When you are riding there is so much to think about. You have to be thinking about what your body is doing, what your horse’s body is doing, what your horse is thinking, and what you need to do next. It is really important that when you are riding, you are really IN the moment and and feeling what is happening. As an instructor, it is important to give the students direct instructions on exactly what they need to do in the moment.
It is also very important to study the theory of Dressage and to understand the WHY behind the exercises and the principles that we practice. Take some time. To. Learn about the theory of Dressage when you are NOT riding so that you can focus on your horse when you are riding!
Believe it or not, Dressage is a very systematic discipline and learning the theory and principles behind the training is extremely important! Why is rider position so important? Why does geometry need to be accurate? What is the purpose of the exercises that we ride? What does it matter if we can rider a perfectly round circle?
The theory of Dressage is all based on The Dressage Training Scale and correct rider position. The Dressage Training Scale provides a framework of principles that help the rider prioritize what to work on and when. If you want to learn more about the theory of Dressage, be sure to sign up for Amelia’s Dressage Academy. This is an opportunity to participate in monthly workshops that give Dressage theory lectures as well as specific exercises to work on!
The first LIVE Zoom call on Contact and Connection is Tuesday September 15th at 5pm OR Sunday September 20th at 12 noon. Be sure to enroll in the Academy before then to watch the pre-lecture video and start working on the exercises!
In today’s YouTube video I am going to show you a few slides on the theory of Dressage. If you enjoy this video format, be sure to sign up for Amelia’s Dressage Academy. The academy offers monthly workshops and zoom calls that help to give you the theory of dressage.
