I’m searching for FREE comprehensive ground-up video instruction in classical or modern dressage. This is not unreasonable. What is unreasonable is $100 a lesson and a sport that is sequestered only to the ultra rich. I’ve been riding for about a year and a half, and am pretty much self-taught off books and YouTube with a few scattered lessons. Anyone who says this is the worst way to learn to ride can keep their opinions to themselves. I can run burn-out on any horse through the roughest backcountry, which was the goal of military riding back in the day, but when it comes to training a horse and getting into higher levels of equitation I’m hitting a wall. Working studentships and internships are scams. I’ve been through three of them and the lessons never come, it’s slavery by another name. Barn owners just want you to pick up their horse crap for them, but you will never get lessons out of the deal, even at prestigious clubs. I have literally no money. I ride my friend’s horse everyday to work him out. No he won’t pay me for it (cheap bastard). I can’t ride other people’s horses for money because I’m not a “professional” whose been graded at shows. I’ve asked others to teach me and their answer was straight up “no,” like they’re giving away trade secrets or something, won’t even teach me how to properly lunge over cavalettis. I understand lots of people do this for fun, and that creates a demand you can charge huge money for, but I’m looking at this as job training that could get me out of poverty. So, yes, not going to lie, I’m frustrated. I’m searching for any kind of video tutorials that will at least get me through 4th level in dressage. Any information is appreciated, and I can pay you in cereal.
Ok…
First, you should really take some time off and find someone professional to talk to. Or someone you like and trust who could better help you. Your attitude is not a good one, especially around horses.
You’ve been only riding for a year and a half. You are a beginner and your expectations and goals are truly unrealistics. I don’t think you understand what riding and training is all about.
There is no such thing as video tutorials who would take you up the levels.
You should really focus on your well being and finding a real job that could help you pay your bills first and for your riding second.
The scenario you are describing is nonsensical and remote from the reality of the horse world. Back to the drawing board?..
Hmmm. I think you are asking whether there are any dressage instruction videos that might be helpful to your learning. I think there might be some useful sites (as well as books) that can help you. However, your rant about the expense of riding instruction really isn’t relevant. The rest of your post sounds like you really aren’t interested in learning at all—maybe you just wanted to vent? Even watching other riders lessons and clinics can be very educational —if you are truly interested in learning and have a limited budget.
It also sounds like a friend is generously letting you ride their horse and you are annoyed they won’t pay you to do so. People get paid to ride horses when they are an established trainer/rider who has a proven track record. Those professionals have also worked their way up (and many have cleaned plenty of stalls along the way). Unless you are a rare talent, after riding 1.5 years with limited instruction, I would consider you a beginner at this point. There would be no reason for me to “pay” you to ride one of my horses.
Riding dressage is a very long term learning process (it’s a marathon, not a sprint) and if you are short on funds you need to appreciate any opportunity you have to work with any horse or trainer. My hunch is that you will get a LOT more opportunities to learn, and ride, if you adjust your thinking. People who have horses have worked hard for the privilege to own them. At the barn where I board, not one person is looking for a newbie rider to hop on their horse (let alone pay them to do so!) You can learn something from every horse you sit on, and every lesson you audit. Until you understand and appreciative that—your likelihood of learning anything (by video, or otherwise) is pretty slim.
So now MY rant is over. Back to your question (you are looking for instructional videos). There are plenty out there. Hilda Gurney, Kyra Kyrkland, and other trainers have video series and there are several online dressage sources (search USDF Dressage Training Online). Also, I have learned a lot from good books, the one I recommend for riding basics is Centered Riding by Sally Swift. Any books by Reiner or Ingrid Klimke are useful for methods on training horses. None of these will replace time in the saddle under quality instruction, but they are what you asked for in your post.
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Have a look at Natasha Althoff on YouTube.
But as far as the “I’m not paying for lessons” attitude goes… you really need to lose that. You call your friend a cheap bastard for not PAYING you to ride HIS horse… yet you have a problem when people expect money in return for work. Which is what riding instructing is. It is a job, be it full time or part time. Do you think a farrier would shoe your horse for you, because you don’t think you should have to pay him?! Hell no.
THIS!! So many people think there’s a quick fix when it comes to learning how to ride movements and how to train your horse. If you have no patience, dressage is not the game for you my friend :lol:
Sounds like you need to get a real job and pursue your dressage dreams on the side. You’ve been in the saddle 1.5 years? Well, well. I’ve ridden for 52 years and am still unworthy to buckle the spur straps of people like Kyrklund, Klimke and Balkenhol. I have a few lower-level students, but not enough to make a living from. I do it for love of dressage and to pay for my own horse habit (in part).
Yes, working student positions are tough. I knew a girl who had a WS position with a very BNT on the east coast. She lived on M & M’s. Eventually she did get lessons from the BNT and got the opportunity to ride her Olympic level horse. She is one of the best horsewomen I know now. She had the drive and desire. Do you?
I’m not a good troll spotter, but wonder if this is one?
As someone who found a way, while working multiple low-paying jobs, finishing an advanced degree, and living in the most expensive metro area in the U.S., to scrape together >$100/lesson so my giveaway horse and I could get solid dressage instruction, I’m not buying your underdog sob story.
All the YouTube videos in the world won’t teach you the patience, hard work, and horsemanship it takes to establish solid dressage basics, let alone get to 4th level. Sure, it’s a rich person’s sport but I can testify that a broke rider can indeed find success in dressage without a fancy horse or a lot of money. But you have to work your a$$ off and graciously accept whatever help you’re given to have any chance of doing so. IME that’s meant getting on anything and everything that I was offered a ride on for years before I could afford the expense of my own (free, as in unwanted) horse, sacrificing everyday luxuries (e.g. decent food) and lifestyle (e.g. Netflix, buying clothes) to save my pennies, hustling odd jobs like blanket washing and body clipping, and yes, shoveling literally tons of manure (which is not even close to the most disgusting, thankless work I’ve done at a barn). I also started with zero dollars and continue to walk a financial tightrope, but I have chosen to work harder so that I can afford a humble horse and a good instructor and learn. And I’ve been grateful for every barely-broke or ‘problematic’ horse I was given a free ride on, for every lesson I was able to take in exchange for unglamorous barn labor, and for every sound step my horse has taken. Point is, those are gifts, not givens!
I don’t know how someone who seems to resent the sort of opportunities that give those of us with lesser means an entry into equestrian sports will ever muster the passion to do dressage the hard way. Even someone born with a silver spoon in their mouth has to work far harder than you seem willing to learn from the nicest horses and best trainers money can buy. And if you’ve truly seen the dressage world from a working student’s perspective during your whopping 1.5 years of experience you should know by now that it’s not a low-overhead, high-security business that rewards raw talent with big paydays. Expecting to become a successful dressage trainer without putting in hard, sometimes unpleasant work is like expecting to win the lottery while insisting that buying a ticket is a scam.
Your attitude reminds me of another dressage persona who insists that one can master dressage from books/videos and go on to become a renowned trainer, and that only an unfair world is standing in the way of his success in the sport. He has a YouTube channel, and I heard he’s offered to give a free clinic…
I know this is not what you wanted to hear, but if you swap the sense of entitlement for a bit of passion you just might find that people around here are more forthcoming with knowledge and insights that are useful to you.
Thank you Dressage Training Online was more along the lines of what I was looking for. $36 a month is reasonable, and looks like there’s a 10 day free trial.
Still irked about the subscription fee for straight knowledge though. Seems like there should be something on YouTube. I found a very old series from 1940 that went through all the levels but the whole thing isn’t uploaded. I’m wondering if there might also be something in a foreign language? I know there’s a vibrant equestrian scene in Mexico (not all Mexican trainers are hard on their horses, I’m aware of the stereotype). Spanish, Portuguese, Australians have their own dressage systems. If there are complete instructional series floating around in another language or discipline I’d be very interested in giving that a go.
When you are a 4th level trainer are you going to do it for free? Are you going to train horses or people for free? Are you going to give away the horses you train for free because it isn’t fair someone should pay? Sure, you can find some resources that can give you tips here and there… but there is a reason we pay those with lots of knowledge to teach us. Their knowledge and experience is worth it!
Meh, I’m starting to get to the point with my pony where I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing. I tried YouTube for some specific things I was trying to work on and it didn’t do me any good. I need someone on the ground telling me at the time things are happening how to respond to my individual horse.
I was watching videos on starting changes and though there is beautiful work out there on video… the horses are often schooled above the level of beginning changes and tell me very little about when things go awry. I would rather sit on that for a while until I can have a great trainer make sure we go in the right direction.
You should consider doing something with youre attitude!
There are so many ways you could learn, and mostlikely trade work for free lessons, you just have to really want to do it. There are no short cuts in dressage. Watching youtube videos will not teach you how to problem solve when you face something in the saddle. They will surely give you a understanding of things, but sometimes the horse you ride will not answear even if the question you ask is correct.
I’d make a vid series that has advertising in it, charge advertisers. Why hasn’t anyone thought of this? I know you’re paying a trainer for their time and horse use but information is free.
Doesn’t work, and I’ve had many others in the equestrian and rodeo scenes tell me there really is no work/trade with horses. I did 4 months at one place and received 2 lessons, and no other riding time. The two others after a month started to pull the same thing so I’m sorry but if that’s the way it’s going to be I’m not free either.
I’m sure they have… but you realize how expensive horses are right?
Here’s one of the first lessons one has to learn in dressage: what you must learn to become a good dressage rider is not primarily information. It’s feel. It’s balance. It’s intuition. It’s reflex. It’s communication. It’s timing. It’s ethics. It’s coordination. It’s mindfulness. It’s proprioception. It’s a thousand parts practical and intangible minutiae for every one part of information. No book, no source of ‘free information’ can ever teach you all of the skills you need to react to your horse in every moment and shape a ride into the expressive and athletic thing that we’re all after. Most of us are not paying our trainers for their time or use of horses; we’re paying for their experience, their observational skills, their practical abilities, and most importantly their skill in communicating with us moment by moment. That is not free – it’s something they’ve built through years and years of experience … and work. I wish good luck to any 4th level rider/trainer who thinks they can do all that through internet videos and garner enough ad clicks in the process to support him/herself, let alone a horse or training facility.
It’s hard to find the right fit and it’s harder to do the work, but anyone who thinks a positive exchange of work for learning is impossible is either lacking the work ethic or the humility or the passion that makes those situations successful.
I’m glad you’ve got it all figured out once you find the right comprehensive dressage-up-the-levels YouTube series, though. Perhaps you can choreograph a musical freestyle to the world’s smallest violin playing the world’s saddest song when this cruel world stops holding you back by making you have to work to achieve your dressage goals.
:lol:
The US Cavalry did it in 16 weeks. Unfortunately, trucks. Go Green.
I don’t work for free Miss. Thank you for your input.
I can’t imagine why your thoroughly partial knowledge of the history of dressage (‘free information’, I suppose) and your insistence that everyone but you should be offering their work gratis haven’t charmed the whole dressage world into paying you to ride their horses already! Maybe in 16 weeks or so, when you have that 4th level freestyle ready to go and a massively monetized YouTube instruction program online you can tell us what it’s like to pull yourself out of poverty by not taking riding lessons.
Meanwhile back in the real world, you’ve done a fine job insulting the people who you’ve asked for help in gaining free dressage ‘job training’ – people who’ve bought into the ‘scam’ of putting time and money and work into being better riders often simply ‘for fun’. If you ever figure out what unreasonable means and want to have an honest discussion about learning dressage on a ramen noodle budget, you can find me at the barn ‘picking up horse crap’ and working on some 4th level movements.
Perhaps the OP would be a good fit for the Maestro’s barn?
