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Veteran
Posts: 119
Location: NeverLand | What does everyone think about dressage? is it a good foundation? what are your thoughts? |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
 
| Sure it is a good foundation. The more you can do with any horse the better that horse will be. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
 
Location: on my horse | Dressage or any dressage type moves are great for any horse! Like Whiteboy said the more you can do that is different and gymnastic with your horses the better. |
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 Schnoodle Lover
Posts: 2987
Location: **Cactus Country down in South Texas*** | Its an exallent foundation. Thats what I started out doing when I was younger, and carried over into barrel racing. Taught me alot, and great tech. I still post to this day, but i feel its better for the horse anyways. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I personally would prefer working cow or cutting training over dressage. I don't like the idea of pushing the horse into the bridle continually |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | cheryl makofka - 2014-10-30 12:17 PM I personally would prefer working cow or cutting training over dressage. I don't like the idea of pushing the horse into the bridle continually
Different strokes. I prefer to ride my horses into the bridle-- can't stand one that drops behind the bit. IMO basic dressage done correctly puts an awesome foundation on one that translates well to the barrel pen. |
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 Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | Three 4 Luck - 2014-10-30 12:24 PM cheryl makofka - 2014-10-30 12:17 PM I personally would prefer working cow or cutting training over dressage. I don't like the idea of pushing the horse into the bridle continually Different strokes. I prefer to ride my horses into the bridle-- can't stand one that drops behind the bit. IMO basic dressage done correctly puts an awesome foundation on one that translates well to the barrel pen.
Agreed! Great for horse and rider! |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| I think horsemanship in general is good for a horse, and dressage is amped up horsemanship.
All of my horses can transition smoothly from W/T/L to L/T/W. They can turn on their haunches. They can collect themselves up. They know the difference in speeds in a posting trot and a sitting trot, as well as a collected canter and hand gallop. They break at the poll. They stop when I really sit. They back up. They can counter arc, counter canter, and trot diagonally. My one gelding will almost do the loping pivot, but I can't get my other one to do that.
As far as some of the major serious dressage moves, no they can't do those, but I think every horse should be able to do the basic levels of dressage. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 173
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow | Dressage is good for the horse and the rider. I thought is was easy until I tried it. Not only does it challenge you to have a good seat and good hands and good balance, but it teaches you to really listen and feel your horse in a way that improves your relationship. All of that is hard to get on your own. A good teacher (and you can do western dressage, same thing but western tack) will coach you from the ground and tweek you in such a way that it makes all of the difference. Little things that seem to be so simple are not if they are done correctly. It really softens the horse and relaxes then too because they know and understand what you are communicating. Many people do apply alot of dresage methods without even knowing it. Many great barrel trainers use a fundamental dressage method. We have a lot of western names for the moves but...it's dressage. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Dressage definitely. I had horse that went by the first every time. I had big name barrel trainers try help me but we never got it corrected. Then in college I used him for my dressage class. I continued with my professor thru the summer and when I started back rodeoing not only did I have to go to a lighter bit, we never went past the first again. In dressage your horse is not always on your hands, they learn self carriage too. |
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Veteran
Posts: 173
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow | Nateracer - 2014-10-30 12:27 PM
I think horsemanship in general is good for a horse, and dressage is amped up horsemanship.
All of my horses can transition smoothly from W/T/L to L/T/W. They can turn on their haunches. They can collect themselves up. They know the difference in speeds in a posting trot and a sitting trot, as well as a collected canter and hand gallop. They break at the poll. They stop when I really sit. They back up.   They can counter arc, counter canter, and trot diagonally. My one gelding will almost do the loping pivot, but I can't get my other one to do that.
As far as some of the major serious dressage moves, no they can't do those, but I think every horse should be able to do the basic levels of dressage. Â
I totally agree. |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | I start all my young horses with a dressage foundation. I find it really helps them to carry themselves. I also do jumping, trail riding, etc with all of them. |
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | cheryl makofka - 2014-10-30 1:17 PM I personally would prefer working cow or cutting training over dressage. I don't like the idea of pushing the horse into the bridle continually
just a little information.lol...we dont Push the horse into the bridle constantly.
we also dont drive them into it constantly.if done correctly we ride soft and horse accepts the bit and our aids Subtly.. body language is a must and lightness..
yes some trainers PUSH.. into contact.. and DRIVE with their seat..
but thats not classical dressage..  |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Bibliafarm - 2014-10-30 11:39 PM
cheryl makofka - 2014-10-30 1:17 PM I personally would prefer working cow or cutting training over dressage. I don't like the idea of pushing the horse into the bridle continually
just a little information.lol...we dont Push the horse into the bridle constantly.Â
we also dont drive them into it constantly.if done correctly we ride soft and horse accepts the bit and our aids Subtly.. body language is a must and lightness..
yes some trainers PUSH.. into contact.. and DRIVE with their seat..
but thats not classical dressage..
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Veteran
Posts: 173
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow | That is exactly right. Your horse will seek the contact if done correctly and they will avoid it otherwise. I recently read and article about how the lack of contact can cause the bit to be too loose and bang around in the mouth but also you lose that communication strategy if you lose contact. It's like disconnecting the audio portion of a facetime chat, you can see but you can't hear. It's not about riding with your hands only, the hands are only one aide. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Bibliafarm - 2014-10-30 11:39 PM
cheryl makofka - 2014-10-30 1:17 PM I personally would prefer working cow or cutting training over dressage. I don't like the idea of pushing the horse into the bridle continually
just a little information.lol...we dont Push the horse into the bridle constantly.Â
we also dont drive them into it constantly.if done correctly we ride soft and horse accepts the bit and our aids Subtly.. body language is a must and lightness..
yes some trainers PUSH.. into contact.. and DRIVE with their seat..
but thats not classical dressage..
The horse accepts the aids subtly?
Dressage is known to use the crank (don't know the proper terminology) to tighten the nose band so much it can cause permanent damage.
I heard this can no longer be used in the show ring, but is still used in the warm up and training. |
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | The crank noseband is a tool. Just as spurs, twisted wire bits, war bonnets, etc. are tools. It's all about how they are used. Dressage is great for horses. Teaches them to use their hind end and drive with impulsion. I ride all my horses on the bit. Dressage bits are not harsh at all, you'll see harsher bits in any other discipline. |
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 Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | cheryl makofka - 2014-10-31 11:50 AM Bibliafarm - 2014-10-30 11:39 PM cheryl makofka - 2014-10-30 1:17 PM I personally would prefer working cow or cutting training over dressage. I don't like the idea of pushing the horse into the bridle continually just a little information.lol...we dont Push the horse into the bridle constantly.
we also dont drive them into it constantly.if done correctly we ride soft and horse accepts the bit and our aids Subtly.. body language is a must and lightness..
yes some trainers PUSH.. into contact.. and DRIVE with their seat..
but thats not classical dressage.. The horse accepts the aids subtly? Dressage is known to use the crank (don't know the proper terminology ) to tighten the nose band so much it can cause permanent damage. I heard this can no longer be used in the show ring, but is still used in the warm up and training. 
I know it happens, unfortunatly. But you make is sound like everyone that does dressage does this. I can tell you it is not the norm where I come from.
I started out in English, did both dressage and jumping for 30+ years, and I believe it helps a lot with the rider's balance and the way a horse carries itself. I always believed dressage is the foundation for all disiplines. But that is MHO.
edited because I can't spell...
Edited by cranky B4 10am 2014-10-31 12:05 PM
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The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | cheryl makofka - 2014-10-31 11:50 AM
Bibliafarm - 2014-10-30 11:39 PM
cheryl makofka - 2014-10-30 1:17 PM I personally would prefer working cow or cutting training over dressage. I don't like the idea of pushing the horse into the bridle continually
just a little information.lol...we dont Push the horse into the bridle constantly.Â
we also dont drive them into it constantly.if done correctly we ride soft and horse accepts the bit and our aids Subtly.. body language is a must and lightness..
yes some trainers PUSH.. into contact.. and DRIVE with their seat..
but thats not classical dressage..
The horse accepts the aids subtly?
Dressage is known to use the crank (don't know the proper terminology ) to tighten the nose band so much it can cause permanent damage.
I heard this can no longer be used in the show ring, but is still used in the warm up and training.
Yea, like some TWH folks still sore, some hunter folks put tacks in their front boots to "encourage" neater legs, some barrel racers crank down wire polled tie downs, etc. There's bad practices in every sport. Just like EVERY discipline, when it is done correctly it is totally different. Dressage is about softness and impulsion. Also, the cues/basis for the maneuvers performed with cow horses are steeped in vaquero horsemanship, which is just dressage in a different saddle.
The "crank" you are referring to is known as "rollkur" and it is not only forbidden in the showring, but also in warm up arenas. It is also VERY frowned upon in any other setting. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Three 4 Luck - 2014-10-30 12:24 PM cheryl makofka - 2014-10-30 12:17 PM I personally would prefer working cow or cutting training over dressage. I don't like the idea of pushing the horse into the bridle continually Different strokes. I prefer to ride my horses into the bridle-- can't stand one that drops behind the bit. IMO basic dressage done correctly puts an awesome foundation on one that translates well to the barrel pen.
agree |
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