Western Dressage is Classical Dressage in Western Tack! -(Done Correctly That Is)

The following article is my own personal opinion about Western Dressage. 

I write this from experience of teaching dressage principles to Western riders for over 35 years. My teaching style whether it's in English tack, or Western never changes. It's Classical Dressage. 

I think that anyone will agree that Dressage simply defined is the French word for training. You can dressage your cat, dog, horse, even your children.  What I can't agree on is a dressage custom built for every single horse event, club, or new type of riding test. Dressage principles are hundreds of years old. Schools are built on centuries of  experience, traditions and valid success.  The world wide web has created a marketing frenzy on who is going to out do the next riding Dressage in Western tack. 

In my opinion, it's not promoting the art of Western Dressage (if you ride in Western tack), it's splintering it beyond repair. 

For example, there is Cow'ssage, Cowboy Dressage, Cowgirl Dressage, Ranch Western Dressage, and I'm sure that there are more out there if I Google a little harder. Within the trademarked titles exists many enthusiasts, trainers, coaches, riders and the like who claim have taken an interest in Dressage by the title, but claim that it is not really dressage. Confused yet?

Now, with every different nuance of the new disciplines, there seems to be a different take on every different type of dressage (but remember that the claims are abundant that it's really not real dressage). I am seeing interpretations of Dressage that I have never heard about. I'm speaking from experience as and I have been studying it now for 45 years, and I have learned from the best in the world with instructors that had been taught by masters from the 19th century and those masters who had learned from their predecessors. I've trained horses and ridden to the highest levels.

The fracturing of the dressage sport to the Western style of riding has become almost on the point of epidemic. Instead of keeping one definitive new discipline, it's become a frenzy of a dog eat dog world. Can't we just all agree on calling it Dressage? If you ride Western, then Western Dressage?

If your marketing ploy is to tell the world that your world of X Dressage is built on "Soft Feel" "Light contact", or  to change the training scale of the German system, I question the motives. This also includes claiming your dressage is different because your ring size is not that of traditional dressage arenas, then in my opinion people marketing this way have no actual clue about what true classical dressage is. True dressage is based on the balance, bio-mechanical correctness and progressive training of the horse and rider. It does not involve pushing, pulling, spurring or jabbing the horse in the mouth or using any type of head-setting device. It is a very structured ballet between horse and rider. Each movement progressive to the next. Dressage done correctly takes a lifetime to learn, and then some. If you attend lessons or clinics with trainers boasting the latest and greatest draw reins, German Martingales or curb bits on young horses, run don't walk away. You have the right to ask any clinician about their background, and don't be afraid to look for yourself.

I still find it very difficult to comprehend why all these different branches of riding are attempting to differentiate  themselves that they are not dressage, but they are keeping the word. The claims of "it's not dressage in western tack" is beyond ludicrous. 

If you are not using dressage principles to train your western style horses, then you are not doing dressage. Please change the name. 

The Teeter-Tooter Effect

Acceptance and connection of the riders' aids are not rocket science curriculum. It's not devine intervention or a miraculous feat. Actually it's very simple.
For every action, there is a reaction. A rider who is not balanced in the centre of the horse cannot maintain connection with a horse. Plain and simple. So before anything, please work on your own balance. 90 percent of your aids are from your seat. Your hands and legs take up the other 10 percent.

The Straight Facts About Straightness

The Straight Fact About Straightness

"Horses are not built to move like they are on railroad tracks. The engagement of the inside hind comes from the ability of the horse to carry that leg under the body in the direction of travel. The inside hind is the drive leg of a horse. The rest of the movements are developed from it"  

"When the lengthening of stride is required in the tests or training, if correctly schooled, the horse will have developed an equal push-power with the hind legs to engage both equally, as the horse is placed in a straight position from poll to tail. The evidence of training will be obvious as the lengthening will be displayed without a widening of the hind legs" Elaine Ward

Don't Cut Corners....Learn How to Ride Corners Correctly

An acceptable corner for walk. But too deep for the Lower Levels in Jog and Lope

Riding corners properly for the level you are riding at, is simple if you follow some guidelines:
The basic rule of thumb is: Never ride a corner so deep that your horse loses it's balance.

A corner at a level should have slightly the smaller diameter of the largest circle that is in the particular level's test. If you are riding Introductory and Basic Level, your corner should be between 10-12m in  angle diameter. It will be executed like riding a 1/4 circle in the corner.
 Avoid trying the 90 degree turn approach. The corners are ridden so that the horse does not lose balance and connection with the rider. A horse is not shaped like a 90 degree turn, so it should never be attempted that way.

Too sharp of a turn will cause the horse to lose lateral balance. The horse's shoulders have fallen to the outside and this horse is now over-bending. The will greatly affect the quality of the next movement.

At Level 1, I would like to see a 10m quarter circle for the corner. When riding Level 2 and above, the ideal corner should be 8m as we are now increased in collection and with improved balance, it should be fairly easy for the horse to carry it's self through the corner. Larger corners will show the avoidance to the lack of difficulty and affect marks on both the actual test and the in the general impression section of the test.

Regardless of what you are riding or training at, familiarity to the ring size is imperative. A little bit of math helps eliminate the intimidation the Dressage Court. Whether you are riding in the 20X40m or 20X60m ring, the corner letters are always 6 metres from the corner. Although the placement of the dressage letters in the arena are a bit of a mystery, the letters are placed 6 metres from the corners allows the average correct striding though a corner in all 3 gaits. If the distance of the corner markers were decreased, it makes the corner too tight and therefore decreases the size of a corner. Remember that we have to take in consideration the amount that a young horse can bend and balance through a corner. To make the corners too tight is unfair and will affect the rhythm of the horse. Even gaited horses who move in more of a lateral type intermediate gait would have a tough time maintaining a steady gait with a tight corner.
Even at the Intro and Basic levels we have to make sure that there are at least a couple of straight steps before the first letters to enable preparation for diagonal lines. The short side of the arena is a straight line and not an oval. The turn through the corner enables the horse to transition from a straight short side, to a straight long side.

Adding a cone just to the inside of your track can help you develop a reference point for your corners.

No matter the level, the corner is important. Think about using them as the place to organize your horse before the next exercise. Assessing balance, bend and ensuring engagement of the hind quarters can help you prepare for the next movement.

Curbing Your Enthusiasm for Curb Bits

 

 Curbing Your Enthusiasm for Curb Bits

The transitional bit. The barrel in the middle of the mouthpiece allows both shanks to work independently

The "curb bits" that you may have seen on my riders are transitional curbs which allow for lateral positioning. This means that they are not the fixed curb to the mouthpiece bit. Hence the term "Straight up into the bridle" to a fixed shank curb. I would NEVER permit my riders to ride 2 handed in a fixed bit that would have a solid mouthpiece or shanks attached to the bit.
Secondly the "contact" is merely silk threads. My riders understand that the "contact" is an acceptance of the horse via the engagement of the hindquarters, relaxation of the back and the correct balance of the entire horses' body. I do NOT allow my riders to pull their horses into a "frame".
Although I do not advocate the use of curbs in lower level horses, some are happier working in them.
My seat and legs are also in contact with the horse and my riders are taught that riding is 80 percent from your seat. Reins are not obligatory for downward transitions, and used for positioning the horse laterally.
The proof of the pudding is to see whether the photos show a horse with a gaping mouth. Certainly the issue of incorrect acceptance would also be penalized in the shows by the judges.
A transitional bit would be one that provides an independence of each shank so that the horse may be influenced by the riders hand via lateral positioning to the left and to the right. Hence, the validity of riding the horse with 2 hands in a TRANSITIONAL Curb. A Curb with fixed shanks and mouthpiece should only be ridden with ONE hand. Realistically the majority of horses who are ridden in a fixed bit are probably those ones who are either in a performance or working class and lateral positioning and exactness are not required. (Lateral Bend and Flexion). Think about it as the horse is working in a straight line so to speak, and the rider may also be performing tasks with the other hand such as the use of the rope etc.
In my opinion the straight up curb should only be used on horses that have graduated from the transitional curb and completely understand the rider's seat. The conversation should be again, silk threads. To see a Spade bit ridden with reins in both hands is an insult to the Vaquero tradition. A high ported 1/2 breed or correction bit in my opinion is not necessary if the horse AND rider are trained correctly. Bits that have mechanical forces like crow bars should NEVER be used or even allowed to be in anyone's tackroom.

The Turbo Lifter Bit is legal According to the Rules of  WDAA/USEF Western Dressage, and is permitted to be ridden with two hands.

The whole purpose of WD is to train a horse to be correctly trained without gimmicks or head setting devices. This concept is in alignment of the basis of dressage and honouring proper horsemanship. 
The bit cannot be stereotyped into breed, conformation or discipline of any kind. Bit fitting is done on an individual basis. WD also permits bitless.
The end goal is to ride your horse in what your horse performs the best in that is the mildest form of equipment.

There's Always a Reason Why.....

 Maybe it's about time we finally turned the table and stopped blaming the horse for it's behavior. I'm sick to the teeth in seeing these "fix a horse" videos and articles that frankly have no common sense and stroke the egos of the wannabe big wig trainers out there. Don't tell me your horse is being bad and ship him to the "trainer for 30 days"....that's not solving YOUR riding issues which caused the communication issue in the first place. Horses by nature don't wake up in the morning and have an agenda to give a rider a difficult time. I think it's about time people thought about the horse instead of themselves. The horse reflects the rider.....

There's Always a Reason Why..... Don't put any gadgets from my bit to the saddle to correct my head position....there's a reason why I can't work your way. Perhaps you think that I should keep my head in one place....there's a reason why....maybe it's because you can't sit on my back in a way that I can balance you and me......there's a reason why.....you can't sit correctly on my back because I can't carry you...there's a reason why....someone has not taught you how to sit right, and understand my movement....there's a reason why.... I can't obey your wishes, as I have no idea of what you are trying to ask me....there's a reason why.....you don't understand me........there's a reason why.........you don't understand how your own body communicates to a horse..... how can you understand me?
I don't come out of the barn and decide to give my  rider a hard time.....there's a reason why.....I'm not comfortable with that fancy bit you have shoved in my mouth......there's a reason why.....did you see how my mouth is formed? A float is fine and dandy, but does that bit actually fit me?  There's a reason why I can't relax when I work.....what's that hunk of leather you have on my back? There's a reason why.....it hurts when I move and I can't bend my body.....there's always a reason why....because I can't. Walk a mile in a bad pair of shoes and you will understand why. It does not fit.
Before you punish me, understand me. I have no ill intent. I will be your partner if you will be mine. Understand me, communicate with me and don't punish me for your mistakes.

Western Dressage....The Rejuvenation of Western Riding

In 2011 I discovered a new way of riding...Western Dressage. When I researched it further, I had discovered that this “new discipline” actually had a name. Ironically I had been doing Western Dressage for years, just never putting a name to what I was teaching my Western clients.  Even back to the 80’s I had been working with Western Horsemanship, Cutting and Reining riders to put some dressage concepts into their riding habits. It worked, and I never gave it a second thought until I found that someone had actually put a name to what I was doing for so many years.
It was not very long until I had joined the new movement and encouraged more Western riders to think outside the box all across Canada. 
After countless hours of researching, teaching, and traveling all over Canada teaching this "new discipline" I have come to an amazing epiphany.  Most often, something that is new is never original. Western Dressage is not an exception to that rule. Western Dressage is actually something that has already been discovered and over time has been lost, only waiting for someone to find it again.

There has always been something about Western Dressage that was missing in my mind. Why did the dressage techniques improve horses and riders when I taught or trained them? Was I really going in the right path with my teaching? All I had to do was look into the history of Western riding to find my answer.  What was old is new again.

Western riding has had basically two main influences, although other influences were possible: Spanish (Vaquero) and European (Military). The vast majority of Western riders were ex-cavalry riders who if they survived the wars up to the 1930’s went to work on the ranges and ranches of the west training horses and working cattle.  The ex-cavalry soldiers were also the influence of many riding schools in the Western Hemisphere. It is the ex-cavalry riders that are really the answer to Western Dressage.  The Cavalry instructors whether they came from the US Army or Europe were trained and heavily influenced by some of the most famous Classical dressage instructors of the time such as Baucher, Fillis, and De La Guérinière. Otto Lorke in Germany also taught many Cavalry riders.  Baucher and De La Guérinière were from the French School, Fillis the British trainer also learned from the French, and Otto Lorke was a German who was considered a trainer of the lightness concept, and was also heavily influenced by the French way of riding.  Perhaps the best proof of this finding came from looking back at the US Cavalry Manual, which is still available today, and was adapted to civilian use. The book is entitled The Cavalry Manual of Horsemanship and Horsemastership by Gordon Wright. The concepts are all based on classical dressage. The saddle of choice in the US and Canada was the Western saddle due to it’s purpose of working stock and performing the needed tasks of holding a lariat and horn to rope and restrain cattle and horses.

There are two main schools of dressage in Canada and the US.  The German concept of training is still based on the heavy almost draft bred horse of the late and early 20^th century.  The riders had to also ride these horses with very heavy aids. The philosophy required the riders to encourage forwardness, as the horses were of substantial bone and size with a slow mind.  Once the horse was trained to move forward then the half-halts were used to bring the horse off the forehand.  Applying those concepts to the Western style of riding would not prove as successful to the Western type horse.  The dominance of the rider on the horse would not be a successful way of training a horse that would be required to be light and sensitive to the riders’ leg, seat and hand to perform tasks of the ranches. The French School requires a focus on basing the training on lightness and balance.  Instead of using a pyramid to illustrate the training scale, the French school is based more on a circular diagram. The requirement is for the horse to become light to the leg, hand and seat starting from the halt, and then advancing to the gaits and using lateral movements to develop the collection and overall performance of the horse. For each skill that a horse is taught, the lightness has to be trained to the horse to achieve lightness and sensitivity to the rider’s aids.   

When one makes a comparison to the French school of riding, and then observing a well trained Western horse, we can begin to see a parallel.  I’m not talking about the stylized Western horse of today, but the basic trained horse of the mid 1900’s. Perhaps one of the best illustrations of this is a book entitled Schooling of the Western Horse by John R. Young.  Horses worked with the poll at the highest point, forward, willing and sensitive to the riders’ aids and balance.  If you removed the Western photos in the book, it could have been a dressage book.  In my opinion was the actual birth of Western Dressage. 

Western Dressage can't be trademarked, nor should it be taught by people without a classical background in my opinion. Western Dressage is about lightness, balance, and understanding of the horse and rider as one. It can't be done with short cuts whether it be leverage bits, or draw reins. It is not a discipline marketed by defining the riding style is unique to a specific ring size or letters. 
It's good classical horsemanship, plain and simple. 
So, as I have illustrated, Western Dressage is not a renaissance, but the rejuvenation of the original way of Western riding.