Equestrian Goods

I finally found an extra wide dressage saddle for my moose horse but it is so slippery. I haven't had a new saddle in years and can't remember how to break them in.

Give it a good coat of neatsfoot oil and let it soak for several hours and then soap with something glycerin based. Then soap after every use and oil once per week for a month and that combined with riding in it will soon soften it. Just don't apply to much oil after the first time to the girth straps otherwise they can become slippery and hard to pull up.

My mother recently sold my dressage horse partner of 5 years. He was a Belgian Warmblood gelding trained to third level and ready to move to fourth. His father was Fraval, a very prominent sire. He was 17.1 and was a beautiful mover, top level quality for sure!! Years of professional training and was 9 years old. TOP LEVEL PROSPECT!

thirty some thousand, if I had one to sell

I just started dressage and i dont know how to remember the location of the letters. Does anyone have a way to memorize it? This will really help!

I had an awfully hard time memorizing them too, when I started. At lower levels, you only need to know the basics: AKEHCMBFX. (All King Edward's Horses Can Make Big Fences [e]Xceptionally.)

At the higher levels, you need to know them all. The letters around the edge are: AKVESHCMRBPF (All King Victor's Expensive Show Horses Can Make Regal Barristers Place Fantastically.) And centre line: DLXIG (Dagmar Loves [e]Xperiencing Irish Galway).

I want to get a good dressage horse, and I am thinking of a German Warmblood, like a Hanoverian. Anybody have some other good breeds for upper-level dressage?

Well, I've never seen many Halflingers doing dressage, and no Paso Finos or Walkers in the upper levels. Your right in thinking along the lines of German Warmbloods. Hanoverians are classic and widely seen in the upper levels, as are Danish and Dutch Warmbloods, Holsteiners, Westphalians, Oldenburgs, and Trakehners. You may want to also look at some of the Spanish bred horses, like Andalusians. Lippizans are also classically bred/trained for dressage, but can be hard to come by. The French Selle Francais can also be quite skilled in dressage. Ultimately, though, the individual horse's talent matters more than breed.

My horse is a 48 in my saddle, but i just got a dressage saddle and I want to buy the right girth. What size dressage girth should i get if my horse is a 48?

My mare takes a 48" girth for my close contact - and I believe a 26" for her dressage saddle. Try a 24" or a 26" - it needs to be a bit bigger if it has fleece, but if you are using a synthetic, it can be a bit smaller.

Obviously I am new to dressage. My horse has schooled and competed to level 2-3. But I want to do a dressage schooling show in October. I see that I can buy the tests for $25 online, but when I watch You Tube it looks like there is no difference between 2007 and 2008 tests. (At least for the Intro Level B test). Does anyone know? Thanks!

I don’t think there is any difference. I looked for that also at the beginning of the year but couldn’t figure out if there was really a change. I ended up doing the same test that I had done in 2007 and it was the right one. If you’re really unsure ask the judges or show officials although I really don’t think they’ve made any changes to the intro and training level tests. also I’m pretty sure you can get the tests online for free so keep looking. good luck

Hey, so I am goingto start Dressage, I do not plan on buying a horse right away, but in a few years I am. Once I do get more experince. What things should I look for in them?

When you really get into Dressage, you'll know what attributes you look for.

You want a horse with a nice amount of suspension. If you're looking for a horse who's already trained, then look at the flexsion in his neck and how he uses his back legs. Does he move properly and comfortably, making it look effortless? How experienced of a Dressage horse is he, does he know piaffe and tempes? Is he in a focused enough state of mind, that he can keep his focus on performing every detail while theres a wild crowd outside of the ring?

Those are all some questions you should ask yourself. Now, I'm not much for a Dressage rider but we have a Dressage trainer at the barn. Maybe other Dressage riders would be able to give you a better gist.
But, once you get into the swing of it, you'll know what you're looking for.

Please tell me what do you consider to be the benefits of dressage? I'm considering learning it.
Most of your answers were great; it's been difficult to pick a best answer. Thanks for all the info.

i own a TB gelding..and I've been riding horses for -6 years, but dressage for only 6 mo. it is DEFINITELY worth learning, you get a much better connection with your horse, and you learn how horses work and what you need to do in order to get them to be their best. also, it is extremely helpful for jumping, or even hunters or pleasure. you learn how to work WITH your horse, instead of against him/her.

Ive honestly decided that learning English pleasure and dressage were the two best styles I've learned
[and Ive done hunter/jumper, western pleasure, English pleasure, and now 3 day.]

i would say try it out and see if you like it! it seems really hard at first but after a few weeks you get an idea of whats going on and its alot easier!

I want to know what challenges I am going to face if I want to train a full-blooded walker for dressage, and what are the differences between gaited dressage and regular dressage? Do they move differently than the classic dressage horses? Do they still trot? Please don't tell me to consult an expert, already doing that but so far no one knows how to help though I'm still trying. Can't find any books or websites on it iether….I'm just curious if its physically possible for them to do. Just how versatile are they? And how true is it that any horse can do training level dressage?

Speaking from someone who is in TN with lots of gaited horses around, YES it is completely possible for them to do it and do it great! The question for you to ask yourself is if they need to do the gaited horse dressage tests or the trotting/regular dressage tests. If your horse trots in addition or instead of doing a running walk then you are fine with the regular dressage although you may not get too far in it unless your horse is very athletic and not built like a typical walker. Because walkers are built with a longer back, sloping croup, and usually with hind legs up under them, it is hard for them to do much more than first level in regular tests.

The differences between gaited and regular dressage is the test. Everything else is the same- same arena, same idea, same scoring system. Yes they move differently because the tests are different. No they do not trot, they do a flat walk, running walk, and canter. There are higher tests for them beyond second level. As more people get interested in it, there will be more tests.

As for challenges, you will not have that many if you are in the gaited dressage classes because all of the other horses are gaited too. If you choose to show in normal classes, then you will of course have the challenge of keeping them trotting instead of running walking, plus keeping them on the bit (since they like coming above it), keeping their hind end from getting too far under them, and keeping them in frame and moving forward. You will also have to face the challenge and discrimination that you will get from the other riders in regular classes because you are on a TWH. Most of them should be nice but quite a few of them have a lot to say if you are not riding a warmblood. Just take it all with a grain of salt, learn how to look at them and say thank you for your comments on my horse we are really trying our best to learn and have a good time, and even find a way to give them a nice comment on their horse (this is killing them with kindness). Never get upset, and never think that you cannot do it as you can do anything that you set your mind too.

The website to go to is the TN Walking Horse Website at www.twhbea.com. They do not have the tests listed online anymore, so you have to call them to get the tests from them.

You should find someone who does dressage with gaited horses in your area to have someone who does know what is going on with it. If you do not know how to find someone like that, ask the people at TWHBEA if they have a listing of people who do dressage in your area or any shows that are coming up.

Most horses can do training level dressage if they are ridden and conditioned for it by someone who knows what they are doing. They can even do first and most of second. They may not do it the greatest or get great scores (or even good ones) but it is possible. Practice, consistency, knowing what you are doing, and asking for help when you need it will give you the keys to success with dressage.

TWHs are very versatile, but most breeds are. There are always individual horses within any breed who are capable of only doing one thing and individuals who are capable of doing every discipline imaginable. It also has a lot to deal with who is riding and training them.

Good luck and I hope this all helps!