discribed is the result of these wonderful horses not being understood and schooled the "british way" you will find that they do not use their backend enough and in canter can almost feel disunited.

bits with these horses play a huge part in the head carriage, a lot of the time they do not go well in the single jointed bits.
they have a natural high action again these days if you come across a lipi in britian the action has changed to bordering on the extension side of things, have a look at your video, then pop onto you tube and have a look at general schooling at the spanish school, your see what i meen.

your riding i thought was pretty good for a stange horse, did you find he had a very bouncy trot?

 

[teach1]

hey I found your thread a great read, and watch! I too am training towards my stage four, and thought about doing an intnsive week somewhere. What can you tell me about huntley? what are the courses like? Its obviously worth doing or you'd not go. The lesson looked great, the sheer thrill in the instructors voice is just amazing. It really makes you feel you've done the right thing, Good instructors always screech like that, it shows a good teacher, pupil relationship dont you think?

so I'd be interested in anything we can discuss stage four wise! when are you planning on taking it? are you allowed to take it at a center that you've been to for training?