[Isabeau Z Solace]

Well I was curious about Isabeau's claims. Search function found this thread. That's 5 minutes I won't get back.


http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/sh...mediare-I-Test

It appears this must have been the thread in question since the poster lost her temper there. Nothing she claimed on this thread about it was true. Go figure.

The issue there was advertising and overpriced bareback pads.

What does this have to do with a video of Isabel riding her horse bitless and bareback?

Just gratuitous and arbitrary negativity?

Well if you can't be patient enough to wait for me to dig the thread up I don't see how I am to blame for that!

I shall reread it when I have a chance and see how my recollection matches the thread.

[Crockpot]

I shall reread it when I have a chance and see how my recollection matches the thread.

Hint- it doesn't

[Isabeau Z Solace]

-I am reminded of the Dressage Curmudgeon's cautionary thread about dressage forums being like Walmart and the interesting behaviors you see when the equivalent of Vera Wang visit's Walmart http://dressagecurmudgeon.blogspot.c....html?spref=fb

Paula

That's pretty funny.

[merrygoround]

That is enough to keep many of us from posting advice.

Sadly, some are teachers and do teach, we just can't help ourselves.

Many thanks Mike. I always enjoy watching someone produce the UL movements without a bit.

I'm among the helmet wanters, though.

[Crockpot]

So Isabeau somehow you had time to read that? Will you ever be admitting you were wrong? I guess not.

[cadance]

A friend of my shared this on FB, SO cool! I wish I had a made horse whaaaa

[Isabeau Z Solace]

It started nicely enough for a few pages, then their was consternation about one poster 'advertising.' (Which I don't get since folks advertise for barn managers and selling OTTB pretty much daily at this point... I wonder if perhaps the Mods have given up at this point.)


"Starting with post 23 she commenced to shilling. Prior to that she was perfectly fine and didn't put a foot wrong. But BAM hit post 23 and let the selling begin. And telling us where to get it. And who to buy it from. And where they are located. and now they are on sale!! Please. she was selling, and how, from that post forward.

She is welcome to stay and chat about her experiences, exercises, suggestions, tips, anything....but tell us again where to buy her (now on sale!!!) ...kit. That got a little bit wearing. If she doesn't know the rules, fine- but we do have rules here on a huge BB with folks posting from all over the world. And one of the biggies is no advertising. So if she's trying to get away from rules- then COTH is not good enough for her. That's too bad- I enjoyed reading about her experiences.

She should not feel unwelcome, just better informed."

------------------------
"I'm lost as to why one would need sidereins or special 'methodology' to ride a horse bareback.


Methodology:
1. Swing leg over.
2. Ride.
3. Tada!

Silly me, I should be creating a DVD for $49.99
If anyone is interested I can sell them the blue polo shirt for $29.99. Perhaps I can photoshop some sidereins in and sell those?"

-------------------
"I seriously thought this was some kind of satire, a kit to ride bareback? Really? And side reins are very dangerous to ride in, I didn't think anyone in the US actively promoted it.

I'm not bashing bareback, but just do it and don't make it a trend/fad. People did it for hundred of years. If you and your horse like it great but don't make it into a system/cult/trend."
------------------
"Eh, this is too cult-like to be comfortable for me."
-----------------
"Huh. I just throw a towel over my horse and go. But what the hell do I know?

The K.I.S.S. Bareback Riding Kit (tm) includes:
1 gaudily-colored beach towel (one size fits most)"
--------------

Then a controversial post was made about helmets...


"Yes I do. I'm just waiting for you all to get this out of your systems so we can go back to talking about bareback dressage. Her not wearing a helmet is her choice. I wear a helmet -that's beside the point, I really am interested in exploring the benefits of bareback riding."

----------------

Then there was an accusation of someone being a 'charlatan.'

I think riding bareback, and developing rapport are very useful activities, but that does not mean I have to support every charlatan with their palm out to be greased....

If I see a trainer trying to take or actually taking money or some other way encouraging the flow of money out of peopke's wallets to get NO results and/or give craptastic advice, I think they are a RIPOFF.

Pointing out that I think something is a ripoff does not mean I don't believe in the activity....you are welcome to practice on my horse who is already trained enough as a matter of course (b/c he's, you know, BROKE) to do absolutely fine. Or I will come down and.... set you up for success and walk you through it. It will not involve any hoodoo with sidereins, I will not stand in the arena mooing about I have a dream to ride at Equifest (btw, LOL), I will not try to get you killed by encouraging you to not wear a helmet, I will take my responsibility seriously to actually get prompt results if you are paying for them AND keep you and Fella safe and happy, I will do it for $40 a lesson, and unless your horse is unusually difficult you will be able to get started on your bareback journey in ONE session and without stopping by my friend's tackstore first to buy extra equipment, too.

That's how the non-charlatans do it."

----------------

Attempts were made repeatedly to end the bashing and get the discussion back on track.

"I would like very much to continue discussion bareback riding and its... There's no ripoff to be had...a great video on Youtube that made me think of things I hadn't thought of before. I wanted to talk to her about bareback riding, and bareback dressage. There were other people on the forum who were interested in discussing bareback dressage."

--------------

That didn't happen.

"You sound as though you're channeling Linda Parelli..."
-----------------------

Things sort of got back on track. Then there was more deterioration about helmets, and various elements of one posters personal experiences riding when they were younger.

"oh, I don't know She has mad typing skillz, and terrible marketing and PR sense. It's entertaining if nothing else."

------------

Still the attacking continued at every possible opportunity.

"Well, I've alerted the mods.... pushing her credentials and her majikal bb pad in my inbox. Can't stand it.

Go put side reins on rearing horses somewhere else .

You definitively don't need a helmet."

"Wow. At least she's been reported."

------------------

Snide commentary followed by more pleading to keep it civilized.

"Can I ask those of you who are so inclined not to again muddy up the thread with snide, disruptive, disdainful and irrelevant posts. Please please allow us to continue our conversation unmolested. Please."

---------------
And then more bullyish nonsense

"If you desire less attention online....stop changing your underwear in public "

"No no.... she is not selling anything or making profit off of this Majikal BarebackDressage™ Kit

I wonder why is there a TM if no one is making profit out of this?"

And finally

"We're closing this down as it's getting into personal commentary and bickering amongst parties involved.

Mod 1"

[paulaedwina]

I think the thread is an EXCELLENT example of what dressage curmudgeon was describing when she says,

"Like, for argument's sake, say Anne Klein actually walked in to a Wal-Mart, and decided to buy some socks or maybe some dish soap because c'mon, really, the prices ARE good... If Wal-Mart really was a dressage message board (say, Ultimate Dressage), the shopping hordes would rise up and bludgeon her to death with a 60 pack of Nestle Halloween treats, because what on EARTH does Anne Klein know about clothes or fashion or shopping, and how dare she even suggest that she knows how to buy socks any better than us just because she calls herself a designer. Bitch. We are livin' it here baby, livin' on a prayer, and we don't need HER! She will probably take the socks home and smother puppies with them, the cruel, hate filled cow... "

http://dressagecurmudgeon.blogspot.c....html?spref=fb

People wanted to keep talking to Candace but they were simply not allowed by posters who came in purely to show their contempt.

I think DC quite accurately described the pathology.

Paula

[Crockpot]

What the??

[Isabeau Z Solace]

Sure.... when she does it it's great... when someone further down the food chain is interested in it then they are Satan.

I'm going to stick with this. The discussion was repeatedly hammered by folks who felt some people should just shut up, get on, and figure it out.

People attempting to suggest A way of doing something (that others don't agree with) are (obviously) charlatans and idiots.

And if they have ideas about helmets, sidereins, or anything else (that others disagree with) then they are subject to personal attack.

One poster had to repeatedly beg for calm, consideration, and focus on the topic. Which eventually failed.

[Isabeau Z Solace]

People wanted to keep talking to Candace but they were simply not allowed by posters who came in purely to show their contempt.

And that is kind of the main point of my first post on this thread.

Kind of a situation where 'It's okay if the Queen does it,' but anyone else is subject to ridicule and, as you say, contempt.

[Crockpot]

Geez. How is any of that thread where people took issue with blatant advertising (and mods agreed and deleted the more blatant advertising posts) relevant to this thread about a nice video. Hmm?

Your bias/shoulder chip -"contempt?"- is showing and it is not pretty.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Funny....all I noticed in the video was a very happy looking 19 year old horse who looks in great shape and feeling good. What a lovely animal. And a rider having fun with her partner. Made me smile.

[paulaedwina]

It's very relevant because we've broached bareback dressage a couple of times before and just got beaten up for it. One poster even asserted with a great deal of confidence that it.simply.could.not.be.done! So as Isabeau says;

"Sure.... when she does it it's great... when someone further down the food chain is interested in it then they are Satan."

But it's all good. Some of us are regularly in contact with the Charlatan in question, get great advice and are doing quite well. We gladly share information and footage and inspiration for bareback dressage with each other. I'm buying my Charlatan kit quite soon to help me and my horse. It's funny, but my current trainer went to side reins to help Fella too. What a coincidence. In fact I saw this video first on FB when it was shared by those of like minds.

ETA: Bornfree, it is quite lovely. There's another poster on Youtube who does it even better (IMHO) but she is using a bridle so it may be what looks like occasionally compressing the neck may just be compensation for not having a bridle on in the video here. Here is the other bareback dressage rider I like to look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlVy9sS1vFs This rider posts her training videos with assessments of how she is doing regarding different qualities.



Paula

[katarine]

Funny....all I noticed in the video was a very happy looking 19 year old horse who looks in great shape and feeling good. What a lovely animal. And a rider having fun with her partner. Made me smile.

Wasn't it fun to watch? LOVED it!

[Lost_at_C]

Perhaps some blogger needs to write a labored metaphor to illustrate how forum topics can be completely derailed by indignant posters advocating for their thinly-related pet interests.... just a suggestion.

[Lost_at_C]

To try to get back on topic, I loved the video too, mostly because it's so illustrative of the special relationship that develops between long-time dressage pairs. We spend so much time focusing on competition achievements, we sometimes forget about the lifelong journey that dressage really is... For me this video adds to my memories of Satchmo in competition, in a most positive way. I used to occasionally ride my elderly boy in a paddock, bareback with nothing but a lead rope attached to his head collar... he was full of aches and pains but he still loved to strut his stuff on occasion, given the chance. It's so wonderful to see any horse so well looked after in their retirement!

[paulaedwina]

She is so concert with his movements, and goodness knows that kind of sync should not be taken for granted.

ETA And these days 19 just aint that old anymore.

Paula

[cnm161]

The issue is hardly tootling around on bareback. The issue with the oft mentioned previous thread is the implication that training bareback is the only/the best way to bond/train/learn to ride.

In this case you can hardly argue that the pair in question have achieved their currentor former levels of success without tack. Incidentally I approve--as if she needs my approval--of her brand of bareback saddle.

Sidereins are an entirely different discussion. An external trainer's endorsement of their use doesn't necessarily mean that a bareback pad/sidereins combo is a good choice. Some may even notice that they've been around long before youtube came about.

There aren't any shortcuts to riding like Isabel.

[paulaedwina]

Nobody ever said "...training bareback is the only/the best way to bond/train/learn to ride" in any way shape or form, ever. We were trying to talk about using bareback to increase rapport. It was never touted as a be all and end all ever. And, again, posters that found the technique useless could have shown their contempt by ignoring the discussion.

I don't even know how to comment on the side reins part of your conversation.

There are no shortcuts, and as I said, bareback was not being offered as a shortcut, just a technique.


Paula