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

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