The Ultimate Fix--Part 2 of "So You'll Never Take a Dressage Test?"

by Alice Trindle

In Part I of this series, we looked at the word dressage and concluded that for all of us who are aspiring horsemen, dressage--or training--is what we try to do every day with our horses. Whether we are headed to a Grand Prix test or going out to gather cows, we are working on ourselves to better understand the movements of the horse, and ultimately to set it up for accomplishment of an effortless dance...a willing partnership!

This month, let’s examine the elements that combine in this wonderful work ethic for both horse and rider. The dressage training scale gives us basic components that are arranged to develop a horse and rider team no matter what discipline you may be pursuing. They should be as important to the trail horse as they are to horse learning the "high school," or Haute-Ecole. One step builds on the previous and is intricately entwined in the final combined product of grace, feel, and accomplishment of a specific job. There are no quick-fix solutions in horsemanship! Thoughtful development of the basic elements within the training scale will lead you and your horse to the ultimate fix, no matter what type of dance you wish to accomplish!

There are several critical agreements you need to consider before you move forward in pursuit of these training steps. Call them philosophies or principles…these are the agreements I make with my horse to be sure I am setting it up for success. First, I agree that development of a positive attitude, or a willingness to yield in a respectful manner. is the foundation of all my interactions with the horse. This means I approach each experience with a high measure of patience, I work at understanding, and I am willing to reward the slightest try the horse makes. Second, it takes time to develop these elements, both physically and mentally, for both horse and rider.

A third vital ingredient is the human’s commitment to understanding movement. Questioning ourselves about the way in which horses move, and how we can train our bodies to go with those movements, is critical to the success of this beautiful dance. Entwined in this component is the final agreement: we need to understand that the training scale is for both horse and rider. It is a commitment to train and study and grow together, with no rush!

Let’s look at the elements of the training scale for the horse and overlay the requirements for the rider to help the team achieve a specific component. Please keep in mind that while this scale is composed to build one element upon another, in reality the parts intertwine and become enhanced as we progress.

For the Horse

For the Rider

In general, there are three overarching steps we are trying to accomplish:
1) Preparation and familiarization of equipment and environments, accomplished with respect and safety
2) Achieving willing forward movement, generated from the hindquarters
3) Development of self-carriage and lightness

I am constantly moving in a cyclical manner from respect to forward to lightness, using the "notes" of the training scale. Here are the things I think about and feel for when using the training scale to bring myself and my horse along:

Attitude & Rhythm
To achieve the first step in the scale, I must provide good leadership for my horse. That includes understanding the movement that I will be requesting, familiarizing my horse with the equipment and environment to be used, and always maintaining a positive attitude that rewards good effort. Because of my musical background, I often compare my horsemanship journey with my musical training. Without the good attitude (and tremendous patience!) of my music teachers, I would have never learned a specific piece of music. Quite frankly, I had great natural rhythm and timing, but without the guidance of my teachers and the respect I had for them, I would not have progressed. While my attitude in learning the violin was not always positive, it was the patience and discipline of my teachers that truly helped to shape some natural talent into a rhythmic and pleasing piece. This is a very similar scenario to horse and rider.

Suppleness & Understanding Movement
This is such a critical step for the partnership. As we have discussed many times in previous articles, the importance of relaxation, suppleness, and flexing has to be included in every warm-up for both horse and rider. Understanding the four basic movements (forward, backward, sideways, and crossing-of-hindquarters) is a human requirement. The most important of these is willing forward and beginning to develop a thrust or push coming from the hindquarters.

Contact, Feel, & Combination of Aids
Much has been written about "contact" and the various levels of "feel" involved in horsemanship. In my experience, the amount of contact on the snaffle bit or bosal is greatly influenced by the level of development of the horse. My ability to provide a reward or release along with the application of my aids (seat, legs, hands) at the correct time is equally important. Personally, I find this rung of the training scale the most difficult and challenging, as it requires that level of multi-tasking that so defines true horsemanship.

Straightness & Balance
Horses, like humans, are never totally straight. But the more we work on rhythmic movement, on both straight lines and in lateral postures, the more balanced we will become. I find that riding my two-legged horse to get my body in shape and balance really helps. Become a kid again! Trot, canter, leg-yield, and half-pass to rediscover how fun being balanced in these movements can be.

Impulsion with Finessed Aids
In this step, your previous work will really begin to pay off. Allowing the horse to drive from behind--while staying out of his way with our human body parts--will let you begin to rate the energy into a very pleasing picture.

Collection & Lightness
This truly is the pinnacle of the scale: to gather all the aspects achieved previously into a light and brilliant dance. To reach this spot without resistance in horse or rider may take a lifetime. It requires such discipline, but the feeling when achieved is worth all the effort! For me, this is what I ride for, whether it is a moment or two out on the trail or an extended period working on the dressage court.

Even if you don't have a lot of opportunities to apply the training scale to your horse this February, it is a great month to mentally and physically prepare yourself so that these steps become part of your vocabulary. As you sit at the computer, drive your vehicle, or push the grocery cart, think about the "notes" of the training scale. I think you will become more rhythmic, balanced, and supple, and carry yourself with a spring in your step that will surely put joy in your heart!

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