Dressage Today Podcast

REVISIT (Originally released as Season 3, Episode 31 on December 27, 2022) Welcome to the Dressage Today podcast sponsored by Purina. In the last episode of 2022, Stephanie and Aviva reflect on the year, and Aviva answers a tough question about keeping older horses supple. Then together they interview Stephany Fish Crossman, an accredited biomechanics trainer based in Brooksville, Florida who also...

Welcome to the Training Buzz sponsored by Purina . Hear a bit from dressage and horsemanship trainer Monique Potts as she works with a rider on a horse that gets easily distracted by new objects. She has the rider pay attention to the horse’s ears. When they fixate on something, then the rider needs to do an exercise like a small circle or transition to get the ears to switch back to the rider. Me...

Welcome to the Training Buzz sponsored by Horse Week . hear a bit from dressage and event rider Chelsea Canedy as she leads a short, guided meditation to realign yourself before interacting with your horse. She helps get you to a place where you can find stillness and internal quiet and locate that gratitude for your horse and your time with him. Members of Equestrian+ can watch the full video wit...

Aviva and Stephany discuss the latest L question from Nancy regarding the judge's comments about her pony’s poll being too low.  We go to commercial from our sponsor, Purina, on Empowering Excellence in Every Horse.  Aviva and Stephany interview Amy Bradley Swerdlin, the 2024 Grand Prix Champion at U.S. Equestrian’s Dressage Festival of Champions in August at Lamplight Equestrian Facilit...

Welcome to the Training Buzz sponsored by Cosequin . Hear a bit from Olympic dressage rider Adrienne Lyle as she works with an adult amateur rider to get the horse forward off the leg. Tempo is the top priority for this pair before they work on things like straightness and bend. Lyle also stresses to keep the hands as quiet as possible when adding energy to avoid giving the horse mixed signals. Me...

Welcome to the Dressage Today podcast sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim . Coming back after missing a new show in July, Aviva and Stephanie jump right into the Ask the L question of how to know when it is appropriate to move up to the next level.  Then together they talk to Stephany Fish Crossman, who they first interviewed in December 2022. They find out what she has been up to since they fi...

Welcome to the Training Buzz sponsored by  Purina . Hear a bit from Grand Prix rider Laura Ashley Killian on riding the centerline. She explains and has her student demonstrate how to ride straight down the centerline as well as halt at X. They also go over common rider mistakes and how to fix them. Members of Equestrian+ can watch the full video with Killian  here . Not a member? Sign u...

REVISIT: Welcome to the Dressage Today Podcast. In this episode, we talk to none other than dressage legend Steffen Peters who just finished fourth, and was the highest placing American, at the FEI Dressage World Cup Final. Then Aviva addresses the question of whether it is better to do a “poorer” transition at the letter or a “better” transition a stride (or two) later. Born in Wesel, German...

Welcome to the Dressage Today podcast sponsored by  Sentinel . Aviva and Stephanie talk about how lucky they are to have had the opportunity to talk to so many of the riders on the dressage Olympic short list, and then Aviva answers the question about how the counter canter in First Level Test 3 should be ridden and how it is scored. Together they interview up-and-coming international rider E...

Welcome to the Training Buzz sponsored by  Purina . Hear just a little bit of Olympic Team silver medalist Sabine Schut-Kery’s training philosophy in this clip from a ride at the 2024 Adequan/USDF Trainers Conference. She talks about how to ride a horse that is a little stiff, and, as a result, not as forward and engaged as he should be. Members of Equestrian+ can watch all the rides from the...

Welcome to the Dressage Today podcast sponsored by  Purina . Aviva and Stephanie talk about the not-so-easy journey horses can travel with their owners, and then Aviva answers the question “When you are halting/making any change in gait on any letter- do you want your leg and/or the center of the horse to cross the letter when the change is being made?” Together they interview up-and-coming i...

Welcome to the Training Buzz sponsored by  Purina . Today we hear from accomplished Grand Prix rider and trainer  Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel . At a clinic, before taking to the saddle, she talks about the importance of systematic training and understanding the horse’s body parts before you can get the horse to stretch and use his back properly. Members of Equestrian+ can watch more vide...

Welcome to the Dressage Today podcast sponsored by  Equithrive . In this episode, Aviva talks about the newest addition to her herd – Ralphie the Dutch Harness Horse. She also explains the difference between the submission score and the effectiveness of the aids score on the collective marks of a dressage test in the “Ask the L” segment. Together they have an engaging conversation with dressa...

Today Grand Prix trainers and competitors Todd Flettrich and Ruth Hogan-Poulsen discuss riding haunches-in. It is ridden on four tracks, and the bend comes primarily from behind the saddle, and the neck and shoulders stay straight on the direction of travel. They cover the proper aids for riding it as well as common mistakes and how to address them. Members of Equestrian+ can watch more videos wit...

Welcome to the Dressage Today podcast sponsored by  Equithrive . In this episode, Aviva and Stephanie talk about the mental health aspect of the horse industry and how their interviews with Nancy Lavoie and Dr. Jenny Susser can help start a conversation. Then Aviva talks about how a canter transition is scored when it happens early or late. Together they interview Dr. Jenny Susser who did a s...

Head: Rider Warm-up Stretches Dek: Try some exercises in the saddle with Laura Ashley Killian This Training Buzz episode is sponsored by  Purina . Today hear from USDF gold, silver and bronze medalist Laura Ashely Killian. She goes over mounted rider stretches that she does at the beginning of her ride and focus on loosening the hip, seat and leg. If you are on an appropriate horse, you...

In today’s Buzz, bit and bridle expert and USDF gold medalist Stephanie Brown-Beamer gives an overview of bitting basics for your dressage horse. She shares what she has learned, what she often sees, trends she has observed and what you should keep in mind when bitting your own horse. She discusses her process for assessing a horse and his mouth to select the most appropriate bit. Members of Eques...

Welcome to the Dressage Today podcast sponsored by  Equithrive . In this episode, Stephanie gives an update on her horse Nadia, and Aviva answers an Ask the L question about the correct amount of angle in shoulder in. Together they have an excellent conversation with Nancy Lavoie about her history in teaching dressage and how changing the conversation (both internally and externally) can help...

Welcome to Dressage Today’s Training Buzz sponsored by  Purina . Today we hear from USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist Michele Wellman. She practices what she preaches when she says to advocate for the horse. In this clip, Michele tells the story about one of her horses who encountered various physical issues and the long road to determine the cause. Members of Equestrian+ can watch Michele Well...

In today’s Buzz, horsemanship expert Chelsea Canedy explains how meditation can help work with clients and horses. It makes her more comfortable with a sense of stillness, allowing her to take moments of silence both externally and internally and locating a warmth of presence and gratitude. Members of Equestrian+ can watch many videos with Chelsea Canedy  here . Not a member? Sign up for a fr...

Welcome to the Dressage Today podcast sponsored by  Spalding Labs . Stephanie and Aviva start with talking about Stephanie’s recent trip to film the Adequan®/USDF FEI-Level Trainers Conference that was held just outside of Wellington. Then Aviva answers the question of: In first level can you switch between sitting trot and posting trot?  Then together they talk to equine nutritioni...

On this week’s Training Buzz, we hear from Hilda Gurney, Olympic dressage team bronze medalist, international judge, trainer, instructor, and breeder. In this clip, she talks about how to execute the half halt as well as how to use the half halt to gain lightness in the bridle and re-balance the horse. Members of Equestrian+ can watch many videos with Hilda Gurney  here . Not a member? Sign u...

In this Training Buzz, FEI 5* judge Janet Foy and Team Olympic Bronze Medalist Debbie McDonald answer questions from auditors of a clinic. Foy first explains how she judges the turn on the haunches and gives useful tips on how to ride the movement the best. They next talk about how to work with a horse that has conformational challenges, and the last question is about the tongue being out dur...

Welcome to the Dressage Today podcast sponsored by  USRider . Stephanie and Aviva take a look back at who they talked to in 2023, and Aviva answers an “Ask the L” question about how long to halt and salute. Then Stephanie does a reading of  Half Halts Simplified with Kathy Connelly , which was the most read article on Dressage Today’s website in 2022. Kathy Connelly, a renowned...

This Training Buzz is sponsored by  Purina . Grand Prix trainer Jackie Kinney works with an amateur rider who gets nervous. She is riding a large, older FEI-level schoolmaster. They start with breathing exercises and the feet out of the stirrups in order to focus on feeling the horse's motion. Breathing with the horse's movement can help both horse and rider relax. Members of Dressage Today O...