Dressage Today

20/11/2025

🐴“This virus can spread fast, it can be deadly, and the earliest signs are often so subtle they’re easy to miss. That’s why monitoring your horses right now is critical. The quicker we identify a potential case, the better chance we have to protect not only our animals, but the entire Texas equine community.”🐴
~ Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, after veterinarians confirmed a particularly aggressive strain of EHV-1 in Central Texas

The Texas Department of Agriculture is urging horse owners, trainers and venue organizers in the state to be vigilant to prevent transmission of the highly contagious virus. Click on the link below to learn more and what events might be affected.

The state is urging horse owners, trainers and competition organizers to be vigilant after a particularly aggressive and highly contagious strain of EHV-1 was confirmed in Central Texas.

20/11/2025

🐴"I became fascinated by dressage—the idea that you can never be completely perfect and there’s always something to improve. It’s a sport that keeps you humble and endlessly curious. The constant pursuit of refinement is what’s kept me hooked."🐴
~ Endel Ots, on why he's so passionate about the sport of dressage

In our new Q&A with Endel Ots, the U.S. traveling reserve for the 2024 Paris Olympics talks about the special bond he’s developed with Zen Elite’s Bohemian, what sparked his fascination with dressage and why he connects so deeply with horses. Click on the link below for Ots' take on all things dressage.

Endel Ots, U.S. traveling reserve for the 2024 Paris Olympics, talks about the special bond he’s developed with Zen Elite’s Bohemian, what sparked his fascination with dressage and why he connects so deeply with horses.

19/11/2025

🐴"I teach my horses, including young ones, that it’s OK to pop a flying change even if it’s not what I really want. I don’t punish them and I don’t obsess about getting a perfectly clean flying change at first. For me, it’s important for my horse to realize that there’s nothing to worry about. This way, he keeps a relaxed attitude toward the flying changes."🐴
~ Janet "Dolly" Hannon, offering advice to a reader about how to ride correct flying changes on an overeager horse

In this Q&A, a rider is seeking help with her 9-year-old Hanoverian gelding who tends to launch forward, ignore her aids and throw in lead changes on his own. Click on the link below for Hannon's tips on how to help your dressage horse understand flying changes and to prevent him from anticipating the movement.

Janet "Dolly" Hannon explains how to help your horse understand this movement.

18/11/2025

🐴"Luna's wildness was still very much intact, and watching her navigate the human world all alone broke my heart. She was so genuine in her reactions to me and to everything around her. She hadn’t asked to be there, without her herd or her freedom. She hadn’t had a choice, and even though I knew she was better off with me than in so many other situations she might have landed in, I could not help but cry for her fate."🐴
~ Dressage rider and mustang advocate Chelsea Canedy in her debut memoir

In her new memoir, Chelsea Canedy talks about how horses pulled her through self-doubt and the pressures of performance to serve as a guiding compass in navigating her career, family and life.

Click on the link in the Comments below to read the first excerpt in this two-part installment from her debut book.

17/11/2025

🐴“Every time I ask this horse to come through for me, she is just so clutch. She’s an incredible competitor and I’m so lucky to have her by my side. Our freestyle with songs from Rihanna, Beyonce and Gwen Stefani really highlighted her personality as a diva mare and was a testament to strong, powerful women."🐴
~ Ben Ebeling, after taking top honors at the inaugural US Equestrian Open Dressage Final with his powerhouse mare Bellena

Click on the link below to read more about the first US Equestrian Open Dressage Series and Final, held from November 13 - 16, at Desert International Horse Park that saw Ben Ebeling (USA), Felicitas Hendricks (GER) and Anna Marek (USA) top the podium.

The first US Equestrian Open Dressage Series and Final at Desert International Horse Park saw Ben Ebeling (USA), Felicitas Hendricks (GER) and Anna Marek (USA) top the podium.

17/11/2025

🐴 DRESSAGE SOLUTIONS!🐴 Create a Better Back-to-Front Connection

To create a better connection from the horse’s hind legs to the rider’s hands …

Imagine the energy coming from the push of the horse’s hind legs, through your arms and into the reins so that they feel like broomsticks. The energy connects the horse, and the “broomsticks” enable you to direct the horse’s neck up or down into the desired outline and prevent the horse from dropping behind the bit or getting short in the neck.
— Jackie Kinney

🎨 Sandy Rabinowitz

16/11/2025

🐴 DT BARN HACKS!🐴 Instead of spending your precious horse dollars replacing expensive boot trees or shapers, use tall, skinny water bottles to help keep your tall boots upright and prevent them from losing their shape. Pringles' chip cans also make for excellent for boot-tree substitutes.

Promote your tall boots' longevity on the cheap!

15/11/2025

🍂 Fall into comfort with WeatherBeeta! 🍁 We're giving YOU the chance to win a cozy WeatherBeeta ComFiTec blanket for your horse this fall.

We’re giving away three premium WeatherBeeta North America blankets to help horse owners like you keep your horse cozy all fall and winter long.

You could win the following:
🐴1st place: WeatherBeeta ComFitec Ultra Turnout Detach-A-Neck 220G
🐴2nd place: WeatherBeeta ComFitec Essential Turnout Detach-A-Neck 220G
🐴3rd place: WeatherBeeta ComFitec Prelim Turnout 220G

Click on the link in the Comments below to enter now for your chance to win!

14/11/2025

🐴"When the flexors and extensors work as they should, they create a lively, adaptable rider who can absorb movement effortlessly. But when they fire at the same time, the body stiffens, the pelvis locks, the spine stops moving and communication with your horse becomes blurred. As a result, he may react, guard or become stiff."🐴
~ Dave Thind, on the importance of your flexors and extensors working in harmony and the trap of co-contraction

Last week, we revisited our original article on sitting tall in the saddle without working against your own body that proved helpful for many riders. This week, Dave Thind explains why chronic tension reduces your ability to follow your horse's motion and how recalibrating your body can help create a joyful partnership with your dressage horse.

Click on the link below for his advice on encouraging your muscles to work in harmony for confidence, calmness and balance in the saddle.

Chronic tension reduces your ability to follow your horse's motion. Learn how to eliminate stiffness and encourage your muscles to work in harmony for confidence, calmness and balance in the saddle.

13/11/2025

🐴 US Equestrian Publishes Riding Standards Guidelines for Dressage🐴

The new guidelines aim to help dressage riders determine when they're ready to move up to the next level in order to progress in harmonious partnership with their horses. Here's a sneak peek of a few questions the guidelines pose to help riders assess when they're ready to step up a level.

✅ On average, are you and your horse reasonably confirmed at the current level you are competing with a score reflecting competency, such as 63% or higher?

✅ Does your horse willingly perform the movements required for the level at which you are considering competing?

US Equestrian encourages athletes, trainers and the dressage community to review and share these guidelines and implement them into their daily practice before competing. Click on the link below to read more!

The new guidelines aim to help dressage riders determine when they're ready to move up to the next level to progress in harmonious partnership with their horses.

12/11/2025

🐴"Make sure you're focused on asking your horse to step backward in a slow, clear rhythm. Many riders make the mistake of moving into the rein-back too quickly, causing the horse to fling himself backward, out of balance and, hence, crooked."🐴
~ Linda Schultz, on how to correct a crooked rein-back

Click on the link below to ensure you're using the correct symmetrical aids to execute a proper and straight rein-back.

Use this training advice from dressage professional Linda Schultz to improve your rein-back.

11/11/2025

🐴"Longer legs and open hips will enable you to ride with more influence to enhance your horse's movement and find a better connection. Then, you will have more presence and should be able to carry your hands more upright to start building a framework of the aids."🐴
~ Equestrian biomechanics' expert Susanne von Dietze

Click on the link below for her advice on how to lengthen your legs and relax your hips to improve your horse's movement.

In this Clinic with Susanne von Dietze, she explains how longer legs and open hips will help you ride with more influence to enhance your horse's movement and find a better connection.