Classical Dressage Art in Motion

Paul Alvin-Smith training an ANCCE stallion at WVH A fellow Grand Prix dressage rider recently equated the proposal to offer riders an opportunity to waive out of sitting to the medium and extended trot at 3rd/4th dressage level testing, the same as offering folks the chance to play pickle ball instead of tennis. While that may be a bit harsh, judges such as Natalie Lamping, who I entirely respect, believe differently. And she has been taken to task for her opinion in the press with quite a vehement response that has at times been very disrespectful. Lamping's colleague Janet Foy, chimed in to say the USDF committee on such matters has heard this all before, and that the idea when previously floated was, 'booed out the room.' Other fellow coaches/clinicians/competitors including Olympic medal earning dressage folks we have historically worked with to improve ourselves, have also spoken out against the idea. Let's consider the apparent reasoning behind allowing riders to

Weird weather this year has life at WVH in a reverse schedule - as clinic giving times are always wrapped around haymaking times and Mother Nature never shows her hand when it comes to when the hay will be ready for harvest. Peaceful times at Willowview Hill Farm   Rain or lack of it, doesn't just affect the grass growing where we're mowing - but also in the horse pastures. And this season we've seen more than a few horses that were booked to participate at clinics by their owners withdrawn due to laminitis flare ups or other metabolic issues. Thankfully after a two week dry spell we finally received an inch of rain last night. This week promises more precipitation which makes us happy, as our hay customers are anxious to purchase our 1st cut and we simply can't get going on it until Mother Nature boosts the hay crop yield. Mother Nature works her magic   All these weather issues are a stern reminder that we all rely on water and Mother Nature to provide it and hopefull

  The firing of Andreas Hausberger, Chief Rider at the Spanish Riding School after 40 years of service is not the first 'firing' of the elite trainers at this heritage institution and most likely based on precedent won't be the last. I was fortunate to visit the SRS when the horses still lived at the palace. Shopping for a stallion at the school I enjoyed riding stallions in the grand hall and at Piber, and experienced first hand the work of the riders and Chief Rider at that time, Arthur Kottas. In my previous career I had also worked with an earlier Chief rider at the SRS, George Wahl after he had left the now, unenviable position. That was a long time ago now - back in the days where Christine Stückelberger and Granat were the highlight ride at the yard where I trained. The days of the classical dressage were numbered, and those last years of the 1990's were truly the end of the institutional training in the classical art. The advent of rollkür was embraced by the

A rider without an independent seat will almost always go to their hands to help balance themselves in the saddle. Sadly, many dressage riders manage to acquire a trained horse that is 'finished' or at least headed toward FEI level and regardless of their poor 'horse hands handiwork' they gift themselves even more leverage with the use of a double bridle. Paul Alvin-Smith schooling his daughter's horse Manitak - Day 1 of double bridle introduction. Note lightness of weymouth rein.   It is not easy to develop a truly independent seat. But you can't jump this part of equestrian work without consequences in the progression of your own and that of your horse's training. Many folks don't have access to the use of a schoolmaster longe horse where they can ride without reins, hopefully to learn how to use the seat and legs to elevate the front of the horse, to direct 'traffic' as it were, speed, cadence, collection etc. However, there are some steps the

For the past few decades hubbie and I have been out and about sharing our equestrian knowledge and in particular dressage training, as the 'Brit Grand Prix Duo' and our work has taken us far and wide.  It has been very rewarding, thought at times quite exhausting! As we kick in to 2023, we are thrilled to announce we are already fully booked for the limited 'book' we are offering to hosts for our clinics.   The post Covid reality that like everyone else caused us to pause and consider how we were spending our time and what direction we wanted to take our lives. We have to acknowledge that we are not getting any younger and that while we enjoy our travels giving clinics, it takes up much time and travel as everyone knows is a more intense experienced and more difficult to accomplish than ever.  So, now I've taken you around the block explaining the change, am also pleased to share that another 'result' of this cut back on travel for clinic giving has also res

Our 1st warmblood purchase, Oldenburg premier colt, Fenix, Furiano/Aktuell/Weltmeister.   Everything in life comes full circle and in horse breeding it is apparently no different. As dressage competitors/clinicians we began our horse owning experiences with two geldings, a Morgan and a Standardbred. The former was trained to do anything but stay grounded with four legs on the floor is seemed. Meanwhile the 16 year old Standardbred had spent his previous six years as a successful Grand Prix horse before we bought him. Only trouble was, the Grand Prix experience was in the showjumping arena not the dressage one. Of course since those early years in 1981 and forward from that time there were many breeds of horses that found their way into our yard, initially mostly male gender.  But then of course the horse breeding bug began. And after several OTTBs, Quarterhorses, an Appendix Quarterhorse, an Arabian and Welsh pony for the kids, we branched out into more mare ownership and stallions wit