There are places in every dressage test where even the humblest mount can score just as well as—or better than—the fanciest horse. They are the “non-brilliant movements,” of dressage so called because the gaits play little to no role...
You trot down center line, ride the pattern of your dressage test, and soon receive your score. Your placing in the class depends on how that score stacks up against those of your competitors, but there’s a lot more...
Excerpt from The Athletic Equestrian, by Sally Batton and Christina KeimWhen your two-point seat is correct, you will have developed the alignment and balance that serves as the basis for all future work. But many riders have not been...
Many times, I have seen riders canter to the first jump of a course and have it be less than stellar. But then they land, change their canter, and lay down the ride of a lifetime. I have named...
Choppy gait, gaping jaw, and bulging muscles on the underside of the neck: As riders and handlers, we all recognize the signs of tension in our horses, but not everyone understands how to help their horses soften and relax...
When award-winning para equestrian Lauren Reischer was born 24 years ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 1 in every 550 children born in the United States was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP). The most...
Work at the walk, practiced and touted by old classical dressage masters, is always better than letting a horse stand around when he is not able to perform a regular training schedule. Walking your horse has the benefit of...
We riders are bright creatures. We memorize long courses, process multi-part instructions, and generally do the whole patting-your-head-and-rubbing-your-stomach routine from the back of a thousand-pound animal with a mind of its own.Except when we can’t. Occasionally, your mental computer...
The type of saddle you first sat in does not need to be your last. Changing riding disciplines can help you renew your interests and find new joy with the horses you love.“Everyone goes through a process,” says dressage...
Last month I discussed how the leg-yield is a useful suppling and training tool for both horse and rider, how the movement is ridden, and some of the common mistakes from the rider’s point of view. Of course, the...
