Ferdi Eilberg & Charlotte Dennis, riding Graphics

Dave Stuart & Snoopy

Sike Vallentin & Biko

Sat 1st - Sun 2nd October, 2005 - Solihull Riding Club, Solihull
'Foundation to Performance'

The Annual Equine Ethology Show was a resounding success and featured expert horse behaviourists from the USA, Linda and Pat Parelli, together with the UK's Dave Stuart and Charlotte Dennis.

Equinetourism.co.uk attended on the Saturday. Pat Parelli's session looked at the importance of building a trusting and respectful relationship with your horse and preserving the horse's sensitivity, curiosity and dignity through all levels of development and performance.

Linda Parelli's session showed how essential it is to really look at your horse and how he moves - and then work with your findings to encourage the horse to naturally carry himself on his hindquarters without force. Through just one session, she enabled a gelding who had been pulling himself along from the front, resulting in incorrect muscle development and tension in his chest and neck, to lengthen, loosen, stretch and shift his weight back - engaging his hind quarters - to move freely and fluidly in canter. Her Fluidity method involves the rider being aware that he can use his body to show the horse what to do in his.

Leading dressage rider/trainer Ferdi Eilberg gave an afternoon lecture demonstration and then an evening ridden display, with his daughter Marie. Ferdi's lecture focused on developing the young dressage horse sensitively and consistently for competition - encouraging progression in learning, without causing the horse unreasonable pressure or discomfort. It was an enlightening session and Charlotte Dennis's young horse responded calmly and with obvious improvement as he engaged his hind quarters more effectively, raising and opening his shoulders to lighten his front. It was good to see him relaxed and loose at the end of the session.

The second horse was advanced and highly strung. When he entered the arena, he was obviously affected by the crowds and Ferdi's first task was to work to lower his adrenalin to create a constructive learning environment. He accomplished this with ease and it was a joy to see the horse relax and concentrate. His daughter Marie clearly had her hands full and the skill was in encouraging this horse to concentrate on the job in hand - and enjoy it. We were treated to some wonderful piaffe, passage and flying changes as well as how to control and extend pace.

The evening session included wonderful displays by Ferdi and Marie Eilberg, Dave Stuart, Charlotte Dennis and Sike Vallentin. No one wanted the day to end!

Ferde & Marie Eilberg

For more information visit www.equineethology.com

Pat Parelli & Score

Linda Parelli & Devon

Charlotte Dennis & Swerve

For more information:

For more information about the new National Equine Ethology Centre
visit www.equineethology.com

Tel 0870 078 1254 or email [email protected]

National Equine Ethology Centre, PO Box 2233, Wrexham LL11 0AY