By Taylor Lemmon
This article was nominated for the 2025 GMO Newsletter Awards for first person experience articles for GMOs with 75-174 members. It appeared in the Utah Dressage Society newsletter, UDS Newsletter, April 2025.
I am thankful to the UDS Educational Scholarship for providing support for continued development in dressage. I utilized the funds to attend a 2-day clinic with David Wightman. My horse, Mardi, is coming 6 this year and we are developing 2nd level skills. David coached us through exercises to improve lateral suppleness and collection, which greatly enhanced my horse’s ability to bend more fluidly through his body. The targeted work on movements like shoulder-in, travers, and simple changes also helped refine the quality of his gaits, particularly developing greater elasticity in the trot and more balance in the canter. Some of my favorite exercises were the following:
10-Meter Circle to shoulder-in: The rider begins by riding a balanced 10-meter circle. This smaller circle requires the horse to bend uniformly through the neck, body, and hindquarters while staying rhythmical and forward. The inside leg maintains impulsion and helps the horse engage the inside hind leg, while the outside rein regulates the bend and prevents the horse from falling outward. Upon completing the circle, the rider smoothly transitions into shoulder-in down the long side of the arena. The inside rein establishes a slight flexion at the poll, while the inside leg asks the horse to step forward and slightly sideways, maintaining the same inside bend as on the circle. The outside rein and outside leg control the degree of angle (roughly 30 degrees) and keep the horse moving straight down the track while staying parallel to the arena wall. This transition encourages the horse to maintain the engagement of the inside hind leg developed on the circle. It builds lateral suppleness and strengthens the horse’s ability to carry more weight on the hindquarters. It also improves connection, straightness, and the rider’s ability to maintain control over the horse’s bend and alignment.
Simple changes on the quarter line: The exercise involves transitioning between canter, a few strides of walk, and canter again on the opposite lead. Begin with a balanced and straight canter down the quarter line. Straightness is key, as the horse should not lean toward the wall or drift into the arena. Prepare the transition by engaging the hindquarters with half-halts, ensuring the horse stays active and light in the bridle. Transition smoothly into a clear, rhythmic walk for 2-3 steps, avoiding any loss of forward energy or alignment. From the walk, use the rider’s aids (outside leg slightly behind the girth and inside leg at the girth) to ask for the new lead. The transition must be prompt and balanced, with the horse stepping into the canter without swinging the haunches or losing straightness. Performing simple changes on the quarter line, away from the support of the wall, demands that the horse stays aligned through the rider’s aids rather than relying on external guidance. The walk-to-canter transitions encourage the horse to step under with the hind legs and develop carrying power, which is essential for flying changes. The horse learns to listen closely to the rider’s aids, transitioning seamlessly between gaits without resistance.
Thank you to the Utah Dressage Society for awarding me this educational scholarship, which made this invaluable learning experience possible and has greatly contributed to my development as a dressage rider!
