Head tossing is one of the most frustrating challenges we encounter, not just in dressage but in any discipline, and unfortunately, the actual root of the issue is not even near where we see the problem. For many people, that can be frustrating at the least to try to work with. However, once you understand [...]
Last post's topic focused on lightness, which is a feeling we get as well as a goal we aim for in our training. Most people equate this to self-carriage as well, but I like to think that lightness is the response to the rider while self-carriage is what the horse does to maintain its posture [...]
The classical riding community loves the term "lightness," and the term is used often when talking about a horse that has been well trained or as part of the pursuit within training. Others scoff at the term as being a misnomer or even being deceptive, as horses "should have" contact when truly on the bit, [...]
Compassion in riding can be challenging to cultivate. After all, the horse is an entirely different species with a different way of thinking. When is the horse misbehaving, and when is there something blocking the horse? This is why it is important to learn about muscle physiology and to use those ideas to help guide [...]
Curious about starting virtual riding lessons? Here's a quick guide for how they work with us! There are several benefits to virtual lessons. One is that you can work with us even if you're in another state (or even country). Another is that you can work in your home environment, so if there's a problem [...]
Here's an ever-growing list of books for the classical riding enthusiast! More will be named soon. We're focusing on books that are currently translated at this point in this list, but we'll likely add some that have yet to be translated into English in a separate section. By the Old Masters pre-1900 (from less difficulty [...]
Something a lot of people mention when inquiring about dressage lessons is that they'd do it at home, but they have "the wrong kind of saddle." This statement always makes me a little sad; there's so much more to dressage than the kind of tack you use. When you look through history, dressage (or whatever [...]
We often look at horses and say "oh, that ones has good musculature" or "oh, that one has bad musculature." We also look in riding and may say "oh no, we don't want to work that one, it's a 'bad' muscle." This is a way of looking at musculature that I find puts people at [...]
Ah, the corset. Outside of historical reenactment circles, it's viewed as a symbol of female oppression. Most people think of movie scenes where women are getting laced so tightly they can't breathe and ultimately pass out (in fact, it's become a common trope in movies). A sign of female liberation is the woman taking off [...]
The thoracic sling is something of a hot topic in riding right now. But what is it? Why is it even important? The thoracic sling is one element of "good posture" in a horse, much like having our chest open is an element of good posture in humans. The front limb of the horse is [...]
