BY DR. THOMAS RITTER The circle of aids is one of the most central concepts the student ... continue reading...
LESSONS
THE SHOULDER-IN
BY DR. THOMAS RITTER History The Old Masters generally considered the shoulder-in to be the foundation of all other dressage movements, since it increases the horse’s shoulder freedom, […]
LATERAL MOVEMENTS
BY DR. THOMAS RITTER This article contains a general overview over the topic of lateral movements. “Lateral movements” is the term that is used to designate exercises in which the horse […]
IMPROVING THE LATERAL BEND
BY DR. THOMAS RITTER The old masters considered balance and suppleness to be the cornerstones of dressage, because they are the prerequisites for obedience, agility, lightness, impulsion, and collection. Almost […]
THOUGHTS ON THE CLASSICAL SEAT
BY GAEL BOURQUIN If we believe in the Classical System of training, which puts the well-being of the horse first and foremost then we must make an effort to become better […]
THE TRAINING
MASTER THE BALANCE, MASTER THE HORSE
BY JENNY ROLFE BALANCE FOR OUR MIND Imagine you arrive home, feeling weary after a tedious day at work. You sit down; turn on the radio and one […]
TRAINING OUR HORSES IN SYNCHRONY WITH NATURE
BY JENNY ROLFE It is very close to my heart to be mindful of teaching and communication, which helps the horse to progress in synchrony with his true nature […]
THE CONNECTION OF DRESSAGE
BY DR. THOMAS RITTER “Connection” is one of these modern dressageisms that I don’t especially like, because they are essentially meaningless inventions that do not take the traditional terminology into […]
LONGEING
BY DR. THOMAS RITTER Almost everybody I talk to tells me with great confidence: “Yea, yeah. I know how to longe.” And these people will probably skip this article, […]
THE RIDER
TEACHING AND LEARNING TO FEEL
BY DR. THOMAS RITTER There is a technical /mechanical side to riding. There is a scientific/academic side to riding. There is an athletic side to riding, for both […]
LEARNING TO LEARN
BY DR. THOMAS RITTER One of my teachers used to say that you can’t teach anybody how to ride. The student either gets it, or they don’t. Another one said […]
NATURALLY CLASSICAL – MASTER YOUR CONFIDENCE
BY JENNY ROLFE INTRODUCTION Our confidence would appear to be like the rest of nature as it ebbs and flows. Confidence will flow when you feel happy within yourself and […]
KNOWLEDGE SPEAKS, BUT WISDOM LISTENS
BY GIGI NUTTER The title is a quotation from musician Jimi Hendrix. It captures a training concept that took me almost four decades to truly understand. Growing up in […]
THE HORSE
FITNESS FACTS FOR THE BACK
BY JEC ARISTOTLE BALLOU No part of your horse is isolated. Everything in the muscular and skeletal systems is interconnected! As riders, we spend a huge amount of time on our horses’ […]
BUILDING A POWERFUL TOPLINE
BY DR. NANCY NICHOLSON Introduction and Background A top line outline is one of the first things we notice about our horses. They literally carry themselves with its ligaments and other […]
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
BY DR. THOMAS RITTER When things go wrong and horses begin to misbehave, most riders search for the reason and the remedy outside themselves. The truth is that in most […]
THE MYTH OF THE NARROW TWIST
BY ZSUZSU ILLES Over and over again I hear “I need a narrow twist.” So why do I repeatedly answer, ”Not necessarily so”? Because a saddle with a narrow twist […]
THE SHOW
FROM THIS POINT OF VIEW: EVERYBODY KEEP RIGHT
BY IDA ANDERSON NORRIS “Everybody, keep right” my father used to say. In fact, everyone from dads to grandmothers to school teachers said it to us when we […]
WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT BASICS FOR HORSE AND RIDER? Answered by........
By GAEL BOURQUIN - For me, the most important basic for horse and rider is balance. It is a vast topic and in order to simplify I will ... continue reading...
By JOAN WILLIAMS – The most important basics for the rider: Basic Balanced Position (BBP) I believe the most important component of ... continue reading...
BY LINDA LANDERS The basics of the rider must come before a rider can really train the basics to a horse. This means that riders progress the most ... continue reading...
By CHRISTINE RIVLIN - Basics, I feel, are important for the horse. I always suggest people review, or at least have an idea of the classical training ... continue reading...
WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO IMPROVE THE HORSE’S TOPLINE? ANSWERED…..
By JOAN WILLIAMS - Developing your horses topline is an important part of keeping him healthy sound and strong. There are many exercises both on and ... continue reading...
By CHRISTINE RIVLIN - The first way would be through correct riding. Making sure the horse has a correct connection through the bridle and is using ... continue reading...
By CYNTHIA HODGES - If a horse has a low, weak back, the rider can improve his topline by combining exercises that will strengthen the ... continue reading...
By JEC ARISTOTLE BALLOU - To improve the horse's topline, you must strengthen the horse's bottom line. As the horse's bottom line strengthens, a ... continue reading...
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF RIDING FORWARD? Answered by……..
By MELONIE KESSLER – The question of the importance of riding forward is a very interesting topic. For me, it is also over-thought and analyzed, like ... continue reading...
By JOAN WILLIAMS – “Ride your horse forward and straighten it” and “Freely Forward” are just two well known dressage and pony club ... continue reading...
BY LINDA LANDERS - Forward riding has two components in my mind. First, the horse must respond by going forward from the leg and seat aids ... continue reading...
By CYNTHIA HODGES - Forward riding is an essential element in achieving the ultimate goal of dressage: balanced self-carriage. To carry the ... continue reading...
