Elhanan Equestrian

11/25/2024

DID YOU KNOW…?

1. Long toes increase the risk of suspensory ligament injury by 3.5 times!🤯
2. Toe grabs increase the risk of suspensory ligament injury by almost 16 times!😳

Talk to us about how to help your horse stay injury free!

11/23/2024

11/23/2024

**New post**

Today’s discussion is about one of the most sought after and technical movements in the Dressage arts. You guessed it, piaffe! When you watch your horse get excited in the pasture, you might observe him/her performing some piaffe steps all on their own. It is a natural movement – a movement that is not of tension, bracing of a rider, or of pulling reins – that can be performed by the horse without rider interference. In a natural piaffe, the horse will not over-flex his fetlocks, he/she will perform over the most balanced points of his front and hind ends, he/she will carry his/her head and neck where it is ideal and comfortable according to the lowering of his/her hind end.

11/23/2024

A discussion topic---

The dressage training scale is not something fixed in stone, but rather is a guideline to think about when training a horse. Some riders will have a slightly different version of this, and many have never even heard of it.

In “real life” we see many riders sort of skip or hurry through the first couple of steps, and create contact with fixed hands, create impulsion, and then try to force the horse into some version of collection. Sometimes, actually quite often, using strong bits, various bitting rigs or leverage devices like draw reins to get the horse to submit to the pressure.

The horse then gets nervous, scared, resistant, so the rider applies more force, and the whole thing “goes to hell in a hand basket.”

The point of having rhythm and suppleness as foundational first building blocks is to prevent the kinds of force that create tension and anxiety in the horse, but many riders haven’t been exposed to the quality of education necessary to understand this.

I think that if you took 100 random riders and asked them to state the training scale and to then explain what the building blocks mean in any sort of detail, chances are that only a tiny percentage would have a clue. Education is the missing ingredient, and is that because it isn’t available, or because riders don’t want it enough to seek it out, or if neither of those reasons, what else?

11/23/2024

Big news! ‼️ United States Dressage Federation and US Equestrian are thrilled to announce that the 2025 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® are scheduled for October 30 – November 2, at the World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Wilmington, OH. Based on consistent feedback from competitors over the years regarding the unpredictable nature of the November weather, WEC was selected as the site of the 2025 and 2026 US Dressage Finals, affording competitors and attendees alike an equivalency of experience in all aspects of this highly revered event. The selection of WEC was based, in large part, on the facility’s over 200,000 square feet of climate-controlled riding space, in which all championship classes will be held, more than 750 permanent climate-controlled stalls, delicious onsite dining, and numerous luxurious lodging options.

Learn more about this update to our marquee ‘Centerline of Champions’ competition here: https://www.usdf.org/press/news/view-news.asp?news=1074

11/18/2024

📢 Exciting Announcement!

Join us for a special Dressage4Kids Panel Discussion: "From an Instructor's Perspective: The Current State of Affairs, Ethics, and Social License"

🎙️ Moderator: Lendon Gray
🌟 Panelists: Ali Brock, Robert Dover, Janet Foy, and Tuny Page

📅 Date: Monday, January 20, 2025
📍 Location: Wellington, FL (following the Adequan®/USDF FEI Level Trainers Conference)

All are welcome to attend, advance registration is required! Register today at https://dressage4kids.org/programs/d4k-training4teaching/training4teaching-january-20-2025.html

11/18/2024

In the Collective Marks section of all of our national dressage tests, there are two score boxes for the rider. The first of these is for “position and seat.” What the judge assesses to determine this score are elements of equitation that are the foundation for effective communication with the horse. A correct, balanced, and independent seat is necessary for successful training and competition.
The test sheets list five directive ideas that the judge considers in formulating the collective mark for rider position and seat:
* Alignment
* Posture
* Stability
* Weight placement
* Following the mechanics of the gaits.

In this first part in this new series from USDF Connection magazine, Jayne Ayers looks at how judges evaluate the rider in the dressage tests, beginning her focus with the first directive: “alignment”.

Filled with helpful diagrams, you won’t want to miss this rider biomechanics article: https://yourdressage.org/2024/10/18/rider-biomechanics/

11/17/2024

"Advanced training is just the basics done really well." - Ken Ramirez
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"Training often fails because people expect way too much of the animal and way too little of themselves." - Bob Bailey
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"Please just do your homework." - Fred

11/17/2024

USDF Reg 3 FEI Jr clinic girls sing Karaoke!

11/14/2024

USDF has announced the dates and location of the 2025 Adequan®/USDF FEI-Level Trainers Conference. It will take place January 20-21, at Mary Anne McPhail's High Meadow Farm, in Loxahatchee, FL. The 2025 conference will feature Olympians Christine Traurig, current USEF Dressage Chef d ’Equipe, and Monica Theodorescu, Germany’s current national head coach.

Registration opens tomorrow, November 15.

Read on here: https://www.usdf.org/e-news/november24/trainers-conference.asp

And learn more about the Trainers Conference here: https://www.usdf.org/education/other-programs/trainers-conference/index.asp

11/14/2024

🎉Get ready for The Dressage Foundation's Annual Online Auction November 25 - December 8! 🎉

We’re gearing up for an exciting auction to raise funds for our mission to support dressage across the U.S., with a goal of raising $20,000! Keep an eye on our feed for sneak peeks of the incredible items up for grabs—perfect gifts for every dressage lover.

Mark your calendars, invite your friends, and stay tuned for auction previews. Every bid helps support The Dressage Foundation!

Today's sneak peek is from Dressage Collections: Shop your favorite brands with a $500 gift card from Dressage Collections!

Thank you to Dressage Collections for your generous donation!

11/13/2024

Horses are born with about 3-4 inches of tooth root to last them their lifetime. Around age 25, depending on dental care throughout the horses life, the teeth will begin to expire. This is why it is critical to be conservative when making adjustments in the mouth. Over floating can result in premature expiring of teeth.