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Re: [RC] dressage instruction for endurance riders - TeamnellieIn a message dated 12/07/03 00:19:43 GMT Daylight Time, efaletti@xxxxxxx writes: << In my opinion, you want to learn to ride balanced, not particularly dressage. And there are many varieties of dressage. In the southeastern portion of Washington state we have many instructors that think as yours, sit down, push with your legs, hold hard with your hands. The French don't necessarily ride this way. They ride light, with the body, keeping the horse light. >> Hi there, I recently spent many hours riding alongside/behind a group of top French riders - all members of the same family in fact - and my observation was that what set them apart from the field was schooling. All of them had schooled their horses to produce a light, collected canter for mile after mile, up hill or down dale. The riders sat very easy and let the horses get on with it, but they'd obviously put in the time in the schooling ring so the horses had learned to use their bodies efficiently. The riders were certainly not driving them on or holding them in, kept very light contact (always with both hands on the reins) and good leg positions. I've thought for a long time that a light collected canter is the way to go. Just got to figure out how to produce it now! HTH Richard =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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