April Guest Speaker - Steffie Bryant

We were delighted to welcome Steffie Bryant as our guest speaker at the April Riding Club Meeting. While we had hoped to see her in person, Steffie was unfortunately unable to attend due to a swift horse kick! However, she graciously joined us via video chat, and we were all able to benefit from her expert insights into the world of dressage.

During her talk, Steffie delved into the key elements that judges are looking for in a dressage test. She explained in great detail the importance of key dressage principles such as straightness, impulsion, balance, rhythm, connection, and relaxation between horse and rider. These principles, Steffie explained, are fundamental in ensuring that your horse demonstrates effective training and performance in the arena.

She also reminded us of the true meaning of "dressage," which translates to "training"—a process that involves developing both the horse’s skills and the partnership between horse and rider.

Judges are focused on several key factors during a dressage test:

• The accuracy of the ridden test

• The harmony between rider and horse

• The horse’s willingness to respond to aids

• The effectiveness of the rider’s aids

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Steffie’s advice was invaluable, offering a deeper understanding of what judges expect and how riders can improve their performance to achieve the best possible scores.

We’d like to extend a HUGE thank you to Steffie for sharing her knowledge with us, and we look forward to welcoming her back in person one day soon!