Dressage lessons for kids!!

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popeyesno1fan

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My 7, nearly 8 yr old daughter is mad to have dressage lessons, but i think it's alot of money at 7,total waste, i think. She doesnt have the skills to do it now, so should I A) take her for lessons so that she will improve, or B), wait until she has another year riding and then take her. I'm not a dressage person. (not that i dont love it, i just cant do it). xxxx
 
Could you explain a little further please. What do you expect from a dressage lesson?

Dressage mean training, and a dressage lesson is an lesson in how to work a horse correctly on the flat. It can be applied to any level of age/experience. It concerns me that yousay they are too expensive - is someone quoting you a higher price for 'dressage' lessons, than they would normally charge for a riding lesson for your daughter - because if that's the case, said person should be shot.
 
Hi, not sure how well your daughter rides, but my 8 yr old daughter loves dressage and has delcared that thats what she wants to be when she grows up. We've been lucky enough to find a great riding instructor whos own passion is dressage, so whilst she isnt specifically a dressage instructor, they do practice and work on sections of dressage tests.
I guess for me it would depend upon how well your daugher rides and can take on instruction and fine detail- kids should be encouraged to want to do, im sure theres a young riders dressage team/club - think it maybe called fledglings or something.

does your daughter do pony club- as they may do sessions of more specific dressage?

sorry rambling now.... not had my first cuppa yet!
 
I have three kids, due to lack of funds they rarely get lessons. If you can arrange 2-3 lessons in a block and let the teacher give your daughter a few pointers, and maybe follow up with a walk trot test somewhere after, and then have a break for say 6 months, and repeat, this should be enough for your daughter at her age.

This is what I tend to do with my kids although the gap in between is more like 1-2 years, rather than every 6 months for lessons.

My kids would be bored with lessons every week any way, but when they do have a lesson they really appreciate it.
 
Assuming she can walk trot and canter on a RS pony, and her instructor thinks she has the makings of a good rider you could look for someone who needs a child for a show pony. This may start at lead rein classes or first pony, but show ponies have to be ridden correctly, she has to start with the basic paces, and will not be doing passage or piaffe for another ten years!
 
The first challenge as I see it would be to get the child riding a pony correctly.

If my kids were heavy handed or kicking and nagging, I'd want to sort that out first.

Decent transitions up and down, stopping and backing up without reins, is more important to me initially.
 
Pale Rider said:
The first challenge as I see it would be to get the child riding a pony correctly.

If my kids were heavy handed or kicking and nagging, I'd want to sort that out first.

Decent transitions up and down, stopping and backing up without reins, is more important to me initially.
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But that is dressage! It's not a separate skill to riding correctly.
 
As said above, dressage is just training. My kids have occasional lessons with a dressage trainer, simply because we're on a dressage yard & the owner teaches me. They don't spend their lessons riding dressage tests (they have only ever done that when learning to ride a specific test for a pony club mini ODE), but they do learn to work their ponies correctly. All of mine have had at least the odd lesson from about 7 & I have never paid more for flatwork lessons because they are 'dressage'. I wouldn't go overboard with lessons for a 7yo but a few lessons wouldn't hurt. At our pony club, the little ones often do prix caprilli (a dressage test with a small jump). Maybe your daughter would enjoy that.
 
Usually the local pony club will do this at rallies. When my daughter went they used to call it "flatwork" but it is just "dressage" by another name - ie getting ponies to be soft and responsive. They used to split into groups of age and ability and rotate through 3 instructors "flatwork" "showjumping" and "cross country" at summer rallies. This would be anything from walking correctly on the lead rein, cavaletti (sp) jumps and tiny logs to full up 3ft 6inch SJs and XC with an area level dressage test to practice. It is not a waste to teach a child to ride correctly and well.
 
I really hope this thread flies because it gets to the very heart of what the horse community faces day to day, and why there are so many screwed up donks out there.

IME, people will invariably attempt to pass their own values to their offspring, there lies the problem. I won't add IMHO because it isn't humble it's downright outrageous! IMO the horse world is awash with riders that introduce their riding in terms of years and how long they have owned/shared and then top it off with the disciplines in which they indulge and the shows they attend - I cannot express just how meaningless most of that is to me, it's word salad. I am at a loss how it gets valued enough to seep into language. In amongst those described above there are some remarkably good jockeys, no doubt about it, but there are also a plethora of pre maddonas and wannabes. The horse world's awash with half baked riding.

Pale Rider is more than welcome to pop in and correct me but I strongly suspect his initial response is rooted in the above. What needs to be valued is not X years + I bought a horse + I go to X, what needs to be valued s the expression of knowledge. Riding's bloody hard - at least for someone like myself not blessed with ooodles of talent, a lifetime (or half of it) can be spent slogging hard enough to say 'I'm a basic rider, I don't teach a horse flying changes both ways to perfection, I don't know the best way to ride a 1mtr + track, but I can get nigh on any horse ready for either' or 'I'm a X rider I can teach flying changes both ways, or do know the best way round a 1 mt + track, but I don't break, or I don't do dressage, or I don't jump, or I need 1 horse for X yrs to get there'.

I get that dressage at it's root has basic riding but the word holds a whole host of connotations that go way beyond. If a child wants dressage lessons over just the best instructor for riding lessons then that child doesn't get it. That's not the kids fault a great swathe of horse folk don't get it despite riding X yrs, have owned X horses for X years and do X at the weekend.

Ok that's my totally not humble rant over!
 
Pale Rider said:
Auslander, your right, just not used to seeing kids taught properly, lol.
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This is one of my my beefs - that beginner riders are inevitably taught by inexperienced teachers. Im all for instilling correct principles from the start. It;s harder to unlearn bad habits than it is to learn new ones
 
My daughter is 9 and has had regular lessons since she was 6 from our instructor who is mostly in to her flatwork. It has done wonders and has helped her riding imensley. I've never called it 'dressage' but she does ride circles, serpantines, practise transitions and other basic things which obviously help with her jumping, showing and general day to day riding and hacking as she has a good foundation. Its important your daughter realises at her age she won't be learning passage piaffe changes etc!!

We have just started some local dressage competitons and she has been quite sucessful(won her Intro test last night!) And is now moving up to prelim. She loves getting her test sheets back and really takes the comments on board. She also makes up her freestyles to music (usually Katie Perry which is quite entertaining lol!)
I think its great to introduce children to it at this level but its important to keep it fun as once they realise they won't quite be doing Charlotte Dujardin's moves they might lose interest a bit!
 
popeyesno1fan said:
My 7, nearly 8 yr old daughter is mad to have dressage lessons, but i think it's alot of money at 7,total waste, i think. She doesnt have the skills to do it now, so should I A) take her for lessons so that she will improve, or B), wait until she has another year riding and then take her. I'm not a dressage person. (not that i dont love it, i just cant do it). xxxx
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What does she do now? What level is she at and is she having any lessons at all?

A nearly 8 year old can understand enough to learn how to ride a dressage test correctly so lessons wouldn't necessarily be a waste of money. If she wants to "do dressage" presumably the aim is to compete eventually. I'd suggest that you buy some intro and prelim tests for her (dressage diagrams do them cheaply in various formats). Then find an instructor who has some experience of dressage, it doesn't have to be at the highest level, it doesn't have to be with someone who holds themselves out to be a dressage trainer either, an instructor who competes themselves either at dressage or eventing should have enough insight to be able to give your daughter a lesson in "dressage".

Dressage skills are largely just correct riding with a bit of ring craft, but if your daughter is keen to have a go she wants an instructor who will nurture this and encourage her and who will remember what direction she wants to take and try to teach with that in mind.
 
Surely all beginners' lessons are 'flatwork', aka, 'dressage'? What does the child think she is learning?

I certainly wouldn't be paying any more for 'dressage' lessons and I wouldn't trust the person who offered them.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Surely all beginners' lessons are 'flatwork', aka, 'dressage'? What does the child think she is learning?

I certainly wouldn't be paying any more for 'dressage' lessons and I wouldn't trust the person who offered them.
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But if she is feeling inspired and enthusiastic what is wrong with having some lessons that look at working toward doing a little dressage test? Many RCs or PCs have low level tests suitable for children, even lead rein ones, why not work toward this?

It may well be just what the child needs to get some focus and enthusiasm for flatwork.

In the same way that a child's riding can be improved without boring them by using games, or poles if this child is motivated by dressage then a good instructor will use that. An intro test is just walking and trotting shapes in the school, very much the sort of thing that would be done in a flatwork lesson, so why not have the child ride through and intro test and practice it in lessons (or elements of it to prevent the pony anticipating) with an aim of doing the test at a show. I have been in plenty of lessons where a dressage test or individual show for a showing class is used as a teaching tool.

You don't need a "dressage trainer" but an instructor with a bit of knowledge of test riding would be better.
 
Kat said:
But if she is feeling inspired and enthusiastic what is wrong with having some lessons that look at working toward doing a little dressage test? Many RCs or PCs have low level tests suitable for children, even lead rein ones, why not work toward this?

It may well be just what the child needs to get some focus and enthusiasm for flatwork.

In the same way that a child's riding can be improved without boring them by using games, or poles if this child is motivated by dressage then a good instructor will use that. An intro test is just walking and trotting shapes in the school, very much the sort of thing that would be done in a flatwork lesson, so why not have the child ride through and intro test and practice it in lessons (or elements of it to prevent the pony anticipating) with an aim of doing the test at a show. I have been in plenty of lessons where a dressage test or individual show for a showing class is used as a teaching tool.

You don't need a "dressage trainer" but an instructor with a bit of knowledge of test riding would be better.
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Thanks Kat, I'll find someone with a dressage backround to give her a few lessons. and get some dressage tests for her. she'll love it. x
 
I don't know if you have transport etc but a lot of these online show websites have the walk trot test that you can video and send in.

My 7 year old did her 1st dressage test on Sunday at a PC ODE (in hail stones which didn't help) she did so well and rode beautifully she wouldn't of had a great score as her accuracy was off because she couldn't hear me because of weather, but I think that is what grass root level stuff is all about- have a try, have fun, learn from your mistakes and try to improve for next time. :D
 
As nikCscott says there are online dressage competitions that you can enter if you can't get to suitable shows. Dressage Anywhere do the BD tests, you just video your test and send it in then you get comments back and a rosette.
 
Sorry, really don't get what you mean OP?!

Dressage means 'training' it is all about getting the horse working correctly and as a rider being as balance and in tune with the horse as you can be in order to enable them to be able to work correctly.

Dressage lessons don't consist of the 'trainer' immediately asking you for Half Pass, Passage and flying changes.

Personally, if/when I have kids the first thing they will be doing is having flatwork lessons with a decent trainer.

Cannot stand seeing children riding sloppily with washing line reins, no balance, flap, flap flap.

This is the reason why europe seem to produce, in general better riders and why so many from the UK are flocking there for training. In places like Holland you're not allowed even off the lunge for the first few years.

So, in answer to your OP.

YES, shell out for lessons with a decent instructor for your daughter. If she's going to be taught to ride it should be correctly.
 
Gosh what extremes in responses...
Personally I would say 100% go out and find her her dressage instructor
I strongly feel that if you do it now .. you will not be spending a fortune on undoing the bad habits picked up that are then critically wrong for dressage later.
Also run with it as she is showing an interest ... dont make her feel she isnt upo to it and get disheartened.
Sorry for all you that say isnt just flatwork dressage anyway ...it doesnt seem to be that case ... being a dressage trainer who feel sorry for all the people that say but my riding school didnt pick up on ... :-(

On the other side ... the sooner we get our youndster interested and riding good dressage the bigger chance we have of more medals
I can remember a few years ago watching a 12 yr old boy competing on a 16.2 stallion at PSG at the world Lusitano show in Lisbon .. even beating some top riders .. he was from Germany ..amazing !!! have the video if anyone wants to see it
 
I'd say over anything else get her lessons with an instructor she trusts and whose lessons she really enjoys, enjoyment is half the battle with younger kids.

I taught for a few years and *everyone* I taught was taught to ride with a nice sympathetic hands, to use legs and seat, not to yank and when the wee legs were able to, to nudge rather than welly. I'd also set out dressage arenas in some lessons and we'd have a play at some dressage tests to put into practice all the flatwork they'd been doing anyway. They all eventually knew 10, 15 and 20m size circles, half halts, leg yield, loops off the track, serpentines, half circle changes of rein, figure of eights in trot and canter, etc etc.

Most of which are in prelim dressage tests.
 
Children of that age can gain alot from 'dressage' or flatwork lessons its not all about jumping. My daughter has dressage lessons aswell as dressage training at PC. SHes just turned 8. Its worth it though shes been asked to go on the PC teams at the area mini championships. Which she also knows the test by heart without any calling!!
I think aswell because somebody has explained why and how to get the pony correctly its really helped her jumping.
 
Kat said:
But if she is feeling inspired and enthusiastic what is wrong with having some lessons that look at working toward doing a little dressage test? Many RCs or PCs have low level tests suitable for children, even lead rein ones, why not work toward this?

It may well be just what the child needs to get some focus and enthusiasm for flatwork.

In the same way that a child's riding can be improved without boring them by using games, or poles if this child is motivated by dressage then a good instructor will use that. An intro test is just walking and trotting shapes in the school, very much the sort of thing that would be done in a flatwork lesson, so why not have the child ride through and intro test and practice it in lessons (or elements of it to prevent the pony anticipating) with an aim of doing the test at a show. I have been in plenty of lessons where a dressage test or individual show for a showing class is used as a teaching tool.

You don't need a "dressage trainer" but an instructor with a bit of knowledge of test riding would be better.
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But surely the child's instructor is already teaching her those things, that is simply learning to ride, it certainly was when I learned. Mind you that is over 40 yrs ago. The only thing that she is not doing is actually learning a test and tbh (as a teacher of young children) I'd be surprised if she could do a test without a caller - it is very easy to forget what comes next!
 
I don't think that you need a particularly dressage backgrounded instructor. If you told any good instructor that your child was particularly interested in dressage they would teach the lesson with that angle - explaining what school movements are in dressage tests, and how being accurate in transitions is important, and how they are marked on their position etc. You'd still be doing the basics that you would be doing in a regular lesson, but you would hopefully be feeding the child's imagination and what is inspiring them...
 
Honey08 said:
I don't think that you need a particularly dressage backgrounded instructor. If you told any good instructor that your child was particularly interested in dressage they would teach the lesson with that angle - explaining what school movements are in dressage tests, and how being accurate in transitions is important, and how they are marked on their position etc. You'd still be doing the basics that you would be doing in a regular lesson, but you would hopefully be feeding the child's imagination and what is inspiring them...
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thank you Honey08, thats what I will do. x
 
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