Last weekend our barn attended the first Western Dressage classes in our area. It was a beautiful day to ride in a beautiful venue at a facility where the idea of western dressage has been warmly accepted. It was such a nice feeling to share space with dressage riders and enthusiasts, most of whom were very curious about the discipline. We rode all the North American Western Dressage Tests through Level 4 and found the tests different, fun, progressive and challenging. It was very encouraging to me to stand back and view the in gate area between the warm-up and competitive arenas. As an observer, I found myself torn between the two worlds… the western rider in me felt triumphant; there were the stock saddles right next to the dressage saddles! Truly a dream come true for an avid western rider whose horses have great fundamental dressage training. The dressage rider in me on the other hand was thinking, “OMGosh! What a nightmare that could be!” For someone else, the dream-nightmare could be flipped. It’s all in your perspective, that much is certain.
The spectators had positive feedback and many were surprised by the fact that our horses went forward! One of our competitors was surprised by how much more relaxed she felt riding the tests in her stock saddle than in her dressage saddle. “It was a unique experience riding the dressage figures in the western tack and attire. I felt so much more comfortable and it was fun!” I wondered why more of those spectators (read “western riders”) weren’t riding the tests too… When I asked I was surprised by the answer: “We are all waiting to see what it is supposed to look like!” That is all fine and good, but think a minute… If Edison had waited to see what a light bulb was supposed to look like, we would all still be in the dark! The point is, there is still so much variation in the expectations for the discipline that even if ten barns came to the show, there might be ten different expressions of the test work in the arena. Even the USDF certified judges are going to put their own spin on it until there are some definitive guidelines, recognized by USEF and the judges for the riding of the western tests. Honestly, scores around the country from various venues are ranging from the 30’s to 80+%.
Last week I promised I would update you on specific areas where boundaries are beginning to dissolve at the organizational level. Since USEF will not be licensing Western Dressage for some unknown duration of time, show organizers at all levels are free to choose any of the tests and rules that are currently offered on the WD smorgasbord, including but not limited to, the Basic and Primary Level USEF Morgan Breed Division Western Dressage tests. In an attempt to acknowledge the current diversity within the discipline, show organizers have started offering exhibitors the opportunity to ride ANY test they want to ride, from any organization that has published tests. This may be an ideal opportunity to really determine how multiple demographics are distributed throughout the geographic regions of the country and within the discipline itself. Jen Johnson, NAWD CED continues to reach out to build cohesiveness within Western Dressage and states: "We extend an invitation to any other Western Dressage groups out there to reach across the aisle and recognize that, even though we have differences, we are all here because we share a passion for good horsemanship. Whether you think Western Dressage is a dressage horse in a western saddle, the foundation for any discipline, or the making of a traditional bridle horse, we believe that everyone brings something to the table."
So the invitation has been extended. You can live your dream, turn your nightmare into a dream or dare to dream something new. But until we all start riding together, talking and cooperating, it may stay really dark out here for a long time.
If you have feedback regarding this column or any questions related to Western Dressage, please send email to [email protected].
If you would like your western dressage 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].
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.
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."