I ran across this video of a now rarely practiced form of classical Dressage performance. If you are not completely impressed by the time, training and communication it takes to do this, then you still have a lot to learn about horses and Dressage! This is a beautiful display of the art that Dressage can be, … More Ecole Portugaise d’Art Equestre – Long Reins
If time and good instructors permit, systematic dressage can bring nothing but benefit to any horse and pleasure to the rider. If, however, the dressage is misapplied, is carried out in an over-hasty manner and in an insensitive way – and this is more often than not the case – then more harm is done … More Give Them More Time!
I was recently reading a piece about a new Dressage competition that was started in Finland. The gist of it is that two competitors ride side by side, in mirror patterns “consisting of 5 or 6 ‘flashy’ movements”. The audience registers their approval by the level of applause, and three judges decide who moves into … More Alternative Dressage Competitions?
This is a video I stumbled upon last year. I’m not a bitless convert by any means. I don’t see bits as the enemy – bad hands can cause damage with bits or with most bitless bridles. But, these riders doing demos bitless show that it can be done, on a well trained horse, without … More More Grand Prix Sans Bit
This has made a few rounds on the internet, recently, but I just have to include it here. This, my friends is what Dressage is all about – no muscling the horse, no double-bridle, just horse and rider in perfect harmony. And this is more correct than most high level rides you see in competition … More Perfect Harmony
It is clear that as an end in itself, the aim of [the piaffe] has been missed when practiced merely for the beauty of the dance-like steps. It is not pleasant to observe the absence of harmony between the stiff and troubled rider who exerts himself in the saddle in order to achieve the successful … More Piaffe
Horse Crazy Once Again 