Rolkur no more....the horse that could not canter.

So as I was watching the dvd (the horse than could not trot), I had some thoughts that made me go HMMM.  The type of dressage I was trained in was big on the poll being the highest point....PERIOD.....but lots of stretching in a long and low and nose out...IN FRONT of the vertical....not behind it....NEVER behind the vertical.  In fact, it was better if the nose was maintained slightly in front of the vertical, rather than strive for it to be ON the vertical. 

Then as I exited dressage when my mare was permanently lame, the mainstream was getting into 'deep and round'....that was the birth of Rolkur.....extreme 'deep and round'.  I still can't believe it was ever allowed to get so out of control, wide spread, and not only a household name, but practice as well.

Any ways, the dvd shows how the back is actually compressed when the head is low, rather than the believed/percieved 'stretch'.  The lower the head goes, the more vertebrae along the spinal column that get compressed.  The horse in the dvd, had an inverted elbow, which was in turn causing the scapula to press into the spinous process of the proximal vertebrae..ie: the withers.  This in turn caused an inverted rotation of the spinous process. 

Now my drawing here is so basic, but it is only to demonstrate what rotation of the spine IS, and which way inverted is.  Of course, PLEASE refer to experts on this for more info, google has tons of information, and a good place to start is His website.  So here is my little drawings. Hope you understand.

How the spine get compressed, is that the wither vertebrae spread, causing the ones behind it to compress.

So if you can imagine just on of these vertebrae sliding around and not staying straight up, that is rotation.  In a normal bend, supposedly the tops should rotate to the outside of the bend.  If they rotate to the inside of the bend, then it is inverted.  At least that is the way I understood it.

So what is my point, ie, what am i getting at.  ya know....The hmmm?? I mentioned in the beginning.  Well it is about Rose and the canter.  I noticed last year, just before the weather turned that she does not track up correctly behind.  No matter what direction of travel, her haunches are over to the left.  So now I have a plan for taking a seriously hard look at her anatomy for symetry....and more importantly, Asymetry.  Neither her nor Cha'cote want to canter, and I know a good deal of it is the footing at my place.  I believe that Cha'cote is simply institutionalized, and also an introvert, so needs to be reminded that cantering is OK, but Rose....I really think is a physical issue that stems from when she 'tied up' a few times a few years ago.  It causes muscle death and atrophy, and I have noticed since we moved to this place, the horses have much less development in the shoulder area.

I have plans for...who are we kidding...I always have plans for something....but I have plans for a 'round pen', that I think will work this time.  Money is tight as always, and I really want to get the barn done this year.  So I have to be 'cheap' in the roundpen department.  Not to mention I have a kid that needs braces.  UGH.  But I think if I focus back on body building, rather than task building, I can get her fit and healthy again, and the canter will come back on it's own.   Also, as shocking as this may sound....I am re-evaluating my dressage in regards to the how I shall move forward.  I have always been known, (self admitedly) to be VERY narrow minded in my dressage beliefs.  So this is a big step for me.  Mainly because I am not, and will never be again, the athlete I once was, and I also do not have at my 24/7 disposal a good arena.

 So that is my detailed report and thoughts on 'the horse that could not trot' and 'my horse that cannot canter'

Savvy On
Michelle