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| photo courtesy Paul Thacker copyright 2012 |
I have seen numerous articles in periodicals in the United States highlighting a new discipline called “Western Dressage” by its devotees and advocates. I initially thought this a rather fun and possibly positive development for the world of dressage, since outsiders not infrequently have the impression of dressage enthusiasts as being uninviting and overly serious. I imaged Western riders all geared up in their colorful attire and tack, trying to learn the basics of elementary dressage principles, while riding traditional American bred horses such as Morgans and Quarter Horses. While I imagined correctly regarding the attire and horses, my imagination was quite mistaken in its hopeful assumption that this new discipline would in some way advance the level of horsemanship in general, by making the principles of dressage known to a wider audience. On second look, I now fear we have a new group of uneducated dressage rider who "does not know what they do not know", as the saying goes. If the first type of uneducated dressage rider could be referred to as the "drive and hold" school, we might refer to the second type as the "ride your horse disconnected and on his forehand and call this lightness" school. In regards to the Western rider, I actually do no think this would matter so much if they considered their discipline something completely unassociated with dressage, and all its own. But, there seems to be a sentiment (and even a claim on their part) that what they practice is in the Classical tradition of Dressage, and not a few of them advertise themselves as Classical Dressage Trainers and Instructors. It is already an uphill battle to keep the Art of Classical Riding alive, due to the genuine lack of legitimate teachers of true Classical riding, as well as the fact that there are only a handful of modern Masters world wide who have a full understanding of its principles and an unbroken link to its tradition. It is not my intention to demean Western riders who participate in this new discipline, merely to suggest that it bears no resemblance to Dressage training whatsoever, and it would be more accurate and respectful to call it something like "Western Pattern Riding".
Any educated dressage enthusiast who has seen even a still photo of a Western trained horse being ridden at what is called a ‘jog’ (Western trot) and a ‘lope’ (Western canter) will immediately notice what distinguishes these uniquely Western ‘gaits’ from any correct dressage gait at any level. In the Western jog, the horse’s hind end is very much disengaged, has no real impulsion, and consequently no real energy. For the Western rider, if there were any significant impulsion or too much engagement, it would spoil the ‘jog’ which is meant to be a rather lazy, pleasant, easy to sit gait - perhaps preferred and even necessary for the Western cowboy who had to sit for long hours in the saddle on the Western range. The Western ‘lope’ is very much the same thing. It is a lazy canter which borders on the four-beat, due to a marked lack of energy from the hindquarters. With insufficient energy traveling from the horse’s hind end, across the horse’s back, and to his front end and mouth, there is no connection between the horse’s hindquarters and his forehand (no working through his back) and consequently no connection between the rider’s hand and the horse’s mouth . This lack of connection means the horse is not permeable to the rider’s aids. This lack of permeability to the aids would probably account for the reason most Western riders use the aid of very large and sharp spurs in order to motivate their horse (whereas in Classical Dressage, the aim is to sensitize the horse to a very light leg aid). Additionally, since there is insufficient energy for the rider to regulate through hand and seat, there is no way to ask the horse to shift his balance and to channel the energy up and into collection - the aim of Dressage.
This leads us to another basic fault in the Western dressage model. Once the properly schooled Dressage horse is strong in his hind end and working through his back, his head and nose naturally fall just in front of the vertical (with a slight ask of the fingers) giving the head carriage of the dressage horse the outline that everyone associates with it. The degree to which the horse’s head is in front of, or at the vertical, is a consequence of the level of collection the horse has achieved (and somewhat also of his conformation). The more the horse is able to shift his weight to his hindquarters, rounding his body and shortening his base of support, the closer the horse’s nose will be to the absolute vertical. The longer the horse’s frame - whether it be because of a novice level of schooling, or because the horse is being asked to stretch - the further in front of the vertical his nose will be (assuming the horse is stretching with his poll above his withers, rather than below). In the first instance (collection), the angle at the poll is more closed. In the second (lengthening), the angle at the poll is more open. For a horse who is still very much on his forehand and ridden in a longer outline (as all the Western dressage mounts are) I would expect the horse’s poll to be more open - in other words, for the nose to be more in front of the vertical than it is displayed in Western dressage mounts. The underlying cause in these Western horses of a poll angle which is too closed for the level of the horse’s training has to do with the manner with which Western riders teach their horse to be “soft” in the bridle, or to yield to the bit. Before starting the horse under saddle (or breaking them as they call it) and sometimes before every ride, the rider will practice from the ground what they imagine are Flexions - they take one rein and pull the horse’s head full around practically to his side until he yields to the bit. I have nothing against teaching a horse to yield to the bit through properly practiced flexions, but this Western version of it (while possibly advantageous for Western disciplines) essentially teaches a horse to avoid the bit, particularly when done with a Western shank rather than a simple snaffle. In Dressage terms, a horse who has learned to avoid the contact of the bit by dropping behind it, is a horse in need of serious and complete re-schooling before any other work can be undertaken. The horse must be encouraged to reach for the bit - to seek the rider’s hand - not to arch his neck in avoidance of it. I should add here that proper reaching for the contact is in no way the same as leaning on the bit, which a horse will do when he is properly connected, but also too much on his forehand. Unfortunately, it seems to be precisely this lack of contact which causes Western Dressage enthusiasts to imagine that they are riding in ‘lightness’ - not knowing that it is only a very advanced dressage mount who has achieved complete self carriage who can be ridden with a rein so soft it can go slack and the horse will remain connected. Teaching the horse to drop behind the contact, while moving with disengaged hindquarters and on his forehand, is pretty well the near exact opposite of the very first principles and aims of Classical schooling.
The one area where there is a significant similarity and overlap between Western riders and Classical Dressage is in the importance accorded the use of the seat. A rider with a well developed and correct Western seat is generally nearly in the same position as a rider with a Classical Dressage seat. This is indeed a very good basis for Western riders to take an interest in Dressage, and probably the reason they sense an affinity with the Classical school. A natural consequence of a highly developed rider seat is the ability of the rider to influence the horse more through the use of his weight, and increasingly less through leg and hand. A Western rider with a highly developed seat is able to do this quite well, and it is this which probably causes them to imagine that they are somehow riding according to Classical Dressage principles. But, without the proper schooling of the horse in the very fundamentals we have discussed above, we still have to call this fine use of the seat Advanced Western Riding, and not Dressage Riding. I might also point out, that as much as I greatly respect a good Western rider with a good Western seat, I see it about as often as I see dressage riders with good seats (which is not as often as one would like). One of the commonest faults one sees in the seat of Western riders is sitting behind the horse’s motion (leaning back behind the vertical). Sometimes this is so extreme the rider’s feet are pushed forward and down against the stirrups (rather than the leg hanging naturally by the force of gravity and the rider’s heels falling down naturally as an outcome of this). The consequences of this to the horse are quite significant - an undue heaviness on the horse’s back, which causes the horse to hollow his back away from the rider. Any time a dressage horse is presented with a tight and hollow back, the first priority of the rider should always be to take the pressure off the horse's back (by going to rising trot or a light seat in canter) to help the horse relax and lengthen his topline. One does not go on sitting and riding complicated patterns, and then press on to riding lateral work, with the horse hollow and resistant. The first priority of any schooling session is a horse who is both physically and mentally relaxed, and thus able to respond to the rider’s aids in a way that builds his confidence and his physique, not wears them down.
Moving disconnected and on the forehand while riding patterns, or simply using one’s weight to move the horse sideways while he crosses his legs, are not in and of themselves Dressage. Unless they are done correctly and with a mind to developing the physique and general education of the horse, their purpose is lost, or even becomes counter-productive and damaging to the horse. Dressage exercises not properly ridden are a mere parody of dressage. Every Dressage movement from half-pass to something as simple as a 20 meter circle has an important purpose in the development of the horse and should be ridden in proper progression. Before attempting half-pass, the horse should be well established in haunches-in. Before haunches-in, he is schooled in shoulders-in, before shoulders-in, a 10 meter circle, and before that a correctly ridden 20 meter circle. All of this takes years to accomplish if it is done correctly. You can claim to be riding elementary dressage if this work increases the strength of the horse’s hindquarters and core muscles, supples him both laterally and longitudinally, and increases the ability of the horse to bend and flex the joints of his hind legs and place them more under his center of gravity. Any patterns or lateral work ridden not with this aim, cannot be called Dressage at all. From the point of view of the development of the horse, incorrectly ridden work will actually do harm to the general level of Dressage, causing one-sidedness and muscular resistances that are harmful to the horse’s health, particularly his joints. Riding the horse too much on his forehand is not only contrary to the fundamental training philosophy of Dressage, it will cause early onset of arthritis in the horse.
Were riders in general (English as well as Western dressage riders) more diligent about learning what correct Dressage is before deciding they are proficient at it, the general level of horsemanship in this country would increase quite a bit. The pity is, that many of these riders have a very nice way with horses and a deep love for them, and I imagine might be quite capable of increasing their level of skill and knowledge were they to realize just what it is they are lacking. Perhaps the fault here lies more in the lack of educational opportunities in this country, as well as the lack of any real tradition, or access to Masters of Classical horsemanship. Dressage schooling should indeed be the basis for the proper start of any horse, and should continue until the horse is confirmed in his elementary schooling when the rider can then specialize in any discipline - whether it be High School Dressage, Jumping, or even Western riding. Once a horse is schooled in the fundamentals of elementary Dressage he can be a handy, healthy and reliable mount for any discipline. A horse continuing on for more advanced Dressage work will be well prepared to begin schooling higher degrees of collection. The mount intended as an Eventer or Jumper will have the foundation for shortening and lengthening of strides so necessary when approaching a fence or between fences, and he will be more able to respond to a half-halt and to ‘collect’ himself in preparation for the take off at a jump. Even a Western trail horse can benefit from the gymnastic training of Dressage, which will help strengthen his muscles, and teach him to use his body to negotiate difficulties of balance (and I might add that the reverse is also true). This is not to mention that correct Dressage will make any horse stronger and more supple - in short healthier, more beautiful in his form and longer lived. It will also develop the natural gaits of any horse - not diminish them. One thing that I do love about Western dressage is the understanding that it is for any horse, not just for horses with big, flashy gaits. But, now that they’ve understood that, let’s share with them the knowledge to develop those Quarter Horse and Morgan gaits in a way which shows that every breed of horse can amplify the expression of his natural gaits, and show himself with the nobility of increased self carriage.
I hope none of this sounds too critical of Western riders in general. I have tremendous respect for a good Western rider, and find some of their disciplines quite amazing, and others simply fun and friendly in a way that English disciplines too often lack. There are also great practical benefits to Western training which any one who has watched a real working ranch cannot help but admire and respect. What I am saying, is that I find it unfortunate that Western riders call their new discipline Dressage, and I find it presumptuous that they consider it Classical Dressage and even sell themselves as Classical Dressage Trainers. If it takes about ten years to create a Classical rider at the Spanish Riding School, why do they suppose that they have mastered it well enough to teach it, having only just discovered it? I would never dream of taking my horse into a field of cattle, running him at them, sending the cows in every direction, and calling this “reining”. Additionally, if I had done this repeatedly over time, I would certainly not advertise myself as a Reining Instructor. I consider reining to be a skill which takes much precision, timing, feel and a highly developed ability to communicate with the horse (not unlike dressage in this). Should I wish to pursue it, I would first make sure I understood what its purpose is, and would then seek out someone much advanced in the discipline to teach it to me. It is my hope that Western riders will show the same respect for a discipline about which they know very little, before assuming a title they do not even know the definition of. Were all riders to show this kind of interest and respect for other riding disciplines, we would have an equine community more able to appreciate the unique talents of other riders, and even to learn from them. But when we have another instance of riders, “not knowing what they do not know” this can only lead to more misunderstanding and even rancor across disciplines, and certainly does nothing to raise the general level of Horsemanship all around, which should always be our primary purpose in promoting any Equine activity. Were Western dressage enthusiasts to change its name to something more accurate like “Western Pattern Riding”, I would be the first to cheer them on in their creative new activity. Not only this, I might feel inspired myself to don some really colorful Western wear, borrow a Western saddle, take my best trail horse to one of their events, and have myself a whole lot of fun giving it a good try. And if I scored rather badly at my first show, I would expect nothing less - knowing that I am certainly no expert at Western Pattern Riding.
Lisa Scaglione Classical Dressage
