Contributors

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, July 26, 2024

What does it all mean?

          What does it all mean?

               Where do we fit in?

                      Where do we go from here?

                             What is the vision for the sport of Dressage?

                                        Who is in charge?

                   All awesome questions right? And it seems like anyone on Facebook has an opinion. Many of the harshest ones coming (in my opinion) from the least experienced horse people.

                  That aside, Who is in Charge?

                                         Sadly, in my opinion, Money is in charge. And when money is in charge the welfare, not only of the horses but the welfare of the people goes out the window.

                 I, personally, would like to see Dressage survive all this, however, the farther down this road we go the more doubt I start to have. We, as a community, must get together and save our beloved sport. As a community we need to support each other, teach each other, share experience as well as be compassionate about mistakes.

                  For me, and this is simply my humble opinion, we need to get above the pressure of money and support each other. I completely understand the pressure of competition, and that is not only horse shows, but competition, as in someone stealing your clients, videoing behind your back or scenarios at just the right time to create ineligibility for team competition. Charlotte is not the only one who was played this way, it has happened to others this year as well, they are just slightly less famous.

                  I am the first person in the room to fight for the horses. I have also misunderstood horses and made mistakes. We have all had that horse that got behind the leg and needed ground support. I have been the guinea pig riding the rearing stallion while people chased me from behind. I know many people who have been in this spot. For many it was the only way we knew. 

                   When we know better, we do better. So, I would implore Charlotte, not to say how embarrassed she is and how sorry, but instead to tell us the circumstances, why was this going on, how long was the horse in training with her, and how would she handle it now after she has years more of training and understanding?

                    There is NO top rider that has never made a mistake. Any trainer when being honest will tell you they have made mistakes. The good ones learn from their mistakes and search for a better way. 

  My last webinar we talked a bit more about this. If you have interest, please email nancy@carouselcoaching.com and I will share the recording with you.

              I believe we all need to get together as a community and start to create a vision for the sport and then do our own little part to support everyone in creating that positive vision that includes respect for our beloved horses. I know that the way it is being done now will never benefit anyone, including the horses.

             Love to Ride!

                              Nancy

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