A to C Dressage Training

23/09/2026

Would you be surprised to hear that I am still learning?

23/09/2026

Keep your aids light!

Riding a horse who is light from the leg aid and light in the hand is a real joy.

Creating this requires the rider to also be light and quiet in their communication.
Constant nagging of the leg and using heavier than necessary leg or rein aids will cause the downward spirol away from responsiveness.

The main things I look to improve is having a horse who willingly takes the rider forward, stays in good rhythm, is responsive and relaxed.

Allowing time for the horse to respond is also key. Taking an aid off and reapplying is better than increasing more and more pressure.

I would teach these principles for riders training their own horses and for riders at riding schools.

21/09/2026

A great day today at Pontispool training with Danny Anholt and Eric Smiley.

As a coach I hope that I guide, advise, support and encourage my riders which I love to do. However I also love being mentored, inspired and challenged to be a better coach. Ive always taken my own training seriously and I am so grateful to have had this session today.

Looking at what we do and how we can improve it is an ongoing thing in my world!

21/09/2026

Really excited to be getting some training for myself today from Eric Smiley and Danny Anholt. We are so lucky to have access to such great trainers.

21/09/2026

Work backwards!!

You would think I would work forwards but we often have to work backwards too!

Once you start to have that idea that you would really love to compete you first need to find a competition date and venue. Obviously it needs to be a competition suitable for your level of training. Then from that date we work backwards.

What do we need to be able to do to complete that test?
Is our training already at that level or will we be learning new things?
How much time will you have to train?
Will anything else impact our training such as the weather, holidays etc.

I like to use the tests to formulate training and even for riders and horses who are not competing its good to have a scale of training. Understanding why some of the movements are in tests really helps.

One of the things I am always thinking about when riding my own horse or training others is that the horse should carry itself. We are not there to hold the horse up - by riding correctly the horse will remain in his/her own balance.

At Introductory level the judges are already looking out for this starting with this movement. A 10 metre circle is ridden in walk from X on either rein, showing a give and retake with the inside rein as you ride the second half of the circle. A simple way to test the balance of the horse and ensuring you are not dependent on the inside rein to turn the horse. Simple but effective.

In another test at Introductory level we ride through a corner and show a give and retake of the inside rein. Its a useful exercise to ride at any level ensuring you have a forward thinking hand and not a backward pull.

So use the tests to improve your training and your understanding. Get used to practising the movements so that you feel comfortable with them.

If you need my help - let me know. This could be in the form of a one to one lesson or from a video review. Please get in touch to book.

16/09/2026

16/09/2026

A really productive session today for Nellie and Carron Saunders.

I really love coaching private pole work sessions as we can get the exercises to help the individual horse and rider.

Today we worked on finding Nellies engine and using that to lengthen her stride. Next week we will be jumping to prepare ahead for the next competition.

After this session I went to teach a very novice off the track ex race horse. On that session we used lots of walk poles to find his legs! His coordination, awareness and foot placement really improved.

16/09/2026

You do not always have to use an arena to school your horse.

Though first I would say that you should consider the ground if you intend to do any faster work. I like to school in the field and use serpentines going up and down the hills in walk. Its great for building a strong hind leg and creating better balance.

Its an interesting environment and prevents the horse being a little bored of the school.

15/09/2026

Wow..this never happens. A space in my diary!

14/09/2026

Adapt and Adjust

This is a key factor in being successful as a rider and horse owner. It fits with the changes of season too when we have to adjust and adapt.

I have been lucky enough to have owned both of my horses right up to their senior ages. Tango was 31 years of age when I lost him to colic but was completely sound and healthy to the day he died. I now face the ageing process again with Dessie who is now 20 years old.

The important thing is to be able to adapt to the horse that is in front of you. Seven years ago I could do longer hacks and take lessons regularly, we even went out competing and won our classes but now things must change.

The routine I used to have for Dessi is no longer appropriate. I have gone from riding six days a week with one day off to exercising no more than three days in a row with possibly one or two days off and this seems to be going well.

I have had to look at her diet carefully and as a horse with EMS and being Spanish this will always be a challenge but at the moment I seems to have that in place too.

So my advice to you.

1. Keep watching the horse in front of you.
2. Write notes in your diary of changes - its useful to look back on.
3. What is working - what is not?
4. Be able to take professional advice if you have a "feeling" about something.
5. Make gradual changes but be prepared to adapt.
6. Be grateful for the time you have and try not to mourn what you no longer can do.