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I’m not a guy. I’m a sixy year old lady, and just wanted to tell you that you look beautiful(your makeup is gorgeous), and you do an amazing job on RU-vid.
What about folks riding western, who don’t want to be “on the bit”….even she looked to have her horses’s head behind the vertical at times. Just curious how the topline can be developed without use of heavy hands
Amelia rides in a bit and has the head of the horse in very yanked vertical positions that look completely unnatural and irritating to the horse. So I ask how is that a great example of good framing for the horse muscle development if she is forcing gross positions just for her dressage work? Don’t you talk about in your previous videos and vet studies how these forced positions are bad for the horse in general and their muscle development? Or maybe that was Milestone Equestrian, but it’s concerning you don’t mention that. Not to mention the stress you can clearly see on the horses faces in many of Amelias videos. Also, all the exercises Amelia does can all be done in a neck rope or halter, (yes you can teach all the things Amelia is doing in a neck rope or halter with the horse learning proper frames, no bits required to force the horse). I do agree with your example of link and how you let his head stretch low and natural doing a similar exercise in transitions to help build top line, but you can also just do backing exercises on the ground in a collected frame everyday or the halt/rein back under saddle. Amelia does mention the backing and rein back, but her execution is disgusting as she is constantly pulling the horse behind the vertical in this video in the under saddle work for engaging the hind end. But if her overall horses frame is forced with a (flash and tight rein work with a bit), is she really a great example for other people to watch for horsemanship and riding exercises? Yes, even I have watched some of her videos, and she is not terrible and can explain things well on certain subjects, but overall the form of riding she uses is what the world needs less of (tight bits and tight rein work). Why not highlight trainers instead who do neck reining on a completely loose rein, one reining hackamore horses, or those who do liberty, and those who only ride in neck ropes completely bridle-less or just in a halter…who also perpetuate proper frames and top line work without cheating with bits? Should of given Amelia a B+ not an A+ lol. Maybe even a B- for the constant overuse of spurs and giving the horse no mental responsibility to do what she asks… aka horsemanship and liberty training proper frames and collection.
@@nicolaxoxo1 clicker training/liberty work can help you teach and encourage proper frames the horse learns to use. You can do backing exercises on the ground, just make sure your horse is rounding/lifting their back, this strengthens the top line muscle. And of course do rein back under saddle, can be done in a halter or neck rope to help build top line. Nobody needs bits.
I think it just comes down to people and horses being different, and humans needing to profit off of the sport and their animals. Imagine a horse thats been worked up levels and invested in, and starts to have trouble, people use spurs to get results faster and keep the sport profitable, people dont have time to wait to get over training obstacles and challenges. one horse might never 'need' spurs and another might need to take a year longer without spurs to do the same as that horse that didnt, and might be left behind. its unfortunate as hell becausei cant imagine a normal human child being compared to a 'higher acheiving' kid and then instead of giving them the help and extra time and support they need we just poke them and prod them physically to do what we want. kinda screwed up but money makes the world go round.
@@porcihorseI mean the FEI straight up reward hyperflexion and riding btv, they literally dont like what ethical dressage looks like and they dont want it in the highest levels, its disgraceful, i was watching shelby dennis' most recent video, and my husband who knows NOTHING about horses was watching the fei judges ignoring basically rollkur and he was like "i dont get it, why are they doing that, it looks so ugly, is the goal to make the horse look straight at the ground?" and i've never been so proud. I explained and showed him what it SHOULD look like and he said it was way better but I think he still doesnt understand the point of the discipline 😂 one day soon i'll explain what equitation is 😅
Spurs In dressage (correct dressage at least) are not for forward, they are for refining the aids: a light touch with a small surface area in a spot is more easily understood than a vague squeeze in a large area of the heel when a horse has so many buttons. Imagine clicking a elevator with your entire foot… you probably clicked 6 buttons you didn’t mean to. Then imagine clicking the elevator button with just one finger. Much less chance of miscommunication. With higher level dressage horses the difference between asking for two different moves may be as slight as an putting your leg back a mere inch. And just because you have spurs on does not mean you are always using them. If you are lightly squeezing your calf to go forward the spur won’t touch. I think the hate for spurs come from people thinking they are used to kick with to go forward. That is not what they are used for. (Though you can abuse/misuse them like any equipment.) this is why only riders with an independent seat and quiet legs should use them, not novice riders. And also I’m sure people hate them because they see some of the deplorable upper level dressage riders embarrass our sport with their trashy use of spurs… To summarise, if you use them in the way you should, they make communication more clear when talking to a horse with lots of buttons. So a well trained horse in theory needs them more because they have more buttons! I hope I explained that clearly, sorry if it’s a bit confusing. I think it’s hard to understand why dressage riders choose to use spurs if you haven’t sat on a higher level dressage horse. I know western riders use them differently and some bad coaches put them on you to get a lazy horse to go quicker but in dressage it really isn’t used hard enough to be unethical; if you use them right that js!
@@rhi963I don’t even tune in to the international dressage comps anymore, it’s painful. No wonder why people think dressage riders are hard handed and abuse the spurs, many of the people at the top do just that! I was judging a pony club comp last week and thought “wow these kids have softer hands and have their horses going more correctly than some top riders I know! “ it’s embarrassing
I have to agree with the comments on her constantly jabbing with her spurs and the horse behind the vertical. I normally agree with your reviews but this time i just dont see it. Her words mean one thing her actions another. Also it cant be good for a horse to be forced to hold that position long term. Idk how long these rides are typically but I challenge people to flex their abs and jog for an hour (most people cant even hold an ab flex while standing). Its just not natural to be flexing constantly while moving.
Exactly! forced positions using the bit and tight reins is cheating the correct training, it’s almost like no one knows how to do proper groundwork anymore so that a horse can be conditioned correctly for riding.
@@alisonjem oh gosh same...I swear every person I meet is like groundwork? What is tht? And I'm like uhhh u ride this horse and it doesn't first do this stuff on the ground?
Until Amelia, I'd never found a trainer's videos where I felt I could fully implement the techniques and see results. She is incredible and so very generous with both her knowledge and her time. She has multiple Facebook groups and is very active on them, as well as having a few of her staff who help her answer questions. It's hard finding dressage trainers who I feel really believe my plain grade gelding is worth teaching. I feel like Amelia genuine belives in "dressage for all" and I love her methods.
What does "grade" mean, think it might be an Americanism. I've heard it used here before by RLink, no idea what a "grade horse" means other than levels of abilty when used as an Equestrian term at least. Absolutely we should all have fun on our horses, taking things too serriously is detrimental to the horse, very.
@@equestanton1017 Grade just means they're unregistered or can't be registered! My gelding technically can be registered as half-Mustang or Pinto but he isn't. So he's a grade horse. No paperss, no registration.
Thank-you so much for that explanation @illbehold. I was wondering initially as RLink was suggesting it's somehow a bad thing buying a "grade horse" I had no idea what she meant. I could see it was meant as an insult but for the rest no idea. I'm still not sure what she means, a good horse is a good horse it doesn't matter if it's registered, has papers or not, to think otherwise is simply the worst kind of uninformed snobbery. When you consider some of the very worst examples of any breed are registered with papers like the heavily inbred, teetering on collapse Friesians. Those papers or registration are by no means any kind of guarantee whatsoever that the horse is any better than one without papers. Plainly anti-science there too. That's like saying pedigree registered dogs are healthier than mixed breeds or pariah dogs, no not neccesarily they aren't. Is she really doing veterinary science one has to wonder? @@illbebold
It doesn't bother you that the horse is consistently behind the vertical which the science says is bad for a horse and the constant see sawing of her hands to keep his head there?
Sorry but I do feel that you are biased this time around Raleigh. She said she sees/feels that riding young horses (doing so herself) with no topline hurts them. She then says that building muscle in the topline is to carry the rider's weight. THEN THIS SHOULD BE DONE ON THE GROUND FIRST AND FOREMOST. Under muscled horses should NOT be ridden as it causes damage to their muscular and skeletal system. There are plenty of exercises to be done AND mastered on the ground before moving to mounted work.
Hmmmm that's a very literal impression. Amelia has a lot of ground work videos. We're also talking basic walk trot canter all the way to carrying a rider in grand prix work. Easier to carry in basic walk trot than a pirroette. Dues that make sense? If you carryued a 10lb weight walking 100 feet in a straight line you may find that easy. Now try to dance 20 min carrying that weight. You need muscle to shit and carry. It's more dynamic than just carrying a weight.
Sadly, she is most likely the best horse trainer we have on youtube. As you know, most horse riders are abusive. Most horse riders use torture devices. She is the best we have so far. Luckily some new studies have came out about horse intelligence, they are a lot more intelligent that we know (which I knew already). I train my horses like dogs, they are trained with voice commands just like dogs. I have not seen anyone use my method which is very weird to me. I have trained dogs, cats, chickens, horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, and many other animals with voice commands. It can be done easily, you just have to know what you are doing. I've been training since I was 6, I'm autistic so I've spent a lot of time researching. I currently have my 3rd service dog in training and I decided to do petsmart puppy group lessons to help him socialize, I don't need help with training at all, I just wanted him to learn in a noisy and distracting environment. There are 3 other dogs in class, one of them barks constantly, and we train around the store too. Since he will be a service dog in the future, he will need to train in stores. Since he is learning everything inside of a store, when we graduate and do public access training (training in a non pet friendly store) it will be natural for him and probably easier since there won't be toys, treats, and noisy animals around. I have more training experience than the trainers and I am constantly giving them training advice. I'm 18 so I have had 12 years of experience, most trainers don't have that. I understand animals better than most people since I grew up around them and I am autistic, I know how they think and I know how to change my training to best fit them. Not all training methods will work for all animals. You must learn multiple ways to train a dog to sit, lay down, give paw, etc. It is the same for all animals, they don't all think the same. Some dogs will sit if you put the treat over their head, others will sit if you put it under their chin a bit. Most people get frustrated if their pet won't do a specific movement, it is not the pets fault, it is the owner/trainers fault. You really have to read the pet and use your brain to figure out a different way. I have an insane amount of patience with animals because I understand their thought process. Animals aren't as smart as humans but they do have their strengths and weaknesses. They are very simple animals so the simpler the training, the better. Complex training will just confuse the animals and make it harder to train them, then you will become frustrated and discouraged. Training an animal with positive reinforcement is VERY easy and simple, people just overthink it. People use the same method over and over again expecting different results, if it doesn't work the first 2 times, it won't work further down the line. Einstein once said 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results', this is EXACTLY what most people do when they train. Change things up, figure out why they aren't doing it, just use your brain, read between the lines.
I definitely think that she explains things well and is clearly very experienced but in this video she consistently puts her horse behind the vertical and flaps her lower legs to the point her spurs are providing a confusing signal to the horse.
Thank you! Her riding is awful.. I agree with @alisonjem and @arielkeys3661 too. She knows a lot and gives good advice but her riding is not horse-friendly and damaging. As a role model, you shouldn't hyperflex horses or put videos up where the horses are mistreated in other ways (tight nosebands etc) and then claim this is okay or even good. She does not show good riding! Her videos are almost all bad examples! I don't understand how anyone - let alone a vet student - could promote or recommend her...
Yeah that too. No wonder the horse becomes numb to the aids and there is a "need" for spurs. You should do that until the horse does what you ask then release. But no, every step she digs those goddamn spurs in his side.
Shame about the seesawing though at 15.50, personally I would of thought/expected someone at this level could be capable of collecting their horse without this method
Amelia is great. I watched one of her live free seminars and in the comments her mother coached me through a hang up my horse and I had been struggling with for a year. So kind and generous!
I used to be a big fan of her until I started finding multiple videos of her with her horse btv constantly(more than just a mistake or moment), nagging with constant use with spurs, I still like her and agree she has some good advice, but I just wish she wouldn’t do that
I disagree.. she seesaws with the bit multiple times in this video alone. She has a video on asking the horse on the bit while standing still and talks about how the aids should be invisible, but while saying that she pushes her spurs in his belly creating big wrinkles in his belly. At the same time pulling on the bit to make his head come down. Im really suprised you support this kind of riding.. look in to academic art of riding for lovely dressage art with respect and love towards the horse❤
seesawing can be ok if don’t properly. wait a second don’t get mad. do not do not not notttt do it constantly. the only time i “seesaw” is getting my horse collected because there how he’s trained. i hate people rough seesawing just a quick check check back on both sides of the bit should be okay if you need to do it a few times.
@@wyatt.the.horsey you can’t get collection from a head carriage. A horse offers YOU the right head position when it’s collected. And it differs from horse to horse. Doing anything to the head and expecting balance from only a few tiny movements is bizarre.
@@cokoladnekokice904 every horse is trained differently. it’s sounds stupid no horse is the same. my horse colllects his head that way. so fact check ur stuff
@@wyatt.the.horsey I’ve noticed collection is ONLY seen in the back. NOT the head. People confuse true collection with a “good” head position. How does your horse feel under you when you collect them?
I disagree. She is very helpful in her instruction, but her horses are nearly always slightly behind the vertical and not pushing to the contact, including in the video you reacted to. While I agree she has helpful tips, I disagree with her execution of it on the horse.
Absolutely agree. She displays typical modern dressage, where "round in the neck" is constantly behind the vertical, WHICH IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE HORSE, the horse should always be in front or AT MOST at the vertical; then other small bad habits like excessive use of spur. For the people watching this, if you want to watch Amelia, only take the words, do not use her visuals as an ideal because they are not biomechanically correct.
I was looking for a comment saying this. It seems to me the horse is constantly behind the vertical and running into the bit. And I was also confused that the entire time she was in forward motion she kept tapping with her spurs constantly. Idk if that was some cue but it seemed quite nagging to me.
Do a review of Ritter Dressage then come back and tell us how good this woman is .she's just one of the thousands of competition riders trying to make money from the internet
I think dressage people do it to pick up the horses back in certain exercises and keep the horse moving. But I would never use spurs or do that to my horse, I think it’s absolutely disgusting personally to jab your horse constantly. If her horse is trained well, it’s shocking she feels she needs to constantly jab with the spurs instead of teach the horse to take responsibility on its own for the body position and frame she wants.
She's not jabbing him. She has enough nuance in her riding to only use spurs when a subtle cure is needed. The leg movement is gently keeping the horse 'fluffed up', forward, and on the aides.
@@alisonjemmost dressage people I see on the daily are not constantly wobbling their feet around in the stirrups. If my feet are like this my instructor will instantly remove my stirrups lmfao
@@lisabadger3399I definitely disagree lmfao, nothing about that was gentle. Seems more to me like she has an unstable leg and cannot keep her feet from bouncing around.
I really agree with most of the more critical and objective comments on her riding in this particular video. She talks about good riding, skills and exercises etc. but here I see a horse thats more than one or two times unhappy about her aids (and reacts accordingly). I didnt know her before this video, so I guess, I have kind of a fresh view. And unfortunatly, at the end I dont see an A+ Rider in this video. Many comments before refered to her very visible and oftentimes rough leading, her wobbly legs, her kicking, her wrong use of spurs, the horse being behind the vertical etc. An additional point: for the rein back she would have gotten a very bad score. The horse is clearly stepping with one leg at a time and thats how it not should be. At the bottom line, I have to say that I would not but her in an A tier based on this video. I have seen better work and better riders. Others already recommended alternatives and I also have one: Riding academy by Wolfgang Rust. Thats what I call an A tier rider. If you are one of those blindly loyal followers: please try to be more objective and compare other riders! For a layman this might look like a very experienced rider with great skills but thats fatal because in this case the details matter more than ever! Just because something just looks right, it might not be so right.
I shared one of her videos with my trainer (hunter jumper). She said snot only was her impressed, but had never watched her because she thought Amelia was just dressage.
Although this one is unfortunately not one of the best. Of course in the sport she is rather on the positive side, but that’s just because the sport is itself quite bad. She promotes harsh rising, riding behind the vertical, harsh equipment and uses very misleading graphics, very often sharing information that just isn’t true.
Although she's sharing a lot of valuable knowledge which can be super beneficial for a lot of riders and horse enthusiasts, she's also promoting spurs, bits, flash noseband, whips, BTV and thick leg wraps (studies show the tendons can get so hot they will be damaged as the cells start to die at a certain degree). I think it's a shame, she's a lovely horse woman otherwise
just real short, spurs, bits and whips are not harmful at all when used correctly, they are actually beneficial for more exact riding. about the flash nosebands, can be harmful but again when used correctly they are harmless, some horses are even more comfortable with flash nosebands, and ofc some are more comfortable without them. now I don't know exactly what you mean by BTV since I'm not an english native speaker, so if you want to I'll be happy to have it explained to me😊. and the thick leg wraps (I call them Bandages) if they're fleece they don't cause any harm and can be super beneficial as well, ofc if you use the strechy ones with those paddings underneath that's a different thing, I personally like to use Bandages since they provide just enouth protection without being too warm or heavy on the leg😊 also since she's an FEI grand prix rider she (at competitions) has to use bits (or even double bridles) and spurs.😊
@@Stray-Kids-Stay310you don’t need to use spurs and bits to ride. She can choose not to compete as she is clearly causing discomfort to her horses. Why would you choose money over living beings that are so happy to see us?
@@cokoladnekokice904 bro, what I wanted to say is that spurs, bits, whips and flash nosebands are not necessarily abuse, and can even be beneficial IF USED CORRECTLY! and if you want to ride in competitions then that's the rules! ofc you can choose if you want to attend competitions but if you do, and that at such high levels then that's THE RULES! and you gotta follow them cuz otherwise you'll be banned!
@@Stray-Kids-Stay310 be beneficial? Someone’s delulu. It only takes a second, to cause pain, these are meant to be precision objects. Even the classical riders cause pain. It aint so hard to eliminate them. You/trainers just gotta learn how to properly convey words to actions. And owners need not to he so impatient because this is a living animal, emotional intelligence just as high as ours. And the rules are dictated. Rules can be changed or new competitions can be established. There isn’t a need to compete. To wake up at 4am to get ready for a show that stresses the horse out. Rules only carry value because people follow them. Why would you even want to compete when there is a possibility of added stress of a new environment, rules that are forced and don’t uphold to any ethical standards? And don’t you dare say “oh, to check my progress”🙃 “bro” you got a camera and a trainer to tell you that. And advertising horses for their resale value? The same bullshit, different reasoning
I love Amelia Newcomb's channel. I also really enjoy Your Riding Success and HorseClass, both of which I think Raleigh would approve of. All three channels are excellent resources for any rider.
Was a longtime fan of hers until recently. This is one of her nicer videos for sure. She's been riding horses that are way too young with their mouths strapped shut and always BTV as she's heavy on the reins. She can't seem to stop spurring so much it's become distracting too. Her videos have great tips still, but her horses are more frequently displaying signs of discomfort and pain. It made me sad to realize I can't follow her anymore, but I can't watch babies being ridden like that.
Some kids learn faster than others. Training animals is a lot like training a man. Some only respond to repetitive exposure to pain; whether it be emotional or actual physical pain. My guess is your kid is one of the slooooow learners.
@@kendra1405 I work at a school and train animals. It's sad you think that way, especially considering all the recent studies prove the exact opposite for both man and animal. Positive reinforcement goes a long way, and using pain to "train" has long been proven to leave lots of holes and cause blow ups, in both man and animal.
@@kendra1405that’s actually completely not true. I worked with many horses who have been claimed to not be responsive and only ridden in harsh methods. What was the case was that they were actually in mental or physical pain beforehand, and giving them proper environment and motivation changed them 180°.
I’m actually a little bit surprised with calling Amelia a A+ trainer. While I love her as a person and believe she wants all the best for her horses, she is herself rather harsh with her horses, rides them against basic biomechanics. Even the thumbnail you chose shows many wrongs. The horse is visibly displeased, with visible salivary gland (even in front of the vertical can be bad!!). She seesaws, uses spurs harshly and even from the ground uses methods that long ago have been proven wrong. She is a good teacher but can teach a lot of bad things. She claims she rides from the back to the front, but you can observe on many (even her students’) videos that that’s just a catch phrase. Horses are usually ridden with hollow backs and the hind legs way in the back, while the horse is broken in the neck. As I do not want to hate on her or you, I also still ask to not promote that riding. I would recommend Kata Szwaja or Manolo Mendez as better examples.
I would also love to add how important it is that the horses core is also engaged while doing top line exersiezes. If the horse does not engage their core, regardless of the horses “frame” it is not going to build the desired muscles. On top of that, horses invert when they use their top line but not their core, which can cause kissing spine and sway back over time. For this reason, I personally do a lot of walking over raised rails in Hand before doing collection work in the saddle. Kind of like a human, a horses core muscle helps to stabilize there spine, so the core muscle is equally important to the top line.
I usually agree with you but ....not with this. Her horse, that isn't a newly beginner trained horse, but a competition horse, is way behind the vertical. That horse was not once on the bit like she claimed. The highest point was also not once the poll, but the 2nd/3rd vertebrae. I've also found out quite recently, that the middle of the neck part should not be protruding like that. These are already signs that the horse has a very bad headset, and is "clenching" (not exactly but I don't have another word for it) the head and neck in. The gland right behind the back of the jaw is also raised, which means inflammation/pain of the glands. It's not healthy whatsoever. And you know these. I mean you have talked about Rollkur before. While this is not exactly that, but it does get in the "harmful for the horse" area. I also don't know why you think it's good for these horses to have a round neck when it isn't actually round, it's broken at the 2nd/3rd vertebrae and does cause harm to the horse overtime. Maybe you should look into classical dressage masters. Two I can recommend are Anja Beran and Sonja Weber. Anja Beran has a short video even where she explains some huge wrongs in the competitive dressage (that Amelia is also training btw), but there are many, many more. Also as someone who is against bits, I cannot understand how you agree with the training of someone who obviously has an extra noseband so the horse doesn't have the chance to avoid pain of the bit and the horse is also showing pain face...like her horse in this looked shut down mentally. You should recommend trainers that are actually training for the horse and how you become a better horse person and not trainers who are focused on training the horse for competition. Yes, topline is important, but that's something you can train without having to take the hoerse's head IN, instead of letting the head move freely while you train the back. I hope you will see my comment so you better educate yourself about dressage, though I was hoping you'd already know better. I'm disappointed in you.
100% this. I'm glad to see informed people commenting here. I also usually agree with her reviews, but this one might actually be harmful, exposing her young followers to this type of damaging riding while framing it as good.
@@acka. Yep. I don't understand how she thinks this would be smart to post. And it's also so confusing considering she has talked about all of these FOR YEARS. And now suddenly she is posting about trainers that use these methods so we have people to look up to after she's gone??? Like what? You tell us not to use those methods but now we should? Like there are other natural horsemanship trainers on here who also train bitless. Idk what to think of her anymore, really. Like Rick Gore is there, too, who she looks up to. Granted, he's not a trainer, but he knows a hell of a lot more about horses than the majority of trainers on here.
This comment is perfect. Thank you for commenting this for others. This stuff is so important for people to read, see, and hopefully understand and do better. But I’m so incredibly disappointed in Raleigh as well for not knowing this or seeing these problems with Amelia. For Raleigh, as some one who constantly calls out blatant abuse, but can’t see what I would call subtle abuse disguised as “training,” is shocking. The fact she gives Amelia an A+ and promotes her to her audience is so extremely concerning. Unfortunately, Raleigh never responds or appropriately addresses important comments like these, and instead loves comments completely agreeing with her opinion.. Ugh…it makes me sad…because this community should be promoting people who truly do the best for the horse. But instead we got the promotion of tight flashes, see-sawing, tight reins, large bit use, constant spurs jabbing, behind the vertical, horses with pain and stress faces, and horses that are being trained with modern dressage cheat techniques instead of classical dressage and the training of proper mental and physical collection through training the horses mind to get proper biomechanics to do the dressage moves… and Raleigh just loves Amelia…… I’m disappointed too…..
Thank you! I think of Raleigh as a very principled and ethical equestrian but her inability to see the horse’s pain and discomfort in this video and her failure to say anything is disheartening.
I’d like to add that long and low is used at the beginning of every ride before you start collecting your horse. Long and low walk, trot and canter and then collect, otherwise it’s like working out without warming up. It can cause a lot of muscle pain.
Fantastic evaluation! Really learned a lot and so glad you recommended Amelia...I have never watched much of her stuff but have always been impressed with her attitude and demeanor...I will now check out more. Mission accomplished. Thank you!
Amelia rides in a bit and has the head of the horse in very yanked vertical positions that look completely unnatural and irritating to the horse. So I ask how is that a great example of good framing for the horse muscle development if she is forcing gross positions just for her dressage work? Don’t you talk about in your previous videos and vet studies how these forced positions are bad for the horse in general and their muscle development? Or maybe that was Milestone Equestrian, but it’s concerning you don’t mention that. Not to mention the stress you can clearly see on the horses faces in many of Amelias videos. Also, all the exercises Amelia does can all be done in a neck rope or halter, (yes you can teach all the things Amelia is doing in a neck rope or halter with the horse learning proper frames, no bits required to force the horse). I do agree with your example of link and how you let his head stretch low and natural doing a similar exercise in transitions to help build top line, but you can also just do backing exercises on the ground in a collected frame everyday or the halt/rein back under saddle. Amelia does mention the backing and rein back, but her execution is disgusting as she is constantly pulling the horse behind the vertical in this video in the under saddle work for engaging the hind end. But if her overall horses frame is forced with a (flash and tight rein work with a bit), is she really a great example for other people to watch for horsemanship and riding exercises? Yes, even I have watched some of her videos, and she is not terrible and can explain things well on certain subjects, but overall the form of riding she uses is what the world needs less of (tight bits and tight rein work). Why not highlight trainers instead who do neck reining on a completely loose rein, one reining hackamore horses, or those who do liberty, and those who only ride in neck ropes completely bridle-less or just in a halter…who also perpetuate proper frames and top line work without cheating with bits? Should of given Amelia a B+ not an A+ lol. Maybe even a B- for the constant overuse of spurs and giving the horse no mental responsibility to do what she asks… aka horsemanship and liberty training proper frames and collection. Raleigh you should address these things a little more so more people ride their horses on a loose rein with mental collection as well as physical collection.
I will say that riding in bit can be done properly and without causing pain to the horse and there are some incredible riders who can do that. Even Manolo Mendez or Kata Szwaja are good examples of good riders. Anna Marciniak, who’s a little bit controversial and there are some riding videos I don’t agree with, but generally she’s great with using the bit to actually support the horse. But Amelia is just not it.
Free spirit equestrian is training a yearling along with belle, ezzy ( just 4 months old.) in my unprofessional opinion she’s doing great with all the horses and got the yearling to help wean ezzy off her mom belle.
I just wish she would watch her videos back and notice that her horses arnt comfortable when she says “good boooy” “good Giiiiirl” in such a low gravelly tone, she’s capable of saying it softly rather than exaggerating for the camera and audience
When I had my first horse at 11 years old, he was a 16.3hh, Irish Draft Cross, 3 y o. He bucked me off 3 x times when I went to try him, but my mother "recognized kindness" in him. I rode him for 3 years, with NO regard for top line, I rode him on loopy reins, at top speed, at every opportunity, and never touched his mouth, unless I wanted to suddenly change direction, or skid to a halt! My horse had his head, to do as he pleased! He became my best friend. We would gallop for miles. He understood my body language. He would stop/turn on a dime, from the feel of my body shift in the saddle. Years later, when I provided Ponies for my children, I understood my errors, and refused to allow them to use "bits" - they had to learn bitless/ropeless/bareback at walk, trot and canter, before I would allow them "reins". I happened across a video of one daughter "trotting out" on her pony in a halter, with reins (bareback) and her pony was bouncing along "on the bit" (perfectly)! She explained to me, how she had "pulled hard on the reins" and 'released' when he "felt right" (pranced on the bit/perfectly perpendicular, with proper impulsion) then she 'released' her grip. Every time he U-necked, she reined him in again, until he learned to propel himself in a frame! I believe she excelled, so finally she was "awarded" the right to use a bridle. I might mention, the pony she was riding, bucked her off 3 x times when trialling, was only 3 years old, at the time of purchase, but I could recognize kindness and potential. 😂
Hey Raleigh! I’ve been always watching you for the last 3 years and you really inspired me to get serious with my riding and I’m now on my way to buying my first horse! Thank you for educating us all about horses and animal ethics!
Don’t take her advice on riding. The trainer she is reviewing here is against all ethical and biomechanical principles. Scroll a bit on the comments section that disagree with the video, it’s well explained
I don’t agree with your evaluation of AN at all. I stopped watching her after just a few videos because she just is not a great trainer/rider. Take what she says around 6:40 about having ridden horses with no back muscles that sore up from being ridden with a saddle; I always start such horses with proper ground work that builds up proper muscling BEFORE I ride them. Once they know how to use those muscles correctly the saddling and careful early riding should never hurt the horse. NEVER! If you follow her you have not had enough correct dressage training to evaluate her correctly. Sorry, but I just can’t watch anymore of this video after a remark like that.
I think you misunderstood what she said. She didn't say she rides horses with no back muscle. She said if you do, you're sitting on no muscle so it can be uncomfortable for the horse which implies to me at least to work on building that beforehand
Love Amelia! I am a long time follower of hers. So glad you mentioned long and low. This is so fundamental in top line development. Great video! Thank you!
I agree that Amelia is amazing! I'm in the western riding world, but have still learned a ton from her and have even signed up for her various courses. She's exactly what the horse world needs.
Very well and clearly explained. I would recommend taking this up with your instructor. Because a good instructor knows about this training. I usually make transitions when I ride out into the forest where you have a natural forward invitation
I absolutely love her! I also learnt most of my riding online from her (because I don't go riding too often). But I swear every time I go riding after watching her videos, something always improves!!!
Regarding frame, it truly comes from behind. It’s about abdominal strength, and it’s about the hind hoof stepping all the way into the track of the fore. These things help the horse to do the work more efficiently and more comfortably. An easy tip to determine if your horse is collecting is to sit the gate passively and feel for the swing of his step to move your hips
I want to own horses so bad, watching good training videos is so nice. Like yes, you clearly understand the bond between you and the other living being. Love it❤
Girl I looooove Amelia too.. why? Bc she treats horses right, she's soooo positive and down to earth and she's out there trying to compete FEI against unscrupulous folks. She makes her own horses the right way. Ive learned great tips for many things in dressage.. I love she does it all. Ground work, western and classical dressage. I saw one idiot post her vid on fb saying she doesn't ride well. I asked that person over and over to post their own riding video. Never did.
Can I recommend Barry Hook. He is one of those old time wise horseman and an absolute delight to watch. He trains and retrains driving horses & believes a horse must work willingly or you, without fear or force. He only uses rubber bits, even the most difficult horses have there metal bits replaced with straight rubber bits. He is very patient & kind but also firm.
Finally, when the "why" gets explained! I struggle so much when trainers "show" what to do, but dont properly explain whybor what to look for. It makes it really useless to me. Will definitely go through Amelia's videos. Also the proud moment when my instructor said my lease horse is doing so well bitless! Nobody would have expected this when he used to be a pony who was known for running off and spooking all the time 😊
My favorite technique for topline development is straightness training ground work based off the book "Straightening The Crooked Horse." Getting an upward swinging back is best done without a rider imo. Let the horse first learn to carry itself in balance before it has to carry you. I've found taking the time to do this has made the mounted work so much stronger when I get back to it.
I LOVE AMELIA NEWCOMB!! one of my favorite trainers EVER! shes so amazing and smart with how she explains things and focuses on basics and groundwork!!!
I love her as a person, but unfortunately her riding is just not the best… she rides harshly and against newest knowledge on biomechanics, even the thumbnail is showing many wrongs
Another very good exercise for top-line development is hill work, this really strengthens and builds top-line extremely well. It also gets the horse fresh and charged away from the boring arena and repetition that can damage joints and muscles never mind mental health. Rein backs get the horse onto the hinds initialy for five seconds and transitions walk trot too but you cant do those for extended periods without driving the horse insane. So if you have access to gallops which have long gentle slopes or large fields with the same it's an ideal place to train, good going is essential if not do it in walk. Horses love wide open spaces and vast horizons of grass so it's usually also not a problem keeping them forward light and eager on a race track, plus as it's long straight lines they can concentrate on using themselves properly without corners boredom etc. You wont want to do it more than twice a week skipping arena work entirely. The pay back is a beautiful, correct, strong top line and fit happy horse. The hill work you can do less of in between flat work once you have achieved your aim. Feed your horse and do not be afraid of your horse, build up trust and enjoy. if you are affraid get someone who can ride better than you to do it for you. This might sound strange to most riders but there are people who are simply too afraid to go on hacks or outrides (trail riding) or even available gallops. Lots of rest lots of targeted training, set goals, do sets, walk in between, canter too. Fitness is incredibly important to a horse carrying our weight, cardio etc, hill work covers that all too nicely. You cant expect to just jump on a horse standing all day and start working madly on the flat, this is the quickest way to break down, even if they have turn out and they should have everyday. You need to to build them up, without exception really and maintain that in order to expect them to work efficiently on the flat. In fact the former comes before the latter. You shouldnt ask your horse to do anything overly taxing on the flat untill it is fit and has a topline able to carry you with ease. So starting to work on top-line is probably the very first thing you do with young newly backed horses along with balance, this prevents that horrible tense hollow backed horror we see all too often in competition. You should start before backing too of course, even if a horse carries themselves extremely well........
Oh wow, I have seen her videos and completely disregarded them as she is riding dressage. But you are so right, these principles apply to any horse riding! I really liked your additional explanations and the images and videos you showed. The whole video with your part included is very, very informative!
Don't leaveee raleigh when your last upload comes i will cry truly your videos have educated me so much and guided me in honestly the best route, your open minded but horse welfare first mentality has helped me to improve my as well as my horse's life
Kudos to Amelia to sharing her riding so we can all learn from it. It's incredibly brave to share your riding online. It's way too easy to sit on your computer and tell someone else they're riding badly, kicking, pulling, etc. Riding a big warmblood with suspension is not easy. You have to move with the horse, and yes, your hands and lower leg will move, but riding stiffly is not better and more uncomfortable for the horse. If you can ride perfectly, please share so we can all learn from you. People learned the term "BTV" and ran away with it. Training is real life, not a children's book. The point is to make the horse better every day, not perfect from the very beginning.Horses hide behind the contact as a training evasion and because they're not strong enough. Slightly too round is better than having a horse braced against the hand and promoting poor musculature and kissing spine. Flexing the horse once to get him to soften is not abuse and not "see-sawing." I don't see evidence that the horse is confused or upset by her riding. Salivary glands can be visible in horses not in work because of allergies.
I thought you didnt like bits. She uses double bridle curb and snafle bits. She talks about getting her horse on the bit. So it's ok for her but not for anyone else you critique?
I'm totally disappointed in Raleigh here because she obviously just ignores the comments that go against Amelia's harsh methods but "hearts" the comments who agree with her. She's really hypocritical when it comes to things like bits, spurs, btv etc.
I thought the same. And she still hasn’t addressed this. I unsubscribed because of this video, I lost all faith that Raleigh knows what she’s talking about
I recently subscribed and have been thinking about unsubscribing due to this exact issue of ignoring peoples genuine concern and criticism @@sunnybunny7053
I left the barn I was riding at for a number of reasons- one big reason was that the instructor was entirely uninterested in trainers I’d talk about, like Warwick Schiller and Amelia Newcomb . I just couldn’t understand why she didn’t want to learn about amazing trainers (she was stuck in the George Morris world… ugh) PS Amelia’s brother Joseph is also a fantastic horseman and dressage rider…. He is a partner/trainer with EDI (exclusive dressage imports) They have some GORGEOUS dressage prospects.
I love Amelia! I am always watching her content! She is very helpful and she explains in a way that I can understand. She is always commenting and discussing with everyone! I’m friends with her on FB. Have been for a long time. She help the horse, not only the rider. Dressage is the foundation of all disciplines. Hunters would benefit. Show jumpers would benefit. Trail riders would benefit. Western riders would benefit.
It’s sad how most dressage riders make there horse neck be so uncomfortable. Most dressage riders make there horse very behind the vertical. These “big” internet trainees talk so much about this kinda stuff but they don’t realize how much pain they are causing the horses neck. This is why lost people don’t like dressage riders. What a shame
Definitely disagree with this. Amelia does not know how to truly ride and train correctly, according to classical methods and correct biomechanics. A horse should never intentionally be put on or behind the vertical. The poll should almost always be the highest point and one should always strive for an open throat latch.
i ride a horse that likes to stick her head up in the air and i simply aren't skilled enough to bring her onto the vertical (shes 19 and has medicated hocks so can be a bit hard for her too), so i just settled for working her long and low. i've made very good progress with her on that front, these days she lowers and stretches her head very willingly, her strides get much better, her back swings much more when she's working like that, we also do polework like that and the occasional small jump. maybe one day we can work on the vertical but im not pressed on that tbh since she seems very happy with the work shes doing rn. ive also been trying to work without using reins at all and thats also going well. tho recently i havent been able to ride much, due to a foot surgery and then a fall (from another horse during a lesson) that broke my collarbone...i hope she wont lose too much progress when i get back
Looking through the comments Raleigh only “likes” or “hearts” the comments that are speaking good about the trainer and her. She doesn’t do the same from people taking about the mistakes and negatives of the trainer. She sees the comment, but she pretends not to.
Elisa Wallace, Camille’s Mustangs and Sam Vanfleet are truly exceptional. Kinda disappointed Raleigh gives Amelia an A+ when there are way better horsemanship trainers who don’t use disgusting practices like behind the vertical, constant spurs use, tight flashes, and constant bit use.
Raleigh link: Anti bit, and anti spur Also Raleigh link: Recommends horse trainer not only using a bit and spurs but also constantly yanking on the horses mouth and spurring the poor horse with every step. Wtf
I see what people are saying, but her advice stands, mostly- she has admitted in the past that she struggles to keep her lower leg still, so maybe spurs aren't a great idea for her, but the see sawing and btv are unfortunate- however, she doesn't necessarily advocate for that, she doesn't teach people to ride that way, her understanding and advice are solid, i believe, and she can be very helpful in her explanations. Yes, some of her riding might be problematic, but i think that it is more bodily limitation on her end than intentional cruelty- she does teach the "scrambled eggs" method of getting the horse on the bit (basically see sawing under a cute new name) , and i don't love that, but most of her advice is good and solid...
Yall are nuts. She had the horse btv almost every second she is riding. There doesn’t exist a “topline muscle”. It’s a whole system of muscles that help the horse activate the hindquarters and the belly to lift the back up. The neck is only used for balancing and should look like one, unified muscle. NOTHING should be defined. Besides, you can clearly see a dip right before the withers. Deep and low is bad, it makes the horse fall on the forehand. There are better ways of training self carriage and then collection. The most ethical is through play. This is not a “small” disagreement. She is going against what Railegh advocates and it’s disgusting how she can watch her ride btv and has nothing to say except “oh, it’s no problem, I just modify it a little”. She shouldn’t be promoting her. The whole classical community despises her. Her advice on the rider is SOMETIMES good, but it doesn’t not escape the fact that there are better riders, better trainers that are waiting to be discovered. Pulling a horse btv is unethical, there is no movement in nature that allows horses to move btv biomechanically correctly, besides a few seconds in play. Pulling the horse even slightly btv forces the whole system to fall apart except when the horse has been genetically adapt to that.
I think the info is a bit limited. She mentions PREs or other breeds with "good" natural (necks) top lines like Friesians however these horses are far more likely to hollow out, they also don't have fantastic top-lines IMO either. You really have to work to get these breeds to round their top-lines, lower their heads, stretch their frames as they have neck sets rigidly set above the average, more or less fixed, not flexibility or only very limited amount. So getting them to round and work the correct muscles is incredibly difficult to impossible. These are the horse breeds that tend to go behind the vertical the easiest, loose contact and also hollow out their backs and have weak loins the most. Friesians are typically sway backed in action with a strange floppy movement (genetic lack of function of the ligaments) and extreme upright neck sets, like a neck on wheels nose in the clouds. Unfortunately they show them in this way too, exaggerating these problems. How they're meant to access or judge them moving like this I just don't know. A u-necked horse (not necessarily useless, as we know some gold medal Olympian dressage horses have been" they just don't easily develop a nice top-line, their necks often coming out low off the wither, but not always. I guess the ideal is flexibility and the body build that maximises that from nose to tail. No horse is perfect and erring slightly one way or the other is no big deal as long as they have that flexibility, athleticism and will to compensate. Personally I think croup high horses are the most difficult as everything is down hill and yes some breeds for no functional reason are actually believe it or not bred intentionally to be so, like AQH. This you just cannot change they will always be downhill like a wheel-barrow with reverse top-lines.
Really like this video. Especially the point you made on different expectations for your quraterhorse cross's conformation. I'm now subscribed to Amelia Newcomb dressage. 👍
Raleigh I have weak ankles- just have all my life, it's just like Links top-line. While they aren't great, it's just something we are born with, and you are right; in order to build strength in weak muscles, they need more attention.
I love Amelia. She's a brilliant content creator, very knowledgeable, and generous. Raleigh, you looked so cute in the the clip with your horses. You are very pretty with no make up and barn hair! 😀
Ugghhh noooo. Raleigh, look past her words and watch the horse. The horse is saying something dramatically different. Why are you not addressing this? 75% of these comments are ringing the alarm bells! Dont cut her slack with her bit and noseband and incessant spurring just bc youve found some of what she says helpful. Come on, we're the horses' advocates. Two things can be true at once; Amelia can say a lot of reasonable things while not putting them into action or while doing so incorrectly (unsafely, dangerously). Dont cut her slack, and also dont ignore us when we're saying '🤔 wait a minute...'.
I love Amelia, Josie and you. You all are the best of the best. Thank you all for sharing your contents with effort and dedication. Your audience really appreciate them. ❤
Please please review "Milestone Equestrian" with Shelby Dennis. Does not believe in bits bridles. She uses them, but advocates against them, IN DRESSAGE, SHOW JUMPING!!! I've NEVER seen her use spurs, doubt she has any.
My boy is 28yrs old and doesn't go in a snaffle or sorts like that. He is very forward so it was be hard to get him in a nice frame besides long and low.
