The eleventh in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder

If I go to a restaurant and order lemonade, I do not expect to receive a glass of ice water with a lemon wedge on the rim of the glass.  When I am thinking about what western dressage is to me, I envision a discipline as fully flavored as that glass of lemonade.  In fact, my vision for the future of western dressage as an independent and unique equestrian discipline may be more like strawberry lemonade! 

As a dressage instructor and trainer with a clearly classical background in the sport, forgive me if my expectation of dressage in ANY saddle remains in line with the classical training principles. That means fully flavored, delicious western dressage lemonade with varieties of expression in all the gaits (working, stretching, collected, extended, free etc.), not simply for the sake of it, but because the various expressions both progress the training of the horse and are further developed during the progression of training. Stretching both ensures relaxation of the horse’s body and mind when used as a training tool, and proves relaxation, especially when asked for as a test requirement. In a similar manner, as we develop lengthenings, we cultivate a better capacity for balance and greater energy and expression. That balance and energy develop strength and improve the horse’s capacity for collection. Likewise, as collection develops over time, strength and balance further improve and the scope and expression previously only expressed as a lengthening of the gaits, becomes extension. Ultimately, the dressage horse and rider have access to the full continuum of expression the horse is capable of.

Western dressage should not be a watered down version of dressage, a glass of water with lemon if you will, that only asks for parts of the dressage training.  It should express all the component parts of dressage training as progressive training. Western riders and trainers should be allowed to develop our wonderful horses all the way through the classical training toward the epitome of collection, piaffe, as well as toward the epitome of maximum expression, extension. And the horses should be respected for the capacity to which they CAN do this, on a scale that respects softness, connection over the entire topline, and individual genetic capacity for movement and expression in the gaits. Our western dressage horses deserve to be evaluated against an ideal that rewards smoothness, obedience and “rideability” in a unique way in the competitive arena, but that retains the classical exercises and their proper execution.

Now you might be wondering about the strawberries in that perfect glass of western dressage lemonade. If dressage is the lemonade that forms the base of training, the western work is the strawberries that make the drink special and delicious to those of us who love our western horses, tack, and attire. In order to fully develop western dressage, there must also be respect and inclusion of uniquely western elements in the training. What is the best way to do that? Some think it is enough to let us ride in our western tack and attire, answering the helmet question in whatever manner we choose, but keeping dressage the primary focus of the discipline. Some think western dressage should be patterned after vaquero horsemanship, some after reining, and some after western pleasure. Some want to “westernize” the dressage movements and exercises in such a way that what is classically defined becomes a western version and which then loses its connection to classical dressage, or, use a western equivalent in language to make the discipline more “western friendly.” 

Two such exercises are shoulder-in and turn on the forehand.  In the case of shoulder-in, we must retain the shoulder-in as it is classically defined and not allow what is truly classically defined as leg-yield to become defined as “western shoulder-in”. These exercises have different developmental consequences and their use as building blocks to more advanced movements must be understood so the ultimate result is proper carriage in all the movements beyond them in the training. That is the nature of progressive training. In the case of the turn on the forehand, the difficulty is in the definition of the movement itself. When properly executed, the dressage turn on the forehand maintains the rhythm of the walk and the horse’s front legs transcribe a smaller circle than the rear legs as the rear legs bring the haunch around the forehand. In the western turn, the horse should maintain the position of the pivot foot while the haunches turn around the forehand. One exercise tends to elevate the forehand and improve suppleness as well as strengthen the diagonal connection, while the other prohibits forward motion and tends to discourage elevation of the forehand. So should the tests require BOTH movements to show the riders complete understanding of both western work and dressage? If so, at what level of competition? 

Can we envision a Western Dressage Grand Prix that reads:  “A, enter collected lope/canter.  X, halt, salute.  Sidepass right 6 six steps.  Sidepass left 6 steps.  Proceed in passage.  Before C, collected jog/trot.  C, track left. HXF, extended jog/trot.  F, collected jog/trot.  A, down center line, D to R halfpass right.  R, collected trot.  C, collected lope/canter left lead.  H to X, halfpass left in lope/canter.  X, canter pirouette.  X, spin left.  X, halt.  X to G, collected lope/canter right lead.  G, canter pirouette right.  G, spin right.  G, halt.  Proceed …. A, down centerline, run down, slide, back up.  X, halt, salute.”   Anyway, you get the idea.

I’m getting excited for strawberry lemonade, how about you?

For more information about North American Western Dressage, to read articles, explore the 2012 Rulebook,  see the tests through 6th Level, or start your free basic membership visit http://www.northamericanwesterndressage.com, and join them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/NorthAmericanWesternDressage.

If you would like your story to appear in this column, please email 200 words and a 300 dpi .jpg photo file of you and your horse with credits to [email protected].

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 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."