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Dressage


Dressage (a French term meaning "training") is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. Its fundamental purpose is to develop, through standardized progressive training methods, a horse's natural athletic ability and willingness to perform, thereby maximizing its potential as a riding horse. At the peak of a dressage horse's gymnastic development, it can smoothly respond to a skilled rider's minimal aids by performing the requested movement while remaining relaxed and appearing effortless. Dressage is occasionally referred to as "Horse Ballet." Although the discipline has its roots in classical Greek horsemanship, mainly through the influence of Xenophon, dressage was first recognized as an important equestrian pursuit during the Renaissance in Western Europe. The great European riding masters of that period developed a sequential training system that has changed little since then and classical dressage is still considered the basis of trained modern dressage.

Early European aristocrats displayed their horses' training in equestrian pageants, but in modern dressage competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of "tests," or prescribed series of movements within a standard arena. Judges evaluate each movement on the basis of an objective standard appropriate to the level of the test and assign each movement a score from zero to ten - zero being "not executed" and ten being "excellent." A score of nine (or "very good") is considered a particularly high mark, while a competitor achieving all sixes (or 60% overall) should be considering moving on to the next level.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Adult Camp

     Last weekend we had our third annual adult camp. This years campers were a fantastic group of ladies with varying degrees of ambition and education but one common goal, how can I get along better with my horse? Everyone was open and forthright with their worries, limitations and problems. Everyone was receptive to the tools we were able to provide and all of the horses made huge strides forward in a short weekend.
      One of my goals as an instructor is to create thinking and feeling riders. I would like to give you the tools you need to problem solve and succeed even when I am not present. As a rider you need to be open to suggestion in order for this type of training to work. It is so delightful to spend a weekend with a group of ladies such as the group we had at the Ashby Stock farm last weekend. Everyone supported each other and we were able to work together as a team to make improvements and gain awareness. There was only relaxation and learning.
     I teach a lot. One of the hardest things about teaching is just getting the student to relax enough to hear what I am saying. What makes students tense? The worry of what their horse may do, especially in a new place. The worry of what their peers may thing when they make a mistake or do not do well enough. Disappointment in themselves and their horses. So when you have ten ladies that allow all of those fears to disappear in the safety of the indoor arena at The Ashby Stock Farm anything is possible.
      The theme of the weekend was balance. For me this took on three different meanings: balance in your daily riding routine, the balance of your horse and independent balance between the horse and rider. No matter who was riding we could solve all of our problems thru the fantastic concept of balance.
        Jennifer Waurinen, Susan Raineville, Patrice Lagrant, Tamison Rose, Martha Goodwine, Karen Chevalier, Liz Shepard, Deb Brewer, Marlene Berghout and Wendy Terebesi  were our participants. The camp would not have been possible if not for the help I received from Matt Lavoie, Ariel Matisse, Linda Powers, Lynn Simonson and Gayle Price. Thank you everyone for such an inspiring weekend and happy riding!
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