Re: Endurance and Dressage

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/3/99 10:21:37 AM Pacific Standard Time,
horsetrails@inficad.com writes:

<< I've been thinking on doing endurance on Blue while the weather is nice and
 then when it starts hitting over 100* we will start doing dressage.  But I 
 am not sure how to combine the two without burning my buddy out.  I don't 
 want to get to level 3 or anything, just want to learn to ride more 
 efficiently and hopefully Blue will learn a few things too.   >>

Most of our really top riders incorporate dressage into their programs one way
or another.  I personally think that it takes a bit of dressage to make a top
endurance horse anyway.  The two disciplines complement each other VERY
well--the horse learns skills in dressage that makes endurance work much
easier (becoming supple, rounding the back, utilizing the rear legs, becoming
more in tune to aids, etc.) and the fitness from endurance conditioning makes
it far easier for the horse to do his dressage work without becoming fatigued
and frustrated.  I have always maintained that there are two disciplines basic
to ALL other disciplines, and that they are dressage and endurance.  The horse
that does both is truly fit in mind and body, and can be used for just about
anything.  ALL horses, regardless of their inate capabilities, will improve
from training/conditioning in this way, whether they ever compete in either
discipline or not.

Heidi