The movie director Steven Spielberg once said that he had made one of his most famous movies (cannot remember which) for the simple reason that he really wanted to go and see it. Well, that phrase stuck in my mind and must have subconsciously pushed me into creating HD as a resource of technical information based on first-hand experience. However, I did not want to create yet another equestrian site - there are so many and so various - as much as use it to let all those horselovers who cringe at the idea of stressing or upsetting their horses following most of the traditional, and outdated, methods that there was another way to train a competition horse. I really wanted those good people to know that they could accomplish beautiful performances with their horses in a gentle way, the horses' way, no matter what level they thought they were at. Besides, I hoped that HD might have made some of the professionals in this 'trade' ponder upon their attitudes towards their dancing partners reinstating them as such and not as submitted machines, as so many times they set an example which is sadly followed.

Horses of all levels do not need to be harassed to perform in Dressage. Dressage is an Art, a beautiful symbiosis between man and horse.. To cut a long story short, off I set into this titanical project and... voila'! HD came to life, the things I hoped to transmit through it did, the attitude and practical how-to did reach thousands of true horse lovers around the globe. That feeling is priceless.



When I am not training or showing my horses or my pupils and their horses, HD fills all the time remaining and after four years I still thoroughly enjoy the way it keeps growing and the feedback it gets. It has become what I wish I had access to, long ago, and could not find. Just like mr. Spielberg with his movie, HD was created because I wanted to find a training tool on the internet which would not simply explain what a certain thing was, or (when lucky) how it should be performed (thanks.. on a multi-million super-experienced dreamhorse) but a place where I could read and re-read how to teach MY horse to do it all. The snag is.. now, when I myself look for something specific in detail, using Google for example, it sends me to HD :S

This lens is yet another asset for HD, and whether you will visit HD or not, I will try to communicate right here how to go about setting the stepping stones for you and your horse's improvement in what I believe is the most complicated and intriguing discipline of all: the Art of Dressage.. and not stressage!


..the greatest love of all.

The competing Dressage horse has to be moulded into shape by refining his knowledge and abilities throughout his life. There are no shortcuts in this, however I invite you to read the following article which defines in a fairly straightforward (pun intended!) manner some very basic facts that must be kept in the mind of any serious rider, no matter what level he or she performs at, to kick off with the right foot:



The Straight Horse



This is a concise excerpt, even if the subject is one of the longest debates ever tackled.



'Straight' means that the horse has developed EQUAL muscle structure and tendon/ligament elasticity on both his left and right sides. Conformation is greatly improved by correct 'construction'. Construction is achieved by correct work. Correct work can only be administered by a correct rider, therefore before attempting to straighten our horse, we must make sure WE are straight on him.



First of all we must check our points of hip in the saddle: walk as composed as you can, even on a long rein, and slide your right hand under your right seatbone - and sit on it - you should very clearly feel it. Now check the left one. Are they aligned? Does one feel more forward than the other? If so, try to get used to sitting with them aligned, even if it will feel TERRIBLY wrong. Another way of checking this is looking at the seat of your saddle once you dismount: you should be able to see exactly where you put your weight (this is called 'reading' one's saddle). Once you have them aligned, place the same weight on each, and keep your head up!



Now, all horses have a direction preference - some right, most left. To achieve straightness, which will avoid needless strain on various parts of his body due to uneven build-up of muscle, which in the end affects back and legs, we must work our horses equally on both sides - and often we don't, because one of the sides will always be more uncomfortable. Do not fall in the mistaken belief that to improve a horse's going in one said direction you must work MORE on it, for it is wrong and you may well knot him up - this is why:



when we say a horse is 'stiff' to the right, say, it means he's actually stiff on all his LEFT side, which does not lengthen properly. A muscle can contract easier than it can extend. So I'll solve his stiffness by working him on a straight line, with his nose as low to the ground as possible, on a slow, soft cadence, to invite him to relax and 'let go' of his topline muscles (the ones that run under the saddle along his back). As they warm up, they shall extend and influence the ones just below, on both sides, and when I'll pick up his 'stiff' direction again, it shall be just slightly less uncomfortable. And again, and again, and again...



One last thing: NEVER use the long side of the arena to ride your horse in a straight line!! It tricks your eyes! Remember that every horse is narrower across the shoulders than across his hips, therefore if you ride, let's say, on the right rein you would try to keep both his left shoulder and hip parallel to the track, and you'd think he was straight, but he'd be working with his inside hip crooked to the right, and build up wrong muscle. It may take months to achieve true straightness, don't be in a hurry! Straightness in a horse is often a misleading topic, as most people understand it as meaning 'going in a straight line'. Instead, we must remember that such a horse is one who is 'straight within himself', which means his hind legs will each follow exactly the line of their own forelegs, which applies also on bends, turns and standstill (the famous 'square' halt). In Dressage it is a fundamental quality, as it is in jumping (a straight jumper lifts himself up to 20% higher than his natural capability and scope allow), and in the ordinary horse it is something to be developed for his own well-being, and that of his rider.

This has nothing to do with ill-fitting tack. When we ride, there's undoubtedly pressure on the horse's back, and the blood capillaries close to the skin surface get literally squashed! The compressed capillaries don't get damaged, until we take the saddle off. The blood rushing back into the capillaries under the pressure points the saddle has, through whichever blanket or saddle pad, fill up too fast - and this causes them to rupture.

On our pink skin, we'd notice a bruise. On a horse you cannot see anything, but the bruise, however small, is there. Next day, we place the saddle on the same spots, and it is not pleasant at all. A hot or sensitive horse may even become restless because of this.




The best way to untack any horse is to loosen the girth at least a couple of minutes before taking the saddle off, and possibly get off the horse. Walk him back to the stables, or paddock, and then VERY slowly lift the saddle vertically off his back - very slowly just for the time it lifts an inch off the back, that's all. Straightaway, rub both sides of the withers gently with your fingers (ten seconds? that's all it takes) and all the area where the saddle was - beside giving the horse a pleasant massage, you'll have avoided a possible undetected bruise and next-day discomfort for the horse ;)

Note: further above you can find the initial approach and fundamentals for embarking in improving your horse. Here we just saw the very last thing any rider must do, no matter their 'rank'.

It's the middle bit that takes just about a lifetime to master :D

The double bridle bits (bradoon and Weymouth)

Dressage horses at top level have to wear a double bridle, which is the ultimate combination of bits to date. But even world champions get worked at home in a simple snaffle.. did I say "simple"? There is nothing simple about the multitude of snaffle bits available, so let us concentrate on them first of all..

As snaffle bits go, there are straight ones (one single mouthpiece from one ring to the other), jointed ones (a single joint in the middle of the mouthpiece) and double-jointed ones (two joints in the mouthpiece with a flat or rounded link in the middle). These are the most common ones, and the most used in all the riding disciplines. Wire-mouthed, twisted or similar types of snaffles should be avoided for they can only damage any horse's mouth bars. Severeness-wise, the single-joint is the hardest, no matter how thick it is and of what material it's made of. Personally, I love to use double-jointed snaffles and straight-bar ones, possibly thick and hollow, and Aurigan-made ones are at top of the list (Aurigan is a German blend of metals that include copper). Fulmer and full-cheek doublejoints are wonderful both for young horses and horses that begin to learn to jump, for they help so much with the direction aids.

Novices may believe that bits are placed in horses' mouths to 'stop' and 'steer' them, which is obviously nonsense, but indeed bits are there to guide the horse into producing whatever it may be we're asking them to perform, which is asked primarily through the seat and leg aids. I often use the example of sailing boats to explain how a horse really is to be 'guided'. They're not machines, therefore one cannot expect instant action when an aid is applied. The more the horse is trained, the quicker he'll respond, but he will always need at least a fraction of a second to produce the required action.


Regal Realm (the human) on Regal Realm (the horse) :D


Beside giving guidance, bits are there for another purpose altogether: to give the horse support. Now, support means literally that the horse may lean on the rider's hands for an instant, when collecting and when doing transitions, just as we'd lean for an instant with our hand on a small fence to hop over it. The good rider would allow this and absorb the pressure through his position and into his seat and heels, remaining balanced and effective thoroughout. The less flatwork training a horse has, the more he'll need to lean. Often horses feel heavy on the rider's hand and often all the horse is trying to do is find something to help him do as he is asked, which is always misinterpreted and read as 'pulling'. Top Dressage horses have most of their weight in the hind end, but they cannot perform any of the advanced movements if they do not find support in the rider through the bit also.

Since a horse needs to be able to find a support through the rider's hands, a severe bit would inhibit his try simply because it would be painful. A thin bit will not invite a horse to 'talk' to his rider, and in time it would harden the horse's mouth, making it ineffective, besides damaging the back due to incorrect posture. Personally I find that single-jointed snaffles, whether loose-ring or egg-butt, are a lot more severe than one would think. If the rider takes a stronger contact and lifts his hands, the joint closes and pinches the tongue like a nut-cracker. If the rider lowers his hands, the joint goes slam bang up into the horse's palate, making him raise his head in pain, and even bruising it. How often do we see heads up in the air and riders with really low hands! But how often do we see someone check his horse's palate afterwards? Never. So with single-jointed snaffles, the thickness of the bit itself is pretty irrelevant, because its action is always the same.


a full-cheek double-joint (or French-link) snaffle bit


Double-jointed snaffles are a really good bit, and the thickness of the one chosen depends entirely on the size of the horse's mouth in primis (and I'll get back to this further on), on its sensitivity and on the rider's preference for last. They have no nut-cracker action whatsoever and allows a lot more error from the rider's part without doing any damage. The worst that can happen is just a misunderstanding between horse and rider. I found that 90% of the horses work remarkably well with a double-joint and the only ones who don't like it are the ones who are particularly annoyed with movable bits - on which individuals I strongly recommend a straight bar, whether sylicon, rubber, vulcanite or metal. Some horses' mouths heat up with rubber bits, one has to give them a try and see. I've had really hard-mouthed and ruined-mouthed horses go SUPERBLY with the most insignificant, 'cheap' rubber straightbar, and competing with it too. But the doublejoint induces mastication and relaxation of the jaw, thus improving muscular relaxation all around, which is what one looks for to perform whatever it's required without stress and physical damage in the long run.

The horse's mouth size is very often underestimated except for the actual width from corner to corner, needed to choose a 'size' lengthwise of the mouthpiece. But that's only the tip of the iceberg! Again, we could go on forever on this but a few points must be underlined: for starters, how much 'room' has the mouth got? If your horse has a smallish mouth altogether (mouth-size and height of horse have nothing to do with each other - you can find a 14hh with a huge mouth and a 17hh with a tiny one) then a big, thick snaffle is NOT the nicest thing you can place in it. The horse will find it cumbersome and create problems. A medium-thickness would be the equivalent of a really 'fat' one and there you go! Another point is WHERE the bit is placed - normally you would want to see one crease on the corners of the mouth but not every horse has the bars where you want them, and not all horses have their teeth in the same identical place. So, look at where the centre of the bars is, and that's where you want your bit to be positioned, and adjust the cheekpieces accordingly.

Remember that no bit on the planet will ever replace good hands. A kind bit in bad hands is way more devastating than any severe one in 'thoughtful' hands.

..well, good for you! Yes, there are a few facts that 'thin' riders NEVER mention regarding those who may not appear dramatically athletic on a horse, at whatever level (and especially in Dressage), which is this: weight is a huge bonus for the dressage rider, as long as the rider has learned how to use it.

Before I begin to list all the reasons why a heavier rider may in fact need less time than a featherweight (I'm one of them and believe me, sometimes I truly pray to wake up weighing at least ten kilos more than I do..), let me share with you a true story..

Angela
Quite a while ago I was blessed (you'll see why I say this) with being stuck, unwillingly, in an arena together with a person who most certainly did not 'look the part': a woman in her forties, drastically overweight (and I mean drastically as in obese, ok?), really tall too, but who had a smile who could melt an iceberg. Well, I wasn't interested in icebergs and truly my first thought (I had still much to learn at the time) was 'oh my.. poor horse.. this cannot be..' etc etc. Nice kid wasn't I?

Well.. this woman kindly asks to enter the arena with a horse who was not her own and as I was doodling about wondering how much time I was about to have to spend avoiding this rider around the arena (fat = not athletic = not efficient = useless rider that-gets-in-the-way) and when I obviously answered yes she did not enter immediately but turned towards her horse's head and talked to him a little, scratching his ear. Oh well, I thought, this is going to take forever..

In she comes, stops away from the track, swiftly pops the reins over the horse's neck and with the aid of a sort of impromptu mounting block slowly begins her ascent in the saddle, just as anybody would presume a heavy rider would do (just can't be faster, right? Shifting that right leg over must be a problem). Again she talked to her horse while sitting in the saddle and I stopped in my tracks as I saw how she slowly and very gradually allowed her weight to lower. Yes, I saw a rider who was already sitting down get deeper.. and deeper.. in the seat of her saddle. She was still standing perfectly still.

In the meantime I noticed how the love she was pouring into this horse was that of a mother to a child: the horse as from square one looked like he wanted to be nowhere else but with her, and he also looked like nothing else mattered to him - and that hypnotized me. So I had enough sense to stop and watch..

She rolled the inside of her heavy thighs backwards with her hands, slowly. She adjusted herself into what would have been, had she been less than half her actual size, an excellent dressage position. She set her hands in a comfortable way for the horse and from then on she never moved again. She smiled at me again, but with the sort of smile she must have been used to giving to others, probably reading my silly (at the time..!!) mind, and she began showing me, the horse, the world, what the Art of Dressage is all about.

I noticed a tiny shift in her seat, her horse began to walk. he did not look in the least worried or impaired in his movement.

That shift became slightly more evident, and I saw the horse really open up his walking strides. She patted him and talked to him and returned to normal walk once more. A few times like this, then she dramatically stopped moving her seat with the horse and he rammed to a halt. Never did she move her hands. She praised him. And again, normal walk, extended walk, collected walk.. and so on - only using her weight in the most intelligent way I have ever seen to this day: what great brains!

I jumped off my horse, asked to go out, returned on foot and asked her if I could stay there and watch her, to which request she gladly invited me to stay right inside the arena - I zoomed to her mounting block, sat there and for an hour I did nothing but learn, learn and learn.

She rode, and I learned what influence weight and balance have on a horse. I learned how to make a horse feel loved throughout his work. I learned the timing of praise and correction. I learned that correction is not punishment but simply finding a different way to ask a horse a question. I learned how incredibly powerful the magic between a horse and his rider can be. I saw, probably, one of the best riders in the world.

So that is the story - and it is a true one. Thinking back, I realized that my initial (and ridiculous) prejudice crumbled away one bit at a time as I recalled the way she began her work:

a) she created a bond with the horse way before she reached the arena
b) she got on slowly not because she couldn't be faster but to allow the horse to adjust, quietly, in his overall balance
c) she had him recognize her again and again while in the saddle
d) she let her weight become an INCREDIBLE technical yet reassuring aid.
e) she made her horse feel protected and appreciated throughout

That horse gave his heart for her in all his gaits, while she enjoyed showing him that he could do and try things he never done before. At the end of that workout, I cannot tell if it was the horse, if it was Angela or if it was myself who had most stars in the eyes.

Now, back to earth: do you consider yourself a heavyweight rider? Very well: you have a bonus that I, and all my expertise, will never have. I have to make a lot more effort than you to make a horse feel a weight shift - and in Dressage weight shifting is rule number one. There is 'more' of you to use to reassure your horse, and there is less of me - I have to find many other ways to compensate. As you ride (correctly) you create a lot more useful muscle in your abdominals and dorsals than I will ever dream of, and your aids will be clearer, more subtle and much easier to understand than mine. And lastly, for a horse that has a few bucks awaiting under the saddle mine will produce the whole lot while yours probably will think twice before externating what he soon will find an effort (no offence, please, but that's a fact!).

So next time you ride your horse, think of all these extra assets you have, especially when you see thinner riders struggle to keep their horses 'together' and yes, smile at them confidently - because they will soon realize there is 'more' rider in you than they think, and if you follow Angela's wonderful lead, you might enlight a skinny brat like I was into learning - no matter what level you ride at.

Enjoy your riding always, never feel lessened by your aesthetical appearance and remember that using your seat will strengthen your trunk muscles much, which means that you will be increasingly fitter and will see that diets are not meant for dedicated performers of the Art of Dressage: 'supple' does not mean 'thin', and elegance (as Angela has taught me clearly long ago) comes from within :D

Don't let your horse's personality, and consequently his Presence, ever become understated. Let your horse show you that he can learn and is capable of developing into an equal partner, enjoying the Art of Dressage as much as you do.

Whatever you do, whoever your horse is, always remember this: between two sport horses competing at the same level and identical in training, the winner is the horse who knows he is.

Enjoy your horses.. while I keep updating and filling up this lens :)

The black horse featured all over this page is "LED", appearing both in full show attire and in.. huh.. 'casual' tack during ordinary work at home - read all about him HERE or.. click the pic!

The Arab horse is extremely elegant.. streamlined.. seems sculptured by the desert winds..

Crossed with the Thoroughbred it creates one of the most athletic equines about, the Anglo-Arab..

Some horses are particularly suited for Dressage..

..while some others may need a little more help to develop their elegance..

Regarding this, top lustre horses get more attention than others who might not be quite as refined, and at times a little jealousy might appear..

Some horses plainly show how eager and enthusiastic they are about their work..

.. while some others are definitely the easy going type. The rider, however, learns to have almost invisible aids to motivate his horse..

All horses, however, can learn to dance!

(note: all pencil images in this lens are hand-drawn by Regal Realm)

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