Valley View Equestrian Center

Adult Amateur Dressage Team and Jr Dressage Team Applications openings at Valley View Equestrian Center. Learn to ride, train, show, manage, groom, run events! 'Working to learn' positions available as well. Top quality horses, instruction, competitions, clinics and facilities. PM for more details. A super opportunity! www.hesseldressage.com

ENERGY Finding your horse's natural rhythm is important if you want healthy gymnastic training. Often we hold our horses back aiming to make them 'round' instea...d of letting them go to express their natural movement and become 'round' through their own good balance and posture. When there is a lot of energy - make use of it (ride forward) When there is too much energy - shape it. (eg. circle to regain rhythm) When there is too little energy - forward is the priority. (go straight ahead) A good forward trot in a light seat, and with neck extension, (to lengthen stride and seek the contact) can cure many 'ailments'. From this posture you can raise the base of the neck to ask for balance and collection. Horses were designed to go freely forward, and can become so frustrated when they are not allowed to express their natural paces. Forward Impulsion enables collection. * You cannot collect what is not first energised. * You cannot shorten what is not first long. * As Philippe often says: "Let him do". Notice in the illustration below that the horse’s nose is in front of the vertical in all positions. Collection is the result of a collection of whole body movements. It has nothing to do with tucking in, pulling in, holding in or restraining the horse’s head. Inspiration : Phillipe Karl in my own lessons and extract from the book Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage Philippe Karl