Horses

Steffen Peters and his Dutch partner Ravel, Picture: Akiko Yamazaki

It was a charismatic Steffen Peters who so willingly and humorously shared his training insights at New Zealand’s Regional FEI Dressage Forum on 12 and 13 September,and I’m sure glad I was there!  In Aotearoa (NZ) we are merely a wee cocoon stuck to a distant tree, far removed from the influence of top (and better
still, true craftsmen) international riders and horses…

What a coup Chris Rogers (Massey University) and Dressage New Zealand struck in recognised the emerging talent of Steffen Peters, ensuring a deal was done to bring Steffen and the new FEI Director of Dressage, Norway’s Trond Asmyr to our shores – a decision made before Steffen had won the World Title – which according to Trond was ‘one of the best performances the world had ever seen’.

Oh, how refreshing to hear the constant reference to ’self carriage’and to hear riders being told to release their contact on horses’ mouths. Steffen was adament that we must teach the horse to carry his own weight, rather than be carried on the rider’s hands. Bravo!

Riders were reminded to ensure that each use of the rein (meaning anything other than soft contact) was a signal that resulted in a change in the horse. If a question is asked via a rein aid,ensure a response occurs – if not, ask again…

If you don’t test your horse, he will test you.

(Continually watch and assess the horse’s responses to your signals, donot apply a signal several times without achieving a response).

Whatever you start with your horse, finish, then leave him alone 100%.

(What Steffen… I hope he doesn’t mind me calling him that… meant by this is… apply an aid, have it effect a response, then stop bothering him! If the response is delayed, heavy or non-existent or incorrect, ask again – you may require more motivating pressure, but get the change and reward by softening and leaving the horse alone!)

Peters was clear that the use of the curb must only be momentary – to make a difference and then release.

Create a reason to ease off on the rein.

(After all, learning theory tells us that it is the release of pressure that rewards the horse, not the application of pressure).

Repetition doesn’t make things better, but by fixing and addressing issues…

Steffen delighted the dressage queens in the audience by reminding them that ‘every mistake is a training opportunity’… yes… this is no ‘dressage nancy’… Peters is a horseman’s horseman, without a doubt.

Training is not just repeating an exercise; training means when the horse gets momentarily resistant we deal with it in a fair way. Correct him within his comfort zone and move on.

It’s about raising your own expectations and standards – riding transitions in two strides, not eight, expecting and achieving light contact…

Another emphasis more common to Western horsetrainers and ‘the old masters’ but often less emphasised by modern dressage trainers is the need for increasingly refined aids – to be doing less all the time.
I could have screamed “Hallelujah” when Peters answered the question ‘How much weight should we have in contact?’… when he said:

The lightest possible but constant, with momentary increases when an aid was given.

Steffen said that he has never had anyone able to convince him that the horse needs to have more contact than a light rein, when it is obviously travelling forward correctly from behind.  Additionally, he favours a thick rubber snaffle to encourage a horse that was hesitant or scared of it to come forward to it.

I liked that in all Steffen’s answers, the horse was always considered in a careful and kind way, and he emphasised the importance of addressing the horse’s mental capacity, not only his physicality and biomecahanics. But Peters also recognised the physical aspects of the horse’s training – that after repetition of a movement 3-4 times in a row, it is time for a break – and that the intensity of the workout should be recognised in the length of the break.  Steffen reminded us that riders must remember that horses, like all athletes, have a build up of lactic acid in the muscles following a hard workout, and must adjust their training accordingly. (N.B. This also fits with Gerd Heushmann’s notice that a young horse in training benefits from a day of training followed by a day off, or light work or hack).

Every day, creating positive habits.

Peters oft-repeated George Morris’s adage:

Perfect training makes perfect.

Regarding readiness for dressage competition – Peters said he only puts a horse in the ring if the combination is able to obtain 60-70% scores, and he is

prepared to take more time if the horse is not ready. Hellelujah, hellelujah!!!!

Peters was generous in his praise of his horse, Ravel, saying that he was very lucky to be able to ride such a horse (however I have a feeling the horse

didn’t simply train himself!)

Steffen Peters, for your clear, concise training, your sense of humour, your strong and genuine welfare ethic, your humility, sense of fun and balanced view… I applaude you…

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