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Dressage is a French word that means training. Dressage has ancient roots. It was recognised as an equestrian discipline during the period of the Renaissance.

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There are two types of dressage; classical dressage and competitive dressage.

Competitive Dressage

Competitive dressage is an immensely popular equestrian pursuit. It is a worldwide sport that ranges from novice standards to the Olympics.  When competing in a dressage competition, horse and rider execute a series of movements within a dressage arena this is a “test”. The performance is judged and marks are given for each movement accomplished and for the horse’s way of going. A score is given to determine the rider’s position in the competition.

Many different breeds and types of horses and ponies compete in competitive dressage.

By far the most popular breed is the continental Warmblood horse. Warmblood horses excel at competitive dressage. Warmblood horses possess good looks, elegance and are extremely athletic, intelligent horses, they have a cooperative willing nature and they also boast superior movement. Warmblood horses are bred for performance. Warmblood registries follow meticulous breeding programs to develop the ultimate dressage horse.

Classical Dressage

Classical dressage was developed from cavalry movements when training their horses for combat. Horses were taught movements that were above the ground these are called “airs” or “schools”. They were to help their riders flee if trapped by the enemy and to aid their combat techniques.

Classical dressage or “High school” is an equestrian art form, where horse and rider work in harmony.

Baroque horses are used for classical dressage. Their ancient roots can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula; modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. The Baroque horse group consists of the Andalusian, Lusitano and the famed Lippizan.

The group named “Baroque” is taken from the extravagant baroque style of art and architecture. The baroque group of horses have an amazing floaty elevated action; they are intelligent horses with majestic looks and an exceptionally trainable nature.

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Tags: Dressage, Dressage Horses, Equestrian Information, Horses, Horses For Sale
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Before you can pick the perfect music for your horse, you need to understand the difference between rhythm and tempo.

Many people use the words rhythm and tempo interchangeable, but they do not mean the same thing. I will talk about the meaning of each, both in musical terminology and in riding reference.

Rhythm – When riding, regularity of the rhythm refers to the even spacing between each step in a stride of walk, trot or canter.  In music, rhythm is made up of sounds and silences. These sounds and silences are put together to form patterns of sound which are repeated to create rhythm.

Look at the two descriptions of rhythm and put them together.   Think of the sounds and silences of the musical terminology and the even spacing between each step of your horse’s gaits as the same thing.  When the horse’s foot is down it is a sound.  When your horse’s foot is up, it is silent.  This is how we can relate the rhythm of music to the rhythm of your horse’s gaits.

Tempo –Tempo is the speed of the music or the speed of your horse.  Depending on how fast you want to go you can adjust the rate of repetition of the rhythm. Tempo in music can be fast or slow or in-between.  Music sounds and feels different depending on how fast it’s played.  The same piece of music will have a different effect or mood depending on weather it is played fast or slow.

Hopefully this will clarify the difference between rhythm and tempo as it applies to music and how it applies to your horse.

Next month we will talk more about what particular kind of music will accentuate your horse’s strengths.

Tags: Bpm, Dressage, Dressage Music, Horse Music, Horse Training, Horseback Riding, Jane Savoie, Kur, music, Music For Your Horse, Music To Ride To, Musical Freestyle, Rhythm, Riding, Riding Music, Ruth Hogan Poulsen, Tempo, Training Solutions, Weg Equestrian
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Eventing is an equestrian sport which comprises of three phases; dressage, cross country and show jumping.

The sport

There are generally two types of event competition the one day event (ODE) and the three day event (3DE).

When competing in the one day all three phases are completed in the same day, when competing in the three day event one phase is completed per day.

The dressage scores are imperative; they place the competitors in order, faults may be accumulated in the cross country and show jumping phases, but if no faults are given it is the dressage score that decides the overall winner.

Horses and ponies used for eventing

An inexperienced event rider would need a safe and knowledgeable horse or pony to ride to improve and teach the rider and boost the riders confidence. At the lower levels of eventing any type of horse or pony can be used, as long as it is peak physical condition. The more experienced rider will need a more athletic horse as the phases become more and more demanding. 

Correct confirmation of the event horse is vital; the event horse’s body is exposed to an array of stresses and strains from the diverse rudiments of eventing. A horse with correct confirmation will be stronger and will have a better chance of staying sound.

Popular horses that are used for eventing include;

Thoroughbred horses and Thoroughbred cross breeds.

Thoroughbred horses dominate the top levels of eventing.Thoroughbred horses possess remarkable stamina, speed, strength and jumping form. A popular cross breed is the Thoroughbred cross Irish draught, the Irish sport horse.

Warmblood horses

Warmblood horses are also very popular. Trakehners are an especially sought after breed for this discipline.The Trakehner is a lighter weight warmblood horse that possess speed, stamina and jumping ability. Warmblood horses excel at dressage and showjumping. These type of Horses for Sale can be found on the Horsewizard website.

A horse that is to be used for eventing must be an extremely versatile and thoroughly trained as all three phases of eventing are challenging in different ways, the event horse must be composed and obedient in the dressage phase, courageous and show great stamina in the cross country phase, to show accuracy and respect for the jumps in the show jumping phase.

To view all Eventer horses for sale click here.

Tags: Cross Country Riding, Dressage, Dressage Horses, equestrian, Eventers, Eventing, Horse Riding, Horses, Horses For Sale, Ponies, Show Jumping
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Horse people spend years trying to find out information and techniques from different trainers for a few tips that help them with their horse back riding training before they ‘chance’ upon training that actually works for them successfully that they can instantly understand and practise the moves.
How many times do you see people practising the same move whether general riding, dressage, western, western pleasure or cutting and they repeat the same moves over and over with no improvement ‘locking’ their horse into a frame and getting mediocre results.
Then they sell their horse and buy a new one and unless the horse can ‘teach’ the rider the ‘move’ the same thing happens. When an experienced trainer hops on the horse they can execute moves that you didn’t know your horse was capable of – This is the SECRET- to learn and understand the required thinking and aids to ask and communicate to your horse and unite this with your correct body position that doesn’t lock or stiffen their frame.
Do you see people kick and hit their horse to move it and when the horse finally moves they jerk on the reins, and pull the mouth to make the horse uncomfortable – it’s no wonder that the horse doesn’t want to move!
Imagine being able to dance in self carriage and never having to continually repeat exercises with your horse, which they see as undeserved punishment! And better still, having the correct riding seat and the respect from your horse so it will move forwards willingly as you lift your energy!
This is why when you have the opportunity to acquire quality training information – You should take it- Read it – Understand it- Plan it and Practise it!
How do you know when the training offered is quality equestrian and horse back riding knowledge that is easily understandable to you?
A good trainer will tell you about the results they have obtained with other horses. The information that they provide will be clear and concise, being easy for you to understand as they discuss what you don’t want with your horse and then what you do want! You can understand clearly how to implement the training information with your horse, with examples of improvement being discussed with so you can see how to progress to that point and when it is obtained. Training tips and a free mailing list should be available to you – so you can communicate easily.
Most importantly great equestrian training is so substantial that it caters for horse back riders and horses of all equestrian disciplines – Western, English, Western Pleasure, Cutting, Reining, Hacking etc. to give breakthroughs and advance horse and horse back rider performance. Lets say a horse won’t go forwards properly, this isn’t a particular problem associated with one equestrian discipline -i.e dressage – it’s a communication and respect issue that can happen to all riders in any equestrian discipline – the equestrian rider needs to understand the theory and comprehend the bodily-kinesthetic knowledge of the moves – how to apply the training and aids, and know what to expect from the horse.
These key areas of training need to be available to the horse back rider in unison allowing an advance in equestrian training and performance, good horse training will equip you in all these areas – ending frustration created from no advance in horse back riding skills – due to only part of the training information being available to the horse back rider.

Tags: Coaching, Cutting, Dressage, equestrian, Hacking, Horse, Techniques, Training, Western, Western Pleasure
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Natural horsemanship is the philosophy of training a horse using its natural body language and movements. Practitioners use a wide variety of techniques to yield the same result: a bond of trust between the horse and its trainer or rider. The trust that develops between the horse and rider during natural horsemanship training techniques is applicable across all disciplines: eventing, working, dressage, and riding for pleasure.

Eventing

Horses trained for eventing, which includes show jumping, dressage and a strenuous cross-country course, are pushed to the limit of their physical and mental ability each time they compete. The horse must be 100% sound, and is tested at each step of the competition. The cross-country course is the most dangerous portion of the competition, as it is a course composed of miles of terrain traversed at fast speeds, and dozens of extremely solidly build jumps. Only a horse that has full trust in its rider can be highly successful at eventing. That is where natural horsemanship training comes in. Natural horsemanship techniques build the bond of trust between horse and rider so that when the rider asks the horse to do something new, challenging and potentially frightening, the horse trusts the rider enough to take the risk.

Working Horses

Working horses still play a large part in ranching and farming operations. While some heard cattle, sheep and other animals with ATVs or other vehicles, a horse is still the only method of safe transportation to the most remote areas. Out in the wide open spaces of pastureland, and mountainous areas, hazards abound. Holes, snakes, other animals, rockslides, and unstable terrain lurk. It is essential that a horse traversing such country is able to remain calm throughout the journey. It is also essential for the rider to be able to read subtle signals from their horse in order to avert danger. Animals can most often sense a change in conditions before people can. Only the rider best in-tune with their horse will be able to pick up on cues from the horse.

Pleasure Riding

The goal of most horse owners is to have fun with their horses. Fun happens most when there is no fear. Horses are large in size with powerful teeth and legs. For horses, humans can seem abrupt and unpredictable. Together those characteristics can create a culture of worry and fear. Natural horsemanship training helps absolve the fear and build communication bridges between horse and rider and horse and trainer. When humans learn to speak “horse,” they will find that they can do almost anything with their horses.

Dressage

Dressage training builds muscle and balance in horses and riders. Some consider classical dressage to be the original source of natural horsemanship. Whether riding for pleasure or competition, balance and communication established through natural horsemanship techniques helps the dressage horse and rider achieve a higher level of precision and grace.

Natural Horsemanship for All

Whatever a horse’s primary occupation, natural horsemanship techniques take the horse to the next level. The trust, stamina, strength and communication horses and riders achieve by practicing natural horsemanship translate from the ranch to the show ring, and every situation in between. To learn more about natural horsemanship and to connect with others practicing the techniques, visit http://www.aanh.net

Tags: Dressage, Horse, Horse Training, Horses, Natural Horsemanship, Training Philosophy, Working Horses
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The name Sport Horse is given to type of horse rather than a particular breed of horse; it is a term to define a horse that will excel in equestrian sports such as Showjumping, Dressage or Eventing.Sports horse breeders follow intensive breeding programs. The breeding goals differ from registry to registry, some more geared towards Showjumping others Dressage, Eventing or all-round top quality riding horses, this is reflected in the breeding, for example to produce a top class jumping horse only prestigious jumping blood lines are used to produce a horse with the physical attributes and athletic ability which is needed for show jumping. Quality Sports horses have certain attributes which incorporates the following:

• Correct confirmation – Sports horses should have correct confirmation as this has a direct affect on the movement and jumping capabilities of the horse. • Temperament – Sports horses must have a trainable and willing nature.• Movement – Sports horse should have an athletic gait with good suspension in trot and canter.• Jumping ability – Sports horses that are bred for jumping have excellent jumping form and conformation that allows them to jump higher.

If you are looking to buy a horse to compete, a sports horse would be a very good choice. You should set yourself some guide lines on the criteria of the horse you wish to buy; a good place to start is to identify your capabilities as a rider. Less experienced riders should look for an older experienced horse that knows its job; an accomplished rider may want to bring on a younger horse and take it through the grades, it is absolutely essential for the rider to realise their capabilities. Unfortunately many people make the mistake of “over horsing themselves” this is when a less experienced rider has bought a horse that is far too much for the rider to handle. This can ruin good horses and ruin a rider’s confidence. Set a budget, the height range that would suit you best and what you intend to do with the horse. This will narrow down the market and get you focused on the right market of horses for sale.

There is an abundance of Sport horses for sale currently in the U.K. you only have to look briefly at the equestrian classifieds and you will be sure to see several advertisers offering Sports horses for sale. There are many competition yards that have Sports horses for sale.

 Professional horse producers will often travel to Ireland and mainland Europe to source Sport horses from breeders and farmers.  The horses that are brought back to the U.K. are to be sold to the equestrian competition market. A good professional horse producer will help you find the right horse; you will usually find that there will be quite a few Sports horses for sale at any one yard so you will have plenty of Sports Horses for Sale to view. There are lots of yards devoted Sports horses for sale, so you will always have plenty of horses to look at, if they don’t have a horse that is suitable they will often be able to source a Sports horse for sale that meets your requirements, as they are more than likely to have established equestrian links with farmers and breeders overseas.

It is also possible for you to go to Ireland or the Continent to look for a Sport horses for sale yourself. It is good to look on the internet for Sports Horses for Sale to see if there are any abroad that you like, many yards will offer a service where they collect you from the airport and accommodate you while you view their Sport horses for sale.

If you are ever in doubt about what horse would be most suitable for you must always seek professional help from a reputable source, a person who has expertise in your preferred discipline.

Tags: Dressage, equestrian, Eventing, Horse Riding, Horses, Ponies, Show Jumping, Sport Horses
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