September 2, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Insanity vs Ingenuity
This is a real grey area for equestrians. (more…)
August 26, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Things For Your Non Equestrian Counterpart To Do
Good help is hard to find. (more…)
August 12, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Impulse Control
Some horses have more than others. (more…)
August 5, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Double Standards…
I’m not sure what he’s so wound up about. (more…)
August 3, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: “My Horse Hates Dressage.”
He doesn’t. I promise. Story time.
July 22, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Nice Things…
Who has nice things? (more…)
July 19, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: The Need for the Trained Lesson Horse
Let’s talk about why learning to ride on a horse that’s actually trained correctly is a vital part of a rider’s education (Hint: The aids don’t work if they don’t exist…).
July 15, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Mistakes
Appropriate decision making is hard sometimes… (more…)
July 8, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Horse Math
It’s the law of the Universe. I don’t make the rules… (more…)
July 1, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt , t #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Sorry Not Sorry
Horses do not know the meaning of the word ‘sorry.’… (more…)
June 24, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt , t #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Dramatic Writhing…
Because everyone loves an impromptu social call with the vet. (more…)
June 17, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt , t #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Summer Riding
It’s the time of year that your elbows cry when you walk outside. (more…)
June 15, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: Training as Explaining, Not Correcting
The process of training a horse to do (or not to do) something is the process of explaining to the horse what you actually want him to do. Unfortunately this isn’t always as straightforward or as quick as you might like.
June 10, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt , t #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Today’s Life Lesson from Your Horse…
Because they do have some things figured out. (more…)
June 3, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt , t #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Does Your Horse Have Opinions?
There will be signs… (more…)
June 1, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt , t #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: In Order to Be a Good Trainer, You Must Change Parts of Who You Are
We often think of training as mostly about riding well and having a solid knowledge base (both of which ARE huge), but there are psychological components involved as well (some more obvious than others).
May 27, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids Comments Off on The Idea of Order: May the Odds be Ever in Your Favor
And if it’s a chestnut mare, they probably won’t be. (more…)
May 20, 2026 Morgane Schmidt Morgane Schmidt , the idea of order #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on The Idea of Order: Summer Is Here…
Time to get lost in the black hole that is the barn. (more…)
May 18, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson , Morgane Schmidt #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: Tack vs. Training Problems
It’s never the tack, it is always the training. Except sometimes, when it is the tack. Sounds fun, huh? Let’s discuss.
May 4, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: Learning to Ride Well Takes Time…
And a process. How much time? Longer than you think and with more oversight than you’ve probably been lucky enough to have. Let’s discuss.
April 20, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: Is Your Dressage Teacher Knowledgeable?
This week’s article revisits an earlier topic that continues to be problematic for riders: How and where to begin to assess potential dressage teachers.
April 5, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: Equitation vs Training
Let’s look at why simply “riding better” doesn’t result in a trained horse. (more…)
March 22, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , cesar parra , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Half halt Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: Unpopular Opinion — You Shouldn’t Ride Horses You’re Scared Of
When a capable rider is actually afraid while riding a horse, it is usually because the horse is not improving with the capable rider’s skills and techniques, and/or is increasingly unpredictable. The rider needs to listen to that fear and give themselves permission not to ride the horse. (more…)
March 9, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , cesar parra , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , Dressage4Kids , Good side vs Bad side , Half halt Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: It’s all About the Process
While having goals is important, more important is remembering that reaching them is entirely dependent on your process. It does you no good to get wrapped up in the end goal first without recognizing the path needed. (more…)
February 23, 2026 Gwyneth McPherson Gwyneth McPherson #DRESSAGE #OLYMPICS , #Dressage Showing , #Dressage Training , #Forward Thinking Dressage , #NonTraditionalBreedinDressage , aids , cesar parra , classical dressage , competition dressage , dressage levels , dressage reading list , Dressage4Kids , Half halt , lower leg , Strength riding Comments Off on Training in the Right Way: Dressage Reading List
Often, students ask me for a reading list and I am always overwhelmed with trying to choose my favorites. In this article, I am going to try to finally do that. (more…)
