Riding a “clean” test without a reader–good! Read More

I may be wrong but I sense that this question is submitted with a bit of attitude attached. My very short answer is some of my riders go showing alone. Some only go when they have help, either coaching, grooming, videoing, or hand holding. And some play it both ways. In the long run I cultivate their independence, and I’m proud when I’m doing a weekend clinic to be receiving texts and scores from my people around the country. Read More

Back in the Dark Ages of American dressage, circa mid 1960s, the term Working Trot didn’t exist. The judges wanted to see (approximately) the same thing as now, but it was called Ordinary Trot—not as sophisticated in frame or balance as Collected Trot, not as ground covering and scopey as Extended Trot. The problem with the term was that many riders who were new to the sport didn’t read the fine print. They saw the word “ordinary,” looked at their hunter or pleasure horse or trail horse shuffling along, and said to themselves, “His trot is about as ordinary as it gets. This sport is for me!” They were naturally disappointed when the judge gave their performance his thumbs down. Read More

You probably don’t read these QOTMs to be told you’re all up the creek with horse problems with no solutions. In this case that’s just semi-true. Some problems have better solutions than dressage ones. Read More

This is a tough one. It may just be that you can’t. Seven means his collected walk is “fairly good” after all, that is, without major flaws. Obviously the score implies that his rhythm is pure, and the “activity” comments indicate he’s putting himself into it. Read More