How to ride a Dressage Test - with Olivia Towers & FEI judge Isobel Wessels | Guest Vlog 

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We hope you enjoy this different style of tutorial video. Do you guys want to see the part 2 advanced version?

I really enjoyed this instructional video, thank you Olivia for demonstrating the common faults and mark earners in your riding. I am currently riding at prelim level as my horse has only been back in work since last October. We're working on balance and control with our canter transitions. I loved the elementary movement you demonstrated with the half circles and leg yield. I think I'm going to give that a try in walk and then work up to trot as it looks like a fab way to get fluidity and consistency. Thanks again Olivia!

Yes I enjoyed it. I had to stop riding for awhile, so your videos have helped me to learn dressage all over again.

I'm sooooooo happy to see you again Olivia! Loved this video which was very well put together and has very good advice and explanations! But I really really, really hope to see you again soon on your own channel...

thank you so much for this video! im doing my first dressage test in a few weeks

Thanks for the video, some really good information to help me. I am only doing prelim at my stables and I struggle with getting nervous when I enter the arena and therefore become tense and rushed.

Thanks Olivia. I'm a hunter jumper judge, trying to learn more about dressage. Thank you, was informative

Great video! Thank you very much !

Thanks for this! Definitely going to be helpful in the future.

Very helpful! My horse and I are beginner novice, training level dressage with a few first level schooling movements. Acceptance of the aids and contact is something we work on the most!

I'm a USDF Training level rider. I have a lot of issues, so I'm going back to the beginning and relearning. Right now, my mare and I struggle in particularly with maintaining a light, consistent contact at the trot and we've never been able to get good marks for our center line. Turning onto center line is particularly challenging, but the rest of center line looks like a loose serpentine 🤦‍♀️😆

I enjoyed this. I'm green as grass. I struggle with leaning forward too much. I need to sit up straight. (There's more, but ain't nobody got that kind of time! ha)

I've used to practice dressage some 40 years ago!!😳 Life caused me to stop...😞 But...lately I've started to think about getting back on a horse!! I know... I know... I'm 66. Hope it's not too late!!🐴💞🤗

I’m new to dressage. My horse is level three, and I know very little. Where should I begin? I’ve been studying with Amelia on line, and took only a few lessons in other horses. Should I take more lessons?

That was awesome! I’d love to see more like this. I am a beginner. (Prix St Beginner). 🤣. Keeping the fluidity is definitely a challenge for me.

This shows EXACTLY how little judges care about the horses. ALL this is ridden behind vertical with the 2.-3. vertebrae as highest point without any comments on that. And so it is al over in this sport. Even though FEI's describe dressage in their own rules very different. When this point is highest, it is impossible for the horse to use the chest and it will remain on forhand forever. When the poll is not the highest and the horse is hyperflexed like this, it cannot turn in the joint between the scalp and the 1st cervical vertebra. Even though this belongs to the need to make the horse work right through the body. When it cannot turn there, it will turn somewhere else(in the middle of the neck fx) and that is very very bad followed by more bad ness. Futhermore the noseband is placed far too long down on the soft on the nostril. The judge never takes any notice. This is a DISASTER for the hole sport AND the horses.

Great video Oliva. I'm at intro level and I struggle with my mindset around canter!

prix saint George and I struggle with the half canter pirouettes

I really enjoyed this video great tips, I am working a prelim level, how do you teach a horse to come back in canter every time I half-halt in canter he breaks to trot, I need to make the canter more adjustable to help him balance, any tips for this

This is very helpful. I am a hunter jumper and I am turning my vanner (who is retiring from hunters, for obvious reasons) into a dressage horse since he is way too talented, and loves showing way too much for him to completely retire from showing. I’m planning on learning some basics by myself until the tests become more than a simple walk/trot.

I don't ride English, per se, any longer and go with western trail. I can't tell what a great video this is and all your videos are exceptional. Thank you, from all the horses who have riders that think they know more than anyone and are abusive to their horses, and use force instead of subtle guidance.