Dressage is an equestrian discipline, which requires the horse and rider to complete a set course of movements, called a test. This test is carried out in a twenty by forty-meter ring, or for advanced levels, twenty by sixty meters. The ring has letter markers on the perimeter to indicate to the rider where to make transitions or start a new movement. The test movements are marked out of ten, and at the end of the test, twenty marks are given for rider position, horse's rhythm, freedom, submission, suppleness, and regularity of gaits. A well-trained dressage pair produces a relaxed, supple, obedient test with accurate and quality transitions at the indicated markers.
At the lower levels, dressage is within the reach of most horses and riders. Practicing dressage helps to produce a happy and obedient horse on whom you can ride with pleasure. The dressage levels help bring along the horse. You are always trying to improve the horse and teach them something new. As you go up the levels you are encouraging a more athletic performance from the horse, whether it be extensions, flying changes, or collection. And although I have yet to go to a dressage show, I hope that I have a basic understanding of the lower levels.
The first thing you want is relaxation. If your horse is relaxed, he's not worried or going to resist your aids, and he's more perceptive to learning. To get this relaxation your horse has to loose some of that excess energy, or loosen up those stiff joints. Either turn the horse out, lunge him, or do some hand gallop (if that settles your horse). You can also encourage this relaxation by having a good seat, encouraging them to move forward, and a calm, steady contact with the reins.
The next step is rhythm. If your horse tends to speed up and slow down, or take uneven strides, you need to encourage him to keep the same rhythm. The rhythm you choose will be you're working pace, which is forward with enough energy, but not racing and out of balance. If you correct your horse, only do so when he gets out of rhythm, then leave him alone. If you're constantly keeping him in check, he'll never learn to keep it himself.
The next basic is straightness. Straightness can be confused because it means the horses hind feet fall in the steps of his fore feet, which applies on straight sides and on circles or bends. Basically the horse's body matches the curve or straightness of the track. This is one aspect can be an every day thing for certain horses, because of their natural way of going. You can help by doing certain exercises like serpentines, center lines, shoulder in, haunches in, and half pass.
Suppleness comes next, this is the flexibility and athletic ability of the horse to bend equally in both directions. The majority of horses are one sided, just like humans. Because of this they find it hard to bend in one direction, it is important to know which side your horse has trouble with so you can improve his suppleness, but also to make sure not to overdue it. To get the horse to bend better, it is good to do lots of loops and serpentines, of various sizes/widths. Other exercises that help include spiraling in from a large circle to small, and spiraling out (or leg yielding out), volts or ten meter circles to restore bend for or after and exercise, and shoulder in/haunches in.
Acceptance of the bit (which is not, I must ad, coming on the bit)may very well come naturally after your work on the other basics. This should come from the horse, not from you. You cannot make the horse accept the bit with your hands. You can, however, encourage the horse by keeping him coming from behind, having soft elastic contact, asking for a bit of flexion or bend with the inside rein, transitions, changes of bend, and most importantly staying relaxed! J
After the previous basics are developed, you can start to teach the horse to come onto the aids (on the bit, round, in a frame, etc). This phase is developed and advanced through the levels, so don't expect too much too soon. Once the horse is relaxed, has rhythm, straightness, suppleness and is accepting the bit, you can create a little roundness by closing your leg, resisting with your back and stomach muscles, and closing your hand (not pulling back!). A green horse will not understand this new request right away, so be patient, and always ride the horse from your leg into your hand (but don't let the horse lean and pull on you, and you cannot lean or pull on him either J use your center to hold him, not your arms). If your horse is having troubles understanding, you can try lunging in side reins to teach him, and then get a friend to lunge you with side reins so he learns to stay round with a rider on his back.
Those are the basic basics of dressage. I haven't gone into a lot of depth about the exercises or certain aspects of the terms. Hopefully I'll have enough time and inspiration later on to get some new pages J Until then, enjoy!
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Email: stephaniepower@hotmail.com
