Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage: A Search for a Classical Alternative Hardcover – November 1, 2008

It’s crazy and sad that this isn’t a more well known piece. The information in here is sooo intriguing and is a must read for any equestrian.

Excellent book by the expert school master Phillipe Karl. He reveals the problems and extreme contradictions that are found in the FEI's continual references to the great masters of dressage and he exposes the flaws in current trends of dressage training.He also reveals the truth of how horses are often thrown out of natural balance and harmony by much of today's dressage show training. With plenty of photographs, diagrams, and patterns and indicated weight distributions and charts, he completely unravels the falicy of today's dressage which has substituted a form of showmanship dressage which is forced, flat, and very hard, often breaking down the horse. Photos of competition pros and the incorrect positions of their horses reveals the truth.Phillipe Karl offers resolutions to these problems with a proper interpretation from the great masters who wrote the books on dressage. He offers solutions to each of the problems presented and a variety of ways to approach the resolutions in a natural non-invasive way for the horse!The book is very informative, mapped out well and intelligently written with plenty of proof and research and experiments that were done to prove all of his claims. I also found it to be proven by his set of FOUR dynamic training videos which shows the same horses in the book being worked and schooled in the videos - proof that lightness, true suppleness and ease is achieved through gentle training. I have his ground training long lining book, all his videos, and this wonderful book and it has been well worth it! Learning these techniques has been phenomenal and I have added it to my library of equine training. As a professional natural horse trainer and dressage trainer, I can fully endorse the proven techniques and material in this book! What a great training and reference source!

I can't sing the praises of this book enough! The title makes it sound like a criticism of dressage but in fact Philippe fills in the gaps that are left in many dressage handbooks. The difference it has made in my ridding is enormous, and in the horses, using this method I see change and improvement rapidly! When I started reading I was not a dressage rider, just someone looking for a better way to ask my very fast horse to slow down and collect because everything I had tried she had found a way to evade. Almost four years latter we are still hard at work and greatly improved, and very close to achieving piaffe. My mare is 24 and she is going strong largely ,I believe, to changing the way I rode. In many ways she has better movement and self carriage now than she did five years ago. I love that in this philosophy of ridding anyone with any horse is capable of achieving higher level movements no matter previously experience or the natural talent of the horse. I tell everyone I meet about this book and I hope you will to!

I wish id read this earlier in my life! I never thought the German scale made any sense and the horses of mine trained using it with the help of other professionals, always got worse and did worse at shows than horses i trained on my own and used other methods. Not like perelli or any special name brand methods. Just a mixture of jumping, western, and dressage that seemed to hold up well for me with higher show scores, student show scores, compliments on my horses training and u don't profess to be an amazing trainer. I'm not, far from it. However, now I see exactly why that has been. If the best trainers would train like this imagine how great their horses would be if even i can improve not sticking to the German method! Thank you Phillipe Karl!

I come from a hunter jumper background and was looking for a good introduction to dressage. I took a few lessons from a local instructor and was taught using the methodology Philippe is so against. And he was right, it felt terrible (it felt like my horse was blocked from going forward). Actually, a lot of his methods are those that were taught to me by my hunter jumper instructors so many years ago. My horse has a tendency to get above the bit and avoid the contact. Karl has really helped me with this horse. I also do natural horsemanship, and his theory and natural methods blend well with what I want to attain with my horse.I highly recommend his DVD series also (you can rent them from [...]). The series was extremely helpful and motivating. It made the upper level movements seem attainable at some point in my lifetime! Karl is a great teacher. He is easy to understand and explains things really well. I can't wait to get my hands on the other media he has available.

If you want to learn how to take ANY horse into the high levels of dressage and, in the end, have a sane, healthy, and happy mount/partner, then you MUST read this book! Although the title is, in a way, accurate, it does not fully describe the contents of this wonderfully insightful, educational read. Firstly, your eyes are opened to the discrepencies and outright contradictory notions of modern day dressage. Secondly, you are taught an alternative pathway to the same goal that makes more sense to your horse. This method certainly will gently bring every horse closer to the higher levels once thought only reachable by the most elite of equine athletes.A famous saying, "A horse should not be for dressage, but dressage should be for every horse." This book makes this saying a reality.

In modern sports riding, and even in amatorial walks in the countryside, well being of the horse is not considered as priority number 1. In this masterpiece, Karl, explains why and how. And give the way to use lightness always, doesn't matter if the use of the horse is for sport, leisure, trekking, whatever else: rules are always the same: HORSE FIRST ! A must book for who is on the horse side.

I have taken lessons using this technique and my riding instructor said I should buy this book for further information. It is a much nicer way to ride a horse and more balanced way of riding. It makes total sense when you read it and practice it. Your horse will be happier for it.

A wonderfully written explanation why modern dressage today has lost its way. It also explains how the old masters perfected the classical training techniques to teach a horse to mobilize the tongue and jaw to "savour the bit" the first step in relaxation and acceptance followed by the lifting of the withers and neck to obtain an even balance of weight on all four legs, all done at the halt. This most important first step is the" Key to Lightness"which opens all the doors of knowlege tried and tested down the ages in the Classical Riding Academies of Europe. Michele Holiastos (student of Mestre Nuno Oliveira)

I only think its worth writing a review when you have tried something for sometime not just in your first rush of enthusiasm:At last, someone with expert training and riding knowledge willing to take the time to really make it clear quite why the current dressage circuit is so back to front! How a correct understanding of a horse's anatomy and mindset can encourage ANY horse to exercise its body athletically, beneficially and willingly so.Vets and equine physics have been trying to draw attention to the sad, sad way that so many dressage horses's bodies were being ruined by modern dressage training methods and riding styles.The legete - lightness of riding IS possible for all of us with this book. When I first opened a friends' copy I knew that the drawings, the photographs and the small sections of information would enable me to easily grasp, understand & then implement his training suggestions. I bought the book and tried them out. With a variety of horses and ponies in varying stages of training or rehab. And quite simply it was a joy to see their change in attitude & their progress. And I am not talking about hours and hours of boring repetitive training. If you get it right then the horse just wants to work with you!To be honest I have also had a few lessons from one of Karl"s student instructors too which did help with the feel of the rein aids but the suggestions for seat, leg and weight aids can be assimilated if one is prepared to take the time it takes and build those good foundations.No, I am not a professional dressage individual. I am interested in classical riding though and it is important to me that me horse enjoys our riding sessions as much as I do. And I am REALLY enjoying embracing this way of riding to the best of our ability. (Which would probably fall way short of PK's ideals! but everyone has to start somewhere :))

I always want to do the best for my horse. Although not a professional rider in anyway I've certainly got things wrong over the years by trying to do the things I've seen others doing (or even been taught for exams) I hope now to follow these principals. It is well written and described but I do get in a muddle with my inside, outside, left, right etc. I will have to go through it again, no doubt on many occasions.