Traditions Farm Classical Dressage

08/20/2023

My long-time mentor Melissa Simms used to despair and say, "Nobody wanted to learn to ride." That the "art of classical horsemanship was dying." But I reminded her that I was there learning and so were many others and as long as we keep even a single torch lit there is hope, and when we see the horse's eyes are bright, their body is strong, and they are thriving..Our proof is evident. It takes courage to go against the common trends, and only a few are clever enough to recognize the difference, so for them, we keep passing the light of our torch.. and because of this, the world is brighter. ❤️

08/03/2023

❤️ this

Origin of the word VETERINARY

The word "veterinarian" originates from Latin. In ancient Rome, horses used in the army (loading beasts) that were very old would gather in a place where they could enjoy and rest. These animals were called "veterinus".

The people who cared for these animals were called VETERINARII (veterinarius), which was a derivative of the word VETUS / VETERIS, "old", because of this the profession of animal care was called that.

259 years after the creation of the first school of veterinary medicine the first two veterinary schools, Lyon, on August 4, 1761, and the École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort (Paris), were created by French Claude Bourgelat, lawyer and lover of horses, who did not accept inefficiency in the empirical treatment of his breed horses, and used his influence to convince King Louis XV to create the School of Veterinary of Lyon, which began operating in 1762, with its students recruited among horsemen, specialists in the care of the helmets of the horses, horsemanship being one of the subjects studied.

The second country was Austria in 1768, followed by Italy in 1769, Denmark in 1773, Sweden in 1775, Germany in 1778, Hungary in 1781, England in 1791 and Spain in 1792. At the end of the 18th century, there were 19 schools of veterinary medicine across Europe.

The first recognized veterinarians graduated from major veterinary schools founded between 1762 and 1821, such as the Royal Veterinary College in 1791 in London, and Lyon School became a symbol of modernity.

Source: Dr. Oscar Brogna.

Faye Rogers Animal Communicator please follow/like page

07/30/2023

From Melissa Simms on this day the 29th of July 2014.. ❤️
Tressa, I just want to take this opportunity to say, what you have done with your life is wonderful, not only do you have the horses, you have managed to find Jed. The both of you together with Ella and Ava are a masterclass. You are a person who remains true to the teachings of classical horsemanship, regardless of the outcome. That is not easy.
I wish all of you, only the best.
Love,Melissa

07/19/2023

Grooming hack.. It's really not a new thing. However, some horse owners may not know about this. White vinegar is fairly inexpensive and is useful to have in the barn. After workouts, after bathing, an effective way to make sure all the soap is rinsed clean is to mix a few glugs of white vinegar into a bucket of water for rinsing. This not only gets remaining soap residues off of your horses, it makes for a useful cleanse for the skin and helps keep flys away. I also use it as a sponge off after working horses to get rid of sweat and cleanse the skin. Using vinegar makes for a shiny coat and healthier horse. However, avoid the eyes.
I learned this idea from my my dad's cousin, who was a trainer of race horses here in our Bay area of California. I was a small child and never forgot some of the interesting information I gathered as a lover of horses!

07/16/2023

Why do people talk about the mouth of the horse getting wet, wearing lipstick, the types of foam being relevant to correct training? When you see a proper foam around the lips of the horse, it's an indication that the horse has become through, that they are chomping the bit able to chew becauset the jaw is relaxed.
The hinds legs of the horse have come through, engaged in such a way that the permeable energies of the horse's body have created usefulness and relaxation of it's muscles at the same time, resulting in the horse's jaw to also relax and the horse to healthily chew the bit. Like humans, the jaw can be an indicator of tension. Something we are trying to eliminate in dressage. We ride with the horse's nature, not against. When the jaw is allowed to move, it gives us information as to whether our horse is tense or relaxed. A good reason to ride with a properly adjusted noseband, the two finger rule..
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07/16/2023

A surprising number of riders, including many with experience, bounce in the saddle at the canter. As the pace of the canter increases, the bouncing tends to increase. Riders who cannot sit the canter try to use various means to avoid the discomfort. Standing in the irons in various ways is a common "fix".

The reason riders bounce in the canter is because the movement of their hips is restrained by their shoulders being closed and tight. Closing one's shoulders stops the hips from moving forward in a synchronized or unified way with the movement of the horse when cantering.

Changing a rider's position by opening their shoulders can be helpful. Here I offer an image of the rider moving their hips freely like a child's swing. I have employed this image effectively when teaching riders to sit the canter. I tell riders who bounce at the canter to envision their body as the chains or ropes hanging from the top of a swing set's frame, with their shoulders along the top horizontal pole of the swing's frame. I ask the rider to open and push their shoulders back and open to make a straight line between their shoulders in the most relaxed manner they can. Then, when cantering, I tell them to envision their body swinging freely back and forth like the swing.

It is useful to also explain that the 1-2-3 beats of the canter are not on a single arc plane exactly like the seat of the swing, but rather there is a rotational movement in the swing of the three beats of the canter. After the rider opens up their shoulders and lets their upper body and hips swing with the horse's motion at the canter, they begin to feel the elliptical rotation of the horse's back in their hips during the 1-2-3 beats of the gait. At this step I use an image of an egg on its side to help them envision and feel the elliptical movement at the canter. When the rider is relaxed and they let the horse's movement move their body, they stop bouncing and can sit deep in the saddle at the canter.

This teaching method works with most students. When it does not, it is usually because the rider is carrying excessive tension in the upper body. I address this by having them walk, slowly trot and sometimes canter, in a circle on a lunge line with their arms outstretched like wings with no stirrups. This is important work because both the horse and rider greatly benefit from reducing and removing the rider's body tension that causes them to bounce at the canter.

07/13/2023

Friesian Mare Dulcinea, owned by Paloma David, learning Piaffe in-hand... Piaffe is not a means to an end , but a gate way to more throughness and strengthening.

07/10/2023

Read and let this sink in..

07/07/2023

Read this!

07/05/2023

If we are open-minded and willing to learn, a life with horses can teach us how to see ourselves. When we are brave enough to have a look and find a way to sit with the truth of who we are, an opportunity is available for us to make changes. Horsemanship is the ability to be aware and consideredate of another being and realize the only way to influence the other is to propagate change within ourselves.

05/30/2023

"Una buona posizione deve essere ricercata, controllata e padroneggiata. Non c’è vera equitazione senza una buona posizione. Per esempio, è fisicamente del tutto impossibile riunire un cavallo senza avere un buon assetto, perché la schiena del cavaliere, le gambe e il busto non possono dare gli aiuti necessari. Un assetto superficialmente corretto, ma fisicamente teso, creerà rigidità e ansia nel cavallo. Il cavallo può essere rilassato solo se il cavaliere è libero dalla tensione. Una postura teoricamente corretta che non permetta però al cavallo di muoversi liberamente e con leggerezza è solo un’illusione e una falsa apparenza. Può a volte riuscire a impressionare il pubblico, ma non a convincere il cavallo! Solo un assetto equilibrato consente al cavallo di sentirsi comodo, sia mentalmente sia fisicamente. Un cavaliere nella posizione sbagliata, sbilanciato, o rigido, impedirà al cavallo di rilassarsi e gli impedirà di maturare e sviluppare la propria muscolatura armoniosamente. In questo modo, a qualsiasi stadio dell’addestramento, ogni esercizio diventerà difficile, se non impossibile. Il miglior assetto è quello che permette al cavallo di essere in equilibrio e di sviluppare l’impulso (cioè, la propensione a portarsi in avanti) con la minima interferenza del cavaliere, in ogni esercizio. Un fattore determinante per stabilire un buon assetto è avere una buona immagine mentale del proprio corpo. Quindi, prestate un’attenzione attiva al vostro corpo: al vostro equilibrio, alla vostra posizione; siate consapevoli di ogni irrigidimento. Solo allora sentirete il vostro cavallo e sarete in armonia con lui. Il nostro obiettivo è proprio l’armonia tra cavallo e cavaliere!"

✒ Arthur Kottas

📖 Dressage

05/06/2023

Chew on this..

09/10/2020

We need humor in these times..

Arh, arh! Thank you Second Chance Thoroughbreds Inc.

09/05/2020

Heads or Tails

How well do you read your horses expressions?
Another great read, wriiten by my friend Lia Scott

When I recently reviewed a study on how well owners recognized negative emotions in horses, I was pleased to see that most actually did – at least in some equine activities. However, back on …

09/03/2020

Tamarack Hill Farm

Just as many jumper riders can not walk distances, or know what distances mean, so many dressage riders have no idea how many meters there are between dressage letters in small or standard arenas, or how that knowledge can help them ride more accurate tests.

Standard---6-12-12-12-12-6

Small---6-14-14-6

09/03/2020

Any one looking for a place to board. This West County location has availability.

We have spaces available! Please contact for more information. Stalls with paddocks, private paddocks, and pasture. Fun, friendly, relaxed barn with no drama. Sandy loam soil, no flooding and out of the fire zones. Happy horses here! Please share. 💛

08/17/2020

Have a Seat

My friend Lia Scott wrote this piece about ridet equitation..

The girl was eleven years old. She was riding in a group of adults, returning after a long ride down to the creek. They’d just been galloping through corn fields, she ba****ck on a young Thor…

08/16/2020

Improve Your Seat with Chief Riders of the Spanish Riding School and Cadre Noir

https://dressagetoday.com/instruction/improve-your-seat-with-chief-riders-of-the-spanish-riding-school-and-cadre-noir

Andreas Hausberger and Col. Christian Carde explain how to ride in better harmony.

08/09/2020

Same can be said for "Classical Horsemaship" vs. the "Sport of Dressage".

08/09/2020

Charles de Kunffy's 3 Principles to Create a Dancing Partnership with Your Horse

Charles de Kunffy's 3 Principles to Create a Dancing Partnership with Your Horse

Ride your horse's hindquarters to create impulsion, suspension and balance, without confining his movement and rhythm.

08/06/2020

To Ride, Or Not To Ride

Another thought provoking article by my friend Lia Scott

As people become more aware of horse cognition and welfare, the question of whether or not we should even ride them comes up. I have friends struggling with that question, and I ponder it myself, n…

08/02/2020

The Greatest Gift

For all my students to read, for all that love their horses.

What do you have your horse for? A pasture pet? A fine choice, but what I have to say here will not apply to you. Do you plan to drive him? Another wonderful choice, but if that is all then you can…

07/26/2020

Review: The Way to Perfect Horsemanship

Review: The Way to Perfect Horsemanship

I came to this book through reading Balancing Act by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann. Dr. Heuschmann references or quotes the author of this book, Udo Burger, many times throughout his own book. This is not by…

07/20/2020

Obedience or Trust?

A thought provoking read..

There are far too many training methods, past and present, that aim at absolute obedience from the horse. It can be disguised in many ways. ‘The horse must accept you as the leader!’ is…

07/12/2020

Review: The Gymnasium of the Horse

Another book review by Lia Scott. I would say her account on this classic work is not only extremely enlightening, but also supremely helpful..

This book is one of the ‘bibles’ of classical horsemanship, and a foundational work for what was German horsemanship for a century or more. In reviewing it I run the risk of being seen …

07/08/2020

What is Classical?

What is Classical?

I always hate to disappoint my readers, but this post may raise more questions than it provides answers. There exists no single definition or understanding of ‘Classical’ with regard to…

07/04/2020

RTÉ News

They are a gift..

“When Aoibhinn is around the horses, she just comes alive.” Blind and multi-disabled children in Dublin have been reunited with their equine therapy horses at their homes after months of missing them during lockdown 🐴❤️ (Tap for best view on mobile)

06/27/2020

Review: Horse Brain, Human Brain

Lia Scott's review on this book.. I just got mine!👍

Since I did my first book review on a work that is nearing the end of its first century, it seemed fitting that my next be something literally hot off the presses. In fact, this book is not yet ava…

06/20/2020

Review: Riding Logic

"After years of seeing posts where riders ask for book recommendations, I've decided to start writing reviews of books currently in my library, and those I add. My first review is of the first real riding book I ever owned." Lia Scott

I’ve chosen as my first book review the first serious riding book I ever owned. A gift from a friend around the time I got my first horse, I have read and reread it many times over the decade…