Leading Edge Dressage

12/12/2024

I see the wrong posture way too often. At the top levels even. We need to (as judges) not reward flashy legs when the horse is not in the correct posture!

Superb drawing!! Thanks to whoever sent it my way!!!!

12/11/2024

Stay safe out there!!!

12/09/2024

True horsemanship comes in all styles of riding.

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11/27/2024

On a happier note!! How cool is this?

Meet Wallace the first mule to win the British dressage

🥰 ❣ 💓 ❥ 💑 💜🥰 ❣ 💓 ❥ 💑 💜

Wallace the Great has certainly lived up to his name after becoming the first mule ever to win a dressage competition in the UK, as previous rules banned him from entering.

Wallace’s rider, Christie Mclean, was recently granted permission to compete in top UK dressage events with her horse/donkey cross and has now won her first official competition with him.

The four-legged contender competed in a British Dressage Quest Club competition at Summerhouse Equestrian in Gloucestershire, seeing off eight horse and pony competitors to claim the winning prize.

11/27/2024

The future… I have thought for quite some time, is Bleak.

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This old joke is funny because it’s true. And if you’re an equine professional, it’s also sad because it’s true. Growing up in the horse world, I heard things like this all the time—“There’s no money in horses!” or, “The only way to make any money is in sales, and they’re all cro...

11/25/2024

I snapped this picture with my phone today as I sat and watched a dvd from 2012. The dvd was from a clinic I had ridden in on a client horse. I started with this mare at training level and competed through 3rd level on her. We were working on 4th level skills, and had spent time building up her Piaffe/Passage. She was a super horse with so much heart. I have always been grateful for my Time with her.

Sitting at my desk listening to the instructor ( Peter Spahn) I had to laugh, there were times when he would use a word that I could not understand. Whether it was his accent or a translation issue I still can not say. But he used a word many times that even today I am at a loss for what it was. But I could get a sense of what he was asking for. And Heidi was so very good at saying yes to my questions. It was wonderful to sit and watch her being so willing dance with me.

As I listened to him coaching me through one exercise after another it struck me that at the time I really thought I understood his goals. But watching it today after many more years of refining my education I have a different perspective. I can see the big picture in what he was working to improve for us. At the time I was focused on listening and executing his requests. I remember many of the “feel” moments. Even though I successfully completed each exercise I did not see the big picture as clearly as I do today. I can see the big picture today. How one exercise led to another, and another, each building on the last. I could realy see the end result was because of the specific path he asked from us. It was magical.

My point is if you have a box of videos of shows or clinics you have ridden in, watch them!
Watch them again, and again. Not to be critical of what you are doing or not doing at that time. But to acknowledge how far you have come. There may be much more in that lesson than you remember.
Watch the big picture, see from that instructors perspective how beautifully you can dance.

11/23/2024

This!
“Don’t pull on the inside rein, it will block the inside hind leg”
Something I am always trying to help students understand. It is counterintuitive, and hard to achieve. But such an important lesson!

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Johan Hamminga, member of the KWPN Stallion Licensing Commission, tells us:
“Never make a horse short in the neck, you must always be lengthening in front. When you make a horse short in front, then it goes down in the back, the neck is too high. When you open the horse, it lowers the croup and carries the rider’s weight.”
https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2023/01/top-tip-on-balance-from-johan-hamminga/

11/19/2024

This!!!

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11/18/2024

Just so it’s out there, no you do not have to own a black mare to be a part of our gang🤣.
Two of mine introducing themselves to our newcomer. She fits right in.

11/18/2024

Welcome Nora! We are so excited to have you here. I’m sure she will sleep well tonight after her long few days. More details to come.

11/17/2024

The benefits of riding without stirrups include strong legs, suppleness, and a more secure and independent seat. It’s also good to practice riding without stirrups so that you’ll be prepared in case you lose a stirrup while riding. If you’re ready to drop your stirrups this November, follow these tips and exercises for intermediate level exercises here here: bit.ly/no-stirrups-intermediate

11/17/2024

"Careful, don't get greedy." Manolo Mendez Dressage used to say this to me when things went well. You know, those moments when the riding feels glorious. Your energy flows in harmony with the horse, bodies both aligned, time seeming to stand still. They're the moments we want to last forever. And we often TRY to make them, which of course is the problem.

When you've worked through an issue with a horse, whether it was physical or behavioral, it is tempting to ride the breakthrough on and on and on. It takes a lot of humility and tact to say: "Finally, this is good. I'll stop right here."

But when we get greedy and don't stop, we often ride past our horses' physical capacity and generous spirit. We spoil any progress we might have made. I'm still learning this balancing act, but thank you, Manolo, for planting the seed.❤❤❤

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11/17/2024

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This advice will NOT be popular with those who want it RIGHT NOW, but nevertheless, here goes---

If the goal is to become two things, a good rider and a good horseman/horsewoman, be willing to think in decades rather than in years.

That first decade, from whatever age you began, will take you only so far, and may even take you to the Olympics, but riding skill alone won’t give you all you need to know and be able to do. The next couple of decades will let three components, your physical skills, your control over your emotions and your knowledge, all intertwined to complement one another.

That’s why many of the best riders and trainers are in their 40s, 50s and in some cases in their 60s, even 70s. They didn’t get those tens of thousands of hours overnight.

There are ever so many riders and trainers who gave up too soon. They just needed to have hung in there another ten years, maybe twenty. Which sounds insane, but actually isn’t.

11/09/2024

Sometimes lessons are not a linear thing. But the skills you can learn from trying something out of the box can apply to every day horsemanship. Being aware of what the possibilities are is key. This could go many different directions. Rikki is between the youngster Finley and the wall. Horses are claustrophobic by nature. That prey animal instinct of not allowing themselves to feel trapped. They most often will turn a haunch towards the other horse and warn them not to come closer, or kick or bite. It takes trust and leadership to move beyond that prehistoric fear.
Rikki can be a bit defensive in general when other horses are in his space. Not uncommon when all of the other horses are bigger than you. Our work today was about keeping Rikki listening to Izzy and keeping him in a “safe zone” whenever he started to feel worried about the space. A year ago I don’t think Izzy would have felt the tension soon enough to manage the situation. I am so proud of these two! Such a wonderful partnership. By the end Rikki was relaxed and Finley was minding his space.
There are times when you are out in the world and other horses come into your space. Knowing what that feels like and how to manage your horse so he feels your quiet leadership and doesn’t worry is so important.

Becoming a true horseman is a long journey, but one you will never regret. It is so much more than just riding a horse.