Dressage

["Kathy Mayeda" <kathy_mayeda@atce.com>]

Jane Savoie's books on cross-training your horse are an excellent resources
for at least getting
a clue.  It doesn't substitute for lessons, but reading the text gives me an
idea of what to
aim for in bringing the horse into engagement.   Becky Hart is even featured
as a competitor
who uses dressage to cross-train her horse.

I don't like arena work either, but I find that if I don't attempt to bring
my poor horse into some
kind of frame, we end up both suffering.  I have to admit that if I spend as
much time actually
practicing as I do reading about it I'd be miles ahead!  But I have been
catching a few lessons
over the winter with Becky to help fix some of the bad habits I accumulated
over the last year
and I find it invaluable.  It doesn't have to be an "every week" thing
taking lessons to reap
benefits.  If you are lucky enough to find an instructor as good as Becky, a
lesson every
once in awhile will give you plenty of material to work on in between
lessons.