Applying Dressage To Hunt Seat: Two Instructors Find Value

Twenty years ago, when a western reining trainercanter. "The riders barely understand how to circle
admitted that he took dressage lessons to improve hiscorrectly. In many cases, you see trainers just focusing
horse's reining, his fellow cowboys thought he had loston jumping. Flatwork just becomes a term meaning
his mind. Some 20 years later finds several hunt seatgetting the horse warmed up enough to jump," she
instructors actively using aspects of dressage in theirsaid. "When I go to some of the large local hunt shows,
training. Christy, a hunt seat equitation instructor,I'm amazed that riders aren't balancing their horses, or
commented that if you look at the old hunt seateven riding them correctly through a turn." She
equitation videos and photos of students instructed bydescribed watching strung out ponies in a hunter class.
George Morris and others, the horses are in a training"They got over their courses by the grace of God." "I
level dressage frame. Celine, a hunt seat/balancedwas aghast by the strung out, unbalanced approaches
seat instructor, noted that dressage is the basis of allto jumps and the rushing and diving over each fence,"
riding. "Classical dressage has its roots in cavalry ridingshe said. She finds that dressage helps her riders gain
in war; whereas hunt seat has its origins in long crossa balanced and rhythmic approach to fences. She
country rides across fields on a hunt. Hunt seat wasdescribed one hunt seat student she had recently met
adapted for the show ring," she said. She noted thatwho had no concept of getting the horse to work
combining the elements of hunt seat and dressageback to front or flexion though she had her own horse
brings balanced seat. Christy uses the rider-basedand was taking lessons with her instructor for five
training that she received from her dressage instructoryears. "When she sat in on other lessons her friends
for her hunt seat students. "At their first lesson, I putwere having with other instructors, she felt she was
them right on the longe line and take away stirrups andmissing out on a world of education with her horse.
reins immediately," she described. "I spend a lot of timeShe said her lessons just revolved around her
helping them build independent hand, seat and leg ininstructor who called out 'heals down,' 'shoulders back,'
exercises on the longe line before I have them ride on'posting trot,' etc." Celine uses dressage to focus on
the rail." Christy has found that by doing so, the ridersthe points of the ring by keeping the horse correctly
have feel and balance more quickly. "Beginner issuesbetween and in front of the rider's leg. "How do you
like steering just seem to fall right into place evenget your horse from point A to point B, not A to D?"
though they've spent their first several lessons on theshe explained. "When you focus on riding every stride,
longe line." Celine also likes to apply dressage conceptsas in dressage, your hunter or equitation horse will
early on in hunt seat education. "I start right away withalways know what you want," she explained. "You
rhythm and balance, teaching the student how to sitcan circle, go straight, change gait, jump and make it
with balance. Then I address how the horse moveslook so easy, balanced and fluid. Riding hunt seat this
and how to find the horse's natural rhythm. When youway gives the horse the correct muscle development,
apply the concepts of dressage early on, studentsimpulsion and work ethic."
have greater 'feel' for their horses." She noted that in.99 cent equine classifieds with instant 12 site
everyday hunt seat, she sees horses just goingdistribution.
around the ring in the gaits, walk, then trot, and then