Response
to the waspish ghosts of theological thinking.
(Recently we have been under attack of a few ghosts
who are loading facebook and other blogs with theories not even vaguely related
to the way the horse’s physique effectively functions. They take a picture or a
short video segment out of context and go on the rampage trying to show their
science. I never read these blogs but Helyn keeps an eye on distorted use of our information . The funny part is that once this response was published these waspish
ghosts of theological thinking are so concentrated on their self that they did
not even realize that I was referring to them).
"An impression of motion can be achieved and photographic representation of various phases of motion can be done without any knowledge of anatomy and the detail of function but the situation is completely different when it comes to an understanding of the mechanisms involved. This can only be done through careful analysis based on morphology, physics and physiology. Each of theses branches contributes to the concepts of biomechanics, an essential part of which is the relation of structures to each other which determines the distribution of forces and consequent actions.” (C. W. Ottaway, 1962, The anatomy of motion. Vet. Ree. 74: 279-295)
A sample of cocktail party theorists, who never went
beyond superficial impression of motion, have recently been on the rampage demonstrating
why equine injuries and lameness issues have now reach an alarming level. A cocktail party theory is an assemblage of
words put together for their elegance and the hope that they will impress who
ever is listening. The words are usually meaningless and it definitively needs
a few drinks to find any meaning.
This breed of cocktail party
theorists would be amusing to observe if they were not submitting their horse
to their theories. There is nothing pleasant to see a horse suffering for the satisfaction
of the rider’s ego. These so call experts are not interested in learning. In
fact they do not have the opportunity to learn since their entire time is devoted
to convince everyone of their greatness.
The picture introducing this
text was used to illustrate a research study about the phenomenon of
transversal rotation which is always coupled with lateral bending. The thought
was to point out that if the knowledge of the horse’s thoracolumbar column
transversal rotation has been known in the late seventies early eighties, which
is when the picture has been taken, the horse’s technique could have been
corrected. As a result, the hose’s career would have last longer than one year.
Watching the picture, one can see that the horse was landing heavily on the
left front leg, which is where the injury occurred. Picture and text were
reviewed by a group of so-called editors. One of the editors, who is a cocktail party theorists, went on the rampage
accusing the rider for the horse style. It just happened that I knew both, the
horse and the rider. The horse was very difficult to ride and I always admired
the rider for his ability to remain well centered over the saddle in spite of
the horse’s violent rotation. The rider is a professional rider and a good one.
He was riding the horse only in the show ring. He did not have the opportunity
to address the horse’s defect. Knowing how difficult it was to ride the horse.
I seriously doubt that the author of the harsh critics would have been able to
stay on the horse even over a single cavaletti.
Susan Hopf responded to the theologians
with the measure of an intelligent and experienced professional. Her response
introduced the "my trainer” syndrome,
which is another interesting phenomenon of the equestrian world. Many years
ago, I was training a group of young professionals. They were already graduates
as monitors, which mean that they were authorized to teach in
When will come the time of
your disgrace, your only fault would have been to be good professionals. You
will have use encouragement to develop their confidence but you will also have try
to make them progress. These peoples do not want to progress; they are, in
their mind, already the best. It will hurt you at first but retrospectively it
will be a good thing for you. Watch these peoples operate and you will see an
interesting but pathetic pattern. They start with good trainers. They move then
with no so good trainers who flatter them a little more. However they cannot be
flattered enough and they turn toward mediocre trainers who flatter them a lot
since it is all they can do. Knowledge is your way out of these sordid peoples.
If you can resolve problems that conventional approaches are unable to address,
you will deal with great riders and great horse owners. You will work with
peoples who really care for their horses. You will rise above this society of
mutual admiration where pathetic riders try to convince other pathetic riders
than they are pathetically great.
However, you will never be
fully immune from these peoples, especially if you are doing a good job and
introducing pertinent ideas. Muppets of the equestrian world never find anyone
flattering them enough so they turn to criticism. They feed their large ego
criticizing everyone else. In their mind, they value themselves criticizing others.
They are the intellectuals of empty theories whom, as say Dwight Einsenhower, are taking
more words than necessary to tell more than they know.
Jean Luc
