Jessica Bryce Classical Dressage Coaching

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Jessica Bryce Classical Dressage Coaching

Jessica follows the principles of the great classical masters - seeing dressage as a way of enhancing the horse's natural beauty and grace.

The Classical way of training strengthens and supples the horse while preserving his temperament and willingness. Jessica is based in Ballan, Victoria and offers lessons in riding, groundwork, work in hand and liberty. Jessica also takes horses for training/re-training or rehabilitation. It is her philosophy to bring horses along at their own rate in order to develop them as willing partners that

are enthusiastic about their work. Jessica's coaching follows classical principles with a strong focus on building balance, feel and confidence in both her equine and human students.

03/12/2023

A time of possibility - December is a time that's full of possibility, anticipation and potential... and what I'm meaning is the complete opposite of opening Christmas presents, by the way!

For me, December is the possibility of summer holidays, good weather and long days out with the horses. It's time off work for rest, reflection and re-inspiration.

It's the joy of looking forward to that time that's coming soon, a time of seemingly endless possibilities of all the things I could give my attention too...
.. it's about getting started, building some momentum, refreshing motivation and giving myself permission to focus on the things that bring happiness and reward to my days.

Taking the time for all the good things, and letting going of "being busy" because it no longer serves me. There's time for self-care, which for me is yoga and tai chi. Time for reading and writing and creativity.

December moves swiftly and the all the possibilities will be before us very soon, which ones will you choose?

27/11/2023

When your student steals your horse... Bear and Victoria working on shoulder control and straightness (in a fun way!) 🐴🦄

06/11/2023

When does a young horse stop being a "young" horse?

By the time your horse is 5 years old he has the appearance of being a full grown adult. We know now that skeletal maturation continues to happen after this age in some areas of the body, but from an outward appearance a 5yo horse looks like his "getting bigger" stage of growing is pretty much done...

From my experiences working with both my own horses and my client's horses over the years, as well as having bred a small number of horses here at home, I have noticed one recurring theme...

which is, that in the year that horses turn 7 they seem to settle into themselves and become more grounded and "grown up". By this time their personalities have solidified, they know who they are and they've had enough life experiences to have collected some wisdom to draw from.

Of course, there are plenty of horses beyond this age who are still very green, either they haven't had a lot of exposure or handling, or they're carrying some worry and anxiety that makes it hard for them to settle, or perhaps they've got some gaps in their training and missing understanding that means they still react and respond like a younger horse might.

Actually, there's more horses out there that fit this bill than you might think, and that's why there's no age restrictions on my Young Horse Social Days. As long as your horse is halter trained and will be ok on the lead in a group situation then you're most welcome to bring them along. It's all about helping them learn to be ok in new places with others around.

There are a couple of spots still available for the 19th November event, here's the link so you can check it out https://www.facebook.com/events/706581488039494

04/11/2023

Comfort in numbers - as with all social creatures, the young seek comfort and guidance from their elders and take their cues on how to handle a situation based on what "the grown ups" are doing.

One of the things that makes young/green horses feel vulnerable and uneasy, is our human habit of bringing them in one at a time for handling and training.

In the absence of a horse friend as a source of comfort, our horses turn to us for moral support and cues on how to behave...
..and sometimes these cues are confusing. If we are in a hurry, distracted, still feeling angry or upset about something that happened earlier in the day, stressed out from our jobs or feeling anxious or worried about what our horse will do or how he will react...
.. what message are we really broadcasting with our body language and feelings?

The journey that is horses, is journey of the self; becoming aware, becoming present, learning to be in the moment with our horse in the same way that he is in the moment with himself.

It's not easy, and it can been downright uncomfortable, but when we're willing to look at ourselves as the biggest constant factor in our horse's daily experience, it's a perspective from which a deep and meaningful connection is born.

Bookings for my 19th November Young Horse Social Day are open now, link in the first comment.

01/11/2023

It's the small things that we often take for granted in a seasoned horse, that are a bit of a big deal for the young ones.

We humans are so goal-oriented, often in a hurry and spend most of the time thinking about what we're going to do next... instead of being present in the moment with what we're doing now.

I see plenty of horses and their humans who are struggling to work together because there are "gaps" missing in the horse's training... things that have gone unnoticed in the past but are popping up and causing problems now.

If you'd like some help identifying and filling any holes in your young horse's education, so that you can go on to be a calm and reliable riding team for years to come...

These are the kinds of things that I can help with at the Young Horse Social Days and more often than not,we find that others are working through the same things too.

The last Social Day for this year is on Sunday 19th November and bookings are now open. https://www.facebook.com/events/706581488039494

27/10/2023

The mounting block is a real sticky point for a lot of the riders that I work with. Sometimes the getting on part is the hardest part of the ride, and it can make you want to give up before you've even started.

Mounting block manners go both ways, the horse needs to understand what's expected of him so he knows how to behave. Likewise, the rider needs to take care to make sure the horse is ready to receive them, and mount using a technique that minimizes strain.

It might seem like a minor detail to some riders, but to others getting this right is a huge relief and something I always help riders with at my Young Horse Social Days. The next one is on Sunday 19th of November, you can find all the details here https://www.facebook.com/events/706581488039494

25/10/2023

Young horses, nervous horses or those freshly started under saddle often benefit from having a support person on the ground.

Once the rider is on board the horse has the feeling that's he is "going first" (even though he and the rider are actually going together) and a ground support person can help build up confidence while he gets used to this new feeling and learns to move freely forward in his own space.

Horses are used to being "led" or receiving directions from someone behind them, you've probably seen a foal trotting along in front of it's mother, or how the dominant herdmate sometimes travels at the back of the line.

Ground support is a valuable tool for riders as well and can help keep those butterflies in your stomach from ruining your ride. Here I am being ground support for 5yo Storm and his human during their first ride in an away-from-home environment.

Storm is a bit of a Young Horse Social Day celebrity because he's come along to quite a few of them over the years and is always dressed to impress... I think I can even remember a Santa costume?

There's one more Young Horse Social Day this year, on Sunday 19th of November and you can find all the details here https://www.facebook.com/events/706581488039494

24/10/2023

Why is time spent "not doing" is more important than what you "do" with your young horse?

It's kind of like the "white space" an artist uses to balance their work; it gives definition and contrast to a piece of art, and meaning to you're horse's learning.

The nervous system re-sets when the body is still, processing new movement, feelings and sensory input and integrating them into what it knows.

Many of riders I see forget to allow time for this processing to happen. Our human brains know what the exercise was, we recognise when the horse has completed the task, and often times we move right on to the next thing without giving the horse a moment to feel into what just happened.

The horse doesn't know when once exercise has finished and the next one begun, and if we string too many of them together he becomes overwhelmed, runs out of concentration and loses confidence...

I've been working with horses (and their humans) for nineteen years now, and one of the things I learned from my mentor many moons ago, that I still share with riders today, was the importance of making time for "doing nothing" in your work sessions.

The younger and greener the horse, the less of the "doing" and the more "doing nothing" each session should contain. And you'll be surprised at how quickly your horse's confidence grows, and how each sessions builds on the previous one...

because the learning becomes meaningful to your horse when you move at a pace he can keep up with.

If you'd like to hang out with me, spend some time "doing" and "doing nothing" with your young/green horse, and meet some other young horse owners at the same time, my last Young Horse Social Day for this year is on Sunday 19th November in Romsey VIC. Full details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/706581488039494

22/10/2023

Many of the riders I meet are worried about "stuffing it up" with their young horse. They've invested a lot into this horse (and I'm not just talking about the money) and they don't want to get it wrong...

what this means for some riders though, is that they're not getting much done. Being held back by worry can lead to feeling like they're getting left behind.

Sometimes all you need is that "one next step" and a couple of techniques or tools to help you take it...

One of the best things about my Young Horse Social Days is that everyone else there knows exactly what it's like because they're in the same place too. So there's no judgement or pressure, just support and kindness.

The last Social Day for this year is on Sunday 19th November in Romsey VIC and bookings are open now, link in the first comment.

01/09/2023

I was having this discussion with one of my students just the other day...

Pay close attention to the wording on your test sheet... in a lot of dressage tests the walk is worth double points! The judge will be watching for it, so if you get your "long rein" and "loose rein" mixed up you'll be throwing points away 😞

Some horses find a long rein challenging, particularly those who want to use the quieter movement to have a good look around! The key to a nice forward stretch into the contract is good hands and walk that's through from behind. Not as easy as it sounds, which is why getting it right will earn you double points 🤩

28/08/2023

Another Young Horse Social Day on the weekend, what a great group of supporitve and encouraging riders :)

21/08/2023

Young Horse Social Day is on again this weekend in Romsey - due to a cancellation a spot has become available, send me a message if you'd like to snap it up :)

21/08/2023

Out at the Geelong Racecourse on the weekend for a Pony Club Coach Training Day.

"Ride to Time" is growing in popularity in the Pony Club sphere and my local club (Ballan) is proud to be represented by senior rider Jess Normal at the State Championships next month.

Jess and I are looking forward to bringing Ride to Time training to our club rallies later this year. It doesn't have to be done in gallop and can be modified to the skill and fitness level of each horse and rider, so that everyone can have a go 🐎🐎🐎

17/08/2023

Interested in classical dressage? Here's a date for the calendar

14/08/2023

Poles lesson anyone? The extra leg action required and engagement of postural muscles for stability means it's more of a physical workout for your horse than you might think. (Plus it's fun!) So if you'd like to give it a try this week just send me a message :)

14/08/2023

Gaurdian of the lucerne 🐱

12/08/2023

I've been inspired by poles/gridwork lately, and I've got a heap of cool patterns and exercises up my sleeve. If you'd like a lesson this week while the weather is nice just shoot me a message.

From young riders (like 9yo Victoria in the pic) to young horses learning to find their balance, to horses returning to work and looking to build fitness and suppleness, pole exercises can be mofidied to suit all horse and rider combinations.

Lessons are best done in pairs so riders can take turns and have breaks (so grab a friend with a similar sized horse) otherwise I'm happy to do single riders as well and we'll just keep a close watch for signs your horse might be getting tired.

Dressage lessons also welcome, if that's more your style, and as alwaysI'm happy to work with riders with young/green horses who just want to take it easy and have a support person on the ground with them.

It's looking like a whole week of sunshine so let's make the most of it! 🌞 Lessons available at my place in Gordon only (near Ballarat) as work constraints mean I don't travel out to riders anymore.

If you've got any questions or would like to book in just reach out :)

26/07/2023

If happiness was measured by mudiness, these boys would be winning at life! ;) (yes, there's more hay, they just prefer to share ♥️)

23/07/2023

Young Horse Social Day again today. I got caught up in the moment and forgot to take pics, but here's a few. A really lovely group of ladies supporting one another and smiles all around :)

21/07/2023

Due to a cancellation we've had a spot become available at tomorrow's Young Horse Social Day, send me a message if you'd like to know more, Jessica.

19/07/2023

Guess who is back in work!? I started a new job last year so Muli has been on the back burner for a while. We got going again over summer and then I injured my foot... but we're back in buainess now and I'm looking forward to seeing where we'll be at the end of the year once we've got our strength and suppleness back :) It's the long game with horses and you can't rush a biological process like fitness!

16/07/2023

Young Horse Social Day today - we braved a cold start and were rewarded with a beatuiful afternoon. Lovely to meet new riders and also see some familar faces again. Looking forward to doing it all again next weekend :)

10/07/2023

The first of our Young Horse Social Days for this winter is on this weekend! If you've booked in keep and eye on your inbox for the confirmation email that just went out with all the details of what to bring etc. Looking forward to meeting all of you and your horses soon. Jessica

24/06/2023

Mouse catcher extraordinaire, sitting on her throne. 🐱 Anyone else have a stable cat?

21/06/2023

The face of one who has realised that last week's session was not some kind of random fluke... because it's happened again, which means a routine! 🐎🐎🐎 Oscar is coming back into work!

19/06/2023

My little (not so little anymore) Falko.

For me winter has always been "young horse season" because there's so much you can do in bite-sized chunks and these "mini-sessions" fit in around breaks in the weather!

This winter Falko will start his foundation training; he'll learn to move around the round yard, understand pressure on/pressure off and work on his body awareness, posture and balance in movement. All of this will help the "starting" process go smoothly when the time comes.

It's kind of like "pre-hab" too. Helping develop his postural muscles and to use his body in a healthy way at this tender age will set him up for a long working life, by reducing unnecessary wear and tear that could lead to strain injuries or arthritis later on.

Plus, we get to spend plenty of time together figuring each other out and learning to work together. 🥰

What (or who?) is your winter project? Drop a pic in the comments 👇

06/06/2023

Little Echo being a big boy in the stable on his own 💙💜💚 as we heal the body so heals the heart and mind.

It's been a big year for the little guy already with his first clinic and first time in an indoor (and first time having spectators watching him) all in the one day, and now we're on a six-week rehabilitation plan before revising his ridden education in spring.

I'm so proud of how far we've come thusfar and feeling positive about the months ahead. A heartfelt thanks to our wellness team for supporting us along the way Emma Loftus Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy for Horses and Humans and Caroline Hamilton.

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Our Story

Jessica combines Equestrian Coaching with Equine Body Work offering services in and around Ballarat, Macedon Ranges, Greater Melbourne and Geelong. Jessica's coaching follows classical principles with a strong focus on building balance, feel and confidence in both horse and rider.

The principles of classical riding are concerned with improving the horse’s physical abilities to allow him to perform his work with balance, suppleness and strength. However; we also place great importance on preserving the temperament of the horse and maintaining him as a willing partner. By working our horses in a bio-mechanically sound way and maintaining them with regular bodywork we can create a long-lasting partnership and enjoyable and successful working relationship with our equine friend.

Jessica offers both massage and myofascial release for horses and combines this with a sound knowledge of horse form and function, able to provide sports massage to performance horses with specific issues, regular body maintenance for working horses of all disciplines and wellness sessions for aged/retired horses as well as working with your vet to be part of a rehabilitation program after injury.

Please be in touch for further details or to make an appointment.

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