Dressage Video reviews - The Perfect Laterals -
Travers Towards Half Pass
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TRAVERS TOWARDS HALF-PASS (55 mins)
In this latest video of the Perfect Laterals series, following on from her shorter Shoulder-In video) we see Sylvia, in her usual calm, professional and charming manner, talk and rider us through the intricacies of Travers and Half-pass.
Reference is made to work in previous videos, enabling the viewer to continue, with Sylvia's help, to expand their understanding of these frequently, confusing (and sometimes confusing) dressage movements.
One of the great things ahout these videos, is that you can watch them - rush out and try it - and come back and find out where you went wrong!
Here, beginning with a clear description of the movements and the British Dressage (FEI) definitions, coupled with the aid of some simple animations, Sylvia carefully and systematically, explains just WHAT the horse should be doing throughout, HOW and WHERE the rider should sit, and what it should FEEL like when ridden correctly.
The horse and rider combinations used to demonstrate the movements are well chosen. They include Sylvia herself, amongst others, and some lovely, quite ordinary partnerhips showing some of the common mistakes encountered in training. This, as opposed to the usual Advanced pairs most requently found in videos of this type left me feeling quite heartened!
The lessons shown, both with young and older horses, illustrate how riders should and indeed can, build little by little, on the foundations laid down earlier and how easily the horse can be taught to perform these movements, if only tact, patience and understanding is used, instead of brute force and ignorance.
Sylvia speaks of the value of riding schoolmasters to teach the attention to POSITION and FEEL necessary, in order to rach a level of competence, to enable you to teach your own horse. This is clearly demonstrated throughout the tape and we also get a glimpse of some of Sylvia's dismounted work, as she literally 'walks' a rider through Travers, encouraging her to FEEL what actually happense as the horse moves over the ground.
A MUST for all riders wanting to broaden their knowledge and understanding of Harmony in Horsemanship and a great introduction to the more Advanced movements.
(This review, by trainer Anne Taplin from Cheshire, was first published in the CRC Magazine, Autumn, 2002).
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