16 ways to transform your dressage scores

Creating a happy, trusting relationship with your horse is paramount to producing good quality dressage tests that will see you gain higher marks in this discipline.

Whether you dream of riding your first Intro test one day or are working your way up the levels, our training tips will help you on your journey and develop your horse into a more supple, balanced and willing athlete.

1. Stay in balance

Horses need to work forward and stay in front of your leg, but be careful not to ride so forward that your horse loses balance.

2. Praise vocally

Okay, we know you’re not allowed to talk to your horse in a test situation but there’s nothing to stop you having a conversation with him during training sessions. Use the voice to praise him for any effort he makes, telling him how great he is. It’s better to praise with the voice than the hand as that way, you don’t lose your contact with the reins.

3. Teach leg acceptance

If you have a hot horse you’ll probably find he over-reacts to your leg aids, but he needs to learn to accept the leg. A good way to improve this is by using some leg-yield steps. Ride a couple of steps one way, then the other, repeating until your horse slows down and becomes more balanced. With time, this teaches your sensitive horse to better accept the leg and not to get quicker when you apply it. Remember, the hotter your horse is, the more you need to touch him with the leg, whereas lazier horses need to learn to work with less leg.

4. Do some on and back

It’s just as important to teach your horse to move forward as to collect, so ride plenty of transitions within paces to improve your horse’s balance. You want to teach your horse to work with a long neck and a short body, with his weight carried over the hindlegs. If you hold your horse too much with the rein he won’t develop the correct muscles behind in order to carry himself.

5. Make transitions progressive

When you’re carrying out upward or downward transitions between walk and trot, make them progressive rather than too abrupt. This helps your horse to stay engaged and active behind through the transition.

Discover more ways to transform your dressage scores in January Horse&Rider – out now!