De-Complicating Dressage

26/12/2023

I am so excited to bring back one of my favourite challenges.

This one is for all the riders who want to make 2024 the year they see real improvements with their horses, see those scores improve and make significant changes to their riding.

In this course we take you through the techniques that top athletes in all sports use to help them plan out their year and make sure they keep improving. It can feel overwhelming but we’ll take you through step by step how to do it in the most effective way possible.

And the best bit? By sitting down reflecting, setting your goals and planning your training you’re far more likely to feel more motivated through the year AND and far more likely to achieve your goals.

So come and join us, this course is for every rider no matter whether you are a non competitive rider all the way through to those of you aiming for international selection this year.

More information is available here or pop us a message with any of your questions 😃

https://www.decomplicatingdressage.com

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20/12/2023

😂😂😂

14/11/2023

I know its surprising...were running a no stirrup challenge and yet we are telling you that you dont have to take your stirrups away!

Let us explain!

When you take your stirrups away for short periods of time, you can:

⭐Build strength, balance and stability in the saddle
⭐Improve your position riding straighter
⭐Developing a more independent seat
⭐Building your awareness and control over your body
⭐Becoming more effective with your aids

BUT, overdo it and it can lead to

⭐ Sore muscles, aches and pains in your body
⭐ Hating no stirrup work forever
⭐ Pushing yourself to do loads of trot work and potentially hurting your horses back and body

When you are sore or your body is tired you will compensate and start using completely the wrong muscles; this is going to damage you but can also damage your horse as you start to fix and hold and brace to keep yourself in the saddle.

So, short sessions and small changes are the philosophy we use in our challenge so you can see huge changes over the 4 weeks and become more balanced and stable in the saddle without negatively impacting you or your horse.

Want to join and improve your position and enjoy it! https://www.decomplicatingdressage.com/nostirrupnovember

25/10/2023

Why did we decide to do a challenge with No Stirrups?

⭐ Firstly, there are SO many benefits ! It will improve your position and get you feeling more balanced and stable in the saddle as well as making you a more effective rider

⭐ It also helps your horse too so they can move more easily and be more balanced and straighter themselves

⭐ We also wanted to rewrite the myth that you DONT have to take your stirrups away every day or be in loads of pain to achieve these benefits!

Sign up for our Challenge

Want to join us? https://www.decomplicatingdressage.com/nostirrupnovember

22/10/2023

Find out how last years No Stirrup November challenger found the NSN Challenge !
...

So what have I learnt from doing De-Complicating Dressage] ‘s challenge?

I have learnt that my position can affect Mags’ overall way of going; I am a showing rider by trade and from my years of doing the workers I have adopted a very “leg forward deep seat” kind of sitting style - which is great if you’re careering over fences….not so good if you’re looking to balance your horse and be precise with your leg movements.

From riding side-saddle you’d think I’d be pretty balanced…it’s a facade! 😂riding astride I lack in balance so much and my position is a massive factor in this!!
If you improve YOUR balance, you improve your horse’s! Fact! 🙌🏻
I won’t give too much away, but this course has and is still continuing to help; it’s something I’m sure I’lgo back to in months to come, as even though my last dressage test Sunday was a spook-athon, Mags and I felt in balance and in harmony….despite the sideways steps at the Xmas tree in the corner 😂🎄

18/10/2023

We always want to be listening to our community and making the best challenge possible so of course we took these on board.

Find out how you helped shape our latest No Stirrup November Challenge ☝️

Join Now: https://www.decomplicatingdressage.com/nostirrupnovember

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17/10/2023

Enrolment for the No Stirrup November Challege is now open!!

We will all be starting on 1st Nov together but you can join up now and get ready to improve your position, deepen your seat and get more balanced and stable in the saddle! (there’s also a little workshop to wet your appetites that will be available before we get started !)

What we will NOT be doing

⭐We wont be taking our stirrups away for the whole of November - our focus is on using no stirrups to improve your position with your stirruos

⭐We wont be doing long, boring sessions where we feel tired and ache for days after!

What we WILL be doing

⭐Improving our position in the saddle to be better, more effective, balanced riders for our horses

⭐Boosting our knowledge with workshops to understand the theories and science behind what we are doing on our horses

⭐Using short, effective training sessions to see real results in our positions

Want to join us?

Head to https://www.decomplicatingdressage.com/nostirrupnovember and Join the team!

17/10/2023

Novembers coming…. And it’s back!

After lasts years super successful No Stirrup November Challenge. We're coming back to give you an exciting, fun and pain free way to improve your position and your seat without spending hours riding with no stirrups!

This is perfect for riders that:

🐎 Feel unstable or unbalanced when riding
🐎 Are wanting to improve their sitting trot
🐎 Feel like their position is impacting their horse
🐎 Want to deepen their seat
🐎 Want to become a more effective rider

The No Stirrup November Challenge is:

⭐ 30 Days
⭐ 5 minute exercises to build your strength and awareness of your own position
⭐ 20 minute training sessions to get you sitting deeper with more balance and stability
⭐Workshops to build your understanding and knowledge

Sign up now: https://www.decomplicatingdressage.com/nostirrupnovember

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21/09/2023

What kind of rider are you?

When we are under pressure, when things go wrong or we are nervous or anxious its common to go into the fight, flight or freeze repsonse.

But which do you feel like you do?

🐎 Fight Response: These riders may feel the urge to try even harder at a competition or when they make a mistake in tests or in training. They might use more leg, more rein or more seat aids and may get frustrated when things go wrong. The fight response can make riders ride more aggressively but this isnt always the case, it may be more subtle and under the surface.

🐎 Flight Response: These riders might feel like they just want to get the test over and done with and get home as quickly as possible. You might feel like you second guess yourself or become more cautious or hesitant in a test or feel like you lack confidence. Others may feel the urge to flee and may become overly cautious or hesitate when performing jumps or other manoeuvres. This can lead to a lack of confidence and poor performance.

🐎 Freeze Response: These riders tend to feel like they have a mental block. You might suddenly forget your test or where you're going, you might feel overwhelmed or feel like everything goes downhill once you may a mistake.

Working out which type of rider you are is key to helping you stay effective and riding at your best when things go wrong.

Let us know which rider you are in the comments below!

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14/09/2023

⭐What do the judges want to see? ⭐

There's been a lot of talk recently about what actually gets someone high marks. Is it big flashy paces, is it correct, accurate riding or is it something totally different?

You gave some really great answers this week and in truth, there is so much that a judge will look at to come up with a mark for every single movement you perform.

🐎 Way of Going: these are your paces and horses movement. The judge will be looking at the horse having a clear, consistent rhythm and tempo; a supple relaxed outline with good and equal bend each way, an even contact, a good amount of impulsion, activity and push from the hindleg as well as a straight, even horse.

🐎 The Movements: when it comes to the movements the judge will be looking for correctly performed movements at the required marker. They'll also look at how the rider sets up and prepares the movements, the accuracy and effectiveness of the aids they use and how the horse responds to those aids.

🐎 The overall harmony, balance and partnership: finally the judge will look at the overall picture. Did everything happen seamlessly and harmoniously or was the test disjointed and jerky? They'll be looking for the horse to maintain balance throughout the test and for a harmonious partnership with a horse following the rider and obediently responding to their aids.

All these things will be going through a judges mind for every single movement you do in a test. There is so much for them to think about and contemplate before giving you a mark and they have to do this around 20 times in 5 minutes.

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12/09/2023

What is the judge looking to see in a test?

Ive seen a lot of these questions flying around at the moment from riders who arent sure what the judges actually want to see. We've all had tests where we come out and think 'that went great!' only to get a disappointing score; and equally tests that we think have gone awfully only to be surprised by a good score.

🐎 So what are the judges looking for?

🐎 What do they need to see to give you high marks?

🐎 What might lose you marks too?

Let us know in the comments below and well be sharing our answers on Thursday!

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08/09/2023

⭐ NEW PODCAST EPISODE ⭐

What Kind Of Rider Are You?

Every now and then i like to talk a bit more about mindset. It is something that we dont talk about nearly enough and yet it has a huge impact on how you ride, how you train and how you compete and the scores you get.

This week i want to talk about the types of riders we become when were under pressure or stress. You may have already heard of the fight, flight, freeze response but we are going to look at how that applies to us when we ride, which category we fall into and how to deal with it when it happens and when we make mistakes or get things wrong.

Listen Now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all podcast platforms

https://www.decomplicatingdressage.com/podcast

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08/09/2023

07/09/2023

How absolutely incredible was that!! 🤩🥳

Team GB have achieved their first championship team gold medal since the 2012 Olympics !

What an incredible team!

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31/08/2023

This is your reminder to make sure you ride around 100 transitions in your next session! You can then get all the benefits from your transitions like improved strength, suppleness, balance, adjustability, control, focus and so much more!

Let me know how many transitions you do in your next ride

➡ Our Ultimate Transition Masterclass is now open for a short time and has a 2 part masterclass with 6 exercises to try at home all for just £8

Ready to join us? https://www.decomplicatingdressage.com/transitionsmasterclass

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30/08/2023

Carl Hester famously said that you want to be aiming for around 100 transitions in every session.

Why?

Because they help to keep your horse listening to you, focussed and obedient. But also because they are fantastic for improving your horses hindleg strength and suppleness as well as their adjustability

➡ Our Ultimate Transition Masterclass is now open for a short time and has a 2 part masterclass with 6 exercises to try at home all for just £8

Ready to join us? https://www.decomplicatingdressage.com/transitionsmasterclass

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29/08/2023

How is it nearly September already! 😱

Regionals are done, Area Festivals are over and we are heading into winter qualification already!

Whose excited?

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28/08/2023

⭐ NEW PODCAST EPISODE ⭐

This week we have taken your questions about transitions and you came up with some great ones!

🐎 How do you get smooth transitions (not sudden ones!)?

🐎 What is the difference between the halt - walk aid and the halt - trot aid?

🐎 How do you stop your horses head going up when you make a downward transition?

🐎 Why should you not pull back on your reins in a downward transition?

The De-Complicating Dressage Podcast is available on all podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts & Spotify

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