[Stephanie W.]

(In my opinion). But seriously, more people should do it. People are always so concerned about "how high their horse jumps" or "how fast their horse goes" when to get anywhere you need good basics and the basics always releate back to DRESSAGE. You can call it "flat-work," but that's just a simple name for dressage.

Lack of dressage why the whip and the flapping legs come into play (in jumping) - because their horse doesn't move off their leg so the rider does whatever they can to get the horse to go. Teaching a horse how to do an extended canter then back to collected is dressage and it's VERY needed - for another example: A persons rides their horse up to a large oxer. Congratulations your horse can jump high . The horse is going too slow. In an attempt to speed up the rider spurs him, the horse is slow to respond to the leg, the rider whips him, the horse gets strung out and takes out the the top rails. And often the only reason their horse is collected is because it's in some massive bit.

LOL, I was at a show today and it just amazed me at how many people could really use some dressage.

So "moral of the thread" - Don't forget your basics.

[ThisIsMe]

The mental attitude of most show jumpers here is that if the horse can slow down and speed up, do a flying change then that's all their basics covered for having it able to jump.

And this is why most of our show jumpers lack the abilty to be competitive on the world scale.

I agree that basics are needed in all disciplines. If the horse lacks the ability to be forward and straight you're going to struggle later on.
I learnt the hard way...now I've come back and doing more dressage work with my eventer and his jumping has improved out of sight.

[megan_kat22]

really good thread, and a good reminder

[Feliche]

Oh Feliche LOVES dressage He's a nifty lil jumper. Surprisingly enough, my horse can jump higher now that we've been doing more FLAT work!! LOL!! He's become bolder, because the dressage is letting him feel his body and control his muscles, so he has more trust in himself and me, and I have more trust in him because I can feel the way his body works as well.

[PaintedRocket]

Ugh I have such a tough time with Dressage, but that's why my trainer ALWAYS has me start off my lessons doing it and if I communicate well with my horse and he responds to my cues correctly, then she lets us move to jumping. But if I'm really having a tough time, then we do the entire lesson until I get it right. Having your basics and practicing them is very much essential if you want to advance in competition or even in lessons. Dressage goes hand in hand with Jumping or any other competition.

Thanks for the reminder Even though I grit my teeth when I know I have to do it, I do it anyway because I know it's something I really need to learn well in order to ride and communicate well with my horse.

I do love watching Dressage competitions on TV though... it's beautiful.

[faroutfax]

i agree 100%

[Fox Glove]

Stephanie W. you are a very brite young lady!

Well said!
Paula

[HorseBliss]

i totally agree. i try my best on the flat, but it never seems good enough. he jumpes well enough tho. but we dont jump COURSES over 2'6" really. ive been told over a million times that flat work is the key to jumping by my trainer. im sure i could go prelim on my horse if we could flat better

[3questr1an]

when my trainer trains horses, it doesnt matter what disipline they are gonna be used for, she teaches them all to use their hindquarters, do leg yields, sidepasses, shoulder ins, etc, just simple dressage stuff...great thread

[crazy4horses205]

I wish I could do dressage, but I don't know how to get Tobey 'on the bit' or accepting contact or whatever you call it. The more I try the more he evades it and puts his head up so I just ride mostly with a loose-ish rein and he listens pretty well most of the time. If I wasn't at an all western barn I would look into lessons but I know I'll mess Tobey up if I try to do it myself