BALANCE: THE BOTTOM LINE
BY ARLENE RIGDON In training the horse along the principles of dressage, there is one quality that, though it is elusive and often subtle, is fundamental to everything. This quality is balance – if it is correct, everything ... continue reading...
LATERAL BALANCE
BY ARLENE RIGDON In order to ride the horse forward on the bit, he must be balanced—carrying himself on his hindquarters with a steady, elastic “connection” from the hind leg to the bit. In order to balance the horse longitudinally, he must be ... continue reading...
DEVELOPING FORWARD MOVEMENT
BY ARLENE RIGDON Riding the horse forward on the bit is basically simple to understand in principle, but most difficult to execute. If the horse is correctly on the bit, the movements easily unfold and the horse is a joy to ride and beautiful to ... continue reading...
BREEDING THE SPORT HORSE
BY ARLENE RIGDON Certainty doesn’t exist in the world of horses; perfection is an elusive goal never attained. The best we can hope for in our pursuit of breeding sport horses is some measure of predictability; so that we can decrease our chances ... continue reading...
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LOWER LEVELS
BY ARLENE RIGDON Levels training through second mark the period of the basic training of the horse. If this foundation is correct and complete, the progression into the medium levels of third and fourth is smooth and “painless.” The ... continue reading...
