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Dressage riding can best be described as a process consisting of thousands of small steps, where the goal is rarely achieved in a single day. Different riders follow different training systems, but fundamentally, it's about the horse being able to keep up both physically and mentally. Additionally, dressage is a highly subjective sport. If you had ten different trainers, they would likely point out ten different areas of your riding. It's not an easy task, but we've taken on the challenge of compiling our thoughts on the 3 most common misconceptions in dressage.
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Many riders make the common mistake of riding out of the corner and diagonally across the arena to achieve an extended trot, but the horse simply rushes forward with short, choppy strides. When speed increases but stride length remains the same, it is not a true extended trot. Extended gaits are primarily about increasing stride length, not increasing speed.
Although this mistake is easy to make, it’s also easy to correct. With proper training, the horse can develop the strength to push off with great power. The horse gradually becomes stronger if you practice many transitions between collected and extended gaits, focusing on encouraging it to alternate between shorter and longer strides.
While it's certainly possible that the rider is holding the reins too tightly, this isn't always the case. A horse going behind the vertical may be a sign that it is trying to avoid contact with the bit and lacks the necessary strength. Dressage requires the horse's posture to be correct and is remarkably similar to strength training. Just as you might struggle when doing something physically demanding, the horse avoids contact because that's easier for it.
Some horses are more inclined to go behind the vertical due to their conformation. The rider's task is to help the horse open up in the front by riding from behind and out to the hand. At the same time, it’s important to recognize that for some horses, it can be challenging to ‘come up and out to the hand.’ Often, giving your horse a few laps with longer reins between exercises can be invaluable, allowing its muscles to relax and prevent them from becoming overly fatigued.
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Foreleg reach might sound strange, so let’s explain it differently: Dressage breeders are increasingly focused on producing horses with extravagant gaits. While this trend is certainly eye-catching, attention should instead be directed to the hind legs.
In a correctly trained horse, the hind leg reaches forward and under the horse’s belly, stepping into the foreleg’s track. This overstepping indicates that the horse's weight has shifted to its hindquarters, and at the same time, it’s supple enough to reach under itself. Don’t be dazzled by a flashy horse if its back is hollow, and its hind legs are trailing far behind.
