Dressage: Reflections on the Art

As I look back on my time in the company of horses, one all encompassing fact comes to the forefront: It is through the lessons I have learned from the horses that I have acquired what I believe to be the better virtues we humans can possess, practice and use as our guideposts through life. The virtues of courage, patience, persistence, fortitude, endurance, vision, creativity, forgiveness, awareness, humility, empathy, perseverance and the ability to lead. I believe it is through the practice of classical horsemanship that we can attain, not merely intellectual understanding of these virtues but the literal engraining of them into our souls. I believe the practice of Dressage makes us better humans.

As riders, we do not peak in our sport until we are in our forties and fifties. I believe it takes this long for a rider to mature as a human mentally and emotionally. While many younger riders have success early in their years in competition, it is my observation that the true Masters of the sport do not acquire the depth of humanity within themselves to be successful in this art form until they have weathered at least four decades. Therefore, for me, the practice of the sport exists on two levels, one as the template within which I bring a horse along and two, as a life metaphor, constantly mirroring, engaging and pushing my own growth and that of the students I have the privilege of teaching, along our own life journeys. Yes, it is intensely rewarding to create healthy athletic horses and gifted riders but the knowledge that what we have accomplished also, in the end, contributes to our ability to live our lives away from the horses in a more fulfilling manner is a desirable end result that has a far reaching positive ripple effect.

Each and every day must come with the health, safety and well being, both mental and physical of the horse at the forefront of our minds. Through the systematic, time-tested application of the Training Scale to the athletic development of the horse, we can build an elite athlete that is harmonious in its activity and intellect. One that moves with joy in its body and is willing to share this with its rider. While I utilize the Training Scale as the fundamental framework of the program with each and every horse, I also leave room for creativity when considering the specific needs of any given horse. Each horse is different, each rider is different, and each moment is a new moment that demands creativity within the fundamental framework of the training scale. A humane, empathetic approach that encourages athletic development over time is the best approach.

It is imperative that each and every rider comes to a level of self-awareness regarding his or her own emotional capacity prior to sitting on the horse. By this I mean that it is humane for the rider attempt to be clear of any emotional/psychological issues in their lives that may block their ability to be completely present and emotionally neutral while interacting from the saddle. While I have never met a horse that was not willing to double as a therapist, it is our job to lead and to create a space, a feeling from the saddle of calm and peace that the horse can rely on as we proceed in the training. As riders we must be able to control our emotions, our frustrations so that the horse comes to trust our reactions as we guide it forward into the unknown, as we ask it to perform out at the edges of its own mind and body day after day. We must build its confidence and trust. To do this we must be consistent in our empathy and support for the horse. Always.

Nancy Kotting