during these last few weeks, a raging and somewhat contentious battle has ensued on the unlikely topic of dressage, the classical training of the horse and rider. many have decried it is "elitist", others claimed it wasn't a "sport" because the rider just sits there while the horse does all the work. still others claim there is no athleticism involved. however, that isn't what i want to share tonite.
i hope to pique your interest by introducing you to three of my favorite authors who have much to say about the philosophy of the horse, and, yes, they all three are(were) world renound classical dressage riders and teachers. now, mind you, i could also add goethe, voltaire, aristotle as well as many more who draw parallels with our development as sentient beings to our relationships with horses, but for tonite, i'll stick to the three authors mentioned (mostly due to time and spatial constraints on the topic).
if you haven't run away yet, let me further try to entice you to stick with me after the squiggle by this apropos quote by franz mairinger, the australian writer/horseman who speaks of democracy. (WHA? democracy - horses? uh…. how the heck?!?)
The fight for freedom runs like a thread through the history of mankind, and the hope of every revolution is democracy.
Why democracy? Simply because democracy means freedom and guarantees freedom for every member of the community within the boundary of its duties towards the people. The meaning of freedom and democracy is often misinterpreted. Many people think that in a democracy everyone can do as he pleases, but that is not so. A democracy does not give freedom, it gives responsibility.
Mairinger, Franz, Horses are made to be Horses (Howell Book House, Inc., 1983), p. 18
huh? "but you said this diary was about HORSES!", you ask. well, yep. it is. and that author is one of the top riders of his day - and he stated this in the prologue of his book. "what does that have to do with horses," you grumble?
well, follow me below the pirouette of the squiggle and find out! i dare ya!
okay... what does this have to do with "democracy" and "freedom"? and why is it relevant on dailykos? well, here's a bit more of what mairinger has to say on this topic in his book "Horses are Made to be Horses":
Freedom of the State is different from freedom of the individual. Freedom of the individual must be in proportion to his acceptance of duties and his recognition of other men's rights. We have to accept the fact that we can only be free if we are alone, for only then can we do as we please. We would need a lot of islands and a lot of oceans to give everyone freedom. When people live together, someody must be the leader. Somebody must make decisions, and somebody must carry them out. Everyone has a place in a community and every place is of importance to the community. We have intelligence, and so we should be able to judge the extent of our capabilities; according to our own judgment we should submit ourselves to our place and do our job. Our duty is to do everything to the best of our ability. In theory there should be no need for a policeman, no need for an army, no need for a taxation officer. Everybody should control himself by realizing and fulfilling his duties.
Mairinger, Franz, Horses are made to be Horses (Howell Book House, Inc., 1983), p. 18
okay, first i thought, HEY! he's a DEMOCRAT! (big tent) - then a LIBERTARIAN (everyone responsible) - then a SOCIALIST (duty to community). but, you're asking, "WHAT does this have to do with HORSES?"
i'm gettin' there - HE'S gettin' there! patience please...
Somebody said that the Continental riders are all dictators; they dictate every step the horse should take. Well, you have read so far, do you think that i am a dictator? No, I am not. I want to build up a mutual understanding with my horse on a democratic basis. I want to educate him to submit himself freely to his duties without a fight. I school and exercise him in order to enable him to carry out or perform different tasks joyfully and with the greatest of ease. By doing it in this way I gain his confidence, his co-operation, and I get the full enefit of his mental and physical potential.
The freedom of State may not have anything to do with riding a horse, but the essence of the idea goes a long way towards giving us a base to work from. If you think that I am wrong, try to prove the basis of the idea wrong. You may have to rewrite the history of the world!
Mairinger, Franz, Horses are made to be Horses (Howell Book House, Inc., 1983), p. 19
i love his approach to both life and riding! he goes on to explain that there is more to riding than sitting on a horse's back. he delves into the emotional approach so that we understand the philosophical one we need to accomplish this task, both for us and for the horse. he finishes his introduction to this philosophy with yet more wisdom - applicable to all aspects of our lives:
Of course there is another angle to it too. Certainly it is our duty to look after the horse in the right way -- after all he does not want anything from us and we are supposed to have more brains than he, although I have never seen a horse smoke or get drunk, or have late nights and cocktail parties. But the other angle is that I want to have an easy ride. I really want to enjoy myself. But how can a king enjoy his life if he is the king of slaves?
Yes, I want an easy ride, but we never get anything for nothing in this world. We have to do something first. We have to build a house first, then we can move in. In the same way, we have to school our horse first, so that he will give us the easy and safe ride we want.
Mairinger, Franz, Horses are made to be Horses (Howell Book House, Inc., 1983), p. 19
hmmmmm, parallels for living? i'm thinking mairinger is onto something here - and he explains why so many of us approach this thing call riding with the attitude of shared experience instead of domination.
but, let me move on a bit to yet another author, tom roberts - a contemporary of mairinger in australia. indeed, mairinger was reviewing roberts' book when he died suddenly, much to the grief of his friend.
roberts has an even simpler approach that applies equally to horses and humans. i love his books, Horse Control: The Young Horse; Horse Control: the Rider; Horse Control: the Bit and, finally Horse Control: Reminiscences.
roberts was the youngest certified horse trainer ever in the british army - at the ripe old age of 16. within three years, he was adept at training difficult horses and reforming those thought unworkable. his teaching methods are so very simple. in his books, i was first struck by his use of that same simplicity in teaching the aspiring reader/rider: he simply "yelled" at us from the pages, putting the most basic instructions in all caps, the reader couldn't avoid the importance of what he was trying to convey.
in the first chapter of Horse Control: the Young Horse, roberts takes us through the concept of training procedures. he asks,
"How many of us setting out to teach him have given serious thought or study of HOW to teach him: how to estalish a system of signals or aids that most riders grow up with and accept as being natural, but of which the horse has no knowledge whatsoever?
I am going to ask you a question, and before you read on I would like you to answer it clearly -- to yourself.
Question: "Why does a horse stop or go slower if you pull on the reins?" If you answer: "Because it hurts his mouth," I am sorry to have to break the news to you -- you have failed.
But no, I'll give you another chance: "Why do you jump up instantly if you sit on an upturned tack or drawing pin?"
If you answer again: "Because it hurts" -- you really do need to read every word in this book!
The horse stops -- and you jump up -- not just because it hurts, but to stop it hurting. By no means the same thing.
Roberts, Tom, Horse Control -- The Young Horse (Hyde Park Press, Adelaide, 1977) p.1
roberts then goes on to say that our job is to teach the horse that by doing what you want, he can
avoid pain, irritation, inconvenience or discomfort - and that good trainers work to do everything they can to avoid hurting the horse or allow him to hurt himself! a good trainer does not use pain as a training aid.
roberts talks of aids being that of encouragement and discouragement, not of reward and punishment. the all capitalized letters that make this point apply equally to our own lives as the words do to horses:
It is to avoid using any expression that could possibly include punishment as a normal teaching procedure that i suggest you think in the terms:
"THAT WILL PROFIT YOU" -- "THAT WILL PROFIT YOU NOT"
These terms mean exactly -- EXACTLY -- what they say.
"To Profit" is to benefit or gain: to be better off. The profit to the horse can be any reward or encouragement the trainer may think his pupil should receive -- and it must, of course, be available to give.
To Profit Not" means that the horse will gain or benefit not at all. Just that. It certainly does not mean he will suffer a loss or be worse off -- as well he would be if he were punished.
This is what is important about these expressions -- and why I use them. By no stretch of the imagination can "Profit you not" be construed as punishment.
It consists of the withholding of any gain, reward, encouragement or profit. That, and only that.
Roberts, Tom, Horse Control -- The Young Horse (Hyde Park Press, Adelaide, 1977) p.2
okay - having taught all ages of children, this philosophy was what was so successful with the kids in Hell's Kitchen in the early 80s - we couldn't devise any punishment harsher than they already experienced in their young lives - but the "profit" of our love and support lead to every one of those kids finishing high school and some attending college - an unheard of feat in that area and economic class!
"That will Profit You" -- "That will Profit You NOT!" (i MUST remember this when i dive for the ben and jerry's late at night before going to bed!)
how many of us "beat a dead horse" in our arguments around here? we meta topics and each other ad nauseum. (the phrase doesn't mean bashing a carcass, btw, it means whipping a horse that is ignoring you - "dead" to your aids).
roberts talks of one of the most important reward and encouragement of all - "END OF LESSON" (see, now he's got ME doing it - all caps for emphasis!)
roberts talks of how the best learning occurs for the horse when he is calm - that is how he makes the most progress. as roberts explains, the "end of lesson" as a learning tool gives the horse the most permanent impression... one that is fixed in his schooling as a positive experience.
how many of us here, on this site, get so caught up in the heat of the argument that we even forget why we were arguing in the first place? resistance to pressure, force, like with horses, only brings equal and opposite resistance! roberts also points out the valuable lesson the trainer takes away from ending on a positive note:
"End-of-Lesson" is of equal value to the trainer. It keeps him looking for and recognising progress as the horse tries first one thing and then another. He looks for progress to encourage -- rather than 'stupidity' to punish.
Roberts, Tom, Horse Control -- The Young Horse (Hyde Park Press, Adelaide, 1977) p.3
oh, my! i've only delved into the first few pages of each of these wonderful authors/teachers/philosophers and already this is getting longish.
let me go to the third of my favorite authors - someone who's clinics i've audited and absorbed his wisdom in teaching about life as much as about riding. it is this author that i hope to experience under saddle this september the benefit of this wisdom.
erik herbermann, an extraordinary author, rider, teacher, studied under Egon von Neindorff and continues this pure classical instruction today. at his clinics, riders will work for five straight days under his tutelage, many of whom never progress from the walk. he works on the connection between rider and horse - not the "level" of dressage one wants to be riding. when a horse is ready to move to a higher movement (even just a trot), then herbermann gently guides the rider and horse through to that next stage. i've witnessed him ride a particularly difficult lippazaner mare who, under his skill and that of his student, my trainer, has become a beautiful and exquisite mare. in three years, she has gone from being nearly unrideable to graceful and willing (most of the time). AND, she is actually happy (not so, when my trainer got her).
Herbermann, in "A Horseman's Notes (2003)", has compiled the philosophy behind the technique, complete with chapter and section guides to his thoughts, correlating the philosophy behind that training. the book stands alone but is better when read in conjunction with "Dressage Formula (1999)". the illustrations in "notes" range from exquisite painting by Theodore Gericault (Cheval gris pommele) to sketches to the wonderful sketches of Ludwig Koch, who captures the essence of the horse and rider as they execute moves together as one.
as with my two previous favorites, let me begin with quotes from the opening of this wonderful book.
from the very beginning of "A Horseman's Notes" - Overture to Horsemanship, herbermann challenges the senses to see more than a human sitting on top of an animal - he asks that we "hear" that "overture" as well as see it. his first question to us is this:
What could possibly be more sublime -- intoxicating, really -- than experiencing those exquisite moments of harmony with the horse, when we feel effortlessly bouyed-up on the full, elastic waves of his carrying back, and sense the awesome power, the delightful eagerness of this sensitive creature beneath us.
Here a little there a little, serendipitously at first, glimpses of such fine experiences begin to occur to us, usually changing forever our view of what a true partnership with the horse could be like. In fact, the momentousness of those apparently small happenings seems to leave us with an irrational, bone-dry thirst for experiencing those extraordinary moments again. It is though some irresistible force were compelling us inexorably to search for that elusive sanctuary of oneness -- beckoning like the serene beauty of an emerald lake hidden somewhere deep within the mountains of our being.
In truth, the emerald lake represents a state of being whole, a merging with the deepest essence of the horse. When we are there, however briefly, we are it, and it is us. Likewise, when we are not there, that too, at that particular time, is us . . .
Herbermann, Erik, A Horseman's Notes (Core Publishing, 2003) p. 7
herbermann does not stop with the desire for oneness with a horse - he also looks to oneness with self - and how horsemanship asks for honesty within ourselves that carries over to the world outside of horses:
2.5 In a uniquely tangible way, horsemanship challenges self-mastery in each element of our make-up: mastery over our spirit, the life energy, the very essence of our being which is directed by desire and motivated by will; mastery over our mind, which constructs ways of accomplishing our desires; and finally, mastery over our body, which gives us the opportunity to act out those desires and enables us to experience the consequences of our choices.
Herbermann, Erik, A Horseman's Notes (Core Publishing, 2003) p. 12
now does anyone reading this think that he is ONLY talking about sitting on top of a large animal and making it do things? he tells us how horses, through their sensitivity, show that "thoughts are things"...
2.6
...therefore, just as a correct physical position which is in harmony with the laws of physics is indispensable to allow essential energy patterns to flow through our own and the horse's body; so too, a sound mental position -- constructive, wholesome, compassionate thinking which is aligned with the benign energy of cosmic law -- enables it to flow through and strengthen al our endeavours. The horse innately respects and willingly follows such positive thought power. Conversely, our negative thinking easily disturbs the horse and results in distrust and fear. Without wanting to dwell unduly on such matters, I believe it is nevertheless worthwhile to review briefly some of the most common personal obstacles to success in horsemanship: immodest ambitions, arrogance, anger, irritability, having dictatorial or judgmental attitudes, impatience, lacking self-control (especially over emotions), fear, anxiety, being inconsiderate, bearing grudges, resentment, or kindling vengeance in our hearts.
Herbermann, Erik, A Horseman's Notes (Core Publishing, 2003) p. 13
for those who have, in previous diaries here, brought out the instances of abuse in riding, herbermann points out that when we are driven by "unruly egos and selfish ambitions, or be seduced by peer pressure, or by financial, political and social considerations", it is the horse who suffers needlessly.*
[Herbermann, Erik, A Horseman's Notes (Core Publishing, 2003) p. 13]
herbermann, like mairinger, speaks of horsemanship not in the terms of dictatorship, but of ideals for reaching that "oneness" with the horse as a true partner in those ideals. when reading the philosophical thinking of such men as these three, i am struck by the focus on letting go of the ID and searching for the IDEAL - not just in riding, but in the very experience of life, itself.
herbermann says simply
2.9 I believe that, when all is said and done, the only thing that will truly count will be what residue, beneficial or ruinous, our actions and efforts will have left on the souls of those around us, and on the creatures with whom we have dealt during our lives.
Herbermann, Erik, A Horseman's Notes (Core Publishing, 2003) p. 15
there is so much more in each of these books by these amazing men - men who, imho, rival goethe, voltaire, aristotle and many other great philosophers in their descriptions of the relationship between horse and rider. i urge you, even if you don't ride, look to see how these men teach us about who we are and what we can become when we allow ourselves to live fully, spiritually, without ego. these lessons they have for us go far beyond the saddle and reach into our every waking thought to the very core of our being.
i hope now you can better understand the passion some of us here share and why we have devoted our lives to reaching for those moments of exhilaration our horses have allowed us to experience as we become one. why? because it centers us. it makes us better human beings as we learn from our horses the art of "being".
let me leave you with this last image from herbermann:
Reaching the emerald lake is an aspiration which taxes every aspect of our being: body,mind and spirit. It is a journey which embodies consummate joy as it gives us the opportunity to develop and experience the potency and richness of our talents. And, with equal vigour, it confront us with the exacting, prickly challenges of gaining control over our body, and to brave the less well-developed aspects of our spiritual being. Though it is at times a daunting and troublesome process, when it is taken on with clarity and enduring courage, it becomes immensely rewarding - especially as we begin to sense its far-reaching, benign undertones wafting like a gentle, healing fragrance into every corner of our lives.
Herbermann, Erik, A Horseman's Notes (Core Publishing, 2003), p. 8