artistic riding

As a child I spent quite a lot of time upside down -- bouncing on trampolines and tumbling at the local rec center or springing off diving boards at the swim club -- that is when I wasn’t climbing trees, playing touch football in the street, or barreling down hills on my bike – activities which resulted in several memorable trips to the emergency room. Given my proclivities, it is probably better that I knew nothing of the sport of equestrian vaulting – that I just discovered at the end of a wonderful Susan Harris Centered Riding® Clinic which was held at Silver Dollar Stables near Princeton, NJ last weekend.

Assisting Susan was Claudia DiSanto, a CR instructor from Austria who learned to ride from her two older sisters in the Alps -- an environment she describes as “think Sound of Music.” Claudia has competed in equestrian vaulting in Europe at a very high level and at the end of the clinic she was working with the teenagers on some of the “moves.” Of course this really piqued my interest and I looked it up on YouTube the moment I got settled at the computer at home.

What a fabulous combination: the strength and agility of gymnastics, the artistry of pairs ice skating, including partnering elements of dance forms like ballet or contact improvisation – and on horseback no less. Better known in Europe the sport is gaining popularity elsewhere. The amazing equestrian show Cavalia includes a vaulting performance. As one of my friends commented, it’s the circus!

“The present name of the sport comes from the French ‘La Voltige,’ which it acquired during the Renaissance, when it was a form of riding drill and agility exercise for knights and noblemen . . . Cavalry officers introduced the sport at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp as ‘Artistic Riding.’” -- Wikipedia

The video above shows not only the artistry, but the incredible popularity of the sport in Europe -- the choreography is so creative, but it does sometimes make me think: 'what will they come up with next.?!'

cat before the horse

Headline: Odd pair proves you can put the CAT before the HORSE

Tigger the cat loves to horse around with his big pal Annie – and play nuzzle the muzzle. Their unusual relationship is the talk of the barnyard at the Victoria, Australia, home of contractor Jack Bellman.

“Tigger is a nasty old cat, who will bite and hiss and scratch, but he just melts around Annie,” says Jack. The paddock pals bonded immediately. The 3-year-old feisty feline loves to jump on the rail fence for a tête-à-tête with 2-year-old Annie.

“They have formed an incredible attachment,” says their owner. Tigger even sleeps in Annie’s food bin. Concludes an amazed Jack: “They are real buddies.”

Apparently, this is not uncommon – many horses have a stable mascot of their own – a cat, or sometimes a pony or a goat. It didn’t take long to find this video called katt och häst (cat and horse). I thought Annelie would enjoy it and the unique Swedish folksong accompaniment (click “more” under info for a translation -- a charming children's song).

swing time

The video above communicates volumes about universal principles of body mechanics: Tiger Woods’ golf swing captured exquisitely in slow motion. The aesthetic choices of the filmmaker underscore the classicism of the pure form and remind us why this athlete has achieved an almost mythic status. For me, the primary aesthetic factor is the sheer perfection of his “use of self.” The movement is undeniably beautiful, and it is also mesmerizing . . . I just never seem to tire of watching it.

I can’t seem to resist writing about it either: the still, stable central axis, the grounding which continues in polarity to the raising of his arms, the spiral initiated from the center of the body (pelvis) which is then made manifest, until you see it reaching from the tip of the toe all the way around to the end of the golf club. The slow motion allows us to absorb some of the peaceful expression on his face and the easy quality in his neck area. And do you have any doubt about the power unleashed here?

In looking for other instances of this kind of perfect melding of form and function which have the power to captivate, a variety come to mind – the sensitive and supple dressage rider creating balance and harmony with the horse, an aikido master effortlessly moving through multiple attackers, moments of brilliance during the NBA playoffs, “my” New York hawks soaring nearby and heading out over Central Park, a favorite image of my daughter which captures her in a carefree and buoyant moment. And of course music does this too – a Latin groove, a coloratura’s shimmering riff, a Chopin mazurka, Bill Evans, or a plaintive and haunting solo English horn.

Well what do these disparate performances have in common? Maybe we could call it a lack of separation between the “performer” and the activity. It’s not easy to describe – but you probably feel it too.

“To swing is when an individual player or ensemble performs in such a rhythmically coordinated way as to command a visceral response from the listener; an irresistible gravitational buoyancy that defies mere verbal definition.” (emphasis mine)

--from the Jazz in America website

Maybe that’s what I’m getting at. As the tune says, “it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing . . .”

don't try this at home

Especially the part at around 2:40!

And Aikido practitioners may especially enjoy the footage between 1:15 and 1:35 . . .

Stick with it to the end of the clip and you will hear the answer to the question, "how do you do this?"

Even if you don't speak Czechoslovakian, I would recommend visiting the website of Honza Blaha and viewing the amazing photos and video clips.

Link to English translation (automated, but you can get the idea) here.

inspiration from the heartland

So subtle is the communication between Stacy Westfall and her horse that one of my non-riding Alexander Technique colleagues half-jokingly commented to me: "how does she do that, telepathy?" I was expecting him to offer his unique perspective on the movement analysis -- as he usually does -- but in this case he was almost at a loss for words.

You see, it's just Stacy and her horse here -- no saddle, no bit or bridle, and no reins!

The video on YouTube circled the globe, and soon Stacy was "discovered" and even made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (which you can also view on YouTube)! Now the invitation I had been eyeing, to come spend some time at Westfall Horsemanship, has disappeared from the website and all the clinics offered are completely sold out -- I have a feeling I may have missed my window of opportunity here.

However, congratulations, Stacy! The recognition is certainly well-deserved, as I'm sure you will agree.

Take a look and see what you can "see."

a sport of kings

While visiting my daughter in Montana last month, where I found myself in some breathtakingly beautiful wild landscapes, I was inspired to purchase and devour a book called Falcon Fever by Tim Gallagher. It has only encouraged my love-affair with "my own" New York Red-tailed hawks.

One particularly vivid image from the book is a description of a falconer Gallagher met on a trip to the British Isles -- a former master of the Queen's cavalry, and a magnificent equestrian as one might imagine -- who galloped up at full speed while holding his falcon perfectly still on his gloved arm!

Enjoy this short video on the history of falconry, filmed in Wales, complete with charming accents, humor, heathered-moor scenery and accurate information too!

better living through imagery

“I don’t do images!” I heard one student say. Wait a minute, I’m at a Centered Riding® clinic I thought to myself. Why are they here if they don’t believe in the power of the images? Subsequent experience has shown me that CR recognizes that not all of the techniques and terminology work for every type of person. The beauty of the method is that it provides a very full toolbox of teaching techniques and encourages its teachers to sensitively adapt and experiment to find the best image or exercise for each situation.

Ideokinesis, from the Greek ideo (idea) and kinesis (movement), applies mental imagery to facilitate movement, improve body awareness and alignment and re-program movement patterns.

One website, Ideokinesis.com, recognizes Sally Swift, the founder of Centered Riding®, as a pioneer of this work. Sally’s method for teaching the art of riding is filled with incredibly creative and vibrant images which encompass both horse and rider and are designed to help the rider find ever more subtle and integrated means of influencing the horse. These rely less on isolated muscular actions and more on thought power and visualization. They help the rider envision their interaction with the horse as a synergistic whole. The rider’s re-balancing, release of tension and clarity of intention are all reflected in the movement and behavior of their highly sensitive partner, the horse.

If you do “do” images you might wish to explore some of the rich literature of Ideokinesis (you will find an extensive bibliography at Ideokinesis.com). One classic work is The Thinking Body by Mabel Todd. I am enjoying the essays in Taking Root to Fly by Irene Dowd and the book quoted below on the work of André Bernard is very accessible. Many of the exercises utilize a supine position known as “constructive rest” (familiar to both Centered Riding and Alexander Technique students) where the body is placed in a neutral, non-doing state and the mind and neural pathways become activated by the various visualizations. Applying imagery to movement is also included, and much functional anatomical knowledge is incorporated as well.

Below are several brief excerpts culled from a reminiscence of the work of André Bernard by Ursula Stricker, from Ideokinesis – A Creative Approach to Human Movement and Body Alignment:

“’Think it, imagine it, let it happen.’ With his deep, warm voice, André Bernard guided us into the heart of ideokinesis, into constructive rest . . . Layer by layer I gained access to the deepest layer, the weight-bearing structure of the bones, and over time I developed a continuous awareness of my bones. Through aligning and balancing my skeletal structure, my behavior and work habits changed and many burdensome postural patterns loosened and melted away. . . . What became familiar as a meditative, creative path of body, alignment, and movement awareness began to weave itself naturally into the dance of daily life. Routine movements became clearer, lighter, and more flowing, which to me is essential to ‘quality of life.’”

The image above was taken at Thorncroft Equestrian Center in Malvern, PA where I contributed Alexander Technique teaching to Susan Harris' Centered Riding® Instructors’ clinic in early May. Please visit their website to see some of the many special people and horses who create the warm and peaceful atmosphere at this very special place.