Basically, the DN idea is that if your partnership with your horse solely is based on your dressage work it can lead to all sorts of turmoil if things don’t go smoothly in the progression of gymnastic development. Now, if you are a super talented rider and trainer who always rides biomechanically correctly and always links the work together progressively and easily, no worries no problems. Each level leads smoothly to the next level and everything is easy peasy. For the rest of us though, if we are dependent on our sheer talent as riders and trainers, it helps if we have some goodwill in the piggy bank. When we don’t sit right. Or ask for too much. Or are just plain wrong with our aids.
What constitutes emphasis on partnership you ask? Anything that your horse likes to do that makes him have positive vibes about you. The Dressage Naturally answer would include things like the natural horsemanship games, bitless riding, bridleless riding, and liberty work. I personally find things like basic in-hand work, liberty work, poles, trail rides, extended grooming, tricks for treats, carrot stretches, and extra hand grazing or turn out after hard rides work really well for Jet. Anything that your horse enjoys, that makes him happy to see you, and makes him want to put in his best effort when things get a little hard in the dressage work.
When you start thinking about building a globally more positive relationship with your horse, you start to realize how much a little more emphasis on developing partnership will yield big dividends when you run into inevitable trouble climbing the dressage ladder. It’s an easy thing to overlook but the payoff can be huge in your connection with your horse and also truly help you through those sticky training spots.
What do you think? Is this something you do already? What are your favorite ways to build partnership with your horse?
I agree. I think it's easy to fall into a drilling pattern that makes things less enjoyable. I know I have fallen into that trap. For my horses the things that help us build a partnership include groundwork, grooming (although Carmen needed to learn how to enjoy it. At first she was not so sure she liked it) and hacking out. I think that there are ways to build the positive into the dressage training too. For us it involves lots of praise and a rest after doing something well. And by 'well' I mean either a try or better than before, depending.
ReplyDeleteI agree about trying to build better partnership in the actual dressage training as well and I also use long dwells on a loose rein as a rest/reward. Also, lots of treats!
ReplyDelete