The Four Dimensions of Extreme Dressage

Lunge Work

This can be done on a lunge line or loose at liberty in a roundpen. Here the goals are to establish Forward, Freeness, Flexion and Cadence.

This is best done without hinderance of saddle and rider at first to let the horse find himself and begin to balance on his own within our requirements.

This is of great benefit to the handler, as they will learn how to notice changes in the horse and how to make adjustments in order to better aide him at the proper time.

In-Hand Work

In-Hand Work can be related to Refined Riding, but with the handler on the ground. You are in closer contact with the horse than with lunging and this can be done with a bitless cavesson, a bridle, a surcingle or even a saddle.

The horse learns to yeild more to the rein, while still keeping a soft contact. The bit can be used at this point to begin relaxation and mobility of the jaw - teaching the horse a positive response to the bit, instead of locking up against it.

More lateral flexibility is required, along with asking for more controlled movements. The handler learns to become more subtle in requests and literally gets a better feel for the work to come.

Relaxed Riding

The concept to Relaxed Riding is to teach the rider the Release; that is what your horse wants as his reward for doing what was asked. It is very natural to the horse and something they understand better than a pat or a cube of sugar.

It is also used to firmly establish or re-establish a principle that may be lacking. During Refined Riding, these concepts are gone back to when problems arise and Forward and Free need to be put back in.

This is where the rider can concentrate on the feel of what the horse is doing under her and how to use her body effectively to aide the horse.

A Release can be done imediately to acknowledge your horses correct response or try.

Refined Riding

This is where it all comes together! Attitude, Impulsion and Position. In Refined Riding, we start to combine principles and concepts in order to acheive a higher level of Horsemanship.

Our horse is happy to work within the boundries we have set and we are quite capable of aiding him in more ways than one at a time.

Our feel, timing and balance all comes into play as we progress in the subtle Art of Horsemanship.