Gwyneth McPherson
Training in the Right Way: Positive vs Negative Riding
Those words ALSO do not mean what you think they mean… at least not in the context of effective training. →
Training in the Right Way: Repetition and Correction…
Those words do not mean what you think they mean… at least not in the context of effective training. Here’s why. →
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 →
Training in the Right Way: “Fancy Warmblood Movement” Is Not the Same as “Quality of Movement” (And This Matters!)
“Dressage is for all horses, but all horses aren’t for dressage”… sort of. →
Training in the Right Way: Quick Fixes and Light Switches
Let’s talk about why you’re more likely to run into Big Foot at Starbucks than find any magical →
Training in the Right Way: Effective Aids vs Not So Much
Because it is critical to the training process, let’s take a moment to talk about what effective aids →
Training in the Right Way: 3 Dressage Movements You Should Master
There are three movements most riders aren’t aware of that cannot be judged on talent as their proper →
Training in the Right Way: Strength and Agility
Because you probably wouldn’t sign up for an Iron Man without first training for it. →
Training in the Right Way: What Successful Participation in Dressage Looks Like
Because you will never convince me that consistently getting low scores at Training Level is actually the sort →
Training in the Right Way: The Importance of In-Hand Work
Many riders think of dressage as an activity that is solely performed from the saddle. But, in truth, →
Training in the Right Way: An Ode to the ‘Normal’ Horse
While those seeking international dressage careers will absolutely need freak-show levels of talent, most riders would enjoy the →
Training in the Right Way: Types of Suppleness
Yes, there is more than one type — and knowing what they are and how to recognize them →
Training in the Right Way: Bringing Your Horse Back Into Work
Horses need an incremental approach when returning to physical exertion after some time off. With the weather obliterating →
Training in the Right Way: When to Compete
With Regional Championships well underway and the show season in Florida starting to ramp up, this week’s article →
Training in the Right Way: The Actual Purpose of Lateral Work
Lateral work is perhaps one of the most useful groups of exercises in the development of the horse →
Training in the Right Way: Where Language Fails Us in Training
Language is a funny thing, being simultaneously necessary and unavoidably imperfect… →
Training in the Right Way: Limited Knowledge Is Limited Judgement
Because although everyone is entitled to their opinion, some opinions are of more objective value. →
Training in the Right Way: Olympic Dressage – Where Do We Go From Here?
So much has already been said regarding the recent video of Charlotte Dujardin, some of it has been →
Training in the Right Way: Why the U.S. Should be Training Our Own Olympic Horses
The United States has come to rely on European bred and trained horses in order to field our →
Training in the Right Way: Using the Dressage Arena To Maximize Your Training
Have you ever considered why the standard dressage arena is the very specific size and shape that it →
Training in the Right Way: Knowing When It’s Time To Stop
When training, how do you know when it’s too little, or too much, or enough? It’s important to →
Training in the Right Way: The Process vs The End Goal
This week’s article discusses the significant difference between the end goal and the process of getting there. Although →
Training in the Right Way: What to Look for in a Dressage Horse, Part 4 — Exercises for the Imperfect Horse
This final installment of the four-part series on choosing a dressage horse takes a closer look at how →
Training in the Right Way: What to Look for in a Dressage Horse, Part 3 — Movement
Today’s article takes a closer look at movement. In order to choose a horse for dressage, or evaluate →
Training in the Right Way: What to Look for in a Dressage Horse, Part 2
This is the second of a three-part series that explores what to look for when selecting a dressage →