[re-runs]

French motto: "Hands without legs, legs without hands." Without this= possible trouble ......... and is why people have so much trouble with what they call 'lazy" but really are only discouraged or confused horses. When the riders legs on ON, one must always have an OPEN door for the horse to step into.

You all might be saying, of course. Easier to say and not so easy to do and that is why I always re-visualize that open door. A horse must have a space to step into.

[horsefaerie]

You illustrated my point about the outside rein quite succinctly right there re-runs. With that, carry on.

[ideayoda]

The idea of "Hands without legs, legs without hands." however does not mean take one away while using the other. It means the horse cannot serve two masters (both leg/hand) at the same time. So, if using one don't muddy it while using the other ie demi arret while using leg. Instead demi arret, then energy from leg (or visa versa). Not no connection while using the other.

[alicen]

Is not a correct walk 4 beat, therefore one step at a time? Would someone in the know please state the sequence of foot steps? Of course, providing a video would be appreciated, otherwise this discussion remains academic (very French indeed) but, in my experience, I've never met a horse yet who learned by being read to.

[alibi_18]

Walk: Hind Left - Front Left - Hind Right - Front Right

[ideayoda]

Yes, a correct walk is one step at a time but they forms a stride/a progression... rather than isolating the steps (in order to again make the walk pure in horses who have lost it (or balance).

As said above, it is a lateral progression. And that is where there is a problem when we talk about diagonizing it (before rein back or piaffe).

[alicen]

Walk: Hind Left - Front Left - Hind Right - Front Right

That's for the counted walk?

[ideayoda]

The speaking of WALK progression can start with any foot, but the progress is alway hind foot and then fore foot on one side and then another. With counted walk it is one step of one foot, then another, and so on. NOT the entire series of steps which form a stride (i.e. walking in extremely slow motion (which some here are relating as what cw is...but not what I was taught).

[horsefaerie]

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/ar.../t-165641.html

[alibi_18]

That's for the counted walk?

That is for walking, no matter if it's the counted, the medium or lenghten one.

[horsefaerie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsf9W...eature=related

Interesting video.

[alibi_18]

The speaking of WALK progression can start with any foot, but the progress is alway hind foot and then fore foot on one side and then another. With counted walk it is one step of one foot, then another, and so on. NOT the entire series of steps which form a stride (i.e. walking in extremely slow motion (which some here are relating as what cw is...but not what I was taught).

Are you implying that in the counted walk you can make your horse step in whatever order you want?

[alicen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsf9W...eature=related

Interesting video.

You just beat me to it! He's got guts.

[SwampYankee]

VERY illustrative video--thanks for posting! He's doing more than just that, too--for those who want to "skip ahead," he's also raised the withers and raised the neck. This is a very good picture of the deuxieme maniere at work!

NOTE: Yes, this is a different "frame," a more "upward" balance; and for those used to looking at the long-'n-low of the other school, it may appear hollow. It isn't, trust me! In practice, it feels like the difference between driving a Maserati and driving a bulldozer. Regardless of the breed of horse!

Carry on . . . !

[alicen]

Yes, finally someone who can walk the walk. Pun intended.

[goodpony]

I agree the video is interesting but the horse has an obvious lateral tendency so its difficult to tell if he is using brief moments in counted walk along with lateral excises to correct the walk before moving on---jmo.

[horsefaerie]

I agree with you Good Pony. He does have a lateral tendency. However, that is quite possibly the result of the difficulty of the transitions and he is schooling to alter that.

If we were to pick it apart which I find despicable for the most part, I find his hands in piaffe rather disconcerting.

However, for demo purposes there are places that illustrate what folks are discussing.

[SwampYankee]

Here is a thread from another forum that really distills the precepts of Racinet's system--and addresses many of the questions people here have asked:


http://barnmice.ning.com/forum/topic...yone-else-read

Gotta go ride,

Later!

[goodpony]

Was that not at least part of the purpose of performing the 'counted walk' as an exercise to correct/modulate a lateral tendency. The question in my mind is "which came first?"--the lateral tendency or the exercises.

[ideayoda]

The lateral tendency did. IMHO that is not counted walk. The horse is too compressed which also accounts for the higher steps behind which also indicate a lack of folding hind leg joints as well. this is where the hand must not hold the horse shorter it the balance does. If the rider quickens the stride or does not allow for bascule it will start to of as this horse does. And the lateraluty becomes apparent

Walk is always a flow of strides. You might start with either hind leg but it will always have the same order