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…
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”…
Hind end engagement is one of the most important elements, or ingredients, for creating fabulous movement in your horse. Impulsion is often sought after, but your can’t get proper impulsion without engagement. Think of engagement as a compressed spring. When it compresses, that is engagement. When you release the energy and it springs up, that…
The beautiful, elegant, ever-flowing free walk. It seems simple enough, but many riders have major problems during their free walk. In fact, there’s one particular problem that seems to creep up on almost everyone during the free walk, often costing them some serious points. Can you guess what the biggest, most common problem with the…
The 20 meter circle is one of the most basic fundamental patterns ridden in dressage. It appears in training level and first level with the trot, stretchy trot, and canter. Most riders ride the 20 meter circle each time they are on their horse, but did you know that most people get it wrong in…
Ah, the infamous, highly dreaded, “horrible, no good, very bad day,” stretchy trot! This very difficult movement is first presented in training level and is seen throughout first level in the dressage tests. It’s a movement that almost everyone hates and would rather skip. But this movement is all too important to be ignored. Once…
“Stop pulling on the inside rein! Let go of the inside rein!” How many times have you heard that from your instructor? I have heard it over and over again early on in my riding. But I never really understood what all the fuss was about. I felt like I NEEDED to pull it! But…