My first pony ride was in 1967. I was 18 months old. It must have stuck with me because I rode horses forever after that. I have been a professional in the equestrian industry since 1989 and my parents have supported my horseback riding activities all my life. Recently, seeking that formerly ever present support, I shared with my mom my desire to get involved in Western Dressage. Imagine my surprise when she exclaimed “Western Dressage? That’s an oxymoron!” As the conversation proceeded, she came to realize that I had actually been practicing a form of horsemanship that is now being described by that moniker for at least twenty years. When dressage principles are properly applied to our everyday western training the result is not circus tricks, it is not a dressage horse wearing a western saddle, it is not a western pleasure horse making circles, the result is unique; beautiful, harmonious and just plain good for western riding horses.
Jen Johnson, NAWD President, Minnesota Having fun schooling
her Friesian Western Dressage horse (Kaija Johnson)
You might want to ask “What is Western Dressage?” North American Western Dressage, a national organization based in Minnesota, was formed in 2012 to answer that question and to provide resources to people who want more information. This developing discipline is very exciting to many riders, trainers, breeders and exhibitors, who choose horses of all breeds as our partners, and who, for various reasons, prefer to sit in stock type saddles. Good dressage training benefits any horse/rider combination in any discipline and western dressage will open doors for education and increased understanding of classical training previously closed to many. North American Western Dressage is dedicated to finding common ground between the two disciplines, educating riders from all backgrounds, and to making dressage concepts accessible to western riders without minimizing the importance of the training pyramid nor sacrificing the principles that are fundamental to classical dressage.her Friesian Western Dressage horse (Kaija Johnson)
Quarter Horses are pretty schooling Western Dressage too
One simple but primary problem with the integration of western riding and dressage is defining the gaits at which the work will be done. When approached about this, riders voiced concerns that needed to be addressed as NAWD worked to produce the new Western Dressage Rulebook and official NAWD Western Dressage tests. Riders clearly made a distinction between what is typically seen in both the various western pleasure rings and dressage rings and what they want to see western dressage horses doing. The issues inherent in the development of this discipline are compounded by its infancy. Public presentations and media exposure that are inconsistent within the discipline as well as with the principles of dressage (modern, classical OR practical) have made it difficult for the riding public to know what the western dressage ideal should be. NAWD “westernizes” dressage without minimizing the importance of the training pyramid or sacrificing the principles that are fundamental to classical dressage. It is the hope of the organization that western dressage continues to develop into a unique discipline in this country and around the world, one that is distinct from dressage and differentiated from other western riding styles.
NAWD recommends the use of protective headgear for all riders whether
schooling or showing Western Dressage horses (Marion Cox)
North American Western Dressage is in-process of becoming a 501(c)3 organization and is completely dedicated to the use of good western horsemanship and classical dressage training to improve the relationship between horse and rider while acknowledging and respecting the value, talents and comfortable “rideability” of our western working horses. Teaching Western Dressage requires both a classical dressage background and experience with many different breeds in both dressage and western. NAWD resources only the finest and legitimately credentialed clinicians & judges to provide only the best knowledgeable feedback to help members develop their partnership with their horse as well as develop their horse training strategies. NAWD is a USEF Affiliate, a member of Western Dressage University, has a large active membership, evaluates instructor/clinician applicants via a thorough approval process, sponsors classes at dressage schooling shows for western dressage riders all over the country, and insists on the use of USDF recognized judges for shows.
A comment from a recent survey sums it up quite nicely. When this young USDF dressage competitor speaks her mind about the western dressage that is happening in the barn where she rides she say, “I think that the Western Dressage should not have the form of a flat and on the forehand horse, but like what ******** was doing on ******* the other day. That was pretty! Riding that kind of trot, also, makes me want to ride it and it may make other people want to ride it too.” Voilà, Western Dressage! I’ll share more about the surveys next week.
For more information about North American Western Dressage, to read articles, or see the tests through 6th Level visit http://www.northamericanwesterndressage.com, and join them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/NorthAmericanWesternDressage.
Michelle Binder is the founder of the Relational Riding Academy. Relational Riding is a program that utilizes dressage as fundamental training for all horses performing in all disciplines. She has been an ARIA certified Instructor since 1989. She has participated in instructor’s workshops and ridden in clinics with Sally Swift, Mary Wanless, Gerhard Politz, Jeff Cook, Isabelle Judet “O”, Dr. Rudolph Vlatten “I”, and many others. She is currently working on her second book “Relational Riding: A Horsemanship Tutorial,” and has completed work on two professional video productions, “Any Horse, Any Rider: Relational Riding: A Universal Foundation.” and "Understand Riding from the ground up."
A comment from a recent survey sums it up quite nicely. When this young USDF dressage competitor speaks her mind about the western dressage that is happening in the barn where she rides she say, “I think that the Western Dressage should not have the form of a flat and on the forehand horse, but like what ******** was doing on ******* the other day. That was pretty! Riding that kind of trot, also, makes me want to ride it and it may make other people want to ride it too.” Voilà, Western Dressage! I’ll share more about the surveys next week.
For more information about North American Western Dressage, to read articles, or see the tests through 6th Level visit http://www.northamericanwesterndressage.com, and join them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/NorthAmericanWesternDressage.
Michelle Binder is the founder of the Relational Riding Academy. Relational Riding is a program that utilizes dressage as fundamental training for all horses performing in all disciplines. She has been an ARIA certified Instructor since 1989. She has participated in instructor’s workshops and ridden in clinics with Sally Swift, Mary Wanless, Gerhard Politz, Jeff Cook, Isabelle Judet “O”, Dr. Rudolph Vlatten “I”, and many others. She is currently working on her second book “Relational Riding: A Horsemanship Tutorial,” and has completed work on two professional video productions, “Any Horse, Any Rider: Relational Riding: A Universal Foundation.” and "Understand Riding from the ground up."