Menu
How many times have we riders heard that "dressage should look easy"? And how many times have we sat on the couch watching world-class riders glide down the centerline with what appears to be minimal rein contact in each hand? How do they do it? Here, we offer a possible explanation for how dressage can look so effortless, even though it's not. As is well-known, dressage's goal is to make it look as if the rider is doing almost nothing.
You might, like us, occasionally ask yourself why you can't make your dressage look as effortless as the top riders. It's hard not to feel hopeless or frustrated when your torso bobs up and down, your face is red as a boiled tomato, and you're trying to sit still with your hands in position.
And let's not lie to ourselves: Dressage is darn hard! In these frustrating moments, we must remember the true depth of what we are trying to achieve with the horse: To make something so hard, complicated, and physically demanding look easy.
When it comes down to it, you know all too well how much blood, sweat, and tears dressage requires. And when you see Dufour, Werth, or Dujardin dancing around on their four-legged superstars, you are witnessing a small miracle that only a few can achieve.
Read also: We need to dare to think outside the box when we train with trailers
Yes, the good riders make it look effortless. But they also have star horses and an endless budget for training. The rest of us ride 'ordinary' horses that have other preconditions and possibilities. So we must work with the horses we have, develop our horses' strengths, minimize their weaknesses, and keep them happy and enthusiastic.
But take a closer look at the stars, and you'll notice sweat dripping from their brows, their breathing as labored as your own, and they are just as surprised as you are when they find out they've won the class. This feeling is universal across levels. Remind yourself of that.
You know you're on the right track when things get tough. The more you develop your ability to communicate effectively with the horse through your body, the more complex the technical aspects of your riding become. This is where you develop a deeper understanding of the difference between something being "simple" and "easy".
Yes, it looks easy to get a horse to change leads on a curved track. But that doesn't mean it's a simple exercise. On the contrary, it's one of the most difficult, because it requires strength, coordination, and balance. It involves knowing when the horse is positioned correctly when exactly to give the aid for the change, and whether the horse is ready for the exercise. Many factors come into play and must be coordinated simultaneously, so it's far from a simple exercise. But it should look easy. Can you see the difference? It's difficult and far from simple.
Remind yourself that it's a good thing if things are tough. It just means that you've come far and are challenging yourself – and thus on your way to becoming more skilled. Quite simply, a lot of work hours go into making things look easy.
Read also: Study confirms that Stallvärme FIR Solarium improves the horse's muscle strength and balance
