Cowboy Dressage

[mvp]

@Mondo

NO!!! Cowboy dressage is NOT the same as Western Dressage (USEF) and has NOTHING to do with WDAA. I have judged both. “Cowboy Dressage” is something some guy made up and added ridiculous “additional letters” to the arena (as if there weren’t enough already). I’m not kidding. “J” for cryin’ out loud. It’s stupid and pointless. I cannot say enough bad about it. Western Dressage on the other hand is growing and very fun. I love it. More education is needed though. Unlike Western Pleasure classes, Western Dressage horses are expected to be going forward. They should show bend and cadence. Some western riders that come down the centerline have those nose-on-the-ground, dragging their feet, 4 beat canter rides and you can’t reward that.

Now, now. You might want to learn a tad more about something before dissing it out of hand. I don’t know a lot, but here goes:

That “some guy” is CA or West Coast trainer Eitan Beth-Halachmy. He has written a book that explains his system. That’s more than most of us have done, right?

You can also do Cowboy Dressage in-hand. There are more letters (and even cavalletti-like arrangements of poles in places in the ring) so that you can do/train/demonstrate more stuff.

I went to a clinic and little show with a “fix a test” component to learn about Cowboy Dressage; I had already been to a “Train the Trainers” event for Western Dressage. They are different, though very, very early on I believe some folks were trying to combine them. At least that was true in Oregon where I lived and they wanted to have one umbrella organization for the whole state.

BTW, it may be that WD is getting better now, but there were some things wrong with it that I consider significant. Can you still ride two-handed in a leverage bit? That was a bit of compromise made in the beginning to keep some of the founding people and their discipline happy.

IIR, “Soft feel” was a great big watchword of the Cowboy Dressage. I appreciated that idea being baked into the discipline’s patterns, purposes and judging standards because Competition Dressage (at least) has allowed a certain amount of tension and, frankly, horse worry to be allowed in. For horses, especially, that’s doesn’t seem like a fair training standard; and for amateur riders, it seems a recipe for creating fear and “choked up” horses.

[SillyHorse]

@mvp

Now, now. You might want to learn a tad more about something before dissing it out of hand. I don’t know a lot, but here goes:

That “some guy” is CA or West Coast trainer Eitan Beth-Halachmy. He has written a book that explains his system. That’s more than most of us have done, right?

Now, now. It’s still just some guy. Anyone can write a book; it doesn’t make him or her an expert. The fact remains that “Cowboy” dressage and western dressage are not the same, not by a long stretch. Western dressage is what people do for the most part at schooling show that run by or close to USEF standards. It has come a long way since it was first introduced. WDAA is the USEF Recognized Affiliate for western dressage. Judges are trained and licensed.

@mvp

Competition Dressage (at least) has allowed a certain amount of tension

A certain amount of tension is not “allowed,” it’s a fact of life and it’s not rewarded in the show ring. Horses, even those who are as relaxed as soup at home, get tense; riders get tense, especially in a show atmosphere, and scores reflect its presence. Would you prefer that judges just eliminate every pair where they see some tension? “No tension allowed! Get out!”

[Mondo]

Thank you SillyHorse you took the words out of my mouth. I’ve written 3 books, one published so far (and not self-published either). I’ve published articles in national magazines as well. Nonetheless, it’s likely if you knew my name, you’d have never heard of me. Which is totally fine, because writing about our sport does not make me a BNT or anyone worth listening to, except perhaps, my own students.

My objection, @mvp, is his use of the term, Dressage. If he is using it in the literal sense, Training, then he should have just said Cowboy Training. I believe it was a deliberate attempt to confuse the issue, which happens often, as is evidenced by the OP. Now, now indeed.

[Paint_Party]

@mvp

Can you still ride two-handed in a leverage bit?

Yes, you can. Or you can ride with one hand. You just can’t switch back and forth within the test. I used two hands because I had a better connection/communication with my horse. His bit was actually a very mild mouthpiece. It didn’t feel that much different than my eq. and medal horses that I rode in Tom Thumb pelhams.

As for tension… WD tests include the free walk and/or free jog. Contact is loosened and the horse is to really relax and stretch.

To be clear, I’m not a diehard WD fan. My current horse is more of a reining/ranch riding type, so I probably won’t be doing WD in competition again. But I do wish that more WD participants would seek input from actual dressage instructors so they could better understand the concepts they’re striving for. Too many WD riders conquer Basic Test #4 and then stop because the tests get increasingly difficult from there. Don’t fear the flying lead change, LOL!

[eightpondfarm]

Interesting that there is so much difference in the two western tack dressage events! I’m only calling it Cowboy Dressage because that’s what my coach called it. My buckskin is following classical dressage (your basic balance, flexibility and connection stuff) but he’s just too broad in the beam to excel. With a wide chest and normal legs (as opposed to leggy dressage types) his laterals are just not natural for him. And he looks good in turquoise…

[baybrio]

@Paint_Party

making a nicely schooled riding horse

What a wonderful phrase.

[conniemary]

@eightpondfarm, have you considered working equitation too? At least in my part of the world, you can compete in either dressage or Western tack & attire (as long as you don’t “mix and match”)

[Dee-Vee]

Don’t be so sure of that before tossing off traditional dressage. Yes chunky QHs don’t often make it to the higher levels, but that can be said of most breeds that aren’t truly “dressage bred.”

QHs and other western breeds often do very well in at the basic levels because they tend to be naturally rhythmical and straight. They also have powerful hind ends even if downhill, and I have seen loftiness in some QHs depending on a number of factors including conformation and freedom to move. I have also found that QHs have good minds and like to work on patterns. Dressage is a lot about patterns and changes. Puts their minds to work if you keep changing things up for them.

I know that I am generalizing, but I’d really like to see more stock breeds in black tack. A nice buckskin chunk in black tack would certainly take my eye. I think a fault of many dressage riders is that they tend to “stereotype” a little too much sometimes. The old adage is…you don’t ride the colour.

In any event…find what you enjoy and have fun. That is what it is all about. Enjoying and having fun with your horse.

[eightpondfarm]

My ‘good’ dressage horse is non-traditional …color and breeding. She has the mindset and she has the physicality. She’s …noodley. She can bend any which way, even her legs. I should change her name to “Pokey” (Gumby’s horse). And she has flair, has a showiness. The buckskin gelding is a steady-eddie. He is slow and a bit lazy. His chest is wide, his butt is wide…his legs are thick, even his feet…they’re like bricks. You’re right about his cadence…he’s a virtual metronome. I’ve worked on loosening up his midsection and have managed to rock his movement back into his hind end. That has taken a year! But he does it. All in all he’s a very nice horse, don’t mean to diss him. He’s handsome and he is kind.

[J-Lu]

@conniemary

@eightpondfarm, have you considered working equitation too? At least in my part of the world, you can compete in either dressage or Western tack & attire (as long as you don’t “mix and match”)

This!! I’m mostly straight dressage these days but I worked with Rolf Jannsen on working equitation and the whole thing gives meaning to the dressage movements. What @eightpondfarm said.