Horse racing is a hugely famous spectator sport, especially in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. For punters, it is the best sport of all because it gives great betting opportunities.
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The greatest advantage of the Western Dressage discipline is that you know what you have to do with each levels and test. It is not like going to a hunter show and having to learn the day of the show the course for Equitation or Hunter over fences, or a western show and having to learn the new trail or horsemanship patterns.
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I’ve done a couple of articles on this topic but I always think this subject is worth revisiting. So what is foundation? It is the basic training that makes up the building blocks of performance. It is the point where you start with a horse and revisit to reinforce behaviors or correct them when the horse goes off track. Or, in other words, it is the skill set that makes up the foundation of all training.
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So, you and your horse have been training in anticipation of entering your first Western Dressage show. But how do you know when you’re actually ready to compete?
This is a question of confidence. Your instructor or coach should be realistic and give you advice on whether or not you are ready to compete. If you don’t have an instructor, a video camera is your best tool to see yourself ride. Watch for willingness and smoothness from your horse when you are riding. This will give you a better perspective to whether or not you are ready to compete.
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Many of us ride trails that cross creeks that may be dry in summer and fill with winter rains. Also, you never know when you will encounter a dead fall that blocks a trail. If your horse balks at a creek or any other obstacle, you need to get him comfortable with crossing.
To teach a horse to go over obstacles the horse must already understand certain things and we must have control of the horse. You must be able to control your horse’s nose, shoulders and hind quarters. The horse must know how to lunge on a 12 or 14-foot line and give to pressure. You need to have established a strong go-forward cue with your horse and be able to stop his feet and change direction.
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