Dressage is a systematic taming of the horse. Dressage training develops seamless communication between the horse and rider, and obedience by the horse. Therefore the initial training a horse receives is critical to his life long success and well-being. It is important to remember that good riding is therapeutic for the horse, it 'apologizes' to the horse for sitting on his back to begin with. Correct riding strengthens and supples the horse for progressively more difficult requests by the rider, and so that he remains healthy, sound and happy in his work. I believe that it is my responsibility to each of the horses I train to develop individuals that are a pleasure to work with and have the foundation to go on and achieve their full potential. Successful human-horse partnerships are my goal.

I approach working with riders the same way, using a systematic development of skill and understanding. Without good control of the seat and aids, the rider has no real hope of achieving good communication and obedience from the horse. Developing an awareness of how the riders body is affecting the horse, and understanding how to gain the reaction desired from the horse by using the aids correctly, is the basis for every lesson. Once a rider learns to accurately feel what corrections are needed in both the horse and their own body, and develops tools for how to make those changes, the rider can become increasingly independent.