Dressage
elammal@erols.com
Sun, 5 Jan 1997 15:47:00 -0500
Just a thought regarding Mr. Morris' comments about dressage vs
conditioning. It would seem that many distance riders are dependent on the
terrain to make the horse use himself. This only works to a certain point,
for the horse can escape using certain parts of his body if the rider isn't
skilled enough to feel this. Dressage has the enormous advantage in that
the rider develops the skills to condition all areas of the horse's body.
Contrary to what Mr. Morris may feel about dressage, it does condition the
horse a great deal when properly done, and adds a suppleness to the muscles
which often can save a distance horse from serious injury. It also teaches
the horse to transfer weight to the hindquarters and alleviate the stress to
the shoulders which might occur when going downhill. Learning the
gymnastics of dressage, a rider can also release contracted muscles while on
the trail so that soreness can be relieved.
Beverley