Dressage Education ~ Rider’s Be Wary
Kristin Hermann I came to Pittsburgh in 1978 to train with one of the only dressage trainers in the United States. I found him in the back of a Dressage & Ct magazine and put together that he was just outside Pittsburgh, and so was my grandmother. I interviewed one Easter weekend, totally intimidated by […]
On the Bit,” a nuance of dressage!
A horse on the vertical and working over its back differentiates dressage from other forms of riding. The horse’s nose is on the vertical when the horse flexes at the poll or atlas joint, and its nose is tucked in. And if the horse is tracking up, or taking a full stride under the seat […]
Is my horse on the bit?
On the bit means that the horse is stepping up or lifting under the rider’s seat to a connection with the bit. As a result, the horse is “on the bit.” I have heard it is also called “on the aids.” So what does that mean, on the aids? Well, the horse is connecting to […]
First Dressage Lesson, with Kristin Hermann
I call my first lessons “my getting to know you lesson.” I know, and I want my students to know. Teaching to me is a dialog. My typical first question is, what are your three natural aids? It is amazing what riders do not know: the legs, seat, and hands. And the secret to riding […]