The term dressage is relatively new to the
horse world. The word "dressage" comes from
the French language. It is only used un
relation to, or associated with, animals who
are smart enough to be trained (dogs,
dolphins, elephants, ect.). A translation
would be "The teaching or schooling of an
animal." It means a lot more than the
English word "training." It is more than
simply a physical response to commands such
as sit, come, or stay, such as you might
teach a dog. It refers more to a mental
approach, a deeper understanding of an
animal's mind. "Dressage is the art of
improving one's horse beyond the stage of
plain usefulness, of making him more
amenable, easier to control, pleasanter to
ride, more graceful in his bearing and
better to look upon."*
It would seem to me that dressage, as an
idea, cannot be classified, as a whole, in
just a few words. It takes time to study
what dressage really means. Not the sport of
dressage, but the achievement of it.
Dressage is more than just having a horse do
complex physical maneuvers, it is having a
horse reach the point where he is willing
and able to obey the rider, but not to obey
because he is being forced, but because of a
harmonious communication between the horse
and the rider.
Such a communication, as one might imagine,
cannot be achieved over days, weeks, or even
months. It is the product of much time and
patience. True dressage cannot be hurried or
rushed, but like most things, the end result
is truly worth working and waiting for.
Dressage is not about a headset or a
specific saddle as a bridle. It is, at least
as far as I can tell, about communication.
It is subtle communication between the rider
and the horse, even, and especially at, the
beginning stages of training. It is a
quality of training that exists not just
while finishing the horse, but also while at
the very beginning. Only when the horse is
completely accepting of the rider and
specifically the bit, can a high school
horse be created. It is not about control,
but it is, in essence, about communication.
A rider on a high school horse should be
communicating through imperceptible cues and
aids. There should be only light pressure on
the bit to bring the horse into a period of
suspension. The rider strives to harmonize
with the horse and to use lighter and
lighter cues. The horse likewise is learning
to balance and to control and supple every
muscle and sinew. It is almost a dance, the
rider leading the horse through every step,
and the horse willingly giving his all to
complete the dance.
A dressage type horse is what we should all
be striving to train. A horse that willingly
and eagerly obeys every command. This does
not mean that you must ride in an English
saddle or use English bridles, but is is
rather a way of thinking. We are always
trying to communicate to our horses and we
should always strive to harmonize with our
horse. We need to learn to never be
satisfied with mediocre, but try and try
again to create a light and supple horse,
whether his headset is high or low.
Please, do some research and don't judge by
the saddle or type of horse people ride. And
please don't keep sitting in front of your
computer, go learn to dance with your horse!
* From Dressage: A Study of the Fine Points
of Riding by Henry Wynmalen
