You leave the arena on a long rein at A and to say you feel a little disheartened is putting things mildly... Dressage can be difficult, there's no doubt about it, however what tends to stack the odds even more so against a good dressage score is the fact that many riders see it as 'boring'; a means to an end of sorts.

Are you the sort of rider that thinks the most challenging part of dressage is memorising your test? For many riders, this is the be all and end all of dressage. Is it…

Groundwork, when referring to horses, simply means working with your horse from the ground in order to train and increase communication skills.  In this blog post we are going to focus on 'Pressure and Release' and how you can begin to correctly and fully understand the concept in order to further your horse's training from the ground.

This is part 2 of a full series dedicated to Groundwork from Strides for Success. Part 1 which explains the basics and then moves into…

Have you ever experienced popping over a jump with your horse, when he suddenly realises he needs a little 'more' if he is going to clear the jump?  He stretches, or pushes, a little farther than you expected and suddenly you find yourself very much behind the movement and bracing for the inevitable 'thud' that your backside connecting with the saddle will create on landing!

Or perhaps your horse has a frustrating habit of hanging a hoof here and there over fences, which leads…

You halt, salute and as you exit the arena in your best 'free walk on a long rein', you find yourself wondering how well your dressage test went...  That one circle may have looked a little more on the triangular side, but on the plus side you aced the canter leads each time and you're almost sure the halt was a square one.  However, when the actual test scores are handed out, you realise things did not go that well - at all!

Riding a dressage test can be a nerve wrecking…