What does your dressage horse do for fun?

[Obsidian_Fire]

This is actually a kind of serious question, at least to me.

I have always been a trail rider. Horse camping, work parties, saddlebags and hours of riding.

But I love dressage too, and want to move up the levels. I don’t show so it is strictly for my own entertainment. Plus, in the valley, it rains a lot so having something interesting and beneficial to do during the wet weather is always useful.

About 2 years ago I was looking at a gelding with a reasonable amount of bells & whistles; liked him enough to have my trainer come see him. The upshot to me was that he also trail rode - safely. (in the end I passed on him and stuck with my current mount).

In the course of our conversation I finally said to my trainer (who has known me a very long time): this is starting to sound like an either/or proposition. I can either find a horse who trail rides or one who does dressage (3rd level or above), but finding one who can do both?

Now, I get her point. It takes a boatload of schooling and discipline and time to put ‘buttons’ on a dressage horse. All that time spent doing that leaves little room for a “second career on the side” - especially the kind of trail riding I like.

So I am extremely lucky to have the SM I do have - 3rd level, schooled higher, and I can throw him in the trailer and go to the mountains and ride too.

But then again, he’s an OTTB so technically he is not a “purpose bred” dressage horse.

I just wonder if I would be trying to shove a square peg into a round hole (on a future mount).

Do I buy a trail horse and teach it dressage or do I look for that unicorn - dressage horse that is part mountain goat?

[Scribbler]

[QUOTE=Obsidian Fire;8822321]
This is actually a kind of serious question, at least to me.

I have always been a trail rider. Horse camping, work parties, saddlebags and hours of riding.

But I love dressage too, and want to move up the levels. I don’t show so it is strictly for my own entertainment. Plus, in the valley, it rains a lot so having something interesting and beneficial to do during the wet weather is always useful.

About 2 years ago I was looking at a gelding with a reasonable amount of bells & whistles; liked him enough to have my trainer come see him. The upshot to me was that he also trail rode - safely. (in the end I passed on him and stuck with my current mount).

In the course of our conversation I finally said to my trainer (who has known me a very long time): this is starting to sound like an either/or proposition. I can either find a horse who trail rides or one who does dressage (3rd level or above), but finding one who can do both?

Now, I get her point. It takes a boatload of schooling and discipline and time to put ‘buttons’ on a dressage horse. All that time spent doing that leaves little room for a “second career on the side” - especially the kind of trail riding I like.

So I am extremely lucky to have the SM I do have - 3rd level, schooled higher, and I can throw him in the trailer and go to the mountains and ride too.

But then again, he’s an OTTB so technically he is not a “purpose bred” dressage horse.

I just wonder if I would be trying to shove a square peg into a round hole (on a future mount).

Do I buy a trail horse and teach it dressage or do I look for that unicorn - dressage horse that is part mountain goat?[/QUOTE]

What does trail riding mean to you?

Do you just want a horse that can hack out safely on moderate terrain? Or do you want to do “technical” scrambles up and down rock faces, which is what the “mountain goat” comment makes me think?

In other words, does your trail horse need to be specialized and talented beyond what you’d consider average for a nice ranch-bred quarter horse?

I don’t see any reason why a warmblood or thoroughbred that is sound, well trained, and conditioned for the work couldn’t do day-long and overnight rides alongside the average quarter horse. These breeds are used for hunters and eventing as well as dressage, and those horses learn how to comport themselves outside of an arena.

On the other hand, it is also true that many dressage riders, even at the very low levels, never set foot outside the indoor arena. I see this at our barn, which has access to a small network of groomed, flat, sand-gravel paths in a park. I don’t think this has anything to do with the overall breed characteristics of the horses they ride. But they are afraid of spooking or of losing control, and to some extent afraid of the horse being injured.

I think this comes from two directions. The returning rider adult ammies are fearful, and become basically agoraphobic after a few years of indoor lessons and schooling. I even felt this start to happen to me as a returning rider, but I had a teen history of riding trails, mountains, roads, suburbs, basically everywhere, to remember, and no intention of making my riding a totally indoor sport now!

The trainers, on the other hand, who have multiple horses to handle, tend to make the most economical use of their time by just schooling in the arenas, and not going on trail rides because they don’t really have time.

So this means that a lot of horses that have been trained for dressage may have almost never gone out of the arena, and would need to be re-started on trails as if they were spooky three year olds.

So while it might be hard to find a horse that has had substantial dressage training and has also done substantial trail riding and camping, I don’t think it would be hard to find a horse capable of doing both with the right training.

If you wanted a “mountain goat” trail horse, you could look at the kinds of Arabians they use in endurance riding, or at the kinds of Andalusians/ Lusitanos they use in Working Equitation, which has both a trail obstacle course and a dressage test.

[netg]

It really depends. My mom’s mare grew up on rocky mountain trails, and if she’s fit she can handle just about anything - barefoot. She is a Friesian/Andalusian cross, and had that been my mom’s interest could have progressed up the levels in dressage as well.

My mare wouldn’t be able to move up the levels and do those type of trails, but is a joy on easier trail rides. She doesn’t have the natural ability to scramble across rocks like a billy goat, and would take time to learn how to handle herself in that situation, and ongoing time to continue to be able to do it. She is a purpose bred WB. I know others who more naturally handle the rocks and things well and could do it. We can and do play on trails with changing footing and small hills, and I intend to get out to some larger hills but still a bit more groomed than billy goat territory mountain trails with her.

My gelding prefers to stay in the arena. It’s safer and predictable. He will walk out on relatively easy footing, but is not and never would be the mountain goat type, no matter how hard anyone tried to make him one.

[Dbliron]

My Friesian mare gallops up the pasture and through the trees, over the hill, down the pasture and through the trees, and back again, for fun.

Two years ago, when I’d had her about 10 days, we were competing at Donida after 4 days the previous weekend at Devonwood, and we went trail-riding on Donida’s trails. Obviously the mare had NEVER been on a trail-ride, and at first expected me to tell her where to step, how to step, how fast/slow to step, which fork to take, etc. However, after about 10 minutes she started to pay attention to those things herself, and we spent about an hour hacking up and down and around and through on the buckle. Now she’s proficient on her own and trail-riding, and she’s competing at PSG.

[2tempe]

I know you asked a serious question, but:

The first thing I thought of is my horse (stallion) standing w/ his face in the corner of his stall “reading his girlie magazines” if you get my drift…:lol: Pretty much every day.

[Graymaresrule]

Eat

[StormyDay]

What is your idea of trail riding? If it is the more leisurely, less dangerous kind, well Valegro gets cross trained, trail ridden, and turnout. some dressage riders even do little jumper courses.
The dressage trainers I have worked with all trail rode and cross trained the baby horses they were starting. It makes it so you don’t fry their baby brains. Too much dressage will give you mean, angry horses.

[Manni01]

My horses are turned out as much as weather allows, they get trail ridden and sometimes jumping.
Look at I.Klimke, she has GP horses who trailride and jump.
There is no reason an upper level dressage horse can’t do other things.
When I grew up we had to do a jump after the dressage test the higher the test, the higher the jump Unfortunately too many dressage riders complained about it… so they eliminated it, but IMO it was a good thing

[Obsidian_Fire]

Scribbler, thank you. Great post and I think you hit it right on.

I don’t do the “man from snowy river” routine, but I DO need a hill gear, an ability to take a tight situation and THINK before reacting (and listen to your rider), a good sense of self preservation (don’t take me over that cliff please), and the ability to step carefully and deliberately.

So no, nothing a good QH can’t do.

I ride with gals who sometimes DO do the ‘snowy river’ routine - usually because we’ve gone cross country and gotten ourselves into trouble, LOL. So being able to trust my horse is going to deal with it and not blow a gasket, that’s huge.

OTOH, we don’t do those kinds of rides when somebody’s a greenie.

I guess it’s like anything else - get the right mind and put in the training.

I think what my trainer is trying to tell me is like you said: AA’s who don’t leave the arena, and trainers who don’t have time… is going to make finding what I want more difficult already trained.

Trail riding means something to me, no doubt. It’s what 99% of my friends do, it’s how we connect and spend time together. I’m an outdoor gal, no doubt about that, so it suits me. As much as I enjoy dressage, part of the reason I’ve not gotten further than I have, is because I get tired of the arena and I quit my lessons for months on end… and trainers don’t wait around for you to decide you’re ready to ride with them again! So then I end up with no trainer…

Anyway, thanks. You’ve restored my hopes (and my sanity).

[KyrieNZ]

Mine hack out (road riding), go to the forest, go to the beach, jump. Hell, for shits and giggles once, friend and I jousted with pool noodles :lol:

[Forte]

My horse showed Third last year and is now schooling Fourth. In addition to dressage schooling, we usually do one jumping lesson a week and one hack/trail ride which with involves a 45 minute trail or riding over rolling hay fields. We also trailered out last week and did a pre-entry cross country course. I don’t see any reason why a dressage horse can’t jump and hack.

[Dutchmare433]

All of my dressage horses hack, trail ride, hunter pace, and jump for fun. My first mare in particular was very versatile…did all the third level and some 4th/PSG, and trail rode like a boss. We could go anywhere, mostly on the buckle, and I could trust her to deal with her balance, snow, ice, rocks, hills, whatever. Self preservation, and rider preservation were her jam. I took her on a 25 mile charity ride with real trail people and she held her own. (I looked like an idiot in a dressage saddle and breeches, but whatever.) Whether she could have handled really difficult terrain, I doubt, but she was 17h and long backed…I would think you average serious trail horse is quite a bit smaller and more maneuverable than that.

But they do exist! I intend for my 3 year old to behave similarly out and about.

[fenwai]

Mine jump (courses as well as the odd log in the field), hack out, trail ride, go to the beach, and are dabbling in mounted archery with me. We do enough trail obstacle-type stuff (opening and closing gates, bridges, logs, etc) that we could probably do okay in a playday class. This is in addition to their dressage work and an active show lifestyle. I like to keep things interesting, for them and me!

[rebecca_yount]

My Oldenburg dressage mare lives out 24-7 with a run-in (very nice one) and a donkey. We ride among (and have herded) cows, on all kinds of trails including bushwacking, go over small jumps and streams, we fox hunt, and have done TREC, judged trail rides with obstacles, have done a couple of horse trials, and are now starting Working Equitation. All our gate-opening has come in handy. We also do hunter paces. I have no indoor and ride up and down hills and on all types of terrain. We have also galloped around the racecourse at Great Meadow. She’s pretty confirmed in piaffe and coming along well with changes. The “cross-training” keeps both of us sane and I can’t imagine only training in a ring. There’s no reason you can’t do “dressage training” on a trail or out in a field. I have known a couple of “dressage riders” who are terrified to go out of an enclosed area. That seems crippling to me.

[allons-y]

As a youngster, I did crazy (now) stuff on trails, Open jumper classes, silly barnyard races in fields and down dirt roads, 50 mile competitive trail rides, 4H state trail classes, hunter paces, Bareback back to back class , low level dressage, Competitive trail classes, western pleasure, english pleasure, hunter US, blah blah blah, etc, etc. All on the same horse - cause I had one horse. He and I both loved it all. I want to get that mojo back. Le Sigh

I think Im the only one holding us back

[Pocket_Pony]

I like to do whatever I can that my horses enjoy. Granted, I haven’t shown in a while (though plan to show my young pony next year), but I incorporate lots of trail riding, we just started jumping little crossrails last week, and we get to see (and move) cows on the trail, too.

I want a well-rounded horse. I’m sure that keeps me on the slow track for everything because I do a little here and a little there, but it is important for me to have horses that get to go out and do different things and have fun!

[rebecca_yount]

Just want to add that without a doubt my 45 years of dressage training and the fact that my horses are dressage trained has always helped in all other disciplines.

[RedmondDressage]

If anything, your dressage training should enhance your horse as a trail horse because you will get better responses to your aids. Now, I’ve known some very hot, very dumb horses that I would not take out on a challenging trail… But if the horse is fairly level headed I don’t see why you can’t do upper level dressage and do what you’ve spoken about on the trail… My (now semi retired) PSG horse is reliable over most terrain. I take my 5 y.o. fairly hot Oldenburg on the trail by himself and have since about a month after he was backed. I think the key is that, while they do have some potential to be reactive, neither of them are stupid.

[Keg-A-Bacchus]

My pony is schooling third and should be my FEI horse in a couple of years. We trail ride, run around bare back and do low level eventing. I treat her like my pony growing up…we play and have a blast together. Most trails I end up schooling some dressage just for fun. We do collected to passage to medium in the fields, practice our half passes between the cherry trees then hop off for a hand gallop. I adore the versatility and wouldn’t give it up for the world. I could never own a horse now that can’t offer me both. I pick brains over talent 110% of the time and the ability to excel at traditional dressage happens because of a great, willing brain. I say find a horse who can do both, even if it’s a great trail horse with the brain and willingness to move up the levels.

[ArabDiva]

Mine hack out on the road … in fact it’s where we get most of our conditioning because my footing at home is not great

We also do trail riding at the county park, covering 12-20 miles in a day.

We’re 2nd level now but aspiring to go further.

My friend did a 25 mile LD endurance ride with her fourth level horse last year.

The key is to find one with a sane but smart/thinking mind and good attitude.