How to Improve Your Horse’s Rideability

Last Updated: 4/30/2026

We all want to have our dream ride, and for me, that all boils down to the thing that people call “rideability”.

What is rideability?

It’s a feeling of connection with your horse, it’s knowing you can communicate with them and it’s a feeling of power beneath you that you know you can control.

While some of us have aspirations of being able to do certain dressage movements, or doing well in shows, when you strip that back, the reason we love to ride has everything to do with achieving rideability. 

For today’s video, I want to give you four tips that will help you achieve this with your horse and get you closer to your dream ride. 

1. Consistency

   Horses are creatures of habit so the more consistent we are with our riding schedule, the more we will achieve rideability. Consistency and regularity will allow the space for improvement to occur. 

2. Follow a routine within your ride

   When you go to ride, don’t just get up and ride without a plan! Always have an objective that you’d like to achieve within the ride. RIde defined patterns or set exercises that you’ve made a clear decision to ride. Your control and decisiveness will give your horse confidence in you and improve their rideability. 

3. Educate yourself

   We aren’t born knowing how to ride or knowing about dressage! So while we might move in circles where knowledge is shared that helps us learn, like the barn, allow yourself the space to dedicate time to your learning. Check out some YouTube videos from equine content makers you admire, read books on dressage, take an online course like the Training Scale Masterclass. Education will stop you plateauing and help you make your horse a better ride

4. Push your comfort zone gradually

   Write down the things that you are good at, be it an exercise, a gait, a movement. Identify your comfort zone as the place where you’re doing the things you are already accomplished at. Every day, push yourself and your horse a little bit outside of this. Make small increments outside the comfort zone, enough to get you and them thinking and be challenged, but not enough to put either of you in the panic zone. 

Dressage is a slow and gradual sport but if you follow these steps you WILL get there. I’m committed to helping as many people as I can achieve rideability with their horses and that’s why I started the Dressage Training Scale Masterclass. 

Improve Your Horse’s Rideability with Better Dressage Training

Watch the video on how to get your dream ride below for a deeper breakdown of rideability and the four key areas that can help you develop a more connected, responsive, and confident horse.

If you want more guidance on how to build rideability through correct dressage training, I also recommend learning the Dressage Training Scale Masterclass. The Training Scale gives you a clear framework for improving rhythm, relaxation, connection, impulsion, straightness, and collection, all of which play an important role in creating a horse that feels better to ride.

If enrollment for the Dressage Training Scale Masterclass is currently open, you can sign up at the link below. If enrollment is closed, you can still join the waitlist and be notified the next time the course becomes available.

I hope this helps you better understand what your horse needs to become more rideable, more confident, and more connected in your daily training.