Dressage Solutions: A Rider's Guide

Designed to help both trainers and instructors, this guide, incorporating diagrams and step-by-step explanations, encourages fitness and correct posture in the rider before addressing problems incurred with walking, trotting, basic training and cantering. The authorâ€s solutions give priority to the well-being of the horse.

Following on from the highly acclaimed Kottas on Dressage, this new book by one of the foremost exponents of Classical dressage offers advice on the correct way to introduce work on the paces, exercises and movements, together with in-depth analysis of common problems and the ways to correct them.

The author makes the point that many errors, so easily attributed to the horse, are rooted in faulty posture or aiding on the rider’s part, and emphasizes throughout the importance of focusing on these issues at all stages of training. Constant emphasis is also placed on the need to be mindful of the horse’s mental and physical ability to cope with what is being asked of him there are reminders throughout that, often, the best way to achieve progress is to take a step back and ensure that the building blocks are in place that will facilitate the next step forward. The need to consider various aspects of conformation is also stressed horses are not perfect, and the overall training of any horse will be enhanced if due consideration is given to individual characteristics.

Dressage Solutions takes the reader through many stages of training, from ensuring that the basic paces are correct, through introducing the lateral exercises, developing the canter, rein-back, piaffe and passage, to a final chapter that explains some of the long-established movements of the High School. This is a journey that will provide much food for thought, and a great deal of invaluable advice, for all riders who have progress and their horse’s well-being at heart.