WESTERN Dressage:
Dressage is for every rider and any horse, no matter
what age, level of education, and what your goals may
be. It is simply a natural training method for the horse
and rider that leads to great success. So if you are a
western rider, dressage training will help you bring out
the best in your horse and you as a rider.
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Preparing to Show
Western Dressage is a huge step in the right direction to
improve the western rider’s education and skills. Be careful
if you try to ride a dressage test; you will get hooked
because it is so much fun.
Now that you have studied some of my suggestions
about getting yourself ready for the show ring, let’s focus
now on the horse. Keep the following in mind as you
prepare for your first Western Dressage show.
1. Train with patience and understanding about your
horse as an individual and not just comparing him to
other horses.
2. Understand what is required in each level and test.
Know your horse’s confidence level and how he will
handle what would be asked for in a test. Aim for willingness
and consistency.
3. Evaluate your horse’s fitness. Become educated so you
know what is your horse’s best weight and muscle tone.
4. Evaluate your horse’s soundness, both his overall soundness
and the soundness of his legs and feet. Know and
work closely with your vet and blacksmith so that your
horse is healthy and sound. It takes a great deal of knowledge
and time to make sure your blacksmith is trimming
or shoeing your horse correctly and for your vet to know
this too. Aim to keep the limbs of the horse sound without
medications if possible.
5. Set time lines for you and your horse to prepare for
yearly goals. Set them and if you are not reaching them,
reevaluate them without getting upset and taking it out
on the horse.
TRAINING & Showing
By Lynn Palm
Palm Partnership Training™
Building a Partnership with your Horse
6. Don’t give in to peer pressure. Don’t let others, such as
family members, friends, trainer/coach, or other competitors
talk you into thinking that you need to do more then
you are capable of doing or want to do. Don’t attempt
to reach goals your horse isn’t ready to handle. Stay on a
realistic path and set achievable goals.
7. Prepare for your show at home. Find out exactly what
you need to do in order to sufficiently warm up to practice
for the level you plan to show in.
8. Prepare the warm-up you will do before you enter
the ring. Practice what to do and what direction to turn
down the center line to start your test.
9. Prepare your tack and clothes ahead of time, and
know how long it takes you to get ready. You can rehearse
at home.
10. Make packing lists for horse feeding and care, tack
to show in, and clothes you wear to compete in. This will
keep you from worrying that you’ll forget something.
11. Make travel plans and time lines of when you are going
and for how long.
12. Prepare your vehicle and trailer for safe travels. Please
refer to our traveling DVDS available on the website.
13. Decide with confidence, excitement and what I call
“the eye of the tiger,” to go to the show and have a
great time and success.
I hope these tips will give you confidence and encouragement
to show. Your horse will tell you if he’s not ready
by a poor responses if the challenge is too difficult for him.
So listen to your horse and go for it. Get out there and tell
your friends: Dressage is for everyone in the horse world!
For more information on clinics and
training materials, please visit
www.lynnpalm.com
or call us at 800-503-2824.
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