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Dressage Tips - From the Experts
[back to main Dressage Tips page]
Full Training - Why? Or Why Not?
by Shannon Dueck
[Shannon Dueck is a contributing writer to the Sho Clothes Sho News monthly newsletter]
(Photo of Shannon Dueck by Sue Stickle)
I run a smallish training facility down here in sunny Florida. Because it’s a small private facility, all my clients are in training with me, but some are in full training and others are in partial training. I think everyone who wants to participate seriously in the sport of dressage needs to be in some kind of training program, but what is appropriate for you and your horse? How do you make the choice?
I will assume you are with a trainer that you trust and respect. Your trainer should have experience training (not just riding) at the levels you aspire to. If you have competitive goals, make sure your trainer has or is still competing successfully, or has coached students successfully. It is very valuable to have a trainer who can ride and train your horse too.
Often times the first thing is a financial consideration. Full training is expensive you say! But in reality, most trainers offer great discounts for full training. Individual lessons are the most expensive way to get your training. My full training for a month costs the same as 10 individual sessions, and that’s a 50% savings! Of course my husband always laughs when I go shopping at a sale for something I don’t need (“but Honey I’m saving so much money”) but if full training is something you would like - or need - it often makes financial sense to bite the bullet.
Full training can be fabulous - you can steadily improve if you have someone good leading the way. It can be so helpful to have a great trainer get on to “tune up” your horse, and then you can feel the difference when you get back on. Riding is all about feel, and no matter what, trainers cannot teach feel well. Only feeling teaches feel, and that is the horse’s area of expertise (aside from destroying barns and eating a lot)!
If you are feeling lost in your progress, regardless of your level, full training can be very helpful, even for a short while. With intense training for a few months you can usually make some real breakthroughs and feel good again about the direction you are heading.
If you have a young horse, have never trained such a creature and are not an accomplished rider, you should be in full training. Young horses are very impressionable, and you can make good or bad impressions very quickly! It’s much easier to train a young horse well the first time than to try to fix incorrect or nasty behavior. It’s faster, less stressful, less dangerous and you will spend less money in the long run.
If you are in a situation health wise or your lifestyle dictates limited time in the saddle, full training can ease your stress while improving your horse at the same time. Woohoo! two benefits in one.
However, full training can sometimes inhibit your development as a rider. I think many people get too reliant on their trainers and get lost when left on their own. Every rider should have some time on their own where they have to feel what is happening underneath them, decide on how to try to improve it, and do their best to train their horse themselves. Taking this responsibility is what truly will turn you into an effective rider at every stage.
My final thought is that full training should be a part of everyone’s learning curve at some time, and sometimes it is imperative due to your situation. But very often it can be incredibly productive to be by yourself and take the time to process what you are learning in your lessons, and just ride your horse.
Enjoy your rides!
International Grand Prix trainer and competitor Shannon Dueck is a Pan Am Games Individual Silver Medalist, and has competed at both WEG and the World Cup Final. She has trained with Bert Rutten of the Netherlands, Kathy Connelly, Lars Peterson, Hubertus Schmidt, Robert Dover, and most recently, Wolfram Wittig while in Germany this past summer.
Interested in helping to promote Dressage in the U.S.? Consider donating to help Shannon return to Germany!
Shannon DueckShannon Dueck is working towards financing another training and competition tour in Europe for the summer of 2011. This is a giant step towards her goal of competing at the Olympics in 2012 with her mare Ayscha. Ms. Dueck recently established grant eligibility with the American Horse Trials Foundation. You can help Shannon and Ayscha realize their potential and goals by making a tax deductible donation to the AHTF. For more information please contact Shannon or the Foundation directly:
American Horse Trials Foundation, Inc.
221 Grove Cove Road
Centreville, MD, 21617
Phone: 443-262-9555
Email AHTF: ahtf@att.net
Donations are 100% tax deductible according to the IRS Code Section 501(c)(3). The American Horse Trials Foundation was established in 1987 to assist 3-Day Event Riders and Organizers in raising tax deductible financial support for national and international competition. In 1996 the Bylaws were revised so that the Foundation could assist riders competing in the related disciplines of dressage and show jumping.
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