Inspiration of a Dubious Nature

I'm not sure where to start, really.  Some interesting things happened recently that were oddly inspiring but for the wrong reasons.  A dressage trainer contacted me recently to say that they liked my blog and gave me lots of compliments.  They said that they had been "bashed" online by a person who seemed to attack them for no reason.  After doing a bit of research into the situation I did think that the trainer was being unreasonably harangued. I told them so in an email and also "liked" some of the photos of them riding. There were some decent photos of moments on horseback that I felt ok about commenting on. 

However, because of the bashing the trainer had formed a private Facebook page for their students that one had to be invited to in order to view posts. I joined and perused the photos and videos I was now privy to.  One short clip showed the trainer riding and they didn't ride well.  They couldn't sit the trot and there were some other positional problems.  They said they supported Baucher and yet in most photos they were still heavy-handed as in the German system (which opposes Baucherism).

I dug some more.  The trainer admitted to being "self-taught".  This was surprising to me because most of us serious riders crave lessons and want to find the "One" who can enlighten us yet this trainer only read books.  Still, they were doing amazingly well all things considered.  I reflected on the amount of time I've spent riding and working alone, trying out different theories and methods and know that this was also me - the book-learned trainer.  Still, I'd much rather have someone in person to look at me and correct me on the spot. 

Back to the trainer.  I felt badly for them and I was tempted to do as they asked - write a post dedicated to them.  Something didn't sit right though, so I waited.  I noticed that this person never commented or interacted with me other than to ask if I'd written about them.  I looked up what the trainer basher had to say, and some of it was just plain mean and unfounded.  Some of it was true, though, as in what she said about their riding ability.  I wrote to the trainer again, saying that my support was questionable since I write an unknown blog to a small number of followers (who are all valuable to ME, of course) but I have no pull in the dressage world. Why would I write a blog entry about someone who lives quite far away that I've never met and never seen in person? Would my readers care? I haven't even written that much about those that really matter to me like Oliveira or Baucher!

I think I was kind, but suggested that they take lessons to help themselves and to give them an ally in the dressage world.  I suggested that they be really careful in posting angry retorts to comments made on their Facebook page, and I suggested they be professional in everything they do because they are trying to BE a professional trainer.  I have yet to hear back after several days.  

I believe I dodged a bullet in a sense.  If I had written a blog about that person (in the positive) I would have regretted it because I believe they are unprofessional at the very least.  I also see that the person was only interested in getting something from me that would help THEM, not honest give and take.  They also don't care enough about themselves professionally to improve in every way possible. Some of us are restricted by money, it's true, however one MUST be able to look closely at themselves if they are going to put the shingle out.  You also need some kind of credentials.  This person doesn't show (neither do I, and I don't necessarily think this is the best form of credential), doesn't take lessons and doesn't seem to critique their own riding at the very least. They do not have any teaching certificates from any known associations or schools.  None of the horse they've trained have won anything, that I could tell. 

In fact, the more posts I saw, the more I disagreed with this trainer. The methods they said they support and use were a mish-mash of things that had no business being mentioned in the same sentence.  To me, the fact that they mentioned using two very different training techniques in conjunction with each other shows that they understood neither.  To protect them I of course have not mentioned their name or gender or where they live. I guess I felt disappointed  because it's always great to meet someone who is really interested in dressage and likes to discuss it.  I had hoped to find someone willing to exchange theories and experiences at the very least.  I feel that they tried to dupe me into supporting them instead. 

And the inspiration that I mentioned 27 paragraphs ago? In an odd way, this trainer inspired my too-long dormant love of dressage and teaching.  Perhaps now that we are on the Front Range again I may give some lessons.  We'll see. First I need to get my horses over here!

Some links on my favorite dressage learning sources:

On Baucher

On Nuno Oliveira

Manolo Mendez

Imke Spilker