Dancing with horses

If you are reading this you probably know and enjoy the art of dressage. You have probably had to explain what dressage is to several acquaintances' when asked about your riding style. You have probably sweat, cried and swore like a sailor trying to obtain a better seat. You may have tempted fate with a pair or white breeches on show day, and dreamed of the tails, the top hat, and the glory of upper level dressage.

For most the path to upper level dressage is obscured - At some point in my journey I wondered - How do I get there if I can't even get a clean halt out of my mount? How come I keep paying this trainer but I don't feel like I am progressing? How do I know where to start training my horse, and when its time to move to the next level of the work? How do I warm my horse up properly to get maximum results in a training session? How to I warm myself up? What is the path that leads to success?

This article will take you from the idea of dressage, through picking a pony, and all the way up to the first show. I will share all of the knowledge I have paid for via training sessions and trial and error. I hope you enjoy it and that it helps you. Dressage is certainly the best way to be mounted partner's of our horses, it is a life time of effort to acquire any level of achievement, and (IMHO) it is the best, most addictive equestrian sport one can choose to pursue.

The History of Dressage

Depending on your point of reference we can say dressage has been practiced from the days of the ancient Greeks or you can start with medieval Rome. Personally, I think of the origin of classical dressage as starting with On Horsemanship and Xenophon. His treatise written in 350 B.C. is about as far down the time-line anyone needs to go to mark a starting point - it is still relevant as a whole today. Taking time to read On Horsemanship was my first really great step forward in understanding how to fullfill my goals as a dressage enthusiast and keeper of the horses.

A dialog on the history of dressage may not be complete without the history of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna. More required reading would be the interesting involvement of the American General George Patton and his assistance in preserving the white stallions and bringing the breed to the States. This information can be found on the Alois Podhajsky wiki.

Dressage is a classical sport and has a classical history to go along with it. I wanted to pass that along but when I started my online research I found the topic so well covered by the following link that I provide it and kudos to the author here: Dressage - A History of Dressage.

Stay tuned for more about:

• Picking a Horse
• Picking a Barn and a trainer
• How to prepare your body for riding
• How to prepare your horse for the work
• What to know about showing a dressage horse
• Dressage Levels - where to start and how to get to the next level
• Know your judge
• Dressing the part
• Ring etiquette
• The care and feeding of a dressage horse