What I Have Learned: Heels Down Is Overrated

Have you ever wanted to go back and tell your younger self what you have learned over time? After 50 years of riding and showing horses, I considered what I had learned and what lessons I could pass on to others. I remembered my first Western dressage show. I bombed the test. I had to figure out the judge’s comments, and return to the riding drawing board to fix those things. I had no idea about how to work on dressage movements. I didn’t really understand the descriptions of the maneuvers and had to ask my classical dressage friends, who got a big kick out my asking, “How do I change my reins” What does track mean?”. But they told me and showed me and really appreciated it. It will never catch on, they said. Western dressage is silly. (We know how that turned out. I smile now as I see them riding western). I went to several more shows and watched a lot of riders before I started to understand what I had to do with my training. I thought about that this week as my team and I began working on our newest rider coaching program. I have developed my top 6 lessons learned over time I want to share with you.

1. Do less but do it better. I remember being completely overwhelmed by the tests. I used to practice the entire test over and over again. It took me a while to realize practicing the whole test all the time was detrimental to my progress. Instead, I started to practice each maneuver, and things got better. But when I thought about breaking down the maneuvers into what I call the essence or what the judge is looking for in that movement, I had an “ah ha” moment. If you look at the test, the maneuvers are broken down into precisely what is expected for that movement. The essence of the movement. For example, a 20-meter circle working jog. It is not just jogging a circle. The judge is not only looking for the size and shape of the circle, but they are also looking at balance, bend, regularity, and quality. Start working on the regularity and quality of the gaits until you know exactly what riding it feels like. Ride circles, serpentines, straight lines. It sounds simple, but if you get that down, you are golden. Work on the little pieces, then work on the bigger picture.
2. Don’t compare yourself to other riders who get higher scores than you. Just don’t do this. It is a recipe for stress eating. There have been a lot of discussions lately on when to move up a level and why riders who score high in one level won’t move up to the next level. Don’t worry about it. That rider may have bad nerves or lack self-confidence. Work on your test, at your level, your way. When you are ready to move up a level, you will know.
3. The more you use a skill, the easier it gets. Everything takes practice. A routine is the best way to set yourself up for success. More on this next month. Just know that if you practice the circle, the serpentine, or the straight line, it will get better. I could not get down the center line in my first several shows without going left or right. I halted and saluted about 4 feet to the side of the center line. It was embarrassing, but I kept working on it, and eventually, I had a straight center line. Practice, practice, practice.
4. Quirks are an asset. Heels down is overrated. You have quirks, and your horse has quirks. They are assets, not liabilities. I had a horse who used a cricket bit. All you could hear was him rolling that cricket. The judge never commented on my heels down or balanced seat, but they wrote, “I can hear him clicking, lol” They always remembered us. Embrace the quirks.
5. The longer you wait, the less time you have to see results. Start today. There is no reason to wait. I waited several months to get into the Western dressage show ring. I really regret that. I wish I had just started showing. Once I did, I learned more from the judges and other riders than I could have imagined. So just get started today.
6. It’s ok to start small. Starting at lower-level shows and schooling is perfectly ok. I found I got more help from the judge’s comments. Also, you can get a good idea of how the shows work. So don’t be afraid to jump in and get started at your local schooling show.

So there you have it. The top lessons I have learned that I want to pass on to others. By far, the best advice I would give my young self is to “just do it. You will learn so much”. The skills you learn with and from horses last a lifetime and can be used in many situations. Be patient, give yourself time to learn from mistakes, and don’t be too hard on yourself. We all started off knowing very little. But if you invest in yourself and your skills. The journey will be worth it. If you want to know more, check out my blog HorseHappyhour.com and don’t forget to enjoy the ride no matter what.