Riding Tip: Feel and timing are the key
The hardest thing to learn in dressage is not piaffe, it is more fundamental. How do you know what you are doing is right, what does it feel like – no one can explain that to you, it is something you have to experience for yourself. Additionally, you have to recognize that what you are feeling is right. In order to do so you must have the proper timing in order to duplicate the move that provided you with the “golden feeling”. Learning timing and feel are the two most difficult and most fundamental elements in dressage.
Your trainer can help you but the best and quickest way to attain good timing and experience feel – is to practice, practice, practice. It is also a good idea to keep a journal of what worked and what didn’t; what inspirations you gained after a ride whether in a lesson or schooling on your own. If you get a chance to ride a really experienced horse they will almost correct your bad timing, it can be quite humbling (I once had this experience on a GP stallion I was riding for a client…oops). Another good suggestion is to read about how your position affects the horse such as in the book ‘Balance in Movement’ by Suzanne von Dietze. When you are in the right position, the feel comes more easily and you are in the right place at the right time which means your timing will also improve.
