Aletheia Dressage

Dressage philosophy

To "sum up" riding philosophy on just one page would be negligent, but I hope to give a small example of some principles that should be priority in a rider's training/thinking process, yet are vastly over-looked.

True understanding of what is actually happening bio-mechanically in the horse (and the rider!) in creating a certain “look” or “feel” is often lost by popular dressage lingo like “more from behind” and “not round enough”. It is vitally important for the success of the horse that the rider understands not just what went wrong, but why did it go wrong, and how we fix it.

Horses must be communicated with in a way that encourages and rewards experimentation, and especially rewards the horse's first notion of the correct response to an aid. It should become the horse's job to notice the rider's position and energy status, and accommodate the request for more or less energy, balance, bend, gait, etc. Also, a rider's recognition skills must be developed so that they are able to discern what is needed next to help the horse and whether the issue at hand is a matter of a: bio-mechanics (Are we being effective at “talking to” the right part of the horse? Are we using our bodies correctly?) b: technique (Do we have effective technique so that the horse understands the aids?), c: physical ability (Does the horse have sufficient strength and skill?), d: psychology (Is our thought process, expectation, and training method in line with the nature of the horse's learning process?), and so on.

All too often, equine disciplines are taught by trying to create the appearance of a particular form or of "submission" as the cornerstone of their curriculum. I believe that any training process that constricts the horse to fit in a certain frame, without, or at the cost of, understanding the principles that create the correct form and function of the horse, is intrinsically amiss.

"To be able to design helpful methods, we have to have profound knowledge. We have to study the horse's anatomy and biomechanics, so that we can decide which part of the system needs strengthening. This leads to the design of movements and exercises which we feel confident will have the desired effect, so that they will compel the horse to activate his muscular system, in the relevant areas." - The Baron Hans Von Blixen Finecke"    

I consider myself incredibly blessed to have studied under mentor Jeff Ashton Moore and briefly with the late Baron Hans Von Blixen Finecke. It is to Jeff I credit the bulk of my training theories and can not express my appreciation enough for his brilliant mind. 

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13