Mise en main

Hello Andy,
An excellent thread.Ah yes,the mise en main.Is this not defined as the Ramener in association with a relaxed and mobile lower jaw?It's much more ,however,is it not?When offered spontaneously,it is accompanied by perfect balance,lightness and impeccable haunch activity.It becomes a barometer of the tranquility,or disturbance of,mental and physical equilibrium.There can be no upset or contraction in it's presence,and any adverse change in it's quality indicates a deterioration in this equilibrium,and expressed usually in the haunch.Is that good enough to start things off?Other ideas?
Sandy.

Hi Sandy,

I wonder whether ramener (flexion of the poll) is involved in the "mise en main", almost certainly to an extent in that if mise en main equates with relaxed jaw, then relaxed jaw equates with a relaxed poll.

Like you say it, I think it will depend on active haunches and balance.

To what extent to you think it depends on the rider's lightness and precision of aids, and to what extent does it depend on "inside leg to outside hand"?

Andy

Hello Andy,
I apologise,I didn't see your reply.To answer your question I think it depends whether the 'mise en main'is OFFERED or REQUESTED.If OFFERED then the horse is in self carriage,and the upper and lower aids released.Lightness and balance in both horse and rider are supreme,and submission is complete.To REQUEST it and RECEIVE it,the aids must be perfectly applied,with precision and with 'Doighter les reins'(fingering the reins,like a musical instrument),the horse being made perfectly light,impulsed and straight,which equates to the correct use of the inside leg to outside rein to keep the horse perfectly straight and impulsed.
Thanks for the interesting topic,
Sandy.

I like very much the idea that when a horse is "mise en main/placed in hand", the feel of the connection with the rider is like being supported by whipped cream! A horse that is as light as whipped cream, both in the hand and in the seat is perfectly tuned into the rider; and equally the rider is perfectly and lightly tuned in to the horse. What more can one desire? In this situation, life is indeed sweet!!

Post edited by: HENSLER, at: 2007/03/19 06:55

Hello All,
I wondered if it might be time to continue with Andy's thread about English translations of French words or terms.The ones I have in mind at present are "DEBOURRAGE/DRESSAGE" which can be difficult to translate correctly.Where does one begin and the other start?
With regards,
Sandy.

Those two terms should be replaced by EDUCATION without any border between the two .

Sandy is right when wondering about the meaning of Débourrage and Dressage. These two terms are coming from the military French vocabulary.” Débourrage” was the one year period at the beginning of schooling the horse. It was one year long. The horse was between 4 and 5 five years old. “Dressage” came one year later and it took one more year. Nowadays “Débourrage” is “Breaking a horse” and it takes …some days! “Dressage” is a non ending story.

When I think about "Débourrage and Dressage", I see a gap, a gray area separating these two phases of schooling. Inspired by Michel Henriquet's book I see a better continuity using "Gymnase" to cover the gap.

For the horse/rider couple PoV:
Débourrage would be "the time to learn"
Gymnase "the time to understand"
And, Dressage "the time to perfect"

In English, I resent the term braking; I have seen too many horses literally broken by forceful approaches to get them ready to be prepared to be mounted. I like to replace it by "preparing" or "starting".

I agree with that: break is an unfortunate word!

Dear Michel,
I totally agree with your point of view but... education should be a concern in ALL phases... It is too often forgotten... maybe because it is too ovious...