PIAFFE IN ENGLISH magazine translation for the international reader 2009/1 magazine page 5 Hyperflexion: A meander in equitation The school of the successful At the World Championship 1994 (Grand Prix Special) and 1998, at the Olympic competition The extreme forms of hyperflexion, the exces- 1996 as well as at the European Championship sive bending of the neck, came into “vogue” in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997, Gigolo was suc- equitation in the past 15 years. cessful. The worldwide results and competitions of Bonfire won the freestyle World Champion- horsewomen had an “idol character”. Three ship 1994, the European Championship 1999, horses including their equestriennes are men- the Olympic Dressage Competition 2000 as tionable: Corlandus under Margit Otto-Crepin, well as the World cup decisions 1995, 1996, Rembrandt under Nicole Uphoff and Gigolo 1997 1999 and 2000. Salinero followed him in under Isabell Werth. Olympic Gold in the years 2004 and 2008, the European Championship, the Freestyle World The trainer of this “new style” was first of all Championship 2006, the Freestyle World Dr.Uwe Schulten-Baumer. These three lady Championship 2007 and the World cup suc- riders were kept in charge of his training, at cess 2004,2005, 2006 and 2008. Rusty, under least temporary. The mentioned trainer and Ulla Salzgeber at the European Championship the three horses and their riders were in the 2001 and 2003, as well as at the Worldcup spotlight at the end of the eighties and in the Finals in 2001 and 2002, until the detection of nineties. The public interest concentrated on an “illegal substance” also in the year 2003 at their method of riding, because of their win- the vanguard, never was an idol like the above ning of Olympic medals and riding victories. mentioned horses concerning his head and The Dutchwoman Anky van Grunsven, her neck position. Bonfire, her Salinero and her trainer Sjef Jans- sen reached the function of an idol one For a better comprehension of the pictures (horse) generation later. Concerning the re- made ten years before, it has to be mentioned sults of the named horses and horsewomen that both trainers of Rembrandt and Corlan- you remember: Corlandus was at the Euro- dus (Fritz Tempelmann, after Dr.Uwe Schul- pean Championship in the vanguard. Rem- ten-Baumer) wanted to manage a problem by brandt won Olympic Gold in 1988 and 1992, in bending the horse’s neck excessively. The 1989 the European and in 1990 the World trainers wanted to compensate the adynamia Championship. of the horses’ weak back, that means to coun- Piaffe in English - magazine translation for the international reader - © by WuWei Verlag, Germany. - www.Wu-Wei-Verlag.com Page 1 teract this weakness by the use of flexion. This Latter function of the Hyperflexion was prob- type of training was not only limited by the ably also an important motive for Dr. Uwe low neck position, but also by Hyperflexion. Schulten-Baumer to let his student Isabell The type of Hyperflexion used with Corlandus Werth ride Gigolo in this way. Dr. Schulten- was not to the same extent as with Rem- Baumer underlined several times the promo- brandt. tion of the “suppleness” of the horse by his training method. The persuasive power, with Rembrandt was extremely dis- which in the match having the unusually suc- tracted. Moreover he tended to cessful one effect of his method stated, is certainly to be differentiated from the truth star-gaze. content of the statement. Furthermore the temporal consequence of the training justifies With the strong bending of the neck, Rem- no causal connection of the two phenomena brandt was brought under control and his in Hyperflexion (due to the judgments of indi- visual field was limited. The latter means: with vidual judges). Thus the question, whether a the extreme bending, the optical attractions pair succeeded because of Hyperflexion in which were not directly in front of the horse training or whether their successes were were eliminated. This way to fade out sources achieved despite this method, remains legiti- of irritation therefore functioned as a kind of mate in other words thus the question, natural blinker. With Rem- whether the Hyperflexion or brandt the proceeding was ac- whether other achievements of cording to the principle, which IMPRINT the horses, horsewomen men- is common in the Dressage tioned and coaches for the con- Sport Riding at present, to Piaffe in English is published by ceptions on the square became evade disturbing external at- Wu Wei Verlag e.K. Isabella Sonntag decisive and then appropriate tractions, if possible, to elimi- Seestr. 54 judgments. This question arises D-86938 Schondorf am Ammersee nate them. The opposite strate- also in view of the victories and gy, i.e. the horse in a patient GERMANY placements of the horses ridden progressive training, making it Telefon +49/8192/934192 by Anky van Grunsven and ma- familiar with the frightening Telefax +49/8192/934257 [email protected] naged by Sjef Janssen. Besides, attractions is used only little by the question arises to what ex- the Dressage Riders in the past ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No reprint or tent the stated (above all mus- distribution without prior permission. and at present. To consider is cle-physiologically and psycho- certainly in this regard: The Chief Editor logically) explanations for the habituation to strange attrac- Jürgen Kemmler extreme Hyperflexion tions with these pure-bred jkemmler @ web.de Tel. +49/8807/206839 represented and further horses used in the today's high- represent the decisive motive performance sport - and Rem- Advertisement Manager for this kind of riding, in other brandt was a typical represent- Karin Wiesner Karin.Wiesner @ wu-wei-verlag.com words, to what extent the abso- ative of such horses- is more Tel. +49/8192/934192 lute controllableness of the difficult than with the “colder” horse gave the excuse in fact for horses, which once in the mili- Subscriptions Manager Christina Wunderlich the practice of the Hyperflexion tary riding worked satisfactorily info @ wu-wei-verlag.com and further if the (and the addi- Tel. +49/8192/934192 and which are today totally tional) muscle-physiological as relaxed in police employment. well as psychological analysis With Corlandus as with Rembrandt it was represents an explanation, which - for the probably added that Hyperflexion made their promotion of the public reputation - is to justi- task more pleasant for the horsewomen, i.e. fy, the reality however is more covered than that the Hyperflexion gave the riders control, revealed. Riding horses in a deep overbent which facilitated the figuration of their horses. neck position, became a new style and noble. Such a formulation is however only applicable Statements and truth content as a separation of the present main training method from the one practiced in former dec- Piaffe in English - magazine translation for the international reader - © by WuWei Verlag, Germany. - www.Wu-Wei-Verlag.com Page 2 ades and described in the most read text- stand out against their predecessors with one books. If one grasps larger historical periods, or the other practical measure as well as other then it will be illegitimate to call the excessive theoretical reasons and so to get rid of the bending a “new” method. It is to be explained critical arguments, with which the role models rather as a revival of historical ancestors, who of Hyperflexion had been discredited in the were believed to be obsolete, also as the re- history of horsemanship. The latter also vival of procedures, whose practicing one had means: The reception of a method known for not (more) expected in particular with the top centuries does not become an innovation only riders in international sport. These historical by adding one or another peripheral version, facts are to be held against the attempts of by referring more or less globally to “recent some advocates of Hyperflexion to describe sport scientific findings” and proclaiming the the method as “new” or as their invention, to “new riding” – in contrast to the “old”. magazine page 10 Epicrisis-is top sports only fiction? A winter’s fairy tale: cause of his work of 15 years as the team vet Halla’s safe world of the German show jumpers, his membership in the DOKR's and FN's presidency as well as president of the veterinary committee of the By Dr. Peter F. Cronau FEI he has an uniquely extensive insight. Caringly treated with a blanket, the life-size In medical sciences, the word epicrisis means statue stands in front of the DOKR’s building in a summarising assessment of a case concern- Warendorf. Somehow a deeply symbolic pic- ing origin, course and result. In the following, I ture. Memories awake. will try to transport this idea to my explana- In the early 50s of the last century, the DOKR tion. bought Halla and placed it at Hans-Günther A trend spreading in the USA signalises that Winkler’s disposal. At the Olympic Games of institutions are to be seen as moral personali- 1956 in Stockholm the legendary miracle mare ties. Leading and institutional responsibility in wrote equestrian sports’ history and won the organisations prompted the question whether gold medal in the 2. go-round of the hunt collective or individual responsibilities exist. jumping, which counted for the team score at This is not completely uncomplicated, as if that time, with the painfully hurt "pilot" H.G. only the collective is responsible, the individu- Winkler in the saddle. Then, Doping had not al does not seem to be responsible anymore. been a question yet. Therefore, for collective responsiblities, there New findings in handling horses, the progress- needs to be a certain individual co- ing commercialization in equestrian sports, but responsibility.