Let there be light

When referring to the Dark Ages people normally think of it as a thing of the past.

Images of windy moors and huddled figures striving against the wind will inevitably materialise in our minds, intermingled perhaps with more romanticised ideas of fair maidens and heroic soldiers from the court of the high kings. The sound of hoof beats, the clinking sound of sword against sword, a lone owl hooting amongst rustling branch under a foggy moon. The moist smell of moss grown towers attached to sturdy castles. All things that sparks the imagination. But the truth of that epoque was most likely a lot less thrilling than any picture painted by a novelist telling a story from that time.

Life expectancy was short; diseases killed the masses, hunger and poverty ruled for the majority. Little freedom of the mind, or freedom of speech unless you had enough money or military power (or both to be sovereign). Illiteracy, which hunts, priests of possessions and power doing as they saw fit without further consequence. An all dominating church dictating what knowledge was acceptable and should be distributed and as well, what knowledge was to be kept locked away at all cost. Leaving most to rely on superstitions; religious as well as other kinds.

We are intrigued by this dark period for mankind but also thankful that it has passed, and that knowledge and the hunt for knowledge is an integrated part of our lives.

But the Dark Age really a thing only of the past?

Of course if we look at the society at large it has, or so we like to believe.

Some truth of course there is to that statement. Our society is an enlightened society, where great stock is put on knowledge.

Also knowledge has never ever been more readily available than it is now. An internet connection, a laptop... and with one click. Wham bam knowledge and information of any kind can be brought to you.

But has this free access to information and knowledge perhaps made us lazy and lax, or is it just becoming more apparent how much we still base our lives on superstition and habits because information to pierce through the veil of unfounded knowledge is available if you care to look?

Or are we perhaps just so used to our society peeing seeped with well founded knowledge that the black spots are harder to see. especially if those black spots are camouflaged behind a veil of glitter, glamour and glorious words of man and horse in beautiful coexistence.

I don't know!

From my point of view however we are still in a dark age, at least when looking at the topic of interest for this blog - horse training and the execution of equestrian sports.

We like to believe that the way we train out horses is knowledge based, but is it really?

Everybody speaks of lightness, but none - or at least just the very few - practise it! Everybody speak of dressage as a beautiful dance between the horse and its rider - but is it in reality just a horse which have been brought to a point where it has no alternative but to do as the rider bids due to forceful methods and unyielding aids.

A general trend is that the horse is being treated as if it has the same ambitions and goals as those of the rider, or at least as if it has any sort of responsibility towards the rider’s wish to reach his goals.

A big illusion, based on all those involved’s failure to open their eyes and face up to what is actually going on. Failure to understand that even if the words seems right, if the action put behind them is not, then it cannot be the way forward. Can it be true that even in these enlightened days, that the training of horses and the autocracy surrounding horse training bare striking resemblance to the way of life in medieval times?

We do not have feudal lords as such, but we have horse trainers with much the same power in their training yards

We have what can be looked as at the feudal church in the world of horse riding - the judges and the equestrian organisations who by turning a blind eye to what is really going on at the showground, and also the extent of the problem legalises the abuse and makes it widely accepted. Much like I would think the church would have turned its back to any opinion that went against its own belief in the Dark ages.

Most riders believe in the authority of the words spoken by those who ought to be knowledgeable such as the trainers and judges. Like the priests in the dark ages their words are considered the law in respect to horse training, and dare anyone point at the obvious truth that none of the beautiful words used to describe horse riding and interaction with the horse are actually put to practice, they will be burned at the stakes like any heretic would have been a millennium or so ago.

So my wish.

Let there be light. Let knowledge banish the rusted beliefs and traditions that are practiced widely today. Let us consider the welfare of the horse, and let us not compromise its welfare due to our own vanity and unwillingness to accept that the world might indeed be round.

A good weekend to you all, and remember, if you have anything you would like to have broadcast on this blog, don't hesitate to submit your material to the e-mail address stated in the top right corner.

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