What is Dressage Naturally?


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(center photo: Peggy Finnerty)

Dressage,Naturally is a name to describe my training philosophy, which puts equal importance on the Mental, Emotional and Physical aspects of the horse. My goal is to achieve the most noble results in dressage while actively preserving and improving my partnership with the horse.

My priority is to be an excellent horseman...who is also excellent at dressage. Typically, trainers of dressage are most expert at developing the body, and natural horsemen are most expert in developing the mind and emotions. Of course the Mind, Emotions and Body of the horse are all connected; you can't develop one without effecting the other. Each is a doorway into the whole horse, yet each require different strategies to make the change.

The key as an ultimate horseman is to know which system you need to address and to use the appropriate strategy. There are master horsemen who can do this unconsciously. It is the goal of Dressage, Naturally to be conscious of this process and to learn how to be the best we can be for our horses so they can be the best they can be...Combining the knowledge of dressage and natural horsemanship creates horses that are not only super athletes, and natural partners...they become more: They become super natural!

It is important to know the different tools or strategies to improve these different categories:

Partnership: The quality of mutual trust and respect between you and your horse
Communication: A 2-way conversation with mental calmness
Motivation: Creating keenness versus obligingness. Cause your horse to try harder
Gymnastic: Building suppleness, balance, engagement, coordination and strength
Connection: Your physical and energetic connection, through the line, reins, your mind and your body

THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF DRESSAGE,NATURALLY

Balance feels good.

Horses and humans will naturally seek harmony if given the opportunity.

Basics of dressage are for the horse; otherwise it has no purpose…see it from the horse’s perspective.

Mental, emotional and physical development are equally important doorways to our goal.

Dressage can only be as good as the partnership, biomechanics, communication and riding skill combined.

Everything comes from and returns to relaxation.

Qualities of dressage can be found in a dynamic of relaxation, energy and balance.

Humans must also have mental, emotional and physical collection.

Freestyle inside the finesse.

Remember the horse’s natural motivators.

Isolate, separate and recombine.

Precision and play in balance.

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(Photo: Coco)

For Horsemanship/Dressage questions: contact Karen Rohlf

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