Come See Thoroughbreds Do Dressage!

Popular Five - Thoroughbred doing dressage
Popular Five - Thoroughbred doing dressage

UPDATE: See photos and read about our clinic with Evie Stephens. Thank you to all who participated and to our guests and new friends who joined in the fun. See photos on our Training Thoroughbreds with Dressage page.

Saturday and Sunday morning and Saturday late afternoon Bits & Bytes Farm will be hosting a dressage clinic with Evie Stephens. The ride time slots are all filled with the Thoroughbreds of Bits & Bytes Farm but we welcome auditors. If you have wondered about our farm and would like to see the horses of the Web site taking a dressage lesson, please stop in. We will have food and drinks and shade from the summer sun. We would love to meet you.

Here is some information about Evie in her own words:

Dressage!

I was first introduced to Dressage during the early ‘80’s after a decade or so of riding Western. I found myself immediately infected with the need to learn more… and more… and more!…. It became my mission to take lessons from as many trainers as I could find. I became involved in my local Sport Horse Club and brought in trainers from far and wide. We hosted competitions which drew many of the top riders and horses from the East Coast. I read books, watched videos, attended clinics and symposiums and engaged in long drawn out philosophical discussions on the “principles” of dressage.

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Detroit Iron and Suellen learning dressage

After nearly 20 years of Dressage Immersion, I was finally able to formulate my own philosophy of riding and training. Dressage is nothing more than a biomechanical approach to riding and training any horse for any discipline. Correct riding accepts the horse at his/her level and invites them improve gymnastically thereby producing a more athletic, agreeable, ride.
Not all horses nor all riders will be able or willing to advance to upper levels but all horses will benefit from correct gymnastics, muscling and the principles of the training scale. When I retired my old 4th level gelding from competition, he needed a job and I had a client interested in leasing him but she wanted to ride Western. He understood the outside rein and leg so neck reining was a natural transition, by altering her seat aids a bit, his trot became a jog and his canter became a lope. He has even enjoyed a few endurance rides with her.
Every horse should be happy in his/her job. Correct riding and training based on the age old principles of dressage can help to achieve a happy, healthier horse and rider combination. I look forward to meeting each of you and hope that I can be instrumental to you and your horse on your journey to “dressage”.

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