Meet the Young Stars of DressageTrainingOnline.com, Part 1 By Nan Meek

Excited, amazed, thankful, blessed, astounded, honored, elated, and grateful are just some of the emotions described by the six young stars of dressage training who were selected for the educational trip to Germany, sponsored by...read full article

Melissa Simms: Thoughts on Becoming an Educated Rider, by Nan Meek

Melissa Simms compares learning to ride with learning any other professional skill –education is essential for success. Melissa’s dressage education was equivalent to several PhDs. At the renowned Egon von Neindorff Institute in Karlsruhe,...read full article

Axel Steiner on Changes in Dressage Tests by Patti Schofler

Buzz about the 2011 national dressage tests has already begun. To stir the discussion, we caught up with Axel Steiner at Sue Curry Shaffer’s Fairwind Farm in Santa Rosa, California, to chat about the...read full article

Breathe Life into Training by Jenny Rolfe

Rider Position and Seat THE HORSE IS OUR MIRROR The rider can become highly influential when he learns how to sit on a horse, in self carriage, allowing both stability and fluidity – from the seat...read full article

Jim Masterson on Effective Equine Bodywork, by Nan Meek

Jim Masterson makes horses blink, yawn, and stretch. These and other reactions are welcome signs that the horses are releasing stress that can cause stiffness, pain, and reduced performance in horses from grand prix jumpers...read full article

The Portuguese School of Equestrian Art by Patti Schofler

Though Portugal’s riding schools have lived several lives, their newest format, founded in 1981, is steeped in centuries of tradition, history and knowledge of classical horsemanship and the horsemanship of the bull ring. The Escola Portuguesa...read full article

Willy Arts on Young Horses by Patti Schofler

What Willy Arts likes about working with young horses is the continual evaluation of their development. The big reward, he believes, comes with the long view that reveals how the grown horse has been shaped...read full article

Equine Massage Basics, Part 3: The Trapezius Muscle, by Patti Schofler

Details, details, details. If you are a dressage rider, you know the value of giving attention to that word, details, and the same is true about equine massage. One area which returns great reward when...read full article

Good Riding is About Good Communication, the Catherine Haddad Interview by Nan Meek

American Catherine Haddad is familiar to DressageTrainingOnline.com viewers as one of its most popular online instructors. Many remember seeing her for the first time riding Maximus JSS at the 2007 World Cup Finals in Las...read full article

The Power of Confidence

The Power of Confidence By Marilyn Norcross and Renee Norcross Experts in the How To’s of Success and Winning There is life within you, passion within you and strength within you that has yet to be...read full article

Equine Massage Basics, Part 2 of 3, The Pocket of the Withers,

Equine Massage Basics, Part 2 of 3, The Pocket of the Withers, by Patti Schofler As the second part of our three-part series on massage, we look at a basic technique that most horses will enjoy. You’ll...read full article

Equitation: The Foundation of Successful Riding

Equitation: The Foundation of Successful Riding By Nan Meek with Jennifer Roth "Equitation is much more than the position of the rider," according to S judge Jennifer Roth. "It also includes the effective application of the aids....read full article

To Move, or Not to Move, Up the Levels

To Move, or Not to Move, Up the Levels By Patti Schofler Some riders speed up the levels faster than Spiderman climbing a tall building. Others stay frozen at a level like lips stuck on an ice...read full article

Young Champion, New Adventure by Patti Schofler

Young Champion, New Adventure by Patti Schofler S dressage judge Louise Koch can pinpoint the exact moment that jump-started the adventure that ended with her Reserve Champion ride at the 2009 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage...read full article

Spain’s Royal Equestrian School, by Patti Schofler

Spain’s Royal Equestrian School, by Patti Schofler Elegance mixes beautifully with fire and spirit at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, the second in our series on the great European riding academies. This stately school...read full article

Philosophies and Theories of Classical Masters, discussed by Thomas Ritter

Thomas Ritter, by Patti Schofler Dr. Thomas Ritter is an authority on the mysterious study of hieroglyphics, but his ideas on dressage are quite comprehensible to his modern dressage students. As he once captivated a college...read full article

A Question For George Williams by Patti Schofler

What have you done in your life that has required the most courage? International dressage competitor George Williams is also USDF Vice President, member of the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) Board of Directors and Chair of...read full article

Equine Massage Basics by Patti Schofler

Part 1: Basic Guidelines for Safe and Effective Massage It’s likely that just about anyone – horse or human – would appreciate a massage, at some times more than others. Think about how you feel when you...read full article

The Goods on Buying Breeches by Patti Schofler

The Goods on Buying Breeches by Patti Schofler If you don’t have a tale of woe about buying breeches, well, then you’ve never bought breeches. How about when you order a pair from a catalogue touted...read full article

On the Shelf Reviews by Nan Meek

Why does dressage seem to attract so much controversy? Is it because of the detailed nature of our quest to attain perfection, or is it, as one critic complains, because we’re all “type-triple-A” personalities? I...read full article

Training Tips from Lisa Wilcox: The Horse Comes First By Nan Meek

“The better our seat, the better our horses understand us.", “We need to be hard on ourselves, not on our horses.”, “We should carry ourselves like ballerinas.” She’s eminently quotable, as the preceding words of wisdom...read full article

Legendary Riding Academies of Europe: Cadre Noir of Saumur, France Written by Patti Schofler

Dressage Training Online’s Community Connection magazine will show you though Europe via the great riding academies that have created, preserved and honored what we today call classical dressage. In this edition, we travel to western France...read full article

DRESSAGE IS NOT POPULAR and the JUDGING IS DISCUSSED. French Olympic Judge Bernard Maurel believes there is truth in these statements and discusses what can be done.

That’s true. Dressage is not as popular as jumping, but it is growing all over the world, thanks to the FEI . Its rules are recognized and respected everywhere, and our system is used and accepted...read full article

Leg-Yielding. The Most Basic of all Lateral Movements, by Uwe Spenlen

Leg-yielding is one of the earliest and most fundamental exercises in the development of horse and rider. It is the first exercise on two tracks and teaches the rider to use his legs properly so...read full article

What it takes to Train with the" Team", by Catherine Haddad

TRAINING WITH THE TEAM The Thirteenth Year in Germany, By Catherine Haddad, November 24, 2006 In a nutshell, to train and succeed at an international level with your sights on becoming a team member,  you need the...read full article

The Endo-Tapping Method, by Dr. Cindy Reynolds PhD and JP Giacomini

The Endo-Tapping™ method of JP Giacomini ~ By Dr Cindy Reynolds Ph.D Senior Researcher (Biochemistry), Howard Hughes Institute of Medicine, University of Washington, Dressage Rider & Certified Body Worker (Massage etc.) "Research is to see what everybody else has...read full article

On Meaning and Aims of Dressage, by Uwe Spenlen

On Meaning and Aims of Dressage By Uwe Spenlen Dressage education of riding-horses is essential for all occasions and events in the saddle. Therefore it does not only serve as preparation for all participation in dressage events...read full article

Mentality Principle, by Andrew McLean BSc, Dip.Ed, PhD

Written by: Andrew McLean BSc, Dip. Ed, PhD Mentality Principle MENTALITY PRINCIPLE - Appreciating the similarities and differences in mental ability between horses and humans is crucial to effective and humane training. We humans are a collectively...read full article

The winners are....

YoungSt(a)r Spotlight Grant Recipiants, sponsored by DressageTrainingOnline.com DressageTrainingOnline.com, announced the first ever YoungSt(a)r Spotlight grant, back in October 2009. This educational tour grants monies to a minimum of 6 chosen Young Dressage Horse enthusiasts! The...read full article

Training Problems. Training horses with difficult temperament and conformational defects. By Uwe Spenlen

Dressage is the result of careful, thoughtful application of classical principles. These principles have been developed over hundreds of years by very experienced masters. Each new rider starts with no experience and must find his way within...read full article

The 1st round of chosen YoungStar Spotlight nominees have been completed!

We would like to say thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate another or nomate themselves for the YoungStar Spotlight! We had over 150 nominees and while we would love to offer...read full article

10 steps to educate young horses- Uwe Spenlen

This lecture is meant for breeders, trainers and riders. It provides guidance on how to prepare young horses for riding and how to work them during the first months under saddle. The aim of all schooling...read full article

What happens to all those fabulous young horses we see sold at auction?

It bothers Ulf that so many exceptional horses never really go on and make their mark, and is so often the case with Dr Möller, he has thought deeply about the question. "I think there are...read full article

ThinLine Saddle Pads and Saddle Fitting

Cordia Pearson Society of Master Saddlers Qualified Saddle Fitter www.saddlefitter.com ThinLine Pads are a gift to horses, riders and saddle fitters! When ThinLine asked me to test their product, I did so with no preconceived notions. For three weeks,...read full article

The famed Dr. Ulf Moller comes on board as DTO's own young horse specialist!

Dr Ulf Möller was one of the great Verden auction riders, producing a string of mega expensive horses for the famed Hanoverian auction, before he joined the most successful private barn in the dressage world,...read full article

Providing Your Horse with a Safe & Secure Environment!

SoftStall Ontario, Canada Care, safety and cost savings ­ these are cornerstones of the business John Aditajs founded in 2001. Three brands SoftStall, SoftWall and SoftStep ­ make up this Ontario and Alberta, Canada-based firms line. Environmentally friendly, over six...read full article

Willy Arts on Young Horses by Patti Schofler

What Willy Arts likes about working with young horses is the continual evaluation of their development. The big reward, he believes, comes with the long view that reveals how the grown horse has been shaped...read full article

Finding the Right Instructor for You- Justine Wilson

It was many years ago when I decided that I wanted to become a dressage rider. I knew very little about it, except that it was beautiful to watch. The riders and their mounts danced...read full article

Press Release, YoungStar Spotlight

Dressage Training Online Announces YoungStar Program That Will Send Seven Winners To Germany Written by JRPR Inc Wednesday, 18 November 2009 13:10 Alamo, CA – An exciting new program from DressageTrainingOnline.com will send seven lucky...read full article

Introducing the New YoungStar Spotlight

DressageTrainingOnline.com announces a fabulous educational program granting monies to a minimum of 6 chosen Young Dressage Horse enthusiasts! The monies will be spent on airfare, lodging and attendance to a prearranged hosted trip to Germany...read full article

Ulf Moeller Young Horse Clinic, key take aways on training the young horse, as spoken by Ulf Moeller, Head Young Horse Trainer, PSI Auction Barn

“Try things – if it doesn’t work the first time, that’s ok – but you must try”. Ulf’s approach was far from auctiontype riding. He showed a systematic and sympathetic approach, where the horses were given the latitude...read full article