Horses need an incremental approach when returning to physical exertion after some time off. With the weather obliterating our training programs, it’s a solid time to review how to approach bringing your sound horse back into work after an unplanned break. (more…)
With Regional Championships well underway and the show season in Florida starting to ramp up, this week’s article discusses some of the things to consider when developing your plan for the upcoming competition season.
So much has already been said regarding the recent video of Charlotte Dujardin, some of it has been quite thoughtful, some not so much. Although I wasn’t sure that I wanted to add to the noise, I ultimately felt that I would like to offer a potential path forward. (more…)
Have you ever considered why the standard dressage arena is the very specific size and shape that it is? Spoiler alert: It does serve a purpose. (more…)
When training, how do you know when it’s too little, or too much, or enough? It’s important to differentiate between doing too much and doing too little, as well as considering how each end of the spectrum can appear in — and affect the — training. (more…)
This final installment of the four-part series on choosing a dressage horse takes a closer look at how specific dressage exercises can be used to improve the ride-ability of a less-than-perfect horse. (more…)
Today’s article takes a closer look at movement. In order to choose a horse for dressage, or evaluate the one you have, you need to understand what the base-line requirements for movement are, be able to visualize them, and understand why they are necessary. (more…)
This is the second of a three-part series that explores what to look for when selecting a dressage horse. Today’s article focuses on the conformation that lends itself to a successful dressage horse. (more…)