DRESSAGE 101:
BREAKING DOWN
THE KEY COMPONENTS
OF DRESSAGE
An interview with Kathee McGuire, Alabama
My dear friends Susan Havard and Randi Taylor talked me into trying gaited dressage. I had no
dressage background at all even though I had ridden horses since I was 11. I was 48 years old
when I stepped into a dressage ring for the first time in 2012. During my first test, I stepped in the
ring and back out! I was disqualified half way through the test, but the judge was so gracious and
encouraging I continued the pursuit. It has become a way of riding for me and I wish I had begun
this journey at a much earlier age.
WHAT IS DRESSAGE?
In my opinion, dressage is a discipline that is very misunderstood and consequently has received an
underserved reputation of being intimidating. The word dressage itself is a French word that means
the art of riding and training a horse in a manner that develops obedience, flexibility and balance.
Every maneuver has roots that were important to training military horses as early as 430BC. The horses
were required to be responsive, to move from the rider’s legs and seat, to move forward, laterally,
backward, and stop quietly. They were highly conditioned with excellent muscle development
to move in a rounded frame versus hollow backed and transition in and out of various gaits while
maintaining a consistent cadence. As you read this description, what about this is not something
every rider seeks to achieve with their own horse? While we no longer use dressage on a battlefield,
the benefits of this type of training cross over to every single equestrian discipline with no exceptions.
WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD TELL SOMEONE WHO
WANTS TO START THE JOURNEY OR DRESSAGE WITH THEIR HORSE?
When I have students, clients or friends interested in beginning dressage, I am always excited and
so hopeful for them. It is hard to truly express how meaningful the dressage journey can be to a
horse and rider team and I try not to overwhelm them with my excitement! My first advice is to seek
a professional for lessons and this does not have to be a gaited instructor. Dressage instructors do
not have to understand the gait to teach the basics of dressage. What they do understand is shifting
weight to the back end, pushing from behind and relaxation, all of which translate to a better gait.
I encourage them to ask around if they are not in my area and find a local dressage instructor who is
known for being able to break down the basics. People are afraid our gaited horses will be mocked
in a traditional dressage environment. I cannot speak for everyone, but our experience has been
the opposite. These clinicians and judges LOVE their big ground covering walk and steady cadence
which are both really important in the lower levels of dressage. Now that there is a Western and
English track, tack issues have been eliminated. A rider can pursue dressage with any English saddle
and any Western or Endurance saddle riding in their tee shirt and jeans or polo and breeches. It does
not have to be fancy!
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NWHA National News / March 2019