It is sad to see that competition dressage is in the spotlight yet again for all the wrong reasons. The footage of Charlotte Dujardin shows her whipping a horse with a lunge whip multiple times to improve its canter. This is totally unacceptable and unnecessary. Horses will willingly do what they are physically able to do and what they understand through training.
This latest scandal is not the first video showing a professional, world renowned trainer or rider maltreating their horses, and yet nothing has changed. Over decades, the FEI and British Dressage have consistently failed to respond to the mounting evidence of abusive training. They continue to reward riders showing horses that are blocked through their necks and back, disengaged in their haunches, producing paces that are uneven and incorrect. Spurs are used to force the horse forward, bits are used to pull horses in from the riders hands and nosebands are tightened to prevent the horse from showing any sign of pain. Rather than tackling the issue head on and changing the judging and scoring, the FEI brought in rules to show that they are serious about tackling animal cruelty. The recent blood rule, where a horse is eliminated for having blood in its mouth or on its sides, fails to acknowledge the simple fact that no horse should ever have blood anywhere on its body as a result of being ridden. Current competition training methods circumvent correct dressage principles. The rapid training used by many competitive riders today takes little account of the original dressage training goals on which the competition was based. The horses are pushed to perform and become mere vehicles for the rider's ambition. Charlotte Dujardin now joins an ever increasing list of international riders who have been seen to be abusing horses and she will not be the last. Some of these riders are still competing despite being investigated on more than one occasion. When will the judges start to penalise riders showing horses in distress through incorrect movement and training? When will the FEI and British Dressage step up and make the huge changes necessary for competitive dressage to be once again focused on the horse and correct training principles? ©Diane Followell, Classical Dressage Trainer. Training Riders Transforming Horses In my last blog I looked at the qualities of a good piaffe shown by Jessica von Bredow-Werndl in the warmup area. (Click here to read it) This month I am looking at some of the problems that can occur in piaffe. This one is shown by Charlotte Fry whilst competing at the ECCO FEI World Championships 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohr_Vex4m4c&t=26s and the piaffe starts at 1 minute 7 seconds. In a correct piaffe the horse needs to engage its haunches, lighten it’s forehand and elevate the head and neck position. If the horse is prevented from doing this either by a lack of strength and balance or by the rider blocking the movement, the trot diagonal steps elevation and and straightness are lost. In this clip, as the rider approaches the piaffe from a passage, she makes a backward movement of her hands to bring the horse to piaffe. This action causes the horse to brace its neck and jaw and lose its forward momentum. To correct this the rider uses her spurs. The horse is now blocked between the rider’s hands and her legs and is unable to engage its haunches for the piaffe and the diagonal rhythm of the trot steps is lost (1 minute 7 seconds). (Picture 1.07 A) Due to the disengagement of the haunches, the momentum of the piaffe has gone and the rider is now using a lot of leg and spur to create some steps. Her hand position does not change and forces the horse to drop its head behind the vertical and place its weight into its forehand. (1 minute 7 seconds). (Picture.1.07 B) As the piaffe continues, the horse remains blocked by the rider’s hands and, unable to correctly engage his haunches, there is a continued deterioration of the diagonal trot steps. This results in the horse’s forehand swinging from side to side (1 minute 8 seconds). Picture 1.08 A This picture also shows the left diagonal breakdown with the hind foot moving off the ground before the forefoot and the fore legs stepping out to the sides rather than stepping cleanly up and down. The next sequence of pictures (1.09, 1.10 A and 1.10 B) shows the continued breakdown of the steps as the horse makes sidesteps in the forelimbs and rocks its shoulders from side to side In picture 1.12, the horse is blocked and diagonal rhythm of the trot steps is completely lost as the horse has all four feet on the ground at the same time. © Training Riders, Transforming Horses
![]() With the Olympic games in Paris this summer, I am taking a look at some of the advanced movements that will be shown in the dressage competitions, how they should look and the problems that can occur. In my last blog I reviewed tempi flying changes, “A View of Tempi Flying Changes" (click here to read) and this month I am taking a look at piaffe. The piaffe is on Jessica von Bredow-Werndl’s Facebook page, showing a few steps of piaffe in a warmup arena, and can be found here; https://www.facebook.com/reel/389800653416534 Although this is only a few steps of piaffe, it is a good example of the movement. The horse is light and well engaged in his haunches. The joints of the hind legs are flexing and the feet are raised to the same height and move up and down without deviation. The rider sits softly with relaxed legs and the weight of the reins in her hands. The horse is able to place its head and neck where it feels most comfortable without the rider dictating the position. As the rider makes a turn in the piaffe, the steps remain the same. At the end of the movement, the horse moves calmly forward. © Training Riders, Transforming Horses For my blogs this year I am looking at some of the movements that we see at higher levels of competition and reviewing what is desired from the movement, and some of the problems that can occur. This month I am looking at the sequence of flying changes at every stride performed by Edward Gal at the Dutch Dressage Championships in 2021. The full video of the test can be seen here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzwxmnhGWvA&t=274s. The particular section I am discussing in this blog is a sequence of flying changes made at every stride which start at 4 minutes 15 seconds. For reference, below is the definition of a flying change from the FEI rules. 4.8 Flying Change of leg. The flying change is performed in one (1) stride with the front and hind legs changing at the same moment. The change of the leading front and hind leg takes place during the moment of suspension. The aids should be precise and unobtrusive. Flying Changes of leg can also be executed at every 4th, 3rd 2nd or at every stride. The Horse, even in the series, remains light, calm and straight with lively impulsion, maintaining the same rhythm and balance throughout the series concerned. In order not to restrict or restrain the lightness, fluency and ground cover of the flying changes in series, enough impulsion must be maintained. The main issue that can be seen with these flying changes is the impulsion being blocked by the rider’s hands. Impulsion has become the main force that dressage focuses on to the detriment of other qualities. Many horses now perform a flying change with weight in their forehand, disengaged haunches and a lack of lightness. This forces the horse to make the flying change by pushing up from their fore hand and swinging their haunches from side to side, not straight and effortlessly flowing as they should be. In a flying change the rhythm and tempo of the canter should not change and the horse’s legs should appear to switch effortlessly under their body with no upward bounce. The issues with this sequence of flying changes begins with the turn on to the diagonal. At this point there is a backwards action on the inside rein, and the horse swings it’s head to the right (4 minutes 18 seconds). This is immediately followed by a heavy action on the left rein causing the horse to twist its nose to the left. These aids take the horse off balance immediately prior to the flying change sequence. Throughout the sequence of changes, the rider maintains a backward pressure on the reins. This blocks the horse from coming through correctly with its hind legs, placing weight into the forehand and causing the horse to make the transition from one lead to the other by swing its haunches from side to side. (A) (B) (C) (D) The rider continues to contract the horse through its head, neck and shoulders with a restrictive hand through the sequence of steps. This prevents the horse from flowing through with its hind legs and after a few strides, the 3-beat canter breaks down into a 4-beat canter. The horse makes more exaggerated movement in each stride, bouncing up from its front legs rather than swinging smoothly through. (E) (4 minutes 25 seconds). Correct flying changes should be straight and flow through the horse’s body from the hind legs. This gives a smooth transition between the strides where the leg sequence changes effortlessly under the horse without the forehand leaping off the ground and preserves the 3-beat rhythm.
© Training Riders, Transforming Horses This month I’m taking a look at some footage of dressage shown at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The video is of Canadian rider Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu riding the transition between passage and piaffe. You can watch the full test here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGSYdsItiqU. I am focusing on the quality of the passage, the transition into piaffe and the piaffe itself. This is a complicated sequence of movements that require the rider to have great tact and timing of the aids. The passage starts at 5 minutes 37 seconds as the pair come out of the extended trot. The rider makes a backward movement on the reins which contracts the horse’s head and neck position creating a passage that lacks suspension. The steps are uneven, showing a breakdown in the diagonal movement of the horse’s legs because the horse is unable to correctly bring its haunches under due to the contraction in its neck and braced back. As they turn out of the corner, the horse’s inside leg hind is disengaged and it has braced its ribcage placing weight in its forehand. The horse loses balance and rhythm through the turn from the long side (5:44) As the horse approaches the piaffe transition, the rider makes several heavy backward movements on the reins, causing the horse to open its mouth and cross its jaw, and for the trot rhythm to falter (5:51). In the piaffe steps, the horse is contracted in its neck and disengaged in its hind legs placing weight in its shoulders with no engagement of the haunches.
The next sequence of pictures shows the horse with its right hind leg moving straight up and down, whilst the left hind leg swings outwards. At the top of the step there is a circular movement of the foot, and the left foot moves inwards as it is replaced on the ground. The horse starts to swing its haunches from side to side with greater disruption to the diagonal pairing in the stride. The piaffe is incorrect and beyond improvement (sequence of stills from 5.52 to 5:55). © Training Riders, Transforming Horses Following on from my last blog on canter, I’m looking at counter canter for this blog. In essence, counter canter is cantering on the outside lead. All horses can perform counter canter, but it must be done in balance and with the correct rhythm for the horse. Counter canter is an exercise that improves the canter by engaging the horse’s haunches, making canter rounder and more active.
Counter canter is often taught by establishing a correct canter lead and then changing the rein across the diagonal, maintaining the same canter to put the horse into counter canter. Whilst this has its benefit, it does create difficulties for the horse. Often, they start to back off as they approach the corner, and it also creates a tight turn through the corner which can take the horse off balance unless it is tactfully ridden. Making a counter canter transition on the long side is easier for the horse, but more challenging for the rider who must be attentive to the rhythm, impulsion, straightness and balance of the horse throughout. By using this method, the horse becomes very responsive to the rider’s aids, which make flying changes easier to teach. If the horse makes a mistake and gives the incorrect canter lead, do not be tempted to stop them immediately, as this will destroy the horse’s confidence. Canter for a few strides, quietly return to trot and set the transition up again, with attention to the quality of the trot and the tact of the aids. To perform a good counter canter, the horse must be supple and strong to retain his balance. Initially, ride the corners as shallow as possible to give the horse the best change to hold his balance. Often, when the horse loses balance, he will speed up or change the canter lead, usually becoming disunited. When this happens, calmly return to trot or walk, re-establish the balance and impulsion, and ask again. © Training Riders, Transforming Horses Canter is a 3-beat pace with a moment of suspension between each stride. The canter should be as smooth as possible, without an excessive up and down movement in the fore hand and should be straight. Straightness is difficult to achieve because the sequence of legs tends to move the horse into a crooked position, haunches slightly to the inside or to the outside.
There are many different ways of giving the canter aid, and each has their own merit. However, Nuno Oliveira said that the use of the outside leg to give the canter aid would result in straighter flying changes, whilst the inside leg maintains the impulsion and bend. In the transition, it is important that the rider sits in a well-balanced position, with their shoulders facing forward. If the rider’s balance changes or they turn their body, it will result in the horse’s haunches deviating from the line of travel, making the canter crooked. Looking at the writings of the classical masters, they did not canter a horse in the school before the horse has been suppled, balanced, strengthened in trot, some even waiting for the horse to piaffe before cantering! By waiting for the trot work to become established, the horse is then better able to canter straight and balanced. If a horse is encouraged to canter in the school out of balance, he learns the canter with a crooked body which can be difficult to correct. When you canter your horse, make the transition when he is not resisting, and only canter for a short time, the quality of the stride and balance is more important than how long you canter for. The transition to and from trot should be ridden frequently and in balance without weight in the reins. These transitions are important for the development of flying changes. © Training Riders, Transforming Horses ![]() In this blog I’m looking at trot, the most useful pace for training horses. The diagonal pairing of legs in the steps provide equal movement on both sides of the horse (unlike canter) and it has natural impulsion (unlike walk). These gymnastic qualities help to create a horse who supple and balanced, providing the trot is ridden correctly. As with walk and canter, it is important that the rider knows the horse’s natural trot. It is this rhythm that should be used for this horse’s trot, maintained with a level of impulsion appropriate to the horse’s level of training; too little impulsion the horse struggles to maintain the stride, too much power and the horse becomes unbalanced. Once this is established, and the horse can travel around the outer sides of the school without using the reins for support, in a free moving regular and balanced way, other exercises can be introduced. Common faults in trot occur when horses are ridden to fast, where the rider blocks the horse with their hand or legs, or when the horse is collected or extended before they are physically or mentally ready. This can be seen in one or more of the following faults; loss of rhythm, breaking of the diagonal pairs of legs, restricted movement in the horse’s shoulder, stiff hocks, hovering hind leg, rigid back, contracted neck, jogging, weight in the horse’s shoulder. Generally, these can be corrected by returning to the basic trot work and re-establishing the horse’s natural rhythm through improved balance and impulsion. © Training Riders, Transforming Horses This month I’m looking at the gait of walk, a pace that is often over looked as a training tool and frequently over ridden. Walk is a four-beat pace, left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore with no moment of suspension. There should be 4 regular beats to the steps, 1-2-3-4, not a broken rhythm which often seen now where the beats are 1-2, 3-4. The horse should walk slowly with activity and power. Developing this is not easy, often riders push the horse with their legs to create some impulsion, but unfortunately this usually serves to break the rhythm of the walk and some horses can now be seen making a 3-beat stride where they move a lateral pair of legs at the same time. What is most important is that the horse remains in balance and does not put weight into its shoulders. The rider should move their back and pelvis with the horse’s back, and to extend or collect the walk, the rider must use their back and waist, not their legs which will press the horse too much and cause a break in the rhythm. Riders that move their arms in a pumping action are not correctly using their back and seat. Although walk lacks natural impulsion, it is a good learning pace for horse and rider. Developing new exercises in walk gives the rider and horse time to understand the aids and position required for the movement. Both have the space to think and explore the movements, feeling the necessary corrections and for the horse to develop his balance. Riding lateral movements in a steady rhythmical walk develops strength and suppleness in horses. When you are short of time, riding lateral movements in walk are far more beneficial to the horse than trotting or cantering for the same period of time. © Training Riders, Transforming Horses The rider’s position is critical to the movement of the horse. Despite the massive inequality in size between a horse and rider, it takes only a very small movement from the rider to direct the horse. These small movements should help the horse to move freely and easily follow the rider, but if the rider becomes unbalanced, blocked or tense, they serve to negatively impact the horse. Think about carrying someone on your back. If they don’t hold themselves, their weight pulls heavily down, if they are very stiff and inflexible, they block your movement or if they sit to one side, the muscles on that side of your body have to work harder for you to stay straight. All these positions are uncomfortable for both of you, make it difficult for you to move, and makes you quickly tire. It is similar for your horse. When a rider is not in the best position, they are less able to follow the horse’s movement through their seat and back, and often over use their hands and legs to compensate for the imbalance. Unbalanced or blocked riders can frequently be seen overriding their horse in order to try and achieve the response that they desire, but this has the opposite effect because it further blocks the horse. The solution is to re-establish your balance, release any over tense muscles and give lighter aids (see the case studies to find out more) The most important aspect of a good position is that rider is remains perfectly balanced with their horse, moving precisely in time with the horse and not blocking in any way. In order to accomplish this the rider must put is a lot of work developing their position and balance so that they are able to correctly train the horse to their aids. Once this becomes a natural position for the rider, they have control over their aids and can direct the horse, and the work does not end here, a rider must continue to refine their aids to develop more subtle communication with their horse. We must not forget that the horse is very sensitive to our body and will pick up on the slightest movement. Riders who are out of balance or who override their horse will always have difficulty in their training. © Training Riders, Transforming Horses
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AuthorDiane Followell Classical Dressage Trainer ![]()
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