Teaching dressage

[nysart8902]

I'm hoping to train my mom's one yearling stallion to do dressage. She does have a book on doing, but I was wondering if anyone has trained a mini in dressage? If so, what are some tips you have?

 

[JourneysEnd]

I use dressage principles all the time in training and have shown driven dressage.

What do you want to train it to do ?

 

[nysart8902]

Liberty, and eventually driving. He's too young to do driving right now

 

[JourneysEnd]

The best thing you can do at this point is teach the basics.

Like yield to pressure - very important for all aspects of dressage.

Halter obstacle training is a great way to do this.

Work on the bond between the two of you and your communication skills.

Reward with praise. Then when he's ready to start ground driving you'll be two steps ahead.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Yes, anyone in the sport of Combined Driving does driven dressage with their horses so there's definitely precedent for it. One good book you might pick up is "Carriage Driving, a Logical Approach Through Dressage Training," which is available on Amazon.com. It takes you step by step through driving training from ground work with a youngster to driving finished pairs using dressage all the way. It's easy to understand and a very good book!

If you want your horse classically trained, do not start him with a check except for maybe a really, really loose sidecheck to teach him not to try and graze. It's important that the horse learn to stretch down and follow the bit and they can't do that with a check.

Other than that, JourneysEnd gave you some great tips. Have fun!

Leia

 

[targetsmom]

OK, I am a book junkie, so I also have these books which are for training IN HAND:

Training the Horse In Hand (The Classical Iberian Principles) by Alfons J. Dietz

Schooling Horses In Hand (A Means of Suppling and Collection) by Richard Hinrichs (there is a video available for this one too)

Long Reining: The Saumur Method by Philippe Karl

I think they are all available on Amazon. They all seem good.

Most of our minis do turns on the forehand and haunches (or pivot) which are needed in halter obstacle and some do shoulder in. My goal is to get at least one to do some of the fancier stuff, but any of it helps in overall training and suppling.

 

[maestoso]

I think you will find that any good driving trainer has at least basic dressage knowledge. They have to, to get the results they need to win. As was stated, giving to pressure, knowing what an engaged and round horse looks like, hot to achieve that, proper bending, etc. It is all dressage.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

OK, I am a book junkie, so I also have these books which are for training IN HAND:
Training the Horse In Hand (The Classical Iberian Principles) by Alfons J. Dietz

Schooling Horses In Hand (A Means of Suppling and Collection) by Richard Hinrichs (there is a video available for this one too)

Long Reining: The Saumur Method by Philippe Karl

I think they are all available on Amazon. They all seem good.

Duh, I suppose long-line work would be the first step, wouldn't it!

I've read all three of those books (or at least looked at them thoroughly

) and the only one I purchased was Richard Hinrich's after also watching the video. It's quite good!

Most of our minis do turns on the forehand and haunches (or pivot) which are needed in halter obstacle and some do shoulder in. My goal is to get at least one to do some of the fancier stuff, but any of it helps in overall training and suppling.

Leg yielding is a regular part of our warmup routine and so is shoulder-in and shoulder-out when I'm behaving myself. I hope to someday get a full half-pass on the longlines and maybe a canter pirouette but that's going to be very difficult without leg aids. We'll see! I'm training the Spanish Walk at the moment but it's a party trick the way I'm doing it, not a real gymnastic exercise.

Leia

 

[nysart8902]

Thanks for the help everyone

I really can't wait to start working with him. With all the crappy weather and then getting sick, I haven't been to get over my parents to work with him. I'll have to look into those books

 

[desertgal]

I use long lines, driving whip (for leg aids) and lunging techniques to train "dressage" movements. I have taught spanish walk to both of my miniature stallions as well as "levade" type moves for collection in upwards transitions. I have used this type of conditioning to make very scopey jumpers out of plain, undermuscled horses. (the big horses are my background...these are the first minis I have trained!) I use shoulder-in on longsides, inside and outside flexions on circles, half passing techniques on diagonal lines. My whip, voice and reins for the cues just as you would your body core, legs and hand while riding. I find them both, super easy to train. I am looking forward to experimenting with gymnastic, ground work with poles as I would my big jumpers. Should be a great year for my young stallion! Good luck and I totally give this type of conditioning a HUGE thumbs up! I think the horses love it too. Good luck!!