Basic Dressage

Jumps4Eva · 11-25-2005, 07:01 PM

If I want to learn a little dressage with my horse, what are some good, basic moves to start with. I don't have an arena to ride in so that makes it a little bit more difficult. We have already done lots of circles and serpentines and trot poles. I just want to learn something new and teach her more things to spice up our flat work.

Also, What would be good books to look at for info too?

Cavalier · 11-25-2005, 07:42 PM

First of all, basic dressage (if done properly) requires alot.

If you really want to learn how to train your horse and ride the more advanced movements, then you need to have your basics 100%.

Basic dressage is having the horse going well at the 3 paces - walk, trot and canter. The horse must be balanced, forward, submissive, obedient and responsive to your aids. He must move forward to correctly work on the bit. When the 3 paces are established, you need to work on smooth transitions...you want to go from a nice working canter, to a nice working trot, no rushing or falling on the forehand of any kind.

You also need to be accurate when you ride corners and circles...dressage really is all about perfection, so don't settle for a cut corner or your horse falling in on a circle or swaying out.

If you're after exercises then I recommend transtions to and from different gaits, and transitions within a gait...eg, have your horse at a nice forward working trot, then bring him back to the slowest possible trot without letting him walk, then go back to your working trot.

Serpentines, figure of 8's, and there are so many other exercises, such as 20mtr circle in trot, then continue on to a figure 8, but have the other circle 10mtrs...canter that, then canter accross the diagonal, do a simple change, then canter on the new leg and repeat the exercise....do your serpentines with simple changes...eg, canter your half 20mtr circles, then simple change (from canter to walk) then canter on the new leg etc.

Don't let the horse become bored with endless circles...break it up.

When the horse is established in the basics, and is scoring well in the lower levels, you can then ask for medium paces, turn on the forehand, leg yield...then move to shoulder in, travers, renvers etc...

Dressage lessons are a must.

Aurora · 11-25-2005, 07:54 PM

Including above (which I agree with 100%), if you have hills around your property, w/t/c up the hills helps build the hindend muscle. After awhile, you'll be able to canter up the hill because of the strength in your horse's hindend. Then, when you go to work in a dressage ring (which is flat lol), the horse will be able to push more from the hindend, because of the muscle. In dressage, you want the horse to push and drive from the hindend and being light in the forehand.

emmanuelequine · 11-25-2005, 08:23 PM

Always start with groundwork first. I recommend www.downunderhorsemanship.com "groundwork series." for those needs. I use these techniques to get started. Even if your horse does not have any major problems, its a great beginning. He goes over turning on the hindquarters and disengaging the hindquarters (prerequisite for turn on the forehand). Also how to get your horse soft and bending on the lunge line.
Expensive? yes Worth it? yes--especially since you do not have an enclosed area to work in.
After you do your homework on the ground, then you can start in the saddle.
One good book by Cherry Hill--101 Arena Exercises is a simple way to learn the mounted exercises.

I have used both of these resources. (with the exception: I have Clinton Anderson's older videos that are no longer available)

For example: I have 2 totally different horses currently in training. They have been here almost 90 days. Started these horses under saddle using ground work first, (desensitizing, lunging with nose toward handler softly, going over simple obstacles); simple riding under saddle techniques (walk, trot, canter, whoa, back); and now they are being ridden while turning on the hindquarters, turn on the forehand, leg yielding, side-passing, bending, counter-bending, haunches-in at the walk (some trot steps too), counter cantering as well as picking up the correct lead, vertical flexion and learning to "collect" and half-halt.
Now, these 2 are not doing everything perfectly, neither should they enter a show ring for quite some time, but they are certainly moving along. Very well imprinted at this point. And breaking their body parts down into maneuvers of just a couple of steps at a time has really made them become supple, responsive, and easy to control. And each week is a new improvement in their self-carriage.

One piece of advice: teach the horse to turn on the hindquarters and free those shoulders up first. Its simple for them to turn on the forehand, b/c of their weight-bearing dependency is on the front legs already.

This is somewhat a basic order that I do to break the horse's body apart(unless something comes up with the individual horse):

All the groundwork first.
Saddlework next.

Make sure you warm up horse before teaching anything for that day.
Horses here are usually round-penned or lunged first (tacked up and without any training aids such as side-reins)
Don't forget your releases everytime the horse tries correctly! Teach everything from a standstill or walk.

Ground: turn on the hindquarters
Mounted: go thru your wtc and whoa basics to make sure you have horse's attention. Don't forget to ask some lateral flexion so the horse is learning to give softly to the bit.
then teach turn on the hindquarters

After horse has a pretty good understanding and is calm about it then teach the next one. Remember to go back each day through your warm-ups and groundwork and basic mounted exercises first. Then keep working with the turn on hindquarters some too. [You are building on your horse just like math problems build on itself]

Ground: turn on fore-hand
Mounted: turn on fore-hand

Ground: simple leg yield (having horse move one step forward and over at the same time in a lateral or diagonal line)
Mounted: simple leg yield

Don't forget to keep going over everything you've already taught the horse up to this point. And work on both sides of that horse on the ground and in the saddle!

Ground: side-pass
Mounted: side-pass

Ground: counter-bend the turn on the hindquarters.
Mounted: counter-bend the turn on the hindquarters.

Ground: counter bend the turn on the hindquarters.
Mounted: Shoulder-in

Ground: turn on the hindquarters/turn on the forehand
Mounted: teach haunches-in

And it keeps building on and on, better and better. Doing small and large circles in a spiral will help see how your horse is progressing with bending and self-carriage. Soon you will see more and more lightness in the horse.
Remember, take it slow and always remain calm. Anytime you are mounted and the horse just does not seem to understand the new maneuver, just dismount and ask from the ground again. It'll click sooner or later.
Do not move on until the horse seems to be calm and accepting. It may take a week or more for the horse to understand that particular movement.
Before you start on a new idea, remember to give your horse time off and some relaxed pleasure riding to keep the mind fresh.

There is a lot more to each maneuver than I described above. It's going to depend a lot on you. Make sure you get help from a professional when you get stuck or it is not clear to you. If things start falling apart, chances are you are: pushing too hard or fast, spending too much time in a schooling session, you are stiff and not relaxed, you skipped something, expecting too much from the horse, the horse is sore.

I hope this helps you out some.

Jumps4Eva · 11-26-2005, 04:49 AM

Thanks emanuelequine.....for the novel lol

I have lots of hills around our property and we have been doing lots of hillwork because when I got Britt she didn't have a lot of muscle, plus, its kind of hard to avoid hills since my driveway is a HUGE hill. About the Clinton Anderson stuff, I REALLY can't afford that. I would love to because I am sure that it would help Britt but I just can't afford that. Could you maybe give me an overview of some of the stuff?

Now Britt's transitions. Her walk to trot to walk is good but her anything to canter and back down is horrible. She rushes, even when she is being lunged. How can I help her with these transitions?

Are horses supposed to bend during the turn on the forehand//hindend? I learned those in a lesson once and we didn't have to make them bend so how to you do a counter bend.?
Counter cantering- just cantering on the wrong lead right? Or is there more to it.
Counter bending on a circle- bending the opposite way than normal? My first mare only ever cantered circles this way when I got her but I guess she was dropping her shoulder. So they need to be bent the wrong way but not dropping their shoulder?

And then, I know I won't be able to do these but what are the travers and renvers? I have heard about them a lot but have never figured out what they are.

Thanks for answering all of my questions. I know some of them must seem kind of dumb.

Jumps4Eva · 11-26-2005, 04:53 AM

Also, even though we have been doing a lot of hill work, I am not sure that Britt is using her hind end very well. She has no head carriage to speak of and I am not really sure she is using her back. How can I get her to lift her back and tuck her head more adn use her hind end?

JBandRio · 11-26-2005, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jumps4Eva

I don't have an arena to ride in so that makes it a little bit more difficult.

You don't need a ring to learn anything

BlondAppy158 · 11-26-2005, 07:46 AM

well they r taking you into more advanced dressage ... if u just want to do some simple moves... yes they are right with the smooth transitions are neede and the hills will help build stamana. But there are simple moves like in the lowest level dressage you are allowed to do rising trot and it is just pretty much doing a trot or canter at a sertent pattern. But if you want to advance past circles and serpitines.... try some half passes i find them easy ... you can first teach your horse to halfpass from the ground if he hasent had any prier traning. But remember doing some just trail riding will build trust and actually alot of muscles that your horse needs to be able to move correctly. i myself am in some training level riding now.... but it helps when u have a 10k dollar horse that has dressage background. But also do some transitions from like a collected relaxed trot up to a nice working trot and do that also at the canter. but rember the most important thing is ~HAVE FUN!!~ msg me if you have any ?'s i always open for any questions on anything......

Jumps4Eva · 11-26-2005, 08:06 AM

could you give me more info on how to teach the halfpass? I can see I am going to have to do a lot of research on dressage! lol

BaileynRum · 11-26-2005, 08:43 AM

the half pass is a 3rd level dressage movement and cannot be performed correctly until the horse and rider have mastered the basics (which may sound simple, but is very difficult) including leg yeild, shoulder in and travers. It looks like this: http://www.ridinghabit.com/guide/ani...half_pass.html

heres a site about travers and half pass http://www.classicaldressage.net/mem...half_pass.html
i dont' know if its any good, i havn't read it, but i found it when i was looking for pictures.

my advice to you, since you only want to learn the basics (which the half pass is not, so you dont' have to worry about that, lol) is to read this book:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0939481545/104-3621548-6309548?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=bo... i also recomend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0939481219/104-3621548-6309548?v=glance&n=283155&s=books&v=gla... I havn't acctually read this one myself, but it looks perfect for you. i've also heard that "Centered Riding" by sally swift is excellent for riders just getting into dressage.

good luck and have fun!

11-25-2005, 07:01 PM	#1
Jumps4Eva Full Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Iowa- Not the potato state! Posts: 153 Images: 4	Basic Dressage If I want to learn a little dressage with my horse, what are some good, basic moves to start with. I don't have an arena to ride in so that makes it a little bit more difficult. We have already done lots of circles and serpentines and trot poles. I just want to learn something new and teach her more things to spice up our flat work. Also, What would be good books to look at for info too?

11-26-2005, 07:46 AM	#8
BlondAppy158 Full Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: N.Y Posts: 105 Images: 29	well they r taking you into more advanced dressage ... if u just want to do some simple moves... yes they are right with the smooth transitions are neede and the hills will help build stamana. But there are simple moves like in the lowest level dressage you are allowed to do rising trot and it is just pretty much doing a trot or canter at a sertent pattern. But if you want to advance past circles and serpitines.... try some half passes i find them easy ... you can first teach your horse to halfpass from the ground if he hasent had any prier traning. But remember doing some just trail riding will build trust and actually alot of muscles that your horse needs to be able to move correctly. i myself am in some training level riding now.... but it helps when u have a 10k dollar horse that has dressage background. But also do some transitions from like a collected relaxed trot up to a nice working trot and do that also at the canter. but rember the most important thing is ~HAVE FUN!!~ msg me if you have any ?'s i always open for any questions on anything...... __________________ Appaloosa ... where it all started

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11-25-2005, 07:42 PM	#2
Cavalier Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 3,698 Images: 236 Blog Entries: 18	First of all, basic dressage (if done properly) requires alot. If you really want to learn how to train your horse and ride the more advanced movements, then you need to have your basics 100%. Basic dressage is having the horse going well at the 3 paces - walk, trot and canter. The horse must be balanced, forward, submissive, obedient and responsive to your aids. He must move forward to correctly work on the bit. When the 3 paces are established, you need to work on smooth transitions...you want to go from a nice working canter, to a nice working trot, no rushing or falling on the forehand of any kind. You also need to be accurate when you ride corners and circles...dressage really is all about perfection, so don't settle for a cut corner or your horse falling in on a circle or swaying out. If you're after exercises then I recommend transtions to and from different gaits, and transitions within a gait...eg, have your horse at a nice forward working trot, then bring him back to the slowest possible trot without letting him walk, then go back to your working trot. Serpentines, figure of 8's, and there are so many other exercises, such as 20mtr circle in trot, then continue on to a figure 8, but have the other circle 10mtrs...canter that, then canter accross the diagonal, do a simple change, then canter on the new leg and repeat the exercise....do your serpentines with simple changes...eg, canter your half 20mtr circles, then simple change (from canter to walk) then canter on the new leg etc. Don't let the horse become bored with endless circles...break it up. When the horse is established in the basics, and is scoring well in the lower levels, you can then ask for medium paces, turn on the forehand, leg yield...then move to shoulder in, travers, renvers etc... Dressage lessons are a must.

11-25-2005, 07:54 PM	#3
Aurora Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 24	Including above (which I agree with 100%), if you have hills around your property, w/t/c up the hills helps build the hindend muscle. After awhile, you'll be able to canter up the hill because of the strength in your horse's hindend. Then, when you go to work in a dressage ring (which is flat lol), the horse will be able to push more from the hindend, because of the muscle. In dressage, you want the horse to push and drive from the hindend and being light in the forehand.

11-25-2005, 08:23 PM	#4
emmanuelequine Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 124 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 1	Always start with groundwork first. I recommend www.downunderhorsemanship.com "groundwork series." for those needs. I use these techniques to get started. Even if your horse does not have any major problems, its a great beginning. He goes over turning on the hindquarters and disengaging the hindquarters (prerequisite for turn on the forehand). Also how to get your horse soft and bending on the lunge line. Expensive? yes Worth it? yes--especially since you do not have an enclosed area to work in. After you do your homework on the ground, then you can start in the saddle. One good book by Cherry Hill--101 Arena Exercises is a simple way to learn the mounted exercises. I have used both of these resources. (with the exception: I have Clinton Anderson's older videos that are no longer available) For example: I have 2 totally different horses currently in training. They have been here almost 90 days. Started these horses under saddle using ground work first, (desensitizing, lunging with nose toward handler softly, going over simple obstacles); simple riding under saddle techniques (walk, trot, canter, whoa, back); and now they are being ridden while turning on the hindquarters, turn on the forehand, leg yielding, side-passing, bending, counter-bending, haunches-in at the walk (some trot steps too), counter cantering as well as picking up the correct lead, vertical flexion and learning to "collect" and half-halt. Now, these 2 are not doing everything perfectly, neither should they enter a show ring for quite some time, but they are certainly moving along. Very well imprinted at this point. And breaking their body parts down into maneuvers of just a couple of steps at a time has really made them become supple, responsive, and easy to control. And each week is a new improvement in their self-carriage. One piece of advice: teach the horse to turn on the hindquarters and free those shoulders up first. Its simple for them to turn on the forehand, b/c of their weight-bearing dependency is on the front legs already. This is somewhat a basic order that I do to break the horse's body apart(unless something comes up with the individual horse): All the groundwork first. Saddlework next. Make sure you warm up horse before teaching anything for that day. Horses here are usually round-penned or lunged first (tacked up and without any training aids such as side-reins) Don't forget your releases everytime the horse tries correctly! Teach everything from a standstill or walk. Ground: turn on the hindquarters Mounted: go thru your wtc and whoa basics to make sure you have horse's attention. Don't forget to ask some lateral flexion so the horse is learning to give softly to the bit. then teach turn on the hindquarters After horse has a pretty good understanding and is calm about it then teach the next one. Remember to go back each day through your warm-ups and groundwork and basic mounted exercises first. Then keep working with the turn on hindquarters some too. [You are building on your horse just like math problems build on itself] Ground: turn on fore-hand Mounted: turn on fore-hand Ground: simple leg yield (having horse move one step forward and over at the same time in a lateral or diagonal line) Mounted: simple leg yield Don't forget to keep going over everything you've already taught the horse up to this point. And work on both sides of that horse on the ground and in the saddle! Ground: side-pass Mounted: side-pass Ground: counter-bend the turn on the hindquarters. Mounted: counter-bend the turn on the hindquarters. Ground: counter bend the turn on the hindquarters. Mounted: Shoulder-in Ground: turn on the hindquarters/turn on the forehand Mounted: teach haunches-in And it keeps building on and on, better and better. Doing small and large circles in a spiral will help see how your horse is progressing with bending and self-carriage. Soon you will see more and more lightness in the horse. Remember, take it slow and always remain calm. Anytime you are mounted and the horse just does not seem to understand the new maneuver, just dismount and ask from the ground again. It'll click sooner or later. Do not move on until the horse seems to be calm and accepting. It may take a week or more for the horse to understand that particular movement. Before you start on a new idea, remember to give your horse time off and some relaxed pleasure riding to keep the mind fresh. There is a lot more to each maneuver than I described above. It's going to depend a lot on you. Make sure you get help from a professional when you get stuck or it is not clear to you. If things start falling apart, chances are you are: pushing too hard or fast, spending too much time in a schooling session, you are stiff and not relaxed, you skipped something, expecting too much from the horse, the horse is sore. I hope this helps you out some.

11-26-2005, 04:49 AM	#5
Jumps4Eva Full Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Iowa- Not the potato state! Posts: 153 Images: 4	Thanks emanuelequine.....for the novel lol I have lots of hills around our property and we have been doing lots of hillwork because when I got Britt she didn't have a lot of muscle, plus, its kind of hard to avoid hills since my driveway is a HUGE hill. About the Clinton Anderson stuff, I REALLY can't afford that. I would love to because I am sure that it would help Britt but I just can't afford that. Could you maybe give me an overview of some of the stuff? Now Britt's transitions. Her walk to trot to walk is good but her anything to canter and back down is horrible. She rushes, even when she is being lunged. How can I help her with these transitions? Are horses supposed to bend during the turn on the forehand//hindend? I learned those in a lesson once and we didn't have to make them bend so how to you do a counter bend.? Counter cantering- just cantering on the wrong lead right? Or is there more to it. Counter bending on a circle- bending the opposite way than normal? My first mare only ever cantered circles this way when I got her but I guess she was dropping her shoulder. So they need to be bent the wrong way but not dropping their shoulder? And then, I know I won't be able to do these but what are the travers and renvers? I have heard about them a lot but have never figured out what they are. Thanks for answering all of my questions. I know some of them must seem kind of dumb.

11-26-2005, 04:53 AM	#6
Jumps4Eva Full Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Iowa- Not the potato state! Posts: 153 Images: 4	Also, even though we have been doing a lot of hill work, I am not sure that Britt is using her hind end very well. She has no head carriage to speak of and I am not really sure she is using her back. How can I get her to lift her back and tuck her head more adn use her hind end?

11-26-2005, 08:06 AM	#9
Jumps4Eva Full Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Iowa- Not the potato state! Posts: 153 Images: 4	could you give me more info on how to teach the halfpass? I can see I am going to have to do a lot of research on dressage! lol

11-26-2005, 08:43 AM	#10
BaileynRum Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA Posts: 575 Images: 91 Blog Entries: 3	the half pass is a 3rd level dressage movement and cannot be performed correctly until the horse and rider have mastered the basics (which may sound simple, but is very difficult) including leg yeild, shoulder in and travers. It looks like this: http://www.ridinghabit.com/guide/ani...half_pass.html heres a site about travers and half pass http://www.classicaldressage.net/mem...half_pass.html i dont' know if its any good, i havn't read it, but i found it when i was looking for pictures. my advice to you, since you only want to learn the basics (which the half pass is not, so you dont' have to worry about that, lol) is to read this book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0939481545/104-3621548-6309548?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=bo... i also recomend this book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0939481219/104-3621548-6309548?v=glance&n=283155&s=books&v=gla... I havn't acctually read this one myself, but it looks perfect for you. i've also heard that "Centered Riding" by sally swift is excellent for riders just getting into dressage. good luck and have fun!