I noticed a comment recently which led me to write this blog.. "Dressage is so hard! “ The reality is...
Dressage is only hard if:
Your horse has been ruined by false methods of Dressage Training
You have no understanding of what you are trying to accomplish moment by moment.
You have never been taught or understood the bio mechanics of the horse.
You have been taught to ride mechanically instead of intuitively.
If you feel as though you are in a constant fight with your horse, trying to get the horse to slow, on the bit, whatever struggle you are having, needs to be evaluated. There is always a reason a horse is misbehaving when ridden. If your horse has been medically cleared by your Veterinarian, then the horse's physique, way of going with and without rider should be evaluated.
It is a lot like peeling the layers of an onion until you reveal what the problem (problem’s ) actually are.
This is where real Dressage begins… you have got to find the right key to getting the horse to really think about using their body correctly. Suddenly it is not a constant pull... it becomes more of an invisible dialogue between horse and rider. The horse will begin to tune into their rider and coordinate themselves instead of resisting, bracing, leaning, etc.
Unlearning isn’t always easy or beautiful at first, but it allows a wealth of understanding as well as empathy for how you communicate to your horse.
“Horses were never wrong. They always did what they did for a reason, and it was up to you to figure it out.”
― Jeannette Walls, Half Broke Horses