Why (oh why) Dressage?!

The word ‘Dressage’ doesn’t make a lot of people jump up and down with excitement. A certain snooty attitude comes to mind, Dressage ‘divas,’ an overall dreadful affair of riding round and round in circles in a boring arena with no fun what-so-ever, right? To all of you who are even the slightest bit open to rethinking these notions I’d like to say: It can be enjoyable, fruitful and fun! I’m here to help you and your horse to become better partners. So please read on and come for a free trial lesson/training session to the beautiful facility at Valley View Farm in Santa Ynez and see for yourself!

Dressage for young horses
Dressage gives your young horses a super foundation. Regardless of breed or discipline, English or Western, the mental and physical training boosts any horse’s confidence, muscle tone, rhythm and balance. Top trainers such as Lester Buckley and Jane Savoie are promoting the advantages for young horses being started in Dressage, acknowledging the tremendous value it creates for their future.

Dressage for horses at all levels and backgrounds
Dressage is proven to have a great impact on maintaining a healthy horse throughout all stages of his life. More riders with backgrounds in the worlds of Hunters, Jumpers, Eventing, Cutting, Reining, Trail Riding, Pleasure Riding and Driving have discovered the big benefits of cross-training their horses in Dressage. Healthy muscle tone, great balance and athletic ability in all types of disciplines give the competing horse and rider an edge while the pleasure rider may enjoy a safer, more well-balanced horse in uneven terrain or anywhere they may go.

Dressage for aging horses and horses of all breeds
There is no denying it: Dressage helps your horses’ aging process. A well-trained Dressage horse often reaches his athletic peak at the age of 14-19 years before becoming a valuable schoolmaster teaching riders advanced Dressage movements for many more years to come. But Dressage is not just for Warmbloods -- Arabians, Quarterhorses, Thoroughbreds, Mixed Breeds, Iberian Horses, Mustangs, Ponies, you name it, horses of all breeds and ages can improve their health, ridability and general longevity with some basic Dressage training. Believe me, it’s worth a try.

Dressage for riders of all backgrounds and ages
So much talk about the benefits Dressage has to offer to our horses, but what about the riders? Riders of all ages and backgrounds, too, can increase their ability to handle their horses by adding Dressage to their repertoire. People speak multiple languages so why not ride in a different discipline? There are many advantages such as an improved balance in the saddle, a better understanding of your horse’s motion process, a sense of building a trust-based partnership between you and your horse -- and, believe it or not, IT CAN BE FUN for you and your horse! 