Dressage is a transformational method of training the horse and rider.
Dressage trains riders how to train their horses to improve the quality of their natural gaits whether they trot, tolt, flat walk or fox trot. Through suppling exercises, the horse develops symmetry, strength and flexibility. Dressage teaches riders how to transform an anxious and reactive mind into a more relaxed and listening mind, and a tense and braced body that leads to pace into a relaxed and willing body that leads to smoother gaits.
Dressage is a language between the rider and horse.
Through consistent use and timing of the rider’s hand, leg, seat, and weight aids, dressage enables effective communication and a partnership of harmony between rider and horse. Classical dressage serves as a humane training approach that fosters full range of motion, quality smooth gaits on cue, and long term soundness in the horse. This language is useful in the arena, on the trail or within any equestrian activity.
Six ways dressage benefits the naturally gaited horse.
1. Relaxation: Dressage promotes relaxation in naturally gaited horses, reducing mental anxiety and body tension. This cultivates a harmonious partnership between the rider and horse, fostering greater trust, attentiveness, and trainability. A relaxed horse is more receptive to the rider’s cues and is less distracted by external stimuli that causes spooks, ultimately creating a safer riding experience.
2. Balance: Through dressage exercises, naturally gaited horses achieve better balance. This reduces the likelihood of tripping when the horse carries its weight more evenly across all four legs. Improved balance leads to the creation of beautiful, poised smooth gaits that are a pleasure to ride and watch.
3. Rhythm and Tempo: Dressage instills a steady rhythm to develop fluidity of smooth gaits. The rhythm helps to develop the head nod in many naturally gaited horse breeds, such as the Tennessee Walking Horse and Fox Trotter in gaits such as flat walk, running walk, and fox trot. Dressage also promotes an even tempo and stride length, reducing short, quick steps.
4. Stretching: Dressage incorporates stretching exercises that target the gaited horse’s top line muscles, spine, and neck. These exercises reduce hollowness. When stretching is combined with encouraging the horse to take deeper steps under the belly, the horse increases its length of stride.
5. Symmetry and Flexibility: Gymnastic exercises such as shoulder in, haunches in, and renver develop balance, symmetry and flexibility. For the naturally gaited horse, this leads to more even strides and depth of strides, further enhancing the quality of smooth gaits. The naturally gaited horse becomes more balanced and ambidextrous over time.
6. Breaking up Pace: Diagonal moving exercises, such as shoulder in, haunches in, shoulder out, and renver, serve to break up the pacey footfall sequence. These exercises also supple the horse’s body, correcting a hollow posture and contributing to smoother gaits for long terms soundness.
With consistent dressage, you’ll help your naturally gaited horse transform rough pacey gaits to smoother four-beat gaits, and smooth gaits to quality smooth gaits while developing full range of motion, long-term soundness, and a partnership of harmony.
