Any resources on getting started in Western Dressage? Experienced rider, one thoroughly well trained gelding and a well started headed in the right direction mare. Always had an interest in foundations and basic concepts of dressage in my focus and training. Located in western washington.
Well, you can do what I did (my horse sounds similar to your gelding). Printed off the rulebook and a whole bunch of tests and went to my instructor and said this is what I want to try. Bless her, she was game, and we’ve done pretty well. I think if you have a solid foundation in the basics of dressage, it’s just a matter (ha - just) of fine tuning.
My instructor is great, but not sure you want to drive to Mt. Vernon. LOL
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I’m not really looking for an instuctor so much as where or how to start competing. I’m more of a self teaching-diy trainer. I’d love to attend some shows and kinda guage how they work then if we need further instruction go from there 
I haven’t seen any shows locally though? Where are sych thinhs advertised? Might not be something common down here.
As a top trainer was saying to another, “working alone is the kiss of death”.
Even if someone is the best, most accomplished trainer in the world, you still need experienced “eyes on the ground” helping keep track of what your horse and you are doing.
A rider just can’t see while riding what exactly is going on, no matter how experienced a rider it is.
To want to ride and compete without instruction falls into the old “reinventing the wheel”, an unnecessarily painful process.
A second pair of eyes on the process can get even the best performance the edge to do better, which is the goal of all riding.
Those working alone with horses tend to fall into “not knowing how little we know”.
I tried to tell that to a friend, insisting in doing his own thing, that just was not getting what all he was not getting right.
Finally getting the idea, now he has been getting some help and his riding is more correct and he has been competing and doing very well, but still has so far to go, learning is a life long process.
He now laughs and tells me he wishes he had known when working alone what he has learned up to now, sure would have made things easier for him and his horses.
The best trainers I know get together a few times a year to ride each other’s horses and help each other with what they were maybe missing, all gaining from it, the humans and more important, their horses, making their task easier by not just practicing, but practicing correctly.
We can practice on our own, once we know what we are doing and then having someone every so often to check our progress.
Shows are not those places, we are supposed to be showing our already correct and accomplished training there.
We can see those exhibitors that, after time and again showing, still don’t quite get why they are not doing well, no one is telling them what they are missing.
Anyone wanting to advance in their riding, do consider getting some instruction, as much as you possible can.
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The Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA) is where you want to go. It’s the official national western dressage organization. (There are other groups, like Cowboy Dressage - which is just one guy’s deal, and NAWD, which is doing some neat stuff with online shows, but they’re not the “real” one.)
Here’s WDAA’s website: http://westerndressageassociation.org/ It has info on recognized shows and events.
But it’s also a good idea to look to your local area – many of the local dressage associations that offer schooling shows also offer WD schooling tests.
Good luck on your journey – WD is a lot of fun!
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Honestly, I just signed up for a show, got myself the right tack and an outfit, and dived right in. The Intro level tests are not hard, and if you have a basic understanding of dressage, you should be okay. At my first show I met several great people, one thing lead to another, and I had myself an instructor. I have been competing for a year and a half now, and love it.
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Thanks for the info!
Finding shows can be tough. There are a couple places up this way that have dressage and WD schooling shows. I think the breed shows (Arab & Morgan, at least) usually offer WD as well. We did a couple of the schooling shows and then dove right in to doing the Morgan show (not terrifying at all… really. LOL).
Eyes on the ground really do help, or if you can video yourself. The nice thing is that you can have a reader if you need it. I’ve watched a few of the better YouTube videos as well on the different tests that I was interested in if I was a little confused about what was being asked for.
I plan to video myself. I really can’t afford a trainer and am not interested in pursuing it to that degree. This is more for fun than true competition. We have no intention or ability to afford being super competitive and travelling far to do this so see no reason in finding and wasting the time of a trainer.
In my area there isn’t a tonne for shows, but the local club holds “fun days” and the English dressage shows sometimes hold western dressage as well. The lower levels (Intro - basic) aren’t really any different than English dressage. Have you checked the association webpage or facebook for a local club?
You might also enjoy the “101 Western Dressage Exercises” book as well!
Yeah, there’s one place, up north a ciuple hours that posts them on the association but will check facebook!
I agree with kelo that the WDAA might be a good source of info for you.
There might be some useful info here too:
https://www.usdfregion6.org/gmos
Good luck! I used to love doing western dressage, my local dressage club included western as well as gaited dressage.
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Excellent, thanks for the info!
When you see a schooling show that you would like to go to that doesnt offer western dressage just email and ask! Lots of schooling shows will add a “TOC” (test of choice) class or add it in the future. Most schooling shows are put on by people who really love the sport and would welcome western and gaited riders if they know they are out there.
Ooo that’s a good idea!
