“Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

The horse is a creature both beautiful and foreign to humans. They are inherently prey animals, and this makes them a challenge for us to understand. I think it's this challenge, in part, that is what draws us to training and riding: the challenge of speaking two wholly different languages, both inside and out, and coming to terms with each other in a partnership that is, in many cases, beyond words.

I believe that the root of all training should be dressage. The lightness and relaxation a horse can gain from basic dressage training is something that a horse in any discipline can benefit from, from huntseat to western to saddleseat. The concepts of classical dressage have spanned centuries (hence "classical"). From as early as 400 BC, the ancient Greek, Xenophon advocated sympathetic and empathetic horsemanship in an attempt to connect the horse and rider in a relationship based on encouragement rather than force. It is through this classical mind-set of encouragement and relaxation, rather than physical force and brutality, that horses are taught to carry themselves and the rider, balanced, relaxedly and forward.

The modern dressage rider tends to paint an ugly picture: Stiff back, braced reins, and a flash noseband gripping tight around the horse's muzzle. The use of gadgets and gimmickry may work in the short run to force a horse into an "outline" but the maintenence of this outline without the necessary muscling and relaxation will cause a horse to break down quickly, both mentally and physically. A horse that is stiff in the jaw is likely stiff throughout it's body, and it's this tension that is the polar opposite of what dressage is all about.

It is through encouragement, patience and understanding of the horse's cognitive process that I train my horses. I work to create trust and partnership, in a clear and concise way that gives the horse a defined place in our herd of two. I also work with riders to build this trust with their equine partners, because without trust, there is a possibility for miscommunication and stress to occur. It is only through trust, encouragement and relaxation that we can obtain the best, most classical relationship with our horses: an empathetic relationship.