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