Wednesday November 8, 2006

Euro Update: "Curbed" Discussions at the 2006 Global Dressage Forum

Understanding the Horse with Dr. Andrew McLean

Very interesting was the session with Dr. Andrew McLean. Australian neuroscientist McLean kicked off day two at the Global Dressage Forum with a speech on equine behavioural psychology. His session consisted of two sections, a scientific lecture on behavioural conditioning and a practical demonstration of handling a horse with behavioural problems. McLean ’s goal was to provide a clear-cut theory on equine psychology to optimize the training of the dressage horse. By applying the wrong training methodologies that are not commensurate with the horse’s psychology, optimal learning will be diminished.

FEI Dressage Committee chairman Mariette Withages reviewed the 2006 World Equestrian Games. She allowed the audience to judge the Grand Prix Special test of Mexican Bernadette Pujals, Danish Andreas Helgstrand and German Isabell Werth. Each movement and its score were publicly discussed and the audience finally got the opportunity to voice their opinion on why they did not agree with the judges’ marks.