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Dressage Training-When you just can't do it yourself

© Carol Woodworth

My father-in-law has always been a do-it-yourselfer. My husband was raised on that philosophy and after 18 years of marriage, I've adopted some of this mentality myself. A large portion of our lives has been influenced by this way of thinking so that we perform many jobs and repairs ourselves (excluding most forms of surgery). So it will come as no surprise to you that I have never used a trainer for my horse. Other people may put their horses in training, either to overcome a specific problem or over the long haul, to help the horse advance. It wasn't that I felt envious or scornful or any of that. It was just something I couldn't understand. I preferred to ride under an instructor and work through our training on my own. I could always work things out...UNTIL NOW.

I've had my horse for three years. When I bought him, he was showing Training Level. Over the years, I have introduced the usual cast of lateral movements (leg-yield, shoulder-in, haunches-in and out and half pass), at each of the gaits. So, now we have arrived at the doorstep of Third Level training: collected canter and canter to walk transitions as a stepping stone to the BIGGIE - FLYING CHANGES!

We have been working for six months on these issues and yes, gradually I have gotten closer and closer to my goals. But lately, I feel like I have gotten so close to knocking on the door of these goals that I'm stubbing my toes on the doorstep. My face is pushed flat against the door. I couldn't open the door now if I wanted to, because I've forced myself so close to the door. So close, in fact, that I have totally lost sight of what it is I want to accomplish.

And I feel angry and stupid and most of all, frustrated. I go to my lessons and my instructor explains again, patiently, that I need to be quicker in my half halts, that I need to release and give, to allow the horse to balance himself. He offers one exercise, then another to help me do these things. He even gets on my horse and demonstrates how to do what he is asking of me. He inquires "Do you understand what I'm trying to explain?" My instructor is German and I am waiting for him to ask me if I understand English.

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