Developing dressage in our backyard
It is the base to build up from, like the foundation of a house
Dressage is a French term, most commonly translated to mean “training,” however the dictionary defines Dressage as “the art of riding and training a horse in a manner that develops obedience, flexibility and balance,” – but many horse riders will tell you that it’s much more than that.
Dressage is for every rider, every horse and every discipline.
It is the base to build up from, like the foundation of a house.
We develop a dressage horse physically and mentally through systematic and gymnastic training to perform any task to the best of his ability.
Not every horse and rider will become a top Grand Prix (the highest level of Dressage) combination, but improving and understanding the basis of dressage will create a confident, balanced, supple and happy athlete.
Dressage has a rich history with its roots in the writings of the philosopher Xenophon (who died in 354 BC) – despite living over 2 000 years ago, his ideas are still widely praised.
In modern dressage competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of “tests” which are prescribed as a series of movements ridden within a standard arena.
Judges evaluate each movement on the basis of an objective standard appropriate to the level of the test and assign each movement a score from zero to ten.
Adriaan van Wyk is one of South Africa’s most revered dressage riders, having competed at Grand Prix level (the highest level of dressage) both locally and internationally.
Adriaan is also the head coach of the famous Lipizzaner horses in Kyalami and breeds Warmblood horses at his stud farm, Gombera Stud, in Monvani.
Over the Easter weekend Adriaan van Wyk held a clinic for eMalahleni’s aspiring dressage superstars at Natalie Inggs’s Tansy Stud out on the R555, close to Crystal River Estate.
Equine enthusiasts from all over the area came to participate in the clinic, with some riders travelling all the way from Groblersdal.
The clinic, that stretched over a couple of days, saw riders of all age groups and ability levels coming together to strut their stuff under Adriaan’s watchful eye.
All of the combinations that attended the clinic showed marked improvements in their overall way of going, with many excitedly looking forward to their next Dressage show.
If you and your horse would like to attend a clinic with Adriaan van Wyk in eMalahleni, kindly contact Natalie Inggs on 062 016 5101.
Adriaan will be in eMalahleni again on May 18 and 19, and many of Adriaan’s pupils will be showing off their Dressage-prowess at Stunoverian Equestrian Centre on May 11 and 12 (with some of the rider’s daringly tackling the ‘dressage to music’ classes).
