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Today in the U.S. and around the world, clever marketers in the equestrian world are distinguishing themselves as "natural trainers," claiming they have the "secret techniques" that enhance the relationship between horse and rider. The discipline they contrast to, more often than not, is dressage.

Unfortunately, especially here in the U.S., there are many dressage trainers, clinicians, instructors and riders who allow these contrasts to be true.

What many "naturalists" and "dressage" trainers don’t realize is that the true form of classical dressage combines the benefits of both. And only when these two theories are combined can horse and rider reach their true potential.

Most of the natural horse techniques used today, reach for the same goal; the development and improvement of trust and communication between horse and rider. The Dressage they contrast with is that which focuses solely on the use of the aids; hands, seat, legs, and voice to ride the horse at higher levels.

Each concept on its own can achieve positive results, but end up failing in other areas. Without the proper understanding of the aids, the communication becomes limited, and the development of horse and rider can not move on to the next levels.

Those focusing just on the aids of dressage, tend to overuse, if not misuse, the aids to compensate for the lack of trust and communication between horse and rider.

Unfortunately, because of the separation existing between the two today, it is extremely difficult for the professional equestrian to develop in both areas. Thereby leaving students having to make a choice between the two concepts.

As students, you don’t have to settle for one or the other. There are still equestrians who work with both concepts and develop relationships with their horses that are only spoken about by those who are using one without the other. They begin their training developing a trusting relationship while introducing the necessary communication aids that are used as the horse develops into the higher levels. The proper use of the aids in a trusting relationship provides the necessary means of developing a high level performance athlete. This is what is meant by Classical Dressage.

So as you watch riders, trainers, clinicians, and instructors look to see if their program is focused on only one of these concepts, or both. Do they develop trust and communication with the horse? And then are they able to introduce the aids to improve and build on that communication and trust to achieve a higher performance level?

The effective program combines both throughout the training of horse and rider, any level, any discipline. Dressage is not limited to the english disciplines. Proper balancing of the horse and rider through the proper communication aids can benefit any horse and rider.

Establish the trust and communication of a naturalist, and then effectively apply your communication aids to bring out you and your horse’s true potential.