How do you define "Classical Riding"

[Peanut]

I never really understand what this means. What's the difference between dressage and classical riding? Could someone please enlighten me.

[Bay Mare]

Most people think of 'classical riding' as the Spanish Riding School but there are different 'schools' of classical riding who have different ways of doing things. It's a huge subject and one that I'm only just scratching the surface of.

For me, though, classical riding is about elegance, fluidity and correctness. It is about training all horses, no matter what their breed, whether they are hot, warm or cold blooded in a way which brings out the best in them without force or gadgets. There aren't (or shouldn't be) shortcuts such as draw reins or rolkur.

It is about taking time and working to the horse's timetable rather than the rider's timetable whether that be competitions or the feeling that 'he should be doing flying changes by now'. It's not about the flicky toes or the extravagent movement, each horse has it's own beauty even if it maybe doesn't fit the 'norm' for dressage horses.

From a riders' point of view it is about making it all seem effortless, no leaning back to 'absorb' the humungous trot, no nodding heads, no blatantly obvious use of the legs, no choppy hands. If you saw the SRS last year I was amazed at how quiet they sat even during advanced movements and even the high school movements.

For me it's about harmony, purity and grace.

You don't *need* to have a bred for the job warmblood to be successful in classical riding. Although classical riding is linked to Lipizanners, Lusitanos & Andalucians etc there is still a place for every other breed out there.

Modern dressage should be the same but, unfortunately, where big bucks are involved there are people taking shortcuts to success and, even more unfortunately, being successful. I can't bear to watch the likes of Anky ride, it just doesn't give me that 'shiver' that you should get from watching a good performance, I see the patterns but get no emotion from them. Watching the SRS was an emotional and uplifting experience. Watching some of the top dressage riders isn't (for me).

Don't get me wrong, there ARE good 'modern' dressage riders out there. My ex trainer bred and brought his mare on and won a PSG class at Fry's last year. Although she's a WB she's 'only' 15.3hh, small for a dressage horse! He's a fabulous and sensitive rider with a position to die for! That's the kind of rider I like to see, someone who has brought their horses on, not just gone out and spent loadsamoney on a ready made horse just so that they can go on a pot hunt!

I could go on but it's such a huge subject, I'll let someone else have a go :D

[Bling]

Nice answer, Bay Mare.

[jenren!!]

To me its 'posh riding' :D.

[Ginger Thing]

Bay Mare, you've recently quoted me and said 'why do people always say things better than me?' - well, I think you just got your own back! Very well put :D

[rianne21]

the first 3 vids contain very small footage of an open day at a yard i help out at sometimes so i apologise as it was 2yrs ago and they are a bit short/wobbly.
these horses compete for great britain in Working Equitation, but the stable yard is a 'school of classical equitation'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLQqeIjHNN4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNwM48-G814

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYU9vK-gmAc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J75hWF4MiI

[coss]

i think Bay Mare put it very well :)

those are some good videos rianne21 :)

[rianne21]

i think Bay Mare put it very well :)

those are some good videos rianne21 :)

i agree about baymare ;)

and thankyou :o

[Peanut]

Baymare, this post was primarily aimed at you because I know classical riding is close to your heart, although as always I'm keen to hear the opinions of all NR peeps. Thank you to Baymare and everyone who replied (I'm going to spend some time watching those vids rianne). :)

[Bay Mare]

Bay Mare, you've recently quoted me and said 'why do people always say things better than me?' - well, I think you just got your own back! Very well put :D


Thank you .... http://www.enlightenedequitation.com/ee/boards/Smileys/classic/blush.gif

I was always a bit of a dressage queen, well, not always, I used to love jumping too (still do when I do it but can't afford to come off and not work these days!). I will still do some tests with Saffbags but I'm not as eager to get to 'x' level as I once was. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't.

She is learning the Spanish Walk at the moment :) Well, the beginnings of it, the 'jambette' which is where you get them lifting and stretching out their forelegs at halt. I think, though, that she may use it as an evasion at some point as she REALLY enjoys showing it off!

I think that my training in dance and figure skating pointed me towards a more classical approach, there was always something missing for me with modern dressage that I could never quite put my finger on until I discovered classical riding.

[Skib]

If you look at the Enightened Equitation website Board section on Classical riding youo will find links to lots of videos of clasical riding - mainly Iberian - Spanish and Portuguese style riding.

But more to the point on New Rider is to ask Bay Mare and others what one would expect if you learned to ride from a classical instructor?
I learn with an RI whom I describe as classical but it is a lose term.

I seem to recall that the main UK exponent of classical riding is Sylvia Loch, in terms of her books, articles videos etc . Yet when I was recommended by an RI to buy a video by her, in the early days of my riding it was quite beyond me in its precise movement of the rider's leg. Though I havent watched it again recently, I dont associate it with the way I am taught to ride.

Any views Bay mare?

[Lgd]

I tend to regard 'Classical riding' as another tag folk put on a discipline. There is plenty of bad riding and training put forward as being 'classical'. There are many true classical trainers I respect, there are many who purport to be 'classical' that would not be allowed anywhere near my horse.

At the end of the day it boils down to good or bad riding whatever tag you put on it.

[mayoguinness]

I thought it was a posh name for traditional stuff. lol :D

[eml]

I tend to agree with Lgd that its become a tag or name.

To me it as far from modern competition dressage as often seen as you can get but at the best they are the same.

I was trained by someone who had no labels but had studied extensively including human and horse movement and the various classical schools (Spanish, french, portugese, german etc) He never countenanced shortcuts, contact was never discussed just horses working truly forward and straight and riders seeking the best movement they could produce. He was very popular with all sorts of people producing young horses but not the competition dressage riders as his methods were seen by modern standards as 'slow to produce winning results'.

That to me was true classical training, drawing on the best of all the old masters and working for the good of the horse.

[Bay Mare]

there are many who purport to be 'classical' that would not be allowed anywhere near my horse.


I agree but then I don't call them 'true' classical trainers anyway.

I don't, however, agree that 'classical riding' is just a tag!

[EquiBabe]

Im just starting getting interested in classical riding. There seems to be a lot of different schools ofthought though all with different ways of doing things. I've been looked at the Enlighted Equitation site which looks interesting I haven't joined yet thoguh my friend is a member and tells me that I should. I looked at the thread on here about their forums that was locked it was a shame that some people were only out to cause trouble as it was very interesting. Id be interested toknow what the difference is in teaching as well because Im looking for a RI and there are a couple of EE teachers who are not that far from me but I'll start another thread on that so I dont hijack this one.