enlightened horsemanship through touch

Think again.

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that the welfare of horses in one discipline affects that of all horses. You’ll also know that an examination of the biomechanics of hyperflexion; riding ahead of the vertical, behind the vertical and on the vertical; low, deep and round, long deep and round, etc., will teach us all things we didn’t know about what can be good for the body of the horse. If your interest is piqued, you may investigate ways to lengthen the horse’s back, bring it up, safely lower the head and keep the nose a little in front of the vertical for a loose and swinging back and ribcage with a lively connection to impulsion from behind. If, like me, you are interested in learning more about how to do this, stay tuned. The long-ago promised Tuesday’s Touch series will deal with these issues.

The FEI’s affirmation that it will stand behind its own stated principles is a pretty good start, and a nice reminder that we all, no matter our discipline, need to look back at fundamental principles now and again to see that we have not strayed too far. As with all things, there are trends in riding. Remember your hairdo in the seventies? Hopefully most folks’ hairdos were not potentially harmful. But often, the things we cling to with the most ferocity can be, and we don’t even realize it. As I have mentioned before, when I first came to horses as an adult, I learned the natural horsemanship/cowboy horsemanship way. I still use a lot of what I learned then, but a little distance and time have revealed to me that so much of what I was practically evangelical about was harmful to both the horse and me. I look back with embarrassment, just as many do when they think of their Dorothy Hamill haircuts or parachute pants. In this case, however, harm is done.

Just Say YES, a Facebook publication of Horses for Life, contains a post entitled, Article 401 Not Just for Dressage.

Here is Article 401, in case you have been living under a rock for the past 6 months, or have just been lucky:

Article 401 Object and General Principles

1. The object of Dressage is the harmonious development of the physique and ability of the horse. As a result it makes the horse calm, supple, loose and flexible, but also confident, attentive and keen, thus achieving perfect understanding with his rider.

2. These qualities are revealed by:

2.1. The freedom and regularity of the paces

2.2. The harmony, lightness and ease of the movements

2.3. The lightness of the forehand and the engagement of the hind quarters, originating in a lively impulsion

2.4. The acceptance of the bridle, with submissiveness throughout and without any tenseness or resistance

3. The horse thus gives the impression of doing of his own accord what is required of him. Confident and attentive, he submits generously to the control of his rider, remaining absolutely straight in any movement on a straight line and bending accordingly when moving on curved lines.

4. His walk is regular, free and unconstrained. His trot is free, supple, regular, sustained and active. His canter is united, light and cadenced. His quarters are never inactive or sluggish. He responds to the slightest indication of the rider and thereby gives life and spirit to all the rest of his body.

5. By virtue of a lively impulsion and the suppleness of his joints, free from the paralysing effects of resistance, the horse obeys willingly and without hesitation and responds to the various aids calmly and with precision, displaying a natural and harmonious balance both physically and mentally.

6. In all his work, even at the halt, the horse must be “on the bit”. A horse is said to be “on the bit” when the neck is more or less raised and arched according to the stage of training and the extension or collection of the pace, and he accepts the bridle with a light and soft contact and submissiveness throughout. The head should remain in a steady position, as a rule slightly in front of the vertical, with a supple poll as the highest point of the neck, and no resistance should be offered to the rider.

7. Cadence is shown in trot and is the result of the proper harmony that a horse shows when it moves with well marked regularity, impulsion and balance.

Cadence must be maintained in all the different trot exercises and in all the variations of trot.

8. The rhythm that a horse maintains in all his paces is fundamental to Dressage.

Fédération Equestre Internationale

As you can see, the great majority of the above relates to horseback riding and horsemanship in general. As they say on Just Say YES,

Article 401 is a blueprint of keeping our horses biomechanically healthy. To treating our horses with the respect that they deserve.

It might just apply to all disciplines. If you can think of one that Article 401 does not apply to, I’d like to hear about it.

This is the stated objective of dressage:

The object of dressage is the development of the horse into a happy athlete through harmonious education. As a result, it makes the horse calm, supple, loose and flexible, but also confident, attentive and keen, thus achieving perfect understanding with the athlete.

Is this not the objective, implied or stated, for all equestrian disciplines?

Below is a video made in 1932 revealing the style/trend of dressage at that time: riding ahead of the vertical. I know for a fact that no one who rode this way can look back with shame, regret or embarrassment.  I wonder how the “top” riders of today will feel in years to come when they view video of today and realize that the principles of training they so vehemently adhered to were merely trends?

Straying too far from the fundamentals, no matter what you learn as time progresses is a guaranteed recipe for harm. Think: permanent waves, the Big Lick, polyester, hyperflexion, peanut rolling, and tanning beds. None of us is immune!

I still think that my Dorothy Hamill haircut was kind of cute.

From No Rollkur.com, a message from Claudia Sanders:
26.271 Unterschriften – Danke für Ihre Unterstützung!
Abgelegt unter: Allgemein — Claudia Sanders @ 14:50

Dear Readers,

The FEI has on 9 February 2010 ruled that the Rollkur / hyperflexion always associated with aggressive riding and is therefore unacceptable. In the future, however, allowed the technique of “low-Deep-Round” (LDR).
The original press release of the FEI in English here. The term “LDR” was by the Dutch dressage trainer and husband of Anky van Grunsven, Sjef Janssen, marked.

For my feelings are straightforward concepts were replaced – instead of “Rollkur” it is now called “LDR”. But that will change anything in practice? I fear not.

The FEI wishes but now call task forces, for example, expand the guidelines for the stewards, so that the difference between LDR and Rollkur clear. On these results, we should be excited!

I want to thank you warmly at this point: Numerous people have signed the petition not only, but circulated the link. Only with your help it was possible that we could collect 26,271 signatures to date – and in just 14 days. Worldwide, it gathered a total of over 41,000 votes, which have all been passed during the meeting of experts of the FEI President Haya.

I thank you all for your efforts, the strength and the confidence which you have invested in this petition. Your efforts could be no-rollkur.com by far the world’s largest collection of signatures against the Rollkur / hyperflexion. Thank you! – Because the horses need all our help to be outlawed so painful equine activities.

The signature list is now closed, because I think it is irresponsible to amend the text easily and dazuzunehmen the previous votes. The overall results and the comments but you can still see.

Thank you very much!
Their Claudia Sanders

PS: Let us now observe what happens. If necessary, we will start at this point in due course, a new petition.

and in the original German:

Liebe Leserinnen und Leser,

die FEI hat am 9. Februar 2010 entschieden, dass die Rollkur/Hyperflexion immer mit aggressivem Reiten verbunden und deshalb abzulehnen ist. In Zukunft erlaubt ist allerdings die Technik des „Low-Deep-Round“ (LDR).
Die Original-Pressemitteilung der FEI in englischer Sprache finden Sie hier. Der Begriff „LDR“ ist von dem niederländischen Dressurtrainer und Ehemann von Anky van Grunsven, Sjef Janssen, geprägt worden.

Für mein Gefühl sind hier einfach Begriffe ausgetauscht worden – statt „Rollkur“ heißt es nun „LDR“. Doch wird das etwas in der Praxis ändern? Ich befürchte nein.

Die FEI will aber nun Arbeitsgruppen ins Leben rufen, die beispielsweise die Leitlinien für Stewards erweitern, damit der Unterschied zwischen LDR und Rollkur klar wird. Auf diese Ergebnisse dürfen wir gespannt sein!

Ich möchte mich bei Ihnen an dieser Stelle herzlich bedanken: Unzählige Menschen haben die Petition nicht nur unterzeichnet, sondern den Link weiterverbreitet. Nur mit Ihrer Hilfe war es möglich, dass wir bis zum heutigen Tag 26.271 Unterschriften sammeln konnten – und das in gerade einmal 14 Tagen. Weltweit sind so insgesamt über 41.000 Stimmen zusammengekommen, die alle während der Expertentagung der FEI-Präsidentin Haya übergeben worden sind.

Ich bedanke mich bei Ihnen allen für Ihre Mühe, die Kraft und das Vertrauen, welche Sie in diese Petition investiert haben. Durch Ihr Engagement konnte no-rollkur.com die mit Abstand weltweit größte Unterschriftensammlung gegen die Rollkur/Hyperflexion werden. Danke! – denn die Pferde brauchen alle unsere Hilfe, damit so qualvolle Reitmethoden geächtet werden.

Die Unterschriftenliste ist nun geschlossen, weil ich es für unseriös halte, den Text leicht abzuändern und die bisher abgegebenen Stimmen dazuzunehmen. Das Gesamtergebnis und die Kommentare können Sie aber weiterhin einsehen.

Vielen Dank!
Ihre Claudia Sanders

PS: Lassen Sie uns nun beobachten, was geschieht. Falls nötig, werden wir an dieser Stelle zu gegebener Zeit eine neue Petition starten.

These are so cool. I wish I needed them.

I just got a note from Tanya Heins on my post Phone Apps For Horsepeople that says,

Just a quick update. EquiApps.com has just launched the first two in a series of apps for learning FEI dressage tests. Ideal for riders, trainers or even spectators. Study dressage tests with a more visual and auditory learning approach. FEI dressage, eventing and para-equestrian tests will be covered.

So I went to their site to check it out and here’s what I found: they have two apps, one free and the other costs 9.99.

Dressage Tests Lite Use your iPhone or iPod Touch to help you learn, reference and practice your FEI dressage tests. Each test allows you to:

• Read the test instructions along with the marking criteria
• Review dressage arena diagrams that animate through the movements within a test
• Play and record your own readings of the test that are perfectly timed for the individual horses and the arena in which you are practicing
• Reference the official FEI dressage test score sheet to see how judges will mark the users performance
• Understand the rules for dressage events as PDFs of related rule books are provided for reference on topics such as movement definitions, competition rules, dress attire, judging and veterinary inspection
• Keep up-to-date on the latest in dressage competition through the FEI news feed

FEI EquiTests 1 is available for free, so that riders and coaches may evaluate the features available. This application includes all features related to one test: the FEI Young Riders Individual Competition Test.

FEI EquiTests 2 includes all the most recent FEI Eventing Dressage Tests:
CCI & CIC One Star (*) – Test A
CCI & CIC One Star (*) – Test B
CCI & CIC Two Star (**) – Test A
CCI & CIC Two Star (**) – Test B
CCI & CIC Three Star (***) – Test A
CCI & CIC Three Star (***) – Test B
CCI Four Star (****) – Test A
CCI Four Star (****) – Test B
CCIP One Star (*) – Pony
CCIP Two Star (**) – Pony

In 2010, additional versions of FEI EquiTests featuring FEI Dressage and FEI Para-Equestrian tests will be launched.

FEI EquiTests 2 – Eventing Dressage Tests is $9.99

• Read the test instructions along with the marking criteria
• Review dressage arena diagrams that animate through the movements within a test
• Play and record your own readings of the test that are perfectly timed for the individual horses and the arena in which you are practicing
• Reference the official FEI dressage test score sheet to see how judges will mark the riders performance
• Understand the rules for dressage events as PDFs of related rule books are provided for reference on topics such as movement definitions, competition rules, dress attire, judging and veterinary inspection
• Keep up-to-date on the latest in dressage competition through the FEI news feed

FEI EquiTests 1 is available for free, so that riders and coaches may evaluate the features available. This application includes all features related to one sample test: the FEI Young Riders Individual Competition Test.

FEI EquiTests 2 includes all the most recent FEI Eventing Dressage Tests:

CCI & CIC One Star (*) – Test A
CCI & CIC One Star (*) – Test B
CCI & CIC Two Star (**) – Test A
CCI & CIC Two Star (**) – Test B
CCI & CIC Three Star (***) – Test A
CCI & CIC Three Star (***) – Test B
CCI Four Star (****) – Test A
CCI Four Star (****) – Test B
CCIP One Star (*) – Pony
CCIP Two Star (**) – Pony

EquiApps and iTunes stresses that diagrams are an indication only and should always be used in conjunction with the Official FEI Test Sheets which take precedence.
All images courtesy www.Equiapps.com

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

– Buddha

It has long been known that living in the present moment is the key to contentment. It is more than that, more than a way to live life to its fullest. It is an opportunity to participate directly in reality as it is created.

Often we bumble through it. We think we are paying attention, but really we are not.

I can’t tell you how many times I would lose focus simply trying to execute a simple 20 meter circle or serpentine. Or to get over a series of low jumps in a straight line.

“No Kim–were you paying attention? You lost it in the same spot as last time! Try it again!”
My horse was on point. No loss of attention there, because animals don’t indulge in that inner dialog that distracts us from participation in the present moment. I was intent on not making the same mistake I made last time. Like not thinking of the elephant in the room, we think of the elephant in the room. The mistake we made last time is in the consciousness if we are trying to avoid it. Better to eliminate it from the mind and focus only on current reality. Right now, it’s not there. Even better, holding the intention that things will go well increases the chances that they will.

But planning for the future, even a second or two into it, has its own disadvantages, as riders know. Your body does what your mind tells it, sometimes without your permission or knowledge. Better not to anticipate.

We hear it all the time, no matter the discipline: “Stay out of your horse’s way.” It’s hard to stay out of the horse’s way if you are a novice, and sometimes hard to do it as an advanced rider, too, if you are accustomed to over riding. For human beings, each stimulus prompts its own cascade of inner dialog or opportunity for spacing out. Like the half halt or the rein back, staying present is a skill that must be practiced. The key as both novices and advanced riders to staying out of the horse’s way and maintaining focus is living in the present moment.

As in riding, so in life. Or vice versa: stay out of life’s way. Don’t over-live and don’t go through blindly. Most folks move back and forth between these two modes automatically, moment by moment, without awareness of it. Can we take hold of the reins and greet each new stimulus as it comes? Not as easy as it sounds.

I’d love to hear your tips and tricks for mental presence and focus as you ride.

Life is available only in the present moment. If you abandon the present moment you cannot live the moments of your daily life deeply.

–Thich Nhat Hanh

Many thanks to Beliefnet for the idea for this series of posts and for the quotes used in it. Interpretations are mine.

Here is a brief article on the roundtable conference decision at the FEI today.

image courtesy FEI

Following constructive debate at the FEI round-table conference at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne today (9 February), the consensus of the group was that any head and neck position of the horse achieved through aggressive force is not acceptable. The group redefined hyperflexion/Rollkur as flexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force, which is therefore unacceptable. The technique known as Low, Deep and Round (LDR), which achieves flexion without undue force, is acceptable.

The group unanimously agreed that any form of aggressive riding must be sanctioned. The FEI will establish a working group, headed by Dressage Committee Chair Frank Kemperman, to expand the current guidelines for stewards to facilitate the implementation of this policy. The group agreed that no changes are required to the current FEI Rules.

The FEI Management is currently studying a range of additional measures, including the use of closed circuit television for warm-up arenas at selected shows.

The group also emphasised that the main responsibility for the welfare of the horse rests with the rider.

The FEI President HRH Princess Haya accepted a petition of 41,000 signatories against Rollkur presented by Dr Gerd Heuschman.

The participants in the FEI round-table conference were:

HRH Princess Haya, FEI President
Alex McLin, FEI Secretary General
Margit Otto-Crépin, International Dressage Riders Club Representative
Linda Keenan, International Dressage Trainers Club Representative
Sjef Janssen, Dressage Representative
Frank Kemperman, Chairman, FEI Dressage Committee (by conference call)
François Mathy, International Jumping Riders Club Representative
David Broome, Jumping Representative
Jonathan Chapman, Eventing Representative
Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare Representative
Tony Tyler, World Horse Welfare Representative
Ulf Helgstrand, President, Danish Equestrian Federation
John McEwen, Chairman, FEI Veterinary Committee
Dr Sue Dyson, Veterinary Representative
Dr Gerd Heuschman, Veterinary Representative
Prof. René van Weeren, Veterinary Representative
Jacques van Daele, FEI Honorary Steward General Dressage
Graeme Cooke, FEI Veterinary Director
Trond Asmyr, FEI Director Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage
John Roche, FEI Director Jumping and Stewarding
Catrin Norinder, FEI Director Eventing
Carsten Couchouron, FEI Executive Director Commercial
Richard Johnson, FEI Communications Director

The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and includes 133 National Federations. Equestrian sport has been on the Olympic programme since 1912 with three disciplines – Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. It is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete on equal terms. It is also the only sport which involves two athletes – horse and rider. The FEI has relentlessly concerned itself with the welfare of the horse, which is paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.

(all emphases mine)

In true FEI style, this is a shimmer of progress for the welfare of the horse, but no definitive steps have been taken.

To address the points I emphasized above:

1. The group redefined hyperflexion/Rollkur as flexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force, which is therefore unacceptable. Thank you FEI for listening.

2. The technique known as Low, Deep and Round (LDR), which achieves flexion without undue force, is acceptable. This is problematic.

3. The group unanimously agreed that any form of aggressive riding must be sanctioned…The group agreed that no changes are required to the current FEI Rules.
Translation: “It’s not OK but we’re not going to do anything about violators.”

4. The group also emphasised that the main responsibility for the welfare of the horse rests with the rider. They take no responsibility for enforcement other than placing cameras. Though the FEI will establish a working group to expand the current guidelines for stewards to facilitate the implementation of this policy, we know how slowly this process moves forward. It will take continued pressure to make the change that has begun here a definitive and permanent success for the good of the horse.

5. The FEI President HRH Princess Haya accepted a petition of 41,000 signatories against Rollkur presented by Dr Gerd Heuschman.
41,000 and growing by the minute.

Please keep the pressure on. And have a wee dram of something good to celebrate a success. Thanks to all who participated in bringing this to reality. So many people worked behind the scenes to force the FEI to consider the welfare of dressage horses and by extension horses working in many disciplines. I am grateful to all of them. The weeks leading up to this decision have not been easy. May they take a few days’ rest before beginning anew.

But not big in the way you expect, given the recent spate of FEI-related posts. And now for something completely different:

From Fran Jurga, a report that on Friday, July 16th, under the motto, the heavy brigade is on its way, 70 draft horses of various breeds (called “cart horses” in Europe), as well as carriages and working teams will compete in the First North Rhine-Westphalian (NRW) Cart Horse Day at Aachen.

The dressage riders and show jumpers will need to keep a tight rein on their mounts when these fellows rumble by. The refined warmbloods will be face-to-face with their cold-blooded root-stock. And they’d better watch out that the big boys don’t steal their show, or at least inspire a children’s book or two.

My all-time favorite and most beloved mare is a Percheron. Millie taught me everything. Maira is half Percheron. Windsong’s Justa Firestorm is a Percheron stallion. His son, “Buster,” is Perch/TB. You get the drift. Their nobility and grace, and courage in stressful times cannot be matched. Millie and I tried dressage. It was an unparalleled disaster. Not only am I terrible at dressage, but Millie’s typical but beautiful draft conformation naturally made it difficult for her to rock back on her haunches and carry herself properly. It was a battle. Why torture her for no good reason? We decided to stick with what we do best–hunt for a couple of hours and go home, triumphant. Trail ride and enjoy it immensely.

Below I have posted a YouTube video of a Percheron training that really takes me back. I believe that what you see in this video is typically what you get when trying to get a draft horse to do dressage. Draft horses. Conformationally appropriate? No. Willing? Yes. Capable? Yes (????)

I hopehopehope that the beauties of Aachen wow them with more than just the rumbling of the earth! I’d give quite a lot to be there.

Interesting, eh?

I’ve been slacking around here lately. That doesn’t mean that I’ve been slacking in general, however.
There’s a lot going on behind the curtains, my little pretties!

I can claim no insider knowledge of or participation in upcoming events, but let me whisper in your ear: interesting developments in the horse world are afoot. I will report when I can. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, more on this: Horses For Life has made a statement against Rollkur/hyperflexion that is as persuasive as it is eloquent. Entitled, Enough Is Enough, the Editor’s note accompanying the letter begins

We were going to keep this quiet. Our small part of continuing to make a difference, that no one really needed to know about. But quicker than a rabbit finds his hole, the emails were being forwarded. Surprisingly the emails were being forwarded not just by the anti-rollkur but by the pro-rollkur camp as well. That, I must admit, came as a surprise.

Since we always wanted to make this issue freely available anyways, we do so now today for a limited time.

On behalf of our continuing efforts for the horses.
From the Desk of the Editor of Horses For LIFE Magazine

The following email/letter was sent out as a special request, on behalf of the veternarians that feel that their voice is not being heard, to close to 150 officials at the national level.

You can view the entire online magazine here

Dear Mesdames/Sirs:

I am sure that you have been inundated with emails about the rollkur issue. Our online magazine, Horses For LIFE recently dedicated an issue to that subject. In response, several of our readers, all of them practicing veterinarians contacted us and made a special request. They requested that we make this issue available for free to certain officials of the USDF and USEF.

Below is a link to this issue. This is what we refer to as our flip version. If you click the diagonal arrow at the top of the page, the magazine will appear full screen on your computer. If you hover over the magazine itself and then click, you can zoom in or out, and if you hover over the right side you will see a white arrow to virtually flip the page to see and read the rest of the magazine.

I would like to especially direct your attention to certain articles including Jean Luc Cornille’s Hyperflexion: A Failure of Olympic Proportion, Stealing the Dragon’s Breath, The Changing Perception on Stretching, which addresses the issues of Poll Ossification, and Enough is Enough, among others.

Below is one of many letters that we received from the veterinarians who are adamantly concerned about the effects of hyper-flexion on the psyche and the body of the horse.

“At least the notorious “Blue Tongue Dressage” video has reawakened the outcry among horse enthusiasts against Rollkur (hyper-flexion). The problem is that horse lovers, veterinarians, and true horsemen have been complaining about this abuse for years, to no avail. The FEI has in the past given lip service to the concerns, while essentially doing nothing. Worse, yet, the FEI even states that its various “experts” have determined that hyper-flexion in “short” increments does not hurt the horse mentally or physically.

As the wave of antipathy towards equine sport swells among the internet savvy animal lovers, it portends a dangerous progression for future developments in dressage.

The dressage community needs to correct this problem of horse abuse from within, rather than let animal rights groups stifle the entire sport or (even the legality of people’s right to ride horses), from without.

Your professionally produced presentation about the abuse to the horse caused by Rollkur (hyper-flexion) riding contains numerous testimonials and articles from scientists in biomechanics, horsemen, and equine behaviorists, as to how and why Rollkur is harmful to the horse. The photos of horses being subjected to the cruelties imposed upon them by man moves one to tears.

If we, in the sport, do not condemn and stop this practice, we will be stopped altogether by those more radical groups which have the funds and public support to carry out their agenda of abolishing all horse sport. Who in dressage could even think that Rollkur would have anything in common with a discipline which is supposed to be promoting the horse and rider in lightness, self carriage, elegance, grace and creating the impression that the horse is doing all his movements of his own accord? Please help stop the abuse of the horse.”

On behalf of the horse we, here at Horses For LIFE, offer freely to you this issue in the hope that we can further help the horse. If we can be of any help, in promotion of the work that you do on behalf of the horse, or if you think some of our articles might help your local , regional , or national areas through your own newsletters and magazines, please contact us and we would be pleased to assist.

Working together on behalf of the horse.

Warm Regards,
Nadja King

Editor
Horses For LIFE Publications

http://horsesforlife.com

equestriansquest@horsesforlife.com

What do you think?

In my post about the FEI’s progressive medication scale, I wrote about, obviously, the hyperflexion issue. Why such a fuss? It’s only one discipline among many, and horses asked to perform this manuever as only those of the upper echelon of the sport. Right? Wrong on many counts.

We all have heroes, teachers we look up to and learn from. If they do it with good results, we might try it too. Especially those who are new to a discipline and don’t yet have the confidence or knowledge to decide whether a given exercise is harmful to the horse or not. I’ve been there. I know.

Hyperflexion is not limited to dressage, either. There are western disciplines that use it.

Should the FEI make a decision to outlaw it, the trickle down effect would affect a wide range horses in many disciplines. Reason enough to keep the pressure on, regardless of whether or not we believe there is hope.

Dr. Heuschmann, author of Tug of War – Classical versus Modern Dressage, will present his anti-hyperflexion statement to the FEI at its meeting on February 9. With him he will carry a list of names of supporters. Closed door meetings in which the fates of horses are decided do not serve the larger community unless the majority of voices are heard. To lend your support, help put an end to Rollkur on Feb.9th at the next FEI meeting. Sign your name to a list Dr. Heuschmann will take with him by going to Wu Wei Verlag (the publishers of his book) and clicking on Officials! Stop Hyerflexion!. You will have to verify by email.

Now is the time to stand up and be counted for the good of horses in the discipline of dressage. If you want to help Dr.Heuschmann prevail, I suggest posting this message on your blog and Facebook wall. It will take many voices to get the attention of the FEI.

Don’t let Dr. Heuschmann stand alone, let your voice be heard with his and fill that room with compassion and a plea to end a practice that robs our beloved horses of their dignity, strength and beauty.