What is dressage?
"The art of dressage is based on getting the best results with the minimum effort" Charles Harris - Spanish Riding School
Dressage is French "progressive training"
Dressage simply means to train. The origins of training are based upon hundreds of years of trial and error of classical horsemanship. As early as 400 B.C. Xenophon coined “Horsemanship” which developed through the Middle Ages and especially during the Renaissance. It was not truly refined until the times of riding academies and military training. Over time dressage has come to mean progressive training in steps, which is a science and an art form, to increase the longevity of the horse. Only the strategies which produce a horse and rider working in a harmonious team should be used. These training recommendations from the historical masters can be put into a grouping of systemic levels, where the common denominator is to develop balance and harmony without discomfort or injury to either the horse or the rider. Through gymnastic exercises and athletic development, the horse’s natural potential can be fulfilled. The end result is a harmonious tranquility with the appearance of the rider being merely an extension of the horse as the two move together as if one spirit. In fact, the fine communication between the pair will become so subtle that the horse can be misinterpreted to be performing on his own without any cues and aids. This has become the goal of all horsemen.
Dressage is a foundation discipline, where if the athletic development and training of the horse are correctly executed using the age-old principles. The horse will be able to carry on easily into all other disciplines. Therefore, the training is considered to be basic training of the horse. The development of the horse’s physique will increase the horse’s ability to perform and longevity. His loose and supple musculature will create balance, strength and flexibility that will increase his accuracy beyond comparison. His confidence will make him attentive and keen to work. This will make him a calm and pleasant mount, where he will be light on the forehand, move freely, engage his quarters and accept the bit while he floats across the ground. This spectacular movement will seem like a ballet. The horse and rider will perform many lateral movements in collected and extended frames. It is “heavenly horsemanship”.
Where do the Letters come from?
No one knows for sure just how the letters came from, as they appeared all of a sudden in the public eye for the Olympics, but how were they chosen? One theory suggests that they are the letters of the first cities that Ancient Rome conquered. The German cavalry had a space used for riding that was in between the barracks. There were letters above the doors. In the old German Imperial court, courtiers or grooms would represent dignitaries and would hold the horses in preparation for riding in a strict order of ranking which follows: K = Kaiser or King or Emperor, F = First Prince, P = Pferdknecht/Ostler or groom, V = Vassal, E = Edeling/Ehrengast/Guest of Honor, B = Bannertrager/Standard Bearer, S = Schzkanzier/Chancellor of the Exchequer, R = Ritter/Knight, M = Meier/Steward and H = Hofsmarshaller/Lord Chancellor
Dressage simply means to train. The origins of training are based upon hundreds of years of trial and error of classical horsemanship. As early as 400 B.C. Xenophon coined “Horsemanship” which developed through the Middle Ages and especially during the Renaissance. It was not truly refined until the times of riding academies and military training. Over time dressage has come to mean progressive training in steps, which is a science and an art form, to increase the longevity of the horse. Only the strategies which produce a horse and rider working in a harmonious team should be used. These training recommendations from the historical masters can be put into a grouping of systemic levels, where the common denominator is to develop balance and harmony without discomfort or injury to either the horse or the rider. Through gymnastic exercises and athletic development, the horse’s natural potential can be fulfilled. The end result is a harmonious tranquility with the appearance of the rider being merely an extension of the horse as the two move together as if one spirit. In fact, the fine communication between the pair will become so subtle that the horse can be misinterpreted to be performing on his own without any cues and aids. This has become the goal of all horsemen.
Dressage is a foundation discipline, where if the athletic development and training of the horse are correctly executed using the age-old principles. The horse will be able to carry on easily into all other disciplines. Therefore, the training is considered to be basic training of the horse. The development of the horse’s physique will increase the horse’s ability to perform and longevity. His loose and supple musculature will create balance, strength and flexibility that will increase his accuracy beyond comparison. His confidence will make him attentive and keen to work. This will make him a calm and pleasant mount, where he will be light on the forehand, move freely, engage his quarters and accept the bit while he floats across the ground. This spectacular movement will seem like a ballet. The horse and rider will perform many lateral movements in collected and extended frames. It is “heavenly horsemanship”.
Where do the Letters come from?
No one knows for sure just how the letters came from, as they appeared all of a sudden in the public eye for the Olympics, but how were they chosen? One theory suggests that they are the letters of the first cities that Ancient Rome conquered. The German cavalry had a space used for riding that was in between the barracks. There were letters above the doors. In the old German Imperial court, courtiers or grooms would represent dignitaries and would hold the horses in preparation for riding in a strict order of ranking which follows: K = Kaiser or King or Emperor, F = First Prince, P = Pferdknecht/Ostler or groom, V = Vassal, E = Edeling/Ehrengast/Guest of Honor, B = Bannertrager/Standard Bearer, S = Schzkanzier/Chancellor of the Exchequer, R = Ritter/Knight, M = Meier/Steward and H = Hofsmarshaller/Lord Chancellor
Charles de Kunffy wrote some wonderful tips for riders to try and keep their riding as classical as possible.
First of all, he states that the rider needs to focus on the horse and not entirely on the movement. Dressage should present a picture of horse and rider harmony and ease.
The horse should be warmed up properly and still remain fresh. A proper warm-up for a horse should be around 15 minutes however, upper level horses may require longer. The warm-up should consist of three different phases with brief rests in between. The first phase is designed to have many changes of direction to allow the horse to shift his weight and loosen. Patterns are circles, diagonals and serpentines. The next phase is the gymnastic suppling of the horse. This can be achieved by lengthening and shortening the strides. The end result is getting the horse to focus on aids and to engage the quarters. The final part of the warm-up is the review and perfection of exercises. This phase is more for the rider’s benefit than the horses. The rider needs to execute his ride correctly. But remember; avoid OVER-DOING a movement of exercise. Exhausting a horse to perform movements is never classical but clear evidence that there is miscommunication between horse and rider and the rider needs help for correction and the horse needs more training.
The rider should have control of the horse to perform precise riding but should never sacrifice suppleness and calmness. The letters are only guidelines. In order to perform the ride accurately, riders need to prepare for upcoming movements.
Classical vs. Competitive Dressage
“Creating a Classical Mindset”
Keeping a classical mindset in today’s society is not an easy concept. We are constantly bombarded by viewpoints depicting the most for your dollar in the shortest as soon as possible. This could not be more detrimental for the horse. The purpose of classical dressage is not to promote the need to for doing the FEI tests as fast as possible, even though that is a dream for most riders. The goal should be on developing the horse as fast and as solid as the horse can handle it without undue stress and forceful training methods that offer quick fixes at the sake of the horse.
This is hard to do when in the competition ring. There is only room at the top for one horse and rider. This puts a lot of stress on the riders striving to be the best in the ring and unfortunately, it is the horse that starts to suffer.
First of all, dressage was originally designed for mot any type of horse, regardless of conformation, to be developed through the systemic training program which inevitably produces sound horses. At the classical peak riders were quiet and soft, while the horses were happy and relaxed, enjoying the dance between horse and rider. The gymnastic exercises are designed to create sleek, athletic looking horses that are do not have an overabundance of muscling. Horses needed to have longevity and stamina, therefor horses with too much muscling tired faster and had more trouble doing the gymnastics.
But then something different happened. Horses were no longer needed, just wanted among those who have the passion for riding and those who have money. Money changes everything. Horses with aesthetic beauty and incredible animation are cleaning up in the competitive ring. Trainers are being forced to push faster and start their horses in second or even third level, bypassing all of the lower levels. Horses are being pushed for the incredible score of ten for each and every movement. Just as gymkhana horse are ‘hyped’ up before a ride, dressage horses are also being ‘hyped’ in order to achieve more expression, even if it is starting to cause resistance. Animation and muscle tension are becoming the fashion in the dressage arena. Riders need to go back to the drawing board, slow done and get the job done right. After all, there’re is nothing more beautiful to watch than a happy horse carrying his rider in a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere one hundred percent of the time.
Ask yourself, why are you riding your horse
First of all, he states that the rider needs to focus on the horse and not entirely on the movement. Dressage should present a picture of horse and rider harmony and ease.
The horse should be warmed up properly and still remain fresh. A proper warm-up for a horse should be around 15 minutes however, upper level horses may require longer. The warm-up should consist of three different phases with brief rests in between. The first phase is designed to have many changes of direction to allow the horse to shift his weight and loosen. Patterns are circles, diagonals and serpentines. The next phase is the gymnastic suppling of the horse. This can be achieved by lengthening and shortening the strides. The end result is getting the horse to focus on aids and to engage the quarters. The final part of the warm-up is the review and perfection of exercises. This phase is more for the rider’s benefit than the horses. The rider needs to execute his ride correctly. But remember; avoid OVER-DOING a movement of exercise. Exhausting a horse to perform movements is never classical but clear evidence that there is miscommunication between horse and rider and the rider needs help for correction and the horse needs more training.
The rider should have control of the horse to perform precise riding but should never sacrifice suppleness and calmness. The letters are only guidelines. In order to perform the ride accurately, riders need to prepare for upcoming movements.
Classical vs. Competitive Dressage
“Creating a Classical Mindset”
Keeping a classical mindset in today’s society is not an easy concept. We are constantly bombarded by viewpoints depicting the most for your dollar in the shortest as soon as possible. This could not be more detrimental for the horse. The purpose of classical dressage is not to promote the need to for doing the FEI tests as fast as possible, even though that is a dream for most riders. The goal should be on developing the horse as fast and as solid as the horse can handle it without undue stress and forceful training methods that offer quick fixes at the sake of the horse.
This is hard to do when in the competition ring. There is only room at the top for one horse and rider. This puts a lot of stress on the riders striving to be the best in the ring and unfortunately, it is the horse that starts to suffer.
First of all, dressage was originally designed for mot any type of horse, regardless of conformation, to be developed through the systemic training program which inevitably produces sound horses. At the classical peak riders were quiet and soft, while the horses were happy and relaxed, enjoying the dance between horse and rider. The gymnastic exercises are designed to create sleek, athletic looking horses that are do not have an overabundance of muscling. Horses needed to have longevity and stamina, therefor horses with too much muscling tired faster and had more trouble doing the gymnastics.
But then something different happened. Horses were no longer needed, just wanted among those who have the passion for riding and those who have money. Money changes everything. Horses with aesthetic beauty and incredible animation are cleaning up in the competitive ring. Trainers are being forced to push faster and start their horses in second or even third level, bypassing all of the lower levels. Horses are being pushed for the incredible score of ten for each and every movement. Just as gymkhana horse are ‘hyped’ up before a ride, dressage horses are also being ‘hyped’ in order to achieve more expression, even if it is starting to cause resistance. Animation and muscle tension are becoming the fashion in the dressage arena. Riders need to go back to the drawing board, slow done and get the job done right. After all, there’re is nothing more beautiful to watch than a happy horse carrying his rider in a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere one hundred percent of the time.
Ask yourself, why are you riding your horse