One of the very BEST dressage exercises, hands down, is the turn on the forehand. Why is it the best? We will dig into that below. But the crazy question is, why is nobody doing it on a regular basis, or even ever??? Honestly, I have no idea because the turn on the forehand is...

First level dressage… A very very important level for sure, and usually one of the fullest classes at shows. In this article we will dive into the nooks and crannies of everything involving first level dressage. Know the Purpose of First Level Dressage One of the most overlooked concepts of first level dressage is, in...

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I guarantee you hear, see, and read TONS about the inside rein. To summarize; JUST DON’T PULL ON IT!!! You never hear much about the outside rein. It’s just inside rein this, and inside rein that…. But yes, the inside rein is VERY important. If you need a reminder...

Bend through the body of the horse is a critical part of dressage and it might seem like a simple concept to understand in the beginning. But then you hear someone say, “Bend is actually straightness,” and then your mind gets blown. What???? Bend is straightness? Yes, it is my friend, but the two are...

It’s a term you’ve heard a million times, but do you really truly know what it means for a horse to be “on the forehand?” We will dive right into that in great detail below! On The Forehand – What is it? In the simplest of terms, a horse is on the forehand when he...

You probably know that a hollow horse is not a pretty picture at all. In fact, we riders work so hard to avoid letting our horses get hollow. But unfortunately we may be covering up the problem rather than fixing it. The quick fix is to get the horse’s head down so he looks “pretty”...

Dressage test riding is a valuable skill to have once you start showing. Many riders will practice all year long, perfecting a certain test or level, only to blow it all to pieces when they actually get in the ring. Its a common frustration. But there are 3 main reasons why this happens. Below we...

So you’ve mastered first level and you are ready to take the next step towards second level. Congrats! One of the hardest parts about second level is the simple change of lead. This is when you ride from a canter directly to a walk without any trot steps in between and then back to a...

Contact and connection. These two terms are heard regularly throughout the world of riding and are often used interchangeably. But did you know that contact and connect are not one in the same? The two terms are completely different. Once you learn to truly understand the meaning of each, your riding will soar to a...

There’s nothing more exciting than to see a beautiful horse floating across the diagonal in an extended trot. When you watch top riders executing this movement, it looks effortless. And the truth is, it should be. And you wonder how you and your horse will ever get there. Perhaps you have a decent trot lengthening,...

“Aids” are absolutely essential when dealing with our horses. Effective aids are the means by which we train our horses to do basically everything. Also known as cues, aids can have a tremendous amount of positive influence on your horse. When used correctly, aids can be used to get your horse to do almost anything,...

Imagine that feeling we all get when you want your horse to stop, or transition down a gear, and you just know in your mind that it’s gonna be difficult. It’s gonna take some effort, and muscle, to transition down. Pulling on the reins is the only option you have to muscle your heavy horse...