>>>> What do you think about what Racinet is saying? I BELIEVE he's saying that anytime you rush or force training such that your cues are still visible, you are sacrificing lightness - and lightness should be a major goal of dressage. With a light horse, the aids are so subtle that an observer can't see anything - it's almost as if the horse and rider are of one mind. And since he mentions the Olympic riders, I believe he's also saying that it's possible to get part of 'the goal', but still miss the mark.
I like that he says that the rider should not get into the habit of continually giving the signal (and I say 'signal', because most of us real-world riders probably use a combination of cues and aids.) In that vein, he talks in more detail about both the "release of hand" and the "release of leg". It's interesting stuff. Karen Thomas, NC [EMAIL PROTECTED]
