Training in the Right Way: The Rider’s Responsibility vs The Blame Game
Instead of taking or giving all the blame, riders should understand that the results of their aids, good or bad, are always the rider’s responsibility (but not necessarily their “fault”). This focus on responsibility is key. Let’s discuss why.
Dressage training is supposed to be the process of training ANY horse to be a better riding horse. The more the horse learns, in theory, the easier it is to communicate with and therefore complete more complex tasks with. Although competition dressage training often is more focused on training for the dressage test, that is not what the original intention (and original judging requirements) were for competitive dressage. Initially, it was designed to give riders and trainers a way to determine how their training measured up to the theoretical ideal of the training process. That said, it is critically important to understand the meanings and reasons for some of the terms we use to describe dressage training and what to look for when observing training and competition (and videos and photos), regardless of whether you intend to compete or just train your horse to be a better whatever you do with him. That, ultimately, is the main purpose of my articles. To provide education and knowledge for riders to understand and improve their eye and understanding of what dressage training is supposed to be. While there will always be some differences in practice and theory, good horse training is always recognizable to the educated eye. That said, it absolutely is necessary that we remember and understand that limited knowledge is limited judgment.
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In my experience of teaching riding over the years, I find that when things don’t go well, pretty much all riders fall into one of the two following ways of thinking — either “It’s all my fault” or “It’s all the horse’s fault.”
Both beliefs stem from the same basic misunderstanding of how training and riding work — specifically the idea that “If I just ride right, the horse will do what I want him to do.” While this concept is rooted in truth, it is not that simple and ultimately results in riders developing one of the above perspectives on why “it isn’t working,” which are — of course — both incorrect and ineffective.
The reality is that just giving the aids correctly does not automatically create the right response from the horse. At the same time, giving the wrong aid, or the right one with the wrong strength or timing will result in failure as well. Because developing suppleness to the aids and balance under the rider is dependent on creating the right response to the aids, and the right response to the aids is created by having enough balance and suppleness, things become quite circular in the training process. This is exactly what causes the two misconceptions noted above.
Training is a circular process that involves improving the horse’s responses to the aids, through using exercises that require the response to aids to perform. Photo (c) Gwyneth McPherson
The horse must be on the aids in order to react properly to the rider’s aids, and in order for the horse to be on the aids, he must be supple enough to the aids and balanced enough under the rider to react to the rider’s request in a positive and productive manner. A rider who knows the correct aids will have no success creating the right results if the horse is not supple enough to the aids. If this rider keeps riding this horse, they will start to develop the idea that either they are a “bad” rider (unable to give effective meaningful aids), or the horse is a “bad” horse (unwilling to respond to effective and meaningful aids). While I know this is starting to sound like some sort of Buddhist koan, I promise I will get back to answering the question you’re probably asking yourself thus far: “So what do I do to make my horse more supple to the aids if he is not supple enough to the aids in the first place?!”
But before we get there, we first need to acknowledge that because training is a circular process between the horse and rider that develops the qualities that enhance and improve their responses to each other (when done in the right way), it is imperative that we remove the idea of whose fault it is from the training thought process. When the rider assumes that they “just suck” or that their horse “just isn’t listening,” they lose control of the training process because both of these thoughts are end points and produce negative results. That is to say that they both put the rider in a position that does not allow for them to effectively do anything further; they’re essentially excuses (even if possibly inadvertent ones).
In these thought processes, either the rider becomes too strong or rough (because the horse isn’t listening), or they become too passive and let the horse run the show (because they think they’re riding incorrectly). Neither result in productive training. So, what is the effective approach?
Instead of taking or giving all the blame, riders should understand that the results of their aids, good or bad, are always the rider’s responsibility (but not necessarily their “fault”). The focus on responsibility here is key, rather than looking to place the blame somewhere. It is the rider’s responsibility because the rider is the only one in the pair that knows what they are trying to produce. The horse does not have the capacity to know what dressage is, or what a particular exercise is. He can become familiar with specific aids meaning “to do” specific actions but he does not arrive in the arena having read the manual on dressage and having the controls built into his control panel. Yes, even the Grand Prix horses.
To flesh this idea out a bit further, consider the concept of self-carriage, which is the goal of all dressage training. Self-carriage does not mean that the horse does it all by himself, however. It means that he is balanced enough and supple enough to perform what is being asked of him IF the rider gives him aids that are practiced, recognizable, and familiar. So, when a young, untrained, or anxious horse is not performing what is being requested of him, he is simply not on the aids and therefore not in self-carriage. Horses can only learn self-carriage and staying one the aids through repetition (not drilling) of the exercises that develop the balance, strength, and suppleness for what is being asked of him. This is always the rider’s responsibility.
How your horse reacts to your aids in every situation, is always the rider’s responsibility, but not necessarily the rider’s fault. Photo (c) Gwyneth McPherson
Additionally, the rider is always responsible for being disciplined in their approach to how and when they apply the aids (yes, all of them). You cannot allow a horse to make the same mistake 5 times and then punish him for it when it happens a sixth time. Similarly, the rider cannot decide that they just don’t feel like working that hard one day (i.e. being that responsible) and then expect progress.
So far I’ve talked a lot about the reasoning behind this approach but let’s consider a more concrete example of what the rider taking responsibility for the horse’s responses to their aids (training) looks like:
If your horse does not go forward from the leg, it is because he is not trained to go forward from the leg. Which is not the same as not knowing what the leg aid means, although in some cases that is a portion of the problem. The rider who understands that this is not the rider’s fault (I suck), or the horse’s fault (He never listens), takes on the responsibility of changing the horse’s reaction to the leg aid. First, the rider chooses an appropriate exercise where this can be the focus of the training (such as halt-walk-halt in this case). Second, the rider uses the “correct” (leg) aid for what they are asking for (every time). Then they have a way to amplify the aid (this can be a combination of a stronger leg aid or the use of an artificial aid) if the horse does not respond, and they reward the horse as soon as he gives the correct result. Every. Time. Yes, this can feel tedious. Yes, it can take a lot of repetition and revisiting the exercises that solve the problem. But being responsible for correcting it results in a little sliver of self-carriage, specifically that the horse responds to the leg aid “correctly” in that scenario. It will translate to the walk-trot, go more forward, and canter transitions, with practice of those in the same manner.
Self-carriage is developed over the horse’s training life. Little slivers of self-carriage get trained into the horse’s repertoire in the form of teaching him that aids mean “to do” something in particular, every time he feels that aid. Photo (c) Morgane Schmidt
And now we have come full circle back to answering your burning question from earlier: How do you make a horse more on the aids and more supple when the aids don’t work well-enough in the first place?
- You choose an appropriate exercise to solve the problem. Something simple and easy to repeat.
- You have a way to amplify that aid. This means give a bigger or stronger version of the aid. Not release your frustration on the horse, or “teach him a lesson.”
- You reward the horse each time he gives a correct (not perfect) result. This means recognizing the difference between perfection and trying. If the horse gives you a better reaction than usual, reward him! Remember, he has not read the manual, and he will only do what he has been repeating every day up to this point.
- You repeat this throughout the ride and day after day until the problem is re-trained.
While this process may seem tedious or, at the very least, not particularly sexy and exciting, it is ultimately how effective trainers train horses. And taking on a more responsibility centered mindset, rather than a more reactive, blaming one, is fundamental to making it all happen.
Certainly, the circular nature of training lends itself to some inherent moments of frustration, but if you keep yourself focused on what your responsibility is rather than the fact that it didn’t go perfectly the first time and blaming, you will have an answer to address the reaction you did get, and then can assess and modify from there.
Remember: limited knowledge is limited judgment.
Gwyneth and Flair in competition at Grand Prix. (c) flatlandsfoto.
Gwyneth McPherson has over 35 years experience competing, training, and teaching dressage. She began her education in in the late 1970s, riding in her backyard on an 11 hh pony. Her first instructor introduced her to Lendon Gray (1980 and 1988 Olympian). who mentored Gwyneth for a decade during which she achieved her first National Championship in 1984, and her Team and Individual Young Rider Gold Medals in1987.
In 1990 Gwyneth began training with Carol Lavell (1992 Olympian) who further developed Gwyneth as an FEI rider and competitor. Gwyneth achieved a Team Bronze in 1991 and a Team Silver in 1992 in the North American Young Riders Championships, and trained her stallion G’Dur to do all the Grand Prix movements while riding with Carol.
In 2008, while Head Trainer at Pineland Farms, Gwyneth began training with Michael Poulin (Olympian 1992). Michael was trained by Franz Rochowansky (Chief Rider for the Spanish Riding School 1937-1955). Michael has shared much of Rochowansky’s knowledge and wisdom with Gwyneth, completing her education as a Grand Prix rider, trainer, and competitor.
Gwyneth’s teaching and training business, Forward Thinking Dressage,is based in Williston, FL. In addition to teaching riders and training, Gwyneth also loves sharing her knowledge of the sport and art of dressage as well as discussing relevant topics pertaining to the training itself and the current competitive landscape.
