تمرینات درساژ

[Naghmeh Cavallaro]

My experience from Sitting trot

salam dustan
Akharin matlabi ke dar ghesemate deresaj gozashtam Sitting Trott bude!Motmaen bashid ke in akharin ham nist;ama chera dar in ghesmat maks kardam?!Ta be hal shodeh baraye ye chizi ke koli zahmat keshidi va vaght va sarmayeh gozashti ye dafeh divaneh beshi va bekhahi ba ye lagad kharab koni?!baraye man dar in marhaleh az savari in hes pish oumad,bad az koli tamrinate mokhtalef,movafagh nemishodam ke be hich tarighi sitting trott beram?ki bavaresh mishe ke taghriban aksare harekathaye forhand ra mitunestam anjam bedam ama in harekate maskhareh baram ye ghul shodeh bud!hich ino eib nemidunam ke begam 4 mah dashtam say mikardam ama movafagh nemishodam,faghat ruye zin bala va payin miparidam be shedat va azolate kamaram ra hala spasm midadam!ajib bud vaghean,engar ghofl shodeh bud!ta inke ye ruze sarde zemestun ke khaili ham khasteh budam va az sare kar be savari rafteh budam shoru be tamrin kardam va ehsas kardam ke azoleh haye kamaram sang shodeh va aslan momken nist ke fekr konam mitunam enetaf dashteh basham,hahahahah chikar kardam!be moalemam goftam man digeh nemiam!engar ounam fahmideh bud,dar ebteda hichi nagoft.hafteye sakhti ra poshte sar gozashtam !akhe tasmim gerefteh budam ke digeh hala halaha naram donbal savari,ama delam baraye buye asbha va shihe hashun tang shodeh bud,hanuz muhaye Kevin be polouveram chasbideh bud.ta inke ye ruz yeki az dusthaye khubam ke ye asbe mehrabun va naz dareaz man davat kard ke beram be stableshun sar bezanam,lebase savari ham nabordeh budam,oun ruz khaili bikhial budam,ye dafeh be man goft mikhahi savari koni ba asbam behesh goftam na !goft chera?kholaseh jaryan ra barash goftam,begzarim be har zuri bud mano savar kard,rekabha ra dar avordim va arum shoru kard az ghadam be trott va man bikhial neshasteh budam va khaili ghashang sitting trott miraftam bedune ounke bedunam dustam goft pas to moshkelt chi bud?¨to ke bedune moshkel miri!kholaseh injuri bud ke man yad gereftam ,ama chera az in khatereh sohbat kardam,baraye inke ino begam:
bazi oghat tamrine modam javab nemideh chon hamrah ba stress mishe va stress baes mishe ke shoma azolatetun ra monghabez konid va dar bazi harekat ha va be khosus in harekate oun natijeh ra nagirid¨
dar morede man in sadegh bud, shayad ageh hamun avayel baraye khodam in ghazieh ra bozorg nemikardam mitunestam relax basham va zudtar yad begiram.
faramush nakonim ke ma mikhahim savar kare khubi bashim va dar in rah bayad relax bashim va dar yadgiri sabur! ma dar mosabeghe nistim ke hamash fekr konim dir shodeh! Pas sharte aval ine ke Relax bashim , sharte dovom ine ke tamrinate ba ghayede dashteh bashim, va dar akhar sabur bashim khob dustan man az khodam shoru kardam ,az noghteye atfe savarkarim,sitting trott,dust daram shoma ha ham begid,montazere hastam,dar zemn posthaye badi ra donbal konid lotfan chon man tasmim daram az tamrinate deresaj inja modam matlab bezaram

 

[DADAR]

salam
doste aziz be nokteye khobi eshareh kardid (SITTING TROTT) YA HAMOON YOURTMEYE NESHASTEH

AZ NAZARE MAN SITTING TROTT MARZE BEYNE AMATOR MONDAN VA RAFTAN BE SAMTE SAVAREYE HERFEHEE AST

KASANI KE NATONAN SITTING TROTT RO BE KHOBI EJRA KONAN BARAYE HAMISHEH DAR MARAHELE EBTEDAEYE DRESSAGE YA TRAINING LEVEL KHAHAND MOND

NAGHMEH BE MATLABE KHOBI ESHAREH KARD ; RELAX BODAN CHEH AZ LAHAZE BADANI VA CHEH AZ LAHAZE RAVANI YEKI AZ KLIDHAYE MOVAFAGHEYAT DAR IN VARZESH HAST

VA BARAYE SITTING TROTT HATMAN NEYAZ HAST KE AZOLATE BADAN BE KHOSOS GHESMATE KAMAR VA POSHT HAMCHENIN LAGAN VA RANHA RELAX BASHAND TA MAFASELE BEYNE SETONE MOHREH HA VA LAGAN YA HIP BETONE BE AZADI BE HAMRAHE HAREKATE KAMARE ASB HAREKAT KARDEH
DAR GHEYRE INSORAT VA DAR HALATE ENGHEBAZE AZOLAT SAVARKAR BE JAYE HAREKAT KARDAN BA AZOLATE POSHTEYE ASB MORATABAN BA HAR GAME ASB BE BALA VA PAEEN PARTAB MISHEH

YAD GEREFTANE IN HAREKAT ANCHENAN HAM KE BE NAZAR MEYAD ASOON NIST VA MOSTALZEME TAMRINATE SAHIH VA TOLANI MODAT HASTESH BE HAMIN KHATER HAM HAST KE MIBINIM KHEYLI AZ SAVARKARANI KE BE KHODESHOON TAHAMOLE IN SAKHTI RO NEMIDAN HAMISHEH DAR HALE POSTING TROOT YA HAMOON YOURTMEYE AZAD HASTAND VA DAR VAGHEA NEMITONAN AZ ASARE NESHAST BAHRE BEBARAND

NAGHMEH MAMNOON AZ ESHAREH BE IN NOKTEYE MOHEM VA HAMINTOR KHATEREYE ZIBAT

 

[سمیرا]

نغمه جان بسیار ممنونم از گفتن تجربه ات.بسیار زیبا بود.البته خیلی تعجب كردم كه تصمیم گرفته بودی دیگه نری سواركاری.چون من حتی نمیتونم تصورش رو بكنم كه یه روز همچین تصمیمی بگیرم.من هنوز به اون نقطه عطفی كه میگی نرسیدم.اما میتونم از اسب خوبی یاد كنم كه اعتماد به نفسم رو به من برگردوند.اسب ریز نقش و باهوشی كه اشتباهات منو نادیده میگرفت. اینجاست كه اهمیت كار كردن سواركار مبتدی با اسب با تجربه مشخص میشه.در مورد اون جمله ای كه گفتی ما توی مسابقه نیستیم ، درست میگی.با همین فكره كه من دوباره شروع كردم تا اشكالاتم رو برطرف كنم و از این بابت خوشحالم.فكر میكنم اینكه بدونیم همه سواركارا از اول سواركار نبودن و چه بسا با مشكلات فراوان و تحمل سختیهای زیاد به این مرحله رسیدن ، نه به آسونی ، به ما كمك میكنه صبورتر باشیم و به هدفمون اعتقاد داشته باشیم تا بتونیم خوب تلاش كنیم.سواركاری ایجاد ارتباط با روح یه موجود زنده و توانایی های اونه.مطمئنا كار آسونی نیست و نیاز به حوصله و پشتكار داره.

 

[Naghmeh Cavallaro]

Salam

samira va dadare aziz mamnunam az taghibe posthaye man
khaili khosh halam ke inghadr moshtagh va faal hastid,man be hamatun eftekhar mikonam,.
Samira jan,az ye asbe zarif va bahush harf zadi,esmesh chi hast?hichvaght in heyvune nazanin ra faramush nakon va hata ageh mishe baraye khodet azash ax bendaz,miduni chera,in heyvun ehsase tarse to ra bartarf karde va ye jurhayi to ra dobareh ehya karde,ino bedun ke behesh khaili madyuni!behesh mohabat kon va say kon bahash bishtar sar koni.ageh barat maghdur bud hala ke azash harf zadi tuye posthaye badi axesh ra bezar va ye meghdar azash sohbat kon.Man be asbha ham be andazeye ensanha ehteram mizaram.pas bia az in asbe naz injuri taghdir konim!montazer hastam

 

[Naghmeh Cavallaro]

Classical seat

​

A Good Posture

In a chair position, the points of gravity in the human skeleton are not aligned. In a standing position, a straight vertical line can connect the points of gravity. The points of gravity start with the ear, then the point of the shoulder, then the second sacral vertebra, then the hip joint, and finally, the ankle.

What Xenophone implied in his writings was to maintain the straight vertical line while in the saddle. To put the picture together, stand with your side to the mirror, shoulders square, back straight, legs slightly apart. Now bend your knees as they would be if you were in the saddle. Make sure that you keep your back straight and your shoulders square. You will notice the vertical line connecting the points of gravity has not changed. This is the ideal posture that leads to harmony between you and your horse as it places the rider in responsibility of their own weight.

Why That Particular Seat?

Horses are sometimes unpredictable. A good confident seat will provide the rider with security and safety in case of emergencies. A chair position in a saddle can result in an insecure seat and inevitable falls. With your legs forward in the chair position, you are loosing contact between your inner thigh muscles and the horse. These muscles, when assisted with a proper leg position (i.e. maintaining the vertical line of gravity) act as a seat belt - holding you in place - when an emergency occurs.


The Chair Seat
Stirrups are short and the leg is too far forward, which causes uneven weight distribution and a weak seat

The Correct Seat
The shoulder, hip, and heel can all be connected by one vertical line. This is a truly balanced, secure position.


There are several benefits resulting from a good seat. Among them are safety, control, comfort, elegance, confidence, and harmony with your horse.

"There is nothing more beautiful than a correct classical seat which naturally sets the horse at his best. Horses trained in this way actually grow in beauty as they develop the correct muscles and transform from mere vehicles into gymnasts."

Tozihe position aval ke ghalat mibashad: rekab besiar kutah hast,zanuye savar kar va kolan tamamie pa khaili jolo amade va baes mishe ke savar kar neshaste motmaeni nadashteh bashe[/b]

 

[Naghmeh Cavallaro]

The back and pelvis

Flexibility

It does not take a genius to recognize that a stiff body on top of a moving or bouncing body will cause jarring and banging. The human body enjoys natural flexibility and elasticity that allows it to act as a shock absorber and move in union with the horse. The motion of a horse in trot can throw about a rider who has locked his hip and back muscles, causing uncomfortable bumping against the saddle. By combining the flexibility concept with the principle of Jean Licart, one can reach the conclusion that total union with the horse can only be achieved through the separation of motion between the pelvis and the trunk.

To explain this further, a rider should remain upright with his shoulders square and his back straight, and allow his lower back and hips to move in collision with the horse, thereby separating the upper back from the pelvis, and achieving a still, quiet seat in the saddle.

The Pelvis

The distribution of muscles in the lower back allow the pelvis to rotate and absorb the motion of the horse. By stretching and contracting these muscles, the pelvis can acquire the proper angles as the horse moves. When you flatten your back, you're stretching your back muscles and rotating the pelvis to a backward tilt. However, this should not be confused with the upright position in the saddle since the pelvis naturally stands at 0º. Also by exaggerating the curve in the lower back, you're contracting your muscles, and tilting the pelvis in a more forward position.

Sitting properly to the trot will give this concept a better meaning. As the horse steps underneath himself, you are pushed upwards (shock absorption in the lower back and pelvis will contract the muscles; then to absorb the downward drop, the muscles will stretch, allowing the pelvis to rotate backwards, thereby flattening the back.)
Although it may take time before sitting classically to the bouncy gaits is perfected, it does not take any strenuous effort. What needs to be learned is the relaxation in the pelvis and the lower back muscles. Once relaxation is achieved, the pelvis will move naturally and absorb the motion of the horse, letting the horse and rider appear as though they have become one body.

"If the rider is able to sit in balance with his seat bones well underneath him and his upper body in correct alignment over his hips, the pliancy of the spine in the loin area will allow him to remain as though glued to the saddle."

Sylvia Loch, "The Classical Seat"


The abdominal muscles are attached to the pelvis, therefore tensing these muscles will drive the pelvis out of its natural tilt. By keeping the abdominal muscles relaxed, the pelvis can move freely. With the horse stationary, the pelvis should be at its natural 0º tilt. In the forward, bouncy gaits, such as the medium trot, it is helpful to tilt the pelvis slightly backwards to aid in sitting deeply into the saddle. In collected gaits, some riders prefer to accent the curve in the small of their backs, rotating the pelvis slightly forward and shifting the weight from the seat bones to the fork.​

 

[Naghmeh Cavallaro]

Acheiving the seat

A truly good seat includes the head, shoulders, arms, back, legs, bottom, and crotch. It does not only refer to the triangular base of support under the body. To obtain the deep secure position in the saddle, stretch your legs downwards and open them as far apart as comfortable. A deep seat with a properly supported back and pelvis should immediately follow once the leg position is achieved

The Chair Seat

Many of our modern design saddles automatically position riders in the chair seat. A rider sitting on his tail near the rear of the saddle with his legs forward is said to be acquiring a chair seat.


The Chair Seat
With the weight on the rear of the saddle and the legs in the forward position, a rider may feel that he had acquired a fairly secure position. This may be true, until an emergency arises. The Classical seat allows weight to be distributed evenly over the center of gravity of the horse, thereby achieving balance, which in turn leads to true security. The Chair seat is often seen on showjumpers and cross-country riders. The forward leg prevents the rider from diving over the horse's head when landing from a jump. So a slightly forward leg position is necessary for jumping, but doesn't work for dressage or flatwork.
Some dressage saddles, with their long, straight cut flaps, place riders closest to the ideal position. General purpose and close-contact saddles, ridden with short stirrups, instantly push the legs out of the imaginary line of gravity.


The Three Point Seat

The Chair seat can also be referred to as the Two-Point Seat. This can simply be translated into sitting on the two seat bones. The two seat bones are the two points. The Three-Point Seat composes part of the classical seat. The third point is the inferior pubic arch, i.e. the fork or crotch. The three point seat forms a triangular base for the seat. When the rider is sitting on all three points, the pelvis will gain natural support that will hold it in the correct position. Only be sitting exactly in the middle of the saddle on all three points of the base of the pelvis can a rider open his legs and mould his thighs around the horse.

"The rider must sit rather forward in the deepest part of the saddle. His weight must be on the two pelvic bones and the crotch, that is three points of support."

A.K. Frederiksen, Danish cavalry instructor.

The ideal seat can influence the horse significantly. By flattening the back (tilting the pelvis backward), the horse can be driven forward into a more extended pace. Likewise, by enhancing the curve in the lower back (tilting the pelvis forward), the horse can be gathered into a more collected pace, as the seat will act as a restraining aid. By manipulating the pelvis while seated in the classical position, not only can you control the pace, but also the direction you want to go by subtle shifting of weight between seat bones.

Tips

When you mount, remove both feet from the stirrups. Sit erect, almost reaching for the sky, then open your legs wide, keeping your knees straight. Squeeze them as far away as possible from the horse, then relax. Place your feet in the stirrups again. Voila! In most cases, you will have achieved the classical seat!

If you have a fleshy thigh, tuck the fleshy part to the back of the thigh, leaving the inner thigh as close to the horse as possible.

Opening and relaxing the buttocks will help your body absorb the movement of the horse.

Remember that a strong, secure seat is also a sensitive one. Through practice, a sense of feel will develop, a harmony between horse and rider will be achieved.

​

 

[Naghmeh Cavallaro]

The Legs

An effective, deep seat in the saddle will lead to an effective, sensitive leg.

Introduction

We are becoming more and more aware of the benefits of a good posture while sitting, walking, jogging, etc. And we are aware of the harmful effects of a bad posture. Fitness and health experts advise us of walking with our backs straight and shoulders square. Rounding the back and dropping the shoulders causes muscle strain and back problems. A person with a stiff hip joint may walk from his knees- i.e. bending the knees without much movement from the hip joint. Since the human skeleton is all connected through joints and ligaments, a rounded back restrains the hip joints from moving to their full potential. Their full potential, however, is not necessary for a good posture. Gymnasts, ballet dancers, circus acrobats, and many others are able to use their muscles and skeleton to their full potential. As riders, such degrees of suppleness are not required of us to sit correctly and in harmony with the horse.

To reach a fair degree of suppleness in the hip joint, a good posture in the ground would be essential. Walking from the hip joints, rather than from the knees, can help supple the area. Maintaining a good posture on the ground will lead to a naturally good seat on a horse. When standing or walking, keep your back straight and your pelvis in its upright position. Keep in your mind the checkpoints that connect the vertical line of gravity, as it applies both on horseback and on the ground. As mentioned previously in The Classical Seat section, the line of gravity begins on the ground, and is carried on to place you in the correct position on horseback.

On The Horse

After ensuring that you are sitting deeply in the saddle (by lifting the thighs away from the saddle), bend your knee and bring your heel up to hold it in your hand. Hold your leg in this position for a few seconds to stretch your hamstrings, then slowly drop it. This should place your leg in an almost straight position. Now, as subtly as possible, shift your thigh only a very small distance forward, and relax your leg. Repeat the exercise with the other leg. Provided that your pelvis is upright and your back is supporting itself, you should now be seated in the classical and most ideal position. Your legs should be bent slightly at the knee, not stretched uncomfortably straight. Your stirrups can aid in keeping you in this position but being just long enough to rest the ball of your feet higher then your heels. Riding without stirrups will help the legs hang longer, which will result in lowering the stirrups a couple of holes. It may help to watch grand prix dressage riders, as their legs appear to be longer than they actually are, while they are only letting them relax in the most natural position.

"Spreading the buttocks to form as broad a base underneath you as possible is very important as it will allow the leg to hang unconstricted.. ready to embrace the barrel of the horse."

Sylvia Loch, "The Classical Seat".

The Upper Leg

The main function of the upper leg is, working in conjunction with the pelvis, helps keep you in the proper position. Since we have, mentally, already separated the trunk from the pelvis, it is time to connect the pelvis to the upper leg, imagining that they have both become part of the horse. Beware that a sensitive horse will be able to detect the slightest tensing of muscles, therefore, it is not favored to contract or tense up the thigh muscles to provide a secure seat. If the thigh is in the position described above, its mere weight will be enough to maintain the secure and deep seat. It is amazing to know that it is quite possible to hold a piece of paper between the thigh and the saddle without any gripping from the rider if he is seated correctly!

The Lower Leg

The function of the upper leg has been identified. Now the lower leg has to work independently from the upper leg. The lower leg's purpose is the application of the aids. The lower leg should also lie closely against the horse, but contracting the calf muscle to do so must be avoided. In fact, tensing the calf muscle will cause the knee to turn outward, which will, in turn, lead to loss of contact between the thigh and the saddle. The same principle applies to the lower leg, gripping contradicts the classical seat, and therefore the legs must lie closely yet relaxed around the horse. The foot is to 'rest' in the stirrup without any conscious effort. Be careful of pushing down with your heel to keep the stirrup, as this has a tendency to shift the lower leg into the chair seat position (leg forward). The weight of your leg is sufficient to keep the heel lower than the toes, thus, the stirrup can be regarded as a foot rest.

The Leg Aids

The aids provided by the lower leg can be summarized in the words of Sylvia Loch in her book, The Classical Seat:-

"As well as activating, the lower leg also supports, directs, limits, controls, encourages, allows, and makes possible every variation of turn and of forward, lateral, backward, and, in haute ecole, even upward work of the horse in all gaits."

An aid should be viewed as a helping hint, instead of a command. Leg aids should be in the form of a caress. Kicking, nudging, and squeezing for prolonged periods will make a horse less and less responsive, eventually growing numb to your aids. A horse can feel a fly on his belly. Violent aids are not only uncomfortable for the horse, but are tiring for the rider, confusing for the horse, visually disturbing for the onlooker, and limit the variation of aids provided by the lower leg.

The leg, applied just behind the girth, asks for impulsion. In the shoulder-in, the inside leg applied in this manner allows the horse to bend around the leg and maintain impulsion. In the half-pass, it serves the same purpose. When stationary, a slight pressure from the thighs can move the horse into walk. To trot, a gentle caress with the lower leg should be all that is necessary. For a proper transition into canter, the inside leg activates the forward motion.

Applied approximately three inches behind the girth, the leg asks for sideways movement. A single caress, however, merely supports the hindquarters from swinging outwards. For instance, for the half-pass, the inside leg is applied on the girth, and the outside leg behind the girth asks the horse to step laterally. In association with shifting the weight to the inside seat bone, the horse will bend around the inside leg, step away from the outside leg, and move his center of gravity under your new center of gravity (the inside seat bone).

It is said that the pressure applied behind the horse's elbow (just before the girth) frees the elbow and encourages the horse to swing his forelegs forwards actively to extend the pace, provided that impulsion is already achieved. The aid should given with the toe, and the leg must return to its original position once the horse responds.

The Leg aids should always be applied with empathy and understanding. Remember that you should relieve the pressure as soon as the horse responds as this serves as reward for his reaction.

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[Naghmeh Cavallaro]

The Hands

How to Use the Hands

Our seat and legs create the energy, our hands fine tune that energy. The hands carry out a polite conversation with the horse through the reins, and should never force or pressure the horse into obedience. The reins should therefore be considered a tuning aid rather than a steering wheel.

Many riders practically ride with their hands. The weaker the seat, the stronger the hands. A deep, confident seat banishes the need of strong hands. We often hear instructors speaking of maintaining contact. But little do they speak of how to maintain contact. Contact may simply be defined as avoiding slack in the reins. With an advanced schoolmaster, the mere weight of the reins would be sufficient to maintain contact.

'Hard' hands transfers a heavy horse on the forehand into a very heavy horse on the forehand. Hard hands are hands that do not yield. Locking your wrists and elbows into one position disturbs the natural balance of the horse. You can force the horse into a nice outline with hard hands, but the horse will never be going forward with impulsion and elasticity. Only a few horses can be harassed onto the bit; most horses will rebel. The rebellion can be in the form of neck flexion, hollowing the back, and tossing the head high in the air, or it can be in the form of leaning and pulling on the rider's hands. This transforms a harmonious ride into a battle, with the horse most likely to win.

We often see horses with the habit of leaning and pulling on the rider's hands, no matter who the rider is. This habit was developed when the horse has learnt from one rider that the hands cannot be trusted. But there is hope. . . even this habit can be cured through sensitive and empathetic re-schooling.

So how is it possible to achieve a good outline without abusing the horse's mouth? Just as you allowed flexibility in your pelvis and seat, now allow flexibility in the elbows, wrists, and fingers. Keep the contact light, not necessarily through the weight of the reins alone, but keep the weight in your hands to a minimum. 'Talk' to your horse through the reins, let your fingers allow the horse to mouth the bit. Think of the bit as a lollipop in the horse's mouth--he needs to move his jaw and his tongue in order to taste it. If the bit is pulling against his tongue and lower jaw, the lollipop will turn into an instrument of torture.
(Photo left: Although the contact is light and forgiving, the horse's face is behind the vertical, which is a fault to be avoided. Photo courtesy of Horse & Rider magazine, December, '99 issue.)


"Never pull on the reins and you will always have pleasant, manageable, horses that are easy to ride."

François Baucher, French horseman.

Mouthing the bit will allow the horse to salivate, making him lighter and softer in the hand. By 'talking' to your horse through the bit, finger the reins lightly. A simple, almost invisible, give and take with the fingers acts as though you were conducting a conversation of whispers with your horse. Be careful not to overdo it, otherwise the conversation may distract the horse from the main task. This sponging action on the reins can be done while hacking, walking, or taking a breather. It helps the horse to relax his jaw without anticipating the next movement.

When a horse pulls or leans on the rider's hands, the best action would be to ride more positively with the seat and legs. Bring your back a couple of degrees behind the perpendicular to strengthen to seat, and drive the horse forwards with your legs. Keep the hands light, even allow the horse to take the reins, but never pull back. Soon the horse will learn that he has nothing to fear of the bit in his mouth, and that he cannot let the rider carry his weight, rather he should carry his own weight.

The Right Position

Ideally, the upper arms and elbows should remain in the vertical line of gravity, comfortably resting by your sides. Carrying your upper arms and elbows in front of the vertical upsets the flow of gravity through the checkpoints. Imagine walking with your upper arms and elbows in front of you, as if you were pushing a supermarket trolley. Would you feel balanced? How about holding this position while jogging? The weight of your arms will drive you forwards. It is almost impossible to carry your arms in this manner on the horse without exerting a certain amount of pressure on the horse's mouth. While you're sitting down now, hold your arms in front of you as though you were pushing a supermarket trolley. How long can you maintain this position? Not too long without some kind of support, right? In the saddle, the reins act as a support for the arms.

It is more natural to carry your upper arms by your sides, after all, the classical riding is all about natural balance. Do not grip with your elbows because this will not allow freedom of the horse's jaw. Be sensitive in your fingers, and give with your elbows.

Many books stress the importance of maintaining a straight line from the elbows to the horse's mouth. This is very much true. Lowering the forearms too much makes it difficult to ease on the reins. A straight line from the elbows to the horse's mouth increases sensitivity both in your fingers and in the horse's mouth. Do not drop your wrists, or rotate your fists to face the ground. Keep your wrists aligned with your forearm and your thumbs at the top. The reason for this is that this position gives the greatest amount of 'feel' to both the horse and yourself. The slightest movement from your fingers will be felt by the horse, and vice versa. Aids will become more refined, and the ride will feel and look truly harmonious.

Do not clench your fingers into a fist. Instead, relax your fingers and keep them open. This way, a simple closing of the hand (combined with seat and leg aids) will be enough to perform a downward transition. The next section will deal with combining the back, seat, legs, and hands, to achieve different results with your horse.

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[Naghmeh Cavallaro]

The Seat in Action

The position of the shoulders, arms, back, pelvis, seat, and legs have all been discussed. It is now time to see how can they all be used together to bring out the best of your horse.

Shoulders Behind The Perpendicular

The secure basic position has been explained with a perpendicular pelvis with a 0° tilt. There are occasions when the pelvis, back, and shoulders can actually tilt approximately 10° behind the perpendicular. This angle strengthens the seat, provided your legs remain in their position, unaffected by the rotated pelvis. Adopting this position can occur under the following circumstances:

The heavy horse: If the horse is heavy on the forehand and is leaning on your hands, adopt this position to push the horse forward with your seat bones. When the horse steps underneath him with impulsion, he will become lighter on the forehand, then you will be able to return to the basic position.

Extensions: Since this position encourages the horse to step forward, it can be used to help the horse to extend in any gait. If you watch dressage riders at a competition, you will notice that most of them bring their shoulders behind the perpendicular to extend the pace.

The lazy horse: When the horse is ignoring your leg aids, strengthen your seat through this position to get him up and moving.

The sitting trot: Particularly in the medium and extended trot, tilting back will help you sit smoothly to this bouncy gait. Beware, however, of constantly sitting in this manner to the trot as this has a tendency to damage the horse's back. It is only helpful if you are learning to sit to the trot, and you want to get a feel for it.

Use Of The Seat Bones

The seat bones can be used to extend or collect, and for lateral work. Their benefit to push the horse forward has been discussed above. But there are other benefits to the seat bones as well:-

Transition to canter: Horses often respond to the canter aid by cantering on the wrong lead. This is specially common among novice horses and riders. For the horse to canter onto the correct lead, it must be evident for him where your weight is as this will make him step under your center of gravity to maintain his balance. The canter aids usually include application of the inside leg on the girth, and the outside leg behind the girth. The inside leg asks for impulsion, and the outside leg asks the horse's outside hind leg to step forward into canter. To send the message to the horse clear from misunderstandings, shift your weight to your inside seat bone as you apply your leg aids. Be careful not to collapse at the waist or the shoulders. The horse will step under your weight, and therefore canter on the inside lead.

Lateral work: By shifting your center of gravity to one seat bone, you are asking the horse to step underneath your weight. In the half pass, the inside leg is applied on the girth, and the outside leg a few inches behind the girth. The inside leg asks the horse to bend around it and maintain impulsion, while the outside leg asks him to step away from it. The inside rein gently asks the horse to look to the inside, while the outside rein supports the shoulders from falling behind. The purpose of the inside seat bone comes when you want the horse to step sideways. It's true that the outside leg is already asking the horse to step sideways, but shifting your weight to the inside seat bone enhances the sideway action as the horse is more able to maintain his balance.

Turning: Try this: Ride your horse in walk towards the rail of the arena or towards a wall. Ensure that your contact with his mouth is very light, and keep your hands very still. A little slack in the reins would guarantee that your hands are in no way interfering with the horse. As you approach the rail or wall, the horse will begin to wonder to which direction you wish to go and will keep his senses alert to your slightest movement. This is when the horse is actually eagerly waiting for instruction. Approximately 4 strides from the rail or wall, shift your weight to the right (or the left, if you wish to go to the left). The horse will immediately step to that direction. This goes only as far as proving that horses do sense and respond to seat aids, but it comes in handy when riding circles, serpentines, turns on the forehand or on the haunches, and lateral work.

Collection

Once you have achieved a deep balanced seat, you will be able to easily collect your horse. Collection is a natural state for horses and should never be viewed as a restraining or artificial gait. A horse can start collecting as early as the age of five. Collection makes the horse more responsive and attentive, which brings about a more smooth ride.

Collection is all about contained energy. Unlike extensions, where the energy is directed forward, collection directs the energy upwards. The horse covers less ground with every stride, elevates his steps, and contracts his outline. When the horse has engaged his hind legs and elevated his forehand, he will be lighter in your hand and possibly twice as responsive since engagement of the hocks makes tasks all so much easier for him.

The Role Of The Seat Bones In Collection

The seat bones can be used to collect the horse just as they were used to extend a pace. Remember that the legs initiate the energy, and the seat controls the flow. To direct the energy upwards instead of forwards, reverse the action of the seat described for extending. Instead of tilting the pelvis backwards, contract the muscles in the small of your back to tilt the pelvis slightly forward, lifting the weight from the seat bones to the crotch. This position has the effect of pulling the horse together by concentrating the energy in the hocks.

Never pull on the reins to collect the horse, gently play with the reins to relax his jaw. Forcing the horse on the bit with the reins does no good to the horse or to your hands. By regulating the energy from the back to the front of the horse, he will naturally flex at the pole with little interference from the reins.

Be patient with your horse. It might take a while before he is able to engage his hind legs and collect, so be willing to compromise. Remember to praise your horse lavishly every time he is responsive.

Conclusion

Problems arise when the horse and rider misunderstand each other. The classical seat is one way to overcome the misunderstandings and establish a clear distinguished language. The horse gets his inspiration from you, not from watching other horses and riders. Be his guide, not his boss. Give him a seat that will make him happy, balanced, and comfortable. The classical seat is the key to a prosperous new future for riding. For your sake, and for the horse's sake, use it; it will unlock many doors that were once thought closed forever.

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[Naghmeh Cavallaro]

من ميام ايران

سلام به دوستان خوبم

من مواردی از درساژ گزاشتم در سايت که اميدوارم مفيد واقع شده باشد .من ميام ايران و به مدت ۱ ماه نميتونم مطلب بزارم اما وقتی برگشتم سعی ميکنم که دوباره مطلب بزارم

ارادتمند همگی
نغمه

 

[مرضیه]

نغمه جان سلام
ضمن تشکر از شما به خاطر ایجاد این پست و سایر دوستان بخاطر نظرات خوبشون،
بعد از مدت ها فرصتی پیش اومد تا سری به موضوعات انجمن بزنم ،نمیدونم به چه دلیل این پست رو هنوز ادامه ندادید ولی باید بگم مطالبی که مطرح کردید ،برای من که تازگی ها به دنبال کسب اطلاعاتی در زمینه ی رشته ی درساژ هستم خیلی خیلی مفید بود.
در لابلای نوشته هاتون خوندم که در رابطه با تربیت و تعلیم اسب های جوان برای این رشته صحبت کردید و این موضوعی است که خیلی وقته ذهنم رو به خودش مشغول کرده و خیلی مشتاقم که در این زمینه هم اطلاعاتی بدست بیارم و تجربیاتتون رو بشنوم.
این موضوع و موضوع دیگه ای که با عنوان گام های اسب در همین قسمت هست بسیار آموزنده و مفیده ،امیدوارم هرچه زودتر شاهد ارسال های خوبتون در همین پست باشیم.

 

[علی واحدی]

Samira jan mamnun az lotfet.Tasmim daram matalebi ke felan marbut be level 1 deresaj mishe inja gharar bedam,moteasefam ke vaghti baraye tarjomeh nadaram ama midunam khoda ra shokr hamegi zabane engelisi khub balad hastid.

منتظریم نغمه خانم. پس چرا نمیگزارید؟
در ضمن از مطالب گذشتتون خیلی ممنومیم.

 

[♘امیرحسین♞]

نغمه کاواللرو خیلی وقته نمیاد
منتظرش نباشید