This page is dedicated to sharing our views on the principals of Classical Dressage.  Our concern is that with the outstanding success in breeding programs that have produced amazingly talented horses with tons of natural suspension, the foundation of classical training seems to be going by the wayside. At any competition you can see the "big movers" but what is often missing is the development of the back, the riders look like they are sitting in hammocks. The development of the horse from day one is the progression of systematic gymnastic exercises that allow the horse to lift his back and lower the hindquarters while stepping under the body.  This important foundation seems to have been ignored, meaning that horses are no longer doing Dressage and is beginning to look more and more like a Saddlebred. Saddlebred's are intentionally hollowed (disconnected) to help produce the high animated movements that is so desireable in that breed. This is not Dressage. Unfortunately even at the International level you see horses that are hollow in their backs, a lot of animation with the front legs but having no connection through the back. It is misleading because the hindlegs can also be animated and the three joints seem to be bending but they are NOT CARRYING ANY WEIGHT they are simply jerking their legs up. It is most evident when they piaffe. It is more of a "popping up and down of the hindquarters" than a lowering. The Dressage rule book itself states many times the importance of the "lowering of the hindquarters". The lowering coupled with lifting up through the back is why Classically trained horses seem to float over the ground.

There are other websites out there that go into much more detail and are quite educational. One in particular we would recommend is www.sustainabledressage.com . The author has done a great job of amassing technical information, drawings etc, and explains the biomechanics rather well.

What we would like to do is give renewed inspiration to Dressage enthusiast who are discouraged by the thought that one needs a "super" horse to be competitive or to even enjoy Dressage. We are out to prove that a non-"super" horse is capable of reaching Grand Prix with systematic training that adheres to the principals of Classical Dressage.

THE MAKING OF A GRAND PRIX HORSE

There have been numerous extremely informative books published on this very subject, the best are from the Classical Masters. The written word can be lacking at times simply because of the lack of visual information. We are trying to bridge that gap and give you a real life example. As the saying goes "easy to talk the talk, harder to walk the walk".

Join us on our journey with Perhaps, a 15.3 WBX mare. The first video of her is in 2005 which shows her in the beginning. Very unbalanced, no natural suspension or cadence and extremely nervous. Her natural inclination was to go flat, fast, tense and behind the vertical. Very little development in her topline. Not the usual choice for a Grand Prix Dressage prospect.

Her training had to be adjusted to compensate for her temperament. One of the first exercises we usually do with green horses is to lunge them. This was often too excitable for her and was going to result in an overly fit untrained horse or an injured one. We did alot of in-hand work with her to help her learn to control her emotions.

Undersaddle we would first like them to stretch (down and out) and begin developing the idea of lifting their backs , reaching under their bodies with their hindlegs and developing impulsion. Typically you have to let them be fast at first while they develop their balance and their strength. The pushing muscles have to be developed before the carrying ones. This was a very important exercise for her because one of the problems with an excitable and "quick" horse is that they are held too much with the reins. For her to maintain a steady pace in a stretched frame and in balance was a sometimes hazardous (for the rider) exercise but a step that cannot be ignored.

Here she is in 2006, one year later. She has developed a better connection and rhythm. If you will notice, each diagonal pair of legs are on the same angle. To be more explicit, the angle of the cannon bone on the front leg mirrors the angle of the cannon bone on the corresponding diagonal hind leg. This shows that the gait has not become disunited, it remains pure. Her loins in back of the saddle look lifted, not dropped. I would suggest looking through the latest Dressage publication and exam each picture carefully to see how many horses are connected. Look at the diagonal pairs in the trot, especially the extended trot and are they in unison and does the rider look like they are on top of a nicely rounded ball or sitting in a dip (dropped back)?

Here she is schooling in 2007 and some PSG in April of 2007. Her training is coming along nicely along with a very relaxed attitude. She still needs to develop more cadence and carry herself more, especially in the canter. Perhaps did qualify for the USDF championships at Prix St. George and had her Intermediare I debut this fall. A side benefit to her training was that Karen received her Silver Medal on her. She is now schooling all of the Grand Prix movements and if all continues well should be showing GP in 2008.

It is now 2008 and it has all come together wonderfully. We are now starting to school her single tempi's and she is already doing three in a row. She has a great work ethic, very relaxed, a very nice ride, the result of a Classically trained horse.