Disciplines
Helen Trimeloni riding Willy side saddle
DHF offers lessons and training in five disciplines, Dressage, Hunter/Jumper, Eventing, Sidesaddle and Groundwork.
Dressage is what you see during the Olympics when someone is wearing a top hat (or helmet), a tail coat and tall boots and seems to be doing figure skating patterns, usually on a huge horse. The word "dressage" is a French word most commonly translated as "training." In dressage, horses are brought to the highest possible level of training, given their mind, build and ability. Dressage is body-building for horses - you may notice that upper level (the ones you see in the Olympics, for instance) dressage horses look" unusually fat or thick in their bodies. They look that way because their abdominal muscles are highly developed (a true "six-pack") after years of working up the dressage training levels. Dressage is a precise discipline, with the tests "ridden to the letters" (that's because you usually change gaits, change directions, etc., at a specific letter on the arena). For the horse to stay happy, perform his best and achieve the highest level he's capable of, the rider must be sensitive and aware of what's going on in both his own body and the horse's, as well. Dancing Horse Farm uses the "Ride with Your Mind" biomechanics system created by Mary Wanless to achieve these goals. Biomechanic riding trains the rider to become aware of both her and her horse's body in new and more beneficial ways. Biomechanics are the basis of everything taught at DHF. Dressage is taught at DHF by Jen Truett, Sheila Wilson, Natalie Regal, Helen Trimeloni and Sami Najemyi.
Hunter/Jumper is the way people ride when they "ride to hounds" (foxhunting), jump logs on trail rides or jump in competitions over fences up to about four feet high at the higher levels of competition. This is called "forward seat riding." The rider learns how to approach a fence and the best place to cue the horse to take off, as well as how to keep their turns as balanced as possible in order to complete a round of fences. Show jumping is the discipline for those who want to jump the big fences (puissance fences are up to seven feet high!) in competition. Lots of show jumpers started out as hunter/jumpers. Hunter/jumper lessons are taught at DHF by Bill Dyer.
Eventing is the discipline best seen at the Rolex held at the Kentucky Horse Park every May. A three day event involves dressage on the first day, cross-country the second and stadium jumping (similar to show jumping) the third. The same horse and rider pair competes in each of these disciplines to complete the three-day. Cross-country jumping involves jumping all kinds of obstacles, including jumping into and out of water, over jumps that may look like picnic tables or big hedges, or the horse and rider may race up a bank and then jump off to the ground below. It's a very exciting sport for the horse and rider as well as the spectators. Eventing is taught at DHF by Sheila Wilson and Helen Trimeloni.
Side saddle is how ladies rode back in the olden days of long skirts. As you can see in the photo above, both of the rider's legs are to the left of the horse. Since she doesn't have a leg on the right side to give cues, she uses her whip for those cues. The right leg hooks around a curved horn shaped to hold the rider's leg comfortably. The left foot is in a normal English stirrup. With enough training and skill, you can do anything side saddle you can do astride. DHF Apprentice Trainer Helen Trimeloni won her USDF Silver Medal this year riding side saddle. Side saddle is taught at DHF by Helen Trimeloni.
Groundwork is a way of getting your horse to focus on you, to be more responsive and obedient. It is far more than just lunging (working the horse in a circle around you). Groundwork can overcome discipline and submission problems in a safer environment than if the rider were in the saddle. You can train a horse to do everything from staying out of your personal space to doing piaffe/passage (high-level dressage movements) without a rider, which is a benefit to the horse in many ways. Groundwork is taught at DHF by Anja Holst.
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Dressage is what you see during the Olympics when someone is wearing a top hat (or helmet), a tail coat and tall boots and seems to be doing figure skating patterns, usually on a huge horse. The word "dressage" is a French word most commonly translated as "training." In dressage, horses are brought to the highest possible level of training, given their mind, build and ability. Dressage is body-building for horses - you may notice that upper level (the ones you see in the Olympics, for instance) dressage horses look" unusually fat or thick in their bodies. They look that way because their abdominal muscles are highly developed (a true "six-pack") after years of working up the dressage training levels. Dressage is a precise discipline, with the tests "ridden to the letters" (that's because you usually change gaits, change directions, etc., at a specific letter on the arena). For the horse to stay happy, perform his best and achieve the highest level he's capable of, the rider must be sensitive and aware of what's going on in both his own body and the horse's, as well. Dancing Horse Farm uses the "Ride with Your Mind" biomechanics system created by Mary Wanless to achieve these goals. Biomechanic riding trains the rider to become aware of both her and her horse's body in new and more beneficial ways. Biomechanics are the basis of everything taught at DHF. Dressage is taught at DHF by Jen Truett, Sheila Wilson, Natalie Regal, Helen Trimeloni and Sami Najemyi.
Hunter/Jumper is the way people ride when they "ride to hounds" (foxhunting), jump logs on trail rides or jump in competitions over fences up to about four feet high at the higher levels of competition. This is called "forward seat riding." The rider learns how to approach a fence and the best place to cue the horse to take off, as well as how to keep their turns as balanced as possible in order to complete a round of fences. Show jumping is the discipline for those who want to jump the big fences (puissance fences are up to seven feet high!) in competition. Lots of show jumpers started out as hunter/jumpers. Hunter/jumper lessons are taught at DHF by Bill Dyer.
Eventing is the discipline best seen at the Rolex held at the Kentucky Horse Park every May. A three day event involves dressage on the first day, cross-country the second and stadium jumping (similar to show jumping) the third. The same horse and rider pair competes in each of these disciplines to complete the three-day. Cross-country jumping involves jumping all kinds of obstacles, including jumping into and out of water, over jumps that may look like picnic tables or big hedges, or the horse and rider may race up a bank and then jump off to the ground below. It's a very exciting sport for the horse and rider as well as the spectators. Eventing is taught at DHF by Sheila Wilson and Helen Trimeloni.
Side saddle is how ladies rode back in the olden days of long skirts. As you can see in the photo above, both of the rider's legs are to the left of the horse. Since she doesn't have a leg on the right side to give cues, she uses her whip for those cues. The right leg hooks around a curved horn shaped to hold the rider's leg comfortably. The left foot is in a normal English stirrup. With enough training and skill, you can do anything side saddle you can do astride. DHF Apprentice Trainer Helen Trimeloni won her USDF Silver Medal this year riding side saddle. Side saddle is taught at DHF by Helen Trimeloni.
Groundwork is a way of getting your horse to focus on you, to be more responsive and obedient. It is far more than just lunging (working the horse in a circle around you). Groundwork can overcome discipline and submission problems in a safer environment than if the rider were in the saddle. You can train a horse to do everything from staying out of your personal space to doing piaffe/passage (high-level dressage movements) without a rider, which is a benefit to the horse in many ways. Groundwork is taught at DHF by Anja Holst.
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