Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
![]() I bought the fourth edition. Calm, Forward, Straight recommended Erik Herbermann's book, Dressage Formula, and I bought it. I don't purchase every little thing that's suggested, especially books. There are just too many of them, and I already have a small collection, but I am really glad I bought this one. If you're interested, you can find it here from Amazon. I am over half way through the book, and want to read straight through to the end, but I keep making myself stop to think about what I've read, and more importantly, go ride and practice what I've read. Chapter one focused on the rider's mental attitude: having respect for the horse and not anthropomorphizing him. Chapter two was all about seat and position. This was good to read, but nothing new jumped out at me. Chapter three dealt with the aids. The biggest thing I got out of that chapter was an excellent description of the heavy, stiff, or 'resistant' side. Herbermann says that if the horse is heavy to the left, it is the right hind that is the horse's less preferred. In order to help the horse use both hind legs evenly he suggests several things. When riding on the difficult-to-bend side, the rider should send the horse forward with the inside leg, keep a steady and gentle contact with the outside rein, and feather the inside rein by releasing and then slowly closing the fingers back on the rein. He suggests saying twenty-one as you do so. When tracking the other direction, send the horse forward and keep the outside rein steady and the neck absolutely straight. Don't fiddle with the outside rein, but do maintain a passive contact on the inside rein. The other tidbit I really enjoyed from that chapter was to give the aid, get a response, and then stop giving the aid. Bingo! Herbermann is big on letting the horse do his job. We shouldn't go around carrying the horse by doing his job for him. I have a tendency to nag. No more! And then I got to Chapter 4. If you zip on over to your local Barns & Noble to have a peek at this book and you start reading some of it but you don't plan to actually buy it, READ CHAPTER 4! I wish I could just scan the chapter and let you read it. The chapter is called, "Working the Horse." It's basically a color by numbers explanation of exactly how to ride correctly. And for a lower level rider like myself, the advice has been perfectly expressed! The first part that hit home was his description of the three principles of riding: calm, forward, and straight. The forward part really made sense. He says that when a horse is forward, the horse uses more energy than what is needed to get from one point to the next. Through the rider's influences, this excess energy is converted into rhythm. Rushing on the other hand is unbalanced and indicates fear or tension. Lazy movement indicates that the horse is on the forehand and isn't active behind. The next part that gave me a total AHA! was the section on framing the horse. I've heard that term so many times, and it always sounds like a front to back description: Squeeze the horse forward, establish a wall in front with the bit, send the energy back through the rein. In Herbermann's world, the "frame" is on both sides of the horse! The left seat bone, leg, and rein contain the left side of the horse, and the right seat bone, leg, and rein contain the right side of the horse like two riverbanks through which the horse is allowed to flow forward. When the horse is forward and the riverbanks (the seat bone, leg, and rein) waterproof, the energy will be prevented from leaking out laterally. This "frames" the horse! I've been working Sydney (and Speedy, too) with these images in mind. We're definitely making progress. Sydney goes back for lessons next week. We have returned to the pre-rearing and pre-bolting stage which is a good thing. We're now calm and relaxed, but we need to get softer and work better over the top line. I'll keep you posted!
Karen
3/28/2012 12:08:27 pm
Iam eager to get to the end. Since it is so clearly written, it's easy to just zoom through. I'll let you know if I read anything else really mind boggling! 3/27/2012 04:21:31 am
Glad you liked the recommendation! 3/27/2012 04:23:46 am
Hmmm - that link didn't work - paste this into your browser if you want to go there. :)
Karen
3/28/2012 12:09:28 pm
What a great opportunity that must have been! I love the frame idea and not letting the energy leak out - very helpful stuff, indeed!
Kendal
3/28/2012 11:55:33 pm
Pout. They don't have that one for the Kindle yet. I am on business and can't get a hard copy right now. I was able to pick up 101 Dressage Exercises- It is good for me because I have a mare that thinks to much, and trying to accomplish something on a 20 m circle turns her off. This book gives me several patterns and little exercises I can think about so I don't get in a routine in the arena. I like the ideas about the hind end though! Comments are closed.
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About the Writer and RiderI am a lifelong rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010. Welcome to my dressage journey. About Speedy GSpeedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
About IzzyIzzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
National Rider AwardsState Rider Awards
State Horse Awards
Working Towards:
CDS Sapphire Rider Award Third Level: 63.514% Third Level: 62.105% Fourth Level: Fourth Level: 2023 Show Season
Show Rating (***) CDS/USDF/USEF (*) CDS (s) Schooling (c) Clinic (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic 2023 Show Schedule
TBD 2023 Completed … Pending 2023 Qualifying Scores
Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Training Level 3 Scores/2 Judges/60%: Score 1: Score 2: Score 3: Archives
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