Dressage Riding

There is a lot to learn about
Dressage Riding.

You will need to know the dressage arena layout, have a look at it before you ride. This will let you see the dressage arena markers beforehand.

It is also important to know
the dressage rules.
This page will help with this.

DRESSAGE POSITION

It is important to adopt the correct position for riding so that you are balanced on the horse and in a balanced position this helps the horse remain balanced underneath and move naturally.

This reduces the risk of injury to you and the horse. The correct position will help the horse move in a correct way and allow the rider to ride in a safe manner.

Here is the basic position for dressage riding on the flat:

1.The rider should sit in the deepest part of the saddle.

2.Allow the hips to open and for the legs to move back and lie gently around the horse so that the heel of the foot is directly in line with the hips.

3.Keep the heel slightly lower than the toe.

4.The upper body should remain straight with the head looking forward.

5.The shoulders should be level and relaxed. It should be possible to draw a straight line from the shoulder to the hip to the foot of the rider.

6.The upper arm should rest by the body with the elbows bent, holding the hands level.

Dressage Extensions

Riding hat – correctly fitted conforming to the BSI standards.

Boots – they should be strong to protect the foot and ankle. They should be heeled to prevent the foot sliding into the stirrup and becoming stuck. The soles should be smooth to allow the rider’s foot to slip out of the stirrup easily in case of a fall.

Gloves – they should be non-slip gloves.

RIDING AIDS

The aids are the method in which the rider communicates with the horse when dressage riding.

There are natural aids,
the legs, seat, body, hands and voice

There are artificial aids,
whip and spurs.

Here are the aids for:

Upward transition

From halt to walk and walk to trot, prepare the horse by giving a half halt and then increase the pressure of the leg and allow the forward movement with a slight give of the hands. From trot to canter prepare the horse by giving a half halt and then sit to the trot for a few strides. Hold the outside rein steady and give slightly with inside rein. The inside leg should be placed on the girth with outside leg behind the girth.

Downward transition

Prepare the horse by giving a half halt and sit a little deeper in the saddle. Keep the legs in contact with the horse’s side and gently squeeze and relax the outside whilst keeping a steady contact on the inside rein.

Turns and circles

Sit centrally and balanced in the saddle with more weight on the inside stirrup. Move the inside shoulder slightly back. You can increase the pressure from the leg on the inside girth to encourage the horse to bend.

HORSE GAITS

Each pace of walk, trot and canter has its own sequence in which the horse’s feet touch the ground. Here are the dressage riding sequences for walk, trot and canter:

Walk– this is a four time beat with each foot touching the ground at different times. Left hind, left fore, right hind and right fore.

Trot – this is a two time beat with the diagonal feet touching the ground. Right fore and left hind then left fore and right hind.

Canter - this is a three time beat with a hind leg pushing into canter, followed by a diagonal pair and then a fore. When cantering left the right hind strikes off first, then the left hind/right fore and lastly the left fore. When cantering right the left hind strikes of first, then the right hind/ left fore and lastly the right fore.

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