Fundamentals and movements of dressage. Contains many sub-categories such as fundamentals, movements, showing, horse problems, rider problems and more.
Explore fundamentals like being on the bit, having independent aids and riding your horse forward into the bridle. Other topics include the half halt, transitions, and the training scale.
Learn all about the various movements in dressage. Understand what they really do for the horse. Topics include the leg yield, shoulder-in, haunches-in, medium and extended gaits, circles, loops, and more. And there is a good variety for both beginners and advanced riders.
Also explore tips and insights for showing. Learn how to ride a test with ease. Break down each movement for a better understanding.
Trouble shoot all your problems with articles about common issues. Quick fixes for both horse and rider.
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 connection 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…
So you know how to ride a leg yield, but you can’t help thinking that it feels labored and dull. You try so hard to push the horse over from point A to B, and you barely make it over in time. It sounds like you need to refine your leg yield! And I have…