Heather Johnson Dressage

08/30/2024

Pretty much everyone should be doing these!🤗

Here are six hip stretches for horse riders with a focus on dressage. Improve your mobility and suppleness so you can feel morse stable in the saddle.

08/29/2024

Exactly! Progress doesn’t always look perfect. “Doesn’t matter” comes out of my mouth regularly during lessons because mistakes happen as you and your horse are learning and building together. “That’s why we’re doing it!” as well. The exercises you chose should bring out challenges in your training so you can work them through and smooth them out in a way that makes sense to you and your horse. Clear, calm communication of how to improve the situation is the way to go. I love how JJ communicates that here. She’s right, there is too much badgering of the horse going on in training sessions. Look for help from those that are not doing that. Your horse will thank you. 😉 I will repost this every time!

08/28/2024

I finished my day guiding this lovely pair. The things I love about it…
*excellent balance, poll the highest point
*relaxation
*suppleness
*connected seat
*light contact

**I LOVE teaching ba****ck lessons and riding horses this way when it is appropriate to do so because it allows you to feel things about your own seat and balance that a saddle might slightly disguise or compensate for. Additionally, there is something quite beautiful about that connection. Great job, Nell & Halo ✨

08/20/2024

Morning thoughts…As trainers we create a team of caregivers for the horses for which we are responsible. That team may vary per horse, depending on the horse’s needs and/or the personalities involved. I call this team my village. Trainers evaluate each situation and have a training plan, but that plan depends heavily on the feedback we get from our village…vet, farrier, client needs, bodyworkers, etc. It all matters. We aren’t decision making for your horse for our own needs or ego (SHOULDN’T BE)…we are training the horse to be happy and healthy and rideable for the owner if they are involved, which is the vast majority of the time. This also is the perfect spot to say, “Just because you CAN doesn’t mean you SHOULD.” You can have capable trainer/owner/riders, but have the need to limit progressive training for other reasons. So, your trainer’s priorities should be…

*Building your horse’s confidence
*Building your horse’s soundness
*Creating achievable goals toward your success as a confident, independent rider
*Keeping you and your horse safe
*Finding creative ways to foster learning for you and your horse
*Being observant and having a “big picture” approach to your horse’s training plan…

This list goes on…but you catch my drift. Our job is not just to hop on and go and look good. It requires education and thought and networking with other professionals to do it right. Our horses deserve this kind of training. Time to finish my coffee and hop off my soapbox. 😉 Have a great Tuesday, Everyone! 🎈(Pic of the cutest dude for your viewing pleasure 😁)

08/18/2024

🦄💕✨

❤️

08/15/2024

I had the pleasure of watching Nuno Simões of Lisbon Imports evaluate Beduino’s body and movement to build the dressage saddle of my dreams for my favorite 4 legged this morning. Building and fitting a saddle is such an art form and Nuno truly showed his wisdom and professionalism today. Special thanks to Nuno for making a spur of the moment trek to Maine from MA, but originally ALL the way from Portugal to keep his US horses happy and building in the right direction. I am grateful also to Tammy McDonnell for encouraging Nuno to come visit and see what he can do for team Heather Johnson Dressage. I am excited to see the end result! ✨
I need also to give a huge shout out to Lauren Leavitt and Rockhound Saddles and Equestrian Equipment for her local support of my clients and for my own saddles. Lauren has been professional, straight forward, generous, and communicative on all levels for our purchasing and fitting needs. We are really lucky to have her here in Maine. I am grateful for my team. ♥️

08/15/2024

♥️🙌

08/11/2024

Sunday morning visualizations…beautiful, consistent, powerful, balanced I2 tests…confident GP schooling sessions. 🧘‍♀️✨💪🐴👑 (video from May HITS, not without mistakes, but a good feeling for the test)

08/10/2024

Tammy McDonnell piloted Beduino through her first PSG at UNH this morning with a 67%, 2nd place in the FEI test of choice, and claiming the third of four scores toward her USDF Silver medal! BooYAH!!! Way to go, Tam!…and thanks, Bedoozie for making our dreams come true. You really are the best boy. 💕🫶🥂 ( 📸: Allyssia Timberlake Photography @ Puckerbrush a few weeks back)

08/10/2024

Good Morning, UNH!! ✨🦄

08/09/2024

We can ride them sounder or ride them into unsoundness. The choice is yours.

This is why your turn does not come from pulling on the rein. Note the riders hand and leg position and hip angle in each sketch. Note the development of the horses muscles in each sketch. Note the shape of the horse in each sketch. A truly supple, truly bent horse is working through their entire body. It is OUR job as the rider to guide the horse to become soft, supple, and through in all movements.

Rider one is pulling the nose around, and trying to push the haunches in, with a following outside rein offering the horse no balance, and a hardly supportive inside leg to wrap around. This has created a rigid, stiff horse that will surely be back sore, weak in the hind end, with front end bulk in all the wrong places. This horse has every opportunity, and will likely be so uncomfortable that it will try every time, to run out of his right shoulder.

Rider two is pushing the horse from his inside leg to his outside rein. The outside rein is providing a balance point for the horse, allowing him to be both comfortable and willing to carry himself. Because the riders rein is supportive and blocking the shoulder, the horse can not blow out the shoulder, and can only become truly bent along the entire length of the spine.

In order to build the athlete you want, and to allow your horse the opportunity to have a long, successful, and most importantly SOUND career, it is important to understand how we ride, even in seemingly simple tasks such as the walk or trotting circles, is effecting each muscle in your horses body. Not all muscle is good muscle!

- Ali Hamann / South Coast Sport Horses

08/08/2024

Beautiful evening for a hack with the girls. 💕 Lots of deer and NO BUGS!! 🤩✨ Thank you for the photos, Becky Totten! 😘

08/05/2024

Join the NEDA Know How team as they connect with the fabulous Beth Baumert on the challenges of balance. Members reported enjoying the following aspects of t...

08/03/2024

For the people in the back… 🙌

Dear horse industry,

there is a lot we can be learning from Simone Biles.

As most of the world knows, at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Simone Biles decided to pull herself from the competition and received backlash of all sorts from all kinds of kinds for being a "quitter," "letting her country down," and so much hate from people who really didn't give a rats a** about women's gymnastics before she stepped down.

Simone Biles has come back 4 years later and has absolutely dominated. Simone (and her team) secured an Olympic gold medal this week in Paris, France.

What can we as equestrians learn from a small woman who flips in the air with such tremendous power?

1. Put yourself first

Simone pulled herself from competition because of a condition called "the twisties" which causes a gymnast to lose track of where they are in the air while performing maneuvers. It was a huge safety risk to compete with this. She had to prioritize her health before any other goals for herself or her team.

As horsemen, we need to acknowledge when we are not at our best and know when to step away from the barn, the ride, or even a competition.

2. People talk

Simone is one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time. She has a laundry list of world championships, skills named after her, national titles, and now two Olympic all-around titles.

You can be the kindest, most talented, most beautiful, most helpful individual and you will still have folks talking about all of your shortcomings. People will create reasons to not like you, and as an athlete you need to acknowledge that and not dwell on it.

There are so many strangers on the internet that will spit on Simone's name at any given opportunity and their only achievements in life are an average office job and professional couch jockeying.

The horse community is known for this kind of behavior and it can wear a person down fast.

3. Perfect hair doesn't equal a perfect score

So many trainers/coaches/parents get so wrapped up in having the perfect hair/bun/shirt etc. Simone had several flyaways while competing this week and still came out with stellar scores. The judges are not judging your hairstyle folks, just make sure it's not in the way of your back number and we really will not be looking twice.

4. Slowing down doesn't mean quitting

I am certain there was a lot of work put in to get Simone past "the twisties" and back to performing her stunning skills. When I have a horse struggling with a maneuver we go back to the basics to fix the issue before we ask the horse to perform at their full potential again.

This can be frustrating when your trainer tells you "I had to back off of your horse some" or "Hey, we're going to work on boring beginner exercise #3 today." All of this is part of the process and it doesn't mean you or your horse will be stuck their forever. Set backs are a normal part of an athlete's journey.

5. Build others up

Simone has encouraged many women gymnasts such as Jordan Chiles who competed alongside her at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Jordan was invited by Simone to join her at her gym.

The equine industry is terrible about putting others down and being downright rude. Every single youth, amateur, and trainer is human. No one knows everything, everyone can teach you something.

The more we collectively work to create a community of competition AND encouragement, the better the horse industry will be for everyone.

08/03/2024

✨😁

Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart 🤝 and .official 😎🇺🇸

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07/30/2024

Dressage takes to the Château de Versailles for the first time Tuesday, July 30th! 🥳

Watch live on Peacock TV.

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07/30/2024

🤩🤩🤩

Olympic Games Paris 2024

07/28/2024

❤️🤍💙

07/27/2024

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Are you set for the eventing at Paris 2024? The dressage phase kicks off at 8.30am UK time tomorrow (Saturday 27 July) – here’s what you need to know...