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On the subject of dressage horses...about 6 months ago, I started taking 
dressage lessons at the barn where I board on my POA mare.  Nothing fancy, 
very intro level stuff, but the effect on was amazing!  I came out of a show 
background in POAs, which are bred to "do everything" - Western, English, 
jumping, gymkhana...you name it...however, dressage wasn't exactly widely 
popular.  Something about 14 hand and under ponies and all...so a lot of the 
"training" was forcing a horse into a frame, instead of teaching them to 
round and carry themselves naturally.

Well, 6 months of dressage has taught my mare and myself more than 7 years 
of showing ever did, and we put it to the test 2 weeks ago at the Man 
Against Horse Race in Prescott, AZ.  We've done competitive trail for 3 
years, and I have to admit, some of our rides have been...I think 
interesting is the word i'm looking for.  Nose rooted in the air, pulling on 
the bit...time to "go, go, go!"  So I wasn't sure what to expect during our 
first LD ride.  I figured she's be pretty excited at being allowed to move 
otu faster than she's accustomed to...and I was right.  But it  was quite 
amazing the difference the dressage training made - it taught her to really 
give to the bit, and really move off of seat pressure (as well as taught me 
how to effectively use cues and communication with the horse, not just sit 
there "rising rpetty" for an equitation class).  Instead of fighting me for 
half the ride, we only had to have one short "discussion" early on in the 
ride that involved pulling off to the side and doing lots of flexing and 
bending, plus some moving off the leg cues.  After that, she was pretty much 
good as gold.  She tended to move in a very inverted frame previously, and 
would usually come off a ride with some tight muscles along her neck and 
back.  After this ride, she was feeling really loose and limber, and had 
lots of energy left over, and I attribute part of that to her dressage 
basics.

So just my 2 cents worth on how even low level dressage can really help 
distance horses, not to mention the benefit to the riders, and consequently 
the horses, of riding balanced and more effectively.

Ashley Wingert (and Mimi - wow!  We can naturally carry ourselves in a 
frame, we can!)
SW Region - Gilbert, AZ (ok, summer is over...time for hot weather to 
*leave*...)



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