Posts Tagged ‘novice riders’

The Dressage Arena

Inside the arena is one of the most difficult moments at a competition for both the rider and the horse. The time immediately before entering the arena is the most crucial. You hope that the horse has worked is ready to do its best. But it is very easy for the horse to switch off between the warming-up area and the competition arena. You have to be alert with particularly young or inexperienced horses and ponies. They will be wary of any new arena, and may well lose their confidence and concentration when entering this new place.

In training, frequently give your horse an opportunity to switch off, then find ways of bringing it back to attention. This is beneficial at competitions, when you will need to bring the horse back again to do its best following a break. When you are about to enter the arena, try, as quickly as possible, to bring the horse correctly on the aids again. This is another situation where as the rider and trainer, you need to really know your horse.

With young horses or a pony it is vital that the rider treat the competition arena as a training ground. If the horse does something unacceptable, it has to be corrected (as he would be at home). If the horse get the idea that you, as the rider will allow him to misbehave in the arena, the horse’s behaviour or the pony’s behaviour, will gradually get worse. Some novice riders think that they must do nothing in the arena. The equestrian dressage, however, will realize that if something is going wrong it needs to be corrected immediately.

Now that both rider and horse have entered the arena, they should make sure that the horse’s boots or bandages are removed and your rider’s jacket is buttoned up. Have a few calming thoughts, then you are off!

And Finally

Wherever you are placed at the end of the event, remember dressage competitions are a test of the horse’s training and provide an opportunity to receive expert observations of an independent judge.

Frequently a rider will be thrilled with a fairly low placing in a test in which the horse did its best and showed improvements. On the other hand, another rider may be unhappy with a winning test that he did not consider to be that good. Winning may be the well-deserved regard for all the time and patience put into systematically training a horse, but it should not in itself be the primary aim. If the performance of the horse or pony was disappointing, do not automatically blame the horse or pony. Instead, try to view the test dispassionately; try to see the good points as well as the bad. Think about what you could have done better, and how you will improve next time.

It is very important that the principles of sound training (dressage) are clearly understood by riders, teachers and judges.

Training should be kept as simple and clear as possible, with no secret about the correct thing to do – just dedication on your part. I hope that this article will help make the life of your horse or your horses more comfortable. As I wish you good riding and happy horses.

Sonia is a book reviewer, coach and author. Equestrian dressage is about techniques, competing, tack, horse riding, caring for your horse and more.

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http://dressage.ebooksgain.com

in support of more exciting and appealing information on your passion!

Author: Sonia Dixon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Beading Necklace

English saddle makers are improving the design of their saddles with the use of new technology. Different companies offer different English saddle brands with options for riders from the Pessoa saddles that are treated with vegetable dyes and natural oils to become completely waterproof to the Bates, Collegiate and Wintec line of saddles that have adjustable gullet systems that allow these saddles to be custom fit to any horse.

The specialized systems can also work between these brands, making them a good choice for riders with different types of saddles in their tack room. These types of advances have not only made improvements for the rider but they have also made saddles and tack much more comfortable for the individual horse. Panels that don’t need re-stuffing, found in most Courbette saddles, ensures that you can use your tack on different horses while still maintaining that great fit to eliminate rubbing and irritation for the horse, regardless of the width of his or her back.

The explosion of the popularity of synthetic material in English saddles, away from leather, has had a major impact. Wintec saddles are the leader in synthetic saddles with all English saddle types now available in durable, waterproof and easy fitting options. These saddles are great for training and also for novice riders and children since they are lightweight and very low care types of saddles. Not all Wintec synthetic English saddles are cheap, but they are high quality and very durable, an excellent investment for novice and experienced riders alike.

Some of the classic saddle makers are also becoming more popular again both in producing competitive saddles for championship events as well as for very high quality riding saddles for the average horseman or horsewoman. Albion saddles have long been a European and British English saddle, but are now found around the world. These saddles come in a variety of styles from competitive dressage through to all purpose saddles. They are leather, very high quality and designed to allow weight to be equally distributed across the horse’s back, ideal for dressage, equitation and jumping where balance and stability for both horse and rider is essential. Advances in available technology enable saddle designers to really study the points of pressure a saddle places on a horse at rest and in a variety of movement and motion.