Training in the Right Way: A Clarification on Normal vs Fancy Gaits…
Or, rather, why fancy gaits in and of themselves were not the original point of dressage competition (here’s a hint: it was supposed to be about that whole training thing…)
Dressage training is supposed to be the process of training ANY horse to be a better riding horse. The more the horse learns, in theory, the easier it is to communicate with and therefore complete more complex tasks with. Although competition dressage training often is more focused on training for the dressage test, that is not what the original intention (and original judging requirements) were for competitive dressage. Initially, it was designed to give riders and trainers a way to determine how their training measured up to the theoretical ideal of the training process. That said, it is critically important to understand the meanings and reasons for some of the terms we use to describe dressage training and what to look for when observing training and competition (and videos and photos), regardless of whether you intend to compete or just train your horse to be a better whatever you do with him. That, ultimately, is the main purpose of my articles. To provide education and knowledge for riders to understand and improve their eye and understanding of what dressage training is supposed to be. While there will always be some differences in practice and theory, good horse training is always recognizable to the educated eye. That said, it absolutely is necessary that we remember and understand that limited knowledge is limited judgment.
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Based on some of the commentary about my last article, I feel there may be a need to circle back and review and clarify what the point of the article was meant to be.
The point of the article was to note that an average moving horse should not be penalized for not being fancy (or, to phrase it another way, the horse and rider should be judged on the quality of the training, not simply the quality of the gaits — more on this in a moment). I also was commending the judging of the test that my student rode, because the judge did an excellent job of rewarding the training, while noting the parts of the test that were IN FACT deficient, but not excessively so.
At the same time, I was trying to open a discussion about the learner judge (WHO IS STILL LEARNING) judging the test harshly based on the lack of “Warmblood” gaits, not based on the presentation or the quality of the movements (proof of the riding and training). I did this to highlight the importance of educating one’s eye so they can more readily assess the training even when the big, warmblood gaits aren’t present.
I did state that when all things are equal, the better mover will get better score. But it isn’t as clean as it sounds. The difficulty here is the interplay between the training and the gaits.
Which leads us to the burning question: Why are big fancy gaits considered “better”? The answer is not “because they’re pretty” or “it makes the breeders more money.” While both those statements are not false, they are not the reason. The reason is that good training IMPROVES the horse’s gaits. When you take a normal moving horse and make it more supple, more forward, and more through, it becomes more uphill, develops more suspension, and the stride becomes longer and freer. That is why better movers should be rewarded for their movement: because better movement is also a result of correct training.
A very “normal” mover can begin to look quite “fancy” with good training. Photo (c) Gwyneth McPherson
If you have a fantastic mover that is being trained to be more supple, more forward, and more through, he will develop even more suspension and uphill tendency (collection) and will become FANCIER. If you have a mediocre mover that is being trained to be more supple, more forward, and more through, he will also develop more suspension and uphill tendency (collection) and will become FANCIER (though perhaps not as fancy as a horse that started off with more natural talent). Because good training is meant to be seen through the horse’s improved way of going and gaits, this of course means that better movement must be rewarded. It also theoretically implies that the judge should be able to judge the quality of the training by the quality of the gaits.
However, theory and practice are strange bed fellows, and this is obviously not as clear cut as we might like. Mostly, the nice, fancy moving horses get better training, and the less fancy moving horses get less training. This leaves us with the fancy horses maybe, or maybe not, getting better in their movement, but they’re already superior, so it doesn’t matter. And the mediocre movers staying mediocre because they aren’t necessarily receiving the BEST training, and they are much more dependent on the training to become spectacular.
If you take a three-year-old, amazing mover with fabulous conformation and a good brain, and put it in an excellent, classically based training program, it will move better and better as it makes its way to Grand Prix. If you take a “normal” moving horse with good conformation and a good brain, and put it in the same training program, it will also move better and better as it makes its way to Grand Prix. But it will not ever be as good as the talented horse, because the talented horse had a head-start in his quality of movement. This is where talent makes the difference in competition.
A talented horse will develop more expressive and spectacular movement as its training progresses to Grand Prix. (c) Flatlandsfoto
The negative side of this same discussion is when a spectacular mover that is being ridden too tight, too short, and with too much impulsion, is deemed “better” than a fluid moving, supple, round, forward, through horse with a quiet mouth and a harmonious rider with “lesser’ movement. It is not ideal, but it does happen.
The reason for judging dressage in competition is to help direct the riders and trainers to follow a productive training path — path where horses are educated and become willing partners with self-carriage and who find some joy in their work. It is not meant to be a rating of talent. The problem is that a horse that brings more talent to the game will almost always APPEAR to be “better” UNLESS the judge is well-educated and can see the training through the movement.
All of that being said, if you want to go to the Olympics, you have no choice but to start with a mega-talented, beautifully conformed horse with big open gaits and a great deal of natural suppleness to meet your goals. There is no other way. But, if you have a normal moving horse with good conformation who likes working with you, you should be able – with a correct, systematic training program, to successfully train and compete. Additionally –IDEALLY— you should be able to rely on the judges to reward you based on whether you are presenting a well-prepared, well-trained horse, and point out the deficiencies your horse and training may have fairly, and in a constructive way (as opposed to judging you based on whether your horse moves like Valegro or not).
And remember: limited knowledge is limited judgment.
Gwyneth and Flair in competition at Grand Prix. (c) flatlandsfoto.
Gwyneth McPherson has over 35 years experience competing, training, and teaching dressage. She began her education in in the late 1970s, riding in her backyard on an 11 hh pony. Her first instructor introduced her to Lendon Gray (1980 and 1988 Olympian). who mentored Gwyneth for a decade during which she achieved her first National Championship in 1984, and her Team and Individual Young Rider Gold Medals in1987.
In 1990 Gwyneth began training with Carol Lavell (1992 Olympian) who further developed Gwyneth as an FEI rider and competitor. Gwyneth achieved a Team Bronze in 1991 and a Team Silver in 1992 in the North American Young Riders Championships, and trained her stallion G’Dur to do all the Grand Prix movements while riding with Carol.
In 2008, while Head Trainer at Pineland Farms, Gwyneth began training with Michael Poulin (Olympian 1992). Michael was trained by Franz Rochowansky (Chief Rider for the Spanish Riding School 1937-1955). Michael has shared much of Rochowansky’s knowledge and wisdom with Gwyneth, completing her education as a Grand Prix rider, trainer, and competitor.
Gwyneth’s teaching and training business, Forward Thinking Dressage,is based in Williston, FL. In addition to teaching riders and training, Gwyneth also loves sharing her knowledge of the sport and art of dressage as well as discussing relevant topics pertaining to the training itself and the current competitive landscape.
