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Western
Dressage is just like Western Show patterns but performed in a Dressage arena as was the old WES
Arena Test A years back, and
is all about control, accuracy in maintaining correct paces and precision performing transitions and
manoeuvres, which is the basic groundwork for improvement in other performance classes like Horsemanship,
Western Riding, Trail and even Reining.
The
intrepid adventurers who have sallied forth to meet the challenge have all been aiming to improve their overall
riding control skills, so why
not give it a try especially over the winter when Western shows are few and far between, and for anyone who
says "I can't because my horse is too hairy", so what ? All
the other horses are hairy and who cares anyway - it's not Royal Windsor !
The bottom
line is that it's just another way to have some fun with our horses and at the same time show British people
the effectiveness of Western schooling, hopefully gaining a few more converts in the process especially from
among the Dressage fraternity; it even
prompted a request from the Herts Hunt Pony Club for a Western
demo at Milton Keynes Eventing Centre ! |
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Since its
launch in the West Midlands (WES Area 10) interest has been growing elsewhere in the UK, initially at
Okehampton Devon (Area 3), then a Clinic at Wye Oak Hants (Area 13), new venues at Stevenage Herts (Area 10)
and Carmarthen (Area 6), Ayrshire & Lanarkshire (Area 12), Markfield Leics (Area 7) and maybe some events
soon in Northumberland (Area 4) and Oakridge Leics (Area 7) with enquiries from Derbyshire (Area 7) and Essex
(Area 9), so watch the EVENTS page for dates.
At
the WES National Show in 2013 an absolutely astonishing, overwhelming, very rewarding and encouraging 50
entries in total saw 25 competitors ride 45 Tests over the three classes. RESULTS
The
Western Dressage movement is already gaining impetus across the pond, as already a dozen States have affiliated
to the WDAA since its inauguration early in 2011. First
to sign up was Colorado followed by Minnesota, Texas, California, Connecticut, North Carolina, Oklahoma,
Oregon, Florida, Georgia & Ohio with Canada becoming the first international Alliance in 2012, and another
8 states: Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia & Washington State expected
to follow. |
